Rotatable line transfer member for a fishing reel with lever actuation
View Patent ↗A fishing reel having a lever actuated rotatable line transfer member comprises a reel body, a spool rotatably mounted on the reel body, the rotatable line transfer member mounted on the reel body for rotation about a central axis between a retrieve position and a cast position, with a lever extending through a slot in the reel body and operatively coupled to the rotatable line-transfer member. The lever is engaged in slidable communication between a first end and a second end of the slot in the reel body to rotate the rotatable line-transfer member to the retrieve position and the cast position, respectively.
1 . A fishing reel, comprising:
a reel body;
a spool mounted on the reel body with a central axis;
a rotatable line-transfer member mounted on the reel body for rotation about the central axis between (i) a retrieve position in which a line slot of the rotatable line-transfer member substantially frictionlessly guides a fishing line to the spool during retrieval and (ii) a cast position in which the fishing line is permitted to pay out from the spool; and
a lever extending through a slot in the reel body and operatively coupled to the line-transfer member, wherein the lever is engaged in slidable communication between a first end and a second end of the slot on the rotatable line-transfer member to rotate the rotatable line-transfer member to the retrieve position and the cast position, respectively.
2 . The fishing reel of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable line-transfer member comprises a dome-shaped body with a truncated top and the line slot comprises an L-shaped channel having a radial segment and a circumferential segment adjacent to a perimeter of the dome-shaped body of the rotatable line-transfer member.
3 . The fishing reel of claim 2 , wherein the radial segment extends through an opening of the truncated top, wherein the L-shaped channel of the line slot has a slanted L-shape with the circumferential segment of the slanted L-shape being parallel to circumference of the dome-shaped body of the rotatable line-transfer member, and wherein an angle between the circumferential segment and the radial segment of the slanted L-shape line slot is an acute angle.
4 . The fishing reel of claim 2 , wherein the dome-shaped body of the rotatable line-transfer member defines a cavity configured to partially surround the spool.
5 . The fishing reel of claim 2 , further comprising a detent positioned on the perimeter of the dome-shaped body of the rotatable line-transfer member adjacent to the circumferential segment of the reel body.
6 . The fishing reel of claim 5 , wherein the detent is a spring-loaded translational detent.
7 . The fishing reel of claim 6 , wherein the reel body further comprises a first conical notch adjacent the first end and a second conical notch adjacent the second end of the slot configured to releasably retain the line-transfer member in the retrieve and cast positions when the detent engages with the first conical notch and the second conical notch respectively.
8 . The fishing reel of claim 2 , further comprising a first magnetic stop positioned on the perimeter of the dome-shaped body of the rotatable line-transfer member adjacent to the circumferential segment of the reel body.
9 . The fishing reel of claim 8 , wherein the reel body further comprises a second magnetic stop adjacent the first end and a third magnetic stop adjacent the second end of the slot configured to releasably retain the line-transfer member in the retrieve and cast positions when the first magnetic stop engages with the second magnetic stop and the third magnetic stop respectively.
10 . The fishing reel of claim 1 , wherein reel body is a generally cylindrical receptacle configured to accommodate a plurality of rotating gears of the fishing reel.
11 . The fishing reel of claim 1 , wherein the lever comprises a bent extension extending from the lever, wherein the bent extension is angled about 90 degrees from the lever.
12 . The fishing reel of claim 1 further comprises an extended slot extending beyond the second end of the slot.
13 . The fishing reel of claim 12 , wherein the extended slot is configured to accommodate a safety block.
14 . The fishing reel of claim 1 , wherein an inner perimeter of a generally cylindrical wall of a generally cylindrical receptacle of the reel body comprises a tab attached to the inner perimeter of the generally cylindrical wall, and wherein the rotatable line transfer member comprises a grooved lower perimeter comprising a slot.
15 . The fishing reel of claim 1 , wherein during the retrieval of the fishing line to the spool, the fishing line is wound directly in a straight line with line redirection of the fishing line, and while the fishing line is wound onto the spool, the fishing line is wound under tension without requiring a part of the reel body to be touched to provide control of the fishing line.
16 . A fishing reel having a lever actuated rotatable line transfer member, comprising:
a reel body;
a spool mounted on the reel body with a central axis;
a rotatable line transfer member mounted to the reel body for rotation about the central axis between (i) a retrieve position in which a line slot of the rotatable line-transfer member guides a fishing line during retrieval and (ii) a cast position in which the fishing line is permitted to pay out from the spool, wherein the rotatable line transfer member comprises a circular base and a wire-frame projecting above and substantially spanning across a diameter of the circular base, wherein the wire frame defines the shape of a major circular sector of a circle that is disposed above the circular base on a horizontal plane, and wherein the line slot attaches the wire frame to the circular base; and
a lever extending through a slot in the reel body and operatively coupled to the line-transfer member, the lever engaged in slidable communication between a first end and a second end of the slot in the reel body to rotate the rotatable line-transfer member respectively to the retrieve position and the cast position.
17 . The fishing reel of claim 16 , wherein the wire-frame of the rotatable line transfer member substantially spans across a diameter of the circular base, and wherein the rotatable line transfer member further comprises a support arm extending from the wire frame defining the shape of the major circular sector.
18 . The fishing reel of claim 16 , wherein the line slot comprises an L-shaped channel having a radial segment and a circumferential segment, wherein the radial segment extends between the circumferential segment of the L-shaped channel and an opening in the wire frame, wherein the opening is between ends of the major circular sector of the wire frame.