the hot runner nozzle for injecting plastic material into a molding tool comprises a needle valve with a nozzle needle for closing the discharge opening . the nozzle needle has the same diameter as the cylindrical bore in the discharge opening and is inserted therein in order to close the cylindrical bore in the discharge opening . during the injection process the nozzle needle is outside the melt flow and cannot cause said melt flow to swirl and is not radially loaded by the melt flow .