Torque feedback assembly for a vehicle steering column

1. A steering torque feedback assembly for a vehicle steering column, comprising:

a housing;

a crown wheel of a hypoid gear assembly rotatably mounted in the housing and being configured to rotate with, or being connected to, a vehicle steering column;

first and second electric motors within the housing, each having a rotatable output shaft;

wherein the output shaft of each of the first and second motors comprises a hypoid pinion gear engaged with the hypoid crown wheel.

2. A steering torque feedback assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the rotational axis of the output shaft of each of the first and second motors extends perpendicularly to the rotational axis of the crown wheel.

3. A steering torque feedback assembly as defined in claim 2 , wherein the rotational axes of the first and second motors are inclined with respect to each other.

4. A steering torque feedback assembly as defined in claim 3 , wherein the first and second motors are located adjacent to each other.

5. A steering torque feedback assembly as defined in claim 4 , wherein the rotational axes of the first and second motors are inclined with respect to each other at an angle of ≤90°.

6. A steering torque feedback assembly as defined in claim 5 , wherein the rotational axes of the first and second motors are inclined with respect to each other at an angle of approximately 60°.

7. A steering torque feedback assembly as defined in claim 6 , wherein the crown wheel comprises an aperture aligned with its axis of rotation.

8. A steering torque feedback assembly as defined in claim 7 , wherein the aperture comprises means for a keyed connection with a complementarily-shaped portion of a steering column.

9. A steering torque feedback assembly as defined in claim 8 , wherein the aperture is splined.