Chain Ring With Teeth Oppositely Laterally Engaging A Drive Chain
AssigneeEko Sport, Inc.
InventorsScott Winans, Darek C. Barefoot, Timothy A. Fry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive system for a vehicle includes a chain ring and a drive chain. The chain ring has a plurality of teeth serially arranged and joined to one another. A first subset of teeth has a first outer face that applies a lateral pressure to a link of a drive chain in a first direction. A second subset of teeth has a second outer face that applies a lateral pressure to another link of a drive chain in a second direction. The teeth all have substantially the same width. The top surfaces of the teeth are offset from the centerline of the drive chain. The centerlines of the top surfaces of the teeth are arranged asymmetrically on one side of the centerline of the drive chain.
Claims26
A ring for driving a drive chain for a bicycle, comprising:
- a plurality of teeth that are connected to one another and serially arranged;
- wherein each of the plurality of teeth has a lateral thickness and the lateral thickness of each of the plurality of teeth at its respective thickest point is substantially identical;
- wherein a first subset of the plurality of teeth is configured to have a first cross-sectional shape at a respective base;
- and
- wherein a second subset of the plurality of teeth is configured to have a second cross-sectional shape at a respective base that is different from the first cross-sectional shape.
A drive system for a bicycle, comprising:
- a drive chain having a plurality of links;
- wherein a first link has a first inner surface at a first plane and an adjacent second link has a second inner surface at a second plane, wherein the second inner surface faces the first inner surface;
- and
- wherein a link planar separation may be measured as a shortest distance between the first plane and the second plane;
- and
- a chain ring configured to removably interconnect with the drive chain, the chain ring comprising a plurality of teeth joined to one another and serially arranged;
- wherein the plurality of teeth includes a first tooth and an adjacent second tooth;
- wherein each of the plurality of teeth has a lateral thickness and the lateral thickness of each of the plurality of teeth at its respective thickest point is substantially identical;
- wherein the first tooth has a first outer surface at a third plane capable of contacting the first inner surface and the second tooth has a second outer surface at a fourth plane capable of contacting the second inner surface;
- wherein a tooth planar separation may be measured as a shortest distance between the third plane and the fourth plane;
- and
- wherein the tooth planar separation is at least as great as the link planar separation.
19-48.(canceled)
A drivetrain for a vehicle, comprising:
- a chain having a centerline;
- and
- a chain ring comprising a plurality of teeth joined to one another and serially arranged;
- wherein the chain ring may be configured to removably interfit with the chain;
- wherein a first subset of the plurality of teeth is configured to have a first cross-sectional shape at a respective base;
- wherein a second subset of the plurality of teeth is configured to have a second cross-sectional shape at a respective base that is different from the first cross-sectional shape;
- wherein an average tooth position of the plurality of teeth is offset from the chain centerline when in operative position;
- and
- wherein each of the plurality of teeth has a lateral thickness and the lateral thickness of each of the plurality of teeth at its respective thickest point is substantially identical.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.