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A gate adapter for use in a hot runner co-injection molding system includes a hollow gate adapter body defining a gate outlet at a free end thereof. At least a pair of nozzle assemblies is disposed in the adapter body, each of nozzle assemblies having an inlet end in fluid communication with a sourc

A gate adapter for use in a hot runner co-injection molding system includes a hollow gate adapter body defining a gate outlet at a free end thereof. At least a pair of nozzle assemblies is disposed in the adapter body, each of nozzle assemblies having an inlet end in fluid communication with a source of liquid extruded material and an outlet end in the adapter body. At least a pair of nozzle passages is formed in the adapter body and extends from the outlet of the nozzle assemblies to a passage outlet adjacent the gate outlet. A valve stem is disposed adjacent each of the passage outlets and is operable to selectively allow flow from the passage outlets to the gate outlet. The nozzle passages extend for a short predetermined distance within the adapter body to minimize heat transfer.

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What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for use in a hot runner co-injection molding system, comprising: a gate adaptor body having at least a pair of nozzle passages formed therein, including a first nozzle passage and a second nozzle passage, each of said nozzle passages having a passage outlet in fl

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for use in a hot runner co-injection molding system, comprising: a gate adaptor body having at least a pair of nozzle passages formed therein, including a first nozzle passage and a second nozzle passage, each of said nozzle passages having a passage outlet in fluid communication with a gate outlet; at least a pair of nozzle assemblies mounted in said adaptor body, each said nozzle assembly having an end in fluid communication with a source of liquid extruded material and a nozzle outlet in fluid communication with an associated one of said nozzle passages an elongated fixed sleeve disposed in said adapter body and having an inside and an outside, said inside of said elongated sleeve being in fluid communication with said first nozzle passage, whereby at least a portion of said second nozzle passage is in fluid communication with said outside of said sleeve; and a valve stem being at least partially disposed in said elongated sleeve, said valve stem being reciprocatingly movable within said elongated sleeve, said valve stem being operable to selectively: i) prevent material flow through each of said first nozzle passage and said second nozzle passage: ii) prevent material flow through said first nozzle passage while allowing material flow through said second nozzle passage: and iii) allow material flow through each of said first nozzle passage and said second nozzle passage to said gate outlet, wherein a length of each of said nozzle passages in said adapter body is selected to minimize heat transfer between the materials in said nozzle passages. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said valve stem is disposed within a one of the nozzle assemblies. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said valve stem is disposed intermediate said at least two nozzle assemblies. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle passages are thermally insulated from one another within said adapter body. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said length of each said nozzle passage is selected to produce negligible heat transfer between the materials in said nozzle passages. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1 including an actuator attached to said valve stem for selectively controlling material flow from said passage outlets to said gate outlet. 7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said actuator is a one of a solenoid, a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, and an electric stepper motor. 8. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a gate body releasably attached to said adapter body and having said gate outlet formed therein. 9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said valve stem includes an end seat and a reduced diameter intermediate portion. 10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said end seat cooperates with a one of said passage outlets and said body portion cooperates with another of said passage outlets in a first valve position of said valve stem to prohibit material flow from said passage outlets to said gate outlet. 11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said valve stem is one of linearly actuated and rotatably actuated between three operating positions. 12. An apparatus for use in a co-injection molding system, comprising: a gate adapter body having at least a pair of nozzle passages formed therein, including a first nozzle passage and a second nozzle passage, each extending between an inlet and a passage outlet; at least a pair of nozzle assemblies mounted in said adapter body, each of said nozzle assemblies being in fluid communication with a source of liquid extruded material and having a nozzle outlet in fluid communication with an associated one of said nozzle passage inlets; a gate body releasably attached to said adapter body and forming a gate outlet in fluid communication with said passage outlets an elongated fixed sleeve disposed in said adapter body and having an inside and an outside, said inside of said elongated sleeve being in fluid communication with said first nozzle passage, whereby at least a portion of said second nozzle passage is in fluid communication with said outside of said sleeve; and a valve stem being at least partially disposed in said elongated sleeve, said valve stem being reciprocatingly movable within said elongated sleeve, said valve stem being operable to selectively: i) prevent material flow through each of said first nozzle passage and said second nozzle passage; ii) prevent material flow through said first nozzle passage while allowing material flow through said second nozzle passage; and iii) allow material flow through each of said first nozzle passage and said second nozzle passage to said gate outlet, wherein a length of said of said nozzle passages is selected to minimize heat transfer between the materials in said nozzle passages. 13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said valve stem has a body including an end seat and a reduced diameter intermediate portion. 14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said end seat cooperates with a one of the passage outlets and said body cooperates with another of said passage outlets in a first valve position to block material flow to said gate outlet. 15. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said valve stem is one of linearly actuated and rotatably actuated between valve operation positions. 16. An apparatus for use in a co-injection molding system, comprising: a gate adapter body including at least a pair of nozzle passages formed therein, including a first nozzle passage and a second nozzle passage, each said nozzle passage having an inlet end in fluid communication with a passage outlet; an elongated fixed sleeve disposed in said adapter body and having an inside and an outside, said inside of said elongated sleeve being in fluid communication with said first nozzle passage, whereby at least a portion of said second nozzle passage is in fluid communication with said outside of said sleeve; and a valve stem being at least partially disposed in said elongated sleeve, said valve stem being reciprocatingly movable within said elongated sleeve; and an actuator connected to said valve stem for selectively: i) preventing material flow through each of said first nozzle passage and said second nozzle passage: ii) preventing material flow through said first nozzle passage while allowing material flow through said second nozzle passage: and iii) allowing material flow through each of said first nozzle passage and said second nozzle passage to said gate outlet, wherein said nozzle passages are configured in length and spacing to minimize thermal transfer between materials in said nozzle passage. 17. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said actuator is a one of a solenoid, a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, and an electric stepper motor. 18. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said actuator is a one of a liner actuator and a rotatable actuator. 19. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein a first one of said nozzle passages extends into a second one of said nozzle passages along a common axis shared by said inlet end of said first one of said nozzle passages. 20. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein a fist one of said nozzle passages extends into a second one of said nozzle passages along a common axis, said inlet ends of said first and second ones of said nozzle passages being spaced from said common axis.