Frictional hinge device

Abstract

In a frictional hinge device a support block 20 is molded in a synthetic resin around the metallic shaft 10 so that the support block 20 is rotatably supported by the metallic shaft 10. The support block 20 is held at any angles by a surface friction resistance between the support block 20 and the metallic shaft 10. The synthetic resin has a modulus of bending elasticity, a changing rate of which is up to 30% at an operating temperature ranging from −20 to 80° C. The support block 20 tightly engages with the metallic shaft 10 due to a residual stress appeared between the support block 20 and the metallic shaft 10 when cooling the synthetic resin to shrink. Due to the smaller changing rate of the modulus of bending elasticity, the surface friction resistance becomes stable between the support block 20 and the metallic shaft 10 under normal ambient temperature with the least amount of friction.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.