Patent attributes
An injection molding three way shut off valve assembly and method in which the three way valve assembly is configured to be disposed to control a flow of a molten material from an injection unit to a runner system. Preferably, the valve assembly has a valve plunger configured to be disposed between the injection unit and the runner system; the valve plunger having a flow-through channel and a purge channel. Movement structure is configured to control the position of the valve plunger between (i) a molten material flow position where the molten material flows through the flow-through channel, (ii) a molten material blocked position where the molten material is blocked from flowing through the flow-through channel, and (iii) a molten material purge position where the molten material flows through the purge channel, without disconnecting the injection unit from the runner system.
