Patent ID: 7837588

Claim:
A differential assembly for a vehicle, comprising: a differential casing defining first and second pairs of pinion bores; first and second side gears disposed within said differential casing; a plurality of first pinion gears, each of said first pinion gears being received in an associated one of said first pinion bores and meshingly engaging said first side gear; a plurality of second pinion gears, each of said second pinion gears being received in an associated one of said second pinion bores and meshingly engaging said second side gear and a corresponding one of said first pinion gears; an annular thrust block received in said differential casing between said differential casing and said first side gear on a side of said differential casing opposite said second side gear, said thrust block having a radially outer perimeter with a plurality of recesses formed therein, each of said recesses receiving an associated one of said first pinion gears to thereby inhibit rotation of said thrust block relative to said differential casing; and a spring biasing said thrust block into engagement with said first side gear; wherein said first side gear is disposed between said spring and said second side gear such that said spring biases said first side gear toward said second side gear.