# US 10,308,316 B2 · Rear wheel sprocket arrangement for a bicycle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,308,316 B2 - Document ID: US10308316B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/178,009 - Filed: 2016-06-09 - Published: 2016-12-15 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-09 - Assignees: SRAM Deutschland GmbH - Applicants: SRAM Deutschland GmbH - Inventors: Henrik Braedt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308316B2 ## CPC - B62M 9/10: 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)} - B62M 6/55: power-driven at crank shafts parts - B62M 9/121: Rear derailleurs - F16H 55/30: Chain-wheels - B62M 9/12: the chain, belt, or the like being laterally shiftable {, e.g. using a rear derailleur} - B62M: RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR {SINGLE-TRACK} CYCLES; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of transmissions in vehicles in general B60K; transmission elements per se F16) - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract A rear wheel sprocket arrangement for a bicycle comprises a plurality of sprockets comprising at least seven (7) coaxially arranged sprockets having different numbers of teeth, wherein an entire gear range of the sprocket arrangement is at least three-hundred fifty percent (350%), and wherein an average percentage gear stage step lies within a range of fifteen percent (15%) to thirty percent (30%). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rear wheel sprocket arrangement for a bicycle comprising: a plurality of sprockets comprising at least seven (7) coaxially arranged sprockets having different numbers of teeth, wherein an entire gear range of the sprocket arrangement is at least three-hundred fifty percent (350%), and wherein an average percentage gear stage step lies within a range of fifteen percent (15%) to thirty percent (30%). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the entire gear range of the sprocket arrangement is at least four-hundred percent (400%). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the entire gear range of the sprocket arrangement is at least four-hundred thirty-five percent (435%). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the average percentage gear stage step lies within a range of twenty percent (20%) to thirty percent (30%). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein values of individual percentage gear stage steps lie within a range of fifteen percent (15%) to thirty-five percent (35%). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sprockets comprises, when viewing in an axial direction from a smallest sprocket towards a largest sprocket, a group of axially successive sprockets which become progressively larger, and a group of axially successive sprockets which become degressively larger. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the group of axially successive sprockets which become progressively larger is placed axially between two (2) groups of axially successive sprockets which become degressively larger. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 7, wherein a largest individual percentage gear stage step occurs between a third largest sprocket of the plurality of sprockets and a fourth largest sprocket of the plurality of sprockets or between the fourth largest sprocket and a fifth largest sprocket of the plurality of sprockets. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 7, wherein a largest individual percentage gear stage step occurs between a third largest sprocket of the plurality of sprockets and a fourth largest sprocket of the plurality of sprockets and between the fourth largest sprocket and a fifth largest sprocket of the plurality of sprockets. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a largest sprocket of the plurality of sprockets has at least forty-four (44) teeth. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the largest sprocket has at least forty-eight (48) teeth. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 10, wherein a smallest sprocket of the plurality of sprockets has at least ten (10) teeth and not more than thirteen (13) teeth. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the smallest sprocket has at least eleven (11) teeth and not more than thirteen (13) teeth. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the number of teeth of each of four (4) largest sprockets of the plurality of sprockets is an integral multiple of four (4). ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the number of teeth of each of the four (4) largest sprockets of the plurality of sprockets is an integral multiple of eight (8). ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the number of teeth of each of three (3) sprockets from a group of four (4) axially successive sprockets, comprising the sprockets from a fourth largest sprocket to a seventh largest sprocket, is an integral multiple of three (3). ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a largest sprocket of the plurality of sprockets is generally planar. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a largest sprocket of the plurality of sprockets has a central opening through which a driver passes, wherein there is no direct form-fitting engagement between the largest sprocket and the driver for transmitting torque from the largest sprocket to the driver. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the largest sprocket is coupled to the driver by an adapter element for the transmission of torque, wherein the adapter element is placed on a side of the largest sprocket which faces away from the rest of the plurality of sprockets. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least three (3) sprockets are designed as a single-piece sprocket component within the rear wheel sprocket arrangement. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 20, wherein at least four (4) sprockets of the plurality of sprockets are designed as the single-piece sprocket component within the rear wheel sprocket arrangement. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 20, wherein largest and smallest sprockets of the plurality of sprockets are each formed separately as individual sprockets. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the single-piece sprocket component comprises a second largest sprocket. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sprockets comprises only seven (7) sprockets. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sprockets comprises only eight (8) sprockets. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sprockets comprises only nine (9) sprockets. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a front face distance between axially directly adjacent sprockets is between 4.2 millimeters and 4.4 millimeters. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 27, wherein the front face distance between axially directly adjacent sprockets is between 4.3 millimeters and 4.4 millimeters. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) A drive assembly for a bicycle, comprising a rear wheel sprocket arrangement according to claim 1, and a front chainring, wherein the number of teeth of the front chainring is smaller than the number of teeth of a largest sprocket of the plurality of sprockets and larger than the number of teeth of a third largest sprocket of the plurality of sprockets. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) A drive assembly for a bicycle according to claim 29, wherein the front chainring and a second largest sprocket of the plurality of sprockets have the same number of teeth. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) A drive assembly for a bicycle according to claim 29, further comprising an assisting electric motor configured to transmit assisting torque to the rear wheel via the rear wheel sprocket arrangement, wherein the assisting electric motor is coupled to the chainring in order to transmit torque.