1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drive gear, particularly to a drive gear to be used for a fishing reel.
2. Background Art
A drive gear is used for a fishing reel in order to transmit handle rotation. For example, a drive gear with helical teeth is used for a dual-bearing reel in order to transmit handle rotation to a spool. Further, a drive gear with face gear teeth is used for a spinning reel in order to transmit handle rotation to a rotor.
In a fishing reel, a drive gear is necessary to enhance rotational feeling. In other words, the drive gear is necessary to enable the handle to be smoothly rotated without inconstant rotation as much as possible.
A type of drive gear has been known that the number of gear teeth is increased for enhancing rotational feeling as described in Japan Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2012-120444. With increase in the number of gear teeth, frequency at which gear teeth mesh per rotation of the drive gear is increased. In other words, gear mesh frequency is increased. When gear mesh frequency is increased, rotational feeling is enhanced even when amplitude is the same. However, when the number of gear teeth is simply increased, a drive gear is increased in its diameter. As a result, a reel is increased in its size. In view of this, a well-known drive gear employs micro module gear teeth with a module of 0.35 for preventing increase in its size.