Patent ID: 7883437

Claim:
A sprocket for transferring a force between a chain and a drive element, the sprocket comprising: a plurality of teeth disposed around a periphery of the sprocket, and having load-bearing flanks and non-load-bearing flanks; a plurality of openings disposed proximate the plurality of teeth in one-to-one correspondence therebetween, the openings asymmetrically divided by radial centerlines of the corresponding teeth; a plurality of first load strips formed between the openings and the load-bearing flanks of the corresponding teeth; and a plurality of second load strips formed between the openings and the non-load-bearing flanks of the corresponding teeth, the plurality of teeth, openings and first and second load strips arranged in one-to-one correspondence therebetween, wherein when the load-bearing flank of one of plurality of teeth is engaged by the chain, the corresponding one of the plurality of first load strips is loaded in tension, the corresponding one of the plurality of second load strips is loaded in compression and the first load strip of the adjoining tooth in the drive rotational direction is loaded in bending by the compression-loaded second load strip.