Spool Tensioner

The present invention is related to tensioning devices for spools containing wound material, such as string, fishing line, wire and the like. More specifically, the present invention includes a device to maintain tension on a wound spool of material, in order to prevent the material from becoming unspooled, tangled or snarled.

Many types of materials and products, such as wire, fishing line, string and the like (hereinafter, collectively referred to as “line”), are wound onto spools for storage and transportation. One issue associated with spools of line is that the line tends to lose tension and become unwound from the spool. Inadvertent unwinding of line from a spool can cause a multitude of problems, as the line becomes snarled and tangled, sometimes to the point where it is impossible or unnecessarily time consuming to straighten out.

Thus, a need exists for a simple device that provides tension to a line wound around a spool, such as fishing line. Although many types of products, such as wire, yarn, twine, string, and the like are commonly wound onto spools, for the present purposes, reference will be made to fishing line for illustrative purposes only. For this reason, in spite of the description herein referring to fishing line, it should be understood that the present invention has application to all types of line that is wound onto a spool or the like.

Many attempts have been made to develop and perfect devices used to maintain tension on a line in order to prevent the line from unraveling from a spool. The following documents are illustrative of such efforts, and each of the following cited documents are incorporated herein by reference, in their entireties:

U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,059

A tensioning device for a fishing line is provided and consists of a base member secured to a stationary structure. The base member has two outwardly extending arms, one of which is adjustable toward and away from the other. A take off spool of bulk fishing line is rotatably supported between the arms of the base member. Resistance to the take off spool is applied during rotation to keep the fishing line under tension when transferred onto a fishing reel by one person.

International Publication No. WO 2012/009747

The invention relates to a line tensioning device for line on a reel, including a body means which can be removably anchored to an object, and a holding means, joined to the body means, the holding means being adapted to removably hold the reel of line. In use, the body means is anchored to the object and the holding means holds the reel of line. The line is held such that if line is pulled or reeled from the reel, rotation of the reel is resisted to at least some degree by the holding means whereby tension is generated in the line pulled or reeled from the reel. The invention also relates to a line tensioning device including a resistance means and a method of using a line tensioning device.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,881

The specification discloses a universal spool holding device to be attached to a fishing rod for use in winding a fishing line from the spool to the reel of the fishing rod. The device has a first pair of spaced resilient spool holding arms extending in a first direction from a base portion and a second pair of spaced resilient rod gripping arms extending from the base portion in an opposite direction. The inside portion of the free ends of the spool holding arms have inward extending curved shoulders facing each other with cone shaped members extending from the shoulders towards each other for insertion into the axial bore of a spool for supporting the spool for rotation. The spaced rod gripping arms define apertures of different sizes for attaching the device to a fishing rod.

U.S. Pat. No. 11,606,944

A fishing line spooler configured to engage a shaft of a fishing rod. The fishing line spooler includes a clamp selectively securable to the shaft of the fishing rod and a mounting shaft. The mounting shaft receives a fishing line supply spool along its length. The supply spool is configured to rotate around the mounting shaft. The mounting shaft is selectively mountable to the clamp in a first orientation or a second orientation. In the first orientation, the mounting shaft is secured to the clamp parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fishing rod and feeds a spinning reel. In the second orientation, the mounting shaft is secured to the clamp perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fishing rod and feeds a casting reel.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,484

A fishing line loading device for loading new fishing line onto a fishing reel, such as casting and spinning reels. The loading device can be demountably coupled to fishing rods of different thicknesses and can be used to load new fishing line from supply spools of various circumferences onto a fishing reel. The loading device includes a frame and securing structure, either or both of which can employ a structural rib pattern. The securing structure secures a supply spool to the frame and applies functional drag resistance to the supply spool. The device also includes coupling structure which couples the frame to a fishing rod.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,779

An apparatus which clasps easily to a fishing rod for the purpose of retaining a fishing line spool to aid in the transfer of fishing line from spool to fishing reel or from fishing reel to fishing line spool. Apparatus retains the fishing line spool to the spool holder base with the use of a conic retention nut thereby both the casting and spinning reel configuration may utilize the apparatus without altering reeling methods.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,918,457

Apparatus and methods are described for spooling line on and off of a reel using a turnbuckle mechanism that is adapted to securely fit between two opposing handles on the reel and includes a power driver attachment for quickly turning the tumbuckle mechanism.

A fishing line spool support, line guide mechanism, and kit incorporating the same enables users thereof to transfer line from a spool assembly to a reel assembly. The spool support comprises a spool-bearing portion and opposed rails extending in parallel relation to one another away from the spool-bearing portion. A line guide mechanism rides along the rails and comprises spool interfacing structures borne by a carriage member of the mechanism for interfacing with the opposed rims of a spool as borne by the spool support. Together the carriage member and interface units provide line-guiding stop structure for preventing or minimizing line migration during line transfer.

The present invention relates to a spool tension device that includes, in a first embodiment, an elastic band attached to a main body member. The main body member preferably includes a generally square shaped housing, having four walls (including two longitudinal walls and two transverse walls) and defining a hollow cavity therebetween. A pair of fingers extend outwardly from a bottom portion of the two opposed transverse walls, and a slot is defined between each transverse side wall and its corresponding finger. A length of elastic band may be adjustably attached to the main body member by running one end of the elastic band through the first slot on one side of the main body member, and running the other end of the elastic band through the second slot. The slot may also include a series of teeth disposed therealong, on either side of each slot (or, alternatively, along both slot edges) for engaging the elastic band.

A separate cap has a complementary mating shape with respect to the generally square shaped housing, so that it may snap-fit over the generally square shaped housing. After the elastic band has been attached to the main body member through the slots on either side of the square shaped housing, the cap may be placed over the square shaped housing, so that it snaps into place. The cap may have openings on two sides to receive a mating protrusion from the two longitudinal walls of the square shaped housing. In this way, the cap is snap-fit onto the housing. The cap includes four walls and an upper surface. The two side walls of the cap define the opening for receiving the mating protrusion of the main body member, and the two transverse sides of the cap may include teeth at a bottom portion thereof, for further engaging the elastic band.

The upper surface of the cap defines a small, centrally located opening for receiving line from a spool. After the elastic band and the cap have been attached to the main body member, the spool tensioner may be attached to a spool of line. In order to attach the spool tensioner to the spool of line, the end of the line is fed through the open bottom of the generally square shaped housing, and through the hole in the upper surface. Then, the elastic band portion of the spool tensioner is placed over the line on the spool. A user may tighten the band around the spool, as desired, by grasping either end (or both ends) of the elastic band and pulling on the free end of the elastic band to tighten the band around the spool. Once the spool tensioner is in place and the band properly adjusted, the line can be fed through the opening in the upper surface of the cap, so that the spool unravels and spins while the elastic band prevents the spool from unraveling. In this way, the spool spins within the elastic band, while the band and the spool tensioner remain generally stationary during an unwinding operation.

In a first embodiment of the present invention, a spool tensioner apparatuspreferably includes a main body member, a cap, and an adjustable elastic band, as shown in. The main body memberpreferably includes a generally square shaped housing, having four walls (including two longitudinal wallsand two transverse walls) and defining a hollow cavity therebetween. A pair of fingersextend outwardly from a bottom portion of the two opposed transverse walls, and a slot is defined between each transverse walland its corresponding finger. A mating cap memberis generally cube shaped with an open bottom portion, and corresponds to the shape of the generally square-shaped housing, so that the capsnap-fits over the generally square-shaped housing. Each slot may include a series of teethalong at least one edge defining the slot, where the teethmay be used to engage the elastic band. In one embodiment, the longitudinal wallsof the main body memberinclude a mating protrusion, and the capdefines openings on each transverse wall, so that the mating protrusionsof the main body membersnap into the openings in the transverse wallsof the cap, as shown in.

A length of elastic bandmay be adjustably attached to the main body memberby running one end of the elastic bandthrough the first slot on one side of the main body member, and running the other end of the elastic bandthrough the second slot, as shown in. After the elastic bandhas been attached to the main body memberthrough the slots on either side of the square-shaped housing, the capmay be placed over the square-shaped housing, so that it snaps into place, as shown in.

The upper sideof the capdefines a small, centrally located opening for receiving linefrom a spool. After the elastic bandand the caphave been attached to the main body member, the spool tensionermay be attached to a spoolof line. In order to attach the spool tensionerto the spoolof line, the end of the lineis fed through the open bottom of the generally square-shaped housing, and through the hole in the upper sideof the cap. Then, the elastic bandportion of the spool tensioneris placed over the lineon the spool, as shown in. A user may tighten the elastic bandaround the spool, as desired, by grasping either end (or both ends) of the elastic bandand pulling on the free end(s) of the elastic bandto tighten the elastic bandaround the spool. Once the spool tensioneris in place and the elastic bandproperly adjusted, the linecan be fed through the opening in the upper sideof the cap, so that the linefeeds through the hole in the cap, and the spoolspins within the stationary elastic bandwhile the elastic bandprevents the linefrom inadvertently unraveling. In this way, the spoolspins within the elastic band, while the elastic bandand the spool tensionerremain generally stationary during an unwinding operation.

In a preferred embodiment, the main body memberfits within the sides of a spoolof line, so that the elastic bandand the fingerspreferably remain in contact with the linewound around the spool, as shown in. The fingersare used to maintain alignment of the main body memberover the linewithin the spool. It is contemplated that spoolsof linemay be produced and sold with the spool tensioner devicealready in place, so that the only requirement for a user is to simply pull the lineaway from the spool, causing the spoolto spin within the elastic bandwhile the lineis fed off of the spoolwhile maintaining tension on the line, thus preventing unwanted unraveling of the line. This arrangement prevents the linefrom inadvertently unwinding from the spool, and maintains tension on the lineduring an unwinding operation.

illustrate another embodiment of the present invention.illustrates an embodiment of the spool tensionersimilar to the embodiments described above, but wherein each fingerextending from the main body memberincludes a pair of slotsrunning transversely thereacross so that one slotis adjacent the main body member, and the second slotis positioned in parallel relation to the first slottoward a distal end of the finger, and further showing the caphaving a guide memberpositioned on each transverse wall thereof, wherein the guide memberis attached to an upper portion of each transverse wall of the capand extends downwardly toward the first slot, creating a gap between the guide memberand the corresponding transverse wall of the cap, which allows the adjustable elastic bandto pass downwardly through the first slot, and then upwardly through the second slotfor ease of adjustment. Preferably, this embodiment does not employ teeth, so that the elastic bandmay be adjusted and tightened more smoothly, and the slotsprovide that the ends of the elastic bandare directed slightly upwardly as they extend through the second slotfor ease of grasping those ends for purposes of adjustment.

In another embodiment, an elastic bandis attached to a bead, wherein the bead includes and defines a hole running through a central portion thereof. In this simplified embodiment, the elastic band is simply applied around the spool, and the end of the line on the spool is fed through the hole in the bead. In this way, tension is maintained on the line wound about the spool, and as in previously described embodiments, the line may be fed through the bead from the spool while the spool spins within the elastic band, which remains relatively stationary.

It should be understood that the present invention may have application not only to fishing line, such as monofilament line, woven line, or the like, but also may be applied to other types of spooled and wound material, such as wire, string, yarn, extruded materials, or the like.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. All features disclosed in this specification may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.