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 lever 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:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 61/820,297 filed May 7, 2013 and hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    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. 
         [0003]    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. 
         [0004]    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. 
         [0005]    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. 
         [0006]    An alternative to the above design can be found in conventional spin casting reels, 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, which are sometimes used for bow fishing. 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 anus 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. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides a fishing line reel that improves upon conventional spin casting reels in a number of ways, particularly when used for bow fishing. First, the reel may default to a state allowing rapid line release rather than requiring conscious release of a line guide used for winding. In this way, the user cannot forget to release the line guide before releasing the drawn arrow avoiding the possibility that the line will break or the arrow may stretch the line and recoil, or the reel may be damaged. 
         [0008]    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 lever may smoothly vary the amount of resistance to the line unspooling or may lock the line spool against rotation. 
         [0009]    During unspooling, both the line spool on which the line is wound may rotate and the line guide may be retracted. This dual-action improves the smooth unspooling of fishing line during high-speed payout of fishing line at arrow flight speeds. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, the invention provides a fishing line reel including a housing that supports a crank mechanism operable by a user for rotating a first shaft extending along an axis with respect to the housing. The housing holds a line spool that can rotate about the first shaft. A winder rotates with the first shaft using 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. On the other hand, when the line guide is in a retracted position, it frees the fishing line so that the fishing line does not wind about the line spool with the rotation of the first shaft. A lever mechanism is positioned to be operable by the user to move the line guide from the retracted position to the extended position when the lever moves between a released position and an actuated position and a bias spring biases the lever mechanism to move the line guide to the released position. 
         [0011]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a fishing line reel that defaults to a line release position reducing the chance of arrow recoil or damage if the user fails to remember to release a bail arm prior to the shooting arrow. 
         [0012]    It is another feature of at least one embodiment of the mention to provide for dual-action release in which the line is both released from the line guide and the line spool allowed to rotate to permit high-speed payout of the fishing line. While the inventors do not wish to be bound to a particular theory, it is believed that the dual-action reduces twisting that may cause line fouling. 
         [0013]    The fishing line reel may include a friction clutch positioned between the line 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 lever from the release position to the actuated position. Generally, the frictional restraint may vary smoothly with continuous movement of the lever from the released position to the actuated position and a substantially constant friction may be obtained at each lever position. It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a user controllable frictional line restraint that may be controllably varied during a catch rather than requiring presetting by the user. 
         [0014]    The friction clutch may be a wave washer. 
         [0015]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a compact and simple friction element that also provides a desired spring biasing. 
         [0016]    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 lever toward the actuated position after an increasing frictional restraint by the friction clutch. 
         [0017]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to allow the user to lock the line spool against rotation again by simple lever action of the same lever that controls frictional engagement. 
         [0018]    The dog clutch may provide a set of inter engaging teeth between the housing and the line spool. 
         [0019]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a compact spool locking mechanism using portions of the housing and line spool. 
         [0020]    The winder may provide a fishing line deflector positioned coaxially about the first shaft and presenting a peripheral surface allowing the line to freely slide circumferentially about the axis along the fishing line deflector when the line guide is in the retracted position. 
         [0021]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to promote rapid line payout when the line guide is disengaged from the line. 
         [0022]    The line guide may be a pin extending toward the rear and parallel to the first axis in the extended position and retracting forwardly parallel to the first axis in the retracted position. 
         [0023]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a robust line guide that may be simply operated by a tension-controlling lever. 
         [0024]    The fishing line reel may further include a cover fitting over the winder and line spool and providing a front opening centered about the axis for receiving the fishing line along the axis. 
         [0025]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a guide to the fishing line promoting fast payout and reducing line fouling. 
         [0026]    The winder may provide a circular fishing line deflector providing a radially symmetric outer surface guiding fishing line from the opening around the circular fishing line deflector to the line spool. 
         [0027]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to promote an even payout of the fishing line. 
         [0028]    The line guide may be a pin extending toward the rear and parallel to the first axis from the fishing line deflector in the extended position and retracting within the fishing line deflector in the retracted position. 
         [0029]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to orient the line guide for engagement with simple axial motion. 
         [0030]    The circular fishing line deflector is attached to the first shaft via a sliding key allowing translational movement without rotational movement of the fishing line deflector with respect to the first shaft and the lever may communicate via connecting bar through a hollow bore in the first shaft to a compression cap pressing the circular fishing line deflector toward the line spool. 
         [0031]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to permit simultaneous control of the line guide and frictional or locking of the line spool with a simple compressive force applied by the lever. 
         [0032]    The fishing line reel may further include at least one rolling element thrust bearing positioned between the compression cap and the fishing line deflector. It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to permit independent control of the line spool restraining force (through the frictional clutch) and the line guide restraining force (through the crank), for example, to permit locking or tensioning of the line spool when the fishing line is being retracted under control of the crank and possibly against the force of the fish. 
         [0033]    The circular fishing line deflector may provide a first and second axially displaced portion wherein the line guide is fixed to a frontmost portion and extends through the rearmost portion, with separation between the frontmost portion and rearmost portion moving the line guide between the extended position and the retracted position. 
         [0034]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a two-part fishing line deflector that may robustly support the line guide. 
         [0035]    The line spool may provide a central hub about which the line is wound having a greater diameter toward the opening in the cover through which the string exits and a lesser diameter away from the opening. 
         [0036]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to control the exit direction of the line to ensure smooth payout. 
         [0037]    The lever may extend along a direction perpendicular to the axis. 
         [0038]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to position the lever for ready access by the fingers of a bow-fisher&#39;s hand supporting the bow during use of the bow. 
         [0039]    The crank mechanism may include a right angle drive so that an axis of rotation of the crank mechanism by the user is perpendicular to the first axis and perpendicular to the extent of the lever. 
         [0040]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to permit operation of the crank mechanism by a bow-fisher&#39;s free hand without release of the bow grip. 
         [0041]    The fishing line reel may include a mounting bracket attached to the housing and providing a clamp adapted to attach to a portion of a bow riser, the mounting bracket orienting the housing with the axis extending in a direction of arrow travel from the bow and allowing the housing to be moved vertically and horizontally with respect to the bow riser. 
         [0042]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a simple method of attaching the fishing line reel to different bows. 
         [0043]    The mounting bracket may attach the housing substantially abutting a side of a bow riser. 
         [0044]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to minimize torque on the bow grip when force is applied to the fishing line while permitting the controls of the lever and crank to be conveniently located near the bow-fisher&#39;s hand. 
         [0045]    The crank mechanism may include a one-way drive allowing the application of torque to the crank mechanism in only a single direction by the crank. 
         [0046]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to promote a winding of the fishing line on the spool in a consistent direction such as promotes consistent and rapid payout. 
         [0047]    The line spool includes a hole extending through the hub for tying the line to the hub. 
         [0048]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to permit convenient tie-off of the fishing line in a manner that prevents the fishing line from sliding around the spool during winding. 
         [0049]    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 
         [0050]      FIG. 1  is a fragmentary perspective view of a bow riser portion of a bow having the reel of the present invention attached thereto; 
           [0051]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational cross-section of the reel of  FIG. 1  showing positioning of the control lever forward in the released position so that line guide used for winding line around the line spool is retracted and the line spool is free to rotate; 
           [0052]      FIG. 3  is a figure similar to that of  FIG. 2  showing positioning of the control lever rearward in the actuated position so that 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; 
           [0053]      FIG. 4  is a fragmentary exploded view of the mechanism of the reel of  FIG. 1  showing operation of the control lever to extend or retract the line guide within a fishing line deflector and showing positioning of wave washer used to provide a controlled friction clutch and engagement tabs providing a dog clutch between the housing and the line spool; and 
           [0054]      FIG. 5  is a plot of frictional force restraining the line spool against rotation as a function of the control lever position between a release and an actuation point. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0055]    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 user&#39;s bow hand  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 . 
         [0056]    A fishing line reel  20  for storing and paying out fishing line  22  may be attached to the bow riser  14  above the grip  16  to substantially abut the bow riser  14  to one side of the bow riser  14 . 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, fly casting line, by its greater strength and substantially greater outer diameter. 
         [0057]    The fishing line reel  20  may have a reel housing  23  attached to a vertically extending slide  24 , the latter received by clamp jaws  26 . The clamp jaws  26  may be held by a base mount  31  which may be attached to the riser  14  by one or more bolts (not shown) passing through the base mount  31  into standard threaded sight holes on the riser  14 . The base mount  31  has a horizontal slot (not shown) holding a captive nut so that the clamp jaws  26  may be attached to the base mount  31  by a T-bolt  27  and be adjustable horizontally forward and backward along axis  19 ′— 
         [0058]    In use, the slide  24  may be adjusted vertically along an axis  21  substantially perpendicular to axis  19  within the clamp jaws  26  and horizontally along axis  19  by sliding the base mount  31  and horizontally. After vertical &amp; horizontal positioning is obtained the clamp jaws  26  may be tightened together by tightening T-bolt  27  preventing further movement of the slide  24  with respect to the clamp jaws  26  while also firmly attaching the clamp jaws  26  to the riser  14  via the base  31 . The reel housing  23  is positioned to allow the fishing line  22  extending along an axis  19 ′ parallel to axis  19  to be vertically aligned with axis  19 . Generally the axis  19 ′ of the fishing line  22  will be separated horizontally with respect to the axis  19  by displacement distance  29  of less than substantially three inches and preferably less than two inches, significantly limiting torque on the grip  16  when tension is applied to the fishing line  22 . A lower end of spool control lever  35  extends out of the reel housing  23  and downward from the housing  23  along but not necessarily aligned with the vertical axis  21  so as to be easily operated by fingers of a hand  33  of the user holding the grip  16 . When not operated by the user, the control lever  35  will be in a forward released position as shown. 
         [0059]    A double 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 ) about axis  32  perpendicular to axis  19  and axis  21 . The crank arm  30  may include rotating grips  34  on each end as is generally understood in the art. 
         [0060]    In normal use, a reel cover  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 ′. 
         [0061]    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 ball bearing  42  held in a right side portion of the housing  23  (not shown) 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 driveshaft  48 , the latter extending generally along axis  19 ′, to rotate the driveshaft  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 . 
         [0062]    The driveshaft  48  extends forward from and out of the housing  23  to pass progressively through a wave washer spring  50 , a fishing line spool  52  having an internal bushing, a needle bearing  54 , a second wave washer  51 , a rear fishing line deflector  56 , an E-clip  58 , a compression spring- 59 , and a front fishing line deflector  60 . A key surface  63  (or other spline-type sliding attachment) on the driveshaft  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 driveshaft  48  but are free to slide within a limited range axially along axis  19 ′ with respect to the driveshaft  48 . The E-clip  58  attaches to a notch  66  in the driveshaft  48  to restrain forward axial movement of the rear fishing line deflector  56 ; however, the front fishing line deflector  60  is not so constrained by the E-clip  58 . 
         [0063]    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. 
         [0064]    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 . 
         [0065]    The rear rim  74  may include teeth  75  that may engage corresponding teeth  77  on a front edge of the housing  23  when wave washer spring  50  is fully compressed which allows the rim  74  to move rearward as will be discussed. 
         [0066]    The lever  35  may attach inside the housing  23  at its upper end at a fulcrum point  78  so that the lever  35  may pivot thereabout. In addition the lever  35  may pivotally attach at a point were it crosses axis  19 ′ to a through shaft  80  that passes forward through a hollow bore extending axially through the driveshaft  48  along axis  19 ′. The through shaft  80  may thus slide smoothly through the hollow bore of the driveshaft  48  with movement of the lever  35  and without interference with rotation of the driveshaft  48 . An end of the through shaft  80  extending through the driveshaft  48  may be attached to an end cap  82  which may press against the front surface of the front fishing line deflector  60  through a thrust needle bearing  62  so as to provide compressive force along axis  19 ′ without constraining the rotation of the front fishing line deflector  60  when the lever  35  is pulled back. 
         [0067]    A line guide pin  84  is 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. The line guide pin  84  may be received within a loose aligned bore formed in the rear fishing line deflector  56  to slide there through. 
         [0068]    The action of the wave washer spring  50  and compression spring  59  serves to move the lever to the forward released position when it is not pressed by the user. In this released position, the end cap  82  may move freely forward under the influence of the spring bias of compression spring  59  and wave washer spring  50  as urged by the intervening structure of the line spool  52  and the rear and front fishing line deflectors  56  and  60 . Compression spring  59  separates the rear fishing line deflector  56  from the front fishing line deflector  60  pulling the line guide pin  84  fully within the rear fishing line deflector  56  so that it may not interfere with a sliding of the fishing line  22  around the smooth, radially symmetrical outer peripheries of the line guides  56  and  60  during an unspooling operation. In addition wave washer spring  50  separates the teeth  77  and  75  of the housing  23  and rear rims  74  so that the line spool  52  may freely rotate. It will be understood therefore that paying out of the fishing line  22  is facilitated both by the ability of the fishing line  22  to pass freely around the fishing line deflectors  56  and  60  in an unwrapping process and rotation of the fishing line spool  52 . 
         [0069]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , with rearward motion of the lever  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 . Free rotation of the fishing line deflectors  56  and  60  under compression is ensured by needle bearings  62  and  54 ; however, the compression causes increased friction between the fishing line spool  52  and the housing  23  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. 
         [0070]    Referring now momentarily also to  FIG. 5 , generally the frictional force between the line spool  52  and the housing  23  when the lever  35  is in the released position  90  shown in  FIG. 2  will be substantially zero as ensured by the roller bearings  54  and  62 . With drawing back of the lever  35  by the user, pulling the lever  35  rearward, increased force of compression on wave washer spring  50  causes a smooth increase in frictional force in region  92 . When the lever is fully pulled back to an actuation point  94 , the teeth  75  of the rim  74  may engage teeth  77  of the housing  23  to provide a dog clutch positively locking the two together and providing substantially infinite rotational resistance up to the point of breakage. It will be noted that the actual control of the tension of the fishing line  22  will be a function both 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 . 
         [0071]    Referring still to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , retraction of the lever  35  rearward to the actuation position also provides an extension of the line guide pin  84  from a rear surface of the rear fishing line deflector  56  so that it 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. 
         [0072]    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 lever  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  33  holding the bow to engage the lever  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 lever  35  tensioning, retraction of the fishing line may be flexibly controlled. 
         [0073]    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. 
         [0074]    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. 
         [0075]    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.