Fishing reel

Abstract

Provided is a fishing reel excelling in operability.　The invention comprises: a reel body section; a handle part; a spool part; and a clutch mechanism section 16. The clutch mechanism section 16 is provided with a clutch switching mechanism unit 18 that is switched, by a user operation, between an ON state and an OFF state, that enables, in the ON state, the spool part to be rotated by the handle part in the take-up direction, and that also brakes the spool part in the ON state. The clutch-switching mechanism unit 18, according to the strength of operating force that a user applies in the ON state, varies the frictional force acting on the spool part.

Description

Fishing reels

[0001] The present invention relates to a fishing reel.

[0002] Patent Documents 1 and 2 listed below disclose inventions related to fishing reels. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 (paragraph 0027, etc.) is provided with a clutch mechanism (24) that switches a spool (10) between a freely rotatable state and a line-winding state, and a clutch switching mechanism (25) that switches the clutch mechanism (24) on and off. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 2 (paragraph 0021, etc.) is provided with a winding drive mechanism (60) having a planetary gear set (30) and a clutch mechanism (50).

[0003] JP 2005-013114 A JP 2021-122184 A

[0004] It is desirable for a fishing reel user (angler) to be able to manipulate the fishing line as freely as possible. However, in the past, for example, when letting out a small amount of fishing line, the user had to use their wrist to move the rod tip closer to the tackle or to turn the clutch mechanism on and off in small increments. The inventors then came up with the idea of ​​a fishing reel that would allow anglers to manipulate the fishing line more flexibly.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a fishing reel that is easy to operate.

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the fishing reel of the present invention comprises a reel body, a spool, a handle, and a clutch mechanism, wherein the clutch mechanism is switched between an on state and an off state by user operation, and in the on state allows the handle to rotate the spool in the winding direction, and comprises a spool braking unit that brakes the spool in the on state, and the spool braking unit changes the frictional force acting on the spool according to the strength of the operating force applied by the user in the on state.

[0007] According to the present invention, a fishing reel with excellent operability can be provided.

[0008] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a three-dimensional image of a fishing reel according to a first embodiment of the present invention. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a clutch switching mechanism in an OFF state, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a clutch switching mechanism in an ON state. (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a wedge effect occurring in the clutch switching mechanism. (c) is an explanatory diagram showing experimental results relating to a frictional force limit investigation. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing how tension is applied to the fishing line by operating the fishing rod, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing how the fishing line is pulled (reeled in) and released (loosened) by operating the reel, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing how the fishing line cannot be pulled (reeled in) or released (loosened) without turning the reel clutch on and off. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a clutch switching mechanism in an OFF state in a fishing reel according to a second embodiment, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a clutch switching mechanism in an ON state in a fishing reel according to the second embodiment. (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example.

[0009] <Basic Configuration of Fishing Reel According to First Embodiment> An embodiment of a fishing reel will now be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, the fishing reel 1 according to this embodiment is a dual-bearing type reel (baitcasting reel) with a left-hand handle. The three orthogonal axes X, Y, and Z shown in Fig. 1 indicate the left-right direction (X direction), the front-back direction (Y direction), and the up-down direction (Z direction) of the fishing reel 1.

[0010] The fishing reel 1 has a reel body 2. The reel body 2 is equipped with a handle 12, a spool 14, a clutch mechanism 16, and a clutch switching mechanism 18. The reel body 2 may have, for example, left and right side plates 2a, 2b. The left and right side plates 2a, 2b are made up of left and right frames (not shown) and side plates 4a, 4b that cover the frames.

[0011] A guard portion 6 is provided at the front of the reel body 2, spanning the left and right side plates 4a, 4b. The guard portion 6 functions as a reinforcement for the reel body 2. The left and right frames (not shown) are integrally connected by a support post (not shown) extending between them. The support post has legs 7 for attaching the fishing reel 1 to the reel seat of a fishing rod (not shown).

[0012] The handle section 12 has a handle arm 22 and a handle knob 24. The handle arm 22 is rotatably connected to the clutch mechanism section 16 at the center in the longitudinal direction. The user can rotate the handle section 12 in both forward and reverse directions (the winding direction and the releasing direction of the fishing line) by placing their fingers on the handle knob 24 or the like. The handle section 12 can be rotated in only one direction (the winding direction) by operating the one-way clutch section described below. Note that, hereinafter, "winding" may be referred to as "winding up" and "releasing out" may be referred to as "pulling out."

[0013] The spool portion 14 includes a cylindrical spool 26, and a fishing line (not shown) is wound around the spool 26. The spool portion 14 is connected to a winding drive mechanism (not shown) built into the handle portion 12.

[0014] The reel body 2 may also be provided with a level wind section (not shown). The level wind section has the function of guiding the fishing line parallel to the spool 26. A level wind device having a known configuration and function may be used as the level wind section.

[0015] The clutch mechanism 16 can be switched between an on state and an off state by the user operating the clutch switching mechanism 18. When the clutch mechanism 16 is in the on state (clutch on state), the rotational force transmission path between the handle 12 and the spool 14 is mechanically connected. When the handle 12 is rotated, the rotation of the handle 12 is transmitted to the spool 14, causing the spool 26 to rotate.

[0016] Furthermore, when the clutch mechanism 16 is in the disengaged state (clutch-off state), the rotational force transmission path between the handle 12 and the spool 14 is mechanically disconnected. Even if the handle 12 is rotated, the rotation of the handle 12 is not transmitted to the spool 14, and the spool 26 does not rotate.

[0017] The clutch mechanism 16 has a built-in one-way clutch (roller clutch, not shown). The one-way clutch is disposed inside the casing 30 of the clutch mechanism 16 and is mechanically connected to the base end of the handle 12. The one-way clutch always prevents the handle 12 from rotating in the fishing line reeling direction. The one-way clutch can have a known configuration and function.

[0018] Furthermore, in the clutch mechanism 16 of this embodiment, the manner in which rotation (torque transmission manner) is transmitted to the handle 12 in the on state is not uniform, but rather the manner in which torque transmission is adjustable. This adjustment of the torque transmission manner is performed by varying the magnitude of the force applied to the clutch switching mechanism 18, and the configuration of the clutch switching mechanism 18 will be described later.

[0019] The shape and dimensions of the reel body 2 are such that the user can grip the reel body 2 with the palm of their hand (so-called palming). Depending on how the user grips the reel body 2, the user can bring their thumb into contact with the fishing line (so-called thumbing) to apply pressure to the fishing line being paid out from the spool 26.

[0020] <Configuration of Clutch Switching Mechanism 18> Next, the configuration of the clutch switching mechanism 18 will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the clutch switching mechanism 18 is provided with a switching lever 34. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the switching lever 34 is formed from a bent plate-like material, but this is not limited thereto and may be formed from, for example, a rod-like material formed into an L-shape. Furthermore, it is also possible to cover a part or the whole of the switching lever 34 with a flexible material such as synthetic resin (including synthetic rubber).

[0021] The switching lever 34 is connected to a lever interlocking member (also called a "clutch carrier" and indicated by reference numeral 36 in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b)). The lever interlocking member 36 is formed of an annular plate (ring-shaped plate). In FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b), most of the lever interlocking member 36 is disposed behind another member (the base portion 32).

[0022] The lever interlocking member 36 is installed with its plate thickness direction facing the X direction (with its radial direction facing the Y and Z directions). 2(a) and (b) show only the portion of the lever interlocking member 36 exposed through the three elongated holes 40a to 40c formed in the base portion 32. The switching lever 34 shown in FIGS. 2(a) and (b) is a round bar type, which differs from the plate-like type shown in FIG.

[0023] The lever interlocking member 36 is disposed concentrically with the disk-shaped base 32 in the clutch switching mechanism 18. The lever interlocking member 36 is installed so as to be rotatable around the center of the base 32. Here, in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), the center of the clutch switching mechanism 18 is indicated by a black circle and the symbol C. In this embodiment, this center C is located in the center of the base 32. Furthermore, the position of the center C coincides with the rotation center of the lever interlocking member 36.

[0024] The lever interlocking member 36 has three outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c provided at equal intervals (120-degree pitch) (equidistant arrangement (described later)). The three outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c have the same configuration. Each outer planetary roller portion 42a to 42c has a cylindrical support shaft 44a to 44c as its center, and O-rings 46a to 46c, bearings 48a to 48c, and roller members 50a to 50c are arranged in this order from the inside to the outside in the radial direction.

[0025] The support shafts 44a to 44c are integrally and perpendicularly protruded from the plate surface of the lever interlocking member 36 and pass through the elongated holes 40a to 40c in the base portion 32. The O-rings 46a to 46c are typical O-rings made of a flexible material such as synthetic resin (including synthetic rubber). The O-rings 46a to 46c fill the gaps 51 (only the O-ring for the outer planetary roller portion 42a is shown in FIG. 4) between the support shafts 44a to 44c and the bearings 48a to 48c, and function as elastic buffers. The O-rings 46a to 46c may have a thickness (wire diameter) of, for example, about 1 mm.

[0026] Although not shown, the bearings 48a to 48c have a general configuration in which rolling members such as balls or rollers are sandwiched between an inner ring and an outer ring. The bearings 48a to 48c are fitted inside the roller members 50a to 50c and support the roller members 50a to 50c.

[0027] The roller members 50a-50c are formed in an annular (short cylindrical) shape. When subjected to an external force, the roller members 50a-50c freely rotate around the support shafts 44a-44c (and O-rings 46a-46c) via the bearings 48a-48c. The roller members 50a-50c are held by the bearings 48a-48c to prevent them from falling off in the axial direction of the support shafts 44a-44c, and the bearings 48a-48c are held between the casing 30 (FIG. 1) and the base 32 to prevent them from falling off in the axial direction of the support shafts 44a-44c. The bearings 48a-48c may be solid and support the roller members 50a-50c from the outside. Alternatively, the roller members 50a-50c may be integral with the outer rings of the bearings 48a-48c.

[0028] When the user presses the switching lever 34 in the circumferential direction of the clutch mechanism 16 (the direction of arrow D in FIG. 2A) to rotate the lever interlocking member 36, the lever interlocking member 36 also rotates integrally with the clutch mechanism 16. The center of rotation of the lever interlocking member 36 is the aforementioned center C. As the lever interlocking member 36 rotates, the outer planetary rollers 42a to 42c also move in the circumferential direction (the direction of arrow D) around the center C.

[0029] The outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c are displaced along the elongated holes 40a to 40c in the base portion 32. Fig. 2(a) shows the state before the lever interlocking member 36 (and the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c) are displaced, and Fig. 2(b) shows the state after the lever interlocking member 36 (and the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c) are displaced. In the state shown in Fig. 2(b), the switch lever 34 and the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c are displaced in the direction of arrow D compared to the state shown in Fig. 2(a).

[0030] As shown in Figure 2(a), an annular (short cylindrical) handle ring 49 is provided on the outside of the outer planetary roller units 42a to 42c. In this embodiment, the handle ring 49 is disposed with its axial direction facing the X direction (with its radial direction facing the Y and Z directions). The handle ring 49 is connected to the handle unit 12 (Figure 1) so as to be able to transmit rotational force, and rotates integrally with the handle unit 12 around a center C as the handle unit 12 rotates.

[0031] The positional relationship between the handle portion 12 and the clutch switching mechanism portion 18 is determined so that the axis of the rotation shaft of the handle portion 12 (which may be an extension of the rotation shaft) passes through the center C of the clutch switching mechanism portion 18.

[0032] 2A, three inner planetary roller units 52a to 52c are provided on the base unit 32 at equal intervals (120-degree pitch) (equidistant arrangement (described later)). The three inner planetary roller units 52a to 52c have the same configuration. Each inner planetary roller unit 52a to 52c has a cylindrical support shaft 54a to 54c as its center, and bearings 58a to 58c and roller members 60a to 60c are arranged in this order from the inside to the outside in the radial direction.

[0033] The support shafts 54a to 54c are integrally and vertically protruding from the plate surface of the base portion 32. The bearings 58a to 58c are of a general configuration, similar to the bearings 48a to 48c of the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c described above. The bearings 58a to 58c are loosely fitted to the support shafts 54a to 54c with an appropriate gap 61 (e.g., 1 mm on one side, 2 mm total on both sides; only the bearing for the inner planetary roller portion 52a is shown in Figure 4). The bearings 58a to 58c (Figure 2(a)) are fitted inside the roller members 60a to 60c and support the roller members 60a to 60c.

[0034] The roller members 60a-60c are similar to the roller members 50a-50c of the outer planetary roller units 42a-42c, and when subjected to an external force, they freely rotate around the support shafts 54a-54c via the support shafts 54a-54c. The roller members 60a-60c are held by the bearings 58a-58c to prevent them from falling off in the axial direction of the support shafts 54a-54c, and the bearings 58a-58c are held between the casing unit 30 (FIG. 1) and the base unit 32 to prevent them from falling off in the axial direction of the support shafts 54a-54c. The bearings 58a-58c may be solid and support the roller members 60a-60c from the outside. Alternatively, the roller members 60a-60c may be integral with the outer rings of the bearings 58a-58c.

[0035] In this embodiment, the bearings 48a-48c and roller members 50a-50c of the outer planetary roller units 42a-42c and the bearings 58a-58c and roller members 60a-60c of the inner planetary roller units 52a-52c are the same size. However, this is not limitative, and the size of the components of the outer planetary roller units 42a-42c can be larger or smaller than that of the inner planetary roller units 52a-52c.

[0036] A cylindrical spool shaft 62 is provided at the center of the arrangement of the three inner planetary roller units 52a to 52c. The spool shaft 62 penetrates the base unit 32 in the thickness direction at the center C of the base unit 32. Furthermore, the spool shaft 62 is concentrically connected to the spool 26 (FIG. 1) described above, and can rotate integrally with the spool 26. The spool shaft 62 and the spool 26 may be connected directly, or indirectly via a part such as a joint or a connecting member.

[0037] The roller members 60a to 60c of the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c are in contact with the spool shaft 62 so as to generate frictional force. Furthermore, the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c can come into contact with the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c depending on the position of the switching lever 34 (and the rotational position of the lever interlocking member 36).

[0038] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2(a), before the switching lever 34 is operated, the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c are located at positions spaced apart from the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c.

[0039] However, when the switching lever 34 is operated, the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c are displaced in the direction of arrow D and approach the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c. Then, as shown in Figure 2(b), the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c reach the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c and stop while creating a wedge effect. The operating mechanism of the clutch switching mechanism 18 that utilizes the wedge effect will be described later.

[0040] Although not shown, a spring is provided between the lever interlocking member 36 and the base 32. When the clutch switching mechanism 18 is viewed from the direction shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), this spring is hidden behind the base 32. As the spring, for example, an elastic member such as a coil spring can be used.

[0041] When the user starts to operate the switching lever 34 in the direction of arrow D, and the operation continues, the lever interlocking member 36 is subjected to the biasing force of the spring portion (not shown). Even after the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c come into contact with the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c, the lever interlocking member 36 continues to be subjected to the biasing force of the spring portion (not shown) as long as the operation of the switching lever 34 is maintained.

[0042] When the user finishes operating the switching lever 34 in the direction of arrow D and releases the switching lever 34, the elastic restoring force of the spring (not shown) causes the switching lever 34 and the lever interlocking member 36 to return in the direction of arrow E, returning to their original positions as shown in Figure 2(a). To maintain the clutch mechanism 16 in the on state, the user continues to operate the switching lever 34.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 2( a) and 2(b), three pillars (reference numerals are omitted to avoid cluttering the drawings) that reinforce the clutch mechanism 16 inside the casing 30 (FIG. 1) are provided between the inner planetary roller portions 52 a and 52 b, between the inner planetary roller portions 52 b and 52 c, and between the inner planetary roller portions 52 c and 52 a.

[0044] <Operation Mechanism of Clutch Switching Mechanism 18> FIG. 3 schematically shows the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c displacing toward the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c and coming into contact with the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c and stopping.

[0045] In Fig. 3, the outer planetary roller portions 42a-42c are shown as models in which the roller members 50a-50c are integrated with the bearings 48a-48c. For this reason, the reference numerals for the bearings 48a-48c are omitted in Fig. 3. Also, while O-rings 46a-46c are provided in the example of Figs. 2(a) and (b), models relating to the O-rings 46a-46c are omitted in Fig. 3. Furthermore, the inner planetary roller portions 52a-52c are shown as models using circular shapes.

[0046] In Fig. 3, as shown by arrows Ga for the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c, the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c are displaced toward the inner planetary roller portion 52a and reach the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c. At this time, a wedge effect occurs with wedge angles α1 and α2 in Fig. 3 (shown only for the outer planetary roller portion 42a and the inner planetary roller portion 52a), and the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c stop.

[0047] The wedge angle α1 is the angle between a tangent line at the tangent point between the outer peripheral surfaces of the outer planetary roller portions 42 a to 42 c and the inner peripheral surface of the handle ring 49 and a tangent line at the tangent point between the outer peripheral surfaces of the outer planetary roller portions 42 a to 42 c and the outer peripheral surfaces of the inner planetary roller portions 52 a to 52 c. The wedge angle α2 is expressed as the angle between a tangent line at the tangent point between the outer peripheral surfaces of the outer planetary roller portions 42 a to 42 c and the outer peripheral surfaces of the inner planetary roller portions 52 a to 52 c and the outer peripheral surface of the spool shaft 62.

[0048] Here, a handle rotational force is input to the system modeled in Figure 3, causing the handle ring 49 to displace as shown by arrow Gb. Then, the roller members 50a to 50c undergo rotational displacement due to friction as shown by arrow Gc (only roller member 50a is shown). Furthermore, a spool rotational force is output from the system in Figure 3 due to the rotation of the spool shaft 62 (arrow Gd).

[0049] 3, the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c are larger in size than the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c. Furthermore, there is a relationship of α1<α2 between the wedge angle α1 of the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c and the wedge angle α2 of the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c. This relationship is the same whether the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c are equal in size to the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c or smaller in size than the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c.

[0050] The generation of frictional force as shown in Fig. 4 can be explained in roughly the same way whether the sizes of the outer planetary roller portions 42a-42c and the outer planetary roller portions 42a-42c are different as in the example of Fig. 3, or whether the sizes of the outer planetary roller portions 42a-42c and the outer planetary roller portions 42a-42c are the same as in the example of Figs. 2(a) and 2(b). Therefore, the examples of Figs. 2(a) and 2(b) and the example of Fig. 3 will be explained here as the same embodiment.

[0051] However, the examples of Figures 2(a) and 2(b) may be different embodiments from the example of Figure 3. In this case, the examples of Figures 2(a) and 2(b) are embodiments in which the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c and the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c have the same size, while the example of Figure 3 is an embodiment in which the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c and the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c have different sizes.

[0052] 4 shows, by vectors, the relationships between various forces generated in the handle ring 49, the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c, the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c, and the spool shaft 62. Note that the forces generated by the three outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c and the three inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c are similar, so the following description will focus on the outer planetary roller portion 42a and the inner planetary roller portion 52a, and will omit a description of the other outer planetary roller portions 42b, 42c, and inner planetary roller portions 52b, 52c.

[0053] First, by operating the switch lever 34, the pushing force of the support shaft 44a of the outer planetary roller portion 42a ("button pushing force F1" described later) is transmitted to the roller member 50a. In Figure 4, the roller member 50a is shown as a model (outer roller) with an integrated bearing 48a. Also, while an O-ring 46a is provided in the example shown in Figures 2(a) and (b), the O-ring 46a is omitted here for ease of explanation.

[0054] 4, the support shaft 44a presses the outer roller (a model in which the roller member 50a is integrated with the bearing 48a) to generate a button pressing force F1. The action of the button pressing force F1 generates normal forces F2 at two locations: between the roller member 50a and the handle ring 49, and between the roller member 50a and the inner planetary roller portion 52a, with the button pressing force F1 being the resultant force.

[0055] These normal forces F2 generate frictional forces F3 between the roller member 50a and the handle ring 49 and between the roller member 50a and the inner planetary roller portion 52a, respectively, making it possible to transmit force from the handle ring 49 to the inner planetary roller portion 52a.

[0056] Furthermore, if the resultant force of the normal force F2 and the frictional force F3 is defined as F4, a wedge introduction force F5, which is the resultant force of the two forces F4, is generated. This wedge introduction force F5 supplements the button pressing force F1 and acts to push the inner planetary roller portion 52a in the wedge direction. The wedge introduction force F5 changes depending on the frictional force F3, and is not a constant force, nor is it a force that is always generated. In this sense, it can be said that the clutch switching mechanism 18 has the potential to generate the wedge introduction force F5.

[0057] Similarly, frictional force F3 and roller shaft support force F6 are generated between the outer planetary roller portion 42a, the inner planetary roller portion 52a, and the spool shaft 62, and the rotational force of the outer planetary roller portion 42a is transmitted to the spool shaft 62 via the inner planetary roller portion 52a. In the example of Figure 4, the roller member 60a of the inner planetary roller portion 52a is shown as a model (inner roller) integrated with a bearing 58a. Here, β in Figure 4 represents the friction angle associated with a predetermined friction coefficient.

[0058] The operating mechanism of the clutch switching mechanism 18 can be explained as follows, for example. First, when reeling in fishing line, an outer roller (model in which the roller member 50a is integrated with the bearing 48a) with a small wedge angle (corresponding to the wedge angle α1 in the example of FIG. 3) generates a wedge force F5, which is the resultant of the normal force F2 and the friction force F3, creating a wedge effect. As the normal force F2 increases, the friction force F3 between the roller member 50a of the outer planetary roller unit 42a and the roller member 60a of the inner planetary roller unit 52a also increases, ensuring effective power transmission even under heavy loads. Furthermore, when the load is light, the wedge force F5 decreases as the friction force F3 decreases, thereby reducing the normal force and improving transmission efficiency.

[0059] On the other hand, when the fishing line is being released (pulled out), the spool shaft 62 rotates in the reverse direction, and the one-way clutch (not shown) stops the handle ring 49 from rotating in the reverse direction, gripping it due to the wedge effect. As the load increases, the components revolve slightly clockwise (by the amount of deflection of the one-way clutch) while still gripping it. The "inner roller" separates from the shaft, reducing the roller shaft support force. As the normal force F2 decreases, the roller member 60a of the inner planetary roller portion 52a, which has a large wedge angle (corresponding to the wedge angle α2 in Figure 3), is no longer able to generate frictional force F3, and slips.

[0060] Figure 5 shows the results of an experiment investigating the limits of frictional force (frictional force limit). The horizontal axis of Figure 5 shows "clutch pressing force" and the vertical axis shows "maximum load tension." Both units are in Newtons (N). The curves in Figure 5 show the experimental results when the handle is being wound up and when the drag is being pulled out.

[0061] According to the experimental results in Figure 5, when the handle is being wound up, the results show that the clutch pressing force reaches 30 [N], and the maximum load tension is approximately 20 [N]. On the other hand, when the drag is being pulled out, the results show that the clutch pressing force reaches 40 [N], and the maximum load tension is approximately 14 [N].

[0062] It can be seen that when the "clutch pressing force" is 15 [N] or more, even with the same "clutch pressing force," a smaller force is required to pull out (pay out) the fishing line than when "reeling in the handle." For example, when the "clutch pressing force" is 30 [N], the difference in "maximum load tension" is about 10 [N], and it can be seen that a force about 10 [N] smaller is required to pull out (pay out) the fishing line.

[0063] In the experimental device, the speed increase ratio between the handle ring 49 and the spool shaft 62 was set to 10:1. In other words, the clutch switching mechanism 18 was configured so that the spool shaft 62 rotated 10 times for each rotation of the handle ring 49.

[0064] <Functional Characteristics of Fishing Reel 1> The fishing reel 1 of this embodiment has the following functional characteristics. For example, a user can operate the switch lever 34 to turn on the clutch mechanism 16 and then increase or decrease the force on the switch lever 34. Even in a situation where the handle 12 can only rotate in the reeling direction, the user can release the fishing line by reducing the force on the switch lever 34.

[0065] In other words, the clutch mechanism 16 can be in an on state, an off state, or an intermediate state (a so-called half-clutch state). The intermediate state can also be considered a variation of the on state. In the intermediate state, the fishing reel 1 can adjust (change) the manner in which rotational force is transmitted. In the intermediate state, for example, while restricting the handle 12 so that it can only rotate in the reeling direction, the spool 26 can be loosened according to the tension on the fishing line by adjusting the force applied to the switch lever 34, thereby allowing the fishing line to be let out.

[0066] Generally, switching between winding and releasing fishing line is performed by switching the clutch on and off. However, there are also cases where the user wants to adjust the state of the fishing line by releasing the fishing line with the clutch on. In such cases, the user applies tension to the fishing line 72 in the releasing direction by using their wrist to move the rod tip toward the tackle or back, as shown in Figure 6(a).

[0067] However, the operation of moving such a long and heavy fishing rod 70 can easily cause fatigue to the user. To prevent user fatigue, the fishing reel needs to be able to perform the operations of pulling (reeling in) and loosening (releasing out) the fishing line 72, as shown in FIG. 6(b). However, in conventional fishing reels, the clutch could only be used in the on and off states, as shown in FIG. 6(c). Therefore, in the past, for example, after pulling (reeling in) the fishing line 72, the clutch had to be turned off in order to loosen (releasing out) the fishing line 72.

[0068] Therefore, by providing the fishing reel 1 of this embodiment with a clutch mechanism 16 that can assume an intermediate state, the fishing line 72 can be loosened (reeled out) as needed after the fishing line 72 has been pulled (wound up) without having to turn the clutch off. This improves the operability of the fishing reel 1.

[0069] The fishing reel 1 of this embodiment can be said to be equipped with a clutch mechanism 16 (and clutch switching mechanism 18) that does not slip when the handle 12 is turned, but slips when the handle 12 is stopped. The fishing reel 1 of this embodiment can also be said to be equipped with a fail-safe drag mechanism that follows the winding operation by the clutch mechanism 16 (and clutch switching mechanism 18). This drag mechanism increases the drag force as the operating force increases.

[0070] Furthermore, the fishing reel 1 of this embodiment can be said to be capable of instantly winding and releasing fishing line by directly turning on and off the clutch. Also, the fishing reel 1 of this embodiment can be said to be capable of thumbing (fine adjustment) by adjusting the operating force (pressing force) on the switching lever 34.

[0071] Furthermore, according to the fishing reel 1 of this embodiment, force is transmitted by planetary rollers rather than planetary gears, which prevents problems such as noise, uneven wear, and tooth skipping that are caused by the use of gears.

[0072] Furthermore, according to the fishing reel 1 of this embodiment, in the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c and the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c, gaps 51, 61 are formed between the support shafts 44a to 44c, 54a to 54c and the roller members 50a to 50c, 60a to 60c, as shown in Figure 4. Therefore, force can be released when the reel is operated in the on state.

[0073] In this embodiment, the description is given using a model in which the roller members 50a to 50c and 60a to 60c are integrated with the bearings 48a to 48c and bearings 58a to 58c. Furthermore, with regard to the gaps 51 and 61, only the gaps 51 and 61 between the outer planetary roller portion 42a and the inner planetary roller portion 52a are shown in FIG.

[0074] In the outer planetary roller portions 42 a to 42 c, the gaps 51 are filled by the O-rings 46 a to 46 c. Therefore, in this embodiment, the support shafts 44 a to 44 c of the outer planetary roller portions 42 a to 42 c and the roller members 50 a to 50 c are displaced relative to each other while compressing the O-rings 46 a to 46 c.

[0075] Furthermore, according to the fishing reel 1 of this embodiment, since the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c (and the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c) are equiangularly arranged, it is possible to offset and distribute the load.

[0076] The "equal angular arrangement" can be explained, for example, as follows: As described above, in this embodiment, the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c (and the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c) are arranged equiangularly. However, this is not limiting, and the arrangement of the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c (and the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c) does not have to be at equal angles (equal pitches) to one another.

[0077] 1, 2(a), and 2(b), the distances between the switching lever 34 and each of the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c (or the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c) are different from one another. Therefore, when an operating force (pressing force) is applied to the switching lever 34 while the clutch mechanism 16 is in the on state, the force acting on each of the inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c (or the outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c) is not uniform.

[0078] Considering these points, it may not be optimal to equiangularly arrange the outer planetary roller portions 42a-42c (and inner planetary roller portions 52a-52c). When considering the optimal arrangement and size, it may be possible to make the angle between at least one pair of adjacent outer planetary roller portions 42a-42c (and inner planetary roller portions 52a-52c) different from the other angles, or to make the size of at least one of the outer planetary roller portions 42a-42c (and inner planetary roller portions 52a-52c) different from the others.

[0079] As described above, when the angle between at least one pair of adjacent outer planetary roller portions 42 a to 42 c (and inner planetary roller portions 52 a to 52 c) is made different from the other angles, it is possible to provide a difference within a range of, for example, about ±10 degrees. Also, making the arrangement angles different may be combined with making the sizes different.

[0080] In this way, the arrangement of the outer planetary roller units 42a to 42c (and the inner planetary roller units 52a to 52c) does not need to be limited to an "equidistant arrangement" and can be flexibly changed as needed. Furthermore, concepts that encompass the "equidistant arrangement" include, for example, an "optimized arrangement," an "operation force balanced arrangement," or a "substantially equiidistant arrangement."

[0081] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0082] Figures 7(a) and (b) show a fishing reel 80 according to a second embodiment. This fishing reel 80 is similar to the first embodiment shown in Figures 2(a) and (b) in that it can be switched between an OFF state shown in Figure 7(a) and an ON state (a state that produces an intermediate state) shown in Figure 7(b) by a clutch mechanism 82. However, the fishing reel 80 according to the second embodiment differs from the fishing reel 1 according to the first embodiment in that the clutch switching mechanism 84 of the clutch mechanism 82 is provided with one-way clutch mechanisms 86a to 86c.

[0083] The clutch mechanism 82 has the same configuration and function as the clutch switching mechanism 18 of the first embodiment. The one-way clutch mechanisms 86a to 86c of the second embodiment are provided in place of the one-way clutch (not shown) of the first embodiment. Like the one-way clutch (not shown) of the first embodiment, the one-way clutch mechanisms 86a to 86c always restrict the handle portion 12 from rotating in the fishing line payout direction.

[0084] The one-way clutch mechanisms 86a to 86c include egg-shaped or cocoon-shaped cams 88a to 88c. The cams 88a to 88c contact the inner peripheral surface of the handle ring 49. The cams 88a to 88c restrict rotation of the handle ring 49 and the handle section 12 to one direction. The cams 88a to 88c are rotatably supported by support shafts 85a to 85c. The support shafts 85a to 85c of the cams 88a to 88c protrude integrally from the lever interlocking member 36, similar to the support shafts 44 of the outer planetary roller sections 42a to 42c, and are displaced integrally with the support shafts 44 of the outer planetary roller sections 42a to 42c.

[0085] As the support shafts 85a-85c are displaced (in the direction of arrow D or arrow E), the cams 88a-88c are also displaced, changing the state of contact between the cams 88a-88c and the handle ring 49. For example, in the on state shown in Figure 7(b), when a force (withdrawal force) is generated that tries to turn the spool shaft 62 in the fishing line reeling direction (in the direction of arrow E), a force in the direction of arrow E is also applied to the handle ring 49 via the inner planetary roller units 52a-52 and the outer planetary roller units 42a-42. Then, the cams 88a-88c in contact with the handle ring 49 attempt to displace in the direction of arrow E due to the force from the handle ring 49, and as a result, a force is applied to the roller members 50a-50c of the outer planetary roller units 42a-42c in a direction that causes them to come out of the wedges.

[0086] <Modifications> In the first and second embodiments described above, the spool shaft 62 is provided coaxially with the clutch mechanism 16. However, this is not limiting, and for example, as shown in Fig. 8, the spool shaft 62 (and the clutch switching mechanism 98) may be provided eccentrically with respect to the clutch mechanism 96. Note that the fishing reel 90 in the example of Fig. 8 is provided with only three planetary roller units 92a to 92c as planetary roller units.

[0087] The planetary roller portions 92a to 92c are arranged around the spool shaft 62. The planetary roller portions 92a to 92c are not uniform in size, and the arrangement angles (the arrangement angles between the planetary roller portions 92a to 92c) also differ. At least one of the planetary roller portions 92a to 92c displaces integrally with the lever interlocking member (clutch carrier, not shown) and stops between the handle ring 49 and the spool shaft 62 due to a wedge effect. This causes the clutch mechanism portion 96 to enter the ON state.

[0088] Furthermore, the planetary roller portions 92a to 92c have gaps 91 on the inside, which generate friction between the inner peripheral surface of the handle ring 49 and the outer peripheral surface of the spool shaft 62. The frictional force acting on the spool shaft 62 is changed according to the strength of the operating force applied by the user in the on state.

[0089] Even with such a configuration in which the spool shaft 62 is eccentric, it is possible to form the intermediate state, as in the first and second embodiments. Note that in Figure 8, the shadow of the fishing reel 90 appears on the right side in a crescent shape.

[0090] <Inventions Extractable from the Embodiments> From the embodiments described above, for example, the following inventions can be extracted: (1) A fishing reel (fishing reel 1, 80, 90, etc.) comprising: a reel body (reel body 2, etc.), a spool (spool 14, etc.), a handle (handle 12, etc.), and a clutch mechanism (clutch mechanism 16, 82, 96, etc.), wherein the clutch mechanism is switched between an ON state and an OFF state by a user's operation, and wherein the ON state allows the handle to rotate the spool in the reeling direction, and the spool brake (clutch switching mechanism 18, 84, 98, etc.) brakes the spool in the ON state, and the spool brake changes the frictional force acting on the spool in accordance with the strength of the operating force applied by the user in the ON state. (2) The fishing reel according to (1) above, wherein the spool braking unit includes planetary roller units (such as outer planetary roller units 42a to 42c, inner planetary roller units 52a to 52c, and planetary roller units 92a to 92c), and the planetary roller units contact a handle interlocking unit (such as handle ring 49) that can rotate in response to operation of the handle unit and the periphery of a spool shaft (such as spool shaft 62) provided in the spool unit while creating a wedge effect, and change the frictional force acting on the spool shaft depending on the strength of the operating force applied by the user in the on state. (3) The fishing reel according to (2) above, wherein the planetary roller unit comprises: a rotating roller unit (roller members 50a to 50c, 60a to 60c, etc.) that is in contact with the handle interlocking unit and can rotate; and a support shaft (support shaft 44a to 44c, 54a to 54c, etc.) that supports the rotating roller unit; and a gap (gap 51, 61, 91, etc.) is formed between the inner periphery of the rotating roller unit and the outer periphery of the support shaft, allowing the rotating roller unit to be displaced relative to the support shaft.(4) The fishing reel according to (3) above, wherein the planetary roller portion comprises an outer planetary roller portion (such as outer planetary roller portions 42a to 42c) and an inner planetary roller portion (such as inner planetary roller portions 52a to 52c), each of which has the rotating roller portion and the support shaft; the outer planetary roller portion is rotationally displaced in response to the user's operation and comes into contact with the handle interlocking portion and the inner planetary roller portion while creating a wedge effect, thereby establishing the ON state; and the inner planetary roller portion, in the ON state, comes into contact with the outer planetary roller portion and the spool shaft while creating a wedge effect, and changes the frictional force acting on the spool shaft depending on the strength of the operating force applied by the user in the ON state.

[0091] <Others> Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be practiced in various modified forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0092] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 80, 90: Fishing reel 2: Reel body 12: Handle 14: Spool 16: Clutch mechanism 18, 84: Clutch switching mechanism 32: Base 34: Switching lever 36: Lever interlocking member 42a-42c: Outer planetary roller 44a-44c, 54a-54c: Support shaft 46a-46c: O-ring 48a-48c, 58a-58c: Bearing 49: Handle ring 50a-50c, 60a-60c: Roller member 51, 61, 91: Gap 52a-52c: Inner planetary roller 62: Spool shaft 86a-86c: One-way clutch mechanism 88a-88c: Cam 90: Fishing reel 92a to 92c: Planetary roller unit 96: Clutch mechanism unit

Claims

1. A fishing reel comprising: a reel body, a spool, a handle, and a clutch mechanism, wherein the clutch mechanism is switched between an on state and an off state by user operation, and in the on state allows the handle to rotate the spool in the winding direction, and comprises a spool braking unit that brakes the spool in the on state, and wherein the spool braking unit changes the frictional force acting on the spool according to the strength of the operating force applied by the user in the on state.

2. A fishing reel as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spool braking section comprises a planetary roller section, and the planetary roller section comes into contact with a handle interlocking section that can rotate in response to operation of the handle section and the periphery of a spool shaft provided in the spool section while creating a wedge effect, and changes the frictional force acting on the spool shaft according to the strength of the operating force applied by the user in the on state.

3. A fishing reel as set forth in claim 2, wherein the planetary roller portion comprises a rotating roller portion that is in contact with the handle interlocking portion and is rotatable, and a support shaft that supports the rotating roller portion, and a gap is formed between the inner periphery of the rotating roller portion and the outer periphery of the support shaft, allowing the rotating roller portion to be displaced relative to the support shaft.

4. A fishing reel as set forth in claim 3, wherein the planetary roller section comprises an outer planetary roller section and an inner planetary roller section, both of which have the rotating roller section and the support shaft, the outer planetary roller section undergoes rotational displacement in response to operation by the user, and comes into contact with the handle interlocking section and the inner planetary roller section while creating a wedge effect, thereby establishing the on state, and the inner planetary roller section, in the on state, comes into contact with the outer planetary roller section and the spool shaft while creating a wedge effect, and changes the frictional force acting on the spool shaft depending on the strength of the operating force applied by the user in the on state.

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