Fishing reel equipped with snap lock button for spool

Abstract

Provided is a reel having a snap button for locking a spool that includes: a frame including a palm-facing first panel, a gear-facing second panel, a spool space between the first and second panel, and a connecting unit maintaining the space and including a first rib connecting the first and second panel to each other and combined with a fishing rod mount; a spool disposed in the space and having a shaft mounted on the first and second panels; a handle connected to the shaft; and a locking unit including a locking gear coupled to the shaft of the spool, a snap button in the first or second panel, a spring pressing the snap button upward; and a locking protrusion connected to the snap button and fitted in a locking groove between teeth of the locking gear when the snap button is pressed.

Claims

1. A fishing reel comprising: a frame including a palm-facing first panel having a disk shape, a gear-facing second panel having a disk shape, a spool space between the palm-facing first panel and the gear-facing second panel, and a connecting unit maintaining the spool space and including a first rib connecting the palm-facing first panel and the gear-facing second panel to each other, the first rib being combined with a fishing rod mount; a spool disposed in the spool space and having a shaft mounted on the palm-facing first panel and the gear-facing second panel; a handle connected to the shaft; and a locking unit including a locking gear fixedly coupled to the shaft of the spool, a snap button in the palm-facing first panel or the gear-facing second panel, a spring pressing the snap button upward; and a locking protrusion connected to the snap button and configured to be fitted in a locking groove between teeth of the locking gear when the snap button is pressed, wherein the palm-facing first panel is composed of a first circumferential surface, a first inner chamfered portion formed along one end of the first circumferential surface, and a first outer chamfered portion formed along the other end of the first circumferential surface, and wherein the gear-facing second panel is composed of a second circumferential surface, a second inner chamfered portion formed along one end of the second circumferential surface, and a second outer chamfered portion formed along the other end of the second circumferential surface, wherein the first rib comprises a body, a first curved end being inwardly curved toward the shaft and coupled with a radially inner side of the first inner chamfered portion, and a second curved end being inwardly curved toward the shaft and coupled with a radially inner side of the second inner chambered portion to make a recess between the body and the first inner chamfered portion and between the body and the second inner chambered portion, respectively, and wherein the first rib, the palm-facing first panel, and the gear-facing second panel form a monolithic integral single body.

2. The fishing reel of claim 1, wherein the locking groove between the teeth of the locking gear has a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section and the locking protrusion has a rectangular cross-section.

3. The fishing reel of claim 2, wherein a lower end of the locking protrusion has a tapered portion for moving in and a tolerance between the locking groove and the locking protrusion is 1/1000500/1000 mm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a fishing reel according to the present invention;

(3) FIGS. 3 and 4 are a view comparing main parts of a fishing reel according to the present invention and a comparative view, respectively; and

(4) FIGS. 5 to 8 are views showing a reel frame for fishing according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) The present invention will be described hereafter in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(6) The present invention may be modified in various ways and implemented by various exemplary embodiments, so that aspects (or exemplary embodiments) are shown in the drawings and will be described in detail. However, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific exemplary embodiments, but includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions included in the spirit and the scope of the present invention.

(7) Reference numerals in the drawings, particularly, reference numerals that are the same in tens and units, or tens, units, and alphabets indicate the components having the same or similar functions, and if not specifically stated, the components indicated by those reference numerals can be considered as components following this standard.

(8) Components in the drawings may be shown excessively large (or thick) or small (or thin) or simply shown in consideration of the convenience of understanding, but it should not be construed as limiting the protective range of the present invention.

(9) Terminologies used herein are for explaining specific aspects (or embodiments) and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular forms are intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms comprises or have used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, components, parts, or a combination thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numerals, steps, operations, components, parts, or a combination thereof.

(10) Unless defined otherwise, it is to be understood that all the terms used in the specification including technical and scientific terms have the same meaning as those that are understood by those who skilled in the art. It must be understood that the terms defined by the dictionary are identical with the meanings within the context of the related art, and they should not be ideally or excessively formally defined unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

(11) Well-known functions and configurations may not be described, if it is determined that the description of them may unnecessarily make the spirit of the present invention unclear.

(12) Terms first, second, and third used herein are only for discriminating different components, not limiting the manufacturing order, and may not be the same in the detailed description and claims.

(13) Non-specific, but approximate directions are defined in FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 8 describe a frame F for fishing reel having improved machinability according to the present invention.

(14) In the drawings, a palm-side first panel 10 and a gear-side second panel 20 are defined as the outside, a space 30 for a spool S is defined as the inside, and these directions are applied to the description and claims relating to other figures, unless specifically stated.

(15) Further, when a first key point relating to a locking unit L of the present invention is described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, an upper portion and a lower portion are determined on the basis of operation of the snap button L1 in the figures.

(16) First, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 8, a fishing reel R according to the present invention includes a frame F, a spool S, and a spool handle H (other components relating to common fishing reels such as a drag power adjustment device are not described herein).

(17) In the fishing reel R, a leg for fixing a reel to a fishing rod, that is, a fishing rod mount M is coupled to a first rib 41 of a connecting unit 40 of the frame F.

(18) The frame F, as described below, has a palm-facing first panel 10, a gear-facing second panel 20, a spool space 30 between the first panel and the second panel, and a connecting unit 40 maintaining the space and including first to third ribs 41, 43, and 45 connecting the first and second panels and combined with a fishing rod mount M.

(19) One of important parts of the present invention is the locking unit L, which includes a snap button L1 and is used to forcibly restore a fishing rod or cut a fishing line and keep as much of the fishing line as possible with equipment left when the equipment such as a hook is stuck to obstacles such as waterweeds or rocks under water, is disposed on the palm-facing first panel 10, that is, between inside and outside chamfered portions 11 and 13 (if necessary, on the gear-facing second panel 20).

(20) In the related art, when equipment is stuck to the ground or an obstacle under water and it is required to submit to a loss of equipment by cutting a fishing line, it may be possible to pull and cut the fishing line with a maximum drag power by maximally tightening a drag or to simply cut the fishing line.

(21) In the former case, if the maximum drag power is smaller than the tension in the fishing line, the fishing line is not cut and load is applied to a reel, so durability decreases or a breakdown may be caused.

(22) Further, in the later case, when a user cuts the fishing line with the spool fixed with a hand or forcibly pulls and cuts the fishing line, his/her hand may be injured.

(23) Further, when a locking button is complicated in structure and has to be repeatedly pressed to be locked/unlocked in the related art, it is troublesome to operate the button and it is difficult to concentrate on cutting a fishing line. Further, the type of pressing a spool or a locking button is also inconvenient and complicated.

(24) According, the present invention proposes a fishing reel having a spool locking structure using a so-called one-touch (snap or quick) type snap button.

(25) In the fishing reel R according to the present invention, the locking unit L, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, includes: a locking gear L2 on a shaft S1 (connected to the handle H in various ways) of the spool S mounted on the first and second panels 10 and 20 (especially on the first panel 10) in the space 30 of the frame F, and a locking protrusion L3 locked into or unlocked out of a locking groove LG of a locking gear when the snap button 11 is pressed down or released up.

(26) In particular, the locking grooves LG or Lg formed between the teeth of the locking gear L3 has a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section (see the modified example in a circle indicated by a dashed dotted line at the right side in FIG. 3) and the locking protrusion L3 has a rectangular cross-section.

(27) When a user presses the snap button L1 to lock the spool S with the locking protrusion L3 locked in a locking groove LG or Lg and then pulls the fishing rod in order to cut a shifting line with equipment left stuck to an obstacle in water when fishing, tension in the fishing line rotates the spool and the locking gear L2 connected to the spool shaft S1 is correspondingly intended to rotate.

(28) However, a side (the left side in FIG. 3) of the locking groove presses the locking protrusion L3, so the locking protrusion remains locked in the locking groove, and even if the snap button L1 is released (the user takes the hand off), the snap button and the locking protrusion are not released (unlocked) even against elasticity of a spring Ls for lifting the snap button.

(29) The locking protrusion-integrated snap button L1 installed in the frame F, that is, in a hole of the first panel 10 with the spring Ls fitted on the locking protrusion L3 is prevented from separating by a snap ring type locking protrusion Lr inserted in a ring-shaped groove formed around the locking protrusion.

(30) As shown the circle indicated by a dashed dotted line at the upper left side in FIG. 3, a packing ring p is fitted on the snap button 11 of the locking unit L to prevent dirt, moisture, or water from permeating into the palm-facing first panel 10.

(31) When the tension in the fishing line is removed by, for example, cutting the fishing line, torque applied to the spool S and the locking gear L2 is removed, so the locking protrusion L3 is separated upward from the locking groove LG or Lg by elasticity of the spring Ls and the spool is unlocked.

(32) An expansion Lb wider than other portion is formed at the inlet of the locking groove LG or Lg to allow the locking protrusion to move in and a tapered portion Ln is formed at the lower end of the locking protrusion L3.

(33) A tolerance of 1/1000500/1000 mm or 10/1000300/1000 mm may be provided between the locking groove LG and Lg and the locking protrusion L3, and by this tolerance, the locking protrusion locked in the locking groove can be prevented from separating even without the snap button pressed when a user pulls a fishing line to cut it.

(34) If the locking grooves LG and Lg do not have a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section, the locking protrusion L3 does not a rectangular cross-section, and the tolerance between the locking groove and the locking protrusion is not 1/1000500/1000 mm, that is, if locking grooves lg of a locking gear l2 have an inverse trapezoidal shape and the locking groove is larger than the locking groove, so the tolerance is over 0.5 mm, the locking protrusion L3 is separated upward from the locking grooves lg by elasticity of a spring, when the pressed snapped button is released with a fishing line pulled to be cut.

(35) The tapered portion Ln of the locking protrusion L3 may have various shapes and sizes as long as it can keep the lower end locked in the locking groove. The horizontal cross-sections of the locking protrusion and the locking grooves may be circles in consideration of easy fitting and non-directionality.

(36) In this respect, the expansion Lb of the locking groove means the shape of the inlet allowing the locking protrusion to be easily fitted.

(37) Further, the cross-section of the locking protrusion 13, particularly, the rectangular vertical cross-section means the shape of the body except for the tapered portion Ln.

(38) The cross-section of the locking groove LG, particularly, the rectangular vertical cross-section (normal trapezoid relative to the inverse trapezoid in FIG. 4) means the shape of the portion around the lower portion except for the expansion Lb.

(39) The cross-section of the locking grooves Lg, particularly, the trapezoidal vertical cross-section (normal trapezoid relative to the inverse trapezoid in FIG. 4) means the shape of a portion around the lower portion except for the expansion Lb.

(40) The tolerance of 1/1000500/1000 mm or 10/1000300/1000 mm between the normal trapezoidal locking groove Lg and the locking protrusion means the tolerance between the narrowest trapezoidal locking groove Lg right under the expansion Lb and the body (the portion over the tapered portion Ln) of the locking protrusion L3.

(41) The tolerance between the locking grooves LG and the locking protrusion also means the tolerance between the straight portion under the expansion Lb and the body of the locking protrusion.

(42) The frame F for a fishing reel R having improved machinability, which is another important part of the present invention, includes the first panel 10, the second panel 20, the spool space 30, and the connecting portion 40 having the first rib 41 that connects the panels with the space therebetween.

(43) For the frame F, an improved machining technique and a frame structure for this technique for a trolling reel or a jigging reel for relatively large fishes as compared with a bait reel are mainly described in the specification and claims.

(44) However, if necessary, post machine with a die casting frame may be used, so the present invention is not limited by a raw material for cutting.

(45) The gear-facing second panel 20 is a part keeping various locking gears for connecting the handle H and the spool and is generally used in this field.

(46) The palm-facing first panel 10 is also generally used in this field because a user operates it with a fishing rod with the first panel 10 of the reel R in his/her hand (in contact with a palm) when fishing.

(47) The first panel 10 may be larger in area than the second panel 20 when being seen from a side in order to ensure and improve operability, grip, and ease of holding when a user holds the reel frame and makes various actions including fishing with the reel frame.

(48) As can be seen in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, the connecting unit 40 for maintaining the space 30 for the spool S disposed on a shaft between the first and second panel 10 and 20 fundamentally includes the first rib 41 connecting the first and second panel and combined with the fishing rod mount M.

(49) The first rib 41 has a recession 41a for increasing stability by increasing a contact area with the fishing rod mount M therein and fixing holes 41b for fastening the mount, for example, by riveting.

(50) The first rib is divided into two parts by a cutting hole at the middle portion to reduce the weight.

(51) The connecting unit 40 further includes a second rib 43 for reinforcement, or second and third ribs 43 and 45, which are spaced from the first rib 41.

(52) The first to third ribs are inclined under the fishing rod mount M, with the tops open to ensure a space where the fishing line wound around the spool S is loosened and tightened.

(53) The outer sides that are brought in contact with a hand such as a palm and other parts of a body may be rounded as smooth as possible when the frame F is machined, and corners may be chamfered to make the outer sides smooth.

(54) To this end, a metal ingot such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy is cut to manufacture a frame and there are lathe processing and milling.

(55) Lathe processing) is machining that rotates a workpiece and feeds a cutting tool, so it is suitable for machining the outer side of a workpiece rotated on a chuck in a symmetric circle shape and the cost is relatively low.

(56) On the other hand, milling is a type of machining that rotates and feeds a cutting tool with a workpiece fixed, so it can make straight and curved shapes, but takes relatively long time and high cost for machining.

(57) In common fishing reel frames of the related art, there was no problem in using the lathe processing to machine the outer corners, that is, to make the outside chamfered portions 13 and 23 of the palm-facing first panel 10 and the gear-facing second panel 20.

(58) However, the inner corners, that is, the inside chamfered portions 11 and 21 of the first and second panels 10 and 20 being in contact with the space 30 cannot be made by lathe processing due to interference of the ribs 41, 43, and 45 of the connecting unit 40 when a workpiece is rotated, so these portions require milling.

(59) To solve this problem, the frame F of the present invention has a structure in which the shapes of the ribs 41, 43, 45 are finally made by a body B and curved ends b formed at both sides of the body and being in contact with a recess (r) and the curved ends b maintain the space 30 by being connected to the inside of the first and second panels.

(60) Accordingly, the inside and outside chamfered portions 11 and 21, 13 and 23 of the first and second panels 10 and 20 are formed to fit the entire shape, that is, a designed shape, by applying lathe processing first on a metal ingot (bar-shaped ingot) and then the outer shapes of the ribs 41, 43, and 45 of the connecting unit are formed (that is, a recess (r) ensuring entrance of the top of a cutting tool in lathe processing for making the inside chamfered portions 11 and 21 is formed (deeper than outer sides 10s between the inside and outside chamfered portions 11 and 21, 13 and 23), the curved ends (b) at both sides of the body B of the rib are formed, and then the inside chamfered portions 11 and 21 of the first and second panels 10 and 20 are formed with the recess (r) therebetween, thereby forming the entire rounded shape.)

(61) Next, the space 30 is formed by a cutting tool for milling which is automatically rotated and fed and then surface of the ribs that are in contact with the space are formed such that the ribs 41, 43, and 45 are separated.

(62) As described above, a workpiece such as a metal ingot (bar-shaped ingot) is fixed on a chuck of a lathe such that a machining rotational axis is arranged in the installation direction of the spool S and then primary lathe processing is performed to make the entire outer shape including the inside and outside chamfered portions 11 and 21, 13 and 23 of the first and second panels 10 and 20 in a circular shape around the machining rotational axis by rotating the workpiece and feeding a cutting tool for lathe processing.

(63) Secondary milling is performed on the space 30, the inner sides of the first and second panels 10 and 20 being in contact with the space, and the contact surfaces of the ribs 41, 43, and 45, using a cutting tool for milling that is rotated and feed in a direction crossing the machining rotational axis in the primary lathe processing, thereby completing the frame F of the present invention.

(64) Referring to FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 showing the frame in various directions, main parts that have undergone lathe processing, that is, the inside chamfered portions 11 and 21, which were necessarily milled in fishing reels of the related art, but were machined by lathe processing in accordance with the present invention are shown by a lattice pattern.

(65) Sides of the first to third ribs 41, 43, and 43 adjacent to the inside chamfered portions, the portions around the recession 41a and the fixing holes 41b of the first rib 41, where milling was applied, are hatched.

(66) Obviously, the surfaces of the first and second panels being in contact with the space 30 (surfaces inside a virtual circle that is in contact with the contact portions of the curved ends (b) and the first and second panels, like the outer sides of the curved portions (b) of the rib, that is, the recess (r) with a workpiece held on a chuck and rotated around the machining rotary shaft in lathe processing) and the inner sides of the ribs are formed by milling, but not shown for the convenience.

(67) Other than improvement of productivity and reduction of cost by lathe processing of the inside and outside chamfered portions 11 and 21, 13 and 23 of the first and second panels 10 and 20, concentricity is improved and high roundness and excellent surface smoothness can be achieved because circular cutting is performed by rotating a workpiece and feeding and bringing a cutting tool in contact with the workpiece during lathe processing.

(68) On the other hand, in the resultant frame F that has undergone milling, grip and stability in holding of the palm-facing first panel 10 of the fishing reel R are also improved by the curved ends (b) of the ribs, that is, the recess (r).

(69) Although common well-known structures such as a bait reel, a trolling reel, a drag power adjustment device, a braking power adjustment device of a spool were not described above, those skilled in the art would easily estimate and infer the structures.

(70) Further, a fishing reel and a frame having specific shapes and structures were described above with reference to the accompanying drawings to explain the present invention, but the present invention may be changed, modified, and replaced in various ways by those skilled in the art, and those changes, modifications, and replacement should be construed as being in included in the protective range of the present invention.