US 6,981,668 B2
Drag adjustment knob for a spinning reel
Koji Ochiai, Sakai (Japan); Kei Saito, Sakai (Japan); and Tomokazu Kitazaki, Osaka (Japan)
Assigned to Shimano Inc., Osaka (Japan)
Filed on Apr. 29, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/834,171.
Claims priority of application No. 2003-137329 (JP), filed on May 15, 2003; application No. 2003-143818 (JP), filed on May 21, 2003; and application No. 2003-346035 (JP), filed on Oct. 03, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2004/0227027 A1, Nov. 18, 2004
Int. Cl. A01K 89/015 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 242—246 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
16. A spinning reel, comprising:
a handle;
a reel unit that rotatably supports the handle;
a rotor rotatably supported on front of the reel unit;
a spool rotatably mounted on a spool shaft such that a rearward movement of the spool relative to the spool shaft is restricted, the spool being supported on front of the rotor so as to move forward and backward, the spool shaft being movable forward and backward with respect to a reel unit of the spinning reel and having a first male screw portion formed on its front end and;
a drag mechanism for braking the spool; and
a drag adjustment knob for adjusting drag force of the drag mechanism, the drag adjustment knob being coupled to the first male screw portion of the spool shaft and including
a first adjustment unit that includes a first female screw portion that is adapted to screw onto the first male screw portion,
a transmission unit that is adapted to be non-rotatably but axially movably mounted on the spool shaft so as to be in contact with a rear of the first adjustment unit, the transmission unit having a second male screw portion,
a second adjustment unit that includes a second female screw portion that screws onto the second male screw portion, and
a pressing unit that is disposed between the second adjustment unit and the drag mechanism so that the pressing unit can come into contact with both the second adjustment unit and the drag mechanism, the pressing unit being non-rotatable but axially movable with respect to the spool shaft;
the number of threads of one of the first and second female screw portions that has a greater screw lead being greater than that of the other of the first and second female screw portions.