Molding die, molding die system, and compression molding method

A molding die comprising:

• a cavity that is formed over a die parting surface when a movable die plate is engaged and is to be filled with molten resin;
• a gate seal device that is operable to close a gate, through which the molten resin flows into the cavity;
• a frame plate that has a plurality of die element receiving holes, which open to the cavity, wherein an end surface of the frame plate, which faces the cavity at a location that is other than locations of the plurality of die element receiving holes, forms a frame portion compression surface;
• a plurality of movable die elements, which are respectively received in the plurality of die element receiving holes, wherein an end surface of each of the plurality of movable die elements, which faces the cavity, forms a split compression surface that is displaceable in a forward direction, which is a direction toward the cavity, and a backward direction, which is a direction away from the cavity:
• a plurality of die element drive devices that respectively drive the split compression surfaces of the plurality of movable die elements;
• a whole compression plate that commonly supports an opposite end part of the frame plate and opposite end parts of the plurality of movable die elements, which are opposite from the cavity, wherein the whole compression plate is configured to move forward to integrally drive the frame plate and the plurality of movable die elements forward to compress the molten resin filled in the cavity;
• and
• a whole drive device that drives the whole compression plate, wherein
• one or more of the plurality of die element drive devices are configured to drive corresponding one or more of the split compression surfaces of the plurality of movable die elements forward or backward relative to the molten resin after the whole compression plate is moved forward to integrally drive the frame plate and the plurality of movable die elements forward to compress the molten resin filled in the cavity.