Patent ID: 7846047

Claim:
A bicycle sprocket adapted to rotate around a rotational axis, wherein the sprocket comprises: a sprocket body having a first side wall surface that faces in a direction along the rotational axis, a second side wall surface that faces in an opposite direction along the rotational axis, and a radially inner surface that faces radially inwardly and is disposed between the first side wall surface and the second side wall surface when viewed perpendicular to the rotational axis; a plurality of teeth extending radially outwardly from the sprocket body and dimensioned to engage a bicycle chain; a radially inwardly extending spline in the form of a projection disposed between the first side wall surface of the sprocket body and the second side wall surface of the sprocket body when viewed perpendicular to the rotational axis; a radially outwardly extending spline in the form of a slot disposed between the first side wall surface of the sprocket body and the second side wall surface of the sprocket body when viewed perpendicular to the rotational axis; wherein the radially outwardly extending spline is disposed circumferentially adjacent to the radially inwardly extending spline; wherein the radially inwardly extending spline has a free end portion that extends in the direction of the rotational axis and is disposed between the first side wall surface of the sprocket body and the second side wall surface of the sprocket body when viewed perpendicular to the rotational axis; wherein a radially outer surface is formed on the free end portion of the radially inwardly extending spline; wherein the radially outer surface is disposed between the first side wall surface of the sprocket body and the second side wall surface of the sprocket body when viewed perpendicular to the rotational axis; wherein the radially outer surface is discontinuous in the circumferential direction; and wherein the radially outer surface formed on the free end portion of the radially inwardly extending spline faces radially outwardly and faces the radially inner surface of the sprocket body.