Spool Assembly with Nested Sound Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional spools with sound producing mechanisms are difficult to assemble and compactly dispose due to the challenges of attaching the plate-shaped member to the rear end of the bobbin trunk, which requires protruding attachment bases and screws, making the process time-consuming and space inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A spool design featuring an annular attachment member made of synthetic resin, detachably mounted in a concaved recess of the bobbin trunk, allowing for easy attachment and maintaining weight balance, with integral metal formation of the bobbin trunk, flange portions, and skirt, and a coupling mechanism that reduces the need for protrusions and screws, enabling compact disposition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a plate-shaped member is attached to the rear end portion of the bobbin trunk through a separate attachment base, then the sound producing mechanism can be mounted, but the attachment base must protrude backward making the spool shaft longer and preventing compact disposition

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of attaching sound producing mechanismVSAvoidlength of spool shaft in axial direction

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment base is formed as a circular arc-shaped member that fits into the inner periphery of the rear end portion of the bobbin trunk, nesting the attachment function within the existing spool structure rather than adding external protrusions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The attachment base is integrated with the bobbin trunk structure, combining the mounting function into the existing component rather than using a separate protruding attachment mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of manufacture

If an attachment base is used to mount the plate-shaped member, then the sound producing mechanism can be attached, but screws are required making assembly time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of assembling sound producing mechanismVSAvoidassembly time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The screw fastening mechanism is removed from the attachment process. The plate-shaped member is retained solely by friction between its outer periphery and the inner periphery of the attachment base, eliminating the need for screws and simplifying assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The attachment base and plate-shaped member utilize self-retaining friction fit, where the interference fit between the circular arc-shaped attachment base and the plate-shaped member automatically secures the connection without additional fastening operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Weight of moving object

If the bobbin trunk is formed thinly by integral formation with metal thin plate, then weight is reduced, but it becomes difficult to mount and fix the attachment base

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight of spoolVSAvoidease of mounting attachment base

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The bobbin trunk is formed as a thin-walled metal thin plate structure that maintains sufficient structural integrity for mounting the attachment base while minimizing weight. The thin plate formulation achieves weight reduction without compromising the mounting capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The bobbin trunk is formed by integral formation of metal thin plate, dividing the structure into thin, manageable sections that reduce overall weight while maintaining structural functionality for attachment base mounting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS7401748B2Spool assembly for spinning reel

Publication Date: 2008.07.22 SHIMANO INC

AI summary

An object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily attach a sound producing mechanism to a spool of a spinning reel and to compactly dispose the spool. An annular attachment member to which a hitting member of a sound producing mechanism is attached is detachably/reattachably mounted and fixed in an attachment recess that is formed to be annularly concaved in an inner peripheral portion of a bobbin trunk. Here, the annular attachment member is completely mounted in the attachment recess that is formed to be annularly concaved. Accordingly, it is possible to easily attach the attachment member to the attachment recess, and it is also possible to uniformly maintain the weight balance of a spool in the peripheral direction. In addition, here, the attachment member is mounted in the attachment recess. Thus, the attachment member is not likely to protrude backward from a rear end portion of the bobbin trunk, compared to the conventional configuration. Accordingly, it is possible to compactly dispose the spool.