US 12,285,972 B2
Sprocket support body and bicycle rear hub assembly
Tomonari Oka, Sakai (JP)
Assigned to SHIMANO INC., Sakai (JP)
Filed by SHIMANO INC., Sakai (JP)
Filed on Feb. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/665,598.
Application 16/008,031 is a division of application No. 15/851,785, filed on Dec. 22, 2017, granted, now 10,752,320, issued on Aug. 25, 2020.
Application 17/665,598 is a continuation of application No. 16/008,031, filed on Jun. 14, 2018, granted, now 11,279,442.
Application 15/851,785 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/712,407, filed on Sep. 22, 2017, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2022/0153388 A1, May 19, 2022
Int. Cl. B60B 27/04 (2006.01); B60B 27/02 (2006.01); B62M 9/12 (2006.01)
CPC B60B 27/047 (2013.01) [B60B 27/023 (2013.01); B60B 27/04 (2013.01); B62M 9/12 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sprocket support body rotatably mounted on a hub axle of a bicycle rear hub assembly, the sprocket support body comprising:
a base support having a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion;
at least ten external spline teeth provided on the first axial end portion of the base support and configured to engage with a bicycle rear sprocket assembly, each of the at least ten external spline teeth having an external-spline driving surface and an external-spline non-driving surface, the at least ten external spline teeth having an external-spline major diameter equal to or smaller than 34 mm; and
a plurality of helical external spline teeth provided on the second axial end portion of the base support,
a total number of the at least ten external spline teeth being equal to or larger than 20,
one tooth of the at least ten external spline teeth having a first circumferential maximum width;
all of the other teeth of the at least ten external spline teeth each having a second circumferential maximum width,
the second circumferential maximum width being smaller than the first circumferential maximum width,
the sprocket support body being free of external spline teeth of the at least ten external spline teeth having another external-spline major diameter that is different from the external-spline major diameter,
the base support being formed of a same material as the at least ten external spline teeth,
the sprocket support body including a larger-diameter part and an axially sprocket abutment surface provided on the larger-diameter part,
a groove being provided between the larger-diameter part and the at least ten external spline teeth in the axial direction,
the groove extends continuously about an entire circumference of the sprocket support body,
the sprocket support body including a flange extending radially outwardly from the base support,
the flange being provided between the larger-diameter part and the plurality of helical external spline teeth in the axial direction,
the flange extending radially outward beyond a radially outermost surface of the larger-diameter part, and
the flange having an outer portion that extends in the axial direction away from the larger-diameter part and toward the plurality of helical external spline teeth.