Modular bump buffer for vehicle

Abstract

A modular suspension buffer for vehicle has customizable hardness and height to provide various combinations of initial contact softness and non-linearly increasing resistance during compression so as to improve driving stability, loading capacity, off road performance, and/or ride comfort while extending the operational lifespan of the vehicle suspension system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A modular suspension buffer comprising:
 a first elastic element having a first end and a second end positioned along a height direction of the modular suspension buffer; and   a second elastic element having a third end and a fourth end positioned along the height direction, the third end of the second elastic element configured to interlock with the second end of the first elastic element.   
     
     
         2 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 1 , wherein the first elastic element comprises a mounting interface on the first end, the mounting interface configured to secure the modular suspension buffer to the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 1 , wherein a hardness of the first elastic element is different from a hardness of the second elastic element. 
     
     
         4 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 1 , wherein a hardness of the first elastic element is the same as a hardness of the second elastic element. 
     
     
         5 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 1 , wherein a spring rate of the modular suspension buffer in the height direction is non-linear based on respective hardness of the first elastic element and the second elastic element. 
     
     
         6 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 1 , wherein a height of the first elastic element is different from a height of the second elastic element. 
     
     
         7 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first elastic element comprises a first interlocking surface on the second end; and   the second elastic element comprises a second interlocking surface, complementary to the first interlocking surface, on the third end.   
     
     
         8 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first interlocking surface comprises a plurality of first protrusions, and the second interlocking surface comprises a plurality of second protrusions complementary to the plurality of first protrusions; and   the plurality of first protrusions are configured to engage the plurality of second protrusions to secure the first elastic element with the second elastic element.   
     
     
         9 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the plurality of first protrusions comprise a plurality of first concentric ridges, and the plurality of second protrusions comprise a plurality of second concentric ridges complementary to the plurality of first concentric ridges; and   the plurality of first concentric ridges are configured to engage the plurality of second concentric ridges to secure the first elastic element with the second elastic element.   
     
     
         10 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of first concentric ridges and the plurality of second concentric ridges by secured together by a compression or fiction. 
     
     
         11 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third elastic element having a fifth end and a sixth end along the height direction, the fifth end interlocking with the fourth end of the second elastic element.   
     
     
         12 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 11 , wherein a hardness of the third elastic element is different from a hardness of at least one of the first elastic element or the second elastic element. 
     
     
         13 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the second elastic element comprises a third interlocking surface on the fourth end; and   the third elastic element comprises a fourth interlocking surface, complementary to the third interlocking surface, on the fifth end.   
     
     
         14 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the third interlocking surface comprises a plurality of third protrusions, and the fourth interlocking surface comprises a plurality of fourth protrusions complementary to the plurality of third protrusions; and   the plurality of third protrusions are configured to engage the plurality of fourth protrusions to secure the second elastic element with the third elastic element.   
     
     
         15 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 11 , wherein a height of the third elastic element is different from a height of at least one of the first elastic element or the second elastic element. 
     
     
         16 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 11 , wherein an outer surface of the first elastic element forms at least one groove surrounding the outer surface. 
     
     
         17 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 11 , wherein an outer surface of the second elastic element forms at least one groove surrounding the outer surface. 
     
     
         18 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 11 , wherein an outer surface of the third elastic element forms at least one groove surrounding the outer surface. 
     
     
         19 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a surface on the first end of the first elastic element forms a first cavity for receiving a first convolution of a spring; and   a surface on the fourth end of the second elastic element forms a second cavity for receiving a second convolution, adjacent to the first convolution, of the spring.   
     
     
         20 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 19 , wherein the first cavity forms a curved channel for receiving the first convolution, and the second cavity forms a curved channel for receiving the second convolution. 
     
     
         21 . A modular suspension buffer comprising:
 a first elastic portion having a first predetermined hardness; and   a second elastic portion having a second predetermined hardness that is different from the first predetermined hardness,   wherein the suspension buffer has a non-linear spring rate based on the first predetermined hardness and the second predetermined hardness.   
     
     
         22 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 21 , wherein the non-linear spring rate comprises a first spring rate corresponding to the first predetermined hardness when the suspension buffer is under a first load, and the non-linear spring rate comprises a second spring rate corresponding to the second predetermined hardness when the suspension buffer is under a second load that is heavier than the first load. 
     
     
         23 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 22 , the first spring rate is lower than the second spring rate. 
     
     
         24 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 22 , wherein the second predetermined hardness is higher than the first predetermined hardness. 
     
     
         25 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 21 , further comprising a third elastic portion having a third predetermined hardness that is different from at least one of the first predetermined hardness of the second predetermined hardness. 
     
     
         26 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 25 , wherein a height of the first elastic portion is different from at least one of a height of the second elastic portion or a height of the third elastic portion. 
     
     
         27 . The modular suspension buffer of  claim 21 , wherein the first elastic portion is removably connected with the second elastic portion using respective interlocking surfaces on the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion.