JP3501493B2 - Bicycle chain - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bicycle chain including an outer link, an inner link, and a pin connecting the links so that they can rotate relative to each other.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication 54-36430.
As shown in the publication, on the inner surface side of the outer link,
Equipped with a chamfer that chamfers this corner between the pin hole centers,
For example, when using a bicycle equipped with multiple rear gears to shift gears, guide the chamfered part so that the outer link smoothly disengages from the gear teeth before gear shifting, or smoothly engages with the gear teeth of the gear shift target. A partial chamfering chain was made possible.

[0003]

In the case of the conventional chain, both ends of the chamfered portion are located inside the center of the pin hole in the link longitudinal direction. Therefore, when shifting from the small diameter side to the large diameter side of the rear gear, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, before the outer link 1 meshes with the teeth 18 of the gear G2, the outer link 1 moves in the gear rotation direction front side. When the user rides on the tooth 18 in the vicinity of the pin hole, the chamfer does not act and remains on the tooth tip, and after the gear further rotates, it may come off the tooth and the gear may not shift. In addition, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, during gear shifting in which the chain is engaged with the large-diameter gear G2, the outer surface side of the inner link 2 located on the front side of the outer link 1 in the gear drive rotation direction is forward of the tooth 19 in the gear drive rotation direction. Although the tooth 18 located on the side is contacted, it cannot be held depending on the contact state, so that the outer link 1 is displaced toward the small diameter gear G1 with respect to the tooth 19, and the outer link 1 rides on the tooth 19. It was hanging. In this case, depending on how the outer link 1 is displaced, the outer link may ride on the tooth at a flat surface portion located on the outer surface side of the link with respect to the chamfered portion, and the chamfered portion may not act to shift the gear. . As an example of which it is possible to avoid such a shift failure, there is a full-peripheral chamfering chain disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-43746. That is, on the inner surface side of the outer link, a chamfered portion is provided by chamfering this corner portion around the entire circumference of the link, and one of the two link half peripheral edge portions extending from one end to the other end of the outer link, which is the half peripheral edge portion facing the gear. To
A chamfer is formed on the inclined guide surface over its entire length. Also, between the outer link and the inner link,
A gap is created by chamfering. Then, in the partial chamfering chain, even if the outer link 1 rides on the tooth 18 near the pin hole on the front side in the gear rotation direction and a poor meshing occurs, the outer link 1 rides on the tooth 18 at the chamfered portion. As a result, the chamfered portion can be smoothly engaged with the teeth 18 by the guiding action of the inclined surface. Further, in the partial chamfering chain, as shown in FIG. 12, even when the outer link 1 is misaligned with the teeth 19 and does not mesh with each other, in the entire chamfering chain, as shown in FIG. The ends of the teeth 18 located on the front side in the rotation direction enter the gap between the inner link 2 and the outer link 1 connected to the front side in the gear drive rotation direction to lock the chain,
The chamfered portion of the outer link 1 acts as a guide by suppressing the positional deviation of the outer link 1 with respect to the teeth 19. However, in the case of this all-peripheral chamfering chain, even in the vicinity of the pin hole on the rear side in the gear rotation direction among the center of the pin hole of the link semi-peripheral part, the gap due to the chamfer is provided between the outer link and the inner link. Was made. For this reason, when the chain comes out of normal mesh and rides on the gear teeth at the place where the outer link and inner link are connected, the gear teeth get in the gap between the outer link and inner link. The link was sometimes deformed. An object of the present invention is to provide a bicycle chain that can smoothly shift gears and can prevent gear teeth from entering between links.

[0004]

In order to achieve the object of the bicycle chain according to the present invention, in the one described at the beginning, the pin hole center located at one end of the outer link and the other end are provided. At least one of the two outer link half peripheral portions formed by dividing the outer peripheral edge portion by the link center line passing through the center of the pin hole located, the outer portion is located between the pin hole centers of the outer link half peripheral portion. The inner corner of this part is provided at the place separated from one end of the link with a first inner chamfer that chamfers the inner corner of this part, and is located between the pin hole centers of the outer link semi-peripheral part. A second inner chamfer having a chamfered portion on the side opposite to the side on which the first inner chamfer is located to an end between pin hole centers or a position close to the end;
Further, an inner non-chamfered portion that does not chamfer an inner corner portion of this portion is provided between the first inner chamfered portion and the second inner chamfered portion of the outer link semi-peripheral portion.

The first and second inner chamfered portions and the inner non-chamfered portion may be provided only on one outer peripheral half edge portion, but it is advantageous as follows when the configuration of claim 2 is adopted. .

The outer side corner portion of the outer link may be implemented without chamfering, but it is advantageous as follows when the configuration according to claim 3 is adopted.

[0007]

When both of the two outer link semi-peripheries have the first and second inner chamfered parts and the inner non-chamfered part, one of the outer link semi-peripheral parts faces the gear. When only one of the outer link semi-peripheral portions is provided with the first and second inner chamfered portions and the inner non-chamfered portion, the semi-peripheral portion is oriented so as to face the gear. In addition,
In either case, the first inner chamfer is used in the mounting direction in which the first inner chamfer is located rearward of the second inner chamfer in the gear drive rotation direction. Then, when the chain shifts from the gear before gear shifting to the gear of the gear shift target by performing the gear shifting operation, the second inner chamfering portion smoothly moves the outer link from the teeth like the conventional partial chamfering chain and the entire chamfering chain. Guide them so that they will come off or mesh smoothly with the teeth. further,
When shifting from the small-diameter side gear to the large-diameter side gear, in the conventional partial chamfering chain, even when the outer link rides on the tooth tip as described at the beginning, the first inner chamfering portion side of the second inner chamfering portion Since the end on the side opposite to extends to the end between the pin hole centers or a place close to this, the outer link rides on the tooth at the end of the second inner chamfer,
As in the case of the conventional all-peripheral chamfering chain, the second inner chamfer guides the outer link so as to relatively smoothly mesh with each other without keeping the outer link on the teeth. Also,
In the conventional partial chamfering chain, even when the outer link is displaced from the tooth to be meshed and the gear does not shift as described at the beginning, it is located between the inner link and the outer link on the front side of the tooth in the gear drive rotation direction. A gap is formed by the first inner chamfered portion, and as in the case of the conventional all-peripheral chamfering chain, when the tooth enters the gap and locks the chain, the following outer link is to be engaged with the tooth to be meshed. The outer link is prevented from being displaced, and the outer link is allowed to smoothly mesh with the tooth to be meshed by the guiding action of the second inner chamfer.

Moreover, the gap between the outer link and the inner link for chamfering the inner link of the outer link is smaller than that of the conventional full chamfering chain because of the inner non-chamfered portion. As a result, even if the connecting portion between the outer link and the inner link of the chain runs on the teeth of the gear, the teeth are less likely to get between the outer link and the inner link.

When the structure according to claim 2 is employed, the first and second inner chamfered portions and the inner non-chamfered portion are geared regardless of which of the two semi-peripheral portions is used so as to face the gear. To work as desired.

When the structure according to claim 3 is adopted, the outer chamfered portion is formed and provided so as to effectively act. That is, if the second inner chamfer is extended to a position located on the inner side of the link of the outer chamfer, the chamfer existing on the inner side prevents the edge of the outer chamfer around the link from coming closer to the inner side of the link. , The chamfer depth of the outer chamfer becomes shallow. On the other hand, if the second inner non-chamfered portion is provided without extending the second inner chamfered portion, since the chamfer does not exist on the inner surface side, the edge of the outer chamfer is moved as close as possible to the inner surface of the link, and the outer chamfered portion is formed. The chamfer depth of the part can be deepened. That is, the end of the outer link is deeply inserted into the inner surface of the link to avoid contact with the teeth, or even if it comes into contact with the teeth, it is formed so as to be significantly closer to the teeth. It becomes easier to control the posture so that it can easily engage with each other.

[0011]

The second inner chamfer guides the outer link to the tooth so that it can be easily engaged with and disengaged from the tooth, and the first inner chamfer makes it possible to prevent the position shift of the chain, so that the gear shifts smoothly and accurately. The chain was easy and reliable. In addition, even if you get on the gear teeth at the place where the outer link and inner link are connected, it is difficult for the teeth to get between the links, so it is advantageous to avoid troubles that often occur when teeth get in. I was able to use it. In other words, when the teeth enter between the links and link deformation occurs, the outer link and the inner link are less likely to rotate relative to each other, the chain is less likely to bend, and the chain does not rotate smoothly, or tooth skipping occurs. It was easier to avoid such driving troubles.

When the structure according to claim 2 is adopted, as in the case where only one of the semi-peripheral portions is provided with the inner chamfered portion, the peripheral portion without the chamfer has the chamfered portion facing the gear. Even if you do not attach it to the bicycle while being careful not to install it in the opposite mounting direction where the semi-peripheral part of the other side does not face the gear, you can install it so that the inner chamfer works against the gear and acts as desired, so In terms of aspects, it will be an advantage that it can be done quickly and easily.

If the structure according to claim 3 is adopted, since the outer chamfer is also provided on the outer surface so as to effectively act, the chain can be accurately controlled to a smooth posture from this surface as well, and smooth. It becomes a chain that can shift to.

[0014]

EXAMPLE As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of left and right outer links 1, 1, a pair of left and right inner links 2,
2, a connecting pin 3, which is inserted through the end portion of the outer link 1 and the end portion of the inner link 2 and is rotatably connected to each other,
A chain for driving a bicycle is constituted by the roller 4 rotatably fitted to the connecting pin 3 via a bush (not shown). That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the sprocket included in the front chain wheel device 5 of the bicycle and the rear gear included in the rear gear device 6 are wound around each other to apply the sprocket driving force by the crank 5a of the front chain wheel device 5. Rear gear device 6
It is used so as to be transmitted to the rear wheel drive force.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, each of the outer links 1 has a pin hole 7 formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the link so that the connecting pin 3 can be inserted therethrough.
Or 8 and bulges outward in the lateral direction of the chain at the center of the link in the longitudinal direction to widen the outer link spacing so that the teeth of the sprocket of the front chain wheel device 5 and the rear gear of the rear gear device 6 can be easily engaged. The first inner chamfered portions 10, 10 and the second chamfered corner portion on the inner surface side of the link, which is formed by the sheet metal plate having the bulging portion 9 configured as described above. Inner chamfers 11, 11,
Two first inner non-chamfered parts 12 and 12 and a second inner non-chamfered part 13 not chamfering the corners on the inner surface side of the link.
13 and two outer chamfered portions 14, 14 that are chamfered at the corners on the outer side of the link arranged outside the chain, and are configured to operate as shown in FIGS. 8, 10 and 11. .

Two first inner chamfers 1 on the inner surface side of the link
0, 10, second inner chamfered portion 11, 11, first inner non-chamfered portion 12, 12 and second inner non-chamfered portion 13, 1
3 and two outer chamfers 1 on the outer surface side of the link
4, 14 are arranged as shown in FIGS. That is, the link center line 15 passing through the center 7a of the pin hole 7 located on one end side of the outer link 1 and the center 8a of the pin hole 8 located on the other end side is formed by dividing the entire peripheral edge portion of the link. The center 16 in the longitudinal direction of the link, which is located on the center line 15 and is located on one of the two semi-peripheral portions 1a and 1b and on the other of the semi-peripheral portions 1b. They are arranged so as to be symmetrical with respect to the center point of symmetry. That is, when the chain is used, whichever of the two semi-peripheral portions 1a and 1b is mounted so as to face the rear gear of the rear gear device 6, the first inner chamfer 10, the second inner chamfer 11, and the first inner chamfer Non-chamfered part 1
2, the second inner non-chamfered portion 13 and the outer chamfered portion 14 are arranged so as to oppose the rear gear and operate as desired.

Further, the first inner chamfered portion 10 is located on the rear side in the chain driving direction of the outer link 1 from the center of the pin hole located between the pin hole centers 7a and 8a of the semi-peripheral portion 1a or 1b. The second inner chamfered portion 11 is formed at a position deviated to one end side of the side where the first inner chamfered portion 10 is located between the pin hole centers of the link semi-peripheral portions 1a or 1b. Is formed so that the opposite end reaches the end 11a between the pin hole centers. The end 11a is a portion located on the link peripheral edge on the straight line L when the straight line L passing through the pin hole center 7a or 8a and orthogonal to the link center line 15 is formed.
The first inner non-chamfered portion 12 is formed between the first inner chamfered portion 10 and the second inner chamfered portion 11, and the second inner non-chamfered portion 13 is the first inner side rather than the center of the pin hole. The chamfered portion 10 is formed at a position on the opposite side to the outer link end opposite to the side where the chamfered portion 10 is located. Outer chamfer 14
Is formed at a position located on the link outer surface side with respect to the second inner non-chamfered portion 13. The first inner chamfered portion 10, the second inner chamfered portion 11 and the outer chamfered portion 14
Is formed by chamfering the inner corner of the link or the outer corner of the link at the position where each chamfer is located, but may be formed by chamfering by grinding.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 9 or FIG. 12, the rear derailleur 17 operates the chain in the pushing direction Y to rotate in the drive rotation direction X of the rear gear device from the small diameter side rear gear G1. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the outer link 1 is replaced with the rear gear G2 on the radial side.
Even if the user gets on the tooth 18 in the vicinity of the pin hole before meshing with the tooth 18 of the large diameter side gear G2, the end 11a of the second inner chamfer 11 is at the end between the pin hole centers. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the second inner chamfer 11 rides on the tooth 18, and the second inner chamfer 11 guides the tooth 18 between the outer links by the inclined surface thereof. Therefore, the outer link 1 does not remain on the tooth 18 and meshes smoothly, and the inner link 2 connected to the outer link 1 on the rear side in the rear gear rotation direction is also a tooth following the tooth 18. The 19 meshes smoothly and accurately without disengagement.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, before the outer link 1 meshes with the teeth 19 of the large-diameter gear G2, the outer surface of the inner link 2 connected to the front side of the outer link 1 in the gear drive rotation direction. When the side comes into contact with the tooth 18, an operating force that displaces the outer link 1 with respect to the tooth 19 toward the small diameter side gear G1 is generated. However, as shown in FIG. 10, this inner link 2 and outer link 1
Since there is a gap 20 between the and because of the first chamfered portion 10, the corner portion of the tooth 18 on the root side is inserted into the gap 20, and the tooth 18 locks the chain and the outer link. It is possible to prevent the position 1 from being displaced with respect to the tooth 19.
As a result, the outer link 1 accurately corresponds to the teeth 19 and smoothly meshes with each other by the guiding action of the second inner chamfer 11.

Further, as shown in FIG. 11, before the outer link 1 meshes with the teeth 21 of the large diameter side gear G2,
Even if the front end side of the outer link 1 may come into contact with the root side of the tooth 22 located on the front side of the tooth 21 in the gear drive rotation direction, the front end side of the outer link 1 is used for the outer chamfered portion 14. Since it is tapered, the rear side in the gear drive rotation direction of the outer link 1 is on the large diameter side gear G2.
It becomes easier to lean toward. At this time, since the second inner non-chamfered portion 13 is located on the link inner surface side of the outer chamfered portion 14, the chamfer depth of the outer chamfered portion 14 is larger than that when the inner chamfered portion also exists on the link inner surface side. The outer link 1 can be greatly moved toward the large diameter side gear G2. As a result, the outer link 1 has teeth 21
It corresponds to with high accuracy and meshes smoothly.

[Other Embodiments] In order to form the second inner chamfer 11, the end opposite to the first inner chamfer 10 is arranged at the end 11a between the pin hole centers, and the second inner chamfer 11 is formed. Place it slightly inside the link longitudinal direction from the end 11a,
You may implement | achieve by arrange | positioning rather than the said end 11a in the link longitudinal direction outer side. That is, depending on the manufacturing error, the position may be displaced inside the link or outside the link with respect to the end 11a. Further, when the limit point on which the gear teeth are mounted is on the inner side of the link with respect to the end 11a, the end of the chamfer may be arranged at the limit point.

As in the above-described structure, the chamfered portions 10, 1
1, 14 and non-chamfered portions 12, 13 are two semi-peripheral portions 1
It is advantageous that the chamfered portion and the non-chamfered portion act so that the semi-peripheral portion can be used in any of the mounting directions in which the semi-peripheral portion faces the gear. May be provided only in the semi-peripheral part. The outer chamfered portion 14 and the bulging portion 9 may be omitted.

It should be noted that although reference numerals are given in the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the accompanying drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a chain usage state.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a part of the chain.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view seen from a surface on a side facing a rear gear of a part of the chain.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the outer surface of the outer link.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the inner surface side of the outer link.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of the chain changing state seen from the outer peripheral surface side of the gear.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram when changing chains.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of a second inner chamfered portion.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of the chain changing state as seen from the outer peripheral surface side of the gear.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing the action of the first inner chamfer.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view of the chain changing state as seen from the outer peripheral surface side of the gear.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory view when the conventional chain is changed over.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Outer link 1a, 1b Semi-peripheral part 2 Inner link 3 pin 7a, 8a Pin hole center 10 First inner chamfer 11 Second inner chamfer 12 Inner non-chamfer 13 Second inner non-chamfer 14 External chamfer 15 Link center line

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A bicycle chain comprising an outer link (1), an inner link (2), and a pin (3) connecting the two links (1), (2) so as to be rotatable relative to each other. The outer peripheral edge of the outer link is divided by a link center line (15) passing through the pin hole center (7a) located on one end side of the outer link (1) and the pin hole center (8a) located on the other end side. The outer link semi-peripheral portions (1a), (1b) are formed at least on one side of the outer link semi-peripheral portions (1a), (1b), and the outer link semi-peripheral portions (1a), (1b) are located closer to one end of the outer link than the center of the pin hole. The first inner chamfered part (1
0) and the outer link half peripheral portion (1
a), (1b) is located between the pin hole centers, and the inner corner of this place is located at the end (11a) between the pin hole centers on the side opposite to the side on which the first inner chamfer (10) is located. ) Or a second inner chamfered portion (11) chamfered to a position close thereto, and further, the first inner chamfered portion (10) and the first inner chamfered portion (10) of the outer link semi-peripheral portions (1a), (1b). (2) A bicycle chain having an inner non-chamfered portion (12) between the inner chamfered portions (11) that does not chamfer the inner corners of this portion. 2. The first inner chamfer (10), the second inner chamfer (11) and the inner non-chamfer (1).
2) is the two outer link semi-peripheries (1a),
The first inner chamfered portion (10), the second inner chamfered portion (11), and the inner non-chamfered portion that are provided in any of (1b) and that are provided on one outer link semi-peripheral portion (1a). The first inner chamfered portion (1) provided on the portion (12) and the other outer link semi-peripheral portion (1b).
0), the second inner chamfer (11) and the inner non-chamfer (12) are arranged point-symmetrically.
Bicycle chain as described. 3. The outer peripheral half peripheral portion (1a),
The second inner corner portion of the portion (1b) which is not chamfered on the inner corner portion of the outer link end opposite to the side where the first inner chamfered portion (10) is located with respect to the center of the pin hole. The inner non-chamfered portion (13) is provided, and the corners of the outer link semi-peripheral portions (1a), (1b) are located on the link outer surface side with respect to the second inner non-chamfered portion (13). The bicycle chain according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an outer chamfered portion (14) having a chamfered portion.