Armrest for a modified vehicle

1 . An armrest assembly for a seat, the armrest assembly comprising:

an armrest having a pivoting connector adapted for connection to the seat, whereby the armrest can be rotated in both a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction relative to the seat; and,

a one-way gate assembly configured to be coupled to at least one of the armrest and the seat, whereby the one-way gate assembly permits the armrest to rotate from a stowed position to a deployed position in both the first rotational direction and the second rotational direction, prevents the armrest from rotating from the deployed position to the stowed position in the first rotational direction, and permits the armrest to rotate from the deployed position to the stowed position in the second rotational direction.

2 . The armrest assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the armrest traverses a first path when rotating from the stowed position to the deployed position in the first rotational direction;

the armrest traverses a second path when rotating from the stowed position to the deployed position in the second rotational direction; and,

the first path is longer than the second path.

3 . The armrest assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one-way gate assembly comprises a pin and a gate configured to engage as the armrest rotates relative to the seat, wherein:

one of the pin and the gate are coupled to and rotate with the armrest, wherein the pin traverses a circular path from a frame of reference of the gate;

the gate being moveable between a closed position and an open position;

in the closed position, the gate being disposed inside and blocking the circular path of the pin;

in the open position, the gate being disposed outside of and not blocking the circular path of the pin;

when the armrest is rotated in the second rotational direction, the pin is configured to engage with a first side of the gate and move the gate from the closed position to the open position; and,

when the armrest is rotated in the first rotational direction, a second side of the gate is configured to engage with the pin to prevent rotation of the armrest past the deployed position.

4 . The armrest assembly of claim 3 further comprising a stop, wherein: the gate is a pivoting lever biased to the closed position against the stop; the pin is configured to push and rotate the pivoting lever to the open position when the armrest is rotated in the second rotational direction whereby the pin may pass thereby; and, the stop is configured to engage with and hold the gate in the closed position, whereby the pin cannot push and rotate the pivoting lever to an open position when the armrest is rotated in the first rotational direction.

5 . The armrest assembly of claim 4 , wherein the pivoting lever is biased towards the closed position by gravity.

6 . The armrest assembly of claim 4 , wherein the pivoting lever is biased towards the closed position by a spring.

7 . The armrest assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a detent configured to be coupled to the same one of the armrest and seat as the gate, wherein the detent is configured to engage with the pin when the armrest is in the stowed position.

8 . The armrest assembly of claim 7 , wherein the detent comprises a channel having at least one resilient wall that flexes to permit the pin to pass into and out of the stowed position.

9 . The armrest assembly of claim 3 , wherein the pin is coupled to the armrest at a position offset from a rotational axis of the armrest.

10 . The armrest assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an armrest support, wherein the armrest is coupled to the armrest support via the pivoting connector and the armrest support is configured for connection to the seat.

11 . The armrest assembly of claim 1 coupled to a seat with an airbag that deploys through an aperture in a side of the seat, wherein the armrest does not obstruct deployment of the airbag in both the stowed position and the deployed position.

12 . The armrest assembly of claim 11 , wherein the armrest is oriented vertically downward from the pivoting connector in the stowed position.

13 . The armrest assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the pivoting connector comprises a seat connector configured for attachment to the seat and an armrest connector configured for attachment to the armrest;

one of the armrest connector and the seat connector is rotatable relative to the other about a rotational axis in the first direction and the second direction between the stowed orientation and the deployed orientation;

the one-way gate assembly comprises a pin and a gate;

the pin is coupled to one of the armrest connector and the seat connector; and

the gate coupled to the other of the armrest connector and the seat connector, the gate being configured to:

move to an open position to allow the pin to pass as the armrest rotates from the stowed orientation to the deployed orientation; and

block the pin to prevent rotation from the deployed orientation toward the stowed orientation along a shortest rotational path.

14 . The armrest assembly of claim 13 , wherein the gate comprises a pivoting lever biased to the closed position against a stop;

the pin is configured to push and rotate the pivoting lever to the open position when the armrest is rotated in the second rotational direction whereby the pin may pass thereby; and,

the stop is configured to engage with and hold the gate in the closed position, whereby the pin cannot push and rotate the pivoting lever to an open position when the armrest is rotated in the first rotational direction.

15 . The armrest assembly of claim 14 , wherein the pivoting lever is biased against the stop by gravity.

16 . The armrest assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a detent configured to be coupled to the same one of the armrest and seat as the gate, wherein the detent is configured to engage with the pin when the armrest is in the stowed position.

17 . The armrest assembly of claim 16 , wherein the detent comprises a channel having at least one resilient wall that flexes to permit the pin to pass into and out of the stowed position.

18 . The armrest assembly of claim 16 , wherein the detent is positioned such that the armrest is in a substantially downwards vertical direction in the stowed position.

19 . The armrest assembly of claim 13 , wherein the seat comprises an airbag, and wherein the armrest does not block the airbag in either of the stowed or deployed positions.

20 . A method of modifying an OEM vehicle using the armrest assembly of claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of:

removing a center console between a driver seat and a passenger seat;

providing the armrest assembly; and,

attaching the armrest assembly to at least one of the driver seat and the passenger seat, wherein the at least one of the driver seat and the passenger seat includes an airbag that deploys through an aperture in a side of the seat, and wherein the armrest does not obstruct deployment of the airbag in both the stowed position and the deployed position.