GB2247143A

GB2247143A - Fishing rod

Info

Publication number: GB2247143A
Application number: GB9115834A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Isamu Tokuda
Original assignee: Shimano Inc
Current assignee: Shimano Inc
Priority date: 1990-07-24
Filing date: 1991-07-23
Publication date: 1992-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 2011-07-23
Also published as: GB9115834D0; JPH0435764U; KR920002020A; GB2247143B; DE4124556A1

Description

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:;::2 -1-1 -7 1- -411:3 FISHING ROD This invention relates to fishing rods,and more particularly to a fishing rod such as a surf fishing rod or a black sea bream fishing rod having a top guide attached to a tip end thereof for receiving a fishing line and guiding the fishing line let out or taken up.

Conventionally, the top guide is secured to the tip end of a fishing rod.

With such a construction having the top guide secured to the tip end, the portion of the fishing line forwardly of the top guide tends to twine around the tip under the influence of wind or as a result of mishandling of the rod. The fishing line sometimes twines around intermediate line guides mounted on the tip as well as the tip end. Such twining of the fishing line hampers feed control of the fishing line and could cause the tip to break.

While fishing, particularly after dark, the angler often winds up the fishing line without the knowledge of the fishing line twining around the tip. When the fishing line is wound up in such a state, an -2increased resistance acts on the winding operation. and the tip end is forcibly pulled by the fishing line toward the angler. As a result, the rod tip is bent to excess and may be broken.

An object of the present invention is to provide a useful fishing rod having a reduced chance of the rod tip being broken by twining of the fishing line.

The above object is fulfilled, according to the present invention, by a fishing rod comprising a rod tip divided into a distal member and a proximal member. the distal member including a top guide, wherein the distal member is attached to the proximal member to be rotatable around an axis of the rod tip.

In this construction, the top guide is rotatable with the distal member relative to theproximal member. thereby to check twining around the rod tip of the portion of the fishing line forwardly of the top guide.

Alternatively, the top guide may be attached to the rod tip to be rotatable around the axis of the rod tip. Rotation of the top guide relative.tb fhe rod tip will reliably check twining around thb-.rod.tip 6f the portion of the fishing line forwardly-of the tbp guide.

i; i 1 C According to the present invention, therefore, the fishing line has a reduced chance of twining around the rod tip. This results in a reduced chance of the fishing line being wound up while twining around the rod tip. Consequently, there is a less chance of breaking the tip, and the fishing line may be fed smoothly.

The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to'the accompanying drawings in which the single-Figure is a fragmentary side view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

A fishing rod embodying the present invention will -Particularly be described with reference to the drawing.

As shown in the.Figure, this fishing rod is a telescopic rod having a rod tip 1 divided into a distal member 1A and a proximal member 1B. The distal member 1A carries a top guide 2 fixed thereto, and is rotatable around a tip axis X relative to the proximal member 1B.

The distal member 1A is attached to the proximal member 1B through a sleeve 3 having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion. The large diameter portion of the sleeve 3 is fitted on and bonded to a forward end of the proximal member 1B, while the small diameter portion thereof rotatably receives the distal member 1A. The distal member 1A includes a retainer la formed at an end thereof lying inside the sleeve 3. The retainer la has a larger diameter than an inside diameter of the small diameter portion, and is supported in place on a stepped position of the sleeve 3 through a bearing 4.

The rod tip 1 includes a plurality of intermediate guides 5 which are movable longitudinally of the rod toward a grip end to reversibly fit tight with and fixed to predetermined positions of the small diameter portion of the sleeve 3 and the proximal member 1B.

According to this embodiment, rotation of the top guide 2 and distal member 1A relative to the proximal member 1B checks twining around the rod tip 1 of the portion of a fishing line forwardly of the top guide 2.

When the top guide 2 is out of phase with the intermediate guides 5, a tension acting on the fishing line will rotate the top guide 2 substantially into phase with the intermediate guides 5.

The distal member 1A of this fishing rod is supported peripherally at a rear position thereof through pressure contact with the bearing 4, whereby the distal member 1A may be maintained in an extended 1 I 1 1 i P 1 -5state. The distal member 1A may be pushed to a contained position inside the proximal member 1B.

The described embodiment may be modified as follows:

In the above embodiment, the distal mi!mber having the top guide 2 is rotatably attached to proximal member 1B. However, the top guide 2 may mounted on the rod tip 1 to be rotatable around the axis of the rod tip. Further, the distal member 1A having the top guide 2 may be rotatably attached to the proximal member 1B, with the top guide 2 mounted on the rod tip 1 to be rotatable around the axis of the rod tip. The mechanism for rotatably attaching the top guide 2 to the rod tip 1 may employ the mechanism, as described, of rotatably attaching the distal member 1A to the forward end of the proximal member 1B. or a construction in which the top guide 2 is freely rotatably mounted on the distal member 1A, with a retainer provided in a connection between the top guide 2 and distal member 1A.

While the foregoing embodiments have been described 1A the be in relation to a telescopic rod, the present invention is applicable also to a separate type rod. a flushjoint separate type rod and a monolithic rod.

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Claims

1 A f ishing rod comprising a rod tip including a distal member having a top guide mounted thereon, wherein said top guide is rotatable about an axis of said rod tip.

2. A fishing rod as claimed in claim 1. wherein said rod tip is divided into said distal member having said top guide mounted thereon, and a proximal member.

3. A fishing rod as claimed in claim 2, wherein said distal member is attached to said proximal member to be rotatable around said axis of said rod tip.

4. A fishing rod as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rod tip includes a sleeve mounted on a forward end region of said proximal member and having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion, said large diameter portion being fixed to said proximal member, said distal member rotatably extending through said small diameter portion, and wherein said distal member includes a retainer formed at an end thereof lying inside said sleeve, said retainer having a larger diameter than an inside diameter of said small diameter portion, and supported in place on a stepped position of said sleeve.

5. A fishing rod as claimed in claim 4, wherein said retainer is supported on the stepped position of said sleeve through a bearing.

6. A fishing rod as claimed in claim 5, wherein said distal member is supported peripherally at a rear position thereof through pressure contact with said bearing, whereby said distal member may be maintained in an extended state.

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7. A fishing rod as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein said top guide is also rotatably mounted on said distal member.

8. A fishing rod substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Published 1992 at The Patent Office. Concept House, Cardiff Road. Newport. Gwent NP9 1RH. Further copies may be obtained from Sales Branch, Unit 6, Nine Mile Point. Cwrafelinfach. Cross Keys, Newport, NPI 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques lid, St Mary Cray, Rent.