Patent ID: 8287418

Claim:
A differential gear assembly comprising: a housing; a first sun gear and a second sun gear disposed within the housing and coaxially aligned with each other, each of the first and second sun gears having a central axis extending in a first direction; a first set of planetary gears in mating engagement with the first sun gear, each of the first set of planetary gears having a first axis extending in the first direction, each of the first set of planetary gears having a first axial outer surface substantially perpendicular to the first axis, the first axial outer surface facing away from the second sun gear; a second set of planetary gears in mating engagement with the second sun gear, wherein the first and second sets of planetary gears are in mating engagement with each other, each of the second set of planetary gears having a second axis extending in the first direction, each of the second set of planetary gears having a second axial outer surface substantially perpendicular to the second axis, the second axial outer surface facing away from the first sun gear; a first set of friction members, each of which faces a respective one of the first axial outer surfaces of the first set of planetary gears; a second set of friction members, each of which faces a respective one of the second axial outer surfaces of the second set of planetary gears; a first body connecting at least a plurality of said first set of friction members together, the first body comprising a ring-shaped member; and a second body connecting at least a plurality of said second set of friction members together; wherein the assembly does not include a preload member interposed between the housing and a respective one of the first and second axial outer surfaces of the first and second sets of planetary gears.