Chainring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11359709-B2
Application number	US-201916708061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2019
Priority date	Dec 18, 2018
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

A chainring is disclosed. The chainring includes a plurality of teeth about the outer perimeter of the chainring; and a chain retention feature at a root of one or more of the plurality of teeth and traversing at least a portion of a circumference of the chainring, the chain retention feature to align with at least a portion of a roller chain and assist in a retention of the roller chain on the chainring.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. A chainring comprising:
a plurality of teeth about an outer perimeter of the chainring; and
a chain retention feature at a root of one or more of the plurality of teeth and traversing at least a portion of a circumference of the chainring,
the chain retention feature to align with at least a portion of a roller chain and assist in a retention of the roller chain on the chainring, said chain retention feature beginning at the root of one or more of the plurality of teeth and being radially beveled along at least a portion of said one or more of said plurality of said teeth, such that said one or more of said plurality of said teeth is thicker toward a center of the chainring and thinner toward a tip of said one or more of said plurality of said teeth.

2. The chainring of claim 1 , further comprising:
said chain retention feature at the root of each of the plurality of teeth, the chain retention feature traversing an entire circumference of the chainring.

3. The chainring of claim 1 , wherein said chain retention feature is a beveled chain retention feature.

4. The chainring of claim 1 , wherein the roller chain comprises a plurality of narrower links interspersed between a plurality of wider links, and said chain retention feature is shaped to mirror the plurality of narrower links of the roller chain.

5. The chainring of claim 4 , wherein the chain retention feature does not need to be clocked with respect to said roller chain as said chain retention feature only mirrors the shape of the plurality of narrower links of the roller chain.

6. The chainring of claim 1 , wherein the roller chain comprises a plurality of narrower links interspersed between a plurality of wider links, and said chain retention feature is shaped to mirror the plurality of wider links of the roller chain.

7. The chainring of claim 1 , further comprising:
an opening in a center of said chainring, the opening for fixedly coupling said chainring with a crank arm to form a drive side of a crank assembly.

8. The chainring of claim 1 , wherein the chainring comprises a single material selected from the group consisting of: aluminum, titanium, composite, and steel.

9. The chainring of claim 1 , wherein the chainring comprises a combination of material selected from the group consisting of: aluminum, titanium, composite, and steel.

10. A bicycle chainring comprising:
a plurality of teeth about an outer perimeter of the chainring; and
a chain retention feature at a root of one or more of the plurality of teeth and traversing at least a portion of a circumference of the chainring,
the chain retention feature to align with at least a portion of a roller chain and assist in a retention of the roller chain on the chainring, said chain retention feature beginning at the root of one or more of said plurality of said teeth and being radially beveled along at least a portion of said one or more of said plurality of said teeth, such that said one or more of said plurality of said teeth is thicker toward a center of the chainring and thinner toward a tip of said one or more of said plurality of said teeth.

11. The bicycle chainring of claim 10 , further comprising:
said chain retention feature at the root of each of the plurality of teeth, the chain retention feature traversing an entire circumference of the chainring.

12. The bicycle chainring of claim 10 , further comprising:
the roller chain comprising a plurality of narrower links interspersed between a plurality of wider links; and
said chain retention feature is shaped to mirror the plurality of narrower links of the roller chain, such that the chain retention feature does not need to be clocked with respect to said roller chain.

13. The bicycle chainring of claim 10 , further comprising:
the roller chain comprising a plurality of narrower links interspersed between a plurality of wider links; and
said chain retention feature is shaped to mirror the plurality of wider links of the roller chain, such that the chain retention feature does not need to be clocked with respect to said roller chain.

14. The bicycle chainring of claim 10 , further comprising:
the roller chain comprising a plurality of narrower links interspersed between a plurality of wider links; and
said chain retention feature is shaped to mirror the plurality of narrower links interspersed between the plurality of wider links of the roller chain such that the chain retention feature will be clocked with respect to said roller chain.

15. The bicycle chainring of claim 10 , wherein said chainring transfers a force to said roller chain, said transfer of said force from said chainring to said roller chain shared between said chain retention feature and said plurality of teeth.

16. The bicycle chainring of claim 10 , wherein the chainring is formed from one or more material selected from the group consisting of: aluminum, titanium, composite, and steel.

Assignees

• Fox Factory Inc

Inventors

• Klawer Paul
• Allinger Wesley E
• Kennett Jason

Classifications

• F16H55/30 Primary

  Chain-wheels · CPC title

• F16H55/08

  Profiling · CPC title

• F16G13/06

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

• B62M9/105

  involving front sprocket chain-wheels engaged by the chain, belt or the like · CPC title

• B62M9/10 Primary

  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