Electric reel for fishing

The electric reel for fishing includes a spool rotatably supported between the side plates of a reel body and a driving motor arranged on the reel body for driving and rotating the spool. A concave part is formed on the reel body, an armature is rotatably arranged inside the concave part and a magnet constituting a magnetic field is mounted on the inner surface of the concave part opposed to the armature to constitute a driving motor for driving and rotating the spool.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an electric reel for fishing comprising a driving motor for driving and rotating a spool supported rotatably on a reel body.

Generally, for fishing in a fish layer in depth such as fishing on a ship, an electric reel for fishing (hereinafter referred to as an electric reel also) is often used. Such an electric reel incorporates into the reel body a driving motor for driving and winding a spool. For example, there are known a so-called a spool-in type accommodating a driving motor in the internal space of a spool as described in JP-UM-3008695 and a spool-out type accommodating a driving motor in a cylindrical motor case formed between the side plates of the reel body ahead of the spool as described in Japanese Patent No.3,159,619.

With any type of electric reel, the driving motor accommodates a stator and an armature in a cylindrical housing. Such a unit-based driving motor is accommodated in a motor case provided on the reel body.

Electric reels such as those described in Patent JP-UM-3008695 and Japanese Patent No.3,159,619 are facing growing needs for a more compact and higher-output design although the performance of a driving motor to be incorporated has limitations described below. An attempt to downsize a reel body necessarily leads to a more compact motor case accommodating a driving motor. The size of the driving motor in the motor case has to be reduced, which means that the driving motor delivers lower output. To obtain high output from a driving motor, a driving motor unit including an armature as a component member of the driving motor, a cylindrical housing accommodating the armature, and a field magnet attached inside the housing must be upsized, which results in a larger-sized reel body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention has been accomplished in view of the above problems. An object of the invention is to provide an electric reel for fishing comprising a reel body of a reduced size with a current driving motor output or a reel body of the current size with an enhanced driving motor output.

In order to achieve the object, the present invention provides the following arrangements.(1) An electric reel for fishing comprising:

a reel body that includes side plates and a concave part;

a spool rotatably supported between the side plates;

a driving shaft including an armature rotatably arranged inside the concave part;

a magnet that constitutes a magnetic field and is mounted on an inner surface of the concave part so as to be opposed to the armature to form a driving motor for driving and rotating the spool.(2) The electric reel according to (1), wherein

the reel body includes a frame on which a driving force transmitting mechanism is mounted and to which the side plate is attached, and

the concave part is integrally formed with the frame.(3) The electric reel according to (1), wherein the concave part is formed on the reel body positioned ahead of the spool.(4) The electric reel according to (1), wherein the concave part is formed on the reel body so as to be positioned inside the spool.(5) The electric reel according to (1) further comprising a detachable cover body for covering an opening in the concave part to make replaceable components of the driving motor including at least one of armature and magnet provided in the concave part.(6) The electric reel according to (5) further comprising:

a planetary gear mechanism including a sun gear for decelerating and transmitting a rotation of the driving shaft to the spool; and

a bearing for rotatably supporting the driving shaft to the reel body in proximity to the planetary gear mechanism,

wherein the sun gear and the bearing are attached and locked to the driving shaft.(7) The electric reel according to (1) further comprising a cover body for covering an opening in the concave part,

wherein a bearing for rotatably supporting the driving shaft and a one-way clutch for allowing the driving shaft to rotate in one direction and inhibiting the driving shaft from rotating in the other direction are retained inside the cover body.

With this configuration, the driving motor for driving and rotating the spool has a magnet as its component member constituting a magnetic field mounted on the inner surface of the concave part formed on the reel body and an armature arranged in the concave part thus utilizing the component member of the reel body as part of a component member of the driving motor. This arrangement omits at least a related art housing part constituting a driving motor and makes it possible to downsize the reel body while maintaining the output of a driving motor or enhancing the output of the driving motor while maintaining the size of the reel body. The concave part formed in the reel body is a part on the inner surface of which is mounted a magnet constituting a magnetic field. The shape, size or location of the concave part may be changed as required.

The invention provides an electric reel for fishing comprising a reel body of a reduced size with a current driving motor output or a reel body of the current size with an enhanced driving motor output.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the invention will be described referring to drawings.

First Embodiment

FIGS. 1 through 3show an electric reel according to a first embodiment of the invention.FIG. 1is a plan view showing the internal structure of the electric reel.FIG. 2is an exploded view of the main parts of the electric reel shown inFIG. 1.FIG. 3is an exploded view showing the structure of a driving motor part.

An electric reel1according to this embodiment comprises a reel body5including a frame3mounting a driving force transmitting mechanism described later and an outer side plate4arranged to cover the frame3.

In this embodiment, the frame3of the reel body5includes a left frame3a, a right frame3band a front frame3carranged ahead of a spool. These frames3a,3b,3care integrated as a whole. As shown inFIG. 2, the left frame3a, the right frame3band the front frame3cof this embodiment are integrally formed. These frames3a,3b,3cmay be formed of integrated members by way of fixing means or partially integrated and integrally formed as a whole. The structure of each of the frames is not limited to a specific structure.

An outer side plate4of the reel body5includes a left outer side plate4acovering the left frame3a, a right outer side plate4bcovering the right frame3b, and a front outer side plate4ccovering the front frame3cand covers components such as a driving force transmitting mechanism as well as serves as a portion grasped and held by an angler (a portion with which the hand of an angler is in contact). These outer side plates4a,4b,4care individually integrated and integrally formed as a whole. Same as the above frames, the outer side plates4a,4b,4cmay be formed integrally formed or partially integrated and integrally formed as a whole. The frame3a,3bor3cmay be partially exposed.

A manual handle6for winding operation is arranged on one side plate (right side plate4b) of the reel body5. A spool7onto which a fishline is wound is rotatably supported between the left and right frames3aand3bof the reel body5. A driving motor30having a structure described later is arranged ahead of the spool7. The spool7is driven and rotated in a fishline winding direction via a driving force transmitting mechanism described later by way of the winding operation of the manual handle6and rotation driving of the driving motor30.

The spool7includes a fishline winding drum part7aonto which a fishline is wound. The spool7includes, at both ends thereof, flanges7b,7cfor controlling a fishline to be wound. The spool7is rotatably supported by a spool shaft7svia a bearing and rotatably supported between the left and right side plates. Both ends of the spool shaft7sare supported against the reel body5via a bearing10.

A rotary driving force is inputted to the spool7via the driving force transmitting mechanism12from the manual handle6and the driving motor30. The general configuration of a driving force transmitting mechanism12will be described.

The driving force transmitting mechanism12of the embodiment is distributively arranged on the left frame3aand the right frame3b. A first decelerating mechanism15for reducing the output of the driving motor30and a motor power transmitting mechanism16for transmitting a rotary driving force reduced by the first decelerating mechanism15to the spool shaft7sare arranged on the left frame3a. A second decelerating mechanism17for reducing the rotary driving force of the spool shaft7sand transmitting the reduced rotary driving force to the spool7and a manual power transmitting part18for transmitting the rotary driving force of the driving shaft (handle shaft)6aof the manual handle6to the spool7via the second decelerating mechanism17are arranged on the right frame3b.

In this example, the first decelerating mechanism15is composed of a known planetary gear mechanism arranged between the output shaft (driving shaft)31of the driving motor30and the front frame3c. The motor power transmitting mechanism16includes a pulley16arotating integrally with the output shaft31, a pulley16brotating integrally with the spool shaft7s, and a power transmitting belt16cwound by these pulleys16a,16b. The second decelerating mechanism17is composed of a known planetary gear mechanism arranged between the spool shaft7sand the spool7. The manual power transmitting part18includes a driving gear18arotatably mounted on a handle shaft6aand a pinion gear18bengaged with the driving gear18a.

A known dragging mechanism20is arranged between the handle shaft6aand the driving gear18a. By rotating the dragging knob20amounted on the handle shaft6a, a desired braking force is exerted on the rotation of the spool7. A reverse rotation preventing mechanism6bis provided on the handle shaft6afor blocking the ganged rotation of the manual handle6when the driving motor30is driven and rotated.

The pinion gear18bis arranged rotatably on an extended portion of the spool shaft7sfacing the right side plate and movably in the axial direction. A known clutch mechanism22is engaged on the circumferential part of the pinion gear18b. The pinion gear18bhas a clutch operation member22asliding axially by the operation of an operation lever (not shown). This causes the clutch operation member22ato be engaged/disengaged with/from the carrier of the second decelerating mechanism (planetary gear mechanism) thus connecting or disconnecting transmission of a driving force to the spool7.

Next, the configuration of the driving motor30will be detailed.

The driving motor30according to the invention includes a concave part on a member of the reel body5and a magnet constituting a magnetic field on the inner surface of this concave part as well as an armature arranged inside the concave part. The concave part formed on the reel body functions as a casing in which is attached a magnet as a component of the driving motor generating a magnetic field.

To be more precise, in this embodiment, a concave part32defining a cylindrical space is formed on the front frame3c(reel body positioned ahead of the spool7) constituting the reel body5and the magnet33constituting a magnetic field is mounted on its inner surface32ain the circumferential direction. The magnet33may be fixed to the inner surface32awith an adhesive or locked thereto with holding means, or plural magnets33may be mounted at predetermined spacings along the circumferential direction. While a cylindrical yoke33aforming a magnetic circuit to prevent leakage of magnetism is mounted on the magnet33, the frame3cmay be provided with the function of such a yoke.

The front frame3cincluding the concave part32formed thereon has an opening in a position facing a right side plate and a bottom wall3dformed thereon in a position facing a left side plate. The front frame3crotatably supports, at the center of the bottom wall3d, the driving shaft31via a bearing34.

The driving shaft31has an armature35(coil opposed to the magnet33) as a component member of the driving motor30in a position opposed to the magnet33mounted on the inner surface32aof the concave part32and a commutator37providing an electric current to the armature35mounted on a right side plate in the axial direction of the armature35.

The commutator37protrudes from the opening (opening in the concave part32) in the front frame3cin a position facing the right side plate. An end cover40is attached to the opening so as to be detachable to the front frame3cby way of a fastening screw39threaded into the right frame3bclose to the front frame3c. The end cover40is previously formed as a single unit and incorporates a brush41coming into contact with the commutator37and a brush holder42holding the brush attached and fixed to the inner surface thereof in the radial direction with a screw39a. A terminal43is integrated into the brush holder42for connection to an external power source via a lead wire44.

The end cover40incorporates, in the order from the innermost position in axial direction, a one-way clutch46for rotatably supporting the driving shaft31and a holding body48holding a bearing47rotatably supporting the driving shaft. In this example, the one-way clutch46does not freewheel when the manual handle6is rotated and allows the driving shaft31to rotate only in one direction so as to transmit power to the spool7when the driving motor is driven.

The first decelerating mechanism15composed of the planetary gear mechanism is arranged outside the bottom wall3din axial direction and blocked by an end cover50attached to the front frame.

As described earlier, the driving motor30for driving and rotating the spool7has the magnet33as its component member constituting a magnetic field mounted on the inner surface of the concave part32formed on the reel body5and the armature35arranged in the concave part32. The component member (frame3) of the reel body5serves as part of the component member of the driving motor30(casing to generate a magnetic field).

Thus, a housing part constituting the driving motor used for a related art electric reel is omitted. This downsizes the reel body5while maintaining the output or upsizes the armature35constituting the driving motor30to enhance the output while maintaining the size of the reel body5. The casing is integrated with the frame. This provides a lightweight, compact electric reel thus enhancing the operability or usability at a fishing site.

The related art electric reel has a so-called double structure where a driving motor including a housing is accommodated in a case formed on the reel body. With the invention, the above structure is employed and the driving motor part has a single structure. A region in direct contact with outside air of a heat-dissipating part (frame part constituting a motor housing) is expanded thus enhancing the heat dissipation. This avoids troubles caused by the heat inside thus enhancing the durability of a driving motor and winding efficiency. In particular, with a spool-out type electric reel, a portion where a concave part as a housing is formed may be directly exposed to outside air. This further enhances heat dissipation and prevents troubles caused by heat.

The concave part32may be a portion on the inner surface of which is mounted a magnet33constituting a magnetic field. The shape, size or location of the concave part32may be changed as required. The concave part32may be integrated to an outer side plate instead of being formed on the frame, or formed across the frame3and an outer side plate4.

With this configuration, a seal member52is preferably arranged in several locations so as to enhance the watertight property of the driving motor30for the reel body5. Such a seal member52may be composed of an O-ring or a cover body formed by a rubber or silicon material. In this embodiment, the seal members52are arranged between the end cover40and the front frame3c, between the end cover40and the lead wire44, between the end cover50and the front frame3c, and between the end cover50and the driving shaft31.

Such a seal member52is arranged in position so as to keep watertight the interior of the concave part where the armature part of the driving motor30is arranged and changed as required depending on the position, size or shape of the concave part as well as the installation mode of the component member of the driving motor.

Second Embodiment

The second embodiment of the invention will be described referring toFIGS. 4 and 5.FIG. 4shows a cross-section of an internal structure viewed from the rear.FIG. 5is an exploded view of the structure of the driving motor part.

While the driving motor30is arranged ahead of the spool7of the reel body5in the first embodiment, the driving motor30is arranged inside the spool7(so-called spool-in type) in the second embodiment. InFIGS. 4 and 5, a portion having the same function as that in the first embodiment is given the same reference sign.

In this embodiment, a cylindrical projecting part3eprotruding toward the right side plate is integrated with the left frame3aconstituting the frame3and a concave part32is formed on the projecting part. The projecting part3ehas a size accommodated in the internal space formed in the spool7on which a fishline is wound. The magnet33constituting a magnetic field is mounted on the inner surface32aof the concave part32along the circumferential direction. In this example, the magnet33may be fixed to the inner surface32awith an adhesive or locked thereto with holding means, or plural magnets33may be mounted at predetermined spacings along the circumferential direction. A yoke forming a magnetic circuit may be mounted on the magnet33or the projecting part3emay be provided with the function of such a yoke.

The projecting part3eincluding the concave part32formed thereon has an opening in a position facing a left side plate and a bottom wall3fformed thereon in a position facing a right side plate. The front frame3crotatably supports, at the center of the bottom wall3f, the driving shaft31of the driving motor30via a bearing34.

The driving shaft31has an armature35(coil opposed to the magnet33) as a component member of the driving motor30in a position opposed to the magnet33mounted on the inner surface32aof the concave part32and a commutator37providing an electric current to the armature35mounted on the outer surface of the armature35in axial direction. The left frame3aon which the projecting part3eis formed incorporates a brush41coming into contact with the commutator37and a brush holder42holding the brush attached and fixed to the inner surface thereof in the radial direction with a screw39a. A terminal43is integrated into the brush holder42for connection to an external power source via a lead wire44.

An end cover40is attached to the opening in the projecting part3eso as to be detachable to the projecting part3eby way of a fastening screw39threaded into the left frame3a. The end cover40is previously formed as a single unit and incorporates, in the order from the innermost position in axial direction, a one-way clutch46for rotatably supporting the driving shaft31and a bearing47rotatably supporting the driving shaft31. In this example, the one-way clutch46does not freewheel when the manual handle6is rotated and allows the driving shaft31to rotate only in one direction so as to transmit power to the spool7when the driving motor is driven.

A known driving force transmitting mechanism60including a decelerating mechanism is arranged on the projecting part3ein a position facing the right side plate between the spool7and the driving shaft31so as to input a rotary driving force of the manual handle6and the driving motor30from the spool7.

In this way, with an electric reel including a spool-in type driving motor30, the motor housing part has a single structure thus reducing the fishline winding drum part7aof the spool. It is thus possible to employ a spool having enhanced fishline winding capacity with a reel body of the current size.

As in the foregoing embodiments, the portion where the driving motor30is mounted may be changed as required. The structure of the reel body may be also changed as required.

While embodiments of the invention have been described, the invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments but may be changed in a variety of ways. For example, the driving force transmitting mechanism12,60may use power transmission by way of a gear train or a driving force transmitting system may be consolidated on one side plate, or other modifications are possible. Any driving motor may be used as long as a magnet generating a magnetic field is attached inside a concave part formed on the reel body. Configuration and arrangement of other components may be variously changed. Configuration of the drum mechanism20or clutch mechanism22as well as its arrangement mode may be variously changed.

Third Embodiment

FIGS. 6 to 7Cshow the third embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is a variation of the first embodiment and a component common to that in the first embodiment is given the same reference sign and the corresponding detailed description is omitted.

In the first embodiment, the sun gear15aof the decelerating mechanism (planetary gear mechanism)15and the bearing34are left on the reel body5when the end cover40is removed and the minimum unit components33,35constituting the driving motor30are individually removed. In the third embodiment, the bearing34and the sun gear15aare integrated with the output shaft31. Thus, when the end cover40is removed, the bearing34and the sun gear15aare removed together with the output shaft31from the reel body5.

To be more precise, in this embodiment, the sun gear15aand the bearing34are attached and locked to the output shaft31and a motor core unit composed of the output shaft31including the armature35, the bearing34and the sun gear15aintegrated together is detachable from the concave part32. The outer diameter A of the sun gear15ais smaller than the outer diameter B of the bearing34so that the bearing34and the sun gear15amay be pulled out together with the output shaft31from the bottom wall3dof the front frame3c.

As shown inFIG. 7B, a method for attaching and locking the sun gear15aand the bearing34to the output shaft31may be fixing the sun gear15ato the output shaft31through swaging (a swaging part120is shown inFIG. 7B) with the sun gear15aheld non-rotatably to the output shaft31. Or, as shown inFIG. 7C, the sun gear15amay be fixed to the circumference of the output shaft31by way of press fitting or bonding. The bearing34may be attached and locked to the output shaft31in a similar fashion. In case swaging is applied, a non-circular fitting part of the sun gear15a(or bearing34) and the output shaft31necessary for preventing rotation of the sun gear15a(or bearing34) is desirably minimized to provide a larger circular fitting part in order to enhance the concentricity of the sun gear15a(or bearing34) and the output shaft31.

As described above, the output shaft31together with the bearing34and the sun gear15ais made detachable from the concave part32, that is, with the sun gear15aand the bearing34attached and locked to the output shaft31, the backlash of the sun gear15aengaged with the planetary gear15bwith respect to the output shaft31can be prevented and an abnormal noise generated when the sun gear15ais engaged with the planetary gear15bcan be prevented. In other words, in case the sun gear15ais detachably fitted to the output shaft31in a non-rotatable fashion (first embodiment), a backlash could occur, due to a slight clearance between the sun gear15aand the output shaft31for the fitting and attaching/detaching purposes, between the sun gear15aand the output shaft31, with possible abnormal noise occurring in engagement. The configuration of this embodiment is free from such problems. According to this embodiment, the sun gear15aand the bearing34may be assembled, together with the output shaft31(including the armature35), as a motor core unit, into the reel body5. This eliminates the restriction on the assembling order, such as setting the armature35to the frame3before assembling the sun gear, thus enhancing the workability and maintainability.

Fourth Embodiment

FIG. 8shows the fourth embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is a variation of the second embodiment and a component common to that in the second embodiment is given the same reference sign and the corresponding detailed description is omitted.

In the second embodiment, the sun gear of the decelerating mechanism (planetary gear mechanism)15and the bearing34are left on the reel body5when the end cover40is removed and the minimum unit components33,35constituting the driving motor30are individually removed. In the fourth embodiment, the bearing34and the sun gear15aare integrated with the output shaft31. Thus, when the end cover40is removed, the bearing34and the sun gear15aare removed together with the output shaft31from the reel body5. The configuration necessary to provide such a structure is that same as that in the third embodiment and thus the corresponding detailed description is omitted. This configuration offers the same working effect as that of the third embodiment.