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US 10,589,821 B2Granted
Bicycle chain device
AssigneeShimano Inc.
InventorNobukatsu Hara
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bicycle chain device that includes a mounting bracket configured to be affixed to a bicycle. The bicycle has a solitary bicycle front sprocket. A cage is movably mounted to the mounting bracket so that the cage is positioned adjacent to the front sprocket. The cage has a chain-receiving slot, through which a bicycle chain passes. The cage is configured to move in accordance with a shifting operation of a bicycle rear derailleur to maintain alignment with a chain to prevent the chain from falling off the sprocket.
Claims16
A bicycle chain device comprising:
- a mounting bracket configured to be affixed to a bicycle that has a solitary bicycle front sprocket having a rotational center axis, wherein the front sprocket is rotatable together with a crank arm and is movable with respect to the crank arm in a direction parallel to the rotational center axis, and
- a cage movably mounted to the mounting bracket so that the cage is positioned adjacent to the front sprocket, wherein the cage includes a chain-receiving slot, through which a bicycle chain passes, wherein the cage is configured to be moved in accordance with a position of the front sprocket in a direction extending along the rotational center axis, and wherein the cage at least partly overlaps with the front sprocket as viewed in a direction parallel to the rotational center axis in a state in which the mounting bracket is affixed to the bicycle.
A bicycle chain device comprising:
- a mounting bracket configured to be affixed to a bicycle that has a solitary bicycle front sprocket having a rotational center axis, wherein the front sprocket is rotatable together with a crank arm and is movable with respect to the crank arm in a direction parallel to the rotational center axis, and
- a cage movably mounted to the mounting bracket so that the cage is positioned adjacent to the front sprocket, wherein the cage includes a chain-receiving slot, through which a bicycle chain passes, and wherein the cage is configured to be moved in accordance with a position of the front sprocket in a direction extending along the rotational center axis, wherein the cage includes at least one contact member to contact the front sprocket, and wherein contact between the contact member and the front sprocket causes the cage to be moved in correspondence with the front sprocket.
A bicycle chain device comprising:
- a mounting bracket configured to be affixed to a bicycle that has a solitary bicycle front sprocket having a rotational center axis,
- a cage movably mounted to the mounting bracket so that the cage is positioned adjacent to the front sprocket, wherein the cage includes a chain-receiving slot, through which a bicycle chain passes, and wherein the cage at least partly overlaps with the front sprocket as viewed in a direction parallel to the rotational center axis in a state in which the mounting bracket is affixed to the bicycle, and
- an actuator, which is configured to move the cage in accordance with a movement of a chain line extending between the front sprocket and a rear sprocket assembly.
A bicycle chain device comprising:
- a mounting bracket configured to be affixed to a bicycle that has a solitary bicycle front sprocket having a rotational center axis,
- a cage movably mounted to the mounting bracket so that the cage is positioned adjacent to the front sprocket, wherein the cage includes chain-receiving slot, though which a bicycle chain passes, and wherein the cage at least partly overlaps with the front sprocket as viewed in a direction parallel to the rotational center axis in a state in which the mounting bracket is affixed to the bicycle, and
- an actuator, which is configured to pivot the cage about a single pivot axis that is stationary with respect to the mounting bracket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.