Patent ID: 7238140

Claim:
A differential for distributing torque to left and right axle shafts of an automotive vehicle; said differential comprising: a cage which rotates about a major axis under torque that is applied; gearing within the cage for distributing at least some of the torque that is applied to the cage between the axle shafts while accommodating variances in velocity between the axle shafts; a first planetary set having a ring gear connected to the cage, a sun gear coupled with the left axle shaft for rotation with the left axle shaft at the same angular velocity, planet gears located between and engaged with the ring and sun gears, and a carrier providing axes about which the planet gears rotate; a first brake coupled with the carrier of the first planetary set to resist rotation of that carrier; a second planetary set having a ring gear connected to the cage, a sun gear coupled with the right axle shaft for rotation with the right axle shaft at the same angular velocity, planet gears located between and engaged with the ring and sun gears, and a carrier providing axes about which the planet gears rotate; and a second brake coupled with the carrier of the second planetary set to resist rotation of that carrier; whereby when either one of the first or second brakes are applied to resist rotation of the carrier to which that brake is coupled, some of the torque will transfer through the planetary set of which the carrier is a part.