Bicycle chain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10352397-B2
Application number	US-201715447015-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2017
Priority date	Mar 1, 2017
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

A bicycle chain comprises a first inner link plate comprising a first end portion, a second end portion, and a first intermediate portion. A second inner link plate is spaced apart from the first inner link plate in an axial direction. The second inner link plate comprises a third end portion, a fourth end portion, and a second intermediate portion. The first inner link plate includes a first outer surface and a first inner surface opposite to the first outer surface in the axial direction. The second inner link plate includes a second outer surface and a second inner surface opposite to the second outer surface in the axial direction. The first intermediate portion has an axial recess formed on the first inner surface in the axial direction. The second intermediate portion is free from an axial recess formed on the second inner surface in the axial direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle chain comprising:
a first inner link plate comprising:
a first end portion including a first opening having a first center axis;
a second end portion including a second opening having a second center axis; and
a first intermediate portion interconnecting the first end portion and the second end portion; and

a second inner link plate spaced apart from the first inner link plate in an axial direction parallel to one of the first center axis and the second center axis in an assembled state where the bicycle chain is assembled, the second inner link plate comprising:
a third end portion including a third opening having a third center axis;
a fourth end portion including a fourth opening having a fourth center axis; and
a second intermediate portion interconnecting the third end portion and the fourth end portion,

the first inner link plate including a first outer surface and a first inner surface opposite to the first outer surface in the axial direction, the second inner link plate including a second outer surface and a second inner surface opposite to the second outer surface in the axial direction, the first inner surface and the second inner surface being configured to face each other in the assembled state,
the first intermediate portion of the first inner link plate having an axial recess formed on the first inner surface in the axial direction,
the second intermediate portion of the second inner link plate being free from an axial recess formed on the second inner surface of the second intermediate portion in the axial direction.

2. The bicycle chain according to claim 1 , wherein
the second intermediate portion has an edge and includes a chamfer formed on the edge.

3. The bicycle chain according to claim 2 , wherein
the chamfer is configured to facilitate a shifting operation.

4. The bicycle chain according to claim 1 , wherein
the first inner link plate has a longitudinal center axis as viewed from the axial direction, and
the axial recess at least partly overlaps with the longitudinal center axis as viewed from the axial direction.

5. The bicycle chain according to claim 4 , wherein
the first intermediate portion has a first edge and a second edge opposite to the first edge in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis, and
the axial recess extends from the first edge to the second edge.

6. The bicycle chain according to claim 1 , wherein
the axial recess is formed by bending the first inner link plate at the first intermediate portion.

7. The bicycle chain according to claim 1 , wherein
the first inner link plate is disposed farther from a bicycle center plane of a bicycle than the second inner link plate in a state where the bicycle chain is mounted to the bicycle.

8. The bicycle chain according to claim 1 , wherein
the first inner link plate is disposed closer to a bicycle center plane of a bicycle than the second inner link plate in a state where the bicycle chain is mounted to the bicycle.

9. The bicycle chain according to claim 1 , wherein
the first inner link plate and the second inner link plate form an inner link space therebetween, and
the inner link space is configured to receive a sprocket tooth of a bicycle sprocket and has a first maximum transverse width ranging from 2.1 mm to 3.6 mm.

10. The bicycle chain according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first outer link plate and a second outer link plate opposite to the first outer link plate in the axial direction, the first outer link plate and the second outer link plate forming an outer link space defined therebetween, the outer link space being configured to receive a sprocket tooth of a bicycle sprocket and having a second maximum transverse width equal to or less than 4.1 mm.

11. The bicycle chain according to claim 1 , wherein
the first inner link plate and the second inner link plate form an inner link space therebetween, the inner link space having a first maximum transverse width and being configured to receive a sprocket tooth of a bicycle sprocket,
the bicycle chain further comprises a first outer link plate and a second outer link plate opposite to the first outer link plate in the axial direction, the first outer link plate and the second outer link plate forming an outer link space therebetween, the outer link space having a second maximum transverse width and being configured to receive a sprocket tooth of the bicycle sprocket, and
the first maximum transverse width divided by the second maximum transverse width is equal to or larger than 0.6.

12. A drive train comprising:
the bicycle chain according to claim 1 ; and
at least one bicycle rear sprocket including a first sprocket tooth to be received in an inner link space defined between the first inner link plate and the second inner link plate.

13. The drive train according to claim 12 , wherein
the bicycle chain further comprises a first outer link plate and a second outer link plate opposite to the first outer link plate in the axial direction,
the at least one bicycle rear sprocket further includes a second sprocket tooth to be received in an outer link space defined between the first outer link plate and the second outer link plate,
the first sprocket tooth has a first chain engaging width, and
the second sprocket tooth has a second chain engaging width that is larger than the first chain engaging width in the axial direction.

14. A drive train comprising:
the bicycle chain according to claim 1 ; and
a bicycle front sprocket including a third sprocket tooth to be received in an inner link space defined between the first inner link plate and the second inner link plate.

15. The drive train according to claim 14 , wherein
the bicycle chain further comprises a first outer link plate and a second outer link plate opposite to the first outer link plate in the axial direction,
the bicycle front sprocket further includes a fourth sprocket tooth to be received in an outer link space defined between the first outer link plate and the second outer link plate,
the third sprocket tooth has a third chain engaging width, and
the fourth sprocket tooth has a fourth chain engaging width that is larger than the third chain engaging width in the axial direction.

16. The bicycle drive train according to claim 14 , wherein
the bicycle front sprocket is a singular front sprocket.

17. A bicycle chain comprising:
a first inner link plate comprising:
a first end portion including a first opening having a first center axis;
a second end portion including a second opening having a second center axis; and
a first intermediate portion interconnecting the first end portion and the second end portion;

a second inner link plate spaced apart from the first inner link plate in an axial direction parallel to one of the first center axis and the second center axis to provide an inner link space between the first inner link plate and the second inner link plate in an assembled state where the bicycle chain is assembled, the inner link space being configured to receive a sprocket tooth of a bicycle sprocket and having a longitudinal inner link space center line, the second inner link plate comprising:
a third end portion including a third opening having a third center axis;
a fourth end portion including a fourth opening having a fourth center axis; and
a second intermediate portion interconnecting the third end portion and the fourth end portion;

a first outer link plate comprising:
a fifth end portion including a fifth opening ha

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Kamada Kenji
• Yuasa Koji

Classifications

• B62M9/12

  the chain, belt, or the like being laterally shiftable {, e.g. using a rear derailleur} · CPC title

• B62M2009/005

  Details of transmission chains specially adapted for bicycles · CPC title

• F16G13/06 Primary

  with links connected by parallel driving-pins with or without rollers {so-called open links} · CPC title

• B62M9/10

  involving different-sized wheels, {e.g. rear sprocket chain wheels} selectively engaged by the chain, belt, or the like {(bicycle hubs rotatably arranged on axle B60B27/023)} · CPC title

• F16H55/30

  Chain-wheels · CPC title