Braking force control device and fishing reel equipped therewith

Abstract

To provide a braking force control device which can achieve both of backlash prevention and casting distance improvement without monitoring acceleration and a fishing reel having the same.SOLUTION: A braking force control device includes: a spool which is pivotally supported on a reel body and capable of winding a fishing line; a rotation speed detection part which detects the rotational speed of the spool; a braking part which generates braking force on the spool; and a braking force control part which controls the braking force of the braking part. The braking force control part is configured to adjust the braking force according to the elapsed time from the casting start or detection information of the rotation speed detection part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a braking force control device, particularly a braking force control device for a two-bearing reel that brakes a spool rotatably mounted on a reel body, and a fishing reel equipped with the same.

Background Art

[0002] In a two-bearing reel, particularly a baitcasting reel that attaches a lure or the like to the tip of a fishing line and performs casting, a braking device for braking the spool is provided to prevent backlash during casting. In such a braking device, an electric control type braking device is known in which a power generation mechanism is provided between the spool and the reel body and is electrically controlled to adjust the braking force during casting.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] However, the former method had the problem that it was susceptible to noise when differentiating the angle twice, making it difficult to achieve the required precision. The latter method required a magnet on the spool, which limited the ability to reduce the spool's inertia.

[0007] Furthermore, because a feedback loop that constantly monitors angular acceleration is constructed, it is susceptible to oscillation under certain conditions, which can lead to a high computational load on the microcontroller.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a braking force control device that can achieve both backlash prevention and improved casting distance without monitoring acceleration, and a fishing reel equipped therewith. Other objects of the present invention will become apparent by referring to the entire specification. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a spool pivotally supported on a reel body and capable of winding a fishing line, a rotation speed detection unit for detecting the rotation speed of the spool, a braking unit for generating a braking force on the spool, and a braking force control unit for controlling the braking force of the braking unit, wherein the braking force control unit is configured to adjust the braking force according to the elapsed time from the start of throwing or the information detected by the rotation speed detection unit.

[0010] In a braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the braking force control unit is configured to control the braking force during the first time period of throwing based on a brake setting value defined for each time period, and to control the braking force during the second time period of throwing based on a brake setting value defined based on the rotational speed of the spool.

[0011] In a braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the brake setting value for the first time of the throw and the brake setting value for the second time of the throw can be set and changed individually.

[0012] In a braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the braking unit generates a braking force that increases in proportion to the angular velocity of the spool, and the braking force control unit is configured to control the proportionality coefficient in a manner that can be changed.

[0013] A braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured such that the braking unit comprises a conductive member provided on the spool, a magnetic force generating unit provided on the reel body, and a magnetic field adjustment unit that changes the magnetic field state of the magnetic force generating unit.

[0014] In a braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the conductive member is an inductor rotor, the magnetic force generating unit is a permanent magnet, and the magnetic field adjusting unit is a motor and a reduction gear.

[0015] In a braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the braking force control unit controls the strength of the magnetic field acting on the conductive member so that it is proportional to the rotational speed of the spool.

[0016] In a braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the braking unit comprises a braking plate provided on the spool and a magnetoviscous fluid in contact with the braking plate, and the braking force control unit is configured to include a magnetic field adjustment unit for adjusting the magnetic field acting on the magnetoviscous fluid.

[0017] The fishing reel according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to have any one of the braking force control devices described above.

Advantages of the Invention

[0018] According to the above embodiment, it is possible to provide a braking force control device that can achieve both backlash prevention and improved casting distance without monitoring acceleration, and a fishing reel equipped with the same.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing an example of a procedure for casting and retrieving fishing gear such as a lure using a fishing reel. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing the transition of the spool rotation speed when casting and retrieving fishing gear such as a lure using a fishing reel. [Figure 3] It is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a fishing reel having a braking force control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a fishing reel having a braking force control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a fishing reel having a braking force control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the spool rotation speed and the braking torque by a braking force control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the elapsed time and the brake setting value by a braking force control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a diagram for explaining the flowchart of the control method by a braking force control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the elapsed time and the spool rotation speed etc. by a braking force control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the change in the spool rotation speed and the brake setting value by a braking force control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] The following describes in detail embodiments of the braking force control device and fishing reel equipped therewith according to the present invention, with reference to the attached drawings. Components common to multiple drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings. Please note that, for the sake of clarity, each drawing is not necessarily drawn to an accurate scale.

[0021] First, an example of the procedure for casting and retrieving fishing gear such as lures using a general fishing reel 1, including this reel, will be explained with reference to Figures 1 and 2. First, as shown in Figure 1(a), the lure 7 is adjusted to a predetermined length from the tip of the fishing rod 10, the clutch is turned off, and the spool is set to free state. At this time, the spool 3 of the fishing reel 1 is held down with the thumb to prevent the fishing line from coming out due to the weight of the lure, etc.

[0022] Next, as shown in Figures 1(b) to 1(d), the fishing rod 10 is swung to give the lure 7 initial velocity. Then, as shown in Figure 1(e), when the speed and release direction of the lure 7 are appropriate, the thumb is released from the spool 3, and the lure 7 can be thrown.

[0023] Furthermore, after throwing, from Figure 1(g) onward, the lure 7 begins to decelerate due to the tension from the fishing line and air resistance. On the other hand, the spool 3 begins to rotate due to the tension from the fishing line. When the release speed of the fishing line and the flight speed of the lure 7 match, the spool 3 reaches its maximum rotation speed, and the fishing line loses tension. The lure 7 continues to stall due to air resistance and other factors. At this time, if the spool 3 continues to rotate at high speed due to inertia, the release speed of the fishing line will exceed the flight speed of the lure 7. As a result, excess fishing line is released, causing tangling inside the fishing reel 1. To avoid this, a braking device can be used to apply a predetermined braking force to the spool 3.

[0024] Figure 2 shows the time variation of the spool speed. The horizontal axis represents the elapsed time from the start of spool rotation, and the vertical axis represents the spool's rotation speed. As shown in Figure 2, the spool 3 rapidly increases in speed as soon as casting begins and reaches its maximum speed. The maximum rotation speed is approximately 6,000 rpm to 40,000 rpm, depending on the type of lure 7 being cast, the target distance, and the diameter of the line wound on the spool, and the time to reach the maximum speed is approximately 70 ms to 150 ms. In one embodiment of the present invention, this region is referred to as the acceleration region.

[0025] Subsequently, once the line length is sufficiently released, the lure 7 is no longer affected by the movement of the fishing rod 10, and the effect of air resistance becomes dominant, causing the lure speed to gradually decrease. In one embodiment of the present invention, this region is referred to as the cruising region. The boundary between the acceleration region and the cruising region often occurs approximately 100ms to 400ms after the start of spool rotation. Subsequently, once the altitude of the lure 7 has decreased sufficiently, it lands on the water, and the lure speed rapidly decelerates. In one embodiment of the present invention, this region is referred to as the landing region.

[0026] In each region, if the braking force from the braking device is too great, the distance the lure 7 can be thrown will be shortened. On the other hand, if the braking force from the braking device is too small, line tangling will occur, making it difficult to reel in or release the lure properly. The appropriate value of the braking force may vary depending on the mass of the lure 7 and air resistance. Furthermore, this appropriate value of the braking force may change due to various influences such as the length of the fishing rod 10, the casting method, and natural environmental factors such as wind.

[0027] Next, with reference to Figures 3 to 5, the component configuration of a fishing reel 1 equipped with a braking force control device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 3 is a system diagram showing the configuration of the braking force control device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the component configuration of the braking force control device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the braking force control device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention after assembly.

[0028] A fishing reel 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention consists of a frame 2 constituting the reel body, a spool 3, a braking member (induct rotor) 4, a bearing 11, a reflector 12, a fixed magnet 5, a rotating magnet 6, a set plate 13, a locking member 14, an inner cover 15, a motor 16, a reduction gear 17, a battery 18, a circuit board 19, and an outer cover 21. For the sake of simplicity in this explanation, some known functions of the reel body have been omitted.

[0029] The spool 3 is roughly cylindrical in shape and can wind fishing line around its outer circumference when rotated in the forward direction. A pair of bearings 11 that support the rotation of the spool 3 are fixed to the frame (reel body) 2 on one end and to the set plate 13 on the other end.

[0030] Here, the frame (reel body) 2 can be attached to a fishing rod, and the fishing reel 1, like conventional fishing reels, has an operating means (handle) not shown, and when the user operates the spool 3 in the forward direction, the fishing line can be wound up. The rotation of the handle (not shown) is transmitted to the spool 3 by a transmission means such as gears. The fishing reel 1 has a clutch means (not shown), and the user can select to connect or disconnect power transmission to the spool 3 by operating the clutch means. When connected, winding is possible by the operating means. When disconnected, the spool 3 can be rotated freely in forward and reverse directions, and the fishing line can be released.

[0031] Furthermore, the fishing reel 1 may be equipped with a drag mechanism that prevents the fishing line from breaking by allowing the spool 3 to spin freely when a torque exceeding a predetermined value is applied, and an anti-reverse mechanism that prevents the handle from reversing. In addition, an oscillator device may be provided that evenly winds the fishing line by causing the position of the guide part that guides the fishing line to reciprocate in accordance with the rotation of the spool 3.

[0032] The set plate 13 can be fixed to the frame 2. In one embodiment of the present invention, the spool 3 and set plate 13 can be attached to and detached from the frame 2 by using a bayonet structure in which a plurality of claws provided on the locking member are rotated to engage with a holding part provided on the frame 2. However, they may also be fixed by methods such as screwing or adhesive.

[0033] The spool 3 is rotatably supported by fixing the set plate 13 to the frame 2. Furthermore, the fixed magnet 5 and the rotating magnet 6 are held on the set plate 13, forming the braking force generating unit (braking force generating means) 20, which will be described later. Additionally, the set plate 13, the inner cover 15, and the outer cover 21 can be integrated to form a side plate unit. The inner cover 15 and the outer cover 21 form a watertight chamber, housing electrical components such as the circuit board 19, battery 18, motor 16, and sensors.

[0034] Next, the principle of generating braking force and the method of adjusting the braking force will be explained, mainly with reference to Figure 3. In one embodiment of the present invention, a method of applying braking torque to the spool by eddy currents will be used for explanation, but various other methods are also conceivable. An annular rotating braked part (induct rotor) 4 made of a non-magnetic conductor such as aluminum or copper is attached to the spool 3. A cylindrical rotating magnet 6 is arranged on the outer circumference of the induct rotor 4, and a cylindrical fixed magnet 5 is arranged on the inner circumference.

[0035] The stationary magnet 5 has its outer circumference divided into N equal parts and magnetized alternately with north and south poles. Similarly, the rotating magnet 6 has its inner circumference divided into N equal parts and magnetized alternately with north and south poles. The magnetic field created by the stationary magnet 5 and the rotating magnet 6 penetrates the inductor rotor 4 (also called an eddy current generating plate) located between them. Therefore, when the spool rotates, eddy currents are generated in the inductor rotor 4, and a braking torque acts in proportion to the rotational speed. The magnitude of the braking torque is proportional to the strength of the magnetic field and the rotational speed.

[0036] This realizes the braking force generating unit (braking force generating means) 20 of one embodiment of the present invention. Alternatively, a mechanism may be used that allows the inductor rotor 4 to move axially due to the balance between centrifugal force and spring force, thereby changing the opposing area between the magnet and the inductor rotor and adjusting the relationship between rotational speed and braking force.

[0037] The rotating magnet 6 is fixed to the rotating magnet holder 22 and rotatably supported relative to the set plate 13. The rotating magnet holder 22 has a gear section and receives force transmission from the motor via a reduction gear 17. The position sensor 24 can transmit a voltage signal corresponding to the position of the rotating magnet 6 to the control unit. In one embodiment of the present invention, this is achieved by detecting the angular position of a part of the gears constituting the gear section with a potentiometer, but other known means such as detecting the angle of the rotating magnet 6 with a magnetic sensor may also be used.

[0038] Furthermore, a clutch state detection unit (clutch state detection means) 31 is provided to detect the state of the clutch mechanism, and it is considered that casting preparations have been made when the clutch switches from a engaged state to a disengaged state. The motor driver 25 supplies a predetermined amount of power to the motor 16 and rotates the motor 16. Based on the signal from the position sensor 24, the braking force control unit (braking force control means) 30 provides feedback control to the rotating magnet 6 to a predetermined position by having the motor driver 25 rotate the motor 16 in forward and reverse directions. In this way, the magnetic field acting on the braked part 4 can be set to a predetermined magnitude.

[0039] The magnetic field acting on the damped member 4 is minimum when the rotating magnet 6 and the stationary magnet 5 are facing each other with like poles, and maximum when they are facing each other with opposite poles. As the rotating magnet 6 is rotated from facing each other with like poles to facing each other with opposite poles, the magnetic field acting on the damped member 4 increases roughly in proportion to the amount of angular movement.

[0040] In the following, the same-polarity opposing state is defined as brake setting value 1, and the opposite-polarity opposing state is defined as brake setting value 20. Therefore, the braking torque acting on the spool 3 increases in proportion to the brake setting value. Figure 6 shows the relationship between the braking torque acting on the spool 3, the speed of the spool 3, and the brake setting value. As shown in the figure, it can be seen that the braking torque increases in proportion to the spool rotation speed and the brake setting value. The braking force control unit 30 can apply the desired braking force to the spool 3 by moving the rotating magnet to a predetermined position using the motor 16.

[0041] Next, a rotational speed detection means (spool rotation sensor 26 in the example shown in Figure 3) for detecting the rotational speed of the spool 3 will be described. In one embodiment of the present invention, the rotational speed is detected using a known incremental rotary encoder that outputs a predetermined number of pulse signals each time the spool rotates once. That is, the reflector 12 attached to the spool is divided into N equal parts, and its surface is alternately painted in light and dark colors to change the reflectivity. The light parts are made of metal or painted white. The dark parts are painted black or have a surface treatment with low reflectivity.

[0042] By placing two reflective photosensors opposite the reflector 12, it is possible to detect the brightness of the surface opposite each photosensor. This makes it possible to detect the rotation of the spool 3. In one embodiment of the present invention, the brightness interval of the reflector 12 is set to 180°, and the two photosensors are placed 90° apart. As a result, four pulse signals are output each time the spool 3 rotates once.

[0043] As an incremental rotary encoder, in addition to using a reflective photosensor as described above, similar effects can be achieved by using a transmissive photosensor or a magnetic sensor. The amount of rotation of the spool can be calculated based on the number of pulses of the rotary encoder. Furthermore, the rotational speed of the spool can be detected by calculating the change in the number of pulses per unit time. Note that the rotational speed detection means is not limited to this method, but other conventionally known means can be used. Also, as described above, by using a non-contact type rotational speed detection means that does not come into contact with the spool, it is possible to avoid generating unnecessary frictional resistance on the spool.

[0044] A braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a spool pivotally supported on a reel body and capable of winding a fishing line, a rotation speed detection unit for detecting the rotation speed of the spool, a braking unit for generating a braking force on the spool, and a braking force control unit for controlling the braking force of the braking unit, wherein the braking force control unit is configured to adjust the braking force according to the elapsed time from the start of throwing or the information detected by the rotation speed detection unit.

[0045] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a braking force control device is available that can achieve both backlash prevention and improved flight distance without monitoring acceleration. In particular, the braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention does not require the calculation of acceleration or tension, making it resistant to noise generated during speed detection, and because it uses feedforward control that determines the brake set value by the brake speed, it does not oscillate and the computational load can be reduced.

[0046] In a braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the braking force control unit is configured to control the braking force during the first time period of throwing based on a brake setting value defined for each time period, and to control the braking force during the second time period of throwing based on a brake setting value defined based on the rotational speed of the spool. In this way, it is possible to apply an appropriate braking force without having to determine the acceleration in both the first time period, when the acceleration change is large, and the second time period, when the speed gradually decreases.

[0047] In a braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the brake setting value for the first time of the throw and the brake setting value for the second time of the throw can be set and changed individually. In this way, the braking force can be set separately for the first time, when the optimal value of the braking torque is influenced by factors with large individual differences such as how the fishing rod is swung, and for the second time, when it is influenced by factors with less individual differences such as air resistance. This makes it possible to easily optimize the braking force.

[0048] In a braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the braking unit generates a braking force that increases in proportion to the angular velocity of the spool, and the braking force control unit is configured to control the proportionality coefficient in a manner that can be changed. Here, "proportional" includes not only mathematically proportional cases but also cases that can be considered equivalent to proportional (approximately proportional). Furthermore, approximate proportionality means that when the angular velocity of the spool is ω and the braking force setting value is B, the relationship between B and ω is B = kω n This refers to the case where, when approximated using methods such as the least squares method, the value of n is around 1, for example, in the range of 0.5 to 1.5. In this way, the change in velocity of the cast object such as a lure and the change in velocity of the spool can be roughly matched, making it possible to optimize the braking force by feedforward control.

[0049] A braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured such that the braking unit comprises a conductive member provided on the spool, a magnetic force generating unit provided on the reel body, and a magnetic field adjustment unit that changes the magnetic field state of the magnetic force generating unit.

[0050] In a braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the conductive member is an inductor rotor, the magnetic force generating unit is a permanent magnet, and the magnetic field adjusting unit is a motor and a reduction gear.

[0051] In a braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the braking force control unit controls the strength of the magnetic field acting on the conductive member so that it is proportional to the rotational speed of the spool.

[0052] In a braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the braking unit comprises a braking plate provided on the spool and a magnetoviscous fluid in contact with the braking plate, and the braking force control unit comprises It is configured to include a magnetic field adjustment unit that adjusts the magnetic field acting on the magnetorheological fluid.

[0053] A fishing reel according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured to have any of the above-described braking force control devices. In this way, the fishing reel according to one embodiment of the present invention makes it possible to provide a fishing reel equipped with a braking force control device that can achieve both backlash prevention and improved casting distance without monitoring acceleration. In particular, the braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention does not require the calculation of acceleration or tension, is resistant to noise generated when speed is detected, and because it uses feedforward control that determines the brake set value by the brake speed, it does not oscillate and the computational load can be reduced.

[0054] Generally, feedback control has advantages over feedforward control, such as being more resilient to disturbances and making it easier to find optimal settings. Conventional braking force control devices that use feedback control use angular acceleration as the monitoring target, as described above. However, there are limits to the accuracy and response speed of obtaining angular acceleration, and in particular, since the weight of thrown objects such as lures is often on the order of several grams, the angular acceleration needs to be accurate to the equivalent of several grams. Therefore, in feedback control that monitors angular acceleration, if the accuracy and responsiveness of obtaining angular acceleration are insufficient, it becomes difficult to find the optimal setting for the braking force, and it is affected by oscillations and the computational load increases. In one embodiment of the present invention, by doing as described above, the characteristics of the braking device can be determined after knowing in advance the braking force required at the time of throwing. This eliminates the need to use feedback, thus achieving the technical effect of avoiding the effects of oscillations and reducing the computational load.

[0055] Next, a control method using a braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 7 to 9. Figure 7 shows an example of a braking force setting value set by the user. The left side of the figure shows the brake setting value in the acceleration region, and the right side shows the brake setting value in the cruising region.

[0056] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the acceleration region, the brake setting value is determined according to the elapsed time from the start of throwing. P1 indicates that the brake setting value was set to B1 at the start of throwing, and P2 indicates that it was changed to the brake setting value B2 after t1 has elapsed. In the cruising region, the brake setting value is determined according to the rotational speed of the spool. P3 indicates that the brake setting value was set to B3 when the spool rotational speed is at its maximum speed, and P4 indicates that the brake setting value was set to B4 when the spool rotational speed is X% or less of the maximum speed. In this embodiment, the brake setting value between P3 and P4 (when the spool speed is between X% and 100% of the maximum speed) is set to change linearly between the brake setting values ​​B3 and B4.

[0057] Next, Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating a control method using a braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The braking force control device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention detects preparation for throwing (casting) (step F1) and changes the brake setting value to the initial state (step F2). In one embodiment of the present invention, a clutch state detection unit (clutch state detection means) 31 is provided to detect the state of the clutch means, and it is considered that preparation for casting has been made when the clutch switches from a engaged state to a released state.

[0058] Other methods for detecting casting preparation include when the spool starts rotating in the line-feeding direction from a stopped state, when the fishing rod is in a predetermined position such as pointing in a specific direction, or when the angular velocity of the reel 1 in a predetermined direction exceeds a set threshold. The initial state of the brake setting value is the setting value B1 at point 1 in Figure 7.

[0059] When the spool rotation speed obtained by the spool rotation sensor 26 is detected to exceed a predetermined value, it is considered that throwing (casting) has started (step F3). At this time, the timer is initialized to 0 (step F4). If the elapsed time t from the start of throwing (casting) is less than a predetermined value T1 (step F5), it is considered that the system is in the acceleration region. In this region, the brake setting value is changed over time, regardless of the spool speed (step F6). The brake setting value at this time can be determined by a function represented by the curves P1-P2-P3 on the acceleration region in Figure 7.

[0060] When the elapsed time t from the start of casting exceeds a predetermined value T1, the control device considers that it has transitioned to a cruising state. The predetermined value T1 is, for example, in the range of 200 to 500 ms. In this state, the brake setting value is changed according to the change in speed. In this region, the timer acquires the rotation speed of the spool every time a predetermined time Δt has elapsed (step F7) (step F8). Accordingly, the control circuit calculates a target brake setting value based on the setting determined by the function shown by the curve P3-P4 on the cruising region in Figure 7, and drives the motor to move the rotating magnet to a predetermined position (step F9). When the spool rotation speed falls below a predetermined value (in the example shown in Figure 8, whether the speed is 0 or not) (step F10), the casting is considered to have ended, and the device waits until the start of the next casting (step F11).

[0061] Figure 9 shows an example of casting results, with the horizontal axis representing the elapsed time from the start of the cast. The vertical axes represent the change in spool rotation speed, the change in brake setting value, and the change in braking torque acting on the spool, respectively. As shown in the center figure, in the acceleration region, the brake setting value is changed according to the elapsed time. Similarly, in the cruising region, the brake setting value is decreased as the spool rotation speed decreases. As a result, as shown in the lower figure, the braking torque in the latter half of the cast is reduced, which is effective in improving casting distance. In the latter half of this cruising region, as shown in the upper figure, the spool rotation speed and lure speed also decrease, and the diameter of the line wound on the spool also decreases, so backlash is less likely to occur even if the braking torque is reduced.

[0062] As described above, the braking torque in the acceleration region and the braking torque during the gradual decrease in spool speed can be set independently. This makes it possible to achieve both the prevention of fishing line backlash and the improvement of lure casting distance.

[0063] During the spool acceleration immediately after casting, the fishing line constantly pulls on the spool, so there is no line slack and no backlash; therefore, there is no need to apply brakes. Backlash is most likely to occur immediately after the spool reaches its maximum speed and begins to decelerate, and to prevent this, it is necessary to apply appropriate brakes to the spool at this timing. The optimal value of the braking torque at this time varies depending on the characteristics of the fishing rod being used (length, stiffness, density, etc.), the way the rod is swung, the length of the lure hanging before casting, the weight of the lure, and the trajectory of the lure. Therefore, there is a lot of individual variation. In one embodiment of the present invention, the brake setting value can be defined for each time period in this region. This makes it easy to reduce the braking force during times when braking is not necessary and to sufficiently increase the braking force during times when braking is necessary.

[0064] During cruising, the lure gradually decelerates. This deceleration is primarily due to air resistance acting on the lure and fishing line. In most cases, air resistance during casting is in the turbulent region and is proportional to the square of the lure's velocity and its frontal projected area. The proportionality constant also depends heavily on the lure's shape. When the tension in the fishing line is sufficiently small, the air resistance is the lure's weight multiplied by its deceleration, so the lure's deceleration (velocity change) is proportional to the square of its velocity. By reducing the spool's rotation speed to approximately the same level as (or slightly greater than) the lure's velocity change, the fishing line can be kept constantly pulling on the spool. This prevents slack in the line and prevents backlash.

[0065] Therefore, while the lure speed is gradually decreasing, the spool should be braked according to the lure's shape and weight. The optimal braking force at this time does not depend so much on the characteristics of the rod being used or the way the rod is cast, so there is little difference between individuals or between rods. In one embodiment of the present invention, the brake setting value in this region can be determined based on the spool's rotation speed. This makes it easy to roughly match the change in lure speed with the change in spool speed, and makes it easy to optimize the brake.

[0066] According to the braking force control device 100 of one embodiment of the present invention, the braking torque at the start of casting and the braking torque during cruising can be set independently. This allows for optimization of braking conditions under each condition, making it possible to prevent backlash of the fishing line and improve the casting distance of the lure at the same time. For example, when changing lures, only the acceleration region setting can be changed, and when weather conditions such as wind direction change, only the cruising region setting can be changed, allowing for setting changes according to the situation.

[0067] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 7, the brake setting value is reduced in proportion to the spool rotation speed. As shown in Figure 6, the spool braking torque is generally proportional to the brake setting value and the spool rotation speed. Also, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the brake setting value is increased in proportion to the spool rotation speed. Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the spool braking torque increases roughly in proportion to the square of the spool rotation speed. As mentioned above, when the air resistance to the lure increases in proportion to the square of the lure speed, setting it in this way allows the deceleration of the spool and the deceleration of the lure to be synchronized, making it easier to optimize the braking conditions.

[0068] Furthermore, the winding radius of the fishing line wound onto the spool decreases with each rotation of the spool. The speed v at which the fishing line is released from the spool is the spool's rotational speed ω multiplied by the winding radius r of the fishing line. Therefore, as the radius r decreases as the line is released, the change in rotational speed Δω becomes relatively small compared to the change in fishing line speed Δv. In other words, when the line is far away, the required braking force is less than when it is close. This effect is stronger under conditions where the change in the winding radius of the fishing line is large, such as when the spool is narrow or the fishing line is thick. To compensate for this effect, the brake setting value may be changed according to the spool rotation speed.

[0069] Furthermore, depending on the shape of the lure and its flight speed, air resistance may not increase proportionally to the square of the lure's speed. Additionally, the lure's flight trajectory is affected by the acceleration and deceleration due to gravity, so lowering the brake setting value in proportion to the spool rotation speed, as shown in Figure 7, is not always optimal. Under such conditions, as shown in Figures 10(A) and (B), the relationship between spool rotation speed and braking torque can be adjusted by changing the brake setting value with a curve that is convex upwards or downwards in response to changes in spool rotation speed. In this way, any desired braking torque can be applied to the cruising lure.

[0070] Situations in which a user changes the brake settings of the braking force control device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention include cases where the user spends time searching for the optimal settings in order to extend the casting distance even slightly, and cases where the user wants to minimize the effort required to change the settings in order to concentrate on fishing.

[0071] In one embodiment of the present invention, since there are multiple parameters for the brake setting conditions, it can be difficult to set each value on the reel itself. Therefore, in order to change each of the above parameters (for example, the brake setting values ​​P1 to P4 in Figure 7), it is effective to create the setting values ​​using an external information device such as a smartphone and transmit them to the control device. This makes it possible to set each setting value independently.

[0072] When you want to minimize the effort required to change settings, it is desirable to be able to make settings using only the fishing reel without using external devices. However, the fishing reel itself is often limited in the space available for installing control devices compared to external information devices. In this case, it is effective to allow some of the above parameters to be changed by operating the fishing reel. For example, in the example in Figure 7, with brake setting value B2 = B3, only the value of brake setting value B2 can be adjusted from the fishing reel. Then, when brake setting value B2 is changed, brake setting value B3 is also changed. This makes it possible to make rough adjustments while minimizing the effort required to change settings.

[0073] In the braking force control device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, a braking device is used that obtains braking force by generating eddy currents in a braked member provided on the spool, and the braking torque is roughly proportional to the rotational speed of the spool as described above. The deceleration of the lure during cruising is due to air resistance force that is roughly proportional to the square of the speed, as described above. Therefore, by decreasing the brake setting value in proportion to the spool speed, the braking force acting on the spool and the air resistance acting on the lure can be roughly synchronized. Furthermore, in an eddy current brake, the braking torque is proportional to the spool angular velocity, so even if the brake setting value is not changed, it will not deviate significantly from the optimal braking torque. Therefore, even if the frequency of changing the brake setting value is reduced, it will not deviate from the optimal braking torque, and a technical effect can be obtained in which the computational load can be reduced.

[0074] Besides the eddy current type braking device described above, another type of braking device in which the braking torque is roughly proportional to the spool rotation speed is one that utilizes the viscous resistance of a fluid. As a method for controlling the viscous resistance of a fluid, for example, there is an MR fluid type braking device that uses an MR fluid whose viscosity can be controlled by the strength of a magnetic field, and using this device will produce the same effect as in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] Other advantages of eddy current braking systems include power saving and fail-safe effects. In one embodiment of the eddy current system, a magnetic field is applied to the braked member by a permanent magnet. This allows braking torque to be applied to the spool even when power to the control device is cut off. Therefore, even if the control device malfunctions during casting, spool backlash can be suppressed, thus achieving fail-safe operation.

[0076] Furthermore, since the control unit only needs to supply power to the motor when the brake setting value needs to be changed, power saving can be achieved. In addition, because an eddy current type braking device is used, the spool braking torque is always proportional to the spool speed. That is, even when the rotating magnet is not moving, if the spool speed decreases, the braking torque decreases accordingly. Therefore, even if the time Δt for changing the brake setting value is changed, the time change of the braking force acting on the spool does not change significantly. Consequently, the time Δt can be set to a relatively large value, which can reduce the motor's power consumption and suppress the computational load on the microcontroller.

[0077] As described above, in the braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is not necessary to determine the acceleration of the spool. In the braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, as described above, the rotational speed of the spool is determined using an incremental encoder, and the brake setting value is determined according to that value. It should be noted that the acceleration of the spool can also be obtained by differentiating the rotational speed of the spool, that is, by calculating the amount of change in the rotational speed of the spool within a predetermined time.

[0078] However, incremental encoders produce discrete data, and processing time is required for various calculations, so the time interval at which the control device obtains the spool's rotational speed is also discrete. Therefore, the derivative of the rotational speed is susceptible to noise. Applying a smoothing filter to avoid this causes a time delay. In other words, it is generally difficult to obtain acceleration with little noise and no time delay, and the computational load on the microcontroller also increases. Therefore, according to the braking force control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the braking torque to the spool is determined without determining the spool's acceleration, thus avoiding an increased computational load on the microcontroller.

[0079] The dimensions, materials, and arrangements of each component described herein are not limited to those explicitly described in the embodiments, and each component can be modified to have any dimensions, materials, and arrangements that fall within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, components not explicitly described herein may be added to the described embodiments, and some of the components described in each embodiment may be omitted. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0080] 1 Fishing reel 2 frames 3 spools 4. Braked component (inductor rotor) 5 Fixed magnets 6 Rotating Magnets 7 Lures 10 fishing rod 11 Bearings 12 Reflector 13 Set Plates 14 Locking member 15 Inner lid 16 motors 18 battery 19 circuit boards 20 Braking force generating unit (braking force generating means) 21 Outer lid 22 Rotating Magnet Holder 23 Reduction gear 24 Position Sensors 25 Motor Driver 26 Spool rotation sensor 30 Braking force control unit 31. Throwing preparation detection unit (throwing preparation detection means)

Claims

1. A braking force control device comprising: a spool pivotally supported on the reel body and capable of winding fishing line; a rotation speed detection unit for detecting the rotation speed of the spool; a braking unit for generating braking force on the spool; and a braking force control unit for controlling the braking force of the braking unit, The braking force control unit adjusts the braking force according to the elapsed time since the start of throwing or the information detected by the rotation speed detection unit. The braking force control unit is configured to control the braking force based on a first braking force set value during a first time period corresponding to the acceleration region of the throw, and a second braking force set value during a second time period corresponding to the cruising region of the throw, respectively. The first braking force setting value and the second braking force setting value can be set and changed individually. The braking unit comprises an inductor rotor as a conductive member provided on the spool, a permanent magnet as a magnetic force generating unit provided on the reel body, and a motor and a reduction gear as a magnetic field adjustment unit that changes the magnetic field state of the magnetic force generating unit, or the braking unit comprises a braking plate provided on the spool and a magnetoviscous fluid in contact with the braking plate, and the braking force control unit comprises a magnetic field adjustment unit that adjusts the magnetic field acting on the magnetoviscous fluid.

2. The braking force control device according to claim 1, wherein the braking force control unit controls the strength of the magnetic field acting on the conductive member so that it is proportional to the rotational speed of the spool.

3. A fishing reel having a braking force control device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A braking force control device comprising: a spool pivotally supported on the reel body and capable of winding fishing line; a rotation speed detection unit for detecting the rotation speed of the spool; a braking unit for generating braking force on the spool; and a braking force control unit for controlling the braking force of the braking unit, The braking force control unit adjusts the braking force according to the elapsed time since the start of throwing or the information detected by the rotation speed detection unit. During the acceleration region of the throw, from the start of the throw until a predetermined elapsed time, the braking force control unit is configured to control the braking force based on a set value of the braking force that changes during the acceleration region. The braking unit comprises an inductor rotor as a conductive member provided on the spool, a permanent magnet as a magnetic force generating unit provided on the reel body, and a motor and a reduction gear as a magnetic field adjustment unit that changes the magnetic field state of the magnetic force generating unit, or the braking unit comprises a braking plate provided on the spool and a magnetoviscous fluid in contact with the braking plate, and the braking force control unit comprises a magnetic field adjustment unit that adjusts the magnetic field acting on the magnetoviscous fluid.

5. The braking force control device according to claim 4, wherein, during a second period of time corresponding to the cruising region of the throw, the set value of the braking force of the braking unit is determined based on the rotational speed of the spool.

6. A braking force control device comprising: a spool pivotally supported on the reel body and capable of winding fishing line; a rotation speed detection unit for detecting the rotation speed of the spool; a braking unit for generating braking force on the spool; and a braking force control unit for controlling the braking force of the braking unit, The braking force control unit adjusts the braking force according to the elapsed time since the start of throwing or the information detected by the rotation speed detection unit. During the acceleration region of the throw, from the start of the throw until a predetermined elapsed time, the braking force control unit is configured to control the braking force based on a braking force setpoint determined by a function represented as a curve of the braking force setpoint with respect to time. The braking unit comprises an inductor rotor as a conductive member provided on the spool, a permanent magnet as a magnetic force generating unit provided on the reel body, and a motor and a reduction gear as a magnetic field adjustment unit that changes the magnetic field state of the magnetic force generating unit, or the braking unit comprises a braking plate provided on the spool and a magnetoviscous fluid in contact with the braking plate, and the braking force control unit comprises a magnetic field adjustment unit that adjusts the magnetic field acting on the magnetoviscous fluid.

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