Drag mechanism for a fishing reel

Abstract

A fishing reel which includes a spool shaft, a spool supported rotatably on the spool shaft, and a drag mechanism. The drag mechanism includes a drag disc disposed opposite to one axial end face of the spool, a drag washer interposed between the axial end face of the spool and the drag disc, a cover fixed to the spool for covering an outside surface of the drag disc and the drag washer and having a center through bore through which the spool passes, a sealing member disposed between an inner periphery of the through bore and the spool shaft passing therethrough, and a contact resistance changing mechanism for causing the sealing member to have a first contact resistance with the inner periphery of the through bore and the spool shaft when the drag mechanism is in a non-operating mode and to have a second contact resistance with the inner periphery of the through bore and the spool shaft when the drag mechanism is in an operating mode, with the first contact resistance being less than the second contact resistance.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.