MOLDING DIE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a molding die enabling to manufacture a stable quality lens array at high productivity and low cost by certainly preventing air trapping from occurring at the molding without causing restriction on the shape of the lens array. SOLUTION: A cylindrical setting recess 51, for setting and positioning a cylindrical glass gob 91 as a molding material 9 to a symmetrical position with respect to a plurality of optical functional surface-transfer sections 1b, is formed on the outside of a transfer shape-engraving region 4 where a plurality of the optical functional surface-transferring sections 1b of a molding surface 1a of the molding die 1. Thereby the cylindrical glass gob 91 deforms so as to spread outward from the array center part 1c of the plurality of optical functional surface-transfer sections 1b, thereby air in the each functional surface-transfer section 1b is excluded outward from the array center part 1c so that occurrence of defects such as air trapping can be prevented. As the molding site of the cylindrical setting recess 51 locates outside of the transfer shape-engraving region 4, there is no need to cut it off. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT