Articulating bridge tables for connecting front center consoles with rear seat armrests of motor vehicles

A motor vehicle, comprising:

• a vehicle body with a passenger compartment;
• a plurality of road wheels attached to the vehicle body;
• a prime mover attached to the vehicle body and configured to drive one or more of the road wheels to thereby propel the motor vehicle;
• a plurality of vehicle seats located in the passenger compartment and including a pair of front vehicle seats forward of a pair of rear vehicle seats;
• a center console interposed between the pair of front vehicle seats;
• and
• a rear armrest assembly, including:
• an armrest base mounted inside the passenger compartment between the pair of rear vehicle seats and longitudinally aligned with the center console, the armrest base having a base top with a base cavity and longitudinally opposing front and back base ends;
• an armrest lid rotatably mounted at a back lid end thereof to the back base end of the armrest base and movable between a closed lid position, whereat the armrest lid covers the base cavity, and an open lid position, whereat the armrest lid is displaced away from the base cavity;
• and
• a bridge table rotatably mounted at a front table end thereof to the front base end of the armrest base and movable between a stowed table position, whereat the bridge table is sandwiched between the armrest base and the armrest lid, and a deployed table position, whereat the bridge table projects forward and substantially horizontally from the armrest base and abuts the center console.

A method of assembling an armrest assembly for a vehicle having a passenger compartment containing a first vehicle seat, a second vehicle seat in tandem with the first vehicle seat, and an armrest console adjacent the first vehicle seat, the method comprising:

• forming an armrest base configured to mount inside the passenger compartment adjacent the second vehicle seat and longitudinally aligned with the armrest console, the armrest base having a base top with a base cavity and longitudinally opposing first and second base ends;
• mounting a first lid end of an armrest lid proximate the first base end of the armrest base such that the armrest lid is movable between a first lid position, whereat the armrest lid covers the base cavity, and a second lid position, whereat the armrest lid is displaced away from the base cavity;
• and
• mounting a first table end of a bridge table proximate the second base end of the armrest base such that the bridge table is movable between a first table position, whereat the bridge table is sandwiched between the armrest base and the armrest lid, and a second table position, whereat the bridge table projects substantially horizontally from the armrest base and abuts the armrest console.