Deformable armrest having a patterned array of channels

An automotive armrest 18 comprising a skin 24 and an elastic core 20 defining a patterned array of channels 22 having a same orientation. The elastic core exhibits different predetermined target lateral and vertical stiffness. Channels 22 may extend vertically, horizontally and/or diagonally, have ellipse, oval, rhombus, square, circle, triangle, octagon, trapezium, crest or irregular shaped cross-sections (figure 7E). Further channels 23 may have orientation, dimension, number, pattern, geometry or distribution density differing from channels 22. Also disclosed a method of producing an automotive armrest portion comprising 3D printing a skin on a 3-D printed elastic core exhibiting different predetermined target lateral and vertical stiffness and having an internal structure with patterned array of channels 22 having same orientation along longitudinal axis x. Also disclosed an automotive arm rest comprising deformable core 20 exhibiting greater vertical than lateral predetermined target stiffness, and defining a patterned array of channels 22 extending along longitudinal axis x, the channel 22 cross-section being smaller in lateral than vertical dimension. The channels may be arranged in regular or random patters, symmetrically or asymmetrically distributed. The channels may be collapsible, malleable, flexible, and/or yielding to lateral impact.