Water Depth Measuring Device for a Fishing Reel

The present invention relates to a water depth measuring device for a fishing reel in which the unwound length of a fishline is calculated by a controller so that the depth of water at which a fishhook or the like is suspended may be indicated.

In boat fishing or the like, the success of a catch is directly affected by the accuracy with which a fishhook or the like is placed in a school of fish detected by a fish finder. To this end, there are several types of conventional fishing reels and water depth measuring device for measuring the wound or unwound length of a fishline. Each of the conventional water depth measuring device includes an electronic control section (main section) combined with a rotation transmitting section (mechanical section), and it is not easy to assemble and disassemble the water depth measuring device when repairing or replacing an element thereof. Also, it has been difficult to manufacture a water depth measuring device that is completely waterproof and not subject to water damage.

An object of the present invention is a water depth measuring device for a fishing reel in which and electronic control section and a rotation indication section are formed separately from each other.

Another object of the present invention is a water depth measuring device having and electronic control that is not subject to water damage.

Still another object of the present invention is a water depth measuring device that may be easily and unexpensively repaired.

These and other objects are accomplished by a water depth measuring device for a fishing reel comprising a reel body having a spool rotatably supported therein, reel rotation indicator means attached to the reel body and adapted to contact a fishline wound on the spool and to generate a line cast signal corresponding to the cast of fishline in response to the rotation of the spool, a watertight compartment mounted on the reel body, and a line cast indicator means in the watertight compartment and adapted to detect the line cast signal and to indicate the length of a fishline cast from the spool.

The manner by which the above objects and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are attained will be fully apparent from the following detailed description when considered in view of the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of a water depth measuring device for a fishing reel according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a fishing reel fitted with the water depth measuring device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a fishing reel fitted with the water depth measuring device of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 shows a perspective, exploded view of the main section and rotation transmitting section of the water depth measuring device of the present invention and the body of the fishing reel.

In the water depth measuring device of the present invention, a mounting seat is integrally provided on the upper portion of the body of a fishing reel. The main section of the water depth measuring device is preferably integrally formed and has a case in which electrical components such as a sensor, a controller, an indicator, a sound maker, and a power supply are enclosed in a watertight manner. The rotation transmitting section of the water depth measuring device is integrally formed and has a projecting case in which a roller and a magnet for detecting the rotation of the roller through the use of the sensor are supported and are movingly connected to each other through a rotation transmitting means. The projecting case is mounted on a support and urged by the force of a spring so that the roller can be brought into pressure contract with the surface of a fishline wound on a spool.

The main section and the rotation transmitting section are removably secured to the mounting seat in such a manner that both the sections are separated from each other. Since the main section and the rotation transmitting section for rotating the magnet by the rotation of the spool of the fishing reel through the roller are formed and provided separately from each other, the electrical components can be enclosed in a watertight manner in the case of the main section. For that reason, the main section can be formed as a single box so as to facilitate waterproofness. Since the main section and the rotation transmitting section are separately secured to the mounting seat of the body of the fishing reel, it is easier to assemble and the water depth measuring device during manufacture and to disassemble it to repair or replace a member thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the body 1 of a fishing reel has cover plates 3 and 3' and secured by screws (not shown in the drawings) to the outsides of right and left side plates 2 and 2' so that the body is integrally formed. A spool shaft 5 is supported at both the ends thereof by bearings 7 and 7' in bearing holes 6 and 6' so that a spool 4 is supported between both the side plates 2 and 2' and can be rotated in conjunction with the rotation of a handle not shown in the drawings.

The side plates 2 and 2' are coupled to each other at the upper portions thereof by a coupling portion 2a which has a flat top. A projection 2b rises from the front part of the top of the coupling portion 2a and extends in parallel with the spool shaft 5 so that a seat 8 is provided on the top of the reel body 1 for mounting the main section and a rotation transmitting section of a water depth measuring device.

The main section 9 of the water depth measuring device has a flat case 10 made of a lower and upper members 10a and 10b having mutually symmetric forms and fitted on each other in a watertight manner. Electrical components such as a sensor 11 (e.g., a magnetic flux sensor), a controller 12, and indicator 13, a sound maker 14, a power supply 15, and a resetting button 36 are enclosed in a watertight manner in the case 10.

It is preferably that the fitted surfaces of the lower and upper members 10a and 10b of the case 10 are provided with a plurality of openings 16 and a plurality of projections 17, respectively. The projections 17 are fitted in the openings 16 after an adhesive is applied to the fitted surfaces to adhere the upper and the lower members to each other in a waterproof manner. Alternatively, a waterproof seal may be pinched between the fitted surfaces and the upper and lower members may be coupled to each other in a waterproof manner by a fastening means, such as screws. The plan view of the case 10 is shaped as an L or the like so that an open space 18 provided. The rotation transmitting section 19 is secured to the mounting seat 8 so that the rotation transmitting section is located in the open space 18.

The rotation transmitting section 19 is located in a projecting case 20, which is made of right and left members 20a and 20b coupled to each other. A roller 21 is rotatably supported by a shaft 22 under the tip of the projecting case 20 so that the roller can be brought into pressure contact with the surface 23a of a fishline 23 wound on the spool 4. A magnet 24 for sensing the rotation of the roller 21 through the use of a sensor 11 of the main section 9 of the water depth measuring device is provided at one end of the projecting case 20 and is secured to the side surface of a bevel gear 26 rotatably supported by a shaft 25. The roller 21 and the bevel gear 26 are movingly connected to each other by a rotation transmitting means 27, e.g., a link, to rotate the magnet 24 in conjunction with the rotation of the roller 21. The projecting case 20 is supported at the one end on one side of a support 28 by the shaft 25 so that the projecting case may be turned. The force of a torsion spring 29 is applied to the projecting case 30 in such a direction as to bring the roller 21 into pressure contact with the surface 23a of the fishline 23 wound on the spool 4.

The rotation transmitting means 27 is located in the projecting case 20 and comprises a rotary shaft 30 extending in the longitudinal direction of the case. Bevel gears 31 and 32 are secured to the ends of the rotary shaft and are engaged with bevel gears 26 and 33, respectively. The bevel gear 33 is supported at the tip of the projecting case 20 and fitted with an annular member made of rubber or the like. A rotation transmitting mechanism, e.g., a belt, may be provided instead of the rotation transmitting means 27. In the rotation transmitting mechanism, pulleys are supported instead of the bevel gears 26 and 33, and a belt is wound on the pulleys.

The shaft 25 is rotatably supported by the support 28 and urged n the circumferential direction thereof by the torsion spring 29. The projecting case 20 is secured to the shaft 25, while the bevel gear 26 is rotatably fitted on the shaft 25.

The main section 9 of the water depth measuring device is placed on the mounting seat 8 of the reel body 1 and secured to the projection 2b by screws 34. The rotation transmitting section 19 of the water depth measuring device is secured at the support 28 to the mounting seat 8 by a screw 35 so that the rotation of the magnet 24 being rotated in conjunction with the rotation of the roller 21 can be sensed by the sensor 11.

The water depth measuring device of the present invention performs the functions as follows:

1. Indication of approximate depth of water at which the end of the fishline is present;

2. Indication of length of unwound fishline; and

3. Preset depth warning buzzer.

An optional water depth can be set in a memory. An intermittent buzzer sound may be initiated when a fishhook or the like has reached a water depth that is about 5 m less than the set water depth. When the fishhook or the like has reached the set water depth, the buzzer is sounded continuously. The setting of the optional water depth is performed by using a set button. A new water depth is set every time the set button is pressed.

When a reset button is pressed, an indicated value becomes "000". When the indicated value has become 5 m, an intermittent buzzer sound is made through the action of the controller in order to prevent the tip of a fishing rod, the fishhook, the fishline, or the like from being damaged.

When the reset button is pressed, the indicated value is changed to "000" an the set water depth is cleared. This reset function can be used for zero adjustment and so forth.