VEHICLE ACCESSORIES AND RELATED METHODS
Vehicle accessories include a storage receptacle. In one form, the storage receptacle includes a front panel and. a rear panel pivotally coupled to the front panel by a hinge and forming an internal cavity in a closed condition. The receptacle may include a Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE) system, and may be used as a headliner for an interior of a vehicle roof. A grab handle assembly for a portion of a vehicle is also disclosed as another form of vehicle accessory, along with a storage receptacle in the form of a cover for covering a vehicle wheel. Related methods are also disclosed.
1 . A storage receptacle for storing one or more objects in a vehicle, comprising:
a front panel including:
a front core defining a plurality of vertical canals extending generally in parallel;
a plurality of cross members coupled to the front core and intersecting the plurality of vertical canals to form a grid;
a rear panel connected to the front panel by a hinge and movable from an open condition to a closed condition forming an internal cavity for receiving the one or more objects; and
a closure for securing the front panel to the rear panel to retain the one or more objects in the internal cavity in the closed position.
2 . The storage receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the rear panel comprises a rear core defining a pair of channels and a plurality of protrusions, the pair of channels being positioned between adjacent pairs of the plurality of protrusions.
3 . The storage receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the rear panel further comprises fasteners for securing the storage receptacle to a portion of the vehicle.
4 . The storage receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the front core further defines a plurality of depressions that intersect the plurality of vertical canals, the plurality of cross members being positioned within the plurality of depressions.
5 . The storage receptacle of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of depressions have a depth that is less than a depth of the vertical canals.
6 . The storage receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cross members comprise a plurality of external cross members connected to an external surface of the front panel, and a plurality of internal cross members coupled to an internal surface of the front panel.
7 . The storage receptacle of claim 6 , wherein the internal cross members are positioned on the internal surface such that fasteners may extend through the external cross members, the front core, and the internal cross members to couple each of the external cross members, the front core, and the internal cross members together.
8 . The storage receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the closure comprises a coupler coupled to a periphery of the front panel and a receiver coupled to a periphery of the rear panel, the coupler adapted to be received by the receiver to selectively secure the front panel to the rear panel.
9 . The storage receptacle of claim 8 , wherein the closure is a zipper.
10 . The storage receptacle of claim 1 , further comprising a handle coupled to one of the front panel and the rear panel.
11 . The storage receptacle of claim 1 , wherein a length for each cross member greater than a width of all vertical canals combined, and a length for each of the plurality of vertical canals is greater than a width of all cross members combined.
12 . The storage receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the rear panel is harder than the front panel.
13 . The storage receptacle of claim 12 , wherein a distance between each vertical canal is the same.
14 . A vehicle headliner comprising the storage receptacle of claim 1 .
15 . A vehicle including an interior roof, comprising:
a headliner adapted for storing one or more objects, and
a connector for removably connecting the headliner to the interior roof of the vehicle.
16 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the headliner includes a plurality of vertical canals extending generally in parallel, and a plurality of cross members coupled to the headliner, the plurality of cross members intersecting the plurality of vertical canals to form a grid.
17 . The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the headliner comprises:
a front panel including the plurality of vertical canals;
a front core coupled to the plurality of cross members; and
a rear panel pivotally coupled to the front panel by a hinge, the rear panel configured to be selectively coupled to the front panel to define an internal cavity.
18 . The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the rear panel comprises a rear core defining a pair of channels and a plurality of protrusions, the pair of channels being positioned between adjacent pairs of the plurality of protrusions.
19 . The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the connector is located on at least one of the pair of channels and the plurality of protrusions.
20 . The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the front core further defines a plurality of depressions that intersect the plurality of vertical canals, the plurality of cross members being positioned within the plurality of depressions.
21 .- 47 . (canceled)