Patent Publication Number: US-2010116920-A1

Title: Bait Reel For Fishing

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INvENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a bait reel for fishing, and more particularly, to a bait reel for fishing that restricts a reverse rotation of a spool unwinding a fishing line by means of a brake device applying a braking force adjustable by a user&#39;s manipulation, to such an extent that when the fishing line is pulled, it is not cut by the fish caught by the fishing line, thereby winding the fishing line while preventing the fishing line from being continuously unwound. 
     2. Background of the Related Art 
     Generally, a bait reel is used for fly fishing or lure fishing, which has a spool freely rotated forwardly and reversely such that a fishing line is smoothly wound on and unwound from the spool. 
     As an example of a conventional prior art bait reel, Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-0033105 discloses a double-bearing type bait reel for a bait casting mounted on a fishing rod, including: a basic unit having a spool for winding and unwinding a fishing line by forward and reverse rotations, a spool-driving mechanism for rotating the spool, and a mounting frame for connecting the spool and the spool-driving mechanism in such a manner as to allow them to be operated cooperatively with each other; and an outer shell part mounted on the mounting frame of the basic unit, wherein the basic unit further includes a brake mechanism for restricting the rotation of the spool and a level winding mechanism for arranging and winding the fishing line on the spool, and wherein the spool-driving mechanism includes a clutch mechanism adapted to allow the spool to be freely rotated in forward and reverse directions while the bait reel is not being operated and a drag mechanism adapted to restrict the reverse rotation of the spool if a tensile force is applied to the fishing line at the state where the clutch mechanism is operated. 
     In the general configuration of the bait reel, a rotary shaft of the spool is gear-coupled to the driving shaft of a handle, and as the handle is rotated, the spool is rotated, such that the fishing line is wound by the forward rotation of the spool and is unwound by the reverse rotation of the spool. 
     According to the above-mentioned conventional bait reel, the drag mechanism, which serves to prevent the forward rotation of the spool, generates a braking force therefrom when the fishing line is pulled and unwound by the fish caught by the fishing line, such that the spool is not rotated reversely. In this case, if a force pulled by the fish caught by the fishing line is more than a predetermined level, an excessive tensile force is caused on the fishing line by the braking force against the reverse rotation of the spool caused by the drag mechanism and by the force pulled by the fish caught by the fishing line. At this time, it is difficult to momentarily manipulate the drag mechanism against the resistance of the fish caught by the fishing line, such that the fishing line may be overwhelmed by the tensile force generated thereon, thereby being finally cut. 
     That is, the drag mechanism mounted on the conventional bait reel applies a predetermined braking force to the spool, irrespective of the force pulled by the fish caught by the fishing line. Thus, if the force pulled by the fish caught by the fishing line is larger than the predetermined braking force, the spool is rotated reversely to unwind the fishing line therefrom. However, the drag mechanism of the conventional bait reel fails to adjust the braking force easily, freely and smoothly by a user&#39;s manipulation, such that if the fish caught by the fishing line pulls the fishing line with the force that is larger than the braking force against the reverse rotation of the spool, the fishing line is frequently broken, resulting in a reduction in the number of fish caught. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a bait reel for fishing that restricts a reverse rotation of a spool unwinding a fishing line by means of a brake device applying a braking force adjustable by a user&#39;s manipulation, to such an extent that when the fishing line is pulled, it is not cut by the fish caught by the fishing line, thereby winding the fishing line while preventing the fishing line from being continuously unwound. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a bait reel for fishing that has a one-way clutch bearing adapted not to be reversely rotated and fitted along a rotary shaft of a spool and a brake disc on which the one-way clutch bearing is fixed adapted to come into close contact with a brake shoe rotated at a predetermined angle by a user&#39;s manipulation so as to restrict a reverse rotation of the spool unwinding a fishing line, to such an extent that when the fishing line is pulled, it is not cut by the fish caught by the fishing line, thereby winding the fishing line while preventing the fishing line from being continuously unwound. 
     To accomplish the above objects, according to the present invention, there is provided a bait reel for fishing including: a handle; a spool connected to the handle, the spool being adapted to wind a fishing line by the forward rotation thereof and to unwind the fishing line by the reverse rotation thereof; and a brake device which includes: a one-way clutch bearing coupled to a rotary shaft of the spool and constrained in the rotation thereof upon the reverse rotation of the spool; a brake disc on which the one-way clutch bearing is fixed, the brake disc being adapted to be rotated integrally with the one-way clutch bearing upon the reverse rotation of the spool; and a manipulating member having a brake shoe fixedly mounted at one end portion thereof and hinge-coupled to a casing to which the spool is fixed in such a manner as to be rotated by a predetermined angle by a user&#39;s manipulation to permit the brake shoe to come into close contact with the brake disc, thereby allowing a predetermined braking force for the brake disc to be adjustable by the user&#39;s manipulation, wherein the brake shoe of the manipulating member comes into close contact with the brake disc rotated integrally with the spool in accordance with the constraint in the rotation of the one-way clutch bearing coupled to the spool, such that the reverse rotation of the spool is restricted manually by the user&#39;s manipulation, without any restriction in the forward rotation of the spool, thereby allowing the fishing line to be wound on the spool. 
     According to the present invention, the brake disc includes: a disc-shaped brake drum having a fixing hole formed at the center thereof so as to allow the one-way clutch bearing to be pressingly fit thereto; and a brake ring fittingly mounted detachably on the outer periphery of the brake drum in such a manner as to be exchangeable, the brake ring being adapted to abut against the brake shoe of the manipulating member. 
     According to the present invention, the manipulating member includes: a brake lever having fixing pins disposed at both ends thereof in such a manner as to be hinge-coupled to the casing to which the spool is fixed; the brake shoe eccentrically fixed to a fixing pin at one side of the brake lever so as to come into close contact with the brake disc in accordance with the rotation of the brake lever; and an elastic spring mounted between a fixing pin at the other side of the brake lever and the casing so as to apply an elastic force to the brake lever. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view showing the entire configuration of a bait reel for fishing according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view showing the principal configuration of the bait reel for fishing according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view showing the principal parts of the bait reel for fishing according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a view showing the operation of the brake device of the bait reel for fishing according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A bait reel  1  for fishing according to the present invention is used for fly fishing or lure fishing, and the bait reel  1  includes a handle  2  and a spool  3  connected to the handle  2  in such a manner as to be freely rotated forwardly and reversely, thereby winding a fishing line by the forward rotation thereof and unwinding the fishing line by the reverse rotation thereof. According to the present invention, the bait reel  1  for fishing has a one-way clutch bearing  20  adapted not to be reversely rotated and adapted to be fitted along a rotary shaft  5  of the spool  3  and a brake disc  40  on which the one-way clutch bearing  20  is fixed, the brake disc being adapted to abut against a brake shoe  64  rotated at a predetermined angle by a user&#39;s manipulation, thereby restricting a reverse rotation of the spool  3  unwinding the fishing line to adjust the braking force by the user&#39;s manipulation, to such an extent that when the fishing line is pulled, it is not cut by the fish caught by the fishing line, such that the fishing line is wound on the spool  3 , while preventing the fishing line from being continuously unwound from the spool  3 . 
     Hereinafter, an explanation on a bait reel for fishing according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be given with reference to the attached drawings. In the description of the present invention and the drawings thereof, on the other hand, detailed descriptions and illustration on the construction and operation of the general bait reel for fishing that can be apparently appreciated by those skilled in the art will be simplified or omitted. More particularly, the detailed technical construction and operation of the elements not related directly to the technical characteristics of the present invention will be not described and illustrated herein, and only the technical configuration related to the present invention will be simply illustrated and explained. 
       FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view showing the entire configuration of a bait reel for fishing according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view showing the principal configuration of the bait reel for fishing according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view showing the principal parts of the bait reel for fishing according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 4  is a view showing the operation of the brake device of the bait reel for fishing according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     The bait reel  1  for fishing according to the present invention includes the spool  3  has a rotary shaft  5  connected to a handle shaft  6  of the handle  2  so as to wind the fishing line by the forward rotation thereof and to unwind the fishing line by the reverse rotation thereof, in accordance with the operation of the handle  2 , and a brake device  100 . According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the brake device  100  includes: the one-way clutch bearing  20 , the brake disc  40 , and a manipulating member  60 . 
     The one-way clutch bearing  20  is a bearing that is rotated in only one direction, which is coupled to the rotary shaft  5  of the spool  3  such that if the spool  3  is forwardly rotated, it is rotated and if reversely rotated, it is not rotated. The one-way clutch bearing  20  is insertedly fixed to the end portion of the outer periphery of the rotary shaft  5 , and according to the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the spool  3  has a ball bearing  7  fixedly fitted to the end of the rotary shaft  5  along which the one-way clutch bearing  20  is fitted, thereby permitting the rotary shaft  5  to be stably rotated. 
     The brake disc  40  has the one-way clutch bearing  20  fixed thereto, such that it can be rotated integrally with the one-way clutch bearing  20  upon the reverse rotation of the spool  3 . Therefore, the brake disc  40  is fixed to the rotary shaft  5  of the spool  3  by means of the one-way clutch bearing  20  and is placed at the inside of a casing  4  with no constraint in the rotation thereof. If the spool  3  is forwardly rotated, thus, the brake disc  40  is maintained at a halting state, and if the spool  3  is reversely rotated, the rotary shaft  5  of the spool  3 , the one-way clutch bearing  20  and the brake disc  40  are reversely rotated integrally with each other. 
     According to the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the brake disc  40  includes a brake drum  42  and a brake ring  44 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the brake drum  42  is of a disc-shaped body having a fixing hole  422  formed at the center thereof in such a manner as to pressingly fit the one-way clutch bearing  20  to the fixing hole  422 , thereby being formed integrally with the one-way clutch bearing  20 . Of course, the one-way clutch bearing  20  may be fixed to the brake drum  42  in a variety of manners instead of the press fitting. 
     The brake ring  44  is fittingly mounted around the outer periphery of the brake drum  42  in such a manner as to abut against the brake shoe  64  of the manipulating member  60 . Since the brake ring  44  is a component that is worn by frequently abutting against the brake shoe  64 , it is fittingly mounted detachably around the outer periphery of the brake drum  42  in such a manner as to be exchangeable. 
     The manipulating member  60 , which is operated manually by the user&#39;s manipulation, and includes the brake shoe  64  fixedly mounted at one end portion thereof. The manipulating member  60  is hinge-coupled to the casing  4  in which the spool  3  is fixed, and as shown in  FIG. 4 , it is rotated by a predetermined angle by the user&#39;s manipulation to permit the brake shoe  64  to come into close contact with the brake disc  40 . Since the rotating angle of the manipulating member  60  is adjusted manually by the user&#39;s manipulation to control a degree of contact (that is, a pressurizing force of the brake shoe  64  against the brake disc  40 ) between the brake shoe  64  and the brake disc  40 , the braking force for the brake disc  40  can be easily and smoothly adjusted by the user&#39;s manipulation. 
     When the fishing line is unwound to rotate the spool  3  reversely such that the rotary shaft  5  of the spool  3 , the one-way clutch bearing  20  and the brake disc  40  are reversely rotated integrally with each other, the manipulating member  60  brakes the reverse rotation of the brake disc  40 . In this case, the manipulating member  60  serves to prevent the fishing line from being continuously unwound from the spool  3  when the fishing line is pulled by the fish caught by the fishing line, and further, it serves to adjust the braking force for the brake disc  40  by the user&#39;s manipulation to allow the fishing line to be temporarily unwound when the fishing line is pulled strongly by the fishing caught thereby, thereby preventing the fishing line from being unexpectedly cut. 
     On the other hand, in the brake device  100  of the bait reel  1  for fishing according to the present invention the brake shoe  64  of the manipulating member  60  comes into close contact with the brake disc  40  by means of the one-way clutch bearing  20 , such that the spool  3  can be rotated forwardly even at the state where the braking force is applied to the brake disc  40 . Therefore, the fishing line can be repeatedly wound and unwound in a rapid manner in accordance with the operating state of the fish caught by the fishing line during the fishing, thereby easily carrying out the fish-catching operation. 
     According to the present invention, the manipulating member  60  includes the brake lever  62 , the brake shoe  64  and an elastic spring  66 . 
     The brake lever  62  is a component that is held and rotated directly by the user&#39;s hand and has fixing pins  622   a  and  622   b  having a predetermined length disposed at both ends thereof in such a manner as to be hinge-coupled to the casing  4  in which the spool  3  is fixed. 
     In this case, the fixing pins  622   a  and  622   b  are rotatably fixed to a body frame of the bait reel  1  in such a manner as to be fittingly coupled to bushes  624   a  and  624   b  disposed at both sides thereof. 
     The brake shoe  64  is eccentrically fixed to one side fixing pin  622   a  of the brake lever  62  at a position corresponding to the outer peripheral surface of the brake ring  44  of the brake disc  40  in such a manner as to come into close contact with the brake ring  44  in accordance with the rotation of the brake lever  62 . The brake shoe  64  is spaced apart from the brake ring  44  when the brake lever  62  is in a neutral state (that is, in the state where the brake lever is not moved, without any manipulation by the user). 
     According to the present invention, in this case, the brake shoe  64  is manufactured to a small size conforming to the width of the outer periphery of the brake ring  44 . Further, the brake shoe  64  is detachably coupled to a brake shoe holder  642  fixed to a fixing pin  622   a  at one side of the brake lever  62 . The aim of this is to smoothly and easily exchange the brake shoe  64  because the brake shoe  64  is a component that is abraded while frequently coming into close contact with the brake ring  44 . 
     The elastic spring  66  is mounted between the casing  4  and the other side fixing pin  622   b  positioned at the opposite side to the fixing pin  622   a  at one side of the brake lever  62  to which the brake shoe  64  is fixed. 
     In this case, the elastic spring  66  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is fixed at one end thereof to a spring-fixing plate  626  fixed to the other side fixing pin  622   b  of the brake lever  62  and is fixed at the other end thereof to the body frame of the bait reel  1  so as to apply an elastic force to the brake lever  62 , thereby allowing the brake lever  62  to be in a neutral state (that is, in the state where the brake shoe  64 , is positioned spaced apart from the brake ring  44 ) when no external force is applied. 
     When the brake lever  62  is rotated by the user&#39;s manipulation, the elastic spring  66  applies a restoring force toward an opposite direction to the rotated direction of the brake lever  62 , such that the balancing between the force applied to the brake lever  62  by the user&#39;s manipulation and the restoring force of the elastic spring  66  can be achieved to allow the brake lever  62  to be stably and minutely manipulated and to prevent the brake lever  62  from being rapidly rotated when the force generated by the user&#39;s manipulation and applied to the brake lever  62  is more than a predetermined level. 
     If no force is applied further to the brake lever  62  by the user&#39;s manipulation, the brake lever  62  is automatically returned to its neutral state. 
     Under the above-mentioned configuration, according to the bait reel  1  for fishing according to the present invention, the brake disc  40  is rotated integrally with the spool  3  by the constraint of the rotation of the one-way clutch bearing  20  coupled to the spool  3  rotated reversely when the fishing line is unwound, and the brake shoe  64  of the manipulating member  60  comes into close contact with the brake disc  40  rotated integrally with the spool  3 , thereby braking the reverse rotation of the spool  3 . 
     In this case, the brake shoe  64  of the manipulating member  60  is manipulated manually by the user in accordance with the rotation of the brake lever  62 , thereby adjusting the degree of contact between the brake shoe  64  and the brake disc  40  to allow the braking force to be appropriately adjusted, such that even though the fishing line is strongly pulled by the fish caught by the fishing line, it is not cut at all and is repeatedly wound and unwound in a rapid manner in accordance with the operating state of the fish caught by the fishing line. 
     As described above, the bait reel for fishing according to the present invention can restrict the reverse rotation of the spool unwinding the fishing line by means of the brake device applying a braking force adjustable by the user&#39;s manipulation, such that even though the fishing line is strongly pulled by the fish caught by the fishing line, it is not broken at all so as to prevent the number of fish caught from being decreased. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.