The invention herein relates to an improved spinning reel for fishing.
Fishing is one of the most popular pastimes and having excellent fishing gear contributes to the joy of the sport. A spinning reel is a basic item of fishing gear.
One of the user's priorities in a spinning reel is having a satisfactory handle with which to operate the reel. This is important because the handle is the user/reel interface. Another important feature is the drag system. The drag system should operate smoothly and predictably and be easy to adjust.
A spinning reel is designed to pick up and release line by means of line pick-ups, and these also should to be smooth and predictable as they are part of the line release path when utilizing the drag system.
Further, it is important that the spinning reel perform as well as possible, including providing smooth line release for maximum distance on casts.
Lastly, the spinning reel should be easy to operate, sturdy, and contribute to convenience of fishing.
It is the principal object of the invention herein to provide a high quality spinning reel.
It is an additional object of the invention herein to provide a spinning reel with a comfortable handle interface with the user.
It is a further object of the invention herein to provide a spinning reel with a smooth and reliable drag system that is easy to adjust.
It is another object of the invention herein to provide a spinning reel that maximizes cast distance.
It is also an additional object of the invention to minimize localized strain on line as it plays out from a spinning reel spool.
It is also a further object of the invention herein to provide a spinning reel that assists in safely and conveniently managing hooks when the reel and a rod it is mounted upon are not in use.
In carrying out the foregoing objects of the invention, a spinning reel is provided having a body and a rotor with at least one line pick up rotatably mounted on the rotor. A shaft is slidingly mounted on the body for reciprocating motion along the axis of the rotor, and a spool is rotatably mounted on the shaft. A drag assembly permits adjustably controlled rotation of the spool with respect to the shaft to release line at an adjusted drag force. A handle drive is mounted on the body for rotating the rotor and reciprocating the shaft.
According to aspects of the invention, the handle drive includes a handle having an arm and a handle knob at the distal end thereof. The handle arm is adjustably articulated to provide selected effective length of the handle arm, so that the user can select a desired leverage and radius of rotation of the handle knob. The knob may have an outer surface formed of ganged, adjacent O-rings, and the outer surface of the knob may be provided around or in an oval configuration, for a comfortable grip.
In other aspects of the invention, a line rollers of the rotor line pick up is mounted on a bearing, and is retained by a simple O-ring buttress.
Additional aspects of the invention include a drag assembly wherein drag washers are biased against a cross wall of the spool. The drag assembly includes a drag adjustment knob which is rotated to compress springs biasing the drag washers against the spool cross wall surfaces. The spool is supported on ball bearings to isolate the drag forces.
The drag adjustment knob substantially covers an outer end wall of the spool, with a small gap between the periphery of the drag adjustment knob and the peripheral rim of the spool outer end wall. The drag adjustment knob includes a plurality of air induction openings for introducing air between the drag adjustment knob and the spool, and the air is believed to flow from the gap to assist in dispensing line from the reel.
The invention is also carried out by providing the drag adjustment knob with a diameter at least the same as or larger than the diameter of the adjacent spool so that the periphery of the drag adjustment knob can be engaged by the user from adjacent the sspool periphery. The diameter of the drag adjustment knob is preferably at least incrementally larger than the diameter of the adjacent spool end wall and has a smooth peripheral edge, so that line playing out from the spool may have contact with the smooth peripheral edge. The periphery of the drag adjustment knob is exposed for manipulation.
In still further aspects of the invention, the reel defines a hook holder for receiving and retaining a hook between uses of the reel. The hook holder is preferably formed in a removable hook holder post extending from a mounting leg of the reel.
The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will in part be recognized by those skilled in the art and will in part appear in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the claims, taken together with the drawings.
The same reference numerals refer to the same elements throughout the various figures.
The various figures show a spinning reel 10 and sub-assemblies and parts thereof. The spinning reel 10 generally comprises a body 12 having a mounting leg 14 and foot 16 for mounting the spinning reel 10 on a fishing rod, not shown, in the usual manner. The spinning reel 10 further generally comprises a handle drive 20 with a handle arm 22 and a handle knob 24, and a rotor 30 with line pickups 32 and 34. A spool 40 is mounted for reciprocating movement with respect to the rotor 30 and body 12, and a drag assembly 50 associated with the spool 40 includes a drag adjustment knob of 52.
The general operation of the spinning reel 10 is that turning of the handle drive 20 rotates the rotor 30 and reciprocates the spool 40 under the line pickups 32 and 34. The handle drive 20 is secured against reversing by a one-way clutch; however, the drag assembly 50 permits rotation of the spool 40 to release line over the line pickups 32, 34 at a drag force adjusted by the drag adjustment knob 52. Parts of the spinning reel 10 and their operative relationship, as well as other operating principles, will now be discussed with reference to the various drawings.
With reference to
Handle arm 22 is mounted on the distal end 70 of the handle shaft 62. The handle arm 22 is provided in two portions; namely a base handle arm 72 and a distal handle arm 74. They are secured together at an angle by handle arm bolt 76 and nut 78, the nut 78 being large and fluted for loosening the bolt and permitting adjustment of the angle A between the base handle arm 72 and distal handle arm 74. At the free end of the distal handle arm 74, a handle knob 24 is mounted on a spindle 80. The handle knob 24 is mounted on bearings and is freely rotatable. Its exterior peripheral surface is provided with a grip 82, including a plurality of O-rings 84 received in ganged side-by-side flanking relationship between flanges 86 and 88 of the handle knob 24. The O-rings are standard, commercially available neoprene or other O-rings with a rubber-like texture and provide good traction and an excellent feel to the handle knob.
The articulated handle arm 22 permits the user to select the radius of rotation of the handle knob 24 and hence the leverage provided by the handle arm 22. If the base handle arm 72 and distal handle arm 74 are adjusted at a smaller angle A, it reduces the radius of rotation, which is also the effective length of the handle arm 22 from the axis of rotation of drive shaft 62 to the axis of the spindle 80. A smaller included angle provides less leverage, but also provides for faster winding. If the base handle arm 74 and distal handle arm 74 are set at a larger included angle A, including up to 180 degrees providing a substantially straight handle arm 22, the radius of rotation or effective length of the handle arm 22 is increased and the leverage applied to the drive shaft 62 is also increased. However, that adjustment also tends to slow the speed at which the handle drive 20 can be rotated. The articulated handle arm 22 permits the user to choose the best compromise between rotation speed and leverage and comfort of operation.
With reference to
With reference to
The line pickups 32 and 34 are supported on the rotor 30 by the line roller brackets 90 and 92. It is desirable that the line pickups 30, 32 do not impede or minimally act on line passing over them. With reference to
With reference to
The distal end 160 of the shaft 150 is stepped to a smaller diameter at shoulder 162. The distal end 160 has opposed flat surfaces for purposes of keying parts thereto, as more fully discussed below.
The spool 40 fits over the distal end of shaft 160, and is supported and flanked by the drag assembly 50. With reference to
A clutch cover 186 mounts a drag clicker assembly 188, which includes a spring 190 and clicker arm 192. The clicker arm engages clicker detents 194 on the rear of the clutch plate 164. The clutch cover includes a low-friction shaft seal 196, and is mounted to the spool 40 to cover and protect the clutch plate 164 and drag washer 180. The spool 40 has a skirt 44 extending from inner end wall 43, that spans the space between the inner end wall 43 and the rotor so as the spool 40 and shaft 150 are reciprocated by the handle drive 20.
With continued reference to
The tubular spring housing 210 also further mounts the spool 40 for rotation about the distal end 160 of shaft 150. For this purpose, spool bearings 216 and 218, separated by spacer 220, are fitted over the tubular barrel 111 of spring housing 210 and inside the drum 48. A seal 222 is also preferably provided. A plurality of drag force springs 224, which is preferably five springs, are positioned in the barrel 211 of spring housing 210, to apply pressure to the pressure plate 212. The springs 224 are also received in an adjustment nut 226, which has openings 227 for receiving the ends of the drag force springs 224. The adjustment nut 226 has key flanges 228, which are received in mating grooves on the inside of barrel 211, so that the adjustment does not rotate with respect to the barrel. The adjustment nut has an axial threaded opening 230, which is threaded onto the distal end 160 of shaft 150. Thus, as the adjustment nut 226 is tightened on the shaft 150, the springs 224 are compressed to increase the drag force.
The drag assembly 50 further includes the drag adjustment knob 52, which is secured to the flange 213 of spring housing 210. The drag adjustment knob 52 thereby turns the spring housing 210 and the adjustment nut 226 therein, to tighten the adjustment nut 226 on the shaft 150 and thereby compress springs 224 to increase the drag force, or to loosen adjustment nut 226 and decrease the drag force. The adjustment nut 226 slides inwardly and outwardly with respect to the barrel 211 of spring housing 210 as the adjustment nut 226 is tightened or loosened, the sliding motion being accommodated by the key flanges 228.
Drag adjustment is audibly indicated by the action of two spring biased clicker pins 234 acting on clicker plate 236 keyed to the shaft, the clicker plate 236 defining detents 237 that produce noise as the clicker pins 234 are dragged across them. The clicker detents 337 are best seen in
To summarize the operation of the drag assembly, drag washer 180 is positioned between clutch plate 164 and the drag washer surface 174 on cross wall 42 of spool 40. Drag washer 206 is positioned between clutch plate 208 and drag washer surface 200 on cross wall 42 of spool 40. The drag adjustment knob 52 is rotated to adjust the compression of springs 124, and thereby creating frictional drag force resisting the rotation of spool 40. The spool 40 is rotatably mounted with respect to the shaft 150 and the clutch plates 164 and 208, so that the spool may rotate and release line if the drag force is overcome. The spool 40 is mounted on a plurality of ball bearings, namely bearings 170, 216 and 218, so that the spool 40 rotates freely in the absence of drag force, whereby the drag force is the primary and adjustable impediment to spool rotation.
As seen in
As seen in
With continued reference to
To overcome this difficulty, the drag adjustment knob 52 is provided with a plurality of openings 260 adjacent the drag knob rim 240 such that an airflow may be established into the openings 260 and out of the gap 262 between the drag knob rim 240 and the peripheral rim 242 of the spool end wall 46. This airflow is believed to reduce any partial vacuum and turbulence in this area and create an air cushion lifting the line 250 above the spool periphery 242 and drag adjustment knob rim 240, thereby reducing the deployment of force necessary to play out line and increasing casting distance.
When fishing is done, a fish hook or lure with fish hook can be stored by inserting it in a hook holder 270 extending from the mounting leg 14. The hook holder 270 defines an opening 272 for receiving a hook, and applying tension to the line 250 will retain the hook.
Accordingly, a spinning reel has been described that admirably achieves the objects of the invention herein. It will be appreciated that the spinning reel described is illustrative of the invention, but that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.
This application claims priority from my U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/771,996 filed Feb. 9, 2006.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/US07/03498 | 2/9/2007 | WO | 00 | 8/5/2008 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60771996 | Feb 2006 | US |