Pocket liner for a motor vehicle door panel

Abstract

There is disclosed a pocket liner for the storage pocket of a motor vehicle door panel, comprising a one-piece pocket liner molded of thin plastic material to substantially conform to an inner contour of the storage pocket. The pocket liner is removable for cleaning and reinstallation and may be retained in position within the storage pocket by a lip formed into the upper edge of the pocket liner that engages a border surrounding the storage pocket. In alternate embodiments, clips or hook and loop fasteners may be used to retain the pocket liner in the storage pocket.

1 . A pocket liner for a motor vehicle door panel having an open-topped storage pocket situated thereon, comprising: 
 a one-piece, seamless pocket liner formed as an open-topped vessel having an upper edge surrounding the open top and molded of a thin, substantially rigid plastic material to substantially conform to an inner contour of the storage pocket; wherein    the pocket liner is removable for cleaning;    reinstallation is accomplished by inserting the pocket liner into the open-topped storage pocket from above the storage pocket until the pocket liner bottoms against the inner contour of the storage pocket; and    the pocket liner is retained in position within the storage pocket by a first lip formed into the upper edge of the pocket liner that engages a border surrounding the open-topped storage pocket.    
   
   
       2 . The pocket liner of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic material is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, plasticized vinyl, and polystyrene.  
   
   
       3 . The pocket liner of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic material used for forming the pocket liner is a polypropylene material.  
   
   
       4 . The pocket liner of  claim 1 , wherein the thin, substantially rigid plastic material is transparent and its thickness does not exceed 0.063 inch.  
   
   
       5 . The pocket liner of  claim 1 , wherein the thin, substantially rigid plastic material is opaque and its thickness does not exceed 0.063 inch.  
   
   
       6 . The pocket liner of  claim 1 , wherein the thin, substantially rigid plastic material is finished to harmonize with the color and texture of the motor vehicle door panel.  
   
   
       7 . The pocket liner of  claim 1 , wherein the pocket liner is retained in position within the storage pocket by engaging an inverted U-shaped resilient clip over the upper edge of the pocket liner and storage pocket combination at one or more locations along the upper edge of the pocket liner.  
   
   
       8 . The pocket liner of  claim 1 , wherein the pocket liner is retained in position within the storage pocket by a hook-and-loop fastener disposed proximate each end of the storage pocket and pocket liner combination inside the bottom of the storage pocket.  
   
   
       9 . The pocket liner of  claim 1 , wherein the seamless, open-topped pocket liner is formed using a molding process selected from the group consisting of thermoforming and vacuum forming for relatively simple shaped pocket liners and pressure forming and injection molding for relatively complex shaped pocket liners.  
   
   
       10 . The pocket liner of  claim 1 , wherein an open-topped pocket liner is formed using a twin-sheet forming process.  
   
   
       11 . The pocket liner of  claim 1 , wherein further comprising: 
 an insert disposed within an interior portion of the pocket liner.    
   
   
       12 . The pocket liner of  claim 11 , wherein the insert is constructed with a substance for masking odors.  
   
   
       13 . The pocket liner of  claim 11 , wherein the insert is constructed for absorbing odors.  
   
   
       14 . The pocket liner of  claim 11 , wherein the insert is a fabric liner disposed against the interior portion of the pocket liner.