Firearm locking device

• US 10,024,615 B1
• Filed: 01/15/2018
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VARA Corporation
• Original Assignee: VARA Corporation
• Inventors: Oh, Timothy, Lalicki, Jorel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tillman, Jr., Reginald S
• Application Number:
  US15/871,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20180202739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 183 Days
• Field of Search: 42 7007, 42 7011, 42 7001, 206317, 224243, 224244
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0089 with electronic learning functions
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0001 with electric actuators; Constructional features thereof for vehicles E05B81/04
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/02 Key-operated safeties F41A17/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/066 having means for recognizing biometric parameters, e.g. voice control, finger print or palm print control
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/54 Protecting-caps for trigger guards; Trigger locking pieces mounted on, or within, the trigger guard
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 23/18 Rests for supporting smallarms in non-shooting position racks for storage A47B81/00; racks in vehicles B60R7/14
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/0263 having a locking system for preventing unauthorized or accidental removal of the small arm from the holster F41C33/0227 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A locking device includes a housing and a locking mechanism mounted within the housing. A locking bolt is operatively connected to the locking mechanism such that the locking bolt is moveable from an unlocked position to a locked position. An insert is sized to be removably received within an insert aperture of the housing. The insert includes a locking bolt hole sized to receive the locking bolt. The insert also includes a trigger guard cavity, sized to receive a trigger guard of a firearm. The insert also includes an insert contoured surface shaped to conform to a frame surface of the firearm. When the insert is disposed within the insert aperture and the locking bolt is in the locked position, the locking bolt extends through the locking bolt hole and at least partially through the trigger guard, and the insert contoured surface engages the frame surface, to secure the firearm.

Claims

1. A locking device for a firearm, the locking device comprising:

a housing;

a locking mechanism mounted within the housing;

a locking bolt operatively connected to the locking mechanism such that the locking bolt is moveable from an unlocked position to a locked position; and

a first insert sized to be removably received within an insert aperture of the housing, the first insert including;

a first locking bolt hole sized to receive the locking bolt,

a first trigger guard cavity sized to receive a first trigger guard of a first firearm, and

a first insert contoured surface shaped to conform to a first frame surface of the first firearm;

wherein, when the first insert is disposed within the insert aperture and the locking bolt is in the locked position, the locking bolt extends through the first locking bolt hole and extends at least partially through the first trigger guard, and the first insert contoured surface engages the first frame surface, to secure the first firearm.

2. The locking device of claim 1 comprising:

a second insert sized to be removably received within the insert aperture of the housing, the second insert including;

a second locking bolt hole sized to receive the locking bolt,

a second trigger guard cavity sized to receive a second trigger guard of a second firearm, and

a second insert contoured surface shaped to conform to a second frame surface of the second firearm;

wherein one of the second trigger guard cavity is different from the first trigger guard cavity and the second insert contoured surface is different from the first insert contoured surface.

3. The locking device of claim 2 wherein, when the second insert is disposed within the insert aperture and the locking bolt is in the locked position, the locking bolt extends through the second locking bolt hole and extends at least partially through the second trigger guard, and the second insert contoured surface engages the second frame surface, to secure the second firearm.

4. The locking device of claim 2 wherein the first and second inserts comprise a plurality of inserts for securing a plurality of firearms.

5. The locking device of claim 1 comprising wherein, when the locking bolt is in the unlocked position, the locking bolt does not extend through the first locking bolt hole of the first insert and the first firearm may be disengaged from the locking device.

6. The locking device of claim 2 comprising:

the first insert contoured surface shaped to substantially match the first frame surface of the first firearm; and

the second insert contoured surface shaped to substantially match the second frame surface of the second firearm.

7. The locking device of claim 1 comprising:

the first insert including one of a key and a keyway; and

the insert aperture including the other of a key and a keyway;

wherein, when the first insert is disposed within the insert aperture, the key mates with the keyway such that the first insert is retained within the insert aperture and does not fall out of the insert aperture when the firearm is removed from the locking device.

8. The locking device of claim 1 wherein, the locking mechanism requires biometric data to be provided from an authorized user before moving the locking bolt from the locked position to the unlocked position.

9. The locking device of claim 8 comprising a fingerprint sensor disposed on a top surface of the housing such that an authorized user'"'"'s thumb aligns with the fingerprint sensor when the authorized user grips a handle of the first firearm.

10. The locking device of claim 1 wherein the locking mechanism comprises:

a servo motor rigidly mounted within the housing, the servo motor including a motor shaft;

a cam rigidly mounted to the motor shaft, the cam including an eccentric portion;

a pin rigidly mounted to the eccentric portion of the cam;

a channel slidably mounted to the pin; and

the channel operably connected to the locking bolt such that when the servo motor rotates the cam, the locking bolt moves substantially linearly from the unlocked position to the locked position.

11. The locking device of claim 1 comprising:

a bracket sized to receive the housing, the bracket including;

bracket mounting holes sized to receive bracket mounting fasteners to rigidly mount the bracket against a fixed object, and

housing mounting holes sized to receive housing mounting fasteners to rigidly mount the housing to the bracket;

wherein when the bracket is mounted to the fixed object, the housing is mounted to the bracket and the first firearm is secured by the locking device, then the housing blocks access to the bracket mounting fasteners and a barrel of the first firearm blocks access to the housing mounting fasteners.

12. The locking device of claim 1 wherein, the locking mechanism requires authentication to be provided from an authorized user before moving the locking bolt from the locked position to the unlocked position.

13. The locking device of claim 12 wherein the authentication comprises one of a radio frequency authentication signal, a Bluetooth authentication signal, an electronic key and a mechanical key.

14. A locking device for a firearm, the locking device comprising:

a housing;

a locking mechanism mounted within the housing;

a locking bolt operatively connected to the locking mechanism such that the locking bolt is moveable from an unlocked position to a locked position; and

a plurality of inserts sized to be removably received within an insert aperture of the housing, each insert of the plurality of inserts including;

a locking bolt hole sized to receive the locking bolt, a trigger guard cavity sized to receive a trigger guard of a firearm associated with each such insert, and

an insert contoured surface shaped to conform to a frame surface of the associated firearm;

wherein, when an insert of the plurality of inserts is disposed within the insert aperture and the locking bolt is in the locked position, the locking bolt extends through the locking bolt hole and extends at least partially through the trigger guard of the associated firearm, and the insert contoured surface engages the frame surface of the associated firearm, to secure the associated firearm.

15. The locking device of claim 14 wherein each trigger guard cavity of each insert of the plurality of inserts is different from other trigger guard cavities of other inserts of the plurality of inserts.

16. The locking device of claim 14 wherein each insert contoured surface of each insert of the plurality of inserts is different from other insert contoured surfaces of each insert of the plurality of inserts.

17. The locking device of claim 14 wherein each insert contoured surface of each insert of the plurality of inserts is shaped to substantially match the frame surface of their associated firearm.

18. The locking device of claim 14 wherein, the locking mechanism requires biometric data to be provided from an authorized user before moving the locking bolt from the locked position to the unlocked position.

19. The locking device of claim 18 comprising a fingerprint sensor disposed on a top surface of the housing such that an authorized user'"'"'s thumb aligns with the fingerprint sensor when the authorized user grips a handle of a firearm.