Method for producing guide element for fishing rod line

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a guide element (GEL) for a fishing rod line, comprising a ring (CRG) rigidly connected to a guide body (GDY) intended to be fastened to a rod. The method according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises:-a step of coating the ring (CRG) with a group of reinforcing fibers; a step of shaping the reinforcing fiber group; a step of covering the ring (CRG) coated in this way with a resin; and a step of hardening the guide element formed in this way. The method according to the invention does not require machining of a material containing carbon fibers or mechanical insertion or adhesion of a ring in a hole previously made in the guide body.

Description

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a method for manufacturing a guiding element for a fishing rod line, the element comprising a ring rigidly connected to a guiding body intended to be fastened to said rod. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention specifically, but not exclusively, belongs to the general field of fishing rod manufacturing, and more specifically to the field of fishing rod manufacturing provided with a rod at least partially made of reinforcing fibers.

[0003] Such reinforcing fibers can in particular be made of carbon, glass, aramid, basalt or other materials known to those skilled in the art.

[0004] In the prior art, it has been common practice to provide a series of rings for the rod of a fishing rod, which rings are intended to guide at least one fishing line extending in a direction parallel to the rod of the fishing rod (hereinafter referred to as the longitudinal direction) in order to facilitate the casting and reeling in of any fish that has taken the bait. PRIOR ART

[0005] For many years, fishing rod rods have been made of fiberglass, and the guiding elements have been made of metal in order to be glued or bonded to the rods, but these techniques have not been satisfactory, firstly because the surface finish of the metal guiding elements is prone to abrasion, which causes premature wear of the line, and secondly because the friction ultimately causes the line (even if its abrasion is not too great) to cut through a metal frame that is not hard enough. In addition, the metal body of the guiding element and the fiberglass body of the fishing rod rod rigidly connected to the guiding element have different deformation and corrosion resistance characteristics, which easily leads to premature separation of the guiding element from the fishing rod rod.

[0006] To overcome these drawbacks, a guiding element has been designed in the form of an assembly of ceramic rings within a guiding body made of carbon fiber, said guiding element being intended to be fastened to a fishing rod rod also made of carbon fiber.

[0007] This method is described in particular in document EP3424318B1.

[0008] However, the inventors of the method claimed in the present patent application have observed that, although the method described in the above-mentioned document partially solves the drawbacks of the prior art, implementing this known method has given rise to other problems that remain unresolved.

[0009] In fact, the method known from the document EP3424318B1 provides that, in a first step, a guiding body is produced, the construction of which is based on a stack of carbon fiber sheets pre-impregnated with resin and then cured, so as to obtain a preform. The guiding body is appropriately selected from the preform by machining, such that both the outer perimeter of the guiding body can be defined and a hole intended to receive a ceramic ring by snap fit can be formed therein. The inner annular surface of this hole must also be covered with an adhesive paste to hold the ceramic ring in place in the hole formed in the guiding body.

[0010] This machining is complex and expensive to implement, especially in the context of mass production of a large number of guiding rings to be assembled to fishing rods, which are also intended for mass production and delivery. Principle of the invention

[0011] The present inventors have designed a solution to all of the above problems and have developed a simple and inexpensive method for easily and quickly implementing this solution. Summary of the invention

[0012] Accordingly, the present invention proposes a method according to the method described in the introductory paragraph, characterized in that the method comprises: - a step of coating the ring with at least one group of reinforcing fibers; - a step of shaping the group of reinforcing fibers; and - a step of covering the ring coated in this way with resin; and - a step of hardening the guiding element thus formed.

[0013] Different from the method known from the prior art, the method according to the present invention does not require the use of a stack of reinforcing fiber layers, but uses a group of fibers, which can be oriented in an optimized manner according to the direction of its maximum strength considered in terms of tension and bending.

[0014] Furthermore, different from the known method comprising three successive manufacturing operations, the method according to the present invention only comprises one manufacturing operation, and does not require machining of materials containing carbon fibers, nor mechanical insertion or bonding of the ring in a hole previously made in the guiding body.

[0015] This method enables significant savings in terms of manufacturing time and cost. In fact, since the method does not use any cutting operations, implementing the method will not cause wear to cutting tools or waste of materials caused by machining (since this is no longer necessary), and this waste requires expensive recycling. The machining operations provided in the prior art usually also generate dust that is difficult to capture, while such dust is not generated in the method according to the present invention.

[0016] Furthermore, the guiding body is made of a composite material, so its outer surface is mainly composed of resin, preferably epoxy resin, which ensures a uniform mechanical and physico-chemical behavior with respect to the fishing rod rod member intended to be fixed thereto.

[0017] The method according to the invention can be implemented manually, for example, by inserting a plastically deformable wire into the group of reinforcing fibers, then winding the assembly around a ceramic ring, and then shaping the free end of the assembly to produce a foot having a shape such that the guiding element can be fixed to the fishing rod rod member for which it is intended. The thus formed assembly can then be covered with resin to harden it, and the resin can harden at room temperature or by heating.

[0018] Preferably, the covering step further includes at least one step of clamping the ring by contacting at least a part of the group of reinforcing fibers arranged around the ring.

[0019] The guiding element can be configured in such a way that the ring of the covered group of reinforcing fibers is directly connected to the foot of the guiding body.

[0020] In another embodiment of the invention, the guiding element is intended to have at least one leg that connects a fastening zone arranged near the outer circumference of the ring to a foot portion of the guiding body. The covering step includes at least one step of clamping the ring by contacting at least a part of the group of reinforcing fibers arranged around the ring, and one end of the part is free after the clamping and is arranged along the leg between the fastening zone and the foot portion.

[0021] Alternatively, the guiding element can have at least one leg that connects the ring covered with the group of reinforcing fibers to the foot of the guiding body.

[0022] According to a specific embodiment of the invention, in this specific embodiment, the guiding element is intended to have at least a first leg and a second leg that connect at least a first fastening zone and a second fastening zone arranged near the outer circumference of the ring (CRG) to a single foot of the guiding body. The covering step includes at least one step of clamping the ring (CRG) by contacting at least a part of the group of reinforcing fibers arranged around the ring, and one end of the part is free after the clamping and is arranged along at least one of the two legs between the corresponding fastening zone and the foot portion.

[0023] This embodiment can double the thickness of the legs, thus significantly increasing their stiffness. Preferably, it is applied to each of the two legs in order to optimize the overall stiffness. In fact, not only does each of the two legs thus have a doubled thickness, but the thickness of the reinforcing fibers of the clamping ring is also doubled, so that the entire guide element obtained then has a uniform fiber thickness.

[0024] According to an advantageous embodiment of the above method, the shaping step and the covering step respectively include: - the step of inserting the ring coated with the reinforcing fiber group into a mold having an annular groove connected to at least one outflow groove, the outflow groove being intended to receive at least one section of fiber other than a section of fiber used to coat the ring; - the step of filling the mold with resin.

[0025] In addition to the advantages of the present invention described above, this embodiment makes it possible to select sections of the guide body without the constraints imposed by the prior art.

[0026] In this embodiment of the present invention, the resin can be hardened at ambient temperature, but according to an advantageous embodiment of the above method, the hardening step will include the step of heating the mold thus filled.

[0027] This reduces the manufacturing time of the guide element according to the present invention and reduces the risk of deformation of the guide element during the hardening step. In addition, the resin hardened by heating exhibits a more efficient behavior in terms of mechanical strength.

[0028] According to a variant of the present invention described above, the fibers of the additional section extend beyond the outflow groove until they rest in a straight groove intended to form a foot of the guide body, the straight groove extending the outflow groove and being substantially perpendicular to the plane containing the circular groove.

[0029] According to a specific variant of the present invention described above, the straight groove is intended to receive a removable cylinder coated with a reinforcing fiber group in at least one hollow part, and then a filling step is carried out.

[0030] This variant results in a cylindrical sheath rigidly connected to the guide ring, the cylindrical sheath being able to receive the end of the rod, which enables the "head" ring to be perfectly and highly robustly positioned, the "head" ring, although fastened to the thinnest end of the fishing rod, being intended to withstand the strong forces generated during casting or by a thrashing fish.

[0031] According to a variant of this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the above method includes the step of inserting the free end of the reinforcing fiber group, after the ring has been coated, into the hollow part of the group intended to be placed near the fastening zone.

[0032] This variant can double the thickness of the hollow part into which the ends of the reinforcing fiber group are inserted, making it significantly more robust.

[0033] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reinforcing fiber group intended to cover the ring comprises a hollow braid.

[0034] This embodiment produces a bulge that completely encloses the perimeter of the ring, thus optimally consolidating the connection between the ring and the guide body. Moreover, the fact that the braid is hollow makes it relatively easy to longitudinally insert other fibers into it, thereby further increasing the stiffness of the guide element.

[0035] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the materials of the present invention, the present invention also relates to a guide element for a fishing rod line obtained by implementing the above method.

[0036] Moreover, according to another aspect of the materials of the present invention, the present invention also relates to a mold for implementing the method described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become clearly more apparent by reading the following description of specific embodiments, given by way of illustration and non-limiting example only and with reference to the drawings: Figure 1

[0038] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a guide element for a fishing rod line obtained by implementing the present invention; Figure 2

[0039] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the manufacturing steps of such a guide element; Figure 3

[0040] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the details of the manufacturing steps shown in the previous figure; Figure 4

[0041] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a guide element according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5

[0042] Figure 5 is a schematic view showing the covering step according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6

[0043] Figure 6 ​​​​​​is another schematic view showing the covering step according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7

[0044] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing an advantageous embodiment of the guiding element according to the present invention; Figure 8

[0045] Figure 8 is another perspective view showing a half - mold intended to be assembled with a complementary half - mold to implement the method according to the present invention; and Figure 9

[0046] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing an element for guiding a fishing rod line obtained by implementing a variant of the present invention. Detailed Description

[0047] Figure 1 Shows a guiding element GEL for a fishing rod line, the guiding element including, for example, a ring CRG made of a ceramic material, the ring being rigidly connected to a guiding body GDY, the guiding body being intended to be fastened to the said rod by means of feet FTN, the feet being connected to the guiding body via a first leg and a second leg (LG1, LG2).

[0048] Figure 2 and Figure 3 Shows the manufacturing steps of the guiding element shown in the previous figure, including: - A step of covering the ring CRG with at least one reinforcing fiber fabric CTR; - A step of shaping the reinforcing fiber fabric CTR.

[0049] As shown in these figures, the ring CRG is clamped by contact with the reinforcing fiber fabric CTR arranged around the ring, that is, the ring CRG is not separated from the reinforcing fiber fabric CTR by a resin layer, the resin being intended to be applied to the assembly formed by the ring CRG covered by clamping with the fabric CTR.

[0050] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown herein, the reinforcing fiber fabric CTR covering the ring CRG is a hollow fabric.

[0051] This embodiment forms protrusions (BR1, BR2) that completely enclose the periphery of the ring CRG, thereby optimally consolidating the connection between the ring CRG and the guiding body, as Figure 4 shown in this figure, which is a partial cross - section in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the ring.

[0052] The steps following this manufacturing step are intended to be the following steps (not shown here):​​​ - the step of covering the ring CRG covered in this way with a resin; and - the step of hardening the guide element formed in this way.

[0053] Different from the methods known from the prior art, the method according to the invention does not require the use of a stack of reinforcing fiber layers, but uses a group of reinforcing fibers formed here by the fiber fabric CTR, which can be oriented in an optimized manner according to the direction of its maximum strength considered in terms of tension and bending.

[0054] In the manufacturing method described here, the free end LG2 of the fabric CRT after covering the ring CRG is inserted into a part of the hollow body of the fiber CTR at the point indicated by the arrow INT, and is withdrawn from the hollow body of the fiber CTR at the point indicated by the arrow OUT.

[0055] In other embodiments not shown here, the reinforcing fiber fabric CTR does not need to be hollow, but one free end of the fabric after covering the ring CRG can pass through the fabric so as to be able to clamp the ring in the form of a slip knot, in a manner similar to the clamping obtained by the insertion technique described in the previous paragraph.

[0056] Figure 5 is a schematic view of the covering step, which includes at least one step of clamping the ring CRG with at least a part of the group of reinforcing fibers, which in this case is performed in the clockwise direction. In this example, the first free end EXT11 of the first group of reinforcing fibers CTR1 and the second end EXT12 free after said surrounding are arranged substantially parallel to each other side by side so as to be fixed together during the covering step so as to form the first leg LG1.

[0057] In a preferred embodiment of the invention in which the group of reinforcing fibers CTR1 is a hollow fabric, the second end EXT12 can be inserted into the first end EXT11, where the two ends meet near the ring CRG, thus forming the first fastening zone.

[0058] This embodiment can double the thickness of the first leg LG1 and thus significantly increase its stiffness.

[0059] Figure 6It is a schematic view of a wrapping step similar to the previous figure, which wrapping step includes at least one step of clamping the at least one clamping ring CRG with at least a part of the reinforcing fiber group, in this case, this is performed in the counterclockwise direction. In this example, the first free end EXT21 of the second reinforcing fiber group CTR2 and the second end EXT22 that is free after the said surrounding are arranged substantially parallel to each other side by side, so as to be fixed together during the covering step, so as to form the second leg LG2.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention where the reinforcing fiber group CTR2 is a hollow braid, the second end EXT22 can be inserted into the first end EXT21, where these two ends meet near the ring CRG, thereby forming a second fastening zone.

[0061] Figure 5 and Figure 6 The combined implementation of the two wrapping steps described in can double the thickness of the first leg LG1 and the second leg LG2, and thus also double the thickness of the foot FTN, thus significantly increasing the stiffness of all these elements.

[0062] Furthermore, not only does each of the two legs LG1 and LG2 thus have a doubled thickness, but also the thickness of the reinforcing fibers of the clamping ring CRG is doubled, so that the entire guiding element obtained thus has a uniform fiber thickness.

[0063] Figure 5 and Figure 6 This combined implementation of the two wrapping steps described in can be carried out by winding the second reinforcing fiber group (as shown in Figure 6 and having ends EXT21 and EXT22) around the first reinforcing fiber group (as shown in Figure 5 and having ends EXT11 and EXT12). In such an embodiment, the ring CRG is clamped by the second reinforcing fiber group CTR2 by contacting the first reinforcing fiber group CTR1, rather than being clamped by directly contacting the ring CRG itself. Therefore, the ring CRG is not separated from the first reinforcing fiber group CTR1 by a resin layer, and the first reinforcing fiber group CTR1 and the second reinforcing fiber group CTR2 that are in direct contact with each other are also not separated by a resin layer, and the resin is intended to be applied to the assembly formed by the ring CRG that is wrapped by being clamped by the two reinforcing fiber groups CTR1 and CTR2.

[0064] To be considered together Figure 7 and Figure 8 show advantageous embodiments of the above method, where the shaping step and the covering step respectively include: - The step of inserting a ring wrapped with a reinforcing fiber fabric into a mold MLD having an annular groove ANGR connected to at least one effluent groove (EGR1, EGR2) intended to receive at least one length of the fabric other than the length for wrapping the ring; - The step of filling the mold MLD with resin.

[0065] In an embodiment of the mold MLD (only one half of which is shown here), the effluent grooves (EGR1, EGR2) lead to straight grooves RGR in the legs intended to form the guide body, the straight grooves RGR being substantially perpendicular to the plane containing the circular groove.

[0066] Figure 9 The guide element PTR obtained using the mold is shown, where the straight groove has a cylindrical section intended to receive a removable cylinder wrapped in at least a part of the reinforcing fiber fabric, followed by the filling step. Additionally, the mold for producing the guide element PTR shown here includes a first effluent groove, a second effluent groove, and a third effluent groove intended to form a first leg, a second leg, and a third leg (LG1, LG2, and LG3), the third leg LG3 occupying the central position of the guide element PTR and extending the foot FTN.

[0067] This variant results in a cylindrical sheath rigidly connected to the guide ring CRG and capable of receiving one end RDX of the fishing rod, which enables the "head" ring CRG to be perfectly and highly robustly positioned, the "head" ring being intended to withstand the strong forces generated during casting or by a thrashing fish although fastened to the thinnest end of the fishing rod.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a guide element (GEL) for a fishing rod line, the guide element comprising a ring (CRG) rigidly connected to a guide body (GDY) intended to be fastened to said rod, characterized in that, The method comprises: - a step of covering the ring (CRG) with a group of reinforcing fibres (CTR); - a step of shaping the group of reinforcing fibres (CTR); - a step of covering the ring (CRG) covered in this way with a resin; and - a step of hardening the guide element thus formed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The covering step comprises at least one step of gripping the ring (CRG) by contact with at least a part of the group of reinforcing fibres arranged around the ring.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that The shaping step and the covering step respectively comprise: - a step of inserting the ring (CRG) covered with the group of reinforcing fibres (CTR) into a mould (MLD) having an annular groove (ANGR) connected to at least one outflow groove (EGR1, EGR2), the outflow groove being intended to receive at least one additional section of fibres other than a section of fibres used to cover the ring (CRG); and - a step of filling the mould (MLD) with resin.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein The hardening step comprises a step of heating the mould (MLD) thus filled.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The fibres of the additional section extend beyond the outflow groove until the fibres of the additional section rest in a linear groove (RGR) intended to form a leg of the guide body, the linear groove extending the outflow groove (EGR1, EGR2) and being substantially perpendicular to the plane containing the circular groove (ANGR).

6. The method according to any one of claims 5, characterized in that, The linear groove (RGR) is intended to receive a removable cylinder covered with a group of reinforcing fibres in at least one hollow part, then the filling step is carried out.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The guide element is intended to have at least one leg connecting a fastening zone arranged near the outer circumference of the ring (CRG) to a leg part of the guide body, the covering step comprising at least one step of gripping the ring (CRG) by contact with at least a part of the group of reinforcing fibres arranged around the ring, one end of said part being free after said gripping and being arranged along said leg between the fastening zone and the leg part.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The guide element is intended to have at least a first leg and a second leg connecting a first fastening zone and a second fastening zone arranged near the outer circumference of the ring (CRG) to a single leg part of the guide body, the covering step comprising at least one step of gripping the ring (CRG) by contact with at least a part of the group of reinforcing fibres arranged around the ring, one end of said part being free after said gripping and being arranged along at least one of said two legs between the corresponding fastening zone and the leg part.

9. The method according to any one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that The method comprises a step of inserting the free end of the group of reinforcing fibres, after the ring has been covered, into a hollow part of the group intended to be placed near the fastening zone.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The group of reinforcing fibres (CTR) comprises a hollow braid.

11. A guide element (GEL) for a fishing rod line, the guide element being obtained by implementing the method according to one of claims 1 to 10.

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