Spring Biased Pawl Patents (Class 242/307)
  • Patent number: 9872485
    Abstract: A system and method for protecting a fishing reel is provided. The method may include selecting a fishing reel having a generally round spool with a hub and a flange, selecting a reel edge guard having an elongate outer circumferential surface and an elongate lateral surface attached together in an angular arrangement and formed into a generally circular shape, and attaching the reel edge guard to the fishing reel spool flange with a permanent adhesive such that the reel edge guard outer circumferential surface is disposed around an outer edge of the spool flange and such that the reel edge guard lateral surface is attached to a lateral face of the spool flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Inventor: Kirk Blosch
  • Patent number: 8678308
    Abstract: A reel drag sound producing device is provided for producing sound in conjunction with a drag function of a dual-bearing reel having a reel unit with a main gear. The drag sound producing device includes a rotation member being disposed in the reel unit to be rotated unitarily with the main gear, a pivot shaft being disposed in the reel unit, a hitting member being disposed onto the pivot shaft and to be moved between a silent position and a sound producing position, a drive mechanism being configured to move the hitting member in a first direction between the sound producing position and the silent position in conjunction with rotation of the main gear in a fishing-line winding direction and moved in a radial direction for a predetermined distance, and an urging member being configured to urge the hitting member towards the sound producing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Niitsuma, Ken′ichi Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 8490909
    Abstract: The dual-bearing reel drag sound producing device includes a rotation member, a pivot shaft, a hitting member, a drive mechanism, and an urging member. The rotation member is disposed adjacent to the side cover to rotate unitarily with a main gear, and includes a plurality of sound producing convexes on an outer peripheral surface thereof. The hitting member is attached on the pivot shaft to move radially at a predetermined distance from the pivot shaft and configured to pivot between a silent position and a sound producing position. The drive mechanism is configured to cause the hitting member to pivot from the silent position to the sound producing position and further to a position being opposite to the silent position across the sound producing position, in conjunction with rotation of the main gear. The urging member is configured to urge the hitting member towards the sound producing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Takuji Takamatsu, Akira Niitsuma, Kouji Ochiai, Kunio Takechi
  • Publication number: 20120018562
    Abstract: The dual-bearing reel drag sound producing device includes a rotation member, a pivot shaft, a hitting member, a drive mechanism, and an urging member. The rotation member is disposed adjacent to the side cover to rotate unitarily with a main gear, and includes a plurality of sound producing convexes on an outer peripheral surface thereof. The hitting member is attached on the pivot shaft to move radially at a predetermined distance from the pivot shaft and configured to pivot between a silent position and a sound producing position. The drive mechanism is configured to cause the hitting member to pivot from the silent position to the sound producing position and further to a position being opposite to the silent position across the sound producing position, in conjunction with rotation of the main gear. The urging member is configured to urge the hitting member towards the sound producing position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Takuji TAKAMATSU, Akira NIITSUMA, Kouji OCHIAI, Kunio TAKECHI
  • Publication number: 20110180647
    Abstract: A reel drag sound producing device is provided for producing sound in conjunction with a drag function of a dual-bearing reel having a reel unit with a main gear. The drag sound producing device includes a rotation member being disposed in the reel unit to be rotated unitarily with the main gear, a pivot shaft being disposed in the reel unit, a hitting member being disposed onto the pivot shaft and to be moved between a silent position and a sound producing position, a drive mechanism being configured to move the hitting member in a first direction between the sound producing position and the silent position in conjunction with rotation of the main gear in a fishing-line winding direction and moved in a radial direction for a predetermined distance, and an urging member being configured to urge the hitting member towards the sound producing position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Akira NIITSUMA, Ken'ichi KAWASAKI
  • Patent number: 7883043
    Abstract: A fishing reel, such as a spincast reel or a spinning reel, has a clutch assembly mounted on a shaft adjacent to the rotating component, the clutch assembly for frictional engagement with a rotating component. The clutch assembly has a first and a second protuberance. A bite alert contact is located for engagement with the first protuberance. A calibration member is adjacent the clutch assembly for engagement with the second protuberance. The calibration member provides a selectable amount of resistance to rotation of the clutch assembly, thereby regulating an amount of rotational force required to activate the bite alert contact. The fishing reel may further include a sensitivity switch for adjusting the selectable amount of resistance provided by the calibration member, which may adjust the resistance in discrete amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: W.C. Bradley/Zebco Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert R. Wilson, M. Scott Smith, Robert Bagby, Chris Flory, Joshua Buck, Tony Wei
  • Patent number: 7878438
    Abstract: The spool sound producing mechanism includes a collar member, an operation member, a convexo-concave member, a sound producing member and urging members. The collar member has first and second overlapping apertures. The operation member has a shaft portion that is movably attached and positioned in either the aperture. The convexo-concave member is configured to rotate with a spool. The sound producing member is attached to the shaft portion and allows a tip of the sound producing member to be disposed between or separated from convexes of the convexo-concave member. The urging members are configured to urge the sound producing member to direct the tip of the sound producing member towards the plurality of convexes of the convexo-concave member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Takeshi Ikuta
  • Publication number: 20110011968
    Abstract: The spool sound producing mechanism includes a collar member, an operation member, a convexo-concave member, a sound producing member and urging members. The collar member has first and second overlapping apertures. The operation member has a shaft portion that is movably attached and positioned in either the aperture. The convexo-concave member is configured to rotate with a spool. The sound producing member is attached to the shaft portion and allows a tip of the sound producing member to be disposed between or separated from convexes of the convexo-concave member. The urging members are configured to urge the sound producing member to direct the tip of the sound producing member towards the plurality of convexes of the convexo-concave member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Takeshi IKUTA
  • Patent number: 7419113
    Abstract: A drag mechanism includes a first drag unit, a second drag unit and a switching mechanism. The first drag unit brakes a spool shaft of a spool. The first drag unit includes a first drag knob that is immovable in a back and forth direction and rotatably mounted on an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical portion. The second drag unit brakes the spool shaft in a position frontward of the first drag unit. The second drag unit includes a second drag knob that is immovable in a back and forth direction and rotatably mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion. The switching mechanism switches the first drag unit between a drag enabling state and a drag disabling state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Noor Azri Bin Abd Razak, Miang Chin Goh
  • Patent number: 7401748
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily attach a sound producing mechanism to a spool of a spinning reel and to compactly dispose the spool. An annular attachment member to which a hitting member of a sound producing mechanism is attached is detachably/reattachably mounted and fixed in an attachment recess that is formed to be annularly concaved in an inner peripheral portion of a bobbin trunk. Here, the annular attachment member is completely mounted in the attachment recess that is formed to be annularly concaved. Accordingly, it is possible to easily attach the attachment member to the attachment recess, and it is also possible to uniformly maintain the weight balance of a spool in the peripheral direction. In addition, here, the attachment member is mounted in the attachment recess. Thus, the attachment member is not likely to protrude backward from a rear end portion of the bobbin trunk, compared to the conventional configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Keigo Kitajima, Hirokazu Hiraoka, Shingo Matsuo
  • Patent number: 7175121
    Abstract: A second sounding mechanism includes a first member, a plurality of concave/convex portions that are formed on an inner peripheral surface of the first member to be spaced apart in the circumferential direction, a second member that is non-rotatably mounted on a spool shaft, a pawl member that is arranged on the second member to be pivotable and contactable with the concave/convex portions, and a pair of urging members that are arranged on both sides of the pawl member and urge the pawl member to a central position by pressing on both sides thereof. The tip of the pawl member is arranged to be contactable with the concave/convex portions, and the concave/convex portions repeatedly contact with the pawl member to produce sounds when the spool is rotated. In a sounding mechanism of a spinning reel, the spool can rotate smoothly, while clear, crisp sounds can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Takeshi Ikuta
  • Patent number: 7104485
    Abstract: A spinning-reel sounding mechanism for emitting sound when a spool spins in a fishing-line reel-out direction includes a spool shaft, an annular member, a tubular first sounding part, a second sounding part and a rotation-restricting member. The annular member is non-rotatably and immovably coupled to the spool shaft at a rearward portion of the spool shaft. The first sounding part is rotatably coupled to the annular member along an outer periphery of the annular member. The second sounding part repeatedly collides with the first sounding part to emit sound when a spool rotates in the fishing-line reel-out direction. The rotation-restricting member is disposed between the annular member and the first sounding part for restricting rotation of the first sounding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Ken'ichi Sugahara
  • Patent number: 7090160
    Abstract: A sound generating mechanism of a dual bearing reel generates sound by the rotation of a spool, and includes a serrated member, an operation member, a sounding member, a first urging member, and a second urging member. The serrated member includes projections and rotates with the spool. The operation member can come into contact and be separated from the serrated member. The sounding member is pivotably movable in accordance with movement of the operation member between a sound generation position and a release position. The first urging member urges the sounding member toward the rotational center of the serrated member when the sounding member is in the sound generation position. While the sounding member is in the sound generation position, the second urging member applies a greater urging force to the sounding member when the spool rotates in the line-releasing direction than when the spool rotates in the line-winding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Morimoto, Mahimai Das A/L Marimuthu
  • Patent number: 6971601
    Abstract: A sound producing mechanism for a spinning reel includes a first sound producing portion that is coupled to a spool shaft and has an attachment portion and a plurality of saw tooth portions that are formed in a saw tooth shape circumferentially apart on an outer peripheral surface of the attachment portion; and a second sound producing portion that is attached to the spool and includes a pawl member that repeatedly comes into contact with the saw tooth portions to produce sound. The first sound producing portion is mounted to the spool shaft so as to be unrotatable when the spool rotates in a line releasing direction and rotatable when the spool rotates in a line winding direction. The pawl member is urged toward the saw tooth portions by a spring member. The spinning reel sound producing mechanism produces sound only when the spool rotates in the line releasing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Ken'ichi Sugawara
  • Patent number: 6957788
    Abstract: A sound generating mechanism 60 includes a sounding member 61, a retaining member 62, a sounding pin 64, and a coil spring 65. The sounding member 61 includes a disk portion 61a formed into a ring shape, a plurality of sounding concavities 61b formed circumferentially apart on the disk portion 61a, and engagement portions 61c integrally formed with the disk portion 61a. The retaining member 62 prevents the sounding member 61 from falling off. The sounding pin 64 is mounted in the knob member 56 at a position opposite at least one of the sounding concavities 61b so as to be movable toward and away from the sounding concavities 61b. The coil spring 65 urges the sounding pin 64 toward the sounding concavities 61b. The sounding pin 64 is unlikely to fall off when the knob member 56 is attached to or removed from the knob mounting portion 52.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Keigo Kitajima
  • Patent number: 6854677
    Abstract: A sounding mechanism includes: a mount part mounted onto a rear end portion of a bobbin trunk portion and made of a synthetic resin; a disk member non-rotatably fastened to the spool shaft at the rear of the bobbin trunk portion; a pawl member mounted to the mount part so as to be relatively rotatable with the disk member; and a spring member fitted onto the mount part for urging the pawl member toward the disk member. By relative rotation between the spool and the spool shaft, the pawl member comes into contact with the disk member to produce sound. The mount part is made of a synthetic resin and is screw-fastened onto the rear end of the bobbin trunk portion by screws. The spinning-reel sounding mechanism allows reduction of the weight of the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Ken'ichi Sugawara
  • Publication number: 20040178290
    Abstract: A sound producing mechanism for a spinning reel includes a first sound producing portion that is coupled to a spool shaft and has an attachment portion and a plurality of saw tooth portions that are formed in a saw tooth shape circumferentially apart on an outer peripheral surface of the attachment portion; and a second sound producing portion that is attached to the spool and includes a pawl member that repeatedly comes into contact with the saw tooth portions to produce sound. The first sound producing portion is mounted to the spool shaft so as to be unrotatable when the spool rotates in a line releasing direction and rotatable when the spool rotates in a line winding direction. The pawl member is urged toward the saw tooth portions by a spring member. The spinning reel sound producing mechanism produces sound only when the spool rotates in the line releasing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventor: Ken'ichi Sugawara
  • Publication number: 20040041045
    Abstract: A sounding mechanism includes: a mount part mounted onto a rear end portion of a bobbin trunk portion and made of a synthetic resin; a disk member non-rotatably fastened to the spool shaft at the rear of the bobbin trunk portion; a pawl member mounted to the mount part so as to be relatively rotatable with the disk member; and a spring member fitted onto the mount part for urging the pawl member toward the disk member. By relative rotation between the spool and the spool shaft, the pawl member comes into contact with the disk member to produce sound. The mount part is made of a synthetic resin and is screw-fastened onto the rear end of the bobbin trunk portion by screws. The spinning-reel sounding mechanism allows reduction of the weight of the spool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: SHIMANO, INC.
    Inventor: Ken?apos;Ichi Sugawara
  • Publication number: 20030136866
    Abstract: First sounding mechanism, which issues sound when spool rotates relative to spool shaft, is furnished with sound-emitting member, pawl member, and plate spring. Sound-emitting member is non-rotatably mounted on spool shaft, and has multiple jags radially jutting on its outer periphery. Pawl member has body portion pivotably mounted on spool; pawl portion formed on the spool-shaft side of the swing center; and arcuate contact face formed on body portion on a side of the swing center SC opposite spool shaft. First-side radius R1 of contact face, is smaller than its second-side radius R2. Plate spring mounted on spool at an end nearer the first side of contact-face is, and contacts contact face at the other end, urging pawl portion of pawl member to collide with sound-emitting member. In a spinning-reel sounding device having a pawl member, the tone fluctuations due to spool rotational direction are controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Applicant: SHIMANO, INC
    Inventors: Keigo Kitajima, Hirokazu Hiraoka
  • Publication number: 20020020772
    Abstract: A fishing reel comprising a spool releasably secured by a locking nut on a spindle of a spool carrier, a ratchet mechanism engageable through a friction plate assembly being adapted to allow the spool to rotate relatively freely in a first direction and adapted to impart resistance or prevent rotation in the reverse direction, the friction plate assembly being operable by rotation of the locking nut to control the resistance to rotation in the reverse direction, the ratchet mechanism comprising a reversible pawl on the carrier and a circular ratchet mounted on the spindle of the carrier for coaxial rotation relative to the spindle, the pawl being moveable by means of a switch between a first position to prevent rotation of the ratchet in the forward direction and a second position to prevent rotation of the ratchet in the reverse direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventor: Charlie Norris
  • Patent number: 6056223
    Abstract: A spool rotational alert spring mounted to a disk drag, for use in a fishing reel of the spin-cast type, having a body with a fixed hub for supporting a line carrying spool.The disk drag supported non-rotatably on the hub is a unitary device that performs both the function of applying drag pressure against the wall of the spool and mounting a spool rotational alert spring with its free end engaging annularly disposed serrations on the wall of the spool, to produce an audible alarm alerting the user when the line carrying spool rotates against the disk drag that line is being withdrawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Inventor: Thomas Glen Kirby
  • Patent number: 6010087
    Abstract: A fly fishing reel is disclosed which allows for a simplified construction allowing for reversibility of the drag effect on a spool to facilitate left- or right-hand operation without disassembling small parts which can be lost in the boat. The spool structure is strengthened by virtue of a tapered design. A snap-on cap doubles as a support for a spring that holds the spool to a shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Scott T. Merrill, Robert L. Forslund, Ronald M. Cross
  • Patent number: 5954285
    Abstract: A driving arrangement for a motorized fishing reel has a first or driving gear, a second larger gear, a third or pinion gear, and a fourth gear. The driving gear is mounted to and driven by a shaft of a motor. The second gear is meshed with and driven by the driving gear. The pinion gear is meshed with and driven by the second gear. The fourth gear is meshed with and driven by the pinion gear. A clutch arrangement including a cam clicker input drive and a cam plate output drive is disposed such that the cam clicker positively engages and is driven by the fourth gear for rotation in one direction when the motor is actuated and the cam clicker yields from engagement with the fourth gear when the clutch arrangement rotates in that one direction relative to the fourth gear. A reel shaft is connected to the cam plate such that the reel shaft and the cam plate rotate with each other in that one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Inventor: Kelsie C. Whisenhunt
  • Patent number: 5857632
    Abstract: A casting reel is provided with a stationery reel spindle having a clutch cavity. A clutch assembly having a draw bar and a plurality of spring washers and a clutch plate is contained within the clutch cavity. A torque converter having a first race and a second race is also provided with the second race being free to rotate in one direction and engaging with and rotating with the first race in the other direction. The first race is in frictional engagement with the pressure plate which is slideably mounted on the stationary reel spindle and in frictional engagement with the clutch plate and the first race of the torque converter. A line spool is mounted on the stationary reel spindle and attached to the second race of the torque converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Flylogic, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Arkowski
  • Patent number: 5713792
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fishing game device. The device comprises line take-up means rotatable forward and reverse; a fishing rod, to a distal end of which is fixed a fishing line fed from the line take-up means; a simulated reel attached to a side opposite to the distal end of the fishing rod and including a handle to be rotated by a player and a brake mechanism for applying a load braking force to the movement of the handle; and control means for controlling a magnitude of the load braking force of the braking mechanism in accordance with the rotational state of the line take-up means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Ohzono, Tomohiro Matsunaga, Masaki Matsuno, Futoshi Itoh, Ken Yamanouchi, Hiroyasu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5312067
    Abstract: A spinning reel has a reel body having a projection portion, a rotary frame, a bail arm and a toggle urge mechanism for switching over, via a drive arm, the bail arm between a fishing-line releasing position to a fishing-line retrieving position. Either a contacted portion of the drive arm to be contacted by the projection portion or this projection portion is projectable and retractable through contact with the other and is urged in a projecting direction by a projection urging mechanism. The projection urging mechanism has a push-out urging force equal to or substantially equal to a push-in force applied thereto by either the contacted portion or the projection portion in association with the rotary movement of the rotary frame in the line retrieving direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Kenichi Sugawara, Osamu Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 5299757
    Abstract: A stopper apparatus for a spinning reel includes a ratchet wheel mounted for unitary rotation on a sleeve shaft loosely fitted on a spool shaft, and a ratchet pawl engageable with the ratchet wheel. The ratchet wheel and pawl is switchable by a switching lever between an operative position to prevent a rotary frame from rotating in a line unwinding direction, while allowing the rotary frame to rotate in a line winding direction, and an inoperative position to allow the rotary frame to rotate in the line unwinding direction as well as the line winding direction. A resistor is connected to the switching lever to act on the rotary frame. When the switching lever is operated to switch the ratchet wheel and pawl to the operative position, the resistor is also switched to a position to apply a resistance to the rotary frame before the pawl fully engages the ratchet wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenichi Sugawara
  • Patent number: 5297758
    Abstract: A fishing reel with a click sound generator. The reel includes a pair of side frames, a spool rotatably fitted on a support shaft extending between the side frames and a level wind mechanism disposed radially outside the spool and including a drive shaft extending in parallel with the drive shaft. The spool and the drive shaft are operatively connected with each other for co-rotation. The drive shaft mounts a clicking wheel, and the drive shaft and the clicking wheel are operatively connected with each other through a oneway clutch mechanism for unidirectionally allowing rotational force in a direction for delivering a fishing line from the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Hitomi
  • Patent number: 5022606
    Abstract: A click sound generator for a fishing reel includes a clicking claw and a clicking toothed gear in order to generate a click sound. The clicking claw is arranged in engagement with the clicking toothed gear. The click sound generator of the present invention further includes two kinds of the springs. Two springs are arranged in contact with the clicking claw to apply two kinds of resilient forces in the opposite direction to each other. The stronger resilient force is applied to the clicking claw to generate a large click sound only when a fishing line is unwound from a spool, and the other resilient force is applied to the clicking claw to generate a small sound only when the fishing line is wound on the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: Daiwa Seiko, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 4943012
    Abstract: In a double bearing fishing reel, one end portion of the spool shaft rotatably supported between the right and left side frames of the reel body in such a manner as to be rotated with the handle is extended through a bearing hole formed in a male-threaded protrusion which is provided on one of the side frames, and a protrusion is formed on the cylindrical wall of a brake adjusting screw member which is threadably engaged with the male-threaded protrusion to abut against the spool shaft in the axial direction, while a retaining member is provided on the one side frame in such a manner that the protrusion and the retaining member are engageable with each other in the axial direction, whereby the brake adjusting screw member is restrained form loosening or coming off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: Ryobi Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsuhito Aoki