Patent ID: 6039278
Filing Date: 2000-03-21
Classification: A01K

Abstract:
A spinning reel for fishing, comprising:a casing;a main gear;a handle shaft arranged to turn the main gear of the reel;a spool shaft defining a first axial end and a second axial end, said spool shaft being reciprocal in an axial direction during rotation of the handle shaft, a spool provided at said first axial end of the spool shaft mounted on the spool shaft by a front drag assembly, and an adjustable drag mechanism including a block fixed rotationally with respect to the spool shaft and located at the second axial end of the shaft, opposite to the first axial end;a rotor for winding fishing line onto said spool;a switching means for selectively engaging the spinning reel between a first state being a main drag condition, in which the spool shaft is prevented from rotating relative to the casing, and a second state being a free spool state in which the spool shaft may be substantially free to rotate or may rotate subject to light drag provided by, and depending on the setting of, the adjustable drag mechanism;the switching means including a switch mechanism, said switch mechanism including a plate which is mounted to move parallel to the axial direction of the spool shaft, between a first and a second stable position, said plate defining an engagement means at one of its ends,wherein when said switch mechanism is in the first of the two stable positions the engagement means engages with a mating engagement means in the block to prevent rotation of the block and the spool shaft relative to the switch means and the casing to cause the spinning reel to be in the main drag condition; andwherein the switch mechanism is movable to the second stable position in which the engagement means is disengaged from the mating engagement means in the block, and the block and spool are free to rotate relative to the switch means to cause the spinning reel to be in the free spool state; and further comprisinga return means associated with the main gear of the reel for switching the spool from the free spool state to the main drag condition when the handle shaft is rotated in a direction to reel fishing line onto the spool.