Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Reeling device – Fishing rod reel
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-25
2001-05-08
Matecki, Katherine A. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Reeling device
Fishing rod reel
C242S419500, C242S15000R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227474
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fishing spinning reel including a tension roller.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fishing spinning reel includes a reel body, a spool disposed at the front of the reel body, and a fishing line roller for guiding a fishing line (from the rod) toward the fishing line winding portion of the spool. The fishing line wound around the fishing line winding portion of the spool can be fed out by disengaging the fishing line from the fishing line roller.
There are two types of spinning reels that use different configurations to wind up the fishing line. In one type, rotating the handle rotates the spool itself to wind up the fishing line. In another type, turning the handle revolves the fishing line roller around the spool.
There are also two types of spinning reels each with a different configuration, to ensure that the fishing line is uniformly wound onto the fishing line winding portion of the spool. In one type, the spool itself slides toward and away from the reel body in a frontward/rearward direction thereof, and in another type, the fishing line roller slides toward and away from the reel body in the frontward/rearward direction thereof.
However, in all these types of spinning reels, the fishing line wound up around the cylindrical shape spool is fed out in the axial direction of the cylindrical spool, that is, away from the front of the reel. Therefore, it is easy for fishing line twist to accumulate in the fishing line each time the fishing line is fed out, which can cause the fishing line to quite easily wrap around the fishing rod or become entangled on itself.
FIG. 1
schematically shows how the above-described spinning reels wind a fishing line onto a fishing line winding portion of a spool
3
. The fishing line
1
fed out from the front end of the reel body is bent by a fishing line roller
2
, then guided around the outer peripheral surface of a spool
3
to be wound up on the fishing line winding portion of the spool
3
. When, as indicated by the broken line in
FIG. 1
, a rather high tension is placed on the fishing line
1
while the fishing line
1
is being reeled in, the fishing line
1
is wound tightly and orderly around the fishing line winding portion of the spool
3
.
However, when, as indicated by the solid line in
FIG. 1
, only a slight tension is placed on the fishing line
1
, for example, when reeling in a small fish, reeling in a lure, or other light weight load, then the fishing line
1
will be guided by the fishing line roller
2
without being sufficiently bent. The fishing line
1
will wind around the spool
3
in a disorderly and consequently loose fashion, and the winding position may be displaced to the rear portion of the spool cylinder, so that the fishing line
1
will have difficulty separating from the spool
3
when casting the fishing line
1
, which can result in back lash, and casting distance may be shortened.
Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3004671 discloses a configuration for preventing such back lash and other problems. According to the disclosed configuration, abutment members, such as rollers, are disposed near the fishing line roller. A fishing line that is guided by the fishing line roller is sandwiched between the rollers to remove twist from the fishing line. However, with this configuration, the fishing line may be caught by the abutment members each time the fishing line disengages from the fishing line roller for casting or each time the fishing line engages the fishing line rollers for winding.
Japanese Patent-Application Publication (Kokai) No. HEI-9-107852 discloses other configuration for removing fishing line twist. According to this disclosure, a first and second line rollers are disposed coaxially with each other. The first line roller has a first side wall and the second line roller has a second side wall separate from the first side wall. The first side wall is rotatable and slidable with respect to the second side wall. An urging means is provided for resiliently urging the slidable side wall portion toward the other side wall portion.
However, because the urging means urges the confronting surfaces of the side wall portions into resilient abutment contact, unless a predetermined tension or greater is applied to the fishing line, the fishing line will not enter between and be supported by the confronting surfaces of the side wall portions.
Also, the fishing line, as it is bent and guided by the outer peripheral surface of the fishing line roller, is also sandwiched entirely from both sides by the entire confronting faces of the side wall portions. This places a great load on the fishing line, which can be resulted in fishing line breaking.
Also, when the fishing line roller rotates in the direction for feeding out the fishing line, for example, when the fishing line is drawn out by a fish, the fishing line can sometimes become disengaged from between the confronting surfaces of the side wall portion.
Also, the sandwiching force applied by the side wall portions is dispersed over all portions of the fishing line sandwiched between the side wall portions. Because the sandwiching force is dispersed, the fishing line can easily slide across the fishing line roller without sufficient tension being applied for pulling the fishing line.
Further, the outer peripheral surface of one side portion has a larger diameter because one of the side walls is rotatably and slidably supported with respect to the, outer peripheral surface of the other side wall. Also one side wall portion slants with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the other side wall portion, and so does not easily slide. This increases difficulty of the fishing line entering between the side wall portions. Also the side wall portions can rub against each other when the fishing line roller is rotated, thereby generating an unpleasant sound.
Further, one side wall portion is supported by the other side wall portion, which is in turn supported by a support portion of the reel through a bearing. As a result, unwanted rattling amount of one side wall portion relative to the support portion may be increased, which causes unwanted contact of the one side wall portion with a cover member disposed over the support portion, and interfere with the rotation of the fishing line roller, and also interfere with attempts to remove the twist from the fishing line and to increase tension of the fishing line.
Japanese Patent Application Publication (Kokai). No. HEI-9-149749 discloses a spinning reel, wherein the fishing line roller is rotatably supported on the roller bearing by a bushing. However, with this configuration, when the fishing line contacts the guide groove in the fishing line roller, water clinging to the fishing line can enter between the fishing line roller and the bushing or between the bushing and the bearing support member. The water accumulated in these areas can soak into the surrounding components. When the water is sea water, salt in the sea water can crystallize and cling to the surrounding components, so the rotation of the fishing line roller becomes defective.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a spinning reel having a tension roller mechanism capable of uniformly winding a fishing line over a spool with a sufficient tension to the fishing line, thereby avoiding backlash of the fishing line and providing a sufficient casting distance.
Another object of the invention is to provide such spinning reel in which the fishing line can be sufficiently engaged with the tension roller mechanism without any release therefrom during a fishing line rewinding operation.
Still another object of the invention is to provide such spinning reel capable of providing a smooth rotation of a tension roller in the tension roller mechanism without any rattling.
Still another object of the invention is to provide such spinning reel capable of avoiding distortion of the fishing line during the fishing line rewinding oper
Kabushiki Kaisha Johshuya
Matecki Katherine A.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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