Shiftable bicycle chain with unified deflected links and sprocket arrangement cooperating therewith

Abstract

A bicycle chain (10) having a plurality of chain links (12), the link plates (24, 26) of which are constructed and arranged in a deflected manner along a chain longitudinal rail (LB) such that each chain link (12) has a wider longitudinal end (14) with a larger link width (aKW) along a chain width axis (BA) and a narrower longitudinal end (16) with a smaller link width (aKW) along the chain longitudinal rail (LB) opposite the wider longitudinal end (14), the bicycle chain is configured to be displaced between two coaxial sprockets (R11, R12) adjacent along a chain width axis (BA).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a bicycle chain, hereinafter also simply referred to as "chain", having a plurality of links connected to each other along a virtual chain longitudinal track, wherein the links following each other along the chain longitudinal track are pivotable relative to each other about mutually parallel virtual pivot axes, wherein the pivot axes extend along a virtual chain width axis oriented transversely to the chain longitudinal track, wherein two pivot axes of a link spaced apart from each other along the chain longitudinal track define a virtual reference plane for the link containing the pivot axes, wherein each link has two separately constructed planar link plates opposite each other along the chain width axis, wherein the link plates have their maximum dimensions along the chain longitudinal track and along a chain height axis oriented transversely to the chain longitudinal track and transversely to the chain width axis, wherein the link plates are constructed and arranged in a deflected manner along the chain longitudinal track such that each link has a wider longitudinal end along the chain width axis with a larger joint width and a narrower longitudinal end along the chain longitudinal track opposite the wider longitudinal end with a smaller joint width, wherein between the link plates, chain rollers are accommodated in a narrower longitudinal end region closer to the narrower longitudinal end than to the wider longitudinal end, wherein for the links connected to each other along the chain longitudinal track it applies that the narrower longitudinal end region of a link extends into the wider longitudinal end region of the adjacent link along the chain longitudinal track closer to the wider longitudinal end than to the narrower longitudinal end, such that the bicycle chain has chain rollers connected to each other along the chain longitudinal track, the chain rollers being arranged once in the narrower longitudinal end region of a link and again in the wider longitudinal end region of the link between the link plates of the same link, such that the link plates of the link and the two chain rollers arranged therebetween jointly enclose a tooth engagement space for engaging the teeth of a sprocket device. Background Art

[0002] Such a bicycle chain substantially composed of identical links is disclosed, for example, as a bicycle chain with lower lubrication in US 3,332,297 and its patent family member US 3,344,677. Although both of these disclosures aimed at developing the applicability of the introduced bicycle chain in cooperation with a transmission mechanism, this applicability seems to be only related to the ability to engage with and surround gears, which have a relatively small number of teeth typical for transmission rollers. In both of these disclosures, the smaller of the two gears surrounded by the prior art chain has seven teeth. However, these disclosures do not disclose the shifting process implemented by a chain of the type described at the beginning. In addition, it is not disclosed how the bicycle chain known from the above US disclosures axially displaces with respect to the axis of rotation of the gear with which it engages during the shifting process, because the teeth engaged in the chain are enclosed almost without clearance in the regions of their leading and trailing flanks by the chain rollers and the narrow longitudinal end regions of the chain plates carrying the corresponding chain rollers that radially protrude from both sides of the chain rollers along the width axis of the chain. Thus, the chain engaged with the teeth of the sprocket cannot axially displace with respect to the sprocket axis.

[0003] The link plates of the links of the known bicycle chain are parallel to each other in the two longitudinal end regions. A tapered section is constructed between the wider longitudinal end region and the narrower longitudinal end region, in which the net inner link width to be measured along the width axis of the chain between the inner sides of the link plates facing each other or the inner surfaces of the link plates is reduced from the larger link net width along the longitudinal track of the chain in the wider longitudinal end region to the smaller link net width in the narrower longitudinal end region. When observing the teeth engaged with the links of the known chain, the tapered section of the link plate is approximately located at the longitudinal center of the tooth. This tapered section is spaced a considerable distance from each of the two end-side tooth flanks along the longitudinal track of the chain. Based on this design, the tapered section of the link cannot provide any axial movement freedom for the tooth.

[0004] A roller chain with a very similar design is known from US 9,890,830 B2, but its use on a bicycle is not disclosed. On this chain, the above-mentioned tapered section is also very short along the longitudinal track of the chain. Therefore, this tapered section also does not give any axial movement freedom to the teeth meshing with the tooth engagement space. On the chain known from US 9,890,830 B2, the narrower longitudinal end region of the link also extends deeper into the tooth engagement space along the longitudinal track of the chain, thus greatly restricting the axial mobility of the chain with respect to the tooth.

[0005] Figure 27 of US10,435,112B2 separately shows a modified bicycle chain, the design of which is substantially equivalent to the above-mentioned bicycle chain.

[0006] Another bicycle chain with deflected links is known from US2005 / 0266948 A1. This publication, which only roughly shows the bicycle chain in a sketch, claims that one advantage of such a bicycle chain is its higher strength, but it gives no reason for this. Another advantage of such a chain is the improved adaptability of the chain length to the corresponding drive train, since, based on the substantially identical design of the links following one another along the longitudinal track of the chain, the distance between two successively following roller axes (i.e., essentially the link pitch) forms the smallest increment of the chain length, while a conventional bicycle chain with alternately connected inner and outer plates can only be shortened or lengthened by twice this distance (i.e., twice the link pitch) as the smallest increment value.

[0007] Finally, a bicycle chain with the same deflected links is known from US2011 / 0098146 A1. However, this bicycle chain differs from the above-mentioned chain and the chain described at the beginning in that the link plates of the links are constructed as sections of integrally connected curved members, which greatly limits the mobility of the chain and increases its tendency to absorb and carry dirt unfavorably.

[0008] In addition, conventional bicycle chains with inner and outer plates alternately connected to one another along the longitudinal track of the chain have also been disclosed in principle. These conventional bicycle chains are characterized by good shiftability between their coaxial sprockets. This shiftability is substantially due to the design of the conventional bicycle chain, in which the outer plate links have tooth engagement spaces with a larger net inner link width, so that when the bicycle chain is shifted onto the target sprocket, these outer plate links can very well achieve the first engagement with the first tooth of this target sprocket, while the inner plate links have tooth engagement spaces with a smaller net inner link width and especially a smaller net outer link width, so that when the bicycle chain is shifted onto the target sprocket, based on the longitudinal distance between two outer plates following one another along the longitudinal track of the chain, these inner plate links can approach the tooth ring of the target sprocket axially. In this case, although the teeth of the target sprocket do not engage with the inner plate links, it greatly simplifies the first "catching" engagement of the teeth of the target sprocket with the outer plate links thus axially approaching the tooth.

[0009] On the bicycle chain of the type described at the beginning, except for the links used as chain locks, its links are constructed in substantially the same way, and the tooth engagement spaces of the links following one another along the longitudinal track of the chain are also constructed in substantially the same way. Therefore, the shift-promoting features known from conventional bicycle chains (such as those providing outer plate links and inner plate links alternately connected to one another along the longitudinal track of the chain) do not exist on the bicycle chain of the type described at the beginning and thus cannot be used. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The object of the present invention is to improve the above-mentioned bicycle chain and make it usable in a functional range comparable to that of conventional bicycle chains.

[0011] In principle, for a bicycle chain of the type described at the beginning, the solution of the present invention for achieving the above object lies in that the bicycle chain is constructed to be displaced between two coaxial sprockets adjacent to each other along the chain width axis.

[0012] The design solution will be described below through different aspects of the bicycle chain discussed herein.

[0013] In principle, three coordinates are sufficient to describe a bicycle chain: the longitudinal chain track, the chain width axis, and the chain height axis extend transversely to each other in pairs. These coordinates generally form a rectangular coordinate system in which the longitudinal chain track, the chain width axis, and the chain height axis are locally orthogonally oriented to each other in pairs.

[0014] The bicycle chain can be an open bicycle chain or a closed-loop bicycle chain for operation. Although it cannot be used for driving operation, it is easily recognizable as a bicycle chain. For a closed-loop bicycle chain, the bicycle chain is generally bent around a curvature axis parallel to the chain width axis. Therefore, for all chain links, the chain width axis has the same direction in space, but based on locally different chain curvatures, the longitudinal chain track has or may have different orientations in space depending on the position of the bicycle chain. However, the longitudinal chain track always extends transversely to, preferably orthogonally to, the chain width axis. Since the chain height axis is oriented transversely to, preferably orthogonally to, the chain width axis and the longitudinal chain track, the absolute orientation of the chain height axis in space is also related to the position of the bicycle chain as viewed along the longitudinal chain track.

[0015] In a bicycle chain meshing with a sprocket, the chain height axis generally extends radially relative to the rotation axis of the meshing sprocket in the meshing area with the sprocket, and the longitudinal chain track extends circumferentially around the rotation axis of the sprocket or is tangential to the rotation axis in the meshing area with the sprocket.

[0016] In the present application, the term "sprocket" refers to the superordinate concept of a gear adapted to mesh with a bicycle chain. In a bicycle drive device, there is usually at least one front chainring directly coupled to the pedal crank as a sprocket, and there is at least one rear chain pinion or pinion for transmitting torque connected to the coaxially arranged rear wheel.

[0017] Unless otherwise specified, the expressions "axial", "radial", and "circumferentially around the circumferential path" in the present application relate to the device axis of the sprocket device meshing with the chain.

[0018] To provide or improve the shifting ability of a bicycle chain as discussed herein by shifting between two coaxial sprockets, the bicycle chain can be constructed such that for a plurality of links, preferably all links, each link plate of the link has a first deflected region near the wider longitudinal end and a second deflected region near the narrower longitudinal end. In a manner similar to the prior art, the narrower longitudinal end region is transformed into the wider longitudinal end region along the longitudinal track of the chain through these deflected regions, and vice versa.

[0019] When advancing along the longitudinal track of the chain from the first deflected region to the second deflected region, the net inner link width to be measured between the link plates along the width axis of the chain decreases. When advancing along the longitudinal track of the chain, the net inner link width only varies between the first deflected region and the second deflected region. The inner surfaces of the two longitudinal end regions (the narrower longitudinal end region and the wider longitudinal end region) facing each other are preferably parallel to each other. Therefore, the length range between the first deflected region and the second deflected region forms the tapered section of the link.

[0020] However, if the net inner link width also varies as it advances along the longitudinal track of the chain in the region of the narrower longitudinal end region and / or the wider longitudinal end region, the variation of the net inner link width with respect to the length unit along the longitudinal track of the chain in the length range between the first and second deflected regions is preferably greater than that in the narrower and / or wider longitudinal end regions. The variation of the net inner link width with respect to the length unit along the longitudinal track of the chain can be understood as the length gradient of the net inner link width.

[0021] In principle, it applies that the variation of the net inner link width along the longitudinal track of the chain between the first and second deflected regions is preferably greater than its variation in the length range between the wider longitudinal end and the first deflected region and / or between the narrower longitudinal end and the second deflected region.

[0022] Herein, the length gradient of the net inner link width is involved. Therefore, when measuring the net inner link width, the structure on the inner side of the link plate that is independent of the link width, such as the flange that preferably serves as the accommodation portion for the chain roller and is integrally formed on the inner side of the link plate, does not need to be considered.

[0023] If there is any doubt, the above explanation of the variation of the net inner link width of a plurality of links, preferably all links, as it advances along the longitudinal track of the chain applies to its variation along the reference plane, preferably also on both sides of the reference plane, and particularly preferably in the entire link height range to be measured along the height axis of the chain.

[0024] In order for the bicycle chain to have a more favorable play for the shifting process on the sprocket teeth meshing with it or the toothed meshing space, the distance between the first and the second deflection-shaped areas of the chain plate relative to the radius of the chain roller, at least in the inner surface of the chain plate, preferably differs from the radius of the chain roller by no more than 15%, preferably by no more than 10%, particularly preferably by no more than 7%, at least in the virtual reference plane. This generally ensures that the sprocket teeth meshing with the toothed meshing space only bear against the chain roller of the chain with their load-bearing side, while their opposite side facing away from the load-bearing side is arranged at a distance from the chain roller closest to this side and faces this chain roller. The above-mentioned dimensional relationship preferably applies to both chain plates of a chain link. The dimensional relationship preferably also applies to a plurality of chain links, preferably all chain links.

[0025] The link plates preferably have only the first and second deflection-shaped areas and no further deflection-shaped areas. The inner link clear width and / or the link outer width dimension to be measured along the chain width axis across the outer surface of the link plate also preferably does not increase along the chain longitudinal track from the wider longitudinal end to the first deflection-shaped area and / or from the second deflection-shaped area to the narrower longitudinal end in at least one height section along the chain height axis. To be precise, in the above-mentioned longitudinal section along the chain longitudinal track, the inner link clear width and / or the link outer width remain constant or decrease at least in this height section, preferably over the entire chain height range. This applies in particular to the inner link clear width, ignoring the above-mentioned construction. As mentioned above, this applies to a plurality of links, preferably to all links.

[0026] In order to achieve the desired shape of the link plate, the concave directions of the first deflection area and the second deflection area are preferably opposite to each other, that is, when observing the outer side of the link plate along the chain width axis, a convex deflection portion is constructed in the first deflection area, and a concave deflection portion is constructed in the second deflection area.

[0027] Unlike conventional bicycle chains with outer plate links and inner plate links that are alternately connected to each other along the longitudinal track of the chain, the bicycle chain discussed here has multiple links, preferably all links, constructed in essentially the same way, so that in principle it is impossible to provide larger and smaller tooth engagement spaces, in which the larger tooth engagement spaces of the outer plate links facilitate the capture of the chain by the target sprocket, while the inner plate links achieve mutual engagement of the chain and the sprocket with their smaller tooth engagement spaces and allow axial approach to the target sprocket during gear shifting in order to prepare for the capture of the chain on the outer plate links.

[0028] In order to achieve axial mobility in the tooth meshing space relative to the rotation axis of the sprocket teeth about the sprocket wheel carrying the sprocket teeth for the bicycle chain under discussion (generally a relative movement of the chain link relative to the sprocket teeth along the chain width axis), according to a first preferred improvement of the invention, the tooth meshing space enclosed by the chain plates of the chain link along the chain width axis and the chain rollers arranged between the chain plates of the chain link along the chain longitudinal axis has a trapezoidal cross section in a reference plane as a sectioning plane. In this trapezoidal cross section, the side surfaces of the chain rollers form parallel trapezoidal sides, and the inner surfaces of the chain plates facing each other along the chain width axis form trapezoidal sides inclined relative to each other. The longitudinal ends of the chain plates are located on the wider trapezoidal side of the two parallel trapezoidal sides on both sides of the chain rollers. The longitudinal ends of the link plates approach the side faces of the chain rollers along the chain longitudinal rail as described in detail below, so that the longitudinal ends extend the section of the wider of the two parallel trapezoidal sides formed by the side faces of the chain rollers along the chain width axis to the nearest inner surface of the link plate. On the narrower of the two parallel trapezoidal sides, at least in the reference plane, preferably in other observation planes parallel to the reference plane and at a distance from the reference plane, a transition between the narrower longitudinal end region and the tapering region is provided on the inner sides of the link plates facing each other along the chain longitudinal rail, preferably at the side faces of the chain rollers located between the narrower longitudinal end regions or at a distance from the side faces of the chain rollers that do not exceed 5%, preferably not more than 3%, of the radius of the chain rollers. Thus, the clear width between the link plates increases as far as possible directly from the side faces of the chain rollers of the chain link located in the narrower longitudinal end regions along the chain longitudinal rail towards the chain rollers of the next chain link that are accommodated between the link plates in the wider longitudinal end regions of the chain link.

[0029] Due to the deflected shape of the chain link with narrower and wider longitudinal ends, it is almost impossible to avoid different local movement spaces of the bicycle chain or the chain link along the chain width axis relative to the teeth meshing with the bicycle chain on two different tooth flanks (front tooth flank and rear tooth flank). However, due to the trapezoidal shape in the area of ​​the reference plane area, the chain link and the bicycle chain can be moved along the chain width axis in the area of ​​at least one of the two tooth flanks of the sprocket tooth meshing with the bicycle chain or pivoted about a pivot axis parallel to the chain height axis. The pivoting of the bicycle chain about a pivot axis parallel to the chain height axis (i.e. a pivot axis parallel to the radial extension direction of the teeth meshing with the chain) means that the bicycle chain can be pivoted relative to the corresponding arrangement planes of adjacent coaxial toothed rings so that the chain is arranged in a connection path that connects two coaxial sprockets of different sizes of the sprocket arrangement together. This is a very advantageous property that significantly improves the shifting performance of the bicycle chain discussed here.

[0030] According to a second preferred improvement of the present invention, the axial mobility of the sprocket relative to the axis of rotation of the sprocket teeth in the tooth engagement space can be achieved in the following manner: The first deflected region and the second deflected region of the link are at least closer to the narrower longitudinal end of the link than the wider longitudinal end of the link in the reference plane. In other words, the first deflected region and the second deflected region of the link are at least closer to the chain roller axis passing through the narrower longitudinal end region than the chain roller axis passing through the wider longitudinal end region in the reference plane. For this embodiment, it is preferably also applicable that: at least in the reference plane, preferably also in the above-mentioned other parallel viewing planes, the transition between the narrower longitudinal end region and the tapered region is arranged along the longitudinal track of the chain on the inner sides of the link plates facing each other, preferably at the side of the chain roller located between the narrower longitudinal end regions, or at a distance from this side that is at least not more than 5%, preferably not more than 3%, of the radius of the chain roller.

[0031] The first deflected region, which is the transition between the tapered region and the wider longitudinal end region, is on the inner sides of the link plates of the link in the second embodiment facing each other. At least in the reference plane, preferably also in the other viewing planes parallel to the reference plane, it is closer to the chain roller of the link located in the narrower longitudinal end region than the chain roller received in the wider longitudinal end region of the chain roller following it along the longitudinal track of the chain. This can keep the tapered region short, whereby the measured net width of the tooth engagement space in at least the reference plane can exceed at least 50%, preferably exceed at least 60%, of the distance to be measured along the longitudinal track of the chain between the sides of the chain rollers following each other closely. This net width corresponds to the net width between the link plates in the wider longitudinal end region.

[0032] The above two preferred embodiments of the link respectively provide a tooth engagement space with a larger cross-sectional area or even a larger volume in the reference plane compared to the prior art. The guiding characteristics of a bicycle chain composed of such links are reduced compared to the deflected bicycle chain known from the prior art cited at the beginning, which is generally undesirable. However, for the bicycle chain with deflected links discussed here, this can achieve the shiftability of the bicycle chain between adjacent sprockets through a transmission.

[0033] It is also possible to avoid undesirably restricting the movement space of the sprocket teeth that mesh with the bicycle chain relative to the tooth engagement space of a link of several links thereof in the following manner: The chain plates project along the longitudinal track of the chain by no more than 5% of the radius of the chain rollers arranged there, at least in the reference plane, in particular in the height section extending along the chain height axis including this reference plane, and at least at the narrower longitudinal ends. The smaller the degree to which the chain plates project along the longitudinal track of the chain from the chain rollers, the smaller the degree to which these chain plates extend into the tooth engagement space and the smaller the area of the tooth engagement space they occupy. The structural space already occupied by the chain plates cannot be occupied by the sprocket teeth anymore. Regarding the chain plates projecting from the chain rollers arranged in the wider longitudinal end region, the situation at the wider longitudinal end of the link is preferably equivalent to the projection situation at the narrower longitudinal end. However, in the bicycle chain according to the invention, the narrower longitudinal end region of the link extends along the longitudinal track of the chain into the wider longitudinal end region of the adjacent link. Therefore, compared with the chain plates projecting from the chain rollers at the wider longitudinal end, the chain plates projecting from the chain rollers along the longitudinal track of the chain at the narrower longitudinal end have a greater impact on the design and size of the tooth engagement space. For the above reasons, the chain plates of a plurality of links, preferably all links, project from the chain rollers accommodated there by no more than 3% in the height section extending along the chain height axis, in particular in such a height section including the reference plane, and preferably do not project at all, that is, the chain plates are flush with the chain rollers.

[0034] Most preferably, the chain plates remain at least partially behind the sides of the chain rollers accommodated in the narrower longitudinal end region, at least in the reference plane and at least at the narrower longitudinal ends. That is, in this case, the sides of the chain rollers project at least partially beyond the edges of the chain plates in the narrower longitudinal end region. This preferably applies at least to the above-mentioned height section including the reference plane. This can advantageously ensure that the force is transmitted between the sprocket teeth meshing with the tooth engagement space of the link and the narrower longitudinal end defining the tooth engagement space of the link only through the abutting engagement between the meshing teeth and the chain rollers, rather than through the abutting engagement between the meshing teeth and the edges of the chain plates. This particularly preferably applies to the narrower longitudinal end of the link that extends into the wider longitudinal end region of another link. The narrower longitudinal end defines a tooth engagement region located along the longitudinal track of the chain behind the link with the narrower longitudinal end, and this tooth engagement region is constructed between the chain plates of the link with the wider longitudinal end region. In order to be able to provide sufficient guidance for the rotational movement of the chain rollers around their chain roller axes at the narrower longitudinal end region, the chain rollers preferably project from the narrower longitudinal ends of the chain plates carrying the chain rollers by no more than 5%, optionally no more than 3%, in at least the above-mentioned height section.

[0035] For the purposes of the present application, a protrusion that protrudes beyond the longitudinal end of the link plate by means of a chain roller with a protrusion amount not exceeding 5% of the radius of the chain roller or the opposite scenario is considered to be small, such that the longitudinal end of the link plate only extends the side line of the side surface of the chain roller in the reference plane to form the trapezoidal cross-section of the tooth engagement area.

[0036] For the shifting process, it is particularly important to achieve the engagement of the sprocket teeth of the target sprocket, to which the chain should be shifted during the shifting process. In this case, it is advantageous that the sprocket teeth of the target sprocket are assisted by the physical design of the link during the movement of the sprocket teeth of the target sprocket into the tooth engagement space of the link. This assistance can be achieved in the design by the following means: for at least a plurality of links, preferably for the link plates of all links, the longitudinal distance to be measured along the longitudinal track of the chain between the first and second deflecting regions of the link plate in at least one virtual viewing plane parallel to the reference plane is greater than in the reference plane. In this case, based on the distance between the viewing plane and the reference plane defined by the pivot axes of the links articulated to each other, the viewing plane is closer to the longitudinal edge of the respective link extending along the longitudinal track of the chain than the reference plane. The first and second deflecting regions generally form at least on the inner surface of the link plate a physical step or bend that also extends along the height axis of the chain, which can be used to guide the relative movement of the respective link along the height axis of the chain relative to the tooth entering its tooth engagement space. By designing the first and second deflecting regions such that their distance in the viewing plane is greater than their distance in the reference plane, the space between the steps or bends formed by the deflecting regions can taper from the longitudinal edge of the link towards its reference plane and be used as an introduction aid for the tooth entering the tooth engagement space.

[0037] Ideally, the virtual pivot axes of the links following each other along the longitudinal track of the chain are also the virtual rotation axes of the chain rollers arranged between the link plates of the links.

[0038] If only one of the deflecting regions has a component along the height axis of the chain and a component along the longitudinal track of the chain at least in the inner surface of the link plate, while the other deflecting region can extend substantially parallel to the height axis of the chain as in the prior art, this is in principle sufficient. However, if both deflecting regions of the link plate have a component along the longitudinal track of the chain and a component along the height axis of the chain at least in the inner surface of the link plate, the link plate can provide stronger introduction assistance.

[0039] Due to the deflection portions leading to the narrower and wider longitudinal ends, the deflected link cannot be constructed in a manner symmetric with respect to the symmetry plane orthogonal to the longitudinal track of the chain. However, to achieve good assistance for the guiding movement of the sprocket teeth into the tooth engagement space along the height axis of the chain, considering the projections of the two deflected regions on the projection plane orthogonal to the width axis of the chain in the plane of projection orthogonal to the width axis of the chain, at least the portions of the first and second deflected regions located in the inner surface of the link plate of the link plate can be at least partially, preferably over most of the extended length of the portions, and particularly preferably completely mirror-symmetric with respect to the above-mentioned symmetry plane orthogonal to the longitudinal track of the chain.

[0040] The bicycle chain is preferably mirror-symmetric with respect to the symmetry plane orthogonal to the width axis of the chain.

[0041] In addition, the bicycle chain can be mirror-symmetric with respect to the reference plane. However, this is not necessary. If the bicycle chain or its link is not mirror-symmetric with respect to the reference plane and the bicycle chain starts from its open and stretched state and is only intended to form a functional closed-loop bicycle chain in a single possible closing movement, the observation plane is preferably located on the side of the reference plane facing the radially inner edge of the closed-loop bicycle chain, because the sprocket teeth enter and leave the tooth gap only at this radially inner edge.

[0042] What has been described above only for a single observation plane preferably applies to a plurality of observation planes parallel to each other and parallel to the reference plane to achieve the desired assistance for the movement of the sprocket teeth into the tooth engagement space. Specifically, preferably, compared with the reference plane, in a plurality of virtual observation planes parallel to the reference plane, at least in the inner surface of the link plate of one link plate, preferably two link plates, the longitudinal distance between the first and second deflected regions is greater, and this longitudinal distance increases as the distance between the observation plane and the reference plane increases. As the distance between the observation plane and the reference plane increases, the observation plane approaches the longitudinal edge of the bicycle chain extending along the longitudinal track of the chain, where the engagement of the sprocket teeth with the bicycle chain begins.

[0043] In principle, the distance increasing along the longitudinal track of the chain between the first deflected region and the second deflected region towards the longitudinal edge of the bicycle chain can be achieved at least on the inner surface of the link plate by a linear deflected region formed by the first and second deflected regions, which is only not parallel to the chain height axis. Considering that there are chain rollers between the link plates of the same link, which also assist in guiding the sprocket teeth into the tooth engagement space through their cylindrical sides, at least one of the first and second deflected regions is preferably constructed at least on the link plate section on one side of the reference plane, at least on the inner surface of the link plate, and optionally on the outer surface of the link plate, at least partially in a curved extension manner. The curvature axis determining the curvature of the at least one deflected region is preferably parallel to the chain width axis or inclined with respect to the chain width axis by no more than 20°, preferably no more than 10°.

[0044] For the above-mentioned second embodiment of the deflected link, it is sufficient that only the second deflected region close to the chain roller in the narrower longitudinal end region is constructed at least on the inner surface of the link plate (optionally on the outer surface of the link plate) in a curved extension manner as described above.

[0045] In order to achieve a greater funnel effect of the deflected region through the significantly increasing distance between the first and second deflected regions as the distance from the reference plane increases, the two deflected regions are particularly preferably constructed at least partially in a curved extension manner at least on the inner surface of the link plate. In this case, a curvature is preferably adopted that curves as the distance from the reference plane increases, particularly towards the radially inner longitudinal edge of the bicycle chain, at least on the inner surface of the link plate, away from the central plane orthogonal to the longitudinal track of the chain of the link. The link plate is preferably made by a pressing process that is easy to form a curved deflected region to form at least one curved deflected region. In the case of using such a pressing process, at least one deflected region can also be constructed in a curved manner on the inner surface of the link plate.

[0046] In principle, for multiple link plates of a bicycle chain, preferably all link plates, it is applicable that the link plates of the link are mirror-symmetrical with respect to the reference plane. In the longitudinal central region of the link plate and the link, the height dimension of the link plate along the chain height axis can be reduced compared to the longitudinal section including the pivot of the adjacent link, which can, for example, contribute to the radial outward movement of the link plate on the tooth top during gear shifting. If the link, especially the entire bicycle chain, is mirror-symmetrical with respect to the reference plane, the bicycle chain is hardly misarranged on a drive system with two sprockets or only arranged on one sprocket.

[0047] In order to achieve a concave bend in the longitudinal edge section that encloses the longitudinal center of the link plate while achieving a higher tensile strength to help the link plate move axially radially outward relative to the rotation axis of the target sprocket over the tooth tip, for the link plates of multiple, preferably all, linkages of a bicycle chain, only one link plate longitudinal edge that defines the corresponding link plate along the chain height axis is concave-bent in the longitudinal section that encloses the longitudinal center of the link plate. The link plate longitudinal edge opposite thereto along the chain height axis of the same link plate can be constructed in a straight line or with a smaller curvature. Such link plates have been disclosed, for example, in Chinese Taiwan Patent TW M268483U or the aforementioned US 9,890,830 B2. In this case, the chain is preferably assembled such that the link plate longitudinal edge with the concave-bent longitudinal center section is located on the meshing side of the link, where the sprocket teeth enter the tooth meshing space. For a closed-loop bicycle chain, this is the radially inner link plate longitudinal edge.

[0048] As an alternative or preferably complementary guiding aid for the meshing movement of the sprocket teeth with the tooth meshing space, the link plate longitudinal edge can have an inclined surface extending along the link plate longitudinal edge in its longitudinal center section. This inclined surface is preferably constructed on the two link plates of the link such that the distance between the inner surfaces of the link plates opposite each other along the chain width axis becomes smaller as it gradually approaches the reference plane.

[0049] As described above, in order to strengthen the guiding aid for guiding the sprocket teeth into the tooth meshing space, two deflecting regions composed of a first and a second deflecting region are preferably constructed at least partially in a curved manner at least in the same link plate section between the reference plane and the link longitudinal edge, at least in the inner surface of the link plate. This applies to multiple, preferably all, linkages of a bicycle chain and preferably also to the two link plates of one link.

[0050] The preferred bending direction of at least one deflecting region constructed in a curved manner at least in the inner surface of the link plate has also been discussed above. In other words, the preferred bending direction of at least one deflecting region that is partially bent at least in the inner surface of the link plate in the first and second deflecting regions is such that it is concave-bent when viewed from the chain roller rotation axis of the chain roller close to the partially bent deflecting region and convex-bent when viewed from the chain roller rotation axis of the chain roller far from the partially bent deflecting region. In this case, the tooth meshing space between the first deflecting region and the second deflecting region advantageously gradually widens in the direction away from the reference plane towards the longitudinal edge where tooth meshing occurs in the link, that is, the distance to be measured along the longitudinal track between the first deflecting region and the second deflecting region increases disproportionately as the distance from the reference plane increases.

[0051] According to a preferred refinement of the invention, at least one, preferably both, of the first and second deflected regions can be constructed at least partially concentric with the chain roller closest to the respective deflected region in at least the inner surface of the link plate. In this case, the first and / or second deflected regions can extend at least partially in the inner surface of the link plate parallel to the side surface of the chain roller closest to the deflected region. Particularly preferably, with respect to the radius of the chain roller, at least in the inner surface of the link plate, the radius of the curved section of the first or / and second deflected region differs from the radius of the chain roller closest to the deflected region by no more than 5%, preferably no more than 3%. This can reduce or even completely avoid the generation of an undesired gap or wedge-shaped space that is conducive to dirt accumulation between the end face of the chain roller in the direction of its chain roller axis and the inner surface of the link plate closest to the chain roller.

[0052] In order to excellently guide the movement of the chain roller during the rotational movement of the chain roller around its chain roller axis relative to the link plate of the link, for a plurality of links of the bicycle chain, particularly preferably all links, each link plate of the link has a flat surface section located in the extension region of the chain roller, which may be adjacent to the chain roller, in the wider longitudinal end region or / and the narrower longitudinal end region on the side facing the chain roller.

[0053] In a preferred embodiment of the bicycle chain for use, the pin and / or the sleeve as a hollow pin extend between the flat surface sections of the inner surface of the link plate. For simplicity, only the pin is mentioned hereinafter. This name encompasses the sleeve as a hollow pin. For a plurality of links of the bicycle chain, preferably all links, the pin links the link plates of the respective link opposite each other along the chain width axis in the wider longitudinal end region of the link. In addition, the pin can also carry the chain roller accommodated between the link plates. Due to the above special structural form of the link, the pin extending along the chain width axis, particularly parallel to the chain width axis, passes through the link plates of the link at the narrower longitudinal end region and extends into the link plates of the link in the wider longitudinal end region of the link following it along the chain longitudinal track. This is because the narrower longitudinal end region of the link extends into the wider longitudinal end region of the link between the link plates of the link following it along the chain longitudinal track as described at the beginning.

[0054] The assistance for the shift preparation of the chain discussed herein lies in that the pin members connecting the link plates of the chain links to each other preferably do not protrude beyond the link plates on the outer sides of the link plates. In this way, an increase in the local width dimension of the bicycle chain in the region of the pin members can be avoided. The ends of the pin members are preferably flush with the outer surface of the link plates. In this way, steps can be avoided on the outer sides of the link links that deviate from the chain rollers along the chain width axis, and these steps may have adverse effects: If the pin members protrude beyond the outer surface of the link plates, such constructed steps may cause the bicycle chain to be undesirably stuck on the contour on one side of the sprocket due to the longitudinal ends of the pin members protruding from their sides, thereby hindering the smooth movement of the bicycle chain discussed herein, especially the shift movement. If the pin members remain behind the outer surface of the link plates, a recess will be formed, and dirt may undesirably accumulate in this recess.

[0055] Preferably, the first deflected region at least partially defines a flat surface section located in the wider longitudinal end region in at least the inner surface of the link plate, and optionally also in the outer surface of the link plate, so that the structural design of the link plate remains simple and there is no need to separately define the flat surface section. As an alternative or preferably as a supplementary solution, for the same reason, the second deflected region can at least partially define a flat surface section located in the narrower longitudinal end region in at least the inner surface of the link plate, and optionally also in the outer surface of the link plate. Particularly preferably, the first and / or second deflected regions partially or completely define the flat surface section closest to the deflected region in the longitudinal end region of the link plate closest to the deflected region.

[0056] The present invention also relates to a bicycle drive device, which includes a chainring device and a bicycle pinion device arranged at a certain distance from it as a sprocket device, wherein the chainring device and the bicycle pinion device can rotate around mutually parallel device axes, and wherein the bicycle drive device includes the improved bicycle chain as described above, and this bicycle chain closes around the device axis and meshes with each of the devices in a form-fitting manner to transmit torque from the chainring device to the bicycle pinion device.

[0057] The shiftable bicycle chain having the structural form described at the beginning discussed herein can be shifted from the starting sprocket to the target sprocket in a known manner by means of a transmission. To achieve the shift process, at least one sprocket device composed of a chainring device and a bicycle pinion device must have at least two coaxial sprockets with different numbers of teeth as a shift sprocket device.

[0058] To achieve the above object, the bicycle drive device has a transmission that can also be displaced at least along a parallel device axis. A bicycle chain passes through the transmission, and the transmission is adapted to displace the bicycle chain from one of at least two coaxial sprockets engaged with the bicycle chain to at least another of the at least two coaxial sprockets along a common device axis of the at least two coaxial sprockets, so that the other sprocket engages with the bicycle chain.

[0059] In this case, the bicycle drive device is constructed such that when the sprocket teeth engage in the tooth engagement space of the links of the bicycle chain, the acting force is transmitted in a form-fitting manner between the corresponding sprocket teeth and the chain links only through the chain rollers of the corresponding links, rather than through the link plates of the links. Any frictional force transmitted between the sprocket teeth and the link plates in contact therewith by power coupling or frictional engagement should be disregarded based on its negligible amount compared to the acting force transmitted in a form-fitting manner between the tooth surface and the chain rollers. According to the above embodiment, the chain rollers and the link plates preferably have specific dimensions such that the load-bearing tooth surfaces of the sprocket teeth engaged in the tooth engagement space only abut and engage with the sides of the chain rollers of the links, and do not abut and engage with the link edges located between the inner surface and the outer surface of the link plates. This can be achieved by the above partial dimensions of the link plates of the links relative to the chain rollers arranged therebetween along the chain width axis. During the operation of the bicycle drive device, in the section towards the device axis and the teeth engaged in the tooth engagement space of the links, the link plates, for example, do not radially protrude beyond the sides of the closest chain rollers relative to the chain roller axes of the chain rollers, or even do not remain radially behind the sides of the chain rollers, so that the sides of the chain rollers physically prevent the tooth surfaces of the sprocket teeth from abutting against the link edges.

[0060] The coaxial sprockets of the shift sprocket device are arranged in a direction hereinafter referred to as the "succession direction" in such a manner that the number of sprocket teeth decreases. On the target sprocket with a larger number of sprocket teeth, for implementing the first shift process from the starting sprocket with fewer teeth to the target sprocket adjacent thereto in the direction opposite to the succession direction and having more teeth than the starting sprocket, at least one tooth is constructed on the target sprocket as a catching tooth for the first shift process. In particular, for a sprocket with only one shift chute, a plurality of standard teeth or even most of the standard teeth of the target sprocket have a uniform mating tooth profile. The standard teeth with a uniform mating tooth profile are generally only used to transmit force or torque between the chain and the sprocket through the physical engagement of the teeth of the standard teeth with the tooth engagement spaces of the links of the bicycle chain. The tooth profile of the catching tooth deviates from the tooth profile of the standard tooth. The tooth profile of the catching tooth helps to achieve a physically form-fitting engagement of the bicycle chain disengaged from the starting sprocket under the influence of the transmission. Therefore, the catching tooth is the tooth that enters the tooth engagement space of the link of the bicycle chain as the first tooth for the first shift process discussed here and thus engages with the chain on the target sprocket.

[0061] For facilitating the engagement with the tooth engagement space of the bicycle chain or its link shifted to the target sprocket, the catching tooth preferably has a catching groove on the tooth side facing away from the starting sprocket, and particularly preferably has a catching groove at least partially designed as a catching slope. For facilitating the entry of the catching tooth into the tooth engagement space of the link of the bicycle chain axially moving from the transmission towards the target sprocket through the catching groove, the catching groove preferably extends radially inwards towards the device axis starting from the top of the catching tooth. In this way, the thickness of the tooth tip of the catching tooth is reduced on the side of the target sprocket facing away from the starting sprocket through the catching groove, so that the tooth tip of the catching tooth undergoes an effective axial displacement towards the starting sprocket. Based on the catching groove, the ridge surface or (in the case where the axial extension of the ridge surface is zero) the ridge line (as a structure that extends along the circumferential path around the device axis and radially bounds the catching tooth or its tooth tip) is closer to the starting sprocket. In addition, the tooth tip of the catching tooth is axially thinner than the tooth tip of the standard tooth due to the catching groove, and therefore, compared with the standard tooth, the catching tooth is more likely to engage with the tooth engagement space of the link of the bicycle chain moving from the starting sprocket to the catching tooth.

[0062] At least in the radial section of the catching tooth extending from the ridge line or ridge surface of the catching tooth, the catching groove is preferably constructed as a catching slope on the tooth tip, so as to be used as a guiding slope for guiding the catching tooth into the tooth engagement space. In this case, the catching slope is preferably constructed such that the radial thickness of the catching tooth increases in the direction of the device axis as the radial distance from the ridge line or ridge surface of the catching tooth increases. The surface of the catching slope is preferably constructed to be inclined around an inclined axis that is tangent to the circumferential path around the device axis or is inclined relative to the tangent of the circumferential path around the device axis by no more than 20°, preferably no more than 10°.

[0063] The catch groove preferably extends from the ridge line or ridge surface of the tooth tip of the catch tooth on the side facing away from the starting sprocket in the direction of the device axis to more than 25%, preferably more than 35%, and optionally more than 50% of the radial extension of the catch tooth. The radial extension of the catch tooth should be measured starting from the radial coordinate of the root circle of the target sprocket. By forming a catch groove that extends from the ridge line or ridge surface of the catch tooth to the radial center or even beyond the radial center, the functionally necessary entanglement during the first shifting process of the bicycle chain discussed here can be reduced to an advantageous level. For conventional tooth engagement, after successfully shifting the bicycle chain to the target sprocket, in order to fully guide the bicycle chain through the catch tooth, the catch groove preferably does not extend radially to the root circle of the tooth ring of the target sprocket. The catch groove particularly preferably extends from the tooth tip of the catch tooth to no more than 80% of the radial dimension of the catch tooth. The catch groove also preferably extends along a circumferential path around the device axis within the entire circumferential extension of the catch tooth.

[0064] The outer surface section of the catch tooth that is radially away from the tooth tip on the side of the target sprocket facing away from the starting sprocket serves as another interface section of the catch groove. Compared with the outer surface section that is radially more outward directly starting from the ridge line or ridge surface of the catch tooth, especially compared with the above-mentioned catch slope, it can have a more significant radial and less obvious axial trend to better guide the chain after the catch tooth penetrates deeper into the tooth engagement space. The outer surface section of the catch tooth formed by the catch groove on the side of the target sprocket facing away from the starting sprocket can be constructed in a polyhedral manner at least partially with an edge formed at its boundary region and / or can be constructed at least partially as a curved common outer surface region, which preferably has at least one main or preferably completely tangential to the circumferential path around the device axis and / or extends at an angle not exceeding 20°, preferably 10° with respect to the tangent of the circumferential path around the device axis. Further preferably, the curvature of the curved outer surface region for forming the outer surface section can vary radially towards the device axis away from the ridge line or ridge surface. In this case, compared with being radially away from the ridge line or ridge surface, the curvature closer to the ridge line or ridge surface is particularly preferably greater, that is, it has a shorter radius of curvature. The curvature of the outer surface of the catch tooth that varies in its radial direction refers to multiple curvature axes that determine the local curvature of the outer surface section.

[0065] If the catch tooth also has an inclined surface or bevel on the side facing the starting sprocket starting from the ridge line or ridge surface at the tooth tip, the catch slope on the side facing away from the starting sprocket is larger than the bevel constructed on the tooth tip on the side facing the starting sprocket.

[0066] The catching tooth can be constructed to be shorter radially compared to the standard tooth and / or the sprocket tooth adjacent to the catching tooth along the circumferential path, so as to achieve the first engagement with the tooth engagement space.

[0067] The target sprocket of the described first shifting process can have a preliminary groove on the side facing the starting sprocket in the area of the preliminary tooth immediately in front of the catching tooth along the forward rotation direction of the sprocket device, so as to enable the bicycle chain to approach the target sprocket axially more closely in this area during the shifting of the bicycle chain. In this case, the forward rotation direction refers to the rotation direction in which the sprocket device rotates to move forward during the process of driving a bicycle with a bicycle drive device.

[0068] The preliminary groove preferably extends radially within the entire radial extent of the preliminary tooth. In addition, the preliminary groove can also extend into the circumferential area of the tooth gap immediately in front of the preliminary tooth along the forward rotation direction. To enable the bicycle chain to approach the target sprocket axially as simply as possible, the preliminary groove can extend along the circumferential path around the device axis to the tooth immediately in front of the preliminary tooth along the forward rotation direction, but preferably not exceed the circumferential center of the tooth for strength reasons.

[0069] The preliminary groove can approach the device axis of the sprocket device radially to different degrees along the circumferential path around the device axis, wherein the preliminary groove preferably approaches the device axis radially from the catching tooth along the forward rotation direction, so as to at least approximately reproduce the radial path of the bicycle chain from the starting sprocket to the target sprocket.

[0070] The catching tooth and the preliminary tooth with the preliminary groove form a particularly effective combination of features for improving the shiftability of the chain on the shift sprocket device.

[0071] To avoid excessive entanglement of the bicycle chain during the first shifting process, the tooth immediately following the catching tooth relative to the forward rotation direction can have an additional groove on the side facing away from the starting sprocket. The immediately following tooth preferably has a smaller axial thickness in the further radially outer half of its radial extent compared to the standard tooth. The additional groove can be constructed to approach the device axis circumferentially in a direction away from the catching tooth. The additional grooves at the two opposite circumferential ends of the immediately following tooth preferably do not extend from the tooth tip to the root circle of the target sprocket. The additional groove preferably extends along the circumferential path around the device axis within the entire circumferential extent of the tooth.

[0072] For facilitating the introduction of the catching tooth into the tooth engagement space of a link of a bicycle chain, the catching tooth may have a sliding inclined surface on the side facing away from the starting sprocket at its front side or / and unloaded side along the forward rotation direction, which assists the first shifting process. The sliding inclined surface constructed on the tooth surface is substantially marked linguistically to be distinguished from the above-mentioned catching inclined surface. In fact, during the first shifting process, the connection of the bicycle chain can slide towards the device axis by the chain plate away from the starting sprocket along the sliding inclined surface in a manner of physically contacting the sliding inclined surface radially downward at the catching tooth. Regarding this possible but not necessarily accompanying movement of the above-mentioned sliding contact, the catching tooth penetrates into the tooth engagement space of the relevant link as expected, so as to physically engage with the link. The sliding inclined surface is preferably constructed in an inclined manner such that the normal vector of the outer surface of the catching tooth formed by the sliding inclined surface has a circumferential vector component in the direction away from the following or / and loaded side of the catching tooth, an axial vector component parallel to the common sprocket device axis in the direction away from the starting sprocket, and a radial vector component in the direction away from the common sprocket device axis. With this technical solution of the sliding inclined surface on the catching tooth, the catching tooth can be adapted to the shape of the tooth engagement space by its tapered section. The inclined posture of the chain plate section defining the tooth engagement space along the chain width axis with respect to the plane orthogonal to the common device axis of the coaxial sprockets can be further increased at one end region of the link along the chain width axis by the chain inclined posture caused by the transmission during the first shifting process, and decreased at the other end region. Thus, the orientation of the side of the link defining the tooth engagement space with respect to the catching tooth is completely different from that of a conventional bicycle chain.

[0073] The sliding inclined surface preferably extends radially from the tooth tip region of the catching tooth to the root of the catching tooth and extends circumferentially into the tooth gap in front of the catching tooth along the forward rotation direction. The sliding inclined surface can extend circumferentially to the circumferential extension section of the tooth gap between the catching tooth and the tooth immediately in front of the catching tooth along the forward rotation direction, and this circumferential extension section includes the circumferential center of the tooth gap and symmetrically extends one-sixth, preferably one-eighth of the tooth pitch on both sides of the circumferential center starting from the circumferential center. The point of the tooth gap closest to the device axis is usually located at the circumferential center.

[0074] The inclined surface, that is, the sliding inclined surface, is preferably constructed only at the transition part between two circumferentially adjacent tooth sides of the catching tooth around the catching tooth. If inclined surfaces are constructed at more than one transition part between two circumferentially adjacent tooth sides of the catching tooth around the catching tooth, then the sliding inclined surface is the inclined surface with the greatest strength, especially the largest surface area, constructed on two circumferentially adjacent tooth sides of the catching tooth.

[0075] On the tooth with an additional groove following the catching tooth relative to the forward rotation direction, another sliding ramp can be constructed, which is substantially equivalent to the sliding ramp of the catching tooth in terms of its shape, dimensions, and construction position. Therefore, the description of the sliding ramp of the catching tooth above also applies mutatis mutandis to the other sliding ramp on the tooth following it. This other sliding ramp is to the additional groove substantially as the sliding ramp is to the catching groove.

[0076] The bicycle chain can be smoothly shifted from the starting sprocket with fewer sprocket teeth to the adjacent target sprocket with more sprocket teeth only in a desired manner along the first shifting chute. The first shifting chute is formed at a position where the distance between the engagement of the first link on the target sprocket and the engagement of the last link on the starting sprocket is 90% to 110%, preferably 95% to 105%, of an integer multiple of the link pitch.

[0077] On the bicycle drive device described herein, the number of the first shifting chutes on the target sprocket can advantageously be selected to be less than or preferably equal to the difference in the number of teeth between the starting sprocket and the target sprocket. The first shifting chutes are preferably circumferentially equally spaced on the circumference of the target sprocket. Since the shifting chutes can only be discontinuously constructed at the circumferential positions with catching teeth, in this case, "equally spaced" means that the circumferential distance (expressed in degrees) between k shifting chutes of a target sprocket with n teeth is equivalent to 360° / k ± 0.5 x 360° / n, where k and n are integers and n > k applies.

[0078] It has been proven more advantageous for the mechanical strength and service life of the target sprocket that the sprocket serving as the target sprocket must have exactly one catching tooth for each shifting chute on the target sprocket in order to enable a reliable and repeatable shifting process. Different from the conventional bicycle chain with inner and outer plate links, for the bicycle chain discussed here, a link with a known uniform shape is always provided on the tooth ring of the target sprocket for engagement through the target sprocket. Therefore, a technical solution with only one catching tooth for each first shifting chute is preferably adopted.

[0079] For facilitating the implementation of a second shifting process from an initial sprocket with a larger number of teeth to an adjacent target sprocket with a smaller number of teeth in the direction of succession, which is opposite to the above-described first shifting process, at least one tooth can be constructed on the initial sprocket as a switching tooth, which has a tooth shape different from the mating tooth shape of the standard tooth. Regarding the standard tooth, the above description applies. In this case, the switching tooth is the first tooth with a special design on the tooth ring of the initial sprocket. During the second shifting process, the bicycle chain disengaged from the initial sprocket by the transmission operation axially passes over this tooth on the side of the switching tooth facing the target sprocket with respect to the device axis. Therefore, the switching tooth is the first tooth of the initial sprocket, which is no longer in spatial engagement with the teeth of the links of the bicycle chain during the second shifting process. During the second shifting process, the switching tooth generally follows a series of successively connected teeth with respect to the forward rotation direction of the initial sprocket, and these teeth are respectively in spatial engagement with the teeth of the links of the bicycle chain.

[0080] The switching tooth preferably has a switching groove on its side facing the smaller target sprocket, and the switching groove extends radially from the tooth tip of the switching tooth towards the device axis beyond the root circle of the teeth of the initial sprocket. The switching groove particularly preferably extends over the entire circumferential width on the tooth side of the switching tooth facing the target sprocket, and also particularly preferably extends over the entire radial extent of the switching tooth.

[0081] The switching groove causes the switching tooth to be effectively axially farther away from the target sprocket on the initial sprocket compared to the standard tooth, thus facilitating the realization of the function of the switching tooth. Compared with the standard tooth of the starting sprocket, the switching tooth is axially constructed thinner due to the switching groove. The switching groove can extend circumferentially away from the switching tooth into the circumferential region of the tooth gap immediately following the switching tooth with respect to the forward rotation direction, and particularly preferably extends to the tooth immediately following the switching tooth with respect to the forward rotation direction. The switching groove preferably does not extend circumferentially beyond the circumferential center of the tooth immediately following it, and particularly preferably does not exceed 20% of its circumferential dimension. It extends to the corresponding radial coordinate therein.

[0082] The switching groove can radially approach the device axis to different degrees along the circumferential path around the device axis of the sprocket device. Among them, the switching groove is preferably constructed in a manner that it radially approaches the device axis while moving away from the switching tooth in the direction opposite to the forward rotation direction, so as to at least approximately reproduce the radial path of the bicycle chain from the initial sprocket to the target sprocket.

[0083] As a shifting aid, the switching tooth may have, on its side facing the target sprocket, an inclined surface or bevel surface starting directly from its ridge line or ridge surface as an outer surface section of the switching groove that at least partially defines the switching tooth. This inclined surface or bevel surface advantageously faces axially towards the target sprocket and radially away from the device axis. Through this inclined surface or bevel surface, the ridge line or ridge surface of the switching tooth can be axially further away from the target sprocket compared to the ridge line or ridge surface of the standard tooth of the starting sprocket.

[0084] The outer surface section of the switching tooth that defines the switching groove on the side of the starting sprocket facing the target sprocket can be constructed at least partially in a polyhedral manner in the case of forming an edge at its boundary region and / or can be constructed at least partially as a curved common outer surface region, which preferably has at least one curvature axis that is tangent to the circumferential path around the device axis or is inclined by no more than 20°, preferably 10°, relative to the tangent of the circumferential path around the device axis. Further preferably, the curvature of the curved outer surface region for forming the outer surface section can vary radially towards the device axis away from the ridge line or ridge surface, where, in this case, the curvature is particularly preferably greater closer to the ridge line or ridge surface compared to radially away from the ridge line or ridge surface, that is, has a shorter radius of curvature. The curvature of the outer surface of the switching tooth that varies in its radial direction refers to the plurality of curvature axes that determine the local curvature of the outer surface section.

[0085] A tooth immediately in front of the switching tooth in the direction of rotational advancement serves as an auxiliary tooth and has an auxiliary groove on a tooth side facing away from the target sprocket in order to reduce the inevitable entanglement of the bicycle chain during the shifting process and to enable the bicycle chain to approach the target sprocket axially. This front auxiliary tooth has a smaller axial thickness compared to the standard tooth based on the auxiliary groove located in the radially outer half of its radial extent. The auxiliary groove, which preferably extends over the entire circumferential width of the auxiliary tooth, also preferably does not extend from the tooth tip to the root circle of the starting sprocket at the two opposite circumferential ends of the front tooth.

[0086] The switching tooth with the switching groove and the auxiliary tooth form a combination of features that are particularly helpful for improving the shiftability of the chain on the shift sprocket device.

[0087] Regarding the second shifting process discussed here, the same applies: The bicycle chain can be smoothly shifted from the starting sprocket with a larger number of sprocket teeth to the adjacent target sprocket with a smaller number of sprocket teeth only along the second shifting chute constructed on the starting sprocket. Regarding this at least one second shifting chute, the above description for the first shifting chute applies accordingly. The number of second shifting chutes on the starting sprocket is less than or preferably equal to the difference in the number of teeth between the starting sprocket and the target sprocket. In addition, as described above, the second shifting chutes are preferably distributed equidistantly in the circumferential direction on the circumference of the starting sprocket.

[0088] To achieve a favorable high mechanical strength and a long service life of the starting sprocket, each second shifting chute preferably has exactly one switching tooth.

[0089] The first and second shifting chutes discussed herein and the specially designed teeth employed therein: the catching teeth and the switching teeth, and their grooves: the catching grooves and the switching grooves, as well as possible preliminary grooves or / and auxiliary grooves or / and additional grooves are always constructed on the larger of the two sprockets consisting of the starting sprocket and the target sprocket.

[0090] Regarding the sprocket device with a larger sprocket and a smaller sprocket of concern, the sprocket that serves as the target sprocket during the first shifting process is the starting sprocket during the second shifting process. Of course, the sprocket device may have more than two sprockets. In a sprocket device with more than two sprockets, each sprocket except the smallest sprocket can serve as both the target sprocket during the first shifting process and the starting sprocket during the second shifting process.

[0091] The ordinal numbers used as technical feature attributes only characterize the order of the names. The existence of a feature with a lower ordinal number is not a prerequisite for the existence of a feature with the same name but a higher ordinal number. Therefore, the second shifting process can theoretically exist or be discussed without the first shifting process.

[0092] This application also relates to a unique sprocket, which is constructed according to the target sprocket described in the first shifting process and / or the starting sprocket described in the second shifting process. This application also relates to a unique sprocket device, which includes the above-mentioned sprocket and an adjacent smaller sprocket. As required, the sprocket device may have at least another sprocket of a different size (i.e., different number of teeth).

[0093] According to a preferred embodiment of the bicycle drive device, when the bicycle chain moves in the forward traveling circumferential direction, the narrower longitudinal end of the link is located in the front, and the wider longitudinal end is located in the rear. The chainring device of this embodiment preferably has only one chainring, while the bicycle pinion device has a plurality of coaxial pinions with different numbers of teeth. Therefore, in this preferred embodiment, the shifting process is only implemented on the pinion device of the rear wheel. Regarding the shifting process on this pinion device, the orientation given by the narrower longitudinal end located in the front during forward travel is particularly advantageous. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0094] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Among them:

[0095] Figure 1 A rough perspective schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention for a bicycle chain on one side of the straight edge of the link plate

[0096] Figure 2 isFigure 1 The side view of the bicycle chain shown when viewed along the arrow II in the Figure 3 chain width axis,

[0097] Figure 3 is Figure 1 and Figure 2 the top view of the bicycle chain shown when viewed along the arrow III in the Figure 2 chain height axis,

[0098] Figure 4 is the longitudinal sectional view of the bicycle chain taken with the reference plane as the cutting plane when viewed along the arrow IV in the Figure 2 chain,

[0099] Figure 5 is Figures 1 to 3 the side view of the outer surface of the link plate 24 of the bicycle chain shown when viewed along the arrow II in the Figure 3 chain width axis or Figure 6 the arrow V in the

[0100] Figure 6 is Figure 5 the top view of the longitudinal edge of the link plate 24 away from the meshing side shown when viewed along the arrow III in the Figure 2 chain height axis or Figure 5 and Figure 7 the arrow VI in the

[0101] Figure 6A is Figure 6 the top view corresponding to the longitudinal edge of the link plate 26 away from the meshing side in the second embodiment shown in Figure 6 is

[0102] Figure 7 is Figure 5 and Figure 6 the side view of the inner surface of the link plate 24 shown when viewed along the arrow VII in the Figure 6 chain width axis,

[0103] Figure 7A is the perspective view of the outer surface of the link plate 26 in the fourth embodiment,

[0104] Figure 7B is Figure 7A the side view of the outer surface of the link plate 1026 shown when viewed along the chain width axis,

[0105] Figure 7C is the perspective view of the inner surface of the link plate 26 in the fifth embodiment,

[0106] Figure 7DAnother embodiment according to the invention of a bicycle chain of the sixth embodiment having link plates, a perspective view including a sectional view

[0107] Figure 8 As shown in Figure 15 The axial front view of the pinion device of the rear wheel of the bicycle shown for driving by the Figures 1 to 7 bicycle chain shown, taken along the Figure 9 viewing direction extending along the device axis of the pinion device of the arrow VIII in

[0108] Figure 9 Is Figure 8 The side view of the pinion device shown, taken along the Figure 8 viewing direction orthogonal to the device axis of the arrow IX in

[0109] Figure 10 Is Figure 8 And Figure 9 The axial front view of only the second largest and the largest pinions in the pinion device shown, taken along the Figure 9 viewing direction extending along the device axis of the arrow VIII in

[0110] Figure 11 Is Figure 10 The detailed perspective view of the circumferential section of the larger pinion of the two pinions shown having two different shifting chutes, wherein, observing Figure 10 the side of the larger pinion of the two pinions shown facing the Figure 10 smaller pinion in

[0111] Figure 12 Is Figure 10 The axial rear view of the two pinions shown, taken along the Figure 9 viewing direction extending along the device axis of the arrow XII in

[0112] Figure 13 The schematic view of the circumference of the largest pinion, taken along the Figure 8 viewing direction orthogonal to the device axis of the pinion device of the arrow XIII in

[0113] Figure 14 Is Figures 1 to 4 The rough schematic view of the first shifting process performed by the bicycle chain on the bicycle pinion device of the rear wheel of the bicycle, and

[0114] Figure 15 The perspective schematic view of the bicycle having the drive device according to the invention

[0115] These figures are not drawn to scale. For clarity, in Figures 1 to 15 not all components and parts with the same design are labeled with reference signs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0116] Figure 15 A bicycle 2 is shown exemplarily in perspective. The bicycle 2 has a frame 4, a spring-loaded front fork 6 which is pivotably fixed to the frame by a front wheel 7 rotatably received thereon, and a spring-loaded rear lower fork 8 which is fixed to the frame by a rear wheel 9 rotatably received thereon.

[0117] The front wheel 7 can be steered in a known manner by a handlebar 114. A saddle 116 provides a seat for a cyclist during riding.

[0118] The front wheel 7 and the rear wheel 9 can be braked respectively by brake discs 118 and 120 by corresponding brake operations on the handlebar 114.

[0119] The bicycle 2 is driven in a known manner by a crank assembly 122 having pedals 124. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the bicycle drive 80 includes a front chainring assembly 82 having exactly one front chainring 84. The front chainring is directly connected to the crank assembly 122 in a torque-transmitting manner. The front chainring assembly rotates about a common assembly axis AQ together with the crank assembly 122.

[0120] Furthermore, the bicycle drive 80 also includes a rear bicycle pinion assembly 86 which is coupled to the hub of the rear wheel 9 in a torque-transmitting manner. A plurality of parallel and coaxially connected bicycle pinion assemblies 86 for common rotation are shown in detail in Figure 8 and Figure 9 The bicycle pinion assembly 86 rotates about a common assembly axis AO together with the rear wheel 9. The assembly axes AO and AQ are parallel to each other.

[0121] The bicycle chain 10, which will be described in detail below, is also part of the bicycle drive 80 and, in its rest state, closes around the chainring assembly 82 and the bicycle pinion assembly 86, wherein the bicycle chain meshes in a form-fitting manner with the single front chainring 84 and one of the pinions of the bicycle pinion assembly 86. The bicycle chain 10 for transmitting torque from the chainring assembly 82 to the bicycle pinion assembly 86 can be shifted by a chain shifting device 91 having a transmission 92 to different sprockets of the bicycle pinion assembly 86 serving as a shift sprocket assembly of the bicycle drive 80 for engagement. Based on a corresponding operation of a relevant switch on the handlebar 114, the rear transmission 92, which is the only transmission 92 of the bicycle in the exemplary embodiment shown, is moved along the assembly axis AO of the pinions of the bicycle pinion assembly 86 in a known manner by a Bowden cable or an electrical signal.

[0122] In Figures 1 to 4 , the stretching section of the bicycle chain according to an embodiment of the present invention is generally denoted by 10. The arrow VD indicates the moving direction of the corresponding shown section of the chain 10 when the driving device 80 is driven to move forward.

[0123] The bicycle chain 10 extends along the virtual chain longitudinal track LB. Substantially identical chain links 12 are connected to each other along this chain longitudinal track LB.

[0124] As a deflected chain link 12, the chain link 12 has a wider longitudinal end 14 and a narrower longitudinal end 16 (see the frontmost chain link 12 in Figure 1 ). The inner chain link width iKW and the outer chain link width aKW measured along the virtual chain width axis BA (see Figure 4 ) are larger at the wider longitudinal end 14 than at the narrower longitudinal end 16. The virtual chain width axis BA orthogonal to the virtual chain longitudinal track LB extends parallel or coaxially with the pivot axis S, and the chain links 12 following each other along the chain longitudinal track LB are connected to each other around the pivot axis in a pivotable manner.

[0125] The virtual chain height axis HA orthogonal to the virtual chain longitudinal track LB and the virtual chain width axis BA complements the rectangular coordinate system for describing the bicycle chain 10. The height dimension h of the bicycle chain 10 (see Figure 2 ) can be measured along the virtual chain height axis HA.

[0126] The chain links 12 following each other along the chain longitudinal track LB are connected to each other around the pivot axis S in a pivotable manner, and the bicycle chain closes around two sprockets arranged at a certain distance from each other during operation. Therefore, the chain longitudinal track LB may be bent sectionally during the operation of the bicycle chain 10. In these bending sections of the bicycle chain 10, the chain height axis HA is also oriented differently locally in space. The smallest unit that is considered to be undeformable as expected for the bicycle chain 10 is the chain link 12. Therefore, in order to clarify the different spatial orientations of the chain longitudinal track LB and the chain height axis HA, a local chain longitudinal track LB and a local chain height axis HA are assigned to each chain link 12, which are locally corresponding to the corresponding chain longitudinal track LB and the chain height axis HA of the bicycle chain 10. Therefore, the rectangular coordinate system used is not only the coordinate system of the bicycle chain 10, but also the coordinate system of each chain link 12.

[0127] A wider longitudinal end region 18 adjoins the wider longitudinal end 14 along the chain longitudinal track LB in the direction of the narrower longitudinal end 16. A narrower longitudinal end region 20 adjoins the narrower longitudinal end 16 along the chain longitudinal track LB in the direction of the wider longitudinal end 14. There is a tapered section 22 between the wider longitudinal end region 18 and the narrower longitudinal end region 20, in which the width dimension of the bicycle chain 10 or the link 12 changes from the wider dimension of the link 12 in the wider longitudinal end region 18 to the narrower dimension in the narrower longitudinal end region 20.

[0128] Each link 12 has a link plate 24 and a link plate 26 constructed independently of the link plate 24, which are opposite to each other along the chain width axis BA and are substantially mirror-symmetrical with respect to a mirror symmetry axis orthogonal to the chain width axis BA. Based on the described mirror symmetry, the description of the link plate 24 below is sufficient. Considering the mirror symmetry condition, the shape of the link plate 26 opposite to this link plate is derived from the shape described by the link plate 24.

[0129] The link plate 24 has a first longitudinal end region 28, which contributes to forming the wider longitudinal end region 18 of the link 12. Only because the first longitudinal end region 28 of the link plate 24 corresponds to the wider longitudinal end region 18 of the link 12, the first longitudinal end region 28 of the link plate 24 is also referred to as the "wider" longitudinal end region 28 of the link plate 24 below.

[0130] The link plate 24 also has a second longitudinal end region 30, which, in the above sense, as the "narrower" longitudinal end region 30, contributes to forming the narrower longitudinal end region 20 of the link 12.

[0131] The selected names of the first and second longitudinal end regions 28 and 30 do not indicate the actual width dimensions of these regions or the dimensional relationship therebetween.

[0132] A third longitudinal section 32 of the link plate 24 that is inclined with respect to the longitudinal end regions 28 and 30 is located between the wider longitudinal end region 28 and the narrower longitudinal end region 30 of the link plate 24 along the chain longitudinal track LB. In the above corresponding sense, this third longitudinal section serves as the tapered section 32 of the link plate 24 and contributes to forming the tapered section 22 of the link 12.

[0133] In the narrower longitudinal end region 20 of the link 12, a chain roller 34 is accommodated between the narrower longitudinal end regions 30 of the link plates 24 and 26. The chain roller 34 can rotate relative to the link plates 24 and 26 about a virtual pivot S. Therefore, the virtual pivot S is also the chain roller axis KR of the chain roller 34 of the link 12.

[0134] A pin 36 extending along the chain width axis BA connects the link plates 24 and 26 to each other in their narrower longitudinal end regions 30. Chain rollers 34, which are preferably hollow cylindrical, surround the pin 36 in a closed manner.

[0135] As Figure 1 shown, the narrower longitudinal end region 20 of the link 12 extends along the chain longitudinal track LB into the wider longitudinal end region 18 of the adjacent link 12 along the chain longitudinal track LB. Thus, the pin 36 not only passes through the narrower longitudinal end regions 30 of the link plates 24 and 26 of the link 12, but also through the wider longitudinal end regions 28 of the link plates 24 and 26 of the adjacent link 12 along the chain longitudinal track LB, with the inserted narrower longitudinal end region 20 of the aforementioned link 12 being accommodated between these longitudinal end regions. In the region of the wider longitudinal end region 18, the pin 36 is preferably flush with the respective link plate outer surfaces 38 of the link plates 24 and 26.

[0136] In Figure 1 a part of the inner surface 40 of the link plate 24 can be seen. The inner surfaces 40 of the link plates 24 and 26 face each other, while the outer surfaces 38 face away from each other.

[0137] Figures 2 to 4 For Figure 1 the different views of the same bicycle chain 10 shown.

[0138] For clarity, in Figures 2 to 4 the features of the link plate 24 applicable to all links 12 and their orientations towards Figure 2 the observer shown are depicted on different links 12 in order to correct the markings of these diagrams across the entire drawing surface.

[0139] Figure 2 For Figure 1 the side view of the bicycle chain 10 shown along Figure 3 the arrow II in Figure 2 the shown embodiment, the upper longitudinal edge 42 of the link plate 24 and the link 12 is constructed as a straight longitudinal edge 42. While Figure 2 the lower longitudinal edge 44 facing in the opposite direction is constructed in a concave manner in the region of the tapered section 22 or 32. And in the wider longitudinal end regions 18 or 28 and the narrower longitudinal end regions 20 or 30, the lower longitudinal edge 44 is constructed in a convex manner. Thus, the height dimension h of the link plate 24 and the link 12 varies along the longitudinal extension of the link plate 24 and the link 12.

[0140] The engaging side of the bicycle chain 10 is the side of the lower longitudinal edge 44 where the sprocket teeth enter and leave Figure 3 and Figure 4The tooth engagement space 46 of the chain link 12 is shown. The concave design of the sections of the lower longitudinal edge 44, which in the case of a closed-loop bicycle chain 10 is the radially inner longitudinal edge 44 of the bicycle chain 10, facilitates the movement of the bicycle chain 10 over the tooth tips of the sprocket teeth. When the bicycle chain 10 is shifted, this movement occurs in the region of the concave section of the lower longitudinal edge 44.

[0141] The tapered section 22 or 32 is a section of the chain link 12 or the chain plate 24 which delimits a tooth engagement space 46 along the chain width axis BA. The tooth engagement space 46 is delimited along the chain longitudinal rail LB by two adjacent chain rollers 34 or their side faces 35 .

[0142] Figure 2 Shown to be orthogonal to Figure 2 A reference plane BE is shown which is in the drawing plane and coincides with the longitudinal rail LB and is defined by the virtual pivot axis S of the chain link 12 .

[0143] exist Figure 2 1, the narrower longitudinal end 16 of the link 12 is shown at the right end of the shown section of the bicycle chain 10. At the narrower longitudinal end 16 of the link 12, the link plates 24 and 26 are flattened, which will be described below in conjunction with Figures 5 to 7 At the flattened narrow longitudinal end 16, the chain roller 34 accommodated in its narrow longitudinal end region 30 between the link plates 24 and 26 is moved along the chain longitudinal rail LB at approximately the same angle as the chain roller 34 relative to its chain roller axis KR (see Figure 3 ) slightly protrudes beyond the narrower longitudinal end 16 of the chain link 12 by 3% to 5% of the radial dimension rk of the chain link 12. The chain rollers 34 protrude beyond the narrower longitudinal end 16 of the chain link 12 in a height section 48 extending along the chain height axis HA, which contains the reference plane and preferably extends symmetrically around the reference plane.

[0144] By virtue of the chain rollers 34 protruding beyond the longitudinal ends 16, the sprocket teeth meshing along the chain longitudinal rail LB with the tooth engagement spaces 46 delimited by the side surfaces 35 of two chain rollers 34 that are adjacent to one another only come into contact with the chain rollers 34 and not with the chain plates 24 or 26, for example not with a section of the circumferential edge of the chain plates 24 or 26. In this way, forces can be transmitted between the bicycle chain 10 and the sprocket teeth in a very advantageous manner only via the chain rollers 34 that are rotatable about their chain roller axes KR.

[0145] Figure 4 The sprocket teeth 50 meshing with the tooth engagement spaces 46 are shown schematically and schematically. Figure 4 The sprocket teeth 50 in FIG. 1 are shown in section in the same manner as the entire bicycle chain 10 in the reference plane BE.

[0146] exist Figure 4In the sectional view shown, the tooth engagement space 46 has a trapezoidal shape in the reference plane BE, which enables the bicycle chain 10 to rotate relative to the engaged teeth 50 about a rotation axis parallel to its chain height axis HA. This rotation enables the chain to be inclined relative to the parallel sprocket planes of the two coaxial sprockets, such that the inclined bicycle chain 10 can bridge the distance between the two parallel sprocket planes and thus the distance between the two coaxial sprockets, so that the bicycle chain can be shifted from one of the parallel sprockets to the other. Based on the trapezoidal shape of the tooth engagement space 46 at least in the reference plane BE, the inner link net width iKW decreases along the longitudinal track LB of the chain from the wider longitudinal end region 18 towards the narrower longitudinal end region 20. The decrease in the inner link net width iKW is preferably linear, constant and continuous.

[0147] Figure 4 The engagement situation in Figure 4 is the engagement situation where the bicycle chain 10 moving rightward along the longitudinal track LB of the chain in transfers force to the sprocket teeth 50. This situation occurs in a typical engagement situation at the rear wheel pinion, where the bicycle chain 10 transfers force or torque to the rear wheel pinion.

[0148] As Figure 4 shown in the sectional view of , the pin 36 is a hollow pin or sleeve 36, and its central axis on the assembled bicycle chain 10 is the pivot S. Figure 4 It is also clearly shown that the pin 36 does not project beyond the outer surface 38 of the wider longitudinal end region 18 of the link 12 along the chain width axis BA. This excludes the pin 36 as a possible physical obstacle on the outer side of the bicycle chain 10.

[0149] Another important factor for improving the shiftability of the bicycle chain 10 between two coaxial sprockets involves the deflected regions, which in the present embodiment form transitions on the one hand between the wider longitudinal end region 18 of the link 12 and the tapered section 22, and on the other hand between the tapered section 22 and the narrower longitudinal end region 20.

[0150] In Figure 2 the side view shown, in the outer surface 38 of the link plate, a first deflected region 52 of the link 12 can be seen between the wider longitudinal end region 18 of the link 12 and the tapered section 22, which is also the first deflected region 54 of the link plate 24 between its wider longitudinal end region 28 and its tapered section 32. In addition, a second deflected region 56 of the link 12 can also be seen between the tapered section 22 of the link 12 and the narrower longitudinal end 20. This second deflected region 56 is also the second deflected region 58 of the link plate 24 between its tapered section 32 and its narrower longitudinal end region 30.

[0151] The deflected regions 52 and 56 of the link 12 are created by the deflected regions 54 and 58 of the link plates 24 and 26. Therefore, these deflected regions will be described in more detail below as the deflected regions 54 and 58 of the link plate 24. Figures 5 to 7 The illustration of the link plate 24 in Figures 5 to 7 is most suitable for this purpose. In Figure 7 , the first longitudinal end of the link plate 24 that contributes to forming the wider longitudinal end 14 of the link 12 is denoted by the symbol 15, and the second longitudinal end of the link plate 24 that contributes to forming the narrower longitudinal end 16 of the link 12 is denoted by the symbol 17. Only due to the above correspondence, the first longitudinal end 15 is also referred to below as the wider longitudinal end 15, and the second longitudinal end 17 is referred to as the narrower longitudinal end 17. The flattened height section of the link plate 24 on the narrower longitudinal end 17 that contributes to forming the height section 48 of the link 12 is denoted by the symbol 49. In the flattened height section 49, the edge of the link plate 24 is constructed in a manner with less curvature compared to the adjacent edge section, preferably in an unbent or flat manner. In Figure 7 , at the height section 49, the path of the chain roller 34 and its radius rk are shown by dashed lines.

[0152] For the sake of comprehensiveness, it should be noted that the edge of the link plate 24 also has a height section at the wider longitudinal end 15, which has a flattened portion with less curvature, preferably unbent, compared to the adjacent edge section.

[0153] In the outer surface 38 of the link plate, the first deflected region 54 represents the convex curvature of the outer surface 38 of the link plate, and the second deflected region 58 represents its concave curvature. In the inner surface 40 of the link plate, it is the opposite (see Figure 6 ). There, the first deflected region 54 forms the concave curvature of the inner surface 40 of the link plate, and the second deflected region 58 forms the convex curvature of the inner surface of the link plate. Therefore, the two deflected regions 54 and 58 cause the deflected design of the link plate 24 to be connected to each other along the longitudinal track LB of the chain.

[0154] In the illustrated embodiment, both deflected regions 54 and 58 have a semicircular path around the corresponding longitudinal end region adjacent to the deflected region (see Figure 5 and Figure 7 ). The wider longitudinal end region 28 has a substantially flat annular surface 60 in the outer surface 38 of the link plate, which closes around the virtual pivot S passing through the wider longitudinal end region 28. In Figure 5, the flat annular surface 60 adjoins the lower link longitudinal edge 44 by a chamfer 60a extending to the lower link longitudinal edge 44. The chamfer 60a extends along the convexly curved edge of the link 24 from the flattened height section 49a at the wider longitudinal end 15 opposite the flattened height section 49 until approaching or reaching the inflection point 44a of the lower link longitudinal edge 44 closer to the wider longitudinal end 15, where the curvature of the lower link longitudinal edge changes from convex to concave. In the embodiment shown, the chamfer 60a extends more than one quarter, but less than one third, of a revolution around the chain roller axis KR passing through the wider longitudinal end region 28.

[0155] The bevel 60a can have a straight or curved course in a section plane that includes the chain roller axis KR passing through the opening 68 centrally in the wider longitudinal end region 28. As for the curved course, it is preferably convex in a top view of the link plate outer surface 38.

[0156] The opening 68 is surrounded by a circumferential depression 68a on the outer surface 38 of the link plate. The depression 68 serves to receive material at the longitudinal ends of the pin 36. The pin 36 can be radially expanded at its two longitudinal ends by plastic deformation into the corresponding depressions 68a in the corresponding wider longitudinal end regions 28 of the link plates 24 of the link 12. The pin can thereby positively retain the two wider longitudinal end regions 28 of the link plates 24 of the link 12 and the narrower longitudinal end regions 30 of the two link plates 24 of the link 12 adjacent to the aforementioned link 12 and enclosed by the aforementioned two wider longitudinal end regions 28. Furthermore, the space provided by the recess 68 for the material of the pin 36 makes it possible to arrange the pin 36 in a very advantageous manner flush with the outer surface of the wider longitudinal end region 18 of the chain link, thereby significantly improving the shifting performance of the bicycle chain 10, since its outer surface has no protrusions that hinder the shifting and which could collide with other components (such as chain guides, sprockets or chain pinions) during the shifting process.

[0157] The narrower longitudinal end region 30 also has in the link plate outer surface 38 a substantially flat annular surface 64 which closes around a virtual pivot axis S passing through the narrower longitudinal end region 30 .

[0158] In the link plate inner surface 40, the wider longitudinal end region 28 has a substantially flat annular surface 62 which closes around a virtual pivot axis S passing through the wider longitudinal end region 28. The narrower longitudinal end region 30 also has a substantially flat annular surface 66 in the link plate inner surface 40 which closes around a virtual pivot axis S passing through the narrower longitudinal end region 30.

[0159] like Figure 7As shown in the side view showing the inner side of the link plate 24, at the first deflected region 54, the transition from the flat annular surface 62 to the adjacent tapered section 32 is constituted by a stepped configuration 54a having one or more steps. In Figure 7 the stepped configuration 54a causes the inner surface of the link plate 24 to form steps in a direction away from Figure 7 the observer. At the second deflected region 58, the transition from the flat annular surface 66 to the adjacent tapered section 32 is similarly constituted by a stepped configuration 58a having one or more steps. In Figure 7 the stepped configuration 58a also causes the inner surface of the link plate 24 to form steps in a direction away from Figure 7 the observer.

[0160] As Figure 5 shown, on the outer surface 38 of the link plate, the transitions from the annular surfaces 60 and 64 to the adjacent tapered section 32 are not stepped, while they are stepped on the inner surface 40 of the link plate. Therefore, the link plate 24 is constructed with a smaller material thickness in the tapered section 32 than in the longitudinal end regions 28 and 30, where the material thickness of the link plate 24 is defined by the distance between the opposite annular surfaces 60 and 62 (at the wider longitudinal end region 28) or the distance between the opposite annular surfaces 64 and 66 (at the narrower longitudinal end region 30). By the reduced material thickness of the link plate 24 in the region between the longitudinal end regions 28 and 30, the tooth engagement space 46 formed with the participation of the link plate 24 is increased along the virtual chain width axis BA, thereby facilitating tooth engagement. In this example, the tapered section 32 forms most of the distance between the two virtual chain roller axes KR of the link plate 24. Therefore, for facilitating tooth engagement, the inclined tapered section 32 is constructed thinner than the material regions of the link plate 24 that are orthogonal to the virtual chain roller axis KR and directly surround the openings 68 and 69.

[0161] As Figure 6 the view (where the observer observes the upper link plate longitudinal edge 42) and Figure 7 the view (where the observer observes the inner surface 40 of the link plate) show, the circular opening 68 passing through the link plate 24 in the wider longitudinal end 28 is surrounded by a ring 70 around the circular opening 68 on the inner side of the link plate 24, and this circular opening accommodates the longitudinal ends of the pins 36 on the assembled bicycle chain 10. The overhang of the ring 70 along the chain width axis BA is less than half of the distance to be measured along the chain width axis BA between the flat annular surfaces 60 and 62, preferably less than a quarter.

[0162] In addition, in Figure 6In [the figure], a second embodiment of the link plate 24 and the bicycle chain 10 is also roughly shown in dashed lines. In this second embodiment, the first deflected region 54' is closer to the chain roller shaft KR passing through the narrower longitudinal end region 30 than to the chain roller shaft KR passing through the wider longitudinal end region 28. In this second embodiment, the position and technical solution of the second deflected region 58 are unchanged compared with the foregoing first embodiment shown in solid lines in Figure 6 . Therefore, compared with the corresponding section of the foregoing first embodiment, the tapered section 22' or 32' of the second embodiment is constructed shorter along the chain longitudinal track LB, and the section with the maximum inner link width is constructed longer along the chain longitudinal track LB. The first deflected region 54' of the second embodiment is away from the circumferential side surface of the chain roller accommodated in the wider longitudinal end region, and the tapered section 22' or 32' of the second embodiment hardly assists the movement of inserting the sprocket tooth into the tooth engagement space 46. Therefore, the first deflected region 54' can extend linearly, extending substantially parallel to the chain height axis HA. Therefore, the first deflected region 54' can be produced by bending or pressing.

[0163] A third embodiment of the link plate 24 and the bicycle chain 10 is also roughly shown in dashed lines in Figure 6 . In this third embodiment, the position and technical solution of the first deflected region 54 are unchanged compared with the foregoing first embodiment shown in solid lines in Figure 6 . In this third embodiment, the second deflected region 58'' is closer to the chain roller shaft KR passing through the wider longitudinal end region 28 than to the chain roller shaft KR passing through the narrower longitudinal end region 30. Therefore, compared with the corresponding section of the foregoing first embodiment, the tapered section 22'' or 32'' of the third embodiment is constructed shorter along the chain longitudinal track LB, and the section with the maximum inner link width is constructed longer along the chain longitudinal track LB. The second deflected region 58'' of the third embodiment is away from the circumferential side surface of the chain roller accommodated in the wider longitudinal end region 28, and the tapered section 22'' or 32'' of the third embodiment hardly assists the movement of inserting the sprocket tooth into the tooth engagement space 46. Therefore, the second deflected region 58'' can extend linearly, extending substantially parallel to the chain height axis HA. Therefore, the second deflected region 58'' can be produced by bending or pressing.

[0164] For the second and third embodiments shown only by different dashed lines, the wider longitudinal end region 28, which is orthogonal to the chain roller axis KR, is implemented along the chain longitudinal track LB in a longer manner than the narrower longitudinal end region 30, and vice versa. Thus, in the second embodiment shown, the link plate section located between the tapered section 32' and the opening 68 is preferably constructed in a thinner manner than the link plate area with flat surfaces 60 and 62 directly surrounding the opening 68. Similarly, in the third embodiment shown, the link plate section located between the tapered section 32'' and the opening 69 is preferably constructed in a thinner manner than the link plate area with flat surfaces 64 and 66 directly surrounding the opening 69. The thinner design of the link plate area defining the tooth engagement space should in turn increase the volume available for tooth engagement in the tooth engagement space, thus facilitating tooth engagement.

[0165] On the inner side of the link plate 24, the flange 72 projects from the link plate 24 along the chain width axis BA. The flange 72 projects into the central groove of the chain roller 34 in the assembled bicycle chain 10, and is coaxially constructed with and surrounds in a closed manner the circular opening 69 that completely penetrates the link plate 24 at the narrower longitudinal end region 30. The pin 36 that connects two link plates 24 and 26 opposite each other along the chain width axis BA passes through the flange 72.

[0166] Figure 5 An annular region 74 surrounding the opening 69 is shown, which is adjacent radially inward to the flat annular surface 64 and forms a transition between the substantially flat annular region 64 and the radially inner surface of the flange 72 in the form of a substantially quarter toroidal surface.

[0167] The overhang length of the flange 72 along the chain width axis BA from the surrounding flat annular surface 66 is more than three times, preferably more than four times, the overhang length of the loop 70 relative to the flat annular surface 62 surrounding the loop 70. In the assembled state, the loop 70 projects radially into the structural space released by the curved region 74 within the flat annular surface 64 and helps to define the pivot S of the link plate 24 on one side and the link plate 26 on the other side following one another along the chain longitudinal track LB.

[0168] The centers of the above-mentioned preferably semi-circular courses of the first deflecting region 54 and the second deflecting region 58 are the respective closest pivots S, which are also the centers of the openings 68 and 69 surrounding them. In this case, the semi-circular first deflecting region 54 is constructed concentrically with the opening 68, particularly in the inner surface 40 of the link plate and also in the outer surface 38 of the link plate here, and this first deflecting region radially surrounds the opening along a section on the outside. The semi-circular second deflecting region 58 is constructed concentrically with the opening 69, particularly in the inner surface 40 of the link plate and also in the outer surface 38 of the link plate here, and this second deflecting region radially surrounds the opening along a section on the outside.

[0169] The semi-circular design of the deflecting regions 54 and 58 in the inner surface of the link plate is particularly advantageous because the sections of the deflecting regions 54 and 58 in the inner surface 40 of the link plate form favorable insertion aids for the tooth engagement space defined by the link plate 24 starting from the longitudinal edge 44 of the link plate on the engagement side of the link plate 24 in the direction of the reference plane BE.

[0170] Figure 6A Another feasible technical solution of the link plate showing the above-mentioned second embodiment is shown, in which the first deflecting region 54' is closer to the narrower longitudinal end region 30. Figure 6A The perspective view of the shown link plate 26 corresponds to Figure 6 the shown perspective view. However, Figure 6A it shows the link plate 26 opposite to the link plate 24 in the direction of the virtual chain width axis BA. The link plate 24 adapted to the Figure 6A link plate 26 is constructed in a mirror-symmetrical manner with respect to the Figure 6A shown link plate 26, that is, with respect to the mirror symmetry axis orthogonal to the virtual chain width axis BA and the Figure 6A shown drawing plane. It can also be clearly seen in Figure 6A that, compared with the region of the link plate directly surrounding the openings 68 and 69, the thickness of the link plate 26 to be measured along the virtual chain width axis BA or along the chain roller axis KR is smaller in the region between the inclined tapered region 32' and the flat annular surfaces 60 and 62 surrounding the opening 68. Thereby, compared with not adopting this thinner design, a larger engagement volume is provided for the teeth meshing with the tooth engagement space 46 formed by the Figure 6A shown link plate 26 and its mirror link plate 24 between the chain roller axes KR. Thus, the tooth engagement with the tooth engagement space 46 can be easily achieved.

[0171] As Figure 7As shown, the distance CD along the chain longitudinal track LB between the first and second deflecting regions 54 and 58 continuously increases from the reference plane BE to the longitudinal edge 44 at the meshing side of the link 12 or the chain plates 24 and 26. Therefore, the distance CD in the viewing planes B1 and B2 parallel to the reference plane BE increases as the distance from the reference plane BE increases. In the illustrated embodiment, this applies to both sides of the reference plane BE. However, due to the asymmetric design of the chain plate 24 relative to the reference plane BE, only the run of the deflecting regions 54 and 58 on the concave section on the side of the reference plane BE with the chain plate longitudinal edge 44 is used as an insertion aid, because the sprocket teeth are inserted into and removed from the tooth meshing space 46 defined by the chain plate 24 only from this side of the chain plate longitudinal edge 44.

[0172] It is more advantageous to construct the second deflecting region 58 in the form of a partial circle centered on the pivot S in the outer surface 38 of the chain plate, because on the assembled bicycle chain 10, the flat annular surface 64 surrounded by the curved second deflecting region 58 on the narrower longitudinal end 30 of the chain plate 24 faces the flat annular surface 62 in the inner surface 38 of the chain plate at the wider longitudinal end 28 of another chain plate 24, and these two opposing surfaces 64 and 62 should be able to deflect around the pivot S that is common in this case. For this purpose, it is more advantageous to have flat annular surfaces coaxial around the pivot S that is common in this case.

[0173] In the reference plane, the longitudinal distance CD between the first and second deflecting regions 54 and 58 is the smallest, and in the illustrated embodiment, this longitudinal distance is approximately equivalent to the radius rk of the chain roller 34.

[0174] As Figure 7 shown, the chain plate 24 has an inclined surface 76 starting from its partially concave chain plate longitudinal edge 44 in its inner surface 40 of the chain plate, and the insertion opening for the link 12 to be inserted into the tooth meshing space 46 at the meshing side is increased by this inclined surface. Figure 7 The inclined surface 76 in Figure 7The observer shown. This also provides insertion assistance for the teeth entering the tooth engagement space 46 from the longitudinal edge 44 of the link plate, but this time by reducing the net width iKW of the inner link when approaching the reference plane BE. In contrast, the curved deflection regions 54 and 58 provide insertion assistance by reducing the net width of the tooth engagement space 46 along the longitudinal track LB of the chain. Between the link plates 24 and 26, the tooth engagement space 46 is substantially defined by the side surface 35 of the chain roller 34 along the longitudinal track LB of the chain. Since the curved deflection regions 54 and 58 follow or are flush with the side surface 35 of the chain roller 34 closest to them, the curvature of the side surface 35 of the chain roller can be utilized up to the longitudinal edge 44 of the link plate. A linearly deflected region extending along the chain height axis H known from the prior art reduces the net width iKW of the inner link in the entrance region close to the insertion opening, which is particularly important for the shifting process. This deflected region is obtained by simply bending the link plate 24 or 26 around a bending axis parallel to the chain height axis HA.

[0175] For this purpose, the longitudinal edge 44 of the link plate 24 at the narrower longitudinal end region 30 is also advantageously constructed in such a way as to follow the side surface 35 of the chain roller 34 adjacent to the narrower longitudinal end region 30, preferably in a flush manner with the side surface 35, so that the narrower longitudinal end region 20 of the adjacent link 12 extending into the wider longitudinal end region 18 of another link 12 along the longitudinal track LB of the chain does not unnecessarily cover the entrance region in the tooth engagement region 46 of the insertion link plate with its link plate, thus reducing this entrance region.

[0176] On the inner surface 40 of the link plate 24, two inclined surfaces 66a and 66b are constructed in the region of the annular surface 66. These inclined surfaces extend from the annular surface 66 towards the respective edges of the link plate 24.

[0177] The inclined surface 66a extends approximately from the inflection point 44b closer to the narrower longitudinal end 17 on the lower longitudinal edge 44 of the link plate, where the lower longitudinal edge 44 changes its curvature between concave and convex, until it reaches the flattened height section 49. In the illustrated embodiment, the inclined surface 66a terminates below the reference plane BE.

[0178] The inclined surface 66b starts from the flattened height section 49 and extends from above the reference plane BE to the straight section of the upper longitudinal edge 42 of the link plate, where the inclined surface 66b continues as the inclined surface 76b into the region of the annular surface 62 and finally ends there.

[0179] The inclined surfaces 66a and 66b can have a straight or curved course in a section plane that includes the chain roller axis KR passing centrally through the opening 69. With regard to the curved course, it is preferably convex in a top view of the inner side 40 of the link plate. The inclined surface 76b can also have a straight or curved course in a section plane that is orthogonal to the longitudinal chain rail LB. With regard to the curved course, the inclined surface 76b is also preferably convex when viewed from the inner side 40 of the link plate.

[0180] By virtue of the described inclined surfaces 66a and 66b, the bicycle chain 10 as a whole has greater twistability about a twist axis parallel to its chain rail LB. Compared to a bicycle chain without such inclined surfaces, the bicycle chain 10 also has increased flexibility about a bending axis parallel to its chain height axis HA, which facilitates shifting the chain from one chain pinion to another coaxial chain pinion, thereby improving the chain's shiftability.

[0181] Between the two bevels 66a and 66b, in the region of the flattened height section 49, a section of the flat annular surface 66 extends to the narrower longitudinal end 17 of the link plate 24 or of the chain link 12 formed by the link plate 24. Alternatively, this section can also be chamfered in the flattened height section 49, so that the bevel, here referred to as bevel 66c, in the tapering section 32 continuously surrounds the opening 69 from bevel 76 to bevel 76b. This continuously circumferentially chamfered area is also Figure 7 Shown by dotted lines.

[0182] The continuous inclined surface 66c further increases the deflectability of the bicycle chain 10 along the longitudinal chain rail LB about a bending axis orthogonal to the longitudinal chain rail LB or parallel to the virtual chain height axis HA, thereby further improving the shiftability of the chain. The deflectability of the bicycle chain 10 about a bending axis parallel to the virtual chain height axis HA creates a movement space for the rear derailleur, so that the bicycle chain 10 that is wrapped around the front chainring in an unchanged manner can be moved in the area of ​​the rear pinion device parallel to the virtual chain width axis BA and thus shifted between adjacent coaxial sprockets, despite the bicycle chain having substantially solid and rigid chain links 12.

[0183] Figure 7A A fourth embodiment of a link plate is shown in a perspective view focusing primarily on the outer side of the link plate, the specific exemplary shape of which corresponds to the link plate 26. Components and component sections that are identical and have the same function as the previously described components and component sections of the first to third embodiments of the link plate are shown in FIG. Figure 7A The same symbols are used in the above examples, but with the number 1000 added. Figure 7A The differences between the chain plate 1026 and the chain plates 24 and 26 are described below. Figure 7AFor clarification, reference is also made to the description of the foregoing link plates. Figure 7B is Figure 7A A side view of the link plate 1026 shown, looking at the outer surface 1038 of the link plate. In terms of the position of its deflected region, the link plate 1026 is constructed in the same manner as in the second embodiment described above. However, this is only exemplary. As an alternative, in terms of the position of its deflected region, the link plate may be designed in the same manner as in the first or third embodiment described above.

[0184] To reduce weight, the link plate 1026 of the fourth embodiment has a groove 1032a that passes completely through the link plate 1026 in the thickness direction and is circumferentially surrounded by the material of the link plate 26.

[0185] As in particular Figure 7B shown, the groove 1032a has a generally trapezoidal shape including rounded corners, wherein the longer of the two parallel trapezoidal sides is closer to the longitudinal edge of the link plate 1026, here: closer to the straight longitudinal edge 1042 and preferably parallel to the straight longitudinal edge 1042, and wherein the shorter trapezoidal side of the groove 1032a parallel to the longer trapezoidal side is closer to the height center, i.e., generally closer to the reference plane BE containing the chain roller axis KR and preferably extending parallel to this reference plane.

[0186] The trapezoidal groove 1032a is preferably mirror-symmetrical with respect to a plane of symmetry extending in the direction of the virtual chain height axis and parallel to the virtual chain width axis.

[0187] Preferably, the inclined trapezoidal side extending between the longer and shorter trapezoidal sides of the two parallel trapezoidal sides is at the same distance from the opening 1068 or 1069 closest to the groove at each longitudinal end of the trapezoidal groove 1032a. The two parallel trapezoidal sides of the groove 1032a are preferably longer than the inclined sides connecting them. The inclination direction of these inclined sides generally corresponds to the bending direction of the section of the delimiting wall of the opening 1068 or 1069 closest to one of the inclined sides that is closest to this inclined side.

[0188] To avoid overly structurally weakening the link plate 1026 due to the groove 1032a, the groove 1032a is preferably completely located between the reference plane BE and the straight longitudinal edge 1024, wherein the distance between the groove 1032a and the straight longitudinal edge 1042 is particularly preferably greater than the distance from the reference plane BE.

[0189] The recess 1032a can be formed, for example, by stamping out a corresponding surface area in the link plate 1026. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the recess 1032a passes through the two deflection-shaped areas 1054 and 1058. This is preferably also achieved if the link plate 1026 is designed according to the first or third embodiment with respect to the position of the deflection-shaped areas 1054 and 1058.

[0190] Figure 7C A fifth embodiment of a plate chain 26 according to the invention is shown. Components and component sections which are identical and have the same function as the previously described components and component sections of the first to fourth embodiments of the plate chain are shown. Figure 7C The same symbols are used in the above examples, but the numbers range from 2000 to 2999. Figure 7C The differences between the chain plate 2026 and the chain plates 24 and 26 or 1026 are described below. Figure 7C For clarification, reference is also made to the description of the aforementioned chain plate. Figure 7C 2 is a perspective view of the link plate 2026, mainly focusing on the inner side 2040 of the link plate. With respect to the position of its deflection-shaped area, the link plate 2026 is constructed in the same manner as the second embodiment described above. However, this is only exemplary. As an alternative, with respect to the position of its deflection-shaped area, the link plate can be designed as in the first or third embodiment described above.

[0191] In order to reinforce the link plate 2026, in particular to reinforce it from bending about a bending axis extending centrally between the openings 2068 and 2069 and being orthogonal to the virtual chain width axis BA, particularly preferably parallel to the virtual chain height axis HA, the link plate 2062 has a reinforcing rib 2042a. The reinforcing rib 2042a extends directly on the straight edge 2042 of the link plate 2026. Although the reinforcing rib 2042a can extend at a distance from the straight edge 2042, it is preferably constructed directly on the edge 2042 in order to provide sufficient accommodation space for the teeth moving from the opposite edge 2044 into the tooth meshing space 2046 formed with the participation of the link plate 2026.

[0192] In the embodiment shown, the reinforcing rib 2042a is parallel to the chain longitudinal rail LB. The reinforcing rib is preferably formed by shaping the link plate blank into a link plate, but can also be formed by material application in a different manner.

[0193] The reinforcing rib 2042a preferably extends along the virtual chain height axis HA within a range not exceeding 10% of the maximum dimension of the link plate 2026 along the virtual chain height axis HA. The surface of the reinforcing rib 2042a that makes the annular surface 2066 along the virtual chain width axis BA toward the opposite link plate 2024 (not shown) preferably extends without steps and jumps in a flush manner with the annular surface 2066 of the closed circumferentially surrounding flange 2072, which surface, despite the smaller dimension along the virtual chain height axis HA, also forms part of the link plate inner side 2040. The surface of the reinforcing rib 2042a along the virtual chain width axis and the annular surface 2066 preferably form a common flat surface orthogonal to the virtual chain width axis BA.

[0194] Therefore, the reinforcing rib 2042a extends from the narrower longitudinal end region 2030 to the wider longitudinal end region, but in the wider longitudinal end region, the reinforcing rib ends early, thereby reliably avoiding collision with the narrower longitudinal end region of the subsequent link plate along the chain longitudinal rail accommodated in the region of the opening 2068 and avoiding possible collision with the chain roller accommodated around the opening 2068. The link plate 2026 can have a weight-reducing groove 2032a as shown and described in the fourth embodiment above.

[0195] Figure 7D Another embodiment of a bicycle chain according to the present invention is shown. The same components and component sections as the previous embodiment are Figure 7D In the embodiment shown, the same symbols are used, but the numbers range from 3000 to 3999. Figure 7D The differences between the embodiment shown and the bicycle chain 10 and the chain plates 24 and 26 or 1026 and 2026 are described for the purpose of explaining the present invention. Figure 7D For clarification, reference is also made to the description of the aforementioned elements.

[0196] Figure 7D The link plates 3024 and 3026 in the embodiment correspond to the third embodiment described above in terms of the positions of their deflection-shaped areas 3054 and 3058, and the third embodiment has a second deflection-shaped area 3058 which is closer to the opening 3068 than to the opening 3069. However, this is merely exemplary. The link plates 3024 and 3026 may also be constructed according to the first or second embodiment in terms of the positions of their deflection-shaped areas.

[0197] Figure 7D The bicycle chain 3010 shown is not only shown in a perspective view, but also in a cross-sectional view in a cutting plane which contains the chain roller axis KR and is parallel to the virtual chain height axis HA.

[0198] As described above, the pin member 3036 connecting the link plates that are opposite to each other along the virtual chain width axis BA is constructed as a hollow pin.Figure 7D The sectional view shown clearly shows how the pin 3036 is shaped into the recessed annular space of the groove 3068a on the outer surface 3038 of the link plate of the wider longitudinal end region 3028 at its two longitudinal ends to form a form fit. Thus, each longitudinal end of the hollow pin 3036 forms a rivet head, wherein the two rivet heads of the pin 3036 hold the link plates 3024 and 3026 arranged therebetween and the chain rollers 3034 also arranged therebetween in a form fit manner. In this case, the end faces 3036a of the hollow pin 3036 are substantially flush with the annular surfaces 3060 on the outer side 3038 of the link plates of the wider longitudinal end regions 3028 of the link plates 3024 and 3026 opposite to each other. The pin 3036 at least does not axially protrude from the annular surface 3060 of the wider longitudinal end region 3028 connected by the pin.

[0199] Different from the foregoing embodiment, the link plates 3024 and 3026 do not have protruding flanges in their narrower longitudinal end regions 3030. Instead, the sleeves 3072a are inserted into the aligned openings 3069 of the link and are connected to the narrower longitudinal end regions 3030 of the link plates 3024 and 3026 forming the link by a press fit.

[0200] The ring 3070 surrounding the opening 3068 at the inner side 3040 of the link plate can be opposite to the substantially complementary negative conical surface at the longitudinal end of the sleeve 3072a. The ring is not visible in Figure 7D but its position can be determined by comparison with Figure 7 Thereby, the ring and the negative conical surface together form a sliding guide for the pivotal movement of the wider longitudinal end section 3028 of the link relative to the narrower longitudinal end section 3030 arranged between the longitudinal end sections of another link adjacent along the longitudinal track LB of the chain, and ensure the centering of the opening 3068 of the wider longitudinal end section 3028 relative to the opening 3069 of the narrower longitudinal end section 3030 arranged between the longitudinal end sections.

[0201] Regarding Figure 7D the embodiment shown, the coaxially arranged components: the sleeve 3072a and the pin 3036 form a pivot joint, which defines a pivot axis S for each roller 3034 of the link. The roller 3034 can rotate freely around the sleeve 3072a.

[0202] Figure 8 According to Figure 9 the arrow VIII in is along the orthogonal direction of the bicycle pinion device 86 Figure 8The rear bicycle pinion gear device 86 as a shift sprocket gear device is shown when observed along the device axis AO of the illustrated drawing plane. During operation, the bicycle pinion gear device 86 rotates about the device axis AO. The bicycle pinion gear device 86 is a 12-speed pinion gear device. Hereinafter, the first and second shifting processes described in the introduction of the specification will be described using the pairing of the second largest pinion gear R11 with 28 teeth and the largest pinion gear R12 with 32 teeth.

[0203] The forward rotation direction of the bicycle pinion gear device 86 is shown by the arrow VD in Figures 8 to 12 When the bicycle with the bicycle pinion gear device 86 is driven forward by the bicycle chain 10, the bicycle pinion gear device 86 rotates about the device axis in this forward rotation direction.

[0204] For the sake of comprehensiveness, the structure of the bicycle pinion gear device 86 will be described in connection with the Figure 9 shown side view, in which the device axis AO is parallel to the Figure 9 illustrated drawing plane. The bicycle pinion gear device 86 having 12 pinions coaxial with the device axis AO successively has the following other pinions starting from the largest pinion gear R12 with 32 teeth in the successive direction FR: R11 with 28 teeth, R10 with 24 teeth, R9 with 21 teeth, R8 with 19 teeth, R7 with 17 teeth, R6 with 15 teeth, R5 with 14 teeth, R4 with 13 teeth, R3 with 12 teeth, R2 with 11 teeth, and R1 with 10 teeth.

[0205] Figure 10 and Figure 12 Only the two largest pinion gears R12 and R11 are shown to illustrate the first shifting process from the smaller pinion gear R11 to the adjacent larger pinion gear R12 and the second shifting process from the larger pinion gear R12 to the adjacent smaller pinion gear R11 and to show the selected technical solutions for the pinion gears R11 and R12 for this purpose.

[0206] Figure 11 and Figure 13 Only the largest pinion gear R12 is shown.

[0207] The following description of the pinion gears R11 and R12 is related to all Figures 8 to 13 shown pinion gears.

[0208] On the largest pinion R12, the first shift chute 101 for the first shift process can be mainly identified by a preferably flat preliminary groove 103 on the side R12a of the target sprocket R12 facing the starting sprocket R11. In this first shift process, the chain 10 is shifted from the smaller pinion R11, which is the starting sprocket, to the larger pinion R12, which is the target sprocket. The second shift chute 102 for the second shift process can be mainly identified by a preferably flat switching groove 104 on the side R12a of the starting sprocket R11 facing the target sprocket R11. In this second shift process, compared with the first shift process, the chain 10 is shifted in the opposite direction from the larger pinion R12, which is the starting sprocket, to the smaller pinion R11, which is the target sprocket. The tooth number difference between the largest pinion R12 and the second largest pinion R11 is four teeth (32 teeth minus 28 teeth). Therefore, at most four first shift chutes 101 and four second shift chutes 102 can be constructed on the larger pinion R12. As many shift chutes as possible can improve the shifting comfort of the rider, because when operating the chain shifting device 91 on the bicycle pinion device 86, the rider only has to wait at most until the starting sprocket engages the chain in the area of the next shift chute. In view of this, on the bicycle pinion device 86, the maximum number of first and / or second shift chutes 101 and / or 102 is constructed on each pinion R12 to R2. The first and second shift chutes 101 and 102 are always constructed on the larger pinion among two adjacent pinions in the successive direction FR, and the pinion R1 is not adjacent to a smaller pinion. Therefore, no shift chute is constructed on the pinion R1.

[0209] The preliminary groove 103 is adjacent to the catching tooth 94 along the forward rotation direction VD directly in front. In the first shift process, this catching tooth engages the tooth engagement space 46 of the link 12 of the bicycle chain 10 as the first tooth of the target sprocket R12.

[0210] The switching groove 104 of the second shift chute 102 is directly located at the circumferential position of the switching tooth 96. In the second shift process from the pinion R12, which is the starting sprocket, to the pinion R11, which is the target sprocket, this switching tooth no longer engages the tooth engagement space 46 of the link 12 of the bicycle chain 10 as the first tooth of the pinion R12. The switching groove 104 effectively axially moves the switching tooth 96 away from the target sprocket along the device axis AO.

[0211] As Figure 8 shown, the catching teeth 94 and the first shift chutes 101 are equidistantly distributed circumferentially around the device axis AO, that is, starting from the first catching tooth 94, every other eighth tooth in the circumferential direction is another catching tooth. The pitch of the catching teeth 94 is obtained by dividing the total number of teeth of the pinion R12 by the number of the first shift chutes 101.

[0212] The second shifting gates 102 are also arranged equidistantly around the device axis AO in the circumferential direction. This also means that starting from any selected first switching tooth 96, every other eighth tooth in the circumferential direction is also a switching tooth 96. However, the first shifting gate 101 and the second shifting gate 102 are not spaced apart from each other in an equidistant manner.

[0213] A preparation groove 103 is formed on the preparation tooth 98, which enables the chain 10 to be axially (i.e. along the device axis AO) closer to the pinion R12, which is the target sprocket in the first shifting process. The preparation tooth 98 is immediately in front of the catching tooth 94 it assists in the forward rotation direction VD.

[0214] The tooth immediately before the switching tooth 96 in the forward rotational direction VD serves as an auxiliary tooth 106, which is disposed at the point of divergence from the pinion R11 of the target sprocket of the second shifting process. Figure 8 On the side of the viewer shown, there is an auxiliary groove 112 to enable the chain 10 to axially approach the target sprocket of the second shifting process when the chain is shifted from the pinion R12 to the pinion R11, thereby reducing the entanglement of the bicycle chain 10 during the second shifting process.

[0215] Figure 10 It clearly shows how the transmission (in the first gear shift) Figure 10 The chain 10 is shifted from the smaller pinion R11 as the starting sprocket to the larger pinion R12 as the target sprocket, which is shown by its chain rollers 34 and the chain longitudinal rails LB that abut the chain roller axes KR to each other. The preparatory grooves 103 in the area of ​​the preparatory teeth 98 enable the chain 10 to axially approach the pinion R12 further, rather than just reaching the undisturbed outer surface R12a of the pinion R12. During the first shifting process, the chain links in the area of ​​the preparatory grooves 103 are axially located on the side of the preparatory teeth 98. The capture tooth 94 is the first tooth in the shifting groove 101 of the larger pinion R12, which meshes with the tooth gap of the chain link 12 of the chain 10. In this case, all teeth located after the capture tooth 94 in the direction opposite to the forward rotation direction VD also mesh with the tooth gap of the chain link of the chain 10.

[0216] Figure 13To the left of the center of the illustrated circumference of the pinion R12, a preliminary groove 103 is shown having a groove face 103a with its preferably flat orientation towards the smaller pinion R11. It can be seen that in the illustrated embodiment, the preliminary teeth 98 which are completely located in the area of the preliminary groove 103 have a smaller axial width compared to the conventional standard teeth 50. The groove face 103a can be inclined relative to the device axis AO or orthogonal to this device axis. In the case of an inclination, the depth of the groove face 103a preferably increases circumferentially towards the catching teeth, such that the inclination of the groove face 103a is of the same nature as the inclination of the bicycle chain 10 when shifting from the smaller pinion R11 to the larger pinion R12.

[0217] Depending on the circumferential position, the edge 103b of the preliminary groove 103 extends circumferentially around the device axis AO at different radial distances from the device axis AO. The basic idea is that during the first shifting process, the edge 103b follows the path of the chain 10, and thus, during the first shifting process, no collision that obstructs the shifting occurs between the pinion R12 and the chain 10. The edge 103b preferably follows the contour of the longitudinal edge 44 of the chain link that abuts on the preliminary teeth 98 or on the chain link that is arranged in the preliminary groove 103 at the meshing side of the chain link, such that the chain 10 can be physically supported on the edge 103b by the longitudinal edge 44 of the chain link during the first shifting process.

[0218] Starting from the tooth 99 that is immediately in front of the preliminary tooth 98 along the forward rotation direction VD, the edge 103b first approaches the device axis AO rather steeply, and then reaches the position closest to the device axis AO in the circumferential area of the tooth gap between the preliminary tooth 98 and the tooth 99 immediately in front of it, provided that the material of the pinion R12 exists in this area due to the lightweight construction, and the edge further advances from this closest position in the direction opposite to the forward rotation direction into the circumferential area of the tooth gap between the catching tooth 94 and the preliminary tooth 98 until it reaches the radial interface of this tooth gap.

[0219] In Figure 13 and Figure 12 On the side R12b of the pinion R12 facing away from the target sprocket R11, a catching groove 108 is constructed in the area of the outer radial half of the catching tooth 94. The catching tooth 94 has a catching slope 94b that extends radially inwards from its ridge line 94a on its side R12b facing away from the pinion R11, and this catching slope extends both radially and axially. The catching slope 94b defines a further radially outer area of the catching groove 108 as an outer surface section of the catching tooth 94. A second outer surface section 94c adjoins the catching slope 94b radially on the inside (i.e., on the side facing the device axis AO), and compared to the catching slope 94b, this second outer surface section has a significantly greater radial extension and a much smaller axial extension. The second outer surface section 94c also defines the area of the catching groove 108.

[0220] Figure 13 It shows how, compared with the standard tooth 50, by capturing the inclined surface 94b and the second outer surface section 94C, a significant displacement of the ridge line 94a of the capturing tooth 94 towards the starting sprocket R11 of the first shifting process can be caused. This is beneficial for guiding the capturing tooth 94 into the tooth engagement space 46 of the link 12 of the chain 10 during the first shifting process.

[0221] In addition, Figure 12 It shows how the tooth 95 following the capturing tooth 94 with respect to the forward rotation direction VD can have an additional groove 110 on the side R12b facing away from the starting sprocket R11, and this additional groove helps to reduce the entanglement of the chain 10 during the first shifting process. In this case, compared with the situation where the tooth 95 following the capturing tooth 94 is constructed as a standard tooth 50 without the additional groove 110, a slightly smaller inclined posture of the chain 10 is sufficient for the capturing tooth 94 to engage with the tooth engagement space 46 of the link 12 of the chain 10. For clarity, Figure 12 It shows the additional groove 110 located on another first shifting chute different from the capturing groove 108. The additional groove 110 can also be defined in the radially outer region by the inclined surface 95b which is the first outer surface region of the tooth 95, and in the radially inner region by the second outer surface region 95c which has a greater radial extension and a smaller axial extension compared with the inclined surface 95b. The axial depth to which the additional groove 110 extends into the tooth 95 is preferably less than the depth to which the capturing groove 108 extends into the capturing tooth 94. The additional groove 110 preferably extends circumferentially over the entire tooth carrying the additional groove, similar to the capturing groove 108. The capturing groove 108 on the capturing tooth 94 can be constructed to be slightly closer to the device axis AO on the circumferential side in front along the forward rotation direction VD compared with the circumferential side following it, but for the additional groove 110 on the tooth 95 following the capturing tooth 94, the opposite scheme is preferably adopted.

[0222] Compared with the remaining teeth of the pinion R12, the capturing tooth 94 extends radially less far away from the device axis AO.

[0223] Figure 10Shows the run of the chain 10 away from the run of the chain in the first shift process in a direction opposite to the forward rotation direction VD during the second shift process, and during this second shift process, the chain 10 is displaced from the larger pinion R12, which is the starting sprocket, to the smaller pinion R11, which is the target sprocket. By means of the switching groove 104, when the chain 10 is displaced onto the pinion R11, the link 12 located in the circumferential region of the switching tooth 96 can axially pass the switching tooth 96 on the side R12a facing the pinion R11. All the teeth in the engagement path that are located in front of the switching tooth 96 in the forward rotation direction VD during the second shift process engage with the tooth engagement space 46 of the link 12 of the chain 10.

[0224] The switching groove 104 assists the chain 10 in approaching the smaller pinion R11 radially by its shape. The groove surface 104a facing the smaller pinion R11 is preferably flat and can qualitatively follow the axial run of the chain 10 during the second shift process, being arranged circumferentially so as to be inclined around the rocking beam (Radiusstrahl), which is the inclined axis, such that the groove surface 104a approaches the pinion R11, which is the target sprocket of the second shift process, in a direction opposite to the forward rotation direction VD.

[0225] Figure 13 Shows how the switching groove 104 causes the axial distance between the switching tooth 96 and the pinion R11 to be increased compared to the tooth without the groove. The inclined surface 96b constructed on the side R12a facing the target sprocket R11 of the second shift process on the tooth tip of the switching tooth 96 causes the ridge line 96a of the switching tooth 96 to be further away from the target sprocket R11, which further helps the chain 10 to axially pass the switching tooth 96 during the second shift process.

[0226] Regarding the edge 104b of the switching groove 104, the description given above for the edge 103b of the preparatory groove 103 applies accordingly qualitatively: the edge 104b qualitatively follows the run of the chain 10 in the second shift chute 102 during the second shift process and is preferably constructed in such a way as to follow the contour of the longitudinal edge 44 of the link plate that abuts on the switching tooth 96 or is arranged on the engagement side of the link plate in the switching groove 104, so that the link plate can be physically supported on the edge 104b of the switching groove 104 by its longitudinal edge 44 located on the engagement side.

[0227] In the illustrated embodiment, the edge 104b of the switching groove 104 begins in the circumferential region of the point closest to the device axis AO in the tooth gap immediately in front of the switching tooth 96 along the forward rotation direction VD, and extends from there in the circumferential direction opposite to the forward rotation direction VD while approaching the device axis AO radially. In the circumferential region of the point closest to the device axis AO in the tooth gap immediately following the switching tooth 96 relative to the forward rotation direction VD, the switching groove 104 is closest to the device axis AO, and then, when advancing further in the direction opposite to the forward rotation direction VD, it rises radially more steeply to the outer surface of the pinion R12 in the closest side region of the tooth immediately following in the direction opposite to the forward rotation direction VD.

[0228] As Figure 12 shown, in the auxiliary tooth 106 immediately in front of the switching tooth 96 along the forward rotation direction VD, an auxiliary groove 112 is constructed on the side R12b facing away from the pinion R11 which is the target sprocket of the second shifting process, and this auxiliary groove reduces the axial thickness of the auxiliary tooth 106, thereby enabling the chain 10 guided on the pinion R12 to approach axially the pinion R11 which is the target sprocket of the second shifting process. The auxiliary groove 112 reduces the entanglement of the chain 10 during the second shifting process because the inclined position of the chain 10 can be achieved over a larger circumferential range compared to the case without the auxiliary groove 112. The effect of the auxiliary groove 112 on the second shifting process is substantially the same as the effect of the additional groove 110 on the first shifting process.

[0229] The above description regarding the two largest pinions R11 and R12 correspondingly applies to other pairs of axially adjacent pinions with different sizes. As the tooth number difference between the larger and smaller pinions in the shifting process pair decreases, the number of possible maximum shifting chutes decreases. In addition, the dimensions of the described grooves on the functional teeth of the first and second shifting chutes on the smaller pinion can be smaller than the dimensions described herein for the pinion R12.

[0230] For further illustration, Figure 14 the operation of the drive device 80 during the first shifting process is roughly shown. Here, as described above in connection with Figure 15 and other figures, the bicycle drive device 80 is roughly shown. For clarity, in the bicycle pinion device 86, only the second largest chain pinion R11 and the largest chain pinion R12 rotating around the common device axis AO are shown. Figure 14 The device axis AQ of the chainwheel device 82 is not shown. This device axis is generally parallel to the device axis AO of the bicycle pinion device 86. Figure 4 The sprocket teeth 50 shown in Figure 14The greatly reduced distance between the sprocket arrangements 82 and 86 is shown.

[0231] exist Figure 14 In the process, the transmission 92 is used to adjust the Figure 4 The cross-sectional view of the wrapped bicycle chain 10 is shown from the plane of the smaller pinion R11 as the starting chain pinion R11 (which is orthogonal to Figure 14 The drawing plane and the device axis AO shown in FIG. 1 are shifted to the plane of the larger pinion R12 (which is orthogonal to the target chain pinion R12) as shown in FIG. Figure 14 The drawing plane and the device axis AO) are shown, and the bicycle chain 10 initially meshes with the starting chain pinion, and the bicycle chain 10 should mesh with the target chain pinion after the gear shifting process. Figure 14 The bicycle chain 10 is described with reference to Figure 4 and related Figures 1 to 3 Description.

[0232] According to the above description, in the currently active first shifting slot 101 of the target chain pinion R12, the target chain pinion R12 has exactly one catching tooth 94. A rough cross-sectional view of the catching tooth 94 in a section plane orthogonal to the rocking beam passing through the catching tooth 94 is shown in FIG. Figure 14 The catching tooth 94 is adapted to be engaged with the bicycle chain 10 displaced toward the target chain pinion R12 as the first sprocket tooth of the target chain pinion R12. In addition, the design of the catching tooth 94 as a catching tooth is based on the sliding inclined surface 94d (see also Figure 12 ), the sliding slope is intended to facilitate entry into the tooth meshing space 46. The sliding slope 94d is Figure 14 In the section shown, it is constructed between the second outer surface section 94c, which is remote from the starting chain pinion R11, and the unloaded side edge 94e, which is located at the front in the forward rotational direction VD. The side edge 94f, which is opposite to the side edge 94e in the circumferential direction, carries the load there and follows in the forward rotational direction VD, is preferably constructed in a wider manner than the unloaded side edge 94e located at the front, in order to achieve a higher load-bearing capacity.

[0233] The surface 94d-1 of the sliding ramp 94d is inclined so that its normal vector NV has three non-zero rectangular coordinate vector components, wherein the axial vector component NVa points away from the starting chain pinion R11, the radial vector component NVr points away from the common device axis AO of the bicycle pinion device 86, and the vector component NVu extending in the circumferential direction points away from the following load-bearing side 94f. The surface 94d-1 of the sliding ramp 94d extends radially outward to the tooth top or the catching ramp 94b at a certain radial height of the catching tooth 94, and preferably extends radially inward at least to the middle third of the circumference of the tooth gap immediately in front of the catching tooth (seeFigure 12 ).

[0234] As the capture teeth 94 Figure 14 As shown in the meshing situation shown, the sliding bevel 94d can realize an inclined position of the bicycle chain 10 to assist the first gear shifting process, so that the bicycle chain can extend from the pinion R11 to the pinion R12 and run to the pinion R12 along the first gear shifting groove 101. The chain plate 26 directly axially opposite the sliding bevel 94d can abut against the sliding bevel 94d during the first gear shifting process to realize the form-fitting meshing of the capture tooth 94 with the tooth meshing space 46 and slide radially along the sliding bevel in the direction of the device axis AO. However, such a sliding abutting meshing is not necessarily required.

[0235] like Figure 12 As shown, the tooth 95 adjacent to the catching tooth 94 in the direction opposite to the forward rotation direction VD may have another sliding inclined surface 95d having substantially the same design as the sliding inclined surface 94d on its side facing away from the starting pinion R11 and on its side located in front in the forward rotation direction VD. The above description of the technical solution for the sliding inclined surface 94d is also applicable to the other sliding inclined surface 95d of the tooth 95 by analogy.

[0236] exist Figure 14 In the illustrated embodiment, the chain links 12 are arranged in the bicycle chain 10 so that when the closed looped bicycle chain 10 performs a circular motion, it travels forward (in Figure 14 The middle refers to the bicycle chain 10 Figure 14 For movement from the left edge to the right edge as shown), the narrower longitudinal end 20 of each link 12 is located in front and the wider longitudinal end 18 follows behind.

Claims

1. A bicycle chain (10) having a plurality of chain links (12) connected to one another along a virtual chain rail (LB), wherein: Chain links (12) following one another along the chain longitudinal rail (LB) can be pivoted relative to one another about mutually parallel virtual pivot axes (S), wherein the pivot axes (S) extend along a virtual chain width axis (BA) oriented transversely to the chain longitudinal rail (LB), wherein two pivot axes (S) of a chain link (12) spaced apart from one another along the chain longitudinal rail (LB) define a virtual reference plane (BE) containing the pivot axes (S) for the chain link (12), wherein each chain link (12) has two separately constructed planes opposite one another along the chain width axis (BA) Flat chain plates (24, 26), wherein the chain plates (24, 26) have their maximum dimensions along a chain longitudinal rail (LB) and along a chain height axis (HA) transverse to the chain longitudinal rail (LB) and transverse to a chain width axis (BA), wherein the chain plates (24, 26) are constructed and arranged in a deflected manner along the chain longitudinal rail (LB) so that each chain link (12) has a wider longitudinal end (14) with a larger section width (aKW) along the chain width axis (BA) and a smaller section width (aKW) opposite to the wider longitudinal end (14) along the chain longitudinal rail (LB). The invention relates to a chain link having a narrower longitudinal end (16) of the chain link plates (24, 26), wherein a chain roller (34) is accommodated between the link plates (24, 26) in a narrower longitudinal end region (20) closer to the narrower longitudinal end (16) than to the wider longitudinal end (14), wherein, for chain links (12) connected to one another along a chain longitudinal rail (LB), the narrower longitudinal end region (20) of the chain link (12) extends into the wider longitudinal end region (10) of the chain link (12) adjacent to one another along the chain longitudinal rail (LB) and closer to the wider longitudinal end (14) than to the narrower longitudinal end (16). 8), the bicycle chain (10) has chain rollers (34) connected to each other along the chain longitudinal rail (LB), wherein one of the chain rollers is arranged between the chain plates (24, 26) of the same chain link (12) in the narrower longitudinal end region (20) of the chain link and another one is arranged in the wider longitudinal end region (18) of the chain link, so that the chain plates (24, 26) of the chain link (12) and the two chain rollers (34) arranged therebetween jointly enclose a tooth meshing space (46) for meshing with the teeth (50, 94) of the sprocket device (82, 86), The bicycle chain (10) is characterized in that the bicycle chain (10) is constructed to be shifted between two coaxial sprockets (R11, R12) adjacent along the chain width axis (BA).

2. The bicycle chain (10) according to claim 1, It is characterized in that For a plurality of the chain links (12), each of the link plates (24, 26) of the chain link (12) has a first deflection-like region (54) closer to the wider longitudinal end (18) and a second deflection-like region (58) closer to the narrower longitudinal end (20), wherein a clear inner link width (iKW) measured between the link plates (24, 26) along the chain width axis (BA) increases as the chain moves from the first deflection-like region along the chain longitudinal rail (LB) The first deflection-shaped area (54) and the second deflection-shaped area (58) are reduced as the chain roller (34) progresses, wherein, relative to the radius (rk) of the chain roller (34), at least in the inner surface (40) of the chain plates (24, 26), a longitudinal distance (CD) between the first deflection-shaped area (54) and the second deflection-shaped area (58) along the chain longitudinal rail (LB) differs from the radius (rk) of the chain roller (34) by no more than 15% at least in the virtual reference plane (BE).

3. The bicycle chain (10) according to claim 1 or 2, It is characterized in that A tooth meshing space (46) enclosed by the chain plates (24, 26) of the chain link (12) along the chain width axis (BA) and by the chain rollers (34) arranged between the chain plates (24, 26) of the chain link (12) along the chain longitudinal axis (LB) has a trapezoidal cross section in a reference plane (BE) serving as a sectioning plane.

4. The bicycle chain (10) according to claim 1 or 2, It is characterized in that A first deflection-like region (54) and a second deflection-like region (58) of a chain link (12) are located closer to the narrower longitudinal end region (20) than to the wider longitudinal end region (18) of the chain link, at least in the reference plane (BE).

5. A bicycle chain (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, It is characterized in that A component arrangement consisting of a link plate (24, 26) of a chain link (12) and a chain roller (34) of the chain link (12) arranged in the narrower longitudinal end region (20) protrudes at least in the reference plane (BE) at the narrower longitudinal end (16) along the chain longitudinal rail (LB) beyond another component arrangement consisting of the link plate (24, 26) and the chain roller (34) by no more than 5% of the radius (rk) of the chain roller (34).

6. The bicycle chain (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, It is characterized in that For the link plates (24, 26) of at least a plurality of the chain links (12), at least in the link plate inner surface (40), a longitudinal distance (CD) measured along the chain longitudinal rail (LB) between first and second deflection-like areas (54, 58) of the link plates (24, 26) in at least one virtual observation plane (B1, B2) parallel to the reference plane (BE) is greater than in the reference plane (BE).

7. The bicycle chain (10) according to claim 6, It is characterized in that At least in the link plate inner surface (40), a longitudinal distance (CD) between the first deflection-shaped area (54) and the second deflection-shaped area (58) in a plurality of virtual observation planes (B1, B2) parallel to the reference plane (BE) is greater than in the reference plane (BE), wherein the longitudinal distance (CD) increases as the distance of the observation plane (B1, B2) from the reference plane (BE) increases.

8. The bicycle chain (10) according to claim 6 or 7, It is characterized in that At least in the link plate inner surface (40) of the link plates (24, 26), at least one of the first deflection-shaped area (54) and the second deflection-shaped area (58) is at least partially designed in a curved manner, at least on a link plate section located on one side of the reference plane (BE).

9. The bicycle chain (10) according to claim 8, It is characterized in that At least in the link plate inner surface (40), two deflection-shaped areas (54, 58) of the first deflection-shaped area (54) and the second deflection-shaped area (58) are at least partially designed in a curved manner, at least on the same link plate section between the reference plane (BE) and the edge (42, 44) of the chain link (24, 26).

10. The bicycle chain (10) according to claim 8 or 9, It is characterized in that At least in the inner surface (40) of the link plate, at least one of the partially curved deflection-shaped areas (54, 58) of the first deflection-shaped area (54) and the second deflection-shaped area (58) is curved concavely when viewed from a chain roller rotation axis (KR) of a chain roller (34) close to the partially curved deflection-shaped area (54, 58), and is curved convexly when viewed from a chain roller rotation axis (KR) of a chain roller (34) far from the partially curved deflection-shaped area (54, 58).

11. The bicycle chain (10) according to any one of claims 8 to 10, It is characterized in that At least in the link plate inner surface (40), at least one of the first deflection-shaped area (54) and the second deflection-shaped area (58) is at least partially constructed concentrically with the chain roller (34) that is closest to the corresponding deflection-shaped area (54, 58).

12. Bicycle chain (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, It is characterized in that With respect to a plurality of chain links (12), each of the link plates (24, 26) of the chain link (12) has, on its side facing the chain roller (34), a flat surface section (62, 66) located in the extension region of the chain roller (24) in the wider longitudinal end region (18) and / or the narrower longitudinal end region (20).

13. The bicycle chain (10) according to claim 12, It is characterized in that The first deflection-like region (54) at least partially defines a flat surface segment (62) located in the wider longitudinal end region (18), or / and the second deflection-like region (58) at least partially defines a flat surface segment (66) located in the narrower longitudinal end region (20).

14. Bicycle chain (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, It is characterized in that For a plurality of the chain links (12), a pin (36) connects together the wider longitudinal end regions (28) of the link plates (24, 26) of the respective chain links (12) which are opposite to each other along the chain width axis (BA), wherein the pin (36) does not protrude relative to the respective link plate outer surfaces (38) of the link plates (24, 26) which are opposite to each other in the wider longitudinal end region (18) of the respective chain link.

15. A bicycle driving device (80), comprising a crankset device (82) and a bicycle pinion device (86) arranged at a certain distance therefrom as a sprocket device (82, 86), wherein: The crankset device (82) and the bicycle pinion device (86) are rotatable about mutually parallel device axes (AO, AQ), and wherein the bicycle drive device (80) comprises a bicycle chain (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, the bicycle chain being closed around the device axis (AO, AQ) and meshing with each of the sprocket devices (82, 86) in a form-fitting manner to transmit torque from the crankset device (82) to the bicycle pinion device (86), The invention is characterized in that at least one of the chain wheel device (82, 86) of the crankset device (82) and the bicycle pinion device (86) has at least two coaxial sprockets (R11, R12) with different numbers of sprocket teeth as a shift sprocket device (86), wherein the bicycle drive device (80) has a transmission (92) which can also be displaced along at least the parallel device axes (AO, AQ), the transmission being passed through by the bicycle chain (12) and being configured to shift the bicycle chain from one sprocket (R11) of the at least two coaxial sprockets (R11, R12) meshing with the bicycle chain (10) to at least another sprocket (R12) of the at least two coaxial sprockets (R11, R12) so that the other sprocket (R12) meshes with the bicycle chain (10).

16. The bicycle drive device (80) according to claim 15, It is characterized in that The coaxial sprockets (R11, R12) of the shift sprocket device (86) are arranged in a manner with a decreasing number of sprocket teeth along a connecting direction (FR), wherein, in order to implement a first shifting process of shifting from a starting sprocket (R11) with a smaller number of teeth to a target sprocket (R12) with a larger number of teeth adjacent to the starting sprocket in a direction opposite to the connecting direction (FR), at least one tooth (94) is constructed on the target sprocket (R12) as a capture tooth (94) for the first shifting process, and its tooth shape is different from the matching tooth shape of the multiple teeth (50) of the target sprocket (R12).

17. The bicycle drive device (80) according to claim 16, It is characterized in that The bicycle chain (10) is only moved along the first gear shifting groove (101) Shifting from the starting sprocket (R11) with a smaller number of sprocket teeth to the adjacent target sprocket (R12) with a larger number of sprocket teeth, wherein the number of first shifting grooves (101) on the target sprocket (R12) is less than or equal to the difference in the number of teeth between the starting sprocket (R11) and the target sprocket (R12).

18. The bicycle drive device (80) according to claim 17, It is characterized in that Each first shift gate (101) has exactly one catch tooth (94).

19. The bicycle drive device (80) according to any one of claims 15 to 18, It is characterized in that The capture tooth (94) has a slope (96) on its side facing away from the starting sprocket (R11), and the slope is constructed in an inclined manner so that its normal vector (NV) has a circumferential vector component (NVu) in the direction facing away from the load side (94f) of the capture tooth (94), an axial vector component (NVa) parallel to the device axis (AO) of the shift sprocket device (86) in the direction facing away from the starting sprocket (R11), and a radial vector component (NVr) in the direction facing away from the device axis (AO) of the shift sprocket device (86).

20. The bicycle drive device (80) according to any one of claims 15 to 19, It is characterized in that The coaxial sprockets (R11, R12) of the shift sprocket device (86) are arranged in a manner with a decreasing number of sprocket teeth along a connecting direction (FR), wherein, in order to implement a second shifting process from a starting sprocket (R12) with a larger number of teeth to a target sprocket (R11) with a smaller number of teeth adjacent to the starting sprocket along the connecting direction (FR), at least one tooth (96) is constructed on the starting sprocket (R12) as a switching tooth (96) for the second shifting process, and its tooth shape is different from the matching tooth shape of the plurality of teeth (50) of the starting sprocket (R12).

21. The bicycle drive device (80) according to claim 20, It is characterized in that The bicycle chain (10) is only moved along the second gear shifting groove (102) Shifting from the starting sprocket (R12) having a larger number of sprocket teeth to the adjacent target sprocket (R11) having a smaller number of sprocket teeth, wherein the number of second shifting grooves (102) on the starting sprocket (R12) is less than or equal to the difference in the number of teeth between the starting sprocket (R11) and the target sprocket (R12).

22. The bicycle drive device (80) according to claim 21, It is characterized in that Each second shift gate (102) has exactly one shift tooth (96).

23. The bicycle drive device (80) according to any one of claims 15 to 22, It is characterized in that When the bicycle chain (10) moves in a circumferential direction of forward travel, the narrower longitudinal ends (20) of the chain links (12) are located in the front and the wider longitudinal ends (18) are located in the rear.

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