# US 5,346,006 A · Outer chain plate of a bicycle drive chain

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- Number: US 5,346,006 A
- Document ID: US5346006A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/116,667
- Filed: 1993-09-03
- Granted: 1994-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 1993-09-03
- Assignees: Kmc Chain Industrial Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Nick Wu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5346006A

## CPC

- F16G 13/06: with links connected by parallel driving-pins with or without rollers {so-called open links}
- F16G: BELTS, CABLES, OR ROPES, PREDOMINANTLY USED FOR DRIVING PURPOSES; CHAINS; FITTINGS PREDOMINANTLY USED THEREFOR

## Abstract

An outer chain plate for a bicycle drive chain includes an elongated plate body with upper and lower edges, two end portions formed with a respective hole, and a waist portion interconnecting the end portions. The plate body has an outer face which is formed with a generally S-shaped longitudinal recess that includes a straight connecting portion formed in the waist portion, and insert portions which are disposed on two ends of the straight connecting portion and which surround a respective one of the holes. The longitudinal recess has two open ends which extend respectively from the insert portions and which open in opposite directions toward a respective one of the upper and lower edges of the plate body. The plate body further has an inner face which is formed with a generally S-shaped longitudinal projection. The longitudinal projection has a shape that corresponds to that of the longitudinal recess and includes a connecting portion formed in the waist portion and two flat portions which are disposed on two ends of the connecting portion and which surround a respective one of the holes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An outer chain plate of a bicycle drive chain, said outer chain plate including an elongated plate body with upper and lower edges, two end portions formed with a respective hole, and a waist portion interconnecting said end portions, said plate body having an outer face which is formed with a generally S-shaped longitudinal recess that includes a straight connecting portion formed in said waist portion, and insert portions which are disposed on two ends of said straight connecting portion and which surround a respective one of said holes, a wall surface confining one of said insert portions and an inner wall surface confining the respective one of said holes being displaced by a predetermined distance, said longitudinal recess having two open ends which extend respectively from said insert portions and which open in opposite directions toward a respective one of said upper and lower edges of said plate body, said plate body further having an inner face which is formed with a generally S-shaped longitudinal projection, said longitudinal projection having a shape that corresponds to that of said longitudinal recess and including a connecting portion formed in said waist portion and two flat portions which are disposed on two ends of said connecting portion and which surround a respective one of said holes.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The outer chain plate of a bicycle drive chain as claimed in claim 1, wherein said open ends of said longitudinal recess narrow gradually from a respective said insert portion to the respective one of said upper and lower edges of said plate body, each of said open ends having a narrowest portion with a width that is less than a diameter of the respective one of said holes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The outer chain plate of a bicycle drive chain as claimed in claim 2, wherein said narrowest portion of each of said open ends is within a rectangular region that is bounded by a diameter of the respective one of said holes and the respective one of said upper and lower edges of said plate body.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The outer chain plate of a bicycle drive chain as claimed in claim 1, wherein said straight connecting portion of said longitudinal recess has a depth which is less than that of said insert portions.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The outer chain plate of a bicycle drive chain as claimed in claim 1, wherein said waist portion has upper and lower curved edges that curve inwardly toward a longitudinal axis of said plate body, said waist portion further having an inclined surface along said upper and lower curved edges on said inner face of said plate body.