Variable-Thickness Chainring for Lateral Strength and Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chainrings for bicycles and motorized vehicles lack sufficient strength and rigidity, particularly in mountain biking and eBike applications, where they are subjected to high forces and varying terrain.
Innovation Solution
A chainring design featuring a varying thickness and symmetrical shape, made from materials like aluminum, titanium, or composite materials, with alternating tooth configurations and a depressed region for enhanced engagement with cranksets, providing increased lateral strength and uniform rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional chainring designs are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the strength and rigidity are insufficient for high-force applications
Solution Approach 1:
The chainring employs varying thickness throughout its structure, with thicker sections positioned at critical load-bearing areas and thinner sections where less strength is required. This local variation in material distribution optimizes lateral strength where needed while maintaining overall structural efficiency and reducing unnecessary complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The chainring utilizes composite material construction combining different materials with complementary properties to achieve superior strength-to-weight ratio and rigidity. This composite approach enables the chainring to withstand high forces from mountain biking and eBike applications while maintaining a design that is still manufacturable and relatively simple in its overall form.
2Strength
If conventional chainring designs are used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the rigidity is insufficient for efficient power transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The chainring features non-uniform thickness distribution with strategically placed thicker sections that provide enhanced rigidity in areas subjected to highest stress during power transfer. This localized reinforcement achieves the required rigidity for efficient power transfer without requiring the entire chainring to be uniformly thick, which would significantly complicate manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention addresses rigidity requirements by utilizing the thickness dimension strategically, creating a three-dimensional structure with varying cross-sections. This dimensional approach allows the chainring to achieve superior rigidity characteristics without increasing the overall footprint or requiring complex assembly processes, maintaining relative manufacturing simplicity.
3Power
If uniform thickness chainring is used, then the manufacturing is easier, but the power transfer efficiency is reduced under high forces
Solution Approach 1:
The chainring incorporates varying thickness throughout its structure, with thicker sections positioned at critical load-bearing areas to handle high forces during power transfer. This local reinforcement in high-stress zones enables efficient power transfer under mountain biking and eBike conditions without requiring the entire chainring to be uniformly thick, which would complicate manufacturing and increase weight.
Data Source
AI summary
A chainring is disclosed herein. The chainring includes a front surface, a back surface, a center, and an outer diameter. The chainring has a thickness which varies from a lesser thickness at the outer diameter to a greater thickness nearer the center. The thickness of the chainring varying substantially the same on the front surface and the back surface such that the chainring is substantially symmetric about a plane dividing the front surface and the back surface along a direction normal to an axial direction of the chainring.