Patent ID: 8459979

Claim:
An apparatus for molding an optical fiber connector, the optical fiber connector including a main body, a lens portion, two arms extending from the main body, and a recess, the arms located at opposite sides of the main body, the recess located between one of the arms and the main body, the main body having a blind hole for receiving an optical fiber, the lens portion aligned with the blind hole, the apparatus comprising a molding cavity, an insert and a block, the insert configured to form the blind hole, the block configured to form the recess, the apparatus comprising an upper molding plate and a lower molding plate, both of the upper molding plate and the lower molding plate cooperatively defining the molding cavity, the block comprising a first portion formed on the upper molding plate and a second portion formed on the lower molding plate, the molding cavity including a central portion configured to form the main body, a lens-forming portion configured to form the lens portion, and two lateral portions configured to form the corresponding arms, the molding cavity comprising a gate for introducing molding material into the molding cavity therethrough, the gate connected to an end of one of the lateral portions distal from the lens-forming portion, the block positioned in the other end of the one of the lateral portions distal from the gate.