Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Reeling device – Fishing rod reel
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-27
2001-02-20
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Reeling device
Fishing rod reel
C242S257000, C242S299000, C242S306000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189822
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to double bearing reels. More specifically, the invention relates to double bearing reels for attachment to fishing rods wherein fishing line is reeled in on an axis transverse to the fishing rod longitudinal direction.
2. Description of Related Art
In a double bearing reel, a fishing line is reeled in around an axis that crosses a longitudinal direction of a fishing rod. A double bearing reel includes a reel body, a handle, a spool, a rotation transmitting mechanism, a clutch mechanism, and a braking mechanism which is also referred to as a casting control mechanism. The reel body is attached to the fishing rod. The handle is rotatably disposed in the reel body. The spool, which is used for reeling in the fishing line, is rotatably supported on the reel body. The rotation transmitting mechanism transmits the rotation of the handle to the spool. The clutch mechanism is provided in the course of the rotation transmitting mechanism. The braking mechanism brakes the spool regardless of a state of the clutch mechanism.
With this sort of double bearing reel, one provided with a sounding mechanism is known which produces a sound, regardless of an on/off state of the clutch mechanism, when the spool is rotated, and is capable of being switched from an engaged state to a disengaged state or vice versa. With this kind of sounding mechanism, since its engaged state may be maintained during fishing and this engaged state may be switched to the disengaged state when casting or reeling in the fishing line, it is possible to inform a fisherman when a fish is caught by producing a sound or reduce a rotational resistance of the spool when casting or reeling in the fishing line.
It is convenient to use a reel provided with this type of sounding mechanism when drifting live bait. When live bait is used, a bait rig is cast so that it is placed at a predetermined depth of the water while the clutch mechanism is turned off and the sounding mechanism is disengaged. After the bait rig is cast, the casting control mechanism is set to be stronger than normal so that the live bait may swim freely but the fishing reel is not so much released. Then the sounding mechanism is switched to the engaged state, so as to produce a large sound when a fish is caught and the fishing line is released rapidly from the spool.
When a fish bites on the live bait and the fishing line reels out suddenly, rotating the spool and sounding the sounding mechanism, the clutch is put on to set in the tackle and hook the fish. After hooking the fish, to reduce resistance on the fishing line when reeling in, the sounding mechanism is disabled and the casting control mechanism is loosened. When running bait suited to comparatively big-game fishing, especially, the resistance in taking up the fishing line has to be reduced as much as possible, otherwise the reeling-in strain will increase. Rotating the handle in the line-winding direction then draws up the fish.
In a double bearing reel of the foregoing conventional configuration, when beginning to wait for a strike after the bait rig is cast, the sounding mechanism must be activated and at the same time braking force on the spool must be set stronger. When a fish is caught, the sounding mechanism must be deactivated and meanwhile the casting control mechanism loosened. The two operations therefore have to be carried out to respond to the fishing conditions, and particularly when a fish is caught and fishing line reeled in while landing the fish, performing the two complex operations is an involved task.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to facilitate operation of a braking mechanism and a sounding mechanism in a double bearing reel during fishing.
A double bearing fishing reel according to one aspect of the present invention is for attachment to a fishing rod, in which a fishing line is reeled in around an axis that crosses a longitudinal direction of the fishing rod. The double bearing reel includes a reel body provided with a handle, the reel body to be attached to the fishing rod, a spool, a clutch mechanism, a first braking mechanism, a sounding mechanism, and a switching operation mechanism. The spool is rotatably supported in the reel body. The clutch mechanism is a mechanism switchable between a coupled state in which a rotation of the handle is transmitted to the spool and an uncoupled state in which the rotation of the handle is not transmitted to the spool. The first braking mechanism is a mechanism that is capable of braking the spool in its braking state regardless of the state of the clutch mechanism and switchable between the braking state and a non-braking state. The sounding mechanism is a mechanism that is capable of producing sound in accordance with the rotation of the spool and switchable between an engaged state in which sound may be produced and a disengaged state in which no sound is produced. The switching operation mechanism is a mechanism which is capable of switching, at the same time, the states of both the sounding mechanism and the first braking mechanism from the engaged state and the braking state, respectively, to the disengaged state and the non-braking state, respectively, or vice versa.
In this double bearing reel, when drifting live bait, the clutch mechanism is turned off and the braking mechanism and the sounding mechanism are switched to the non-braking state and the disengaged state, respectively, using the switching operation mechanism after the live bait rig is prepared. Thus, with the spool free to rotate, the rig may be quickly cast to a predetermined depth of water. After the rig is placed at the predetermined depth, the braking mechanism and the sounding mechanism are switched to the braking state and the engaged state, respectively, using the switching operation mechanism. In this state, the live bait may freely swim in the water, although the fishing line is restrained somewhat from winding out from the spool by a braking force is applied to the spool by the first braking mechanism. When a fish is caught, the spool is rapidly rotated in the line releasing direction and the sound indicator mechanism produces sound as a signal that the fish is caught. To hook the fish, the clutch mechanism is turned on and, using the switching operation mechanism, the first braking mechanism and the sounding mechanism are switched respectively to the non-braking state and the disengaged state, to reduce rotational resistance generated when reeling in the fishing line. Winding the spool in the reeling-in direction using the handle then lands the fish.
Herein, since the first braking mechanism and the sounding mechanism may be switched at the same time using the switching operation mechanism, reel switching operations necessary for fishing are simplified, as compared with reels in which the first braking mechanism and the sounding mechanism are operated separately.
A double bearing reel in a further aspect of the present invention is the foregoing double bearing reel, further including a braking adjustment mechanism for adjusting braking force applied to the spool. In this case, since the braking force applied to the spool may be adjusted, it is possible to change the braking force in accordance with the tugging force of the live bait.
A double bearing reel in a still further aspect is the foregoing double bearing reel, further including a second braking mechanism which applies a braking force to the spool to prevent the spool from rotating in the line releasing direction when the clutch mechanism is in the coupled state. Herein, by setting the braking force applied by the second braking mechanism weaker than that of the first braking force, the live bait may freely swim in the water while applying the weaker force to the spool using the second braking mechanism. Then, when a fish is caught, the clutch mechanism may be turned so that a larger braking force is applied to the spool by the second braking mechanism to help land the
Marcelo Emmanuel M.
Shimano Inc.
Shinjyu Intellectual Property Firm
Walsh Donald P.
LandOfFree
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