Patent ID: 8176674

Claim:
A roller assembly for a fishing rod roller guide comprising: a roller made of rigid material and including first and second ends spaced along an axis, with the roller further including a first axial hole extending from the first end through the second end, with the first axial hole including first and second receiving portions spaced along the axis, with each of the first and second ends of the roller including a first annular groove radially outward of and spaced from one of the first and second receiving portions in a radial direction perpendicular to the axis, with each of the first and second ends of the roller further including a peripheral flange surrounding one of the first annular grooves and extending along the axis away from a center of the roller; first and second bearings respectively received in the first and second receiving portions, with each of the first and second bearings including an inner ring and an outer ring receiving the inner ring, with the inner and outer rings being rotatable relative to each other, with the outer ring having a diameter slightly smaller than the first and second receiving portions; first and second side covers made of rigid material and respectively mounted to the first and second ends of the roller, with each of the first and second side covers including inner and outer sides spaced along the axis and a second axial hole extending from the first side through the second side, with the inner side of each of the first and second side covers including a bulged portion abutting against the inner race of one of the first and second bearings, with the inner side of each of the first and second side covers further including a lip received in but not in contact with a peripheral wall and a bottom wall of one of the first annular grooves of the roller, with the lip of each of the first and second side covers including a second annular groove aligned with one of the peripheral flanges of the roller; first and second rings made of soft material and respectively mounted in the second annular grooves of the first and second side covers with a portion of each of the first and second rings outside of the second annular groove; an axle extending through the second axial holes of the first and second side covers and the inner races of the first and second bearings, with a gap formed between each of the first and second rings and one of the peripheral flanges of the roller, with a spacing portion formed between the inner side of each of the first and second side covers and one of the first and second ends of the roller; and viscous, immovable grease received in the gaps and sealing a top portion of each of the first and second bearings aligned with an end edge of one of the first and second receiving portions.