Fishing Reel Kick Member Positioning for Compact Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fishing spinning reels are bulky due to the placement of return mechanisms, which occupy unoccupied spaces within the reel main body, preventing a thin and compact design.
Innovation Solution
The kick member of the return mechanism is rotatably supported on a connecting gear meshed with the drive gear, allowing it to be positioned at the center of the drive gear, thereby reducing the reel's size and thickness by arranging the mesh portion of the gears relative to the pinion gear's axis center.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the return mechanism is installed to spaces on the opposed tooth face side of a drag gear and on a side of a lid plate, then the switch mechanism can be implemented, but the reel main body becomes large-sized
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the return mechanism with the drive gear structure by supporting the kick member on the drive gear itself, rather than as a separate component. This integration eliminates the need for additional unoccupied spaces and allows the return mechanism to be implemented within the existing drive gear footprint, thereby maintaining switch mechanism functionality while reducing the overall reel main body size.
2Ease of operation
If the kick member is positioned away from the drive gear, then the return mechanism can operate, but the reel main body cannot be made thin and compact
Solution Approach 1:
The invention repositions the kick member to operate in a different spatial dimension by supporting it directly on the drive gear structure. This allows the kick member to be located in the radial direction of the drive gear rather than in the axial direction, enabling the return mechanism to function properly while minimizing the axial thickness of the reel main body.
3Ease of manufacture
If members are only installed in unoccupied spaces, then installation is simple, but the reel main body is not thinned or compacted
Solution Approach 1:
The drive gear structure serves multiple functions: it transmits rotational force from the handle to the spool and simultaneously supports the kick member of the return mechanism. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate unoccupied spaces for installing return mechanism components, allowing compact integration while maintaining ease of manufacture through the use of a single integrated structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enables a more compact and lightweight reel main body by efficiently utilizing space and allowing the kick member to be closer to the drive gear's tooth face, achieving a thinner and more compact design.
Implementation Method 1
the kick member constituting the return mechanism is rotatably supported on a connecting gear (72) brought in mesh with a gear (70) driven by the drive gear (7)
Data Source
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AI summary
A fishing spinning reel of the invention includes a spool (3) wound with a fish line, a rotor (2) rotatable through a pinion gear (9) brought in mesh with a drive gear (7) rotated by a winding operation of a handle (5), a switch mechanism (30) including a switch lever (31) capable of operating to switch a restricting state of restricting rotation of the spool and a free state of making the spool free, and a returnmechanism (60) for returning the switchmechanismbrought into the spool free state to the restricting state by the winding operation of the handle. The return mechanism includes a connecting gear (72) brought in mesh with a gear (70) driven by the drive gear, and a kick member (61) rotatably supported centering on the connecting gear, and a center of a mesh portion of the gear (70) and the connecting gear (72) is arranged on a side of the drive gear (7) relative to an axis center of the pinion gear (9).