Patent ID: 7740554

Claim:
A chain guide for guiding a chain traveling around a sprocket supported on a frame of a motorcycle, the chain guide comprising: a plastic chain guide support having a substantially U-shaped body including an outer wall, a bottom portion, and an inner wall formed of a single piece of material with a channel formed along an inner surface of the body, the body including an outer surface and a ridge structure protruding outward from the outer surface in a direction extending away from the channel so as to reinforce the chain guide support; wherein the body of the plastic chain guide support is configured with at least two mounting holes, each of the mounting holes being sized to receive a respective fastener for securing the chain guide to the frame of the motorcycle, a first of the two mounting holes being positioned adjacent an intersection of a front leading edge and a top edge of the outer wall, and a second of the two mounting holes being positioned aft of the first mounting hole adjacent the top edge of the outer wall; wherein the front leading edge of the outer wall of the plastic chain guide support extends obliquely downward and rearward from a location adjacent the first mounting hole, to the bottom portion of the body; wherein the plastic chain guide support further is configured to house a chain guide insert in at least a portion of the channel in an orientation in which the chain guide insert is positioned inside of the body to be contacted on three sides, respectively, by the bottom portion, the inner wall, and the outer wall of the body, and in which a top surface of the chain guide insert is positioned below a chain running through the channel; wherein the ridge structure forms a region of increased cross-sectional thickness in the U-shaped body, and extends outward from the outer surface of the body in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the channel; wherein the ridge structure includes a first ridge portion located adjacent the front leading edge of the plastic chain guide support, and extending obliquely downward and rearward from a location adjacent the top edge of the outer wall to a location adjacent the bottom portion; and wherein the ridge structure includes respective portions surrounding the first and second mounting holes, and a spanning ridge portion formed adjacent the top edge of the outer wall and intersecting each of the portions of the ridge structure surrounding the first and second mounting holes, the first ridge portion also intersecting the portion of the ridge structure surrounding the first mounting hole.