JP7597691B2 - Thread-like object detection device and fishing reel - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a filamentous object detection device capable of detecting thin filamentous objects such as fishing lines, and to a fishing reel incorporating such a detection device.

Fishing reels are generally known that incorporate a line length measuring device that can measure the length of fishing line that is unwound from the spool. Typically, line length measuring devices are configured to calculate the length of the line that is unwound from the spool diameter, rotation speed, thickness of the fishing line, etc., which correspond to the amount of line wound, and display the calculated length on a display. However, such line length measuring devices have the problem of lacking accuracy, since the spool diameter, rotation speed, etc. are not stable (the setting conditions change if the line breaks, etc.).

For this reason, it is thought that it may be possible to detect the fishing line and measure its exact length by using an optical sensor that shines light onto the fishing line as it is being reeled out and receives the reflected light. For example, if markings with different reflectivities are added at regular intervals to the fishing line, it is expected that the exact length of the line can be measured by detecting the change in the amount of reflected light.

Generally, optical sensors are known that include a light-emitting element that irradiates the object to be measured with light, and a light-receiving element that receives the light reflected by the object to be measured (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 describes a configuration in which, in addition to the light-emitting element and light-receiving element, integrated circuit components electrically connected to these elements are mounted on the surface of a substrate.

JP 2011-180121 A

However, when using such an optical sensor to detect the reflected light from a thread-like detection object to determine the presence or absence, color, and brightness of the detection object, there is a problem in that it is difficult to detect sufficient reflected light because the surface area of the detection object is small, making it difficult to obtain an accurate signal. In particular, the fishing line used in fishing reels has a small diameter (the surface area of the detection object is small), making it difficult to detect reflected light and therefore difficult to accurately measure the line length. Furthermore, fishing reels used in harsh natural environments such as the sea have the problem that the fishing line swings when released from the spool or wound up, making it difficult to obtain an accurate signal.

The present invention was made with a focus on the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a detection device for a filamentous object that can obtain sufficient reflected light even when the detection object is a thin filamentous object such as a fishing line, and a fishing reel incorporating such a filamentous object.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the detection device for a filamentous object according to the present invention is characterized by having a light-emitting unit that irradiates light onto a filamentous object to be detected that moves in an axial direction, a light-receiving unit that receives the reflected light of the light irradiated onto the object to be detected and is disposed adjacent to the light-emitting unit, a guide unit that guides the object to be detected, and a reflector that is disposed on the opposite side of the light-emitting unit with the object to be detected in between.

The thread-like object detection device configured as described above irradiates light from the light-emitting unit onto the thread-like detection object moving in the axial direction, and the light reflected from the surface is directly received by the light-receiving unit. The light reflected from the surface of the thread-like detection object is also reflected by a reflector and received by the light-receiving unit, so the amount of light returning to the light-receiving unit can be increased. This makes it possible to perform stable detection even for objects with a small surface area such as threads. In addition, as the thread-like object moves in the axial direction, its movement is guided via the guide unit, which suppresses large vibrations and enables stable detection.

Such a detection device for a filamentous object can be incorporated, for example, into the body of a fishing reel. In other words, by attaching a marker or the like to the fishing line as it is unwound from the spool, it becomes possible to accurately measure the line length.

According to the present invention, a detection device is obtained that can obtain sufficient reflected light even when the detection target is a thread. Furthermore, by incorporating such a detection device, a fishing reel is obtained that can accurately measure the line length.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a detection device for a thread-like object according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view of the assembled state of the detection device for a thread-like object shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an outline of a light path of the thread-like object detection device shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a first modified example of a reflecting surface. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a second modified example of the reflecting surface. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the configuration of a reflecting surface, in which FIG. 1A shows an example of a cylindrical surface, and FIG. 1B shows an example of a spherical surface. 1A to 1C are diagrams showing examples of use of a detection device for a thread-like object according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a detection device for a filamentous object (hereinafter referred to as a detection device) according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2 show an embodiment of a detection device, with FIG. 1 being an exploded perspective view and FIG. 2 being a plan sectional view of the device in an assembled state.

The detection device 1 of this embodiment has a housing 2 of a substantially cubic shape, with a rectangular opening 2a formed on one side 2A and a notch 2b formed on the opposing other side 2B. Furthermore, guide sections 5a, 5b for inserting and guiding a thread-like object (hereinafter referred to as thread 50) are provided on the same straight line on top and bottom sides 2C, 2D that are perpendicular to these sides 2A, 2B. The guide sections 5a, 5b of this embodiment are configured as cylindrical bodies with circular cross sections, and are press-fitted into the top and bottom sides 2C, 2D, respectively, to guide the thread 50 in the vertical direction (in the following description, the central axis of the guide sections 5a, 5b is defined as the guide axis X).

The housing 2 is formed to have a hollow portion 2E that is closed inside, and the guide portions 5a and 5b are fixed in a state in which they are separated in the guide axis direction in the hollow portion 2E. Therefore, the thread 50 is guided in an exposed state within the hollow portion 2E. The position of the thread 50 is identified by passing through the inner space of the two guide portions 5a and 5b that are aligned coaxially. In this embodiment, the inner diameter of each guide portion 5a and 5b is given some play relative to the diameter of the thread 50, allowing the thread 50 to move freely without load relative to the guide portions.

In this embodiment, the line 50 is assumed to be a fishing line used for fishing. In this case, the line 50 is coated with paint with a different reflectance at predetermined distances (e.g., 10 cm).

The optical sensor 7 is press-fitted and fixed in the opening 2a of the housing 2. This optical sensor 7 is a so-called reflective photosensor in which a light-emitting unit 7A and a light-receiving unit 7B are arranged side by side. The light-emitting unit 7A is composed of an LED and a lens, etc., and has an optical axis Y1 perpendicular to the guide axis X. The light-receiving unit 7B is composed of a phototransistor, etc., and outputs a signal according to the amount of light received. This light-receiving unit 7B has an optical axis Y2 perpendicular to the guide axis X. Therefore, the optical axis Y1 of the light-emitting unit 7A, the optical axis Y2 of the light-receiving unit 7B, and the guide axis X of the guide units 5a and 5b are configured and arranged in a positional relationship such that they intersect at approximately one point within the hollow portion 2E. As a result, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 7A is irradiated to the thread 50 exposed in the hollow portion, and the reflected light is received by the light-receiving unit 7B.

The light emitting unit 7A is preferably configured so that the emitted light is directed toward the exposed thread 50 without scattering. For example, it is preferable to provide an optical element (collimator, condenser lens, etc.) 7a on the emission surface side of the light emitting unit 7A, which irradiates the emitted light as parallel light or convergent light toward the exposed thread 50. The light receiving unit 7B has a characteristic that it can strongly receive the wavelength of light emitted by the light emitting unit 7A, and generates a signal (reflection signal) according to the reflectance of the point where the light is incident on the thread 50. By monitoring this reflection signal and counting the number of bright and dark points, for example, the movement distance of the thread 50 can be detected. Specifically, the thread 50 is coated with paint (for example, three colors, red, green, and blue) with different reflectances at predetermined distances, and the light sensor 7 is configured as a color sensor that emits different signals for each color, so that the movement distance of the thread 50 can be detected.

A reflector 10 is disposed in the cutout 2b formed in the other side 2B of the housing 2. The reflector 10 is disposed on the opposite side of the optical sensor 7 across the guide axis X, and is treated with aluminum deposition or other treatment to reflect the light emitted from the light emitting unit 7A. The reflector 10 has a cross section that forms a quadratic curve when broken at a cross section including the optical axes of the light emitting unit 7A and the light receiving unit 7B (broken at a plane perpendicular to the thread 50 and passing through the optical axis of the optical sensor; FIG. 2). The surface of the reflector 10 may be subjected to a multilayer coating that increases the reflectance of the wavelength that can be received by the optical sensor 7 and decreases the reflectance of light of other wavelengths, or optical treatment that gives the reflecting surface an uneven structure smaller than the wavelength of light, such as a moth-eye structure.

By holding the guides 5a and 5b, the optical sensor 7, and the reflector 10 in the housing 2 in the positional relationship described above, it becomes possible to detect the yarn 50 moving in the axial direction within the closed cavity 2E. For example, the detection here is carried out by processing the reflected signal from the light receiving unit 7B according to a predetermined program and calculating the distance and direction of movement of the yarn.

The housing 2 is preferably made of a material with low transmittance so as to block disturbance light. In addition, the surface facing the space including the optical axis of the optical sensor 7 may be coated with anti-reflective paint or surface treatment. The detection device 1 configured as described above can be installed on fishing equipment, and can be configured so as to be fixed to a fishing rod 100, for example, using a connecting portion 2G integrally formed with the housing 2. If it is to be applied to fishing equipment in this way, it is preferable to provide a watertight structure for the housing 2 by providing a packing or waterproof structure between each element.

Next, the configuration of the reflector 10 will be described with reference to FIG.
The light emitted from the light-emitting unit 7A is irradiated onto the thread 50 as described above, and is diffusely reflected at that location. Therefore, the light returning to the light-receiving unit 7B is only a portion of the diffusely reflected light, and since the surface area of the thread 50 is small, the amount of light returning to the light-receiving unit 7B is small. In other words, the smaller the surface area of the thread 50 (the thinner the thread 50), the less light returns to the light-receiving unit 7B.

In addition, as described above, in order to realize smooth movement of the thread 50, the guide sections 5a and 5b need some play, and there is a limit to the precision with which the thread 50 can be positioned. In particular, when tension is lost in the thread 50, slack may occur in the thread 50, causing a misalignment between the thread 50 and the guide axis X, and in a configuration in which the light-emitting section 7A irradiates convergent light onto the surface of the thread 50, the thread 50 moves away from the focus of the light-emitting section 7A. This reduces the amount of light returning to the light-receiving section 7B. If the amount of light returning to the light-receiving section 7B is reduced, the reflected signal obtained from the light-receiving section 7B will be weak, and there is a risk that correct detection will not be possible.

In order to suppress the decrease in the amount of light received at the light receiving unit 7B as described above, the present invention is configured so that a portion of the light that is diffusely reflected when it hits the thread 50 is reflected by the reflecting surface 10A of the reflector 10, thereby increasing the amount of light that returns to the light receiving unit 7B. Specifically, the cross-sectional shape of the reflecting surface 10A of the reflector 10 is a quadratic curve, which allows the light to be returned to the light receiving unit 7B over a wider area than when the reflecting surface is configured as a flat surface.

In other words, if the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 7A is irradiated onto the reflecting surface 10A without hitting the thread 50, and the reflected light returns to the light-receiving unit 7B, the detection of the thread 50 cannot be performed correctly. To avoid this, as described above, an optical element 7a is provided on the emission surface side of the light-emitting unit 7A, which converts the emitted light (parallel light or convergent light) 7d toward the thread 50 as shown in Figure 3, thereby suppressing the reflected light from the reflecting surface of the light that is not irradiated onto the thread 50, and increasing the reflected light 7e from the thread 50 that enters the light-receiving unit 7B.

In addition, the emitted light 7d does not directly enter and reflect on the reflective surface 10A, and the light 7e' that is diffusely reflected by the thread 50 enters the reflective surface 10A. However, the reflected light 7f (reflected light containing information about the thread 50) becomes parallel light toward the light receiving unit, as described below, because the reflective surface 10A is formed in a quadratic curve. This makes it possible to increase the amount of reflected light containing information about the thread 50 that can be detected by the light receiving unit.

Furthermore, it is preferable not to place the above-mentioned reflective surface 10A on the opposite side region 12 of the thread 50, which is the portion directly irradiated by the light-emitting unit 7A, but to perform a surface treatment to reduce the reflectance. This makes it possible to prevent the emitted light 7d from being directly incident on the reflective surface 10A.

As described above, by forming the reflecting surface 10A as a quadratic curve, paraxial approximation can be used when tracing rays, making it easier to design and verify reflected light. Here, a quadratic curve is a quadratic equation on the (x, y) plane,
ax ² +2hxy+by ² +2gx+2fy+c=0
This is the figure created by all the solutions (x,y) of the equation, and includes arcs, ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas, as described below.

Figure 3 shows the case where the cross-sectional shape of the reflecting surface 10A is a parabola with the guide axis as the focus. When the light emitted from the light emitting unit 7A hits the thread 50, it is diffusely reflected in all directions. Of that, the light 7e' toward the reflecting surface 10A is reflected by the reflecting surface 10A and heads upward. In this case, it is generally known that when the light emitted from the focus is incident on a parabolic surface, it is reflected as a parallel ray (reflected light 7f having information about the thread 50). Therefore, if the reflecting surface 10A is a parabola with the guide axis as the focus, the light 7e' diffusely reflected by the thread 50 becomes parallel reflected light 7f at the reflecting surface 10A. By receiving a portion of this reflected light with the light receiving unit 7B, the signal emitted by the light receiving unit 7B can be strengthened even for an object with a small surface area such as a thread-like object.

FIG. 4 shows a case where the cross-sectional shape of the reflecting surface 10A is a parabola with the light receiving portion 7B as the focus.
It is generally known that the reflected light of parallel light incident on a parabolic surface defined by a parabola is focused at a focal point. Therefore, if the reflecting surface 10A is a parabola with the light receiving unit 7B as the focal point P, the reflected light 7f traveling in the vertical direction will always return to the light receiving unit 7B (near the light receiving unit 7B) even if the position of the thread 50 is shifted from the guide axis. In other words, by using a reflector 10 having such a reflecting surface 10A, the signal emitted by the light receiving unit 7B can be strengthened even for an object with a small surface area such as a thread-like object, and further, a detection device that can stably detect the thread 50 even if the position of the thread 50 is shifted can be obtained.

FIG. 5 shows a case where the cross-sectional shape of the reflecting surface 10A is an ellipse having its foci on the guide axis and the light receiving surface.
It is generally known that when light emitted from one focal point P1 is reflected by an elliptical surface, it returns to the other focal point P2. Therefore, when the reflecting surface 10A is made elliptical, the light 7e' diffusely reflected by the thread 50 is reflected by the reflecting surface 10A, and the reflected light 7f can be returned to the light receiving unit 7B. In other words, by making the reflector 10 have such a reflecting surface 10A, the signal generated by the light receiving unit 7B can be strengthened.

Furthermore, even if the reflecting surface 10A is a circle (spherical reflecting surface) centered on either the guide axis or the light receiving surface, the signal generated by the light receiving unit 7B can be made stronger than when there is no reflector 10. In this case, the center of the circle is the focal position. In this case, compared to the case of an ellipse or parabola, the signal is affected by spherical aberration and weakened depending on the shape of the light receiving surface at the light receiving unit 7B, but it becomes easier to process the reflector 10.

Of the solids having the cross-sectional shapes shown in Figures 3 to 5 above, it is desirable to make the cross-sectional shape cylindrical (the inner surface is shown by the reference symbol 20A) stretched in the guide axis direction as shown in Figure 6(a), or to make the cross-sectional shape a body of revolution (spherical; the inner surface is shown by the reference symbol 20A') rotated around an axis of revolution whose central axis is the optical axis of the light-emitting unit or light-receiving unit as shown in Figure 6(b). In this case, if the quadratic curve is an arc shape, the reflective surface becomes a cylindrical surface when the cross-sectional shape is stretched in the guide axis direction. Also, if it is a body of revolution rotated around an axis of revolution whose central axis is the optical axis, the reflective surface becomes a spherical surface.

As shown in Figure 6(a), by making the reflective surface 10A cylindrical and extending in the direction of the guide axis X, the light receiving and emitting parts of the optical sensor 7 can be extended in the longitudinal direction, thereby increasing the amount of light received by the light receiving parts. The reflector 10 in this case can be realized by creating a cylindrical part with the quadratic curve cross section in part of the housing 2, and attaching a film-like reflective material such as an aluminum vapor deposition sheet thereto, or by performing a surface treatment such as plating or painting to increase the reflectance. Furthermore, with this configuration, the reflector 10 can be made cheaper and lighter.

In addition, as shown in Figure 6 (b), if the reflecting surface 10A is spherical with the light receiving part 7B of the light receiving unit as the focal point P, the light emitting part can be a point light source, and the light receiving surface of the light receiving unit can be shaped like a square or something close to a circle, so that reflected light from a wider surface can be returned to the light receiving unit, enabling detection with a good S/N ratio.

The detection device 1 according to the present invention has a housing 2 placed at the portion where the thread-like object (thread 50) slides, making it possible to accurately measure information about the sliding thread (amount of movement, direction) even if the thread is thin. Also, as in the above example, when a photosensor that can distinguish colors is used, the color of the thread 50 can be determined. This makes it possible, for example, to paint the thread 50 in a specific pattern, detect the change in color, and calculate the amount and direction of thread release.

Figure 7 shows an example of calculating the amount of fishing line released by attaching the above-mentioned detection device to an appropriate location on the fishing tackle.

Figure 7 shows an example in which a fishing reel 200 is attached to a fishing rod 100, and a through-hole float (rig) 300 is attached to the end of a fishing line 50, with the fishing line passing through it and floating on the sea surface 400. In the figure, the detection device 1A is shown as being built into the reel body of the fishing reel 200. In this configuration, the detection device 1A is built into the part where the fishing line is let out from the spool, and the calculation results can be displayed on an image display unit (display) arranged on or between the side panels of the reel body.

By incorporating the above-mentioned detection device 1A into the reel body, it is possible to accurately measure the line length by directly detecting the sliding fishing line, rather than detecting the line length based on the spool diameter or number of rotations as in the conventional method.

The detector 1B is shown attached to a certain position on the fishing rod 100. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the detector 1B can be detachably fixed to the rod shaft of the fishing rod 100 using a connecting part 2G integrally formed with the housing 2, making it possible to detect the amount of fishing line being let out from the fishing reel. The detector 1C is shown attached to a through float 300 attached to the end of the fishing line 50. With these detectors 1B and 1C, information relating to the detected amount of fishing line being let out can be transmitted to the reel 200 by a transmitting means incorporated in the detector, or to a mobile terminal owned by the angler, and the detection results can be displayed on the image display.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the detection device of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in various ways. For example, the detection method using the sensor of the detection device is not limited to a type that distinguishes between the light and dark of colored light, but a type that outputs a binary value indicating whether the amount of reflected light is equal to or greater than a predetermined value can also be used. This makes it possible to identify the presence or absence of thread. In addition, if the thread is painted with light and dark at predetermined intervals, the interval between the light and dark flashes can be measured to detect the release speed of the thread and other known purposes. Furthermore, the configuration of the housing described above can be modified as appropriate depending on the location where it is actually used.

Reference Signs List 1 Thread-like object detection device 2 Housings 5a, 5b Guide unit 7 Light sensor 7A Light emitter 7B Light receiver 10 Reflector 10A Reflective surface 50 Line 100 Fishing rod 200 Fishing reel 300 Tackle (through-hole float)

Claims (8)

A light emitting unit that irradiates light onto a filamentous detection object moving in an axial direction;
a light receiving unit that receives reflected light of the light irradiated to the detection object and is disposed adjacent to the light emitting unit;
A guide unit that guides the detection object;
A reflector disposed on the opposite side of the light emitting unit with the detection target therebetween;
having
A detection device for a thread-like object, wherein the reflector has a cross-sectional shape that is a quadratic curve . The device for detecting a filamentous object according to claim 1, characterized in that the light emitting unit is provided with an optical element that converts the emitted light into parallel light or convergent light with respect to the object to be detected. 3. The device for detecting a thread-like object according to claim 1, wherein the reflector has a cylindrical reflecting surface extending in the longitudinal direction of the guide portion. 3. The device for detecting a thread-like object according to claim 1 , wherein the reflector has a spherical reflecting surface having a central axis coincident with an optical axis of the light -emitting portion or the light-receiving portion. The detection device for a filamentous object according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the quadratic curve is a parabola with a focus at the center of the filamentous object passing through the light receiving unit or the guide unit. The detection device for a filamentous object according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the quadratic curve is an ellipse with at least one of the light receiving section and the center of the filamentous object passing through the guide section as a focus. the light-emitting unit, the light-receiving unit, the guide unit, and the reflector are assembled in a housing having a closed cavity formed therein, in which light is emitted from the light-emitting unit and light is received by the light-receiving unit;
the guide portion is formed of a cylindrical body that guides the filamentous object,
The detection device for a thread-like object as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the cylindrical body is arranged in the housing so as to expose a portion within the hollow portion that is irradiated with the light emitted from the light-emitting portion. A fishing reel, characterized in that the housing of the thread-like object detection device according to claim 7 is installed on the reel body.

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