Bicycle chain

• US 10,618,598 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2017
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Original Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Inventors: Fukumori, Tsuyoshi, Emura, Atsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Mansen, Michael R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buse, Mark K
• Application Number:
  US15/719,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20190100278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 474206
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 2009/005 Details of transmission chains specially adapted for bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 9/00 Transmissions characterised by use of an endless chain, belt, or the like cycle chain guards B62J13/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 9/12 the chain, belt, or the like being laterally shiftable , e.g. using a rear derailleur
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 13/06 with links connected by parallel driving-pins with or without rollers so called open links if the parallel coupling pins have only a joining function - so called closed links - F16G13/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 13/18 Chains having special overall characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 15/12 Chain links

Abstract

A bicycle chain comprises a first outer link plate and a second outer link plate. A first outer-link longitudinal axis extends through a first outer-link center axis and a second outer-link center axis to divide a first outer surface into a first side and a second side when viewed in an axial direction. A second outer-link longitudinal axis extends through a third outer-link center axis and a fourth outer-link center axis to divide a second outer surface into a third side and a fourth side when viewed in the axial direction. The fourth side includes a first circumferential area and a first chamfer free area. The first circumferential area has a first angle equal to or larger than 20 degrees. The first chamfer free area is adjacent to the first circumferential area. At least one second chamfer is provided outside the first chamfer free area.

Claims

1. A bicycle chain comprising:

a first outer link plate comprising;

a first outer surface;

a first inner surface provided on a reverse side of the first outer surface in an axial direction;

a first outer-link end portion including;

a first outer-link center axis; and

a first outer-link outermost edge provided radially outward of the first outer-link center axis;

a second outer-link end portion including;

a second outer-link center axis; and

a second outer-link outermost edge provided radially outward of the second outer-link center axis;

at least one first chamfer provided on the first outer surface; and

a first outer-link longitudinal axis extending through the first outer-link center axis and the second outer-link center axis to divide the first outer surface into a first side and a second side when viewed in the axial direction, a first-first chamfer of the at least one first chamfer being provided on the first side and a second-first chamfer being provided on the second side, the first-first chamfer not overlapping the first outer-link longitudinal axis;

a second outer link plate comprising;

a second outer surface;

a second inner surface provided on a reverse side of the second outer surface in the axial direction, the second inner surface facing toward the first inner surface in the axial direction;

a third outer-link end portion including;

a third outer-link center axis corresponding to the first outer-link center axis;

a third outer-link outermost edge provided radially outward of the third outer-link center axis; and

a fourth outer-link end portion including;

a fourth outer-link center axis corresponding to the second outer-link center axis; and

a fourth outer-link outermost edge provided radially outward of the fourth outer-link center axis;

at least one second chamfer provided on the second outer surface; and

a second outer-link longitudinal axis extending through the third outer-link center axis and the fourth outer-link center axis to divide the second outer surface into a third side and a fourth side when viewed in the axial direction, the at least one second chamfer being provided on the third side,

the fourth side including;

a first circumferential area defined between the second outer-link longitudinal axis and a first radial reference line radially extending from the third outer-link center axis through a circumferential end of the at least one second chamfer, the first circumferential area having a first angle defined about the third outer-link center axis, the first angle being equal to or larger than 20 degrees; and

a first chamfer free area adjacent to the first circumferential area, the at least one second chamfer being provided outside the first chamfer free area, the first circumferential area being provided between the second outer-link longitudinal axis and the first chamfer free area.

2. The bicycle chain according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one second chamfer is positioned in the first circumferential area.

3. The bicycle chain according to claim 1, wherein

the first chamfer free area is defined between the first radial reference line and a second radial reference line radially extending from the third outer-link center axis,

the first chamfer free area has a second angle defined about the third outer-link center axis, and

the first radial reference line is positioned between the second outer-link longitudinal axis and the second radial reference line in a circumferential direction with respect to the third outer-link center axis.

4. The bicycle chain according to claim 1, wherein

the first side is overlapped with the third side when viewed in the axial direction, and

the second side is overlapped with the fourth side when viewed in the axial direction.

5. The bicycle chain according to claim 1, wherein

the second outer link plate is positioned closer to a bicycle frame of a bicycle than the first outer link plate in a state where the bicycle chain is assembled to the bicycle.

6. The bicycle chain according to claim 1, wherein

the fourth side is positioned radially closer to a rotational center axis of a bicycle sprocket of a bicycle than the third side in a state where the bicycle chain is engaged with the bicycle sprocket.

7. A bicycle chain comprising:

a first outer link plate comprising;

a first outer surface;

a first inner surface provided on a reverse side of the first outer surface in an axial direction;

a first outer-link end portion including;

a first outer-link center axis; and

a first outer-link outermost edge provided radially outward of the first outer-link center axis;

a second outer-link end portion including;

a second outer-link center axis; and

a second outer-link outermost edge provided radially outward of the second outer-link center axis;

at least one first chamfer provided on the first outer surface; and

a first outer-link longitudinal axis extending through the first outer-link center axis and the second outer-link center axis to divide the first outer surface into a first side and a second side when viewed in the axial direction, the at least one first chamfer being provided on the first side and the second side;

a second outer link plate comprising;

a second outer surface;

a second inner surface provided on a reverse side of the second outer surface in the axial direction, the second inner surface facing toward the first inner surface in the axial direction;

a third outer-link end portion including;

a third outer-link center axis corresponding to the first outer-link center axis;

a third outer-link outermost edge provided radially outward of the third outer-link center axis; and

a fourth outer-link end portion including;

a fourth outer-link center axis corresponding to the second outer-link center axis; and

a fourth outer-link outermost edge provided radially outward of the fourth outer-link center axis;

at least one second chamfer provided on the second outer surface; and

a second outer-link longitudinal axis extending through the third outer-link center axis and the fourth outer-link center axis to divide the second outer surface into a third side and a fourth side when viewed in the axial direction, the at least one second chamfer being provided on the third side,

the fourth side including;

a first circumferential area defined between the second outer-link longitudinal axis and a first radial reference line radially extending from the third outer-link center axis through a circumferential end of the at least one second chamfer, the first circumferential area having a first angle defined about the third outer-link center axis, the first angle being equal to or larger than 20 degrees; and

a first chamfer free area adjacent to the first circumferential area, the at least one second chamfer being provided outside the first chamfer free area, the first circumferential area being provided between the second outer-link longitudinal axis and the first chamfer free area, wherein

the first chamfer free area is defined between the first radial reference line and a second radial reference line radially extending from the third outer-link center axis,

the first chamfer free area has a second angle defined about the third outer-link center axis,

the first radial reference line is positioned between the second outer-link longitudinal axis and the second radial reference line in a circumferential direction with respect to the third outer-link center axis, and

the second angle is equal to or larger than 53 degrees.

8. A bicycle chain comprising:

a first outer link plate comprising;

a first outer surface;

a first inner surface provided on a reverse side of the first outer surface in an axial direction; and

at least one first chamfer provided on a first outer peripheral edge of the first outer surface; and

a second outer link plate comprising;

a second outer surface;

a second inner surface provided on a reverse side of the second outer surface in the axial direction, the second inner surface facing toward the first inner surface in the axial direction; and

at least one second chamfer provided on a second outer peripheral edge of the second outer surface, a total number of the at least one second chamfer being different from a total number of the at least one first chamfer.

9. The bicycle chain according to claim 8, wherein

the total number of the at least one second chamfer is smaller than the total number of the at least one first chamfer.

10. The bicycle chain according to claim 8, wherein

the total number of the at least one second chamfer is a divisor of the total number of the at least one first chamfer.

11. The bicycle chain according to claim 8, wherein

at least one of the total number of the at least one first chamfer and the total number of the at least one second chamfer is a multiple of two.

12. The bicycle chain according to claim 8, wherein

the at least one first chamfer includes a plurality of first chamfers provided on the first outer surface,

the at least one second chamfer includes a plurality of second chamfers provided on the second outer surface, and

a total number of the plurality of second chamfers is smaller than a total number of the plurality of first chamfers.

13. The bicycle chain according to claim 12, wherein

the second outer link plate comprises a second outer-link longitudinal axis defined when viewed in the axial direction, and

the at least one second chamfer is provided on the second outer-link longitudinal axis when viewed in the axial direction.

14. The bicycle chain according to claim 12, wherein

the first outer link plate comprises a first outer-link longitudinal axis defined when viewed in the axial direction,

the at least one first chamfer includes a plurality of first chamfers provided on the first outer surface, and

the first outer-link longitudinal axis is provided between one chamfer of the plurality of first chamfers and another chamfer of the plurality of first chamfers when viewed in the axial direction.