Motion transmission system of a bicycle

Abstract

A sprocket assembly mounted to a hub has at least eleven sprockets. The hub is able to rotate about a rotation axis and has a plurality of spoke attachment seats and a fastening portion to a frame of the bicycle. On the hub a predetermined axial distance is defined between a plane, substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis, comprising the points of the spoke attachment seats closest to the freewheel body and a plane, substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis and defined in the fastening portion to the frame, comprising the attachment points to the frame closest to the freewheel body. All of the sprockets of the sprocket assembly, when associated with the freewheel body, have an overall axial width that is lower than or equal to the predetermined axial distance. The chain has a maximum thickness between 4.6 mm and 5.8 mm.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Motion transmission system of a bicycle, comprising a plurality of sprockets in a sprocket assembly that mounts on a freewheel body of a hub of a bicycle rear wheel, and a bicycle chain that engages the sprockets of the sprocket assembly, the hub being able to rotate about a rotation axis and comprising a plurality of attachment seats for spokes of the rear wheel of the bicycle and a fastening portion to a frame of the bicycle, the sprocket assembly comprised of eleven sprockets, that when associated with the freewheel body, have an overall axial width that is lower than, or equal to, an axial distance defined on the hub between a first plane and a second plane, said first and second planes being substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis, said first plane including at least one point of the attachment seats for the spokes closest to the freewheel body, said second plane being defined in the fastening portion to the frame and including at least one point for the attachment to the frame closest to the freewheel body, such that the sprockets are bound between the first and second planes, and the chain has a maximum thickness in the direction of the rotation axis between and including 4.6 mm and 5.8 mm. 
     
     
         2 . Transmission system according to  claim 1 , wherein the chain comprises an alternating succession of outer links and of inner links, connected to each other at respective connection ends, each link, outer and inner, comprising two respective plates, outer and inner, arranged parallel and spaced apart to define a space to receive a tooth of a sprocket. 
     
     
         3 . Transmission system according to  claim 1 , wherein the maximum thickness is between and including 4.8 mm and 5.6 mm. 
     
     
         4 . Transmission system according to  claim 3 , wherein the maximum thickness is between and including 5 mm and 5.5 mm. 
     
     
         5 . Transmission system according to  claim 1 , wherein the axial width is no greater than 46 mm. 
     
     
         6 . Transmission system according to  claim 5 , wherein the axial width is no greater than 43.5 mm. 
     
     
         7 . Transmission system according to  claim 1 , wherein the axial width between two end sprockets of the sprocket assembly, measured between respective faces of the end sprockets facing outwardly from the sprocket assembly, is no greater than 42.5 mm. 
     
     
         8 . Transmission system according to  claim 7 , wherein the axial width is no greater than 40.5 mm. 
     
     
         9 . Transmission system according to  claim 1 , wherein the sprockets are spaced apart along the rotation axis. 
     
     
         10 . Transmission system according to  claim 1 , wherein the sprocket with the smallest diameter of the sprocket assembly has 11 or 12 teeth and a sprocket with the largest diameter has a number of teeth comprised between and including 23 and 27. 
     
     
         11 . Transmission system according to  claim 10 , wherein the sprocket assembly comprises a combination of eleven sprockets selected from a group consisting of:
 a first combination with sprockets having 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23 teeth respectively;   a second combination with sprockets having 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23, teeth respectively;   a third combination with sprockets having 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 teeth respectively;   a fourth combination with sprockets having 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, teeth respectively; and   a fifth combination with sprockets having 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 teeth respectively.   
     
     
         12 . Transmission system according to  claim 10 , wherein the sprocket assembly comprises a combination of twelve sprockets selected from a group consisting of:
 a first combination with sprockets having 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23 teeth respectively;   a second combination with sprockets having 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25 teeth respectively;   a third combination with sprockets having 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 teeth respectively;   a fourth combination with sprockets having 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 25 teeth respectively; and   a fifth combination with sprockets having 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 teeth respectively;   wherein a distance between two end sprockets of the sprocket assembly, measured between respective faces of the end sprockets facing outwardly from the sprocket assembly is no greater than 42.5 mm.   
     
     
         13 . Transmission system according to  claim 1 , wherein the sprockets have a maximum thickness, at an engagement area with the chain, no greater than 1.7 mm. 
     
     
         14 . Transmission system according to  claim 13 , wherein the maximum thickness of the sprockets is no greater than 1.6 mm. 
     
     
         15 . Transmission system according to  claim 1 , wherein the distance in the direction of the rotation axis between at least two consecutive sprockets of the sprocket assembly, measured between the area of engagement with the chain of the sprocket with the smallest diameter and an adjacent sprocket, is greater than or equal to a thickness of the sprockets. 
     
     
         16 . Transmission system according to  claim 1 , wherein the distance in the direction of the rotation axis between all of the consecutive sprockets of the sprocket assembly is greater than or equal to a thickness of the sprockets. 
     
     
         17 . Transmission system according to  claim 15 , wherein the distance in the direction of the rotation axis between consecutive sprockets is no greater than 2.2 mm. 
     
     
         18 . Transmission system according to  claim 15 , wherein the sprockets with the smallest diameter are arranged at greater distances apart than the sprockets with the largest diameter. 
     
     
         19 . Transmission system according to  claim 18 , wherein the sprockets with the smallest diameter are at a distance apart no greater than 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         20 . Transmission system according to  claim 1 , wherein there are at least six consecutive sprockets in the assembly having a number of teeth that differs by one from that of at least one adjacent sprocket. 
     
     
         21 . Transmission system according to  claim 20 , wherein the consecutive sprockets are at least seven in number. 
     
     
         22 . Transmission system according to  claim 21 , wherein the consecutive sprockets are at least eight in number. 
     
     
         23 . Transmission system according to  claim 22 , wherein the consecutive sprockets are at least nine in number. 
     
     
         24 . Transmission system according to any one of  claims 20 , wherein one of the at least six consecutive sprockets has eighteen teeth. 
     
     
         25 . Transmission system according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one toothed wheel that is associated with at least one crank arm and is adapted to be engaged by the chain at the same time the chain is engaging one of the sprockets of the sprocket assembly. 
     
     
         26 . Transmission system according to  claim 25 , wherein the at least one toothed wheel is made from aluminum alloy and has a maximum thickness, in an area of engagement of the chain, no greater than 1.7 mm. 
     
     
         27 . Transmission system according to  claim 26 , wherein the maximum thickness of the at least one toothed wheel and of the sprockets, in the respective areas of engagement of the chain, is the same. 
     
     
         28 . Transmission system according to  claim 27 , wherein the maximum thickness is no greater than 1.6 mm in combination with a chain of a thickness no greater than 5.5 mm. 
     
     
         29 . Bicycle comprising a transmission system according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         30 . A sprocket assembly for a bicycle comprising:
 a freewheel body of a rear wheel hub having a first plane, defined by an axially inner most portion of the hub's spoke attachment seats, and a second plane, defined by a frame attachment portion, that are spaced apart by a predetermined distance from each other; and   exactly eleven sprockets that are positioned on the freewheel body of the rear wheel hub and have a maximum axial width no greater than the predetermined distance between the first and second planes.   
     
     
         31 . Motion transmission system of a bicycle, comprising a plurality of sprockets in a sprocket assembly that mounts on a freewheel body of a hub of a bicycle rear wheel, and a bicycle chain, having a chain line LC, that engages the sprockets of the sprocket assembly, the hub being configured to rotate about a rotation axis, the sprocket assembly comprising at least eleven sprockets, wherein at least one sprocket is a central sprocket and the sprocket assembly, when associated with the freewheel body, has an overall axial width in the direction of the rotation axis that is no greater than 46 mm and the sprocket assembly is positioned substantially symmetric with respect to the chain line LC when the bicycle chain is engaged with the central sprocket. 
     
     
         32 . A sprocket assembly for a bicycle comprising:
 a freewheel body of a rear wheel hub having a first plane, defined by an axially inner most portion of the hub's spoke attachment seats, and a second plane, defined by a frame attachment portion, that are spaced apart by a predetermined distance from each other; and   eleven sprockets that are positioned on the freewheel body of the rear wheel hub and have a maximum axial width no greater than the predetermined distance between the first and second planes, wherein a first sprocket of said eleven sprockets is positioned adjacent to the first plane and a last sprocket of said eleven sprockets is positioned adjacent to the second plane, wherein the first sprocket and the last sprocket define the maximum axial width.