| 20100285170 | COUPLING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An injection molding system comprising an actuator, a mounting plate, a mold and a manifold mounted between the mounting plate and the mold, the mounting plate being removably coupled to the mold, the actuator comprising an actuating member reciprocally drivable along an axial path of travel and a housing removably coupled to the mounting plate; a valve pin coupled to the shaft of the actuator for movement of the valve pin together with movement of the actuating member, the valve pin comprising a pin stem and a pin connector; the actuator having an actuator coupling adapted to reversibly couple to and decouple from the pin connector in a radial direction relative to the axial path of travel, the pin stem extending from the actuator into the manifold when the housing of the actuator is coupled to the mounting plate and the pin connector is received within the actuator coupling; the actuator housing being mounted on or within the mounting plate for radial movement upon decoupling of the actuator housing from the mounting plate such that the pin connector is decouplable from the actuator coupling upon said radial movement while the actuator housing is disposed on or within the mounting plate, the actuator being removable from on or within the mounting plate leaving the valve stem behind extending into the manifold. | 11-11-2010 |
