Armrest for a vehicle seat and methods of use thereof

1 . A method, comprising:

transitioning an armrest coupled to a vehicle seat from a folded configuration to an unfolded configuration, the armrest including a first member secured in a fixed position, a second member pivotally coupled to the first member, and a third member pivotally coupled to the second member, wherein the first member, the second member, and the third member are stacked while the armrest is in the folded configuration, and wherein transitioning the armrest from the folded configuration to the unfolded configuration includes:

pivoting the second member relative to the first member to dispose the armrest in an intermediate configuration, wherein the second member and the third member are cantilevered from the first member and extend across a first portion of the vehicle seat while the armrest is in the intermediate configuration; and

pivoting the third member relative to the second member to dispose the armrest in the unfolded configuration, wherein the third member is cantilevered from the second member and extends across a second portion of the vehicle seat while the armrest is in the unfolded configuration;

locking the armrest in the unfolded configuration; and

applying a load onto at least the third member by resting an object thereon.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transitioning the armrest from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration by:

pivoting the third member relative to the second member such that the third member is stacked with the second member and extends across the first portion of the vehicle seat; and

pivoting the second member relative to the first member such that the second member and the third member are stacked with the first member; and

supporting an arm of an occupant of the vehicle seat on the armrest.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a first portion of the armrest is coupled to the vehicle seat, a second portion of the armrest includes the first member, the second member, and the third member, and the first member is secured to the first portion and fixed in position relative to the first portion, wherein pivoting the second member relative to the first member such that the second member and the third member are stacked with the first member disposes adjacent exterior surfaces of the first portion and the second portion in aligned positions such that the adjacent exterior surfaces are flush and contoured to appear as an integral body.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein pivoting the second member relative to the first member such that the second member and the third member are stacked with the first member disposes first adjacent exterior surfaces of the first member and the second member in first aligned positions, and second adjacent exterior surfaces of the second member and the third member in second aligned positions.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein pivoting the second member relative to the first member includes pivoting the second member by 180 degrees, wherein pivoting the third member relative to the second member includes pivoting the third member by 180 degrees.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second member is disposed between the first member and the third member in the folded configuration such that a first face of the first member is directed toward a second face of the second member, and a third face of the second member oppositely disposed the second face of the second member is directed toward a fourth face of the third member, wherein transitioning the armrest from the folded configuration to the unfolded configuration includes disposing the first face of the first member, the second face of the second member, and a fifth face of the third member oppositely disposed the fourth face of the third member are aligned in a geometric plane.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first face of the first member and the second face of the second member are aligned in the geometric plane and the third member is not disposed in the geometric plane while the armrest is in the intermediate configuration.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion is rotatably coupled to a seatback of the vehicle seat, wherein the second member is coupled to the first member with one or more first joints on a first edge of the second member, the second member is coupled to the third member with one or more second joints on a second edge of the second member oppositely disposed from the first edge.

9 . An armrest for a vehicle seat, comprising:

a first portion configured to be coupled to the vehicle seat; and

a second portion having a first member secured to the first portion and in a fixed position relative to the first portion, a second member pivotally coupled to the first member, and a third member pivotally coupled to the second member, wherein the second portion is configured to selectively transition between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration, wherein the first member, the second member, and the third member are stacked and in combination configured to support an arm of an occupant of the vehicle seat while the armrest is in the folded configuration, wherein the second member and the third member are cantilevered from the first member, extend across at least a portion of the vehicle seat, and configurated to support a load from an object resting thereon while the armrest is in the unfolded configuration,

wherein, while the armrest is in the folded configuration, the second member is disposed between the first member and the third member such that a first face of the first member is directed toward a second face of the second member and a third face of the second member oppositely disposed the second face of the second member is directed toward a fourth face of the third member.

10 . The armrest of claim 9 , wherein the first face of the first member, the second face of the second member, and a fifth face of the third member oppositely disposed the fourth face of the third member are aligned in a geometric plane while the armrest is in the unfolded configuration.

11 . The armrest of claim 9 , wherein the second portion is configured to transition from the folded configuration to the unfolded configuration by pivoting the second member relative to the first member over the vehicle seat to dispose the armrest in an intermediate configuration, and then pivoting the third member relative to the second member over the vehicle seat, wherein the first face of the first member and the second face of the second member are aligned in a geometric plane and the third member is not disposed in the geometric plane while the armrest is in the intermediate configuration.

12 . The armrest of claim 9 , wherein adjacent exterior surfaces of the first portion and the second portion are aligned such that the adjacent exterior surfaces are flush and contoured to appear as an integral body while the armrest is in the folded configuration.

13 . The armrest of claim 9 , wherein first adjacent exterior surfaces of the first member and the second member are aligned and second adjacent exterior surfaces of the second member and the third member are aligned while the armrest is in the folded configuration.

14 . The armrest of claim 9 , wherein the second portion is configured to transition from the folded configuration to the unfolded configuration by pivoting the second member relative to the first member over the vehicle seat to dispose the armrest in an intermediate configuration, and then pivoting the third member relative to the second member over the vehicle seat.

15 . The armrest of claim 9 , wherein the second member is configured to pivot relative to the first member by 180 degrees, wherein the third member is configured to pivot relative to the second member by 180 degrees.

16 . The armrest of claim 9 , wherein the first portion is rotatably coupled to a seatback of the vehicle seat, wherein the second member is coupled to the first member with one or more first joints on a first edge of the second member, the second member is coupled to the third member with one or more second joints on a second edge of the second member oppositely disposed from the first edge, and the second member and the third member are configured to be lockable while in the unfolded configuration.

17 . A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle seat;

an armrest including:

a first portion coupled to the vehicle seat; and

a second portion having a first member secured to the first portion and fixed in position relative to the first portion, a second member pivotally coupled to the first member, and a third member pivotally coupled to the second member, wherein the second portion is configured to selectively transition between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration, wherein the first member, the second member, and the third member are stacked and in combination configured to support an arm of an occupant of the vehicle seat while the armrest is in the folded configuration, wherein the second member and the third member are cantilevered from the first member, extend across at least a portion of the vehicle seat, and configurated to support a load from an object resting thereon while the armrest is in the unfolded configuration,

wherein, while the second portion is in the folded configuration, the second member is disposed between the first member and the third member such that a first face of the first member is directed toward a second face of the second member and a third face of the second member oppositely disposed the second face of the second member is directed toward a fourth face of the third member,

wherein adjacent exterior surfaces of the first portion and the second portion are aligned such that the adjacent exterior surfaces are flush and contoured to appear as an integral body while the second portion is in the folded configuration.

18 . The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the second face of the second member, and a fifth face of the third member oppositely disposed the fourth face of the third member are aligned in a geometric plane while the armrest is in the unfolded configuration.

19 . The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the second portion is configured to transition from the folded configuration to the unfolded configuration by pivoting the second member relative to the first member over the vehicle seat to dispose the armrest in an intermediate configuration, and then pivoting the third member relative to the second member over the vehicle seat, wherein the first face of the first member and the second face of the second member are aligned in the geometric plane and the third member is not disposed in the geometric plane while the armrest is in the intermediate configuration.

20 . The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the first portion is rotatably coupled to a seatback of the vehicle seat, wherein the second member is coupled to the first member with one or more first joints on a first edge of the second member, the second member is coupled to the third member with one or more second joints on a second edge of the second member oppositely disposed from the first edge, and the second member and the third member are configured to be lockable while in the unfolded configuration.