Derailleur guide device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9446817-B2
Application number	US-201213654109-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2012
Priority date	Oct 17, 2011
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to a chain catcher used on multiple chainring arrangements on bicycles in combination with a derailleur to prevent the drive chain from slipping off the smallest chainring into the space between the chainring and the bicycle frame. The embodiment of a chain catcher according to the invention permits especially simple mounting and adjustment by using an additional fastening element. The corresponding method includes completion of the positioning, fastening, and adjustment of the derailleur before the chain catcher is installed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A chain guide arrangement for guiding a drive chain on a set of front chainrings on a bicycle with a bicycle frame, with a chain guide member which is designed for installation on a base part of a front derailleur mounted on the bicycle frame, the front derailleur including a front derailleur mounting element the chain guide member comprising:
a mounting section including a mounting opening;
a guide section which is arranged with an offset from the mounting section, the guide section being positionable adjacent the drive chain;
a connecting section between the mounting section and the guide section;
a chain guide mounting element configured to be mounted along a mounting axis to the front derailleur mounting element to fasten the mounting section of the chain guide member to the base part of the front derailleur independently of the mounting of the front derailleur to the bicycle frame; and
an angular positioning device configured to set an angular position of the chain guide member about the mounting axis of the chain guide member,
wherein the front derailleur mounting element includes a fastening screw threadably connectable to the base part of the front derailleur to mount the front derailleur to the bicycle frame, and the angular positioning device comprises an adjusting screw disposed in the mounting section of the chain guide member and a retaining plate disposed between a fastening screw head of the fastening screw and the base part, the adjusting screw positioned along an axis (D) generally perpendicular to an axis (A) of the fastening screw, wherein the adjusting screw bears against a stop formed on the retaining plate to allow an adjustment of the chain guide member in an angular position about the axis (A).

2. The chain guide arrangement for guiding a drive chain according to claim 1 , further comprising a clamp formed integral with the base part of the front derailleur, wherein the base part has an inside mounting thread or an outside mounting thread for mounting the chain guide member.

3. The chain guide arrangement for guiding a drive chain according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining plate is configured to be clamped against the base part of the front derailleur.

4. The chain guide arrangement for guiding a drive chain according to claim 3 , wherein the chain guide mounting element is a mounting screw, which is screwed into an inside mounting thread in the fastening screw head of the fastening screw in the retaining plate.

5. The chain guide arrangement for guiding a drive chain according to claim 1 , wherein the chain guide mounting element is a mounting screw, which is screwed into an inside mounting thread in the fastening screw head of the fastening screw in the base part.

6. The chain guide arrangement for guiding a drive chain according to claim 1 , wherein the chain guide mounting element is a mounting nut, which is screwed onto an outside mounting thread on the fastening screw head of the fastening screw.

7. The chain guide arrangement for guiding a drive chain according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening screw head has a contact surface with a conical shape which is in contact with an inside circumferential surface in the mounting opening of the mounting section of the chain guide member.

8. The chain guide arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the contact surface tapers toward one end.

9. A chain guide arrangement for guiding a drive chain on a set of front chainrings on a bicycle with a bicycle frame, the chain guide arrangement comprising:
a front derailleur including:
a base part, and
a front derailleur mounting element for mounting the front derailleur to the bicycle frame, wherein the front derailleur mounting element is a fastening screw threadably received in the base part of the front derailleur to mount the front derailleur to the bicycle frame;
a chain guide member mounted to the base part of the front derailleur, the chain guide member including:
a mounting section,
a guide section which is arranged with an offset from the mounting section, the guide section positionable to guide the drive chain,
a connecting section between the mounting section and the guide section,
a chain guide mounting element separate from the front derailleur mounting element, the chain guide mounting element mounted to the front derailleur mounting element to fasten the mounting section of the chain guide member to the base part of the front derailleur independently of the mounting of the front derailleur to the bicycle frame by the front derailleur mounting element, and
an adjusting screw disposed in the mounting section of the chain guide member, the adjusting screw positioned along an axis (D) generally perpendicular to an axis (A) of the fastening screw, wherein the adjusting screw bears against a stop formed on a retaining plate to allow an adjustment of the chain guide member in an angular position about the axis (A).

10. The chain guide arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the front derailleur mounting element is a clamp formed integral with the base part of the front derailleur, the base part having a mounting thread for mounting the chain guide member.

11. The chain guide arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the retaining plate is configured to be clamped against the base part of the front derailleur.

12. The chain guide arrangement of claim 11 , wherein the chain guide mounting element is a mounting screw threadably received in an interior mounting thread in a head of the fastening screw in the retaining plate.

13. The chain guide arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the chain guide mounting element is a mounting screw threadably received in an interior mounting thread in a head of the fastening screw in the base part.

14. The chain guide arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the chain guide mounting element is a mounting nut threadably received on an exterior mounting thread on a head of the fastening screw.

15. The chain guide arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the mounting section has a mounting open with an interior circumferential surface and the fastening screw has a head including a contact surface with a conical shape contacting the interior circumferential surface of the mounting opening.

16. The chain guide arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the contact surface tapers toward one end.

17. A chain guide arrangement for guiding a drive chain on a set of front chainrings on a bicycle with a bicycle frame, with a chain guide member which is designed for installation on a base part of a front derailleur mounted on the bicycle frame, the front derailleur including a front derailleur mounting element the chain guide member comprising:
a mounting section including a mounting opening;
a guide section which is arranged with an offset from the mounting section, the guide section being positionable adjacent the drive chain;
a connecting section between the mounting section and the guide section;
a chain guide mounting element configured to be mounted to the front derailleur mounting element to fasten the mounting section of the chain guide member to the base part of the front derailleur independently of the mounting of the front derailleur to the bicycle frame, wherein the front derailleur mounting element includes a fastening screw threadably connectable to the base part of the front derailleur to mount the front derailleur to the bicycle frame, and a fastening screw head of the fastening screw has a contact surface with a conical shape which is in contact with an inside circumferential surface in the mounting opening of the mounting section of

Assignees

• Sram De Gmbh

Inventors

• Santurbane Mark

Classifications

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• F16B37/125

  the external surface of the insert being threaded · CPC title

• B62M2009/007

  Guides to prevent chain from slipping off the sprocket · CPC title

• B62J13/00

  Guards for chain, chain drive or equivalent drive, e.g. belt drive · CPC title

• B62M9/136 Primary

  Chain guides; Mounting thereof · CPC title