Patent ID: 7296786

Claim:
A composite bushing for a vehicle, said bushing comprising an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve, and an elastomeric body which fits between the inner and outer sleeves, wherein: the inner sleeve is positioned coaxially within the outer sleeve such that the outer sleeve surrounds the inner sleeve, and such that an annular space is formed therebetween; the elastomeric body resides within the annular space, wherein the elastomeric body comprises plural substantially wedge-shaped elastic segments, wherein each elastic segment of the plural elastic segments extends between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve, and the plural elastic segments are circumferentially arranged within the annular space so as to be substantially contiguous with one another, wherein adjacent elastic segments of the plural elastic segments comprise materials having different resiliency, and wherein the elastomeric body further comprises a resilient connecting member which is integrally formed with, and which interconnects two of the elastic segments at one end of the bushing.