# US 10,480,617 B2 · Bicycle chain > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,617 B2 - Document ID: US10480617B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/672,232 - Filed: 2017-08-08 - Published: 2019-02-14 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-08 - Assignees: Shimano Inc. - Applicants: Shimano Inc. - Inventors: Tsuyoshi Fukumori; Atsuhiro Emura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480617B2 ## CPC - F16G 13/02: Driving-chains (specially adapted to gearings with variable gear-ratio F16H9/00) - B62M 9/00: Transmissions characterised by use of an endless chain, belt, or the like (cycle chain guards B62J13/00) - B62M 9/06: using a single chain, belt, or the like - F16G 13/06: with links connected by parallel driving-pins with or without rollers {so-called open links} - F16G 13/18: Chains having special overall characteristics - F16H 55/30: Chain-wheels - B62M 1/00: Rider propulsion of wheeled vehicles (rider propulsion with additional source of power B62M6/00; propulsion by ground-engaging rods B62M29/02) - B62M 2009/005: {Details of transmission chains specially adapted for bicycles} - F16G: BELTS, CABLES, OR ROPES, PREDOMINANTLY USED FOR DRIVING PURPOSES; CHAINS; FITTINGS PREDOMINANTLY USED THEREFOR - 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 bicycle chain comprises a first outer link plate. The first outer link plate comprises a first outer-link end portion, a second outer-link end portion, a first outer-link intermediate portion, and a first outer-link longitudinal centerline. The first outer-link end portion, the second outer-link end portion and the first outer-link intermediate portion define a first outer-link outer peripheral edge. The first outer-link outer peripheral edge comprises a first outer-link end edge, a second outer-link end edge, and a pair of first outer-link intermediate edges. A first radial distance is defined from a first outer-link center axis to the first outer-link end edge in a perpendicular direction. A minimum distance is defined between the pair of first outer-link intermediate edges in the perpendicular direction. The minimum distance is smaller than 200% of the first radial distance and is equal to or larger than 5 mm. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bicycle chain comprising: a first outer link plate comprising: a first outer-link end portion including a first outer-link circular opening having a first outer-link center axis; a second outer-link end portion including a second outer-link circular opening having a second outer-link center axis parallel to the first outer-link center axis, the second outer-link center axis being spaced apart from the first outer-link center axis in a first outer-link longitudinal direction; a first outer-link intermediate portion interconnecting the first outer-link end portion and the second outer-link end portion, the first outer-link end portion, the second outer-link end portion and the first outer-link intermediate portion defining a first outer-link outer peripheral edge comprising: a first outer-link end edge extending about the first outer-link end portion; a second outer-link end edge extending about the second outer-link end portion; and a pair of first outer-link intermediate edges extending along the first outer-link intermediate portion between the first outer-link end edge and the second outer-link end edge; and a first outer-link longitudinal centerline perpendicular to the first outer-link center axis and the second outer-link center axis, a first radial distance being defined from the first outer-link center axis to the first outer-link end edge in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the first outer-link longitudinal centerline when viewed in an axial direction parallel to the first outer-link center axis, a minimum distance being defined between the pair of first outer-link intermediate edges in the perpendicular direction, the minimum distance being smaller than 200% of the first radial distance, the minimum distance being equal to or larger than 5 mm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bicycle chain according to claim 1, wherein the minimum distance is equal to or smaller than 8 mm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bicycle chain according to claim 1, wherein the minimum distance is equal to or larger than 121% of the first radial distance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The bicycle chain according to claim 3, wherein the minimum distance is equal to or smaller than 190% of the first radial distance. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The bicycle chain according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the pair of first outer-link intermediate edges has a curvature radius equal to or larger than 8.2 mm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The bicycle chain according to claim 5, wherein the curvature radius is equal to or smaller than 12 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The bicycle chain according to claim 5, wherein the first outer-link end edge includes at least one first outer-link straight edge portion and at least one first outer-link curved edge portion, the second outer-link end edge includes at least one second outer-link straight edge portion and at least one second outer-link curved edge portion, and the at least one first outer-link straight edge portion and the at least one second outer-link straight edge portion are tangent to a virtual circle having a radius equal to the curvature radius of the at least one of the pair of first outer-link intermediate edges when viewed in the axial direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The bicycle chain according to claim 7, wherein the first outer-link longitudinal centerline bisects the first outer-link plate into a first side and a second side opposite to the first side with respect to the first outer-link longitudinal centerline, and the at least one first outer-link straight edge portion of the first side and the at least one second outer-link straight edge portion of the first side are tangent to the virtual circle having the radius equal to the curvature radius of the at least one of the pair of first outer-link intermediate edges of the first side when viewed in the axial direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The bicycle chain according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first outer-link end edge, the second outer-link end edge, and the pair of first outer-link intermediate edges has a chamfer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The bicycle chain according to claim 1, wherein a maximum axial width of the first outer link plate is equal to or smaller than 1 mm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The bicycle chain according to claim 10, wherein the maximum axial width of the first outer link plate is equal to or larger than 0.7 mm. ### Claim 12 A bicycle chain comprising: a first outer link plate comprising: a first outer-link end portion including a first outer-link opening having a first outer-link center axis; a second outer-link end portion including a second outer-link opening having a second outer-link center axis parallel to the first outer-link center axis, the second outer-link center axis being spaced apart from the first outer-link center axis in a first outer-link longitudinal direction; a first outer-link intermediate portion interconnecting the first outer-link end portion and the second outer-link end portion; and a first outer-link longitudinal centerline perpendicular to the first outer-link center axis and the second outer-link center axis, a first radial distance being defined from the first outer-link center axis to the first outer-link end edge in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the first outer-link longitudinal centerline when viewed in an axial direction parallel to the first outer-link center axis, the first outer-link intermediate portion having a recess, a second radial distance being defined between the first outer-link center axis and a boundary of the recess when viewed in an axial direction parallel to the first outer-link center axis, the second radial distance being larger than the first radial distance. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The bicycle chain according to claim 12, wherein the second radial distance is larger than 4.2 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The bicycle chain according to claim 12, wherein the second radial distance is equal to or smaller than 4.75 mm. ### Claim 15 A bicycle chain comprising: a first outer link plate comprising: a first outer-link end portion including a first outer-link opening having a first outer-link center axis; a second outer-link end portion including a second outer-link opening having a second outer-link center axis parallel to the first outer-link center axis, the second outer-link center axis being spaced apart from the first outer-link center axis in a first outer-link longitudinal direction; and a first outer-link intermediate portion interconnecting the first outer-link end portion and the second outer-link end portion, the first outer-link end portion, the second outer-link end portion and the first outer-link intermediate portion defining a first outer-link outer peripheral edge comprising: a first outer-link end edge extending about the first outer-link end portion; a second outer-link end edge extending about the second outer-link end portion; a pair of first outer-link intermediate edges extending along the first outer-link intermediate portion between the first outer-link end edge and the second outer-link end edge, and the first outer-link end edge having a first chamfer extending about the first outer-link center axis such that a part of the first chamfer disposed in a circumferential area defined from a first outer-link longitudinal centerline perpendicular to the first outer-link center axis and the second outer-link center axis to a first reference line extending radially outwardly from the first outer-link center axis when viewed in an axial direction of the first outer-link center axis, the circumferential area being smaller than 90 degrees. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The bicycle chain according to claim 15, wherein the circumferential area is equal to or smaller than 45 degrees. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The bicycle chain according to claim 15, wherein the circumferential area is larger than 0 degrees.