Nakagawa, Masayuki;

Fishing rod

A fishing rod includes a reel rest whose top has a reel foot mounting portion, and a grip located in front of the rest, and having a front portion and a thumb contact part which defines a flat top surface having a sufficiently lower height that the top of the front portion. When a fisherman uses the fishing rod while gasping the grip with his hand, a fishline is kept from coming into contact with the thumb of the hand or the portion thereof, which adjoins the thumb.

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What is claimed is:

1. A fishing rod, comprising:

a first member extending in a longitudinal direction along a longitudinal axis and defining an upper side and a lower side opposite from said upper side, said upper side extending in a first direction substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal direction;

a reel rest provided on said first member and having a reel foot mounting portion located in said upper side and adapted for mounting a reel onto said first member; and

a grip provided on said first member and having a front portion defining a first top surface located in said upper side and an intermediate portion located between said front portion and said reel rest in said longitudinal direction and defining a second top surface located in said upper side, wherein a first maximum deviation of said first top surface from said longitudinal axis in said first direction is greater than a second maximum deviation of said second top surface from said longitudinal axis in said first direction, and wherein said second top surface is flattened and extends in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis.

2. The rod according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate portion is adapted to be grasped by a user's hand in such a manner that a thumb of said user's hand is place on said second top surface.

3. The rod according to claim 1, further comprising:

a fishline guide provided on said first member for guiding a fishline wound on said reel so that said fishline is laid over said grip in said upper side.

4. The rod according to claim 1, wherein said second top surface is flattened and extends in said longitudinal direction.

5. The rod according to claim 1, wherein a portion of said first member extends through a portion of said intermediate portion and projects beyond said second top surface in said first direction.

6. The rod according to claim 5, wherein said portion of said first member is flattened.

7. The rod according to claim 1, wherein said front portion and said intermediate portion are integrally molded as a one-piece member.

8. A fishing rod, comprising:

a first member extending in a longitudinal direction along a longitudinal axis and defining an upper side and a lower side opposite from said upper side, said upper side extending in a first direction substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal direction;

a fishline guide provided on said first member for guiding a fishline wound on said reel so that said fishline is laid over said grip in said upper side;

a reel rest provided on said first member and having a reel foot mounting portion located in said upper side and adapted for mounting a reel onto said first member; and

a grip provided on said first member and having a front portion defining a first top surface located in said upper side and an intermediate portion located between said front portion and said reel rest in said longitudinal direction and defining a second top surface located in said upper side, wherein a first maximum deviation of said first top surface from said longitudinal axis in said first direction is greater than a second maximum deviation of said second top surface from said longitudinal axis in said first direction, wherein said fishline guide is fixed on said first top surface.

9. A fishing rod, comprising:

a first member extending in a longitudinal direction along a longitudinal axis and defining an upper side and a lower side opposite from said upper side, said upper side extending in a first direction substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal direction;

a reel rest provided on said first member and having a reel foot mounting portion located in said upper side and adapted for mounting a reel onto said first member; and

a grip provided on said first member and having a front portion defining a first top surface located in said upper side and an intermediate portion located between said front portion and said reel rest in said longitudinal direction and defining a second top surface located in said upper side, wherein a first maximum deviation of said first top surface from said longitudinal axis in said first direction is greater than a second maximum deviation of said second top surface from said longitudinal axis in said first direction, wherein said grip further includes a rear portion located between said intermediate portion and said reel rest, and wherein said rod further comprises:

a cover for connecting said rear portion and said front portion while extending over said intermediate portion to define a space therebetween.

10. A fishing rod comprising:

a rod main body;

a reel rest provided on said rod main body for mounting a reel onto said rod main body;

a plurality of guide rings provided on said rod main body for guiding a fishline in a longitudinal direction of said rod main body, said guide rings extending in a first direction perpendicular to said longitudinal direction;

a grip located between said reel rest and nearest one of said guide rings, which is located the nearest to said reel rest among said guide rings, and adapted to be grasped by a user's hand, said grip extending in said longitudinal direction; and

means for preventing said fishline extending between said reel and said nearest guide ring from coming into contact with said user's hand grasping said grip when said rod main body is bent.

11. The rod according to claim 10, wherein said grip comprises a front portion defining a front top surface and said means comprises a recessed portion disposed on said grip, said recessed portion located between said front portion and said reel rest to define a gripping surface having a reduced height in said first direction with respect to said front top surface.

12. The rod according to claim 10, wherein said means comprises a cover extending over at least a portion of said grip to define a space therebetween.