Patent ID: 7658124

Claim:
A gear assembly comprising: a hub adapted for mounting the gear assembly to a housing, the hub including a front side and a back side and defining a first axis which extends through the front side and the back side of the hub; a gear ring positioned about said hub and defining a second axis which includes an axis of rotation of the gear ring, said gear ring being configured to translate in a direction of translation perpendicular to said first axis responsive to a torque on said gear assembly, wherein the gear ring is movable a translation distance in the direction of translation between a first position where the gear ring is coaxial with the hub and a second position where the gear ring is not coaxial with the hub; at least one actuator coupled between said hub and said gear ring and configured to bias said gear ring toward coaxial alignment with said hub; wherein the at least one actuator includes a spring defining a longitudinal spring axis oriented perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis, the spring having a first axial spring length at the first position of the gear ring and a second axial spring length at the second position of the gear ring which is less than the first axial spring length, and wherein a difference between the first axial spring length and the second axial spring length is equal to the translation distance of the gear ring; and wherein said string includes a first spring defining a first longitudinal spring axis, the at least one actuator further including a second spring defining a second longitudinal spring axis, and wherein the first longitudinal spring axis and the second longitudinal spring axis are oriented parallel to one another and are not co-linear.