Bicycle rear sprocket assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016347410-A1
Application number	US-201514720949-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 25, 2015
Priority date	May 25, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A bicycle rear sprocket assembly comprises a plurality of sprocket members and a supporting member. The plurality of sprocket members have a rotational center axis. The plurality of sprocket members are arranged in an axial direction parallel to the rotational center axis. The plurality of sprocket members each include a sprocket body and a plurality of sprocket teeth. The plurality of sprocket teeth extend radially outwardly from the sprocket body with respect to the rotational center axis. The supporting member is a separate member from the plurality of sprocket members. The supporting member includes a supporting portion and a hub engagement portion. The supporting portion is configured to support the plurality of sprocket members. The sprocket body of each of the plurality of sprocket members is attached to the supporting portion of the supporting member without using a separate metallic fastening member.

First claim

1 . A bicycle rear sprocket assembly comprising:
a plurality of sprocket members having a rotational center axis, the plurality of sprocket members being arranged in an axial direction parallel to the rotational center axis, the plurality of sprocket members each including
a sprocket body, and
a plurality of sprocket teeth extending radially outwardly from the sprocket body with respect to the rotational center axis; and
a supporting member being a separate member from the plurality of sprocket members, the supporting member including
a supporting portion configured to support the plurality of sprocket members, the sprocket body of each of the plurality of sprocket members being attached to the supporting portion of the supporting member without using a separate metallic fastening member, the sprocket body of each of the plurality of sprocket members being attached to the supporting portion via at least one of adhesive and diffusion bonding, and
a hub engagement portion configured to engage with a bicycle hub assembly.

2 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the supporting member further includes an intermediate portion extending between the supporting portion and the hub engagement portion in a radial direction with respect to the rotational center axis.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the supporting portion includes a plurality of spacers, and the plurality of spacers are respectively provided between adjacent two of the plurality of sprocket members in the axial direction.

5 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 4 , wherein
the plurality of spacers are respectively attached to the adjacent two of the sprocket bodies of the plurality of sprocket members.

6 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 5 , wherein
the plurality of spacers are respectively attached to the adjacent two of the sprocket bodies of the plurality of sprocket members via at least one of adhesive and diffusion bonding.

7 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 4 , wherein
the supporting portion includes radially-supporting surfaces facing radially outwardly with respect to the rotational center axis, and the sprocket bodies of the plurality of sprocket members are respectively mounted on the radially-supporting surfaces.

8 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 7 , wherein
the sprocket bodies of the plurality of sprocket members are respectively attached to the radially-supporting surfaces.

9 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 8 , wherein
the supporting portion includes a plurality of spacers, and the plurality of spacers are respectively provided between adjacent two of the plurality of sprocket members.

10 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 9 , wherein
the plurality of spacers are respectively attached to the adjacent two of the sprocket bodies of the plurality of sprocket members, and the plurality of spacers are respectively attached to the radially-supporting surfaces.

11 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the supporting portion includes
radially-supporting surfaces facing radially outwardly with respect to the rotational center axis, and
first restricting parts provided on the radially-supporting surfaces,
the sprocket bodies of the plurality of sprocket members are respectively mounted on the radially-supporting surfaces, each of the sprocket bodies of the plurality of sprocket members includes a second restricting part, and
the first restricting parts of the supporting portion are configured to respectively engage with the second restricting parts of the sprocket bodies to restrict the sprocket bodies from rotating relative to the supporting portion about the rotational center axis.

12 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the supporting portion includes a plurality of spacers, the plurality of spacers are respectively provided between adjacent two of the sprocket bodies of the plurality of sprocket members, at least one of the plurality of spacers includes a third restricting part, at least one of the sprocket bodies of the plurality of sprocket members includes a fourth restricting part, and the third restricting part of the at least one of the plurality of spacers is configured to respectively engage with the fourth restricting part of the at least one of the sprocket bodies to restrict the at least one of the sprocket bodies from rotating relative to the plurality of spacers about the rotational center axis.

13 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the supporting portion includes
radially-supporting surfaces facing radially outwardly with respect to the rotational center axis,
fifth restricting parts provided on the radially-supporting surfaces, and
a plurality of spacers mounted on the radially-supporting surfaces,
the plurality of spacers are respectively provided between adjacent two of the sprocket bodies of the plurality of sprocket members, each of the plurality of spacers includes a sixth restricting part, and the fifth restricting parts are configured to respectively engage with the sixth restricting parts of the plurality of spacers to restrict the plurality of spacers from rotating relative to the radially-supporting surfaces about the rotational center axis.

14 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the supporting portion includes a plurality of supporting parts spaced apart from each other at circumferential intervals in a circumferential direction with respect to the rotational center axis, the plurality of supporting parts respectively have maximum circumferential lengths defined in the circumferential direction, and each of the maximum circumferential lengths of the plurality of supporting parts is shorter than or equal to the circumferential intervals.

15 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the supporting portion includes a plurality of supporting parts spaced apart from each other at circumferential intervals in a circumferential direction with respect to the rotational center axis, the plurality of supporting parts have maximum circumferential lengths defined in the circumferential direction, and each of the maximum circumferential lengths of the plurality of supporting parts is longer than the circumferential intervals.

16 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 2 , wherein
the intermediate portion includes reinforcing parts extending between the supporting portion and the hub engagement portion in the radial direction with respect to the rotational center axis, and the reinforcing parts are spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction with respect to the rotational center axis.

17 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of sprocket members are made of a first material including at least one of an iron alloy, a titanium alloy and an aluminum alloy.

18 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the supporting member is made of a second material including one of an aluminum alloy and a non-metallic material.

19 . The bicycle rear sprocket assembly according to claim 18 , wherein
the non-metallic material includes a fiber-reinforced plastic.

20 . The bicycle rear sprocket as

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Watarai Etsuyoshi
• Iwai Tooru
• Nonoshita Tetsu
• Yoshida Toyoshi

Classifications

• F16H55/30 Primary

  Chain-wheels · 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

• F16H55/06

  Use of materials; Use of treatments of toothed members or worms to affect their intrinsic material properties · CPC title