Bicycle chain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9303726-B2
Application number	US-201314039051-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2013
Priority date	Sep 27, 2013
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

A bicycle chain comprises a first inner link plate. The first inner link plate comprises a first end portion, a second end portion, and a first intermediate portion. The first end portion includes a first opening, a first chamfered section, and a first chamfer-free section. The first chamfer-free section is provided in at least a first chamfer-free angular range when viewed from an axial direction parallel to a first center axis. The first chamfer-free angular range is defined from a first circumferential end of the first chamfered section to a first inner-link longitudinal centerline of the first inner link plate. The first chamfer-free angular range is equal to or greater than 30 degrees with respect to the first center axis.

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 first chamfered section extending along an outer periphery of the first end portion; and
a first chamfer-free section free from being chamfered, the first chamfer-free section extending along the outer periphery of the first end portion from a first circumferential end of the first chamfered section, the first chamfer-free section being provided in at least a first chamfer-free angular range when viewed from an axial direction parallel to the first center axis;

a second end portion including a second opening having a second center axis;
the first chamfer-free angular range being defined from the first circumferential end of the first chamfered section to a first inner-link longitudinal centerline of the first inner link plate, the first inner-link longitudinal centerline being perpendicular to the first center axis and the second center axis when viewed from the axial direction, the first chamfer-free angular range being equal to or greater than 30 degrees with respect to the first center axis; and
a first intermediate portion interconnecting the first end portion and the second end portion.

2. The bicycle chain according to claim 1 , wherein
the first chamfer-free angular range is equal to or greater than 45 degrees with respect to the first center axis.

3. The bicycle chain according to claim 2 , wherein
the first chamfer-free angular range is equal to or greater than 60 degrees with respect to the first center axis.

4. The bicycle chain according to claim 1 , wherein
the first chamfered section is provided in at least a first chamfer angular range when viewed from the axial direction,
the first chamfer angular range is defined from the first circumferential end of the first chamfered section to a first perpendicular axis perpendicular to the first inner-link longitudinal centerline and the first center axis when viewed from the axial direction, and
the first chamfer angular range is equal to or greater than 20 degrees with respect to the first center axis.

5. The bicycle chain according to claim 4 , wherein
the first chamfer angular range is equal to or smaller than 30 degrees with respect to the first center axis.

6. The bicycle chain according to claim 1 , wherein
the second end portion includes
a second chamfered section extending along an outer periphery of the second end portion, and
a second chamfer-free section free from being chamfered, the second chamfer-free section extending along the outer periphery of the second end portion from a second circumferential end of the second chamfered section,

the second chamfer-free section is provided in at least a second chamfer-free angular range when viewed from the axial direction,
the second chamfer-free angular range is defined from the second circumferential end of the second chamfered section to the first inner-link longitudinal centerline when viewed from the axial direction, and
the second chamfer-free angular range is equal to or greater than 30 degrees with respect to the second center axis.

7. The bicycle chain according to claim 6 , wherein
the first chamfer-free angular range is defined on a first side of the first inner link plate with respect to the first inner-link longitudinal centerline,
the second chamfer-free angular range is defined on a second side of the first inner link plate with respect to the first inner-link longitudinal centerline, and
the second side is opposite to the first side with respect to the first inner-link longitudinal centerline.

8. The bicycle chain according to claim 7 , wherein
the second chamfer-free angular range is equal to or greater than 45 degrees with respect to the second center axis.

9. The bicycle chain according to claim 8 , wherein
the second chamfer-free angular range is equal to or greater than 60 degrees with respect to the second center axis.

10. The bicycle chain according to claim 6 , wherein
the second chamfered section is provided in at least a second chamfer angular range when viewed from the axial direction,
the second chamfer angular range is defined from the second circumferential end of the second chamfered section to a second perpendicular axis perpendicular to the first inner-link longitudinal centerline and the second center axis when viewed from the axial direction, and
the second chamfer angular range is equal to or greater than 20 degrees with respect to the second center axis.

11. The bicycle chain according to claim 10 , wherein
the second chamfer angular range is equal to or smaller than 30 degrees with respect to the second center axis.

12. The bicycle chain according to claim 1 , wherein
the first end portion includes a third chamfered section extending along the outer periphery of the first end portion and provided on an opposite side of the first chamfered section with respect to the first inner-link longitudinal centerline,
the first chamfer-free section extends along the outer periphery of the first end portion from the first circumferential end of the first chamfered section to a third circumferential end of the third chamfer chamfered section,
the first chamfer-free section is provided in at least a third chamfer-free angular range when viewed from the axial direction, and
the third chamfer-free angular range is defined from the third circumferential end of the third chamfered section to the first inner-link longitudinal centerline when viewed from the axial direction.

13. The bicycle chain according to claim 12 , wherein
the third chamfer-free angular range has an angle smaller than an angle of the first chamfer-free angular range.

14. The bicycle chain according to claim 12 , wherein
the second end portion includes
a second chamfered section extending along an outer periphery of the second end portion, and
a second chamfer-free section free from being chamfered, the second chamfer-free section extending along the outer periphery of the second end portion from a second circumferential end of the second chamfer chamfered section,

the second chamfer-free section is provided in at least a second chamfer-free angular range when viewed from the axial direction,
the second chamfer-free angular range defined from the second circumferential end of the second chamfer to the first inner-link longitudinal centerline when viewed from the axial direction, and
the second chamfer-free angular range is equal to or greater than 30 degrees with respect to the second center axis.

15. The bicycle chain according to claim 14 , wherein
the second end portion includes a fourth chamfered section extending along the outer periphery of the second end portion and provided on an opposite side of the second chamfered section with respect to the first inner-link longitudinal centerline,
the second chamfer-free section extends along the outer periphery of the second end portion from the second circumferential end of the second chamfered section to a fourth circumferential end of the fourth chamfered section,
the second chamfer-free section is provided in at least a fourth chamfer-free angular range when viewed from the axial direction, and
the fourth chamfer-free angular range is defined from the fourth circumferential end of the fourth chamfered section to the first inner-link longitudinal centerline when viewed from the axial direction.

16. The bicycle chain according to claim 15 , wherein
the fourth chamfer-free angular range has an angle smaller than

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Fukumori Tsuyoshi
• Tokuyama Koji
• Hatanaka Emi

Classifications

• B62M2009/005

  Details of transmission chains specially adapted for bicycles · CPC title

• B62M9/00

  Transmissions characterised by use of an endless chain, belt, or the like (cycle chain guards B62J13/00) · CPC title

• F16G13/06 Primary

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