Handle of a fishing reel

A handle for a fishing reel comprising a flange which prevents fingers from being contacted with a handle arm to thereby prevent the fingers from being damaged or injured and also to be able to realize a safe and smooth winding operation. In the handle, a support shaft is provided on and projected from the side surface of the end portion of a handle arm, and a handle knob is securely mounted for rotation on the outer periphery of the support shaft. The handle knob includes a knob portion and a flange portion which is disposed in the base portion of one side of the handle knob. he flange portion is either formed integrally with the knob portion or removably secured to the knob portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
a) Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a handle employed in a fishing reel for 
winding up a fishing line round a spool whereby the handle is adapted to 
suitable for receiving forces in multiple directions. 
b) Description of Related Art 
A typical handle used to wind a fishing line round a spool is disclosed, 
for example, in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-23179 of Showa, 
and structured such that a handle knob adapted to be held by angler's 
fingers is supported on the end portion of a handle arm in a freely 
rotatable manner. 
However, in the actual fishing line winding operation, the angler may have 
to wind up the fishing line while applying an irregular force to the 
handle knob, i.e. prizing the handle knob back and forth as well as up and 
down. In this operation, the fingers holding the handle knob are easily 
abutted against the handle arm, so that the fingers may be damaged or 
injured. That is, in the conventional handle, it is not possible to 
perform a safe and smooth winding operation while applying forces to the 
handle in irregular directions. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An objective of the present invention is to solve the above-noted problems 
found in the conventional fishing handle. 
In order to attain the above-noted and other objectives, the present 
invention provides an improved arrangement for a handle knob which is 
coupled to an end of a handle arm provided in a fishing reel and is 
rotatable about a first axis relative to the handle arm. The handle knob 
with the improved arrangement includes a first part proximate the handle 
arm; a second part distal from the handle arm in a direction of the first 
axis; and a flange extending radially outward from the first part with 
respect to the first axis. The flange prevents angler's fingers grasping a 
portion of the knob between the first and second parts from abutting 
against the handle arm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Now, description will be given below of the invention by way of embodiments 
thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In FIGS. 1 and 2, there 
is shown a first embodiment of a handle according to the invention, which 
handle is used in a fishing reel consisting of a dual-bearing type fishing 
reel. In particular, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dual-bearing type 
reel and FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional side view of the handle shown in 
FIG. 1. 
In the handle for the fishing reel according to the first embodiment, a 
support shaft 2 is provided on and projected from the end portion side 
surface of a handle arm 1, and a handle knob 3 is securely mounted on the 
outer periphery of the support shaft 2 to rotate about said support shaft. 
The handle knob 3 includes a knob portion 3a and a flange portion 3b which 
is disposed in the base portion of one side of the handle knob 3. The 
flange portion 3b is preferably formed integrally with the knob portion 
3a, however, the flange portion 3b may be removably attached to the handle 
knob 3 so as to accommodate reels of different sizes. 
The handle arm 1 is fixed to a handle shaft (not shown), and the handle 
shaft is supported rotatably by a bearing (not shown) provided in a reel 
main body 4. 
A spool 7, which is rotatably interposed between the right and left side 
frames 5 and 6 of the reel main body 4, can be rotated for winding by 
means of the operation of the handle arm 1. 
When the handle of the fishing reel is rotated, the handle knob 3 is 
situated at a planetary position with respect to the handle arm 1 (or a 
rotation center of the handle arm 1). With the knob portion 3a of the 
handle knob 3 held by hand, the handle arm 1 and support shaft 2 are 
rotated, so that the spool 7 can be rotated through the handle shaft (not 
shown). 
In this operation, the fingers are in contact with the flange portion 3b 
formed in the base portion of one side of the handle knob 3 and are thus 
prevented from being projected toward the handle arm 1 beyond the flange 
portion 3b. 
If the handle for a fishing reel is structured in the above-mentioned 
manner, then when the handle is rotated with the knob portion 3a of the 
handle knob 3 held by fingers, the fingers abut against the flange portion 
3b formed in the one side base portion of the handle knob 3 and are 
prevented from being projected toward the handle arm 1 beyond the flange 
portion 3b. For this reason, even if a winding operation is performed 
while applying to the handle knob 3 such an irregular force as prizes it 
back and forth as well as up and down, there can be eliminated the 
possibility that the fingers can be damaged or injured, so that the 
fishing line winding operation can be performed safely and smoothly. 
Now, referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown a second embodiment of a 
handle according to the invention, which handle is used in a fishing reel 
consisting of a spinning reel for fishing. In particular, FIG. 3 is a plan 
view of the spinning reel and FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional side view of 
the handle. 
According to a handle for a fishing reel employed in the second embodiment, 
a support shaft 2 is provided on and projected from the end portion side 
surface of a handle arm 1', and a handle knob 3' is securely mounted for 
rotation on the outer periphery of the support shaft 2. 
The handle knob 3' includes a knob portion 3c formed of reinforced wood, a 
hollow shaft portion 8, and a nut 9. 
The knob portion 3c made of reinforced natural wood includes in the central 
portion thereof, for example, a hexagonal throughhole into which a metal 
nut 9 is fixedly fitted. 
The hollow shaft portion 8 includes a flange portion 8a in the base portion 
of one side thereof and an external thread portion 8b in the outer side 
thereof. Both the flange portion 8a and the knob portion 3c project from 
the shaft portion 8 by a distance which is greater than the diameter of 
the shaft portion 8 to thereby define a finger receiving section 
therebetween. 
The nut 9 includes an internal thread portion 9a and a hollow portion 9b. 
The internal portion 9a is threadingly engaged with the external thread 
portion 8b of the hollow shaft portion 8, while a dressing plug 10 is 
fixed to the opening of the hollow portion 9b of the nut 9 so as to cover 
the opening. 
The handle arm 1' is fixed to a handle shaft (not shown), and the handle 
shaft is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown) provided in a reel 
main body 4'. A rotor 11 and a spool 7' are respectively disposed in the 
front portion of the reel main body 4'. A winding drive mechanism as well 
as a rotor 11 are connected to the handle shaft (not shown). 
Inside of the rotor 11, a spool 7' round which a fishing line is be wound 
is mounted on a spool shaft (not shown) which can be freely moved back and 
forth. 
As similarly to the first embodiment, the handle knob 3' is situated at a 
planetary position with respect to the handle arm 1'. If the knob portion 
3c of the handle knob 3' is held by hand and the handle arm 1' and support 
shaft 2 are rotated, then the rotor 11 connected through the handle shaft 
(not shown) and winding drive mechanism is rotated to thereby wind a 
fishing line round a spool 7' (not shown). 
In this operation, the fingers abut against a flange portion 8a provided in 
the base portion of one side of the hollow shaft portion 8 and are 
prevented from being projected toward the handle arm 1' side beyond the 
flange portion 8a. 
In the above description, the handle knob 3 and the hollow shaft portion 8 
of the handle knob 3' are fitted directly with the support shaft 2 fixed 
to the end portion side surface of the handle arm 1, 1'. However, this is 
not limitative but, alternatively, they may be fitted via a ball bearing 
or the like. 
Also, the handle knob 3 described in the first embodiment may comprise the 
support design and structure of the second embodiment, while the handle 
knob 3' described in the second embodiment may comprise the design of the 
first embodiment. 
Further, in the above description, although the fishing reel is defined as 
a dual-bearing fishing reel and a spinning reel for fishing, a fishing 
reel of other type can also be used. 
As noted above, various modifications can be obtained without departing 
from the spirit of the invention. The following two modifications are 
described as examples. 
FIG. 5 shows a handle knob 23 which is a modification of the handle knob 3 
shown in FIG. 1. In the handle knob 23, the radial length of the flange 
portion 23b is short relative to the flange portion 23b of the first 
embodiment, and the outer periphery of the flange portion 23b is chamfered 
and rounded. 
FIG. 6 shows a handle knob 33 which is another modification of the handle 
knob 3 shown in FIG. 1. The handle knob 33 includes a knob portion 33a and 
a flange portion 33b which are separately manufactured. The flange portion 
33b may be made of hard or soft synthetic resin, reinforced wood or other 
material. The knob portion 33a is rotatably supported on the support shaft 
32 through the flange portion 33b and a bearing 40 so that a clearance is 
formed between the support shaft 32 and an intermediate portion of the 
knob portion 33a. Preferably, the flange portion 33b is coupled integrally 
to the knob portion 33b so as to rotate together with the knob portion 
33b, but may be free from the rotation of the knob portion 33b. 
Due to the fact that the invention is structured in the above-mentioned 
manner, when the knob portion of the handle knob is held and rotated by 
fingers, the fingers are abutted against the flange portion in the base 
portion of one side of the handle knob and are prevented from being 
projected toward the handle arm side beyond the flange portion. Thanks to 
this, even if a winding operation is executed while applying to the handle 
knob such an irregular force as prizes the handle knob back and forth as 
well as up and down, there can be eliminated the possibility that the 
fingers can be damaged or injured, so that a safe and smooth winding 
operation can be realized. That is, the invention can supply a handle for 
a fishing reel which provides several effects in practical use.