Abstract:
A reel for fishing line or the like provides for extremely rapid payout by releasing the line to unwind by sliding rapidly around a guide surrounding the line spool and by rotation of the line spool itself. A handle extending rearwardly from the reel controls a line guide preventing sliding of the fishing line around the guide and providing controllable friction and locking of rotation of the line spool only when actuated by the user to permit retraction of the line or controlled tensioning of the line.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a reel for winding and storing fishing line or the like and more particularly to a reel that provides rapid payout of the fishing line, for example, as required when the reel is used for bow fishing. 
         [0002]    In bow fishing, an arrow is fitted with a lightweight but sturdy line which may pay out behind the arrow when the arrow is shot from a bow. The line allows the arrow, and/or arrow and fish, to be retrieved after the shot. 
         [0003]    It is important that the line be stored without tangling before release of the arrow and yet be able to pay out rapidly with little resistance when the arrow is released. Conventional reels which rotate to wind or unwind line present substantial rotational inertia that can interfere with free flight of the arrow. 
         [0004]    These problems of line storage and release are addressed in a novel bow fishing reel described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,516, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, in which the line is loosely coiled in a bottle. After the line is pulled from the bottle by the arrow, opposed rubber rollers at the mouth of the bottle clamp together about the line and push it into the bottle under the urging of a geared crank handle. The line is stored without winding in a loose mass within the bottle that nevertheless resists tangling. 
         [0005]    An alternative to the above design can be found in conventional spin casting reels, which are sometimes used for bow fishing, for example, the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,107, in which the axis of the spool about which the line is wound is parallel to the direction that the line pays out after arrow release. As the line pays out, the line slips over the edge of the reel unwinding without rotation of the reel or the need to overcome a corresponding rotational inertia of the reel. The line is returned to the reel by a bail arm or similar device orbiting the reel as driven by a crank arm. The bail arm catches the line to wrap it around the reel without reel rotation. Such spin casting reels may be attached to cantilevered arms extending forward from the bow riser. Before drawing the bow and releasing the arrow, the user uses his or her free hand to press a thumb button on the rear of the reel to release the bail arm or fold the bail arm back. 
         [0006]    Co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 14/270,817, entitled Fishing Line Reel with Rapid Line Payout, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, describes a bow fishing reel in which spooling line back on the reel may be initiated by a trigger lever spring biased to the line-releasing state but readily actuated by fingers of the same hand supporting the bow. Motion of the handle may smoothly vary the amount of resistance to the line unspooling or may lock the line spool against rotation. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides a fishing line reel with many of the benefits described in the co-pending application discussed above but that provides an in-line payout control handle that may be positioned near the user&#39;s hand holding the bow for simple direct control of payout tension using the fingers of the bow-holding hand. The in-line payout control handle provides improved alignment of the reel force with the user&#39;s hand and provides nuanced control possible with direct mechanical linkage. A mounting system with multiple adjustment dimensions allows the reel to be supported on mounting bar that can be attached to attachment features found in many bows. 
         [0008]    Specifically then, the present invention in one embodiment provides a fishing line reel providing rapid line payout having a housing supporting a crank mechanism operable by a user for rotating a first shaft extending along an axis with respect to the housing. A line spool may also be supported by the housing rotatable about the first shaft and a winder may be attached to rotate with the first shaft. The winder provides a line guide for catching a fishing line so that the fishing line winds about the line spool with rotation of the first shaft when the line guide is in an extended position and for freeing the fishing line so that the fishing line does not wind about the line spool with the rotation of the first shaft when the line guide is in a retracted position. A handle extends from a rear of the housing substantially along the axis and is operable by the user to move the line guide from the retracted position to the extended position when the handle moves between a released position and an actuated position. A bias spring biases the handle mechanism to move the line guide to the released position. 
         [0009]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a reel design that may be better aligned with the user&#39;s normal grip on a bow so as to minimize torsion on the bow when the line is under tension from the fish. The handle allows a single line of force to connect tension on the fishing line with force on the handle through the user&#39;s hand to the bow support region. 
         [0010]    The handle may be a T-handle attached to a second shaft extending substantially along the axis and providing finger grip portions extending in opposite directions perpendicularly to the axis. 
         [0011]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a handle that centers the user&#39;s force on the shaft for reduced binding and torsion. 
         [0012]    The finger grip portions are generally arcuate on a surface toward the housing. 
         [0013]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a handle design that properly centers the user&#39;s fingers about the shaft. 
         [0014]    The second shaft of the T-handle may be coaxial with first shaft of the winder. 
         [0015]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide an extremely compact activation mechanism in which the actuation shaft and crankshaft may be perfectly aligned. 
         [0016]    The reel may include a mounting assembly for attaching the housing to a bow, the mounting assembly including clamping elements in a released state allowing rotation of the mounting element around an axis of rotation parallel to the axis. 
         [0017]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a mounting system that may work with common mounting points on a bow used for bow stabilizers or the like. 
         [0018]    The mounting assembly may provide an axial bore receiving a bar that may attach to the bow to extend from the bow generally parallel to the axis so that the mounting assembly when the clamping elements are released may rotate about the bar. 
         [0019]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to permit rotational adjustment of the reel for better alignment of the handle and fishing line with the user&#39;s grip. 
         [0020]    The mounting assembly may further include axially extending picatinny rails angularly spaced about the axial bore, the picatinny rails providing a set of teeth spaced along the axis and extending perpendicular thereto for receiving a corresponding clamping element on the reel allowing repositionable mounting of the reel at different axial locations on the picatinny rails. 
         [0021]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a robust axial adjustability for the reel for positioning the handle near the user&#39;s grip. 
         [0022]    The teeth of each of the picatinny rails are displaced by different radial distances from the axial bore allowing adjustment of the height of the reel through a selection of the picatinny rail to which is mounted. 
         [0023]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a height adjustment for positioning of the reel. 
         [0024]    The fishing line reel may include includes a friction clutch positioned between the spool and the housing for applying increasing frictional restraint to rotation of the line spool with respect to the housing with increased movement of the handle from the released position to the actuated position. 
         [0025]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide convenient control of line tension while the user holds the bow at its natural grip. 
         [0026]    The frictional restraint may vary smoothly with continuous movement of the handle from the released position to the actuated position and provides substantially constant frictional restraint at each handle position. 
         [0027]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to permit precise control of tension when the user holds the bow at its natural grip point. 
         [0028]    The fishing line reel may further include a dog clutch positioned between the line spool and the housing creating interference restraint to rotation of the line spool with respect to the housing with movement of the handle toward the actuated position after an increasing frictional restraint by the friction clutch. 
         [0029]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to allow positive locking of the fishing line at the natural grip point of the bow. 
         [0030]    These particular objects and advantages may apply to only some embodiments falling within the claims and thus do not define the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0031]      FIG. 1  is a fragmentary perspective view of a bow riser portion of a bow having the reel of the present invention attached thereto by means of an adjustable mounting system; 
           [0032]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational cross-section of the reel of  FIG. 1  showing positioning of the control handle forward in the released position so that the line guide used for winding line around the line spool is retracted and the line spool is free to rotate; 
           [0033]      FIG. 3  is a figure similar to that of  FIG. 2  showing positioning of the control handle rearward in the actuated position so that the line guide used for winding line around the line spool is extended for engaging the fishing line and the line spool is locked against rotation; 
           [0034]      FIG. 4  is a fragmentary exploded view of the mechanism of the reel of  FIG. 1  showing operation of the control handle to extend or retract the line guide within a fishing line deflector and showing positioning of a wave washer used to provide a controlled friction clutch and engagement tabs providing a dog clutch between the housing and the line spool; 
           [0035]      FIG. 5  is a plot of frictional force restraining the line spool against rotation as a function of the control handle positioned between a release and an actuation point; 
           [0036]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the adjustable mounting system of  FIG. 1  showing its adjustability in extension and rotation; and 
           [0037]      FIG. 7  is an end devotional view of the adjustable mounting system of  FIG. 1  showing the provision of multiple mounting heights by means of rotation. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0038]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a bow fishing bow  10  may include a bow frame  12  presenting a bow riser  14  providing a grip  16  for gripping by the bow hand of the user  33 . The bow riser  14  may provide an arrow shelf  17  above the grip  16  for supporting the arrow shaft (not shown) before release of the arrow for travel generally along axis  19 . 
         [0039]    A fishing line reel  20  for storing and paying out fishing line  22  may be attached to the bow riser  14  near the grip  16  by means of a mounting fixture  21  to be positioned generally proximate to and in front of the bow riser  14  to provide a payout axis  19 ′ generally parallel to axis  19 . The fishing line  22  used in this capacity may be, for example, a braided rather than monofilament line, for example, a braided Dacron roughly 1/32 inches in diameter or smaller ranging from 50 pound test to 150 pound test, that may be readily distinguished from, for example, a fly casting line by its greater strength and substantially greater outer diameter. 
         [0040]    The fishing line reel  20  may have a reel housing  23  attached to a vertically descending mount  24  attached to lower clamp jaws  26 . The clamp jaws  26  connect with a picatinny rail  31   a  of the mounting fixture  21  being one of three picatinny rails  31   a - c  available on the mounting fixture  31  as will be discussed below. The mounting fixture  21  may be attached to a mounting bushing  39  extending forward from the riser  14  below the grip  16  and attached to the riser  14  by means of a threaded bore  27  extending therethrough generally parallel to axis  19 . The mounting fixture  21  will be discussed in greater detail below. 
         [0041]    The reel housing  23  is positioned to allow the fishing line  22  extending along an axis  19 ′ parallel to axis  19  to be proximately below but vertically aligned with axis  19 . Ideally the axis  19 ′ of the fishing line  22  is roughly centered on the grip  16  significantly limiting torque on the grip  16  when tension is applied to the fishing line  22 . 
         [0042]    A spool control handle  35  extends rearwardly from the reel housing  23  generally aligned with axis  19 ′ and positioned close to the grip  16  so that the spool control handle  35  may be easily operated by fingers of a hand of the user  33  holding the grip  16 . When not operated by the user, the control handle  35  will be in a forward released position as shown. 
         [0043]    A single handled crank arm  30  may extend from a side of the housing  23  to be operated by the user to rotate a crankshaft (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) to rotate the crankshaft about axis  32  perpendicular to axis  19 . The crank arm  30  may include rotating grips  34  on its end as is generally understood in the art. 
         [0044]    In normal use, a reel cone  36  may attach to the housing  23  to protect and cover an internal winding mechanism (to be discussed below) and to provide a frontward guide opening  38  restraining the exit path of the fishing line  22  along the axis  19 ′. 
         [0045]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , as noted above, the crank arm  30  may attach to a crankshaft  40  extending along axis  32  through a support bearing  42  held in a right side portion of the housing  23 . After passing through a ratchet mechanism  45  or similar one-way clutch allowing only clockwise force to be applied to the crankshaft  40  by the crank arm  30 , the crankshaft  40  may attach to bevel gear  44 . The bevel gear  44  may engage with and drive a smaller pinion gear  46  attached to a transmission  48 , the latter extending generally along axis  19 ′ to rotate the transmission  48  with rotation of the crank arm  30  with a step up in rotational rate caused by the gear ratio between bevel gear  44  and smaller pinion gear  46 . A second ratchet  47  may be attached to the transmission  48  to augment ratchet  45 . 
         [0046]    The transmission  48  extends forward from and out of the housing  23  to pass progressively through a tooth plate  51  having teeth  77 , a wave washer spring  50 , a fishing line spool  52  a bearing  54 , a rear fishing line deflector  56 , and a front fishing line deflector  60 . A key surface  63  (or other spline-type sliding attachment) on the transmission  48  is received by corresponding key surfaces  64  on the rear and front fishing line deflectors  56  and  60  so that the rear and front fishing line deflectors  56  and  60  rotate with the transmission  48  but are free to slide within a limited range axially along axis  19 ′ with respect to the transmission  48 . Forward axial movement of the front fishing line deflector  60  on the transmission  48  is restrained. 
         [0047]    Each of the front fishing line deflector  60  and rear fishing line deflector  56  provide substantially smooth circular outer peripheries that may allow the fishing line  22  to slide helically around axis  19 ′ when paying off of the fishing line spool  52  as will be described below. 
         [0048]    The fishing line spool  52  has a generally frustoconical hub  70  tapering to a larger diameter from rear to front (toward the guide opening  38 ) and flanked by front and rear radially-extending rims  72  and  74  which serve to retain coiled fishing line  22  on the hub  70 . The front edge of the hub  70  may include a hole  76  passing generally parallel to a tangent line of the outer periphery of the hub  70  that allows the fishing line  22  to be tied positively to the hub  70  without slipping with rotation of the fishing line spool  52 . 
         [0049]    The rear rim  72  may include teeth  75  that may engage corresponding teeth  77  on a tooth plate  51  attached to the housing  23  when wave washer spring  50  is fully compressed, this compression allowing the rim  74  to move rearward as will be discussed into engagement with the tooth plate  51 . 
         [0050]    The handle  35  may attach through an opening in the rear of the housing  23  generally aligned axis  19 ′ and may attach to a through shaft  80  that passes forward through a hollow bore extending axially through the transmission  48  along axis  19 ′. The through shaft  80  may thus slide smoothly through the hollow bore of the transmission  48  with movement of the handle  35  and without interference with rotation of the transmission  48 . An end of the through shaft  80  extending through the transmission  48  may be attached to an end cap  82  which may press against the front surface of the front fishing line deflector  60  to provide compressive force along axis  19 ′ without constraining the rotation of the front fishing line deflector  60  when the handle  35  is pulled back. 
         [0051]    Three line guide pins  84  are embedded in the front fishing line deflector  60  to extend from a rear of the periphery of the front fishing line deflector  60  generally parallel to axis  19  but displaced therefrom at equal angles. The line guide pin  84  may be received within a loose, aligned bore formed in the rear fishing line deflector  56  to slide therethrough and helical compression springs  59  may fit around each line guide pin  84  between the front fishing line deflector  60  and the rear fishing line deflector  56  to bias the two apart. 
         [0052]    The action of the wave washer spring  50  and compression springs  59  serves to move the handle  35  to the forward released position when it is not pulled back by the user. In this released position, compression springs  59  separate the rear fishing line deflector  56  from the front fishing line deflector  60  pulling the line guide pins  84  fully within the rear fishing line deflector  56  so that they may not interfere with a sliding of the fishing line  22  around the smooth, radially symmetrical outer peripheries of the line deflectors  56  and  60  during an unspooling operation. In addition wave washer spring  50  separates the teeth  77  of the rear rim  74  and teeth  75  of the tooth plate  51  attached to the housing  23  so that the line spool  52  may freely rotate. It will be understood therefore that paying out of the fishing line  22  is facilitated by the ability of the fishing line  22  to pass freely around the fishing line deflectors  56  and  60  in an unwrapping process. 
         [0053]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , with rearward motion of the handle  35 , the through shaft  80  is pulled backward pulling end cap  82  against the front fishing line deflector  60  and pulling the rear rim  74  of the fishing line spool  52  toward the housing  23 . This compression causes increased friction between the fishing line spool  52  and the housing  23  (by friction between the rear rim  74  of the wave washer  50  in the front face of tooth plate  51 ) with increased compression of the wave washer spring  50  such as it increases both the contact area between the wave washer spring  50  and these flanking surfaces and the force of contact. In this way the wave washer spring  50  provides part of a friction clutch. 
         [0054]    Referring now momentarily also to  FIG. 5 , generally the frictional force between the line spool  52  and the housing  23  when the handle  35  is in the released position  90  shown in  FIG. 2  will be substantially zero. With drawing back of the handle  35  by the user, increased force of compression on wave washer spring  50  causes a smooth increase in frictional force in region  92 . When the handle  35  is pulled back to an actuation point  94 , the teeth  75  of the rim  74  may engage teeth  77  of the tooth plate  51  to provide a dog clutch positively locking the two together and providing substantially infinite rotational resistance up to the point of breakage. 
         [0055]    Referring still to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , retraction of the handle  35  rearward to the actuation position also provides an extension of the line guide pins  84  from a rear surface of the rear fishing line deflector  56  so that they may catch the fishing line  22  and, with rotation driven by the crank arm  30 , wrap the fishing line  22  around the fishing line spool  52  which is now held in a locked position. It will be noted that the actual control of the tension of the fishing line  22  will be a function of restraint of the line spool  52  and prevention of rotation of the rear and front fishing line deflectors  56 , the latter effected through the user control of the crank arm  30 . 
         [0056]    During use, an arrow slide on an arrow (not shown but as depicted in U.S Pat. No. 6,517,453 hereby incorporated by reference) will be attached to a free end of the fishing line  22  and engage with the bowstring, for example, held by the user&#39;s right hand (assuming a right handed user and bow) while the user&#39;s left hand holds the grip  16  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The user&#39;s fingers will be free of the handle  35  and thus when the arrow is released the fishing line  22  will be able to pay out at rapid speed. For retrieval of the arrow and fishing line  22 , the user may simply extend the fingers of the hand of the user  33  holding the bow to engage the handle  35  and pull it back into a frictional or locking engagement. The user&#39;s right hand will then be able to operate the crank arm  30 . By simultaneous control of the crank arm  30  and the handle  35  tensioning, retraction of the fishing line may be flexibly controlled. 
         [0057]    Referring again to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the handle  35  may be a handle providing wings  81  extending in opposite directions perpendicularly to shaft  80  to each receive one or more fingers of the user  33  on either side of the shaft  80  to provide for a centered retraction force. The surface of the wings  81  toward the reel  20  may be arcuate for improved comfort and finger centering at equal distance from the shaft  80 . 
         [0058]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1, 6 and 7 , the mounting fixture  21  may provide for a support tube  100  having an inner diameter receiving the mounting bushing  39  to be retained on the mounting bushing  39 . Axial motion  106  of the support tube  100  away from the bow is blocked by a bar head  102  being a portion of increased diameter blocking further movement of the support tube  100  away from the bow frame  12 . Axial motion in the opposite direction is blocked by means of a collar  29 . The mounting bushing  39  is generally circular in cross-section and includes a threaded end  37  that may be received by corresponding threads in bore  27  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0059]    The support tube  100  may provide for threaded axial holes receiving set screws  104  or the like that may be loosened to allow rotational movement  108  about the axis of the mounting bushing  39 . In this way the attached reel  20  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) may be positioned rotationally so that handle is aligned with the user&#39;s fingers and easily accessible while the user  33  is holding the bow frame  12 . 
         [0060]    The support tube  100  holds three picatinny  31   a - 31   c  each extending generally parallel to the axis  19  having teeth  109  extending perpendicularly thereto and facing radially outward with respect to an axis of the mounting bushing  39 . The mount  24  provides a releasable clamp of conventional design that may receive any of the picatinny rails  31   a - 31   c  at a variety of axial locations allowing axial adjustability of the reel  20  with respect to the bow frame  12  and also allowing the handle  35  to be better aligned with the user&#39;s fingers and be easily accessible while the user  33  is holding the bow frame  12 . 
         [0061]    Each of the picatinny rails  31   a - 31   c  is supported on a standoff portion  110  at a different radial extent  112   a - 112   c  by virtue of different wall thicknesses of the support tube  100 . Accordingly by rotation of the support tube  100 , a different upward face may be presented to the reel  20  allowing elevational height of the reel  20  to be adjusted over a range of approximately one-quarter inch in eighth-inch increments. These differences in extent may be provided alternatively by spacers that fit between the picatinny rails  31   a - 31   c  and a constant wall thickness support tube  100 . 
         [0062]    Certain terminology is used herein for purposes of reference only, and thus is not intended to be limiting. For example, terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “above”, and “below” refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. Terms such as “front”, “back”, “rear”, “bottom” and “side”, describe the orientation of portions of the component within a consistent but arbitrary frame of reference which is made clear by reference to the text and the associated drawings describing the component under discussion. Such terminology may include the words specifically mentioned above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. Similarly, the terms “first”, “second” and other such numerical terms referring to structures do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. 
         [0063]    When introducing elements or features of the present disclosure and the exemplary embodiments, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of such elements or features. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements or features other than those specifically noted. It is further to be understood that the method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed. 
         [0064]    It is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein and the claims should be understood to include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims. All of the publications described herein, including patents and non-patent publications, are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.