Fishing reel having a brake mechanism for braking a rotary element

Claim 1

A fishing reel comprising: a reel body including a pair of cases; a handle rotatably mounted on one of said cases; a rotary element for taking up a fishing line, said rotary element having an axis of rotation; a transmission mechanism for transmitting torque from said handle to said rotary element; and a brake mechanism for applying a braking force to said rotary element, said brake mechanism including: an electric conductor rotatable in association with said rotary element; permanent magnets for generating a magnetic flux and for inducing an electric current in said electric conductor, said magnets being disposed within said reel body adjacent said electric conductor; a controller for moving said permanent magnets toward and away from said electric conductor and for thereby controlling the distance between said permanent magnets and said electric conductor in a direction parallel to the axis of said rotary element, said controller being disposed within said reel body; and a shield plate formed of a magnetic substance, said fishing reel including means for moving said shield plate between said permanent magnets and said electric conductor when said controller is operated to move said permanent magnets away from said electric conductor; and wherein, in response to the operation of said controller to move said permanent magnets away from said electric conductor, said shield plate shields the electrical conductor from the magnetic flux of said permanent magnets in a progressively increasing amount.