LINE GUIDE APPARATUS OF FISHING REEL

Abstract

A line guide apparatus of a fishing reel includes a line guide unit having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough, and a sleeve provided within the bore configured to receive a fishing line. The line guide unit has an inner surface defining a wall of the bore that is formed with one or more protruding ribs configured to retain the sleeve in a position inside the line guide unit.

Claims

1. A line guide apparatus of a fishing reel, comprising: a line guide unit having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough; and a sleeve provided within the bore configured to receive a fishing line, wherein the line guide unit has an inner surface defining a wall of the bore that is formed with one or more protruding ribs configured to retain the sleeve in a position inside the line guide unit.

2. The line guide apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ribs are formed at positions adjacent to both end parts of the sleeve so as to clamp the sleeve.

3. The line guide apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each rib is a protrusion that extends radially from the wall of the bore and tapers inwards from each end portion of the wall to reach the end part of the sleeve.

4. The line guide apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the end portion of the wall of the bore and the end part of the sleeve has a distance of 0.3 mm to 0.8 mm therebetween.

5. The line guide apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the line guide unit is made of plastic.

6. The line guide apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve is made of ceramic.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] This invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a first perspective view of the line guide apparatus showing bores of the line guide unit, coupling unit and pawl holder unit.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a second perspective view of the line guide apparatus that is an opposite view to the first perspective view.

[0015] FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the line guide apparatus.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a side cross sectional view of the line guide unit whereby the sleeve is retained within the line guide unit by the protruding ribs.

[0017] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a baitcasting reel showing positioning of the line guide apparatus with respect to the fishing reel frame assembly and the level winder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] For a better understanding of the invention, preferred embodiments of the invention that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings will be described in detail.

[0019] Disclosed herein is a line guide apparatus 1000 of a fishing reel used for guiding a fishing line. Referring to FIG. 5, the fishing reel, which is preferably a baitcasting reel, is equipped with a spool 5675 for winding and unwinding the fishing line that is held and stored thereon. A level winder, where the line guide apparatus 1000 is coupled to, is provided for winding the fishing line on the spool 5675. The line guide apparatus 1000 serves to prevent tangling of the fishing line to enable uniform winding and unwinding of the fishing line.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the line guide apparatus 1000 includes three main units, being the line guide unit 100, coupling unit 200 and pawl holder unit 300. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, all three main units are integrally formed in a piece. It Is however understood that the three main units can be separate pieces and assembled together to form the line guide apparatus 1000. Each unit are preferably in tubular form where a bore is formed therethrough. The line guide unit 100 is preferably above the coupling unit 200 and pawl holder unit 300 for the fishing line to pass therethrough. On the other hand, the coupling unit 200 is employed to fasten the line guide apparatus 1000 to the level winder where a shaft of the level winder being the level wind guard 5661 as shown in FIG. 5 is inserted through the bore of the coupling unit 200. Facilitating as an accommodation for a pawl 5383, the pawl holder unit 300 allows the pawl 5383 to sit therein for interacting with a worm shaft 5660 at the level winder to guide the fishing line from the spool 5675 smoothly.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3, The present invention focuses on the line guide unit 100 where a sleeve 110 is inserted within the bore of the line guide unit 100 that extends longitudinally therethrough. The sleeve 110 is used for reinforcing the line guide unit 100 to prevent the line guide unit 100 from being damaged by the fishing line. The line guide unit 100 has an inner surface defining a wall 120 of the bore that surrounds the sleeve 110. Preferably made of reinforcing material such as ceramic, the sleeve 110 is retained in position within the line guide unit 100 by one or more protruding ribs 121 extending from the wall 120 of the bore to be in contact with the sleeve 110 such that the sleeve 110 has no or limited movement within the bore of the line guide unit 100.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 4, the line guide unit 100 is provided with two ribs 121 at positions adjacent to both end parts 111 of the sleeve 110 so as to clamp the sleeve 110. A first rib is located at a first end part of the sleeve 110, whereas a second rib is located at a second end part of the sleeve 110. Each rib 121 is in the form of a protrusion that extends radially from the wall of the bore and tapers inwards from each end portion of the wall 120 to reach the end part 111 of the sleeve 110. The external end 122 of the rib 121 which is also the end portion of the wall 120 has a diameter larger than the internal end 123 of the rib 121, whereas the internal end 123 of the rib 121 has a diameter smaller than the end part 111 of the sleeve 110 for restricting movement of the sleeve 110 to keep the sleeve 110 within the space guarded by both ribs 121. It should be noted with the dimension of the internal end 123 of the rib 121 being smaller than the end part 111 of the sleeve 110 or sufficient to block the sleeve 110 from leaving the line guide unit 100, the sleeve 110 can be retained within the line guide unit 100.

[0023] The end portion of the wall 120 of the bore and the end part 111 of the sleeve 100 that defines thickness of the rib 121 which spans from the external end 122 of the rib 121 to the internal end 123 of the rib 121 has a distance ‘D’ as denoted in FIG. 4 of 0.3 mm to 0.8 mm therebetween, with 0.5 mm being the most preferred distance. Such thickness of the rib 121 has sufficient strength to hold the sleeve 110 in position.

[0024] Since the line guide apparatus 1000 including the ribs 121 is preferred to be made of plastic that has brittle characteristic, the rib 121 that is not intended to be overly thick needs to however be strong enough when it is subjected to stress.

[0025] To manufacture the line guide apparatus 1000, in particular the line guide unit 100 with ribs 121 to hold the sleeve 111 in position within the line guide unit 100, the present invention utilizes the insert molding technique. A molding tool catered for fabricating the present invention are formed with a structure which corresponds to the shape of the line guide unit 100. The molding tool is configured to provide at least one molding cavity for receiving a molding material such as plastic to form a full or partial line guide unit 100 including one or more ribs 121 protruding from the inner surface of the line guide unit 100 for holding the sleeve 110 in position within the line guide unit 100.

[0026] The sleeve 110 functions as a pre-placed insert within the molding cavity for the insert molding process to be performed. By filing the molding cavity with the molding material, the line guide unit 100 with the ribs 121 in the desired structure and dimensions as described above for holding the sleeve 110 can be formed. The sleeve 110 is already inserted within the line guide unit 100 during production phase and need not be inserted into the line guide unit 100 after the line guide unit 100 is manufactured. With the use of other molding tools, the entire line guide apparatus 1000 can be formed. However, the ribs 121 can be formed by welding or hot melt instead of molding.

[0027] An exploded view of the baitcasting reel is shown in FIG. 5, showing position of the line guard apparatus 1000 that is intended to be coupled with the level winder with the level wind guard 5661 being inserted through the coupling unit 200, whereby the level winder is inserted through the frame assembly 6736 of the reel. Table 1 below lists the components of the baitcasting reel shown in FIG. 5.

TABLE-US-00001 No. Component No. Component 0686 E Lock 4502 Clutch Pawl Spring 1652 Screw 4588 Washer 1672 E Lock 4729 O Ring 1696 Cast Control Spacer (B) 4814 Screw 2122 Click Pin 4817 Screw 2123 Click Spring 4819 Idle Gear 2127 Star Drag Spacer 4863 Star Drag Nut 2128 Washer 4865 Bearing Spacer 2224 Spool Tension Spacer (A) 4874 Pawl Cap 2427 O Ring 4883 Yoke 2429 O Ring 4884 Clutch Cam Retainer 2717 E Lock 4892 Stabilizer Bar 3770 Key Washer 4893 Washer 3927 Ball Bearing 4932 Click Spring 4124 Star Drag Spring 4945 Ball Bearing 4194 Ball Bearing 5021 Roller Clutch Bearing 4343 Ball Bearing 5142 Screw 5201 Yoke Spring 5663 Clutch Cam 5308 Washer 5664 Clutch Pawl Assembly 5310 Idle Gear Pin 5665 Clutch Plate 5314 Click Plate Retainer 5666 Clutch Guard 5319 Bearing Retainer 5668 Screw 5327 Idle Gear Spring 5669 Clutch Bar Guide 5328 Screw 5670 Clutch Button Assembly 5329 Drive Shaft Retainer 5671 Clutch Bar Guide 5334 Bushing 5673 Screw 5344 Screw 5674 Screw 5346 Spacer B 5675 Spool 5348 Screw 5676 Brake Ring Gear Assembly 5376 Drag Spring Washer 5677 Brake Case Assembly 5383 Pawl 5678 Washer 5503 O Ring 5679 Left Side Plate Cam Lever 5558 Screw 5680 Washer 5641 Handle Nut Plate 5681 Spring 5642 Handle Nut 5682 Left Side Plate Assembly 5644 Star Drag 5714 Screw 5645 Cast Control Cap 5715 Drive Shaft Washer 5647 Roller Clutch Inner Tube 5756 Screw 5652 Anti-reverse Ratchet 5762 Screw 5653 Drive Shaft 5858 Ball Bearing 5654 Idle Gear 5860 Star Drag Click Plate 5656 Level Wind Protector 5970 Brake Dial 5657 Line Guide Assembly 5971 O Ring 5659 Idle Gear 6555 Washer 5660 Worm Shaft 6655 Washer 5661 Level Wind Guard 6701 Spacer 6713 Handle Knob Seal 6740 Drag Washer 6736 Frame Assembly 6741 Drive Gear 6737 Handle Assembly 6742 Drag Washer 6738 Pinion Gear 4692 B-100 Oil 6739 Right Side Plate

[0028] Although the description above contains many specifications, it is understood that the embodiments of the preferred form are not to be regarded as a departure from the invention and it may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.