초록 ▼

A cooling tube assembly for operating on a malleable molded plastic part. The cooling tube assembly comprising a porous tube/insert having a profiled inner conditioning surface, and a vacuum structure configured to cooperate with the porous tube. In use, the vacuum develops a reduced pressure adjace

A cooling tube assembly for operating on a malleable molded plastic part. The cooling tube assembly comprising a porous tube/insert having a profiled inner conditioning surface, and a vacuum structure configured to cooperate with the porous tube. In use, the vacuum develops a reduced pressure adjacent the inner conditioning surface to cause an outer surface of the malleable molded plastic part, locatable within the cooling tube assembly, to contact the inner conditioning surface of the porous insert so as to allow a substantial portion of the outer surface of the malleable part, upon cooling, to attain a profile substantially corresponding to the profile of the inner conditioning surface. The cooling tube assembly further including a suction channel therein that is configured to cooperate with a valve member for the control of a suction flow therethrough that assists in a transferring of the molded article into the cooling tube assembly.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A cooling tube assembly that is configured for a post-molding conditioning of at least a portion of a malleable injection molded perform received therein, said cooling tube assembly including: a porous tube assembly that is configured to receive said portion of said preform a

What is claimed is: 1. A cooling tube assembly that is configured for a post-molding conditioning of at least a portion of a malleable injection molded perform received therein, said cooling tube assembly including: a porous tube assembly that is configured to receive said portion of said preform and to expand an outer surface thereof into contact with a cooled inner conditioning surface that is configured along said porous tube assembly; said porous tube assembly including a suction channel for assisting in a transfer of said preform therein; said suction channel being configured to receive a valve member that controls flow through said suction channel, and said valve member including a support face configured thereon for supporting a gate vestige of said preform when received in said porous tube assembly. 2. A post-molding molded article conditioning apparatus that is configured for conditioning at least a portion of a malleable molded article received therein, said conditioning apparatus comprising: a conditioning body with an inner conditioning surface configured therein for providing a conditioning cavity; said conditioning body including: a sealing structure for sealing an outer surface of said portion of said molded article within said conditioning cavity; a cooling structure that is configured for connection with a heat dissipation path for cooling of said molded article received therein; a porous member that is configured to include a porous inner conditioning surface therein that provides at least a portion of said inner conditioning surface of said conditioning cavity, and being configured for connecting said porous inner conditioning surface with an air pressure structure; a suction channel provided in said conditioning body that is configured to connect said conditioning cavity with said air pressure structure for assisting in a transfer of said molded article into said conditioning cavity; said suction channel being configured to cooperate with a valve member that is alternately arranged therein to open said suction channel during said transfer, and to block said suction channel once said molded article has been received in said conditioning cavity. 3. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said valve member is configured to be biased into said blocking configuration, said valve member being opened under an applied vacuum pressure through said suction channel and then closed when said suction channel becomes obstructed by said molded article. 4. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said valve member is driven by an actuator that is configured for positioning said valve member between said open and a blocking configurations. 5. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said valve member is configured to support a portion of said outer surface of said molded article in said closed configuration. 6. A post-molding molded article conditioning apparatus that is configured for connection with an air pressure structure, and being configured for connection with a heat dissipation path, for performing a conditioning of at least a portion of a malleable molded article received therein, said conditioning apparatus comprising: a conditioning body including: an inner conditioning surface that is configured to provide a conditioning cavity for receiving and conditioning said portion of said molded article therein; a pressure coupling structure configured on said conditioning body for connection with said pressure structure; a conditioning flow structure comprising a plurality of flow channels, connecting said inner conditioning surface with said pressure coupling structure, with a plurality of openings configured along at least a portion of said inner conditioning surface; a transfer flow structure configured on said conditioning body between an suction orifice, configured on said inner conditioning surface, and one of said pressure coupling structure and said pressure structure; said transfer flow structure being configured to cooperate with a valve member that alternately isolates and connects said suction orifice and said one of said pressure coupling structure and said pressure structure when arranged in a closed and an open configuration, respectively; a cooling structure configured on said conditioning body for connection with said heat dissipation path for cooling said inner conditioning surface; and said conditioning body configured to cooperate with a cavity sealing structure for sealing said portion of said molded article in said conditioning cavity. 7. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said valve member and said transfer flow structure include complementary sealing structure that cooperate to provide said isolation of said orifice when said valve member is in said closed configuration. 8. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said complementary sealing structure is provided between a pair of complementary shaped surfaces disposed on said transfer flow structure and on said valve member. 9. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said complementary sealing surfaces are conical. 10. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said complementary sealing surfaces are spherical. 11. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said complementary sealing surfaces are cylindrical. 12. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said transfer flow structure in said conditioning body is configured to accommodate said valve member being resiliently biased into said closed configuration, said valve member being sucked into an open configuration during a step of transferring said molded article into said conditioning apparatus, said valve member returning to said closed configuration once said molded article obstructs said orifice. 13. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein a portion of said transfer flow structure is configured to provide a piston cylinder, the inner surface of which for cooperating with a complementary configured outer surface of said valve member for a guided reciprocation thereof between said open and closed configurations. 14. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said valve member includes a bypass pressure channel that is configured to support a suction air flow therethrough when said valve member is in said open configuration, a port of said bypass pressure channel being blocked, preventing suction flow therethrough, when said valve member is in said closed configuration. 15. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said valve member is substantially cylindrical. 16. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein said valve member is substantially spherical, and an annular bypass pressure channel is configured between an outer surface of said valve member and an inner surface of said transfer flow structure when said valve member is retracted from said closed configuration. 17. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein said valve member is substantially conical, and an annular bypass pressure channel is configured between an outer surface of said valve member and an inner surface of said transfer flow structure when said valve member is retracted from said closed configuration. 18. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said valve member is an elongate cylindrical valve pin that is driven by a multi-position actuator apparatus for alternately positioning said complementary sealing surface thereon in said sealing arrangement with said sealing surface on said transfer flow structure, in said closed cooperation, and in a retracted position within said transfer flow structure, in said open configuration, wherein an annular bypass pressure channel is configured between an outer surface of said valve member and an inner surface of said transfer flow structure. 19. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein said multi-position actuator apparatus is further configured to position said distal end of said valve pin into said conditioning cavity, in an extended position, for assisting in said step of ejecting said molded article. 20. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein a top surface of said valve member supports an adjacent portion of said outer surface of said molded article. 21. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 20, wherein said top surface of said valve member supports bottom surface of a gate vestige on said molded article. 22. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 21, wherein said orifice is configured at a distal end of said conditioning cavity, and wherein said molded article is a preform that is subsequently blow molded into a bottle. 23. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 22, wherein said top surface is provided on a cylindrical spigot that is configured at an end of said valve member. 24. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 22, wherein said shape of said conditioning cavity substantially reflects a shape of said portion of said outer surface of said preform. 25. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 22, wherein at least a portion of said conditioning body is provided by a porous insert formed from a first porous material, and at least a portion of said inner conditioning surface is disposed thereon, and wherein said plurality of flow channels of said conditioning flow structure is provided by a network of interconnected interstitial spaces in said first porous material. 26. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 25, wherein said first porous material comprises a sintered matrix of powder particles, of a thermally conductive material, with a predominant size in the range of 5 μm to 40 μm to avoid significantly imparting a noticeable change in a surface finish of said outer surface of said portion of said molded article. 27. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 26, wherein said predominant size of said particle is in the range of 8 μm to 20 μm. 28. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 27, wherein said predominant size of said particle is about 12 μm. 29. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 26, wherein said thermally conductive material is bronze particles. 30. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 26, wherein said thermally conductive material is aluminum particles. 31. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 26, wherein said thermally conductive material is a thermally conductive ceramic particles including one of a silicon carbide and a tungsten carbide. 32. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 22, wherein at least a portion of said conditioning body is provided by a insert formed from a thermally conductive material, substantially without an intrinsic porosity, within which said plurality of flow channels are machined between an inside conditioning surface and an outer surface thereof with said plurality of openings on said inner conditioning surface having a nominal size in the range of 5 μm to 40 μm to avoid significantly imparting a noticeable change in a surface finish of said outer surface of said portion of said molded article. 33. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 32 wherein said plurality of flow channels are formed using one of a method including spark erosion, and laser micro-machining. 34. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein at least a portion of said conditioning body is provided by a plurality of interconnected inserts, formed from a thermally conductive material, with said plurality of flow channels being configured along an interface between each of said plurality of inserts, said plurality of flow channels extending between an inside conditioning surface and an outer surface of said plurality of inserts, each of said plurality of flow channels having an opening with a nominal size in the range of 5 μm to 40 μm to avoid significantly imparting a noticeable change in a surface finish of said outer surface of said portion of said molded article. 35. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 34, wherein said plurality of inserts are formed from a thermally conductive porous material, and wherein said plurality of flow channels further includes a network of interconnected interstitial spaces in said first porous material. 36. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 34, wherein said plurality of inserts are formed from a thermally conductive material that is substantially without an intrinsic porosity, and said flow channels are provided by a plurality of micro-channels configured on a spacer element that is arranged at said interface between each of said plurality of inserts. 37. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 25, wherein the pressure coupling structure comprises an outer surface of the porous member. 38. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 25, wherein the pressure coupling structure comprises a network of pressure distribution channels configured on an outer surface of the porous member. 39. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 25, wherein the pressure coupling structure comprises a network of pressure distribution channels configured between an inside and an outer surface of the porous member. 40. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 26, wherein said porous member is configured with said first porous material providing an inner porous portion that is at least partially enclosed, on an outer surface thereof, by an outer porous portion formed from a second porous material, said second porous material having a network of interconnected interstitial spaces that function as said pressure coupling structure. 41. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 40, wherein said second porous material comprises a sintered matrix of powder particles, of a thermally conductive material, with a predominant size in the range of 20 μm to 100 μm that provides a relatively low pressure drop thereacross relative to said first porous material. 42. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 41, wherein said predominant size of said particle is in the range of 40 μm to 60 μm. 43. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 42, wherein said predominant size of said particle is about 40 μm. 44. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 25, wherein said cooling structure comprises an outer surface of the porous member that is configured to be conductively cooled in connection with said heat dissipation path. 45. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 44, wherein said conditioning body is configured to be received in a housing for connecting said conditioning body and said heat dissipation path. 46. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 45, wherein said housing includes at least one cooling channel configured thereon for connection with said heat dissipation path. 47. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 46, wherein said at least one cooling channel is configured on an outer surface of said housing, said outer surface being further configured to receive a sleeve for enclosing said at least one cooling channel, and said housing having an inner conditioning surface that is configured for receiving said outer surface of said conditioning body. 48. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 46, wherein said at least one cooling channel is configured between an inner and an outer surface of said housing, and said housing having an inner surface that is configured for receiving said outer surface of said conditioning body. 49. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 25, wherein said cooling structure comprises at least one cooling channel configured on an outer surface of said porous member, and wherein said porous member further includes a surface treatment along said outer surface thereof, and along said at least one cooling channel, for a substantial sealing thereof to avoid leakage of a coolant to be circulated therein, and said outer surface being further configured to receive a sleeve for enclosing said at least one cooling channel. 50. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 22, wherein said cavity sealing structure is an end seal arranged in a seat that is provided adjacent a top surface of said conditioning apparatus. 51. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 46, wherein said conditioning body comprises said porous insert and a base insert, said inner conditioning surface of said porous insert being configured for conditioning an outer body portion of said preform, and an inner conditioning surface configured on said base insert that provides a portion of said inner conditioning surface of said conditioning cavity for conditioning an end portion of said preform. 52. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 51, wherein said transfer flow structure is configured in said base insert as a stepped cylindrical bore extending therethrough form a bottom surface thereof to said inner conditioning surface thereon, said orifice of said transfer flow structure being arranged at said distal end of said conditioning cavity. 53. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 52, wherein said base insert further includes a connecting pressure channel that connects said pressure structure with said pressure coupling structure on said conditioning body. 54. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 53, wherein an annular pressure channel is configured between a top surface of said base insert, the outer surface of said porous insert for connecting said pressure coupling structure of said porous insert with said connecting pressure channel. 55. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 52, wherein said base insert further includes an inlet and an outlet cooling channel for connecting said cooling channel of said housing with said heat dissipation path. 56. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 40, wherein said inner conditioning surface of said porous insert is configured to completely provide said inner conditioning surface of said conditioning body. 57. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 56, wherein said inner conditioning surface of said porous insert is configured to completely provide said inner conditioning surface of said conditioning body. 58. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 57, wherein said porous insert further includes a connecting pressure channel that extends between an outer surface of said porous insert, for connection with said pressure structure, and said pressure coupling structure. 59. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 58, wherein said conditioning body is configured to be received in a housing for connecting said conditioning body and said heat dissipation path. 60. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 58, wherein said cooling structure comprises at least one cooling channel configured on an outer surface of said porous member, and wherein said porous insert further includes a surface treatment along said outer surface thereof, and along said at least one cooling channel, for a substantial sealing thereof to avoid leakage of a coolant to be circulated therein, and said outer surface being further configured to receive a sleeve for enclosing said at least one cooling channel. 61. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 60, 40, wherein a bottom portion thereof is configured as a mounting spigot. 62. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 22, 47, 50, comprising a conditioning assembly that includes said conditioning body, said valve member, said cavity sealing structure, said housing, and said sleeve. 63. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 62, further including an end-of-arm-tool that includes a plurality of said conditioning assembly arrayed on a surface thereof. 64. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 62, further including a post-molding conditioning station that includes a plurality of said conditioning assembly arrayed on a surface thereof. 65. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 22, 48, 50, comprising a conditioning assembly that includes said conditioning body, said valve member, said cavity sealing structure, and said housing. 66. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 65, further including an end-of-arm-tool that includes a plurality of said conditioning assembly arrayed on a surface thereof. 67. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 65, further including a post-molding conditioning station that includes a plurality of said conditioning assembly arrayed on a surface thereof. 68. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 22, 48, 50, comprising a conditioning assembly that includes said conditioning body, said valve member, said cavity sealing structure, and said sleeve. 69. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 68, further including an end-of-arm-tool that includes a plurality of said conditioning assembly arrayed on a surface thereof. 70. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 68, further including a post-molding conditioning station that includes a plurality of said conditioning assembly arrayed on a surface thereof. 71. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 22, 47, 50, 51, comprising a conditioning assembly that includes said conditioning body, said valve member, said cavity sealing structure, and said sleeve. 72. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 71, further including an end-of-arm-tool that includes a plurality of said conditioning assembly arrayed on a surface thereof. 73. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 71, further including a post-molding conditioning station that includes a plurality of said conditioning assembly arrayed on a surface thereof. 74. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 22, 47, 50, 59, comprising a conditioning assembly that includes said conditioning body, said valve member, said cavity sealing structure, and said sleeve. 75. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 74, further including an end-of-arm-tool that includes a plurality of said conditioning assembly arrayed on a surface thereof. 76. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 74, further including a post-molding conditioning station that includes a plurality of said conditioning assembly arrayed on a surface thereof. 77. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 22, 47, 50, 60, comprising a conditioning assembly that includes said conditioning body, said valve member, said cavity sealing structure, and said sleeve. 78. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 77, further including an end-of-arm-tool that includes a plurality of said conditioning assembly arrayed on a surface thereof. 79. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 77, further including a post-molding conditioning station that includes a plurality of said conditioning assembly arrayed on a surface thereof. 80. A cooling tube assembly that is configured for use with an end-of-arm-tool in an injection molding system for a post-molding conditioning of at least a portion of a malleable injection molded preform, said cooling tube assembly comprising: a porous insert comprising a tubular body formed from a thermally conductive first porous material; a base insert comprising a substantially cylindrical body; a cooling tube comprising a substantially tubular body; a sleeve comprising a substantially tubular body; and a valve member comprising a substantially cylindrical body; said base insert further including: an inner conditioning surface configured on said cylindrical body that substantially reflects a shape of an outer surface of an end portion of said preform, said inner conditioning surface including a gate vestige portion that is configured to receive a gate vestige that is centrally located at a distal end of said preform; an outer cylindrical surface of said cylindrical body being configured to arrange said base insert in a complementary bore provided in said cooling tube such that a top surface of said base insert is arranged adjacent a bottom surface of said porous insert; an inlet and an outlet cooling channel arranged in said cylindrical body that extend between a bottom face, for connection with coolant inlet and outlet ports provided on a carrier plate of said end-of-arm-tool, and said outer cylindrical surface for connection with an inlet and an outlet coolant connecting channel configured in said cooling tube; a connecting pressure channel that extends through said cylindrical body between said bottom surface, for connection with a pressure port provided on said carrier plate, and said outer cylindrical surface adjacent an annular pressure channel that is configured between said base and porous inserts; and a suction channel that is centrally located in said cylindrical body and that extends longitudinally therethrough from a bottom surface and through said inner conditioning surface; said suction channel including, arranged from top to bottom thereon: an orifice that is configured on said inner conditioning surface directly beneath said gate vestige portion; a cylindrical spigot portion that is configured to receive a complementary cylindrical spigot portion of said valve member; a tapered sealing portion that is configured to cooperate with a complementary sealing portion provided on said valve member when said valve member is in a closed configuration; and a cylindrical portion with an inner surface that is configured to provide a valve cylinder for a reciprocation of said valve member therein, between said closed and an open configuration; a distal end of said suction channel being configured for connection with a suction pressure port of said carrier plate; said valve member further comprising, arranged from top to bottom thereon: a gate vestige support face arranged on a top surface of said cylindrical spigot portion, said support surface being configured to support a bottom face of said gate vestige on said preform when said valve member is arranged in said closed configuration; said cylindrical spigot portion; said tapered sealing portion; an outer surface of said cylindrical body being configured to cooperate with said inner surface of said cylindrical portion to provide for said reciprocation; a bypass pressure channel that is longitudinally configured along said outer surface of said cylindrical body, said bypass pressure channel including a first opening on said tapered sealing portion, and a second opening on a bottom face of said cylindrical body, said first opening being exposed when said valve member is arranged in said open configuration and obstructed by said tapered sealing portion of said suction channel when said valve member is arranged in said closed configuration; and a cylindrical spring seat portion being configured around an end portion of said cylindrical body that is configured to retain an end portion of a spring that biases said valve member into said closed configuration; said porous insert further including: an inner conditioning surface configured on said porous tubular body that substantially reflects a shape of an outer surface of a body portion of said preform; an outer cylindrical surface of said tubular body being configured to arrange said porous insert in a complementary bore provided in said cooling tube such that said bottom surface of said base insert is arranged adjacent said top surface of said porous insert; and a network of pressure distribution channels that extend along an outer surface of said porous insert from said bottom surface thereof for connection with said annular pressure channel; a plurality of flow channels configured through said porous tubular body, provided by a network of interconnected interstitial spaces in said first porous material, that fluidly connect said inner conditioning surface with said network of distribution channels; said cooling tube further including: said bores for receiving said base and porous inserts; said inlet and an outlet coolant connecting channels arranged between an inner surface of said base insert bore and ends of a cooling channel configured in an outer surface of said cooling tube; said outer surface of said cooling tube being configured to cooperate with an inner surface of said sleeve to sealingly enclose said cooling channel; a groove configured in a top surface of said cooling tube adjacent said porous insert that is configured to receive an end seal that cooperates with a bottom surface of a support ledge portion of said preform for sealingly enclosing said portion of said outer surface of said preform within said cooling tube assembly; and a bottom portion of said cooling tube being configured for retaining said cooling tube assembly on said carrier plate. 81. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 80, wherein said first porous material comprises a sintered matrix of powder particles, of a thermally conductive material, with a predominant size in the range of 5 μm to 40 μm to avoid significantly imparting a noticeable change in a surface finish of said outer surface of said portion of said molded article. 82. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 81, wherein said predominant size of said particle is in the range of 8 μm to 20 μm. 83. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 82, wherein said predominant size of said particle is about 12 μm. 84. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 83, wherein said thermally conductive material is bronze particles. 85. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 80, wherein said network of pressure distribution channels are configured as grooves on said outer surface of said tubular body. 86. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 80, wherein said porous member is configured with said first porous material providing an inner porous portion that is at least partially enclosed, on an outer surface thereof, by an outer porous portion formed from a second porous material, said second porous material having a network of interconnected interstitial spaces that provide said network of pressure distribution channels. 87. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 86, wherein said second porous material comprises a sintered matrix of powder particles, of a thermally conductive material, with a predominant size in the range of 20 μm to 100 μm that provides a relatively low pressure drop thereacross relative to said first porous material. 88. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 87, wherein said predominant size of said particle is in the range of 40 μm to 60 μm. 89. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 88, wherein said predominant size of said particle is about 40 μm. 90. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 80, wherein said cylindrical body of said base insert is formed from said thermally conductive first porous material, said inlet and an outlet cooling channels having a surface treatment therealong for a substantial sealing thereof. 91. A cooling tube assembly that is configured for use with an end-of-arm-tool in an injection molding system for a post-molding conditioning of at least a portion of a malleable injection molded preform, said cooling tube assembly comprising: a porous insert comprising a cylindrical body formed from a thermally conductive first porous material; a cooling tube comprising a substantially tubular body; a sleeve comprising a substantially tubular body; and a valve member comprising a substantially cylindrical body; said porous insert further including: an inner conditioning surface configured on said porous cylindrical body that substantially reflects a shape of an outer surface of said portion of said preform, said inner conditioning surface including a gate vestige portion that is configured to receive a gate vestige that is centrally located at a distal end of said preform; a network of pressure distribution channels that extend along an outer portion of said cylindrical body; a connecting pressure channel that extends through said cylindrical body between a bottom surface thereof, for connection with a pressure port provided on said carrier plate, and said network of pressure distribution channels; a plurality of flow channels configured through said porous cylindrical body, provided by a network of interconnected interstitial spaces in said first porous material, that fluidly connect said inner conditioning surface with said network of distribution channels; an outer cylindrical surface of said cylindrical body being configured to arrange said porous insert in a complementary bore provided in said cooling tube; and a suction channel that is centrally located in said cylindrical body and that extends longitudinally therethrough from said bottom surface and through said inner surface; said suction channel including, arranged from top to bottom thereon: an orifice that is configured on said inner conditioning surface directly beneath said gate vestige portion; a sealing portion that is configured to cooperate with a complementary sealing portion provided on said valve member when said valve member is in a closed configuration; and a cylindrical portion with an inner surface that is configured to provide for a reciprocation of said valve member therein, between said closed and an open configuration; a distal end of said suction channel being configured for connection with a suction pressure port of said carrier plate; said valve member further comprising, arranged from top to bottom thereon: a gate vestige support face arranged on a top surface of said cylindrical spigot portion, said support surface being configured to support a bottom face of said gate vestige on said preform when said valve member is arranged in said closed configuration; said complementary sealing portion; an outer surface of said cylindrical body being configured to provide for said reciprocation; a bypass pressure channel that is longitudinally configured along said outer surface of said cylindrical body in cooperation with said inner surface of said cylindrical portion of said gate pressure channel; and a cylindrical spring seat portion being configured around an end portion of said cylindrical body that is configured to receive an end portion of a spring that biases said valve member into said closed configuration; said cooling tube further including: an inlet and an outlet cooling channel arranged in said tubular body that extend between a bottom face, for connection with coolant inlet and outlet ports provided on a carrier plate of said end-of-arm-tool, and ends of a cooling channel configured in an outer surface of said cooling tube; said bore for receiving said porous insert; said outer surface of said cooling tube being configured to cooperate with an inner surface of said sleeve to sealingly enclose said cooling channel; a groove configured in a top surface of said cooling tube adjacent said porous insert that is configured to receive an end seal that cooperates with a bottom surface of a support ledge portion of said preform for sealingly enclosing said portion of said outer surface of said preform within said cooling tube assembly; and a bottom portion of said cooling tube being configured for retaining said cooling tube assembly on said carrier plate. 92. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 91, wherein said valve member further includes a cylindrical spigot portion, between said gate vestige support face and said sealing surface that is configured to be received in a complementary cylindrical spigot portion on said gate pressure channel. 93. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 92, wherein said bypass pressure channel includes a first opening on said sealing portion, and a second opening on a bottom face of said cylindrical body, said first opening being exposed when said valve member is arranged in said open configuration and obstructed by said sealing portion of said suction channel when said valve member is arranged in said closed configuration. 94. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 91, wherein said first porous material comprises a sintered matrix of powder particles, of a thermally conductive material, with a predominant size in the range of 5 μm to 40 μm to avoid significantly imparting a noticeable change in a surface finish of said outer surface of said portion of said molded article. 95. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 94, wherein said predominant size of said particle is in the range of 8 μm to 20 μm. 96. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 95, wherein said predominant size of said particle is about 12 μm. 97. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 96, wherein said thermally conductive material is bronze particles. 98. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 91, wherein said network of pressure distribution channels are configured as grooves on said outer surface of said cylindrical body. 99. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 91, wherein said porous member is configured with said first porous material providing an inner porous portion that is at least partially enclosed, on an outer surface thereof, by an outer porous portion formed from a second porous material, said second porous material having a network of interconnected interstitial spaces that provide said network of pressure distribution channels. 100. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 99, wherein said second porous material comprises a sintered matrix of powder particles, of a thermally conductive material, with a predominant size in the range of 20 μm to 100 μm that provides a relatively low pressure drop thereacross relative to said first porous material. 101. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 100, wherein said predominant size of said particle is in the range of 40 μm to 60 μm. 102. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 101, wherein said predominant size of said particle is about 40 μm. 103. A cooling tube assembly that is configured for use with an end-of-arm-tool in an injection molding system for a post-molding conditioning of at least a portion of a malleable injection molded preform, said cooling tube assembly comprising: a porous insert comprising a cylindrical body formed from a thermally conductive first porous material; a sleeve comprising a substantially tubular body; and a valve member comprising a substantially cylindrical body; said porous insert further including: an inner conditioning surface configured on said porous cylindrical body that substantially reflects a shape of an outer surface of said portion of said preform, said inner conditioning surface including a gate vestige portion that is configured to receive a gate vestige that is centrally located at a distal end of said preform; a cooling channel configured on an outer surface of said cooling tube; said outer surface and said cooling channel including a surface treatment therealong for a substantial sealing thereof; said outer surface of said cooling tube being configured to cooperate with an inner surface of said sleeve to sealingly enclose said cooling channel; a suction channel that is centrally located in said cylindrical body and that extends longitudinally therethrough from a bottom surface and through said inner surface; a network of pressure distribution channels that extend along said cylindrical body between said inner surface and said cooling channel and that are connected to said gate pressure channel; a plurality of flow channels configured through said porous cylindrical body, provided by a network of interconnected interstitial spaces in said first porous material, that fluidly connect said inner conditioning surface with said network of distribution channels; a connecting pressure channel that extends between said outer surface and said gate pressure channel; said suction channel including, arranged from top to bottom thereon: an orifice that is configured on said inner conditioning surface directly beneath said gate vestige portion; a sealing portion that is configured to cooperate with a complementary sealing portion provided on said valve member when said valve member is in a closed configuration; and a cylindrical portion with an inner surface that is configured to provide for a reciprocation of said valve member therein, between said closed and an open configuration; a plug being arranged in an end of said cylindrical portion, a top surface of said plug being configured to receive an end portion of said spring; said valve member further comprising, arranged from top to bottom thereon: a gate vestige support face arranged on a top surface of said cylindrical spigot portion, said support surface being configured to support a bottom face of said gate vestige on said preform when said valve member is arranged in said closed configuration; said complementary sealing portion; an outer surface of said cylindrical body being configured to provide for said reciprocation; a bypass pressure channel that is longitudinally configured along said outer surface of said cylindrical body in cooperation with said inner surface of said cylindrical portion of said gate pressure channel; and a cylindrical spring seat portion being configured around an end portion of said cylindrical body that is configured to receive an end portion of a spring that biases said valve member into said closed configuration; said sleeve further including: a groove configured in a top surface of said sleeve, adjacent said porous insert, that is configured to receive an end seal that cooperates with a bottom surface of a support ledge portion of said preform for sealingly enclosing said portion of said outer surface of said preform within said cooling tube assembly; a bottom spigot portion of said sleeve being configured for retaining said cooling tube assembly on said carrier plate; an inlet and an outlet coolant connecting channel configured in said spigot portion of said tubular body between an outer surface thereof, for connection with coolant inlet and outlet ports provided on a carrier plate of said end-of-arm-tool, and an inner surface for connection with ends of said cooling channel on said porous insert; and a connecting pressure channel configured in said spigot portion of said tubular body between an outer surface thereof, for connection with a pressure port provided on said carrier plate, and an inner surface for connection with said connecting pressure channel in said porous insert. 104. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 103, wherein said valve member further includes a cylindrical spigot portion, between said gate vestige support face and said sealing surface that is configured to be received in a complementary cylindrical spigot portion on said gate pressure channel. 105. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 103, wherein said bypass pressure channel includes a first opening on said sealing portion, and a second opening on a bottom face of said cylindrical body, said first opening being exposed when said valve member is arranged in said open configuration and obstructed by said sealing portion of said suction channel when said valve member is arranged in said closed configuration. 106. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 103, wherein said first porous material comprises a sintered matrix of powder particles, of a thermally conductive material, with a predominant size in the range of 5 μm to 40 μm to avoid significantly imparting a noticeable change in a surface finish of said outer surface of said portion of said molded article. 107. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 106, wherein said predominant size of said particle is in the range of 8 μm to 20 μm. 108. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 107, wherein said predominant size of said particle is about 12 μm. 109. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 108, wherein said thermally conductive material is bronze particles. 110. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 103, wherein said porous member is configured with said first porous material providing an inner porous portion that is at least partially enclosed, on an outer surface thereof, by an outer porous portion formed from a second porous material, said second porous material having a network of interconnected interstitial spaces that provide said network of pressure distribution channels. 111. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 110, wherein said second porous material comprises a sintered matrix of powder particles, of a thermally conductive material, with a predominant size in the range of 20 μm to 100 μm that provides a relatively low pressure drop thereacross relative to said first porous material. 112. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 111, wherein said predominant size of said particle is in the range of 40 μm to 60 μm. 113. The conditioning apparatus in accordance with claim 112, wherein said predominant size of said particle is about 40 μm. 114. The cooling tube assembly in accordance with claim 113, wherein said thermally conductive material is bronze particles. 115. An injection molding system, comprising: a molding structure for operating an injection mold for the production of a molded article; at least one cooling tube assembly in accordance with claims 1, 80, 91, or 103 that is configured in said system for a post mold conditioning of said molded article. 116. The injection molding system in accordance with claim 115, wherein a plurality of said cooling tube assemblies are configured in an array on a surface of an end-of-arm-tool. 117. The injection molding system in accordance with claim 116, wherein said end-of-arm-tool includes a manual control valve adjacent each of said plurality of cooling tube assemblies that may be selectively configured to isolate said cooling tube assembly from said pressure structure. 118. The injection molding system in accordance with claim 115, wherein a plurality of said cooling tube assembly are configured in an array on a surface of a post-molding conditioning station.