Patent ID: 7942771

Claim:
A bicycle sprocket apparatus for use with a chain having pairs of inner link plates alternatingly connected to pairs of outer link plates through a roller assembly including a roller, wherein the apparatus comprises: a larger diameter sprocket having on its outer periphery a plurality of sprocket teeth; a smaller diameter sprocket having on its outer periphery a plurality of sprocket teeth; wherein a number of sprocket teeth on the smaller diameter sprocket is less than a number of sprocket teeth on the larger diameter sprocket; wherein the larger diameter sprocket includes; a tooth; a first chain receiving tooth disposed immediately behind the tooth in the driving rotation direction; and a second chain receiving tooth disposed immediately behind the first chain receiving tooth in the driving rotation direction; wherein the tooth includes: a control side surface disposed on a leading side of the tooth facing the smaller diameter sprocket in the driving rotation direction, wherein the control side surface is shaped to inhibit movement of the chain towards the larger diameter sprocket so that, when the chain is shifted from the smaller diameter sprocket to the larger diameter sprocket, the first chain receiving tooth does not capture the chain and the second chain receiving tooth captures the chain; and a first inclined side surface facing the smaller diameter sprocket, wherein the first inclined side surface is inclined relative to a plane of the sprocket to follow a direction of movement of the chain when the chain is shifted from the smaller diameter sprocket to the larger diameter sprocket.