# US 9,750,233 B2 · Line roller unit and fishing line guide mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,750,233 B2 - Document ID: US9750233B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/719,227 - Filed: 2015-05-21 - Published: 2016-06-02 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-02 - Assignees: Shimano Inc. - Applicants: Shimano Inc. - Inventors: Hirokazu Hiraoka; Hirokazu Hirayama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9750233B2 ## CPC - A01K 89/01081: {Guiding members on rotor axially rearward of spool} - A01K 89/0108: {Pick-up details} - A01K 89/011221: {with line or water shields} - F16C 33/765: {by a magnetic field} - F16C 33/767: {integral with the race} - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS ## Abstract The present invention is a line roller unit that includes a line roller, a bearing, a cylindrical member, and a first magnetic seal. The line roller possesses a guider on its periphery surface that guides a fishing line. The bearing is set up on the inner circumference of the line roller, with the cylindrical member possessing a holding part that holds bearing. The cylindrical member is set up on the inner circumference of bearing. The first magnetic seal possesses both a first magnet and a first holding member that holds the first magnet, and the first magnetic seal forms the first magnetic circuit for holding the magnetic liquid at the space between the cylindrical member. The first magnetic seal is set up on the line roller. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A line roller unit for a fishing line guide mechanism, the line roller unit comprising: a shaft member, a cylindrical member positioned on the shaft member, wherein the cylindrical member includes a holding unit defined thereon, a bearing, wherein at least a portion of the bearing is positioned in the holding unit, a line roller that includes a central opening defined therethrough, wherein the bearing is positioned within the central opening such that the line roller can rotate about the shaft member and the cylindrical member, and a first magnetic seal positioned within the central opening and between an inner diameter of the line roller and the cylindrical member, wherein the first magnetic seal includes a first magnet and a first holding member, wherein the first magnetic seal forms a first magnetic circuit for holding a first magnetic fluid positioned in a space between the cylindrical member and the first holding member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The line roller unit of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical member includes a first cylindrical part having a first outer diameter that partially defines the holding unit and a second cylindrical part having a second outer diameter that is larger than the first outer diameter of the first cylindrical part, wherein the first and second cylindrical parts define a first step portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The line roller unit of claim 2 wherein the cylindrical member includes a third cylindrical part having a third outer diameter that is larger than the first outer diameter of the first cylindrical part, wherein the second and third cylindrical parts are positioned on opposite sides of the first cylindrical part, and wherein the first and third cylindrical parts define a second step portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The line roller unit of claim 3 wherein the bearing comprises an outer race, an inner race and a plurality of ball bearings positioned between the inner and outer races, wherein the inner race is positioned on the holding unit and between the first and second step portions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The line roller unit of claim 4 wherein the first and second cylindrical parts are unitary, and wherein the third cylindrical art is not unitary with the first cylindrical part. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The line roller unit of claim 2 wherein the first magnetic circuit is formed between the second cylindrical part, the first magnet and the first holding member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The line roller unit of claim 2 wherein the bearing comprises first and second bearings, wherein the cylindrical member further comprises a fourth cylindrical part positioned between the first and second bearings and on the first cylindrical part. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The line roller unit of claim 1 further comprising a second magnetic seal positioned within the central opening and between the inner diameter of the line roller and the cylindrical member, wherein the second magnetic seal includes a second magnet and a second holding member, wherein the second magnetic seal forms a second magnetic circuit for holding a second magnetic fluid positioned in a space between the cylindrical member and the second holding member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The line roller unit of claim 8 wherein the inner diameter of the line roller includes first and second inner diameter portions with a third inner diameter portion positioned therebetween, wherein the third inner diameter portion has a smaller diameter than the first and second inner diameter portions, wherein the first magnetic seal is positioned between the first inner diameter portion and the cylindrical member and the second magnetic seal is positioned between the second inner diameter portion and the cylindrical member. ### Claim 10 A line roller unit for a fishing line guide mechanism, the line roller unit comprising: a shaft member, a cylindrical member positioned on the shaft member, wherein the cylindrical member includes a holding unit defined therein, wherein the cylindrical member includes a first cylindrical part having an outer diameter that partially defines the holding unit, a second cylindrical part having an outer diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the first cylindrical part, and a third cylindrical part having an outer diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the first cylindrical part, wherein the first and second cylindrical parts define a first step portion, and wherein the first and third cylindrical parts define a second step portion a bearing that includes an outer race, an inner race and a plurality of ball bearings positioned between the inner and outer races, wherein the inner race is positioned in the holding unit and between the first and second step portions, a line roller that includes a central opening defined therethrough, wherein the bearing is positioned within the central opening such that the line roller can rotate about the shaft member and the cylindrical member, a first magnetic seal positioned within the central opening and between an inner diameter of the line roller and the cylindrical member, wherein the first magnetic seal includes a first magnet and a first holding member, wherein the first magnetic seal forms a first magnetic circuit for holding a first magnetic fluid positioned in a space between the second cylindrical part and the first holding member, a second magnetic seal positioned within the central opening and between the inner diameter of the line roller and the cylindrical member, wherein the second magnetic seal includes a second magnet and a second holding member, wherein the second magnetic seal forms a second magnetic circuit for holding a second magnetic fluid positioned in a space between the third cylindrical part and the second holding member wherein the inner diameter of the line roller includes first and second inner diameter portions with a third inner diameter portion positioned therebetween, wherein the third inner diameter portion has a smaller diameter than the first and second inner diameter portions, wherein the first magnetic seal is positioned between the first inner diameter portion and the second cylindrical part and the second magnetic seal is positioned between the second inner diameter portion and the third cylindrical part. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The line roller unit of claim 10 wherein the first and second cylindrical parts are unitary, and wherein the third cylindrical art is not unitary with the first cylindrical part. ### Claim 12 A line roller unit for a fishing line guide mechanism that guides a fishing line to a spool of a spinning reel, the line roller unit comprising: a line roller, a bearing positioned on an inner circumferential surface of the line roller, a cylindrical member that has a holding unit for holding the bearing and that is positioned on an inner circumferential surface of the bearing, and a first magnetic seal that includes a first magnet and a first holding member that holds the first magnet, wherein the first magnetic seal forms a first magnetic circuit for holding a first magnetic fluid positioned in a space between the cylindrical member and the first holding member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The line roller unit of claim 12 wherein the cylindrical member includes a first cylindrical part attached to the inner circumferential surface of the bearing and a second cylindrical part with an outer diameter larger than that of the first cylindrical part, and the holding unit that contains a first step portion defined by the first cylindrical part and the second cylindrical part, with the first step portion connected to a first side of the bearing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The line roller unit of claim 13 wherein the cylindrical member further comprises a third cylindrical part that is configured on a periphery of the first cylindrical part, with the holding unit possessing a second step portion that is defined by the first cylindrical part and the third cylindrical part, with the second step portion being connected to a second side of the bearing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The line roller unit of claim 14 wherein the bearing comprises an outer race configured to an inner circumference of the line roller, an inner race configured to a periphery of the cylindrical member, and a plurality of ball bearings configured in between the inner and outer races, with a first side of the inner race being connected to the first step portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The line roller unit of claim 14 wherein the bearing comprises an outer race configured to an inner circumference of the line roller, an inner race configured to a periphery of the cylindrical member, and a plurality of ball bearings configured between the inner and outer races, with a second side of the inner race being connected to the second step portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The line roller unit of claim 14 wherein the bearing comprises an outer race configured to an inner circumference of the line roller, an inner race configured to a periphery of the cylindrical member, and a plurality of ball bearings configured between the inner and outer races, with a first side of the inner race being connected to the first step portion and a second side of the inner race being connected to the second step portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The line roller unit of claim 13 wherein the first magnetic seal forms the first magnetic circuit between the second cylindrical part and the first holding member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The line roller unit of claim 13 wherein the bearing further comprises first and second bearings, the cylindrical member further comprises a fourth cylindrical part between the first and second bearings that is configured to a periphery of the first cylindrical part. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The line roller unit of claim 12 further comprising a second magnetic seal that comprises a second magnet and a second holding member that maintains the second magnet, wherein the second magnetic seal forms a second magnetic circuit for holding a second magnetic fluid positioned in a space between the cylindrical member and the second holding member.