Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Reeling device – Fishing rod reel
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-16
2002-07-02
Marcelo, Emmanuel M. (Department: 3654)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Reeling device
Fishing rod reel
C242S319000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06412720
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention concerns fishing reel brake devices and associated drag cover attachments for the spool rotation transmitting mechanism that transmits to the spool rotation from the handle mounted rotatably on the reel main unit. More particularly, the invention relates to a dual-bearing reel brake device provided in the course of the rotation transmitting mechanism for braking rotation in the line spool-out direction, and to drag covers non-rotatably mounted laterally of, and at a spacing from, the spool to house its drag disk.
2. Description of Related Art
One class of dual-bearing reels that is known is the trolling reels, which are reels for catching large fish. The trolling reel is provided with a spool around the perimeter of which is wound fishing line, a spool spindle that supports the spool, and a reel main unit that centrally supports the spool spindle. Provided on the reel main unit is a handle spindle that is disposed such that it is parallel to the spool spindle and protrudes exteriorly. The handle is fastened to the tip of the handle spindle. Further, a rotation transmission mechanism is provided between the handle spindle and the spool to transmit rotation from the handle spindle to the spool. A lever drag mechanism for braking rotation in the line spool-out direction of the spool is provided in the course of the rotation transmission mechanism.
Double-drag type lever mechanisms that yield strong drag forces are known as one kind of lever drag mechanism mounted on trolling reels. This lever drag mechanism is disposed to face one end surface of the spool on the side away from the side where the handle is mounted. The lever drag mechanism comprises a brake disk that is fitted non-rotatably to, and spaced apart from one end face of, the spool; first and second drag disks sandwiching the brake disk, disposed in opposition across an interval; and a shifting means for reciprocatingly shifting the spool and the second drag disk in the spool axial direction to clasp the brake disk with the first and second drag disks.
The brake disk corresponds to the disk brake disk of a vehicle, and the two drag disks correspond to calipers. The brake disk is mounted on the spool such that it is shiftable a predetermined distance in the spool axial direction. The first drag disk is fitted non-rotatably on the spool spindle, and cannot rotate in the line spool-out direction in relation to the reel main unit. Moreover, the first drag disk cannot move in the axial direction of the spool spindle. The second drag disk is fitted on the spool spindle to be non-rotatable but axially shiftable, and rotates by coupling with the first drag disk.
The shifting means is provided with a brake operating lever that is fitted to be pivotable around the spool spindle, and a shifting mechanism that converts the swing of the brake operating lever into reciprocating movement in the spool axial direction. The moving mechanism has a cam mechanism that via bearings and pinion gears disposed around the spool axle shifts the spool and the second disk member axially in one direction in response to the swing of the brake operating lever. The moving mechanism further has a return spring that causes the spool and the second disk member, which have been pressed by the cam mechanism, to move in the other axial direction.
In a double drag type drag mechanism thus configured, when the brake manipulation lever is swung in one direction, the spool and second disk member move in the other axial direction in response to the swing. The brake disk member moves together with the spool, and the spool is braked by the drag force corresponding to the force of pressure when both disk members contact the brake disk member. In addition, when the brake manipulation lever is swung in the other direction, the return spring urges the spool and the second disk member in response to the swing, they gradually move in the other axial direction, and when both disk members have moved away from the brake disk member, the spool can freely rotate. The drag force therein can be adjusted by adjusting the swing position of the brake manipulation lever, which causes the pressure contact force between the two disk members and the brake disk member to change.
In the conventional drag mechanism as just described, when for example freeing the spool to rotate in order to cast by putting it into brake-release from being braked, the timing at which the two disk members break away from the brake disk tends to vary widely. This seems to be because the axial behavior of the brake disk is unstable due to the fact that the brake disk is shiftable axially as fitted to the spool. With the break away timing thus varying widely, instances may also arise in which the brake disk remains in contact as is with one or the other of the disk members, wherein the brake-release state that frees the spool to rotate is not secured.
Because the drag performance fluctuates when water intrudes onto the friction surfaces, these sorts of disks are covered with watertight drag covers. The drag cover has room for housing the disks, and is screw-attached to the lateral end of the spool by turning the entire body. Accordingly, there are female threads on the outside of the cover for screwing into the spool, and male threads on the lateral end face of the spool that mate with the female threads. Spindle-shaped parts—the spool spindle and the drag-disk link—pass through the center of the drag cover, and a seal is fitted to the center of the drag cover at a gap from the spindle-shaped parts. This accordingly prevents liquid intrusion from the inner- and outer-peripheral sides of the drag cover.
Thus with the drag cover attachment as conventionally structured, the entire drag cover is turned to attach it to the spool by screwing the male threads into the female threads. Controlling the tightening torque is therefore difficult, and water is permitted to intrude simply by the cover becoming loose, or if it otherwise will not loosen the disks cannot be serviced. In addition, wobble in the screw makes it difficult to center the drag cover accurately on the spool. In particular, in large-scale trolling reels that have a large diameter spool, it is even more troublesome to control the tightening torque and hard to conduct accurate centering. For this reason, it is difficult to attach the drag cover readily onto the spool with precision. Further, the fact that the portion where the male and female threads screw together is formed on the outermost periphery of the spool, or of a component that rotates unitarily with the spool, means that portion necessarily will be thick, which increases the inertia of the spool.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to enable the brake-release state in a double-drag type lever drag mechanism to be secured reliably.
Another object of the invention is to structure a drag cover attachment that can be readily attached with precision, and that limits increase in spool inertia.
A further object is to improve braking and drag performance in a dual-bearing fishing reel by configuring the attachment of the drag cover and the spool for watertight precision and for minimized spool inertia.
The dual-bearing reel brake device related to a first aspect of the present invention is a device for braking the rotation in the line spool-out direction of the spool provided in the course of the rotation transmission mechanism that transmits to the spool rotation from the handle that is mounted rotatably on the reel main unit of a dual-bearing reel, wherein a brake disk member, a first disk member, a second disk member, a first urging member and a moving means are provided. The brake disk member is a member that is mounted separated by a gap from one end of the spool, that cannot rotate, and that is mounted to move freely a predetermined distance in the axial direction of the spool. The first disk member is a member that transmits the rotation from the handle, that is disposed facing the surface of the bra
Marcelo Emmanuel M.
Shimano Inc.
Shinjyu Global ip Couselors, LLP
LandOfFree
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