Thumb-actuated locking holster

• US 10,619,974 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2019
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Paul N., Lance, Troy E., Woods, Oscar C., Sereday, Daniel D., Michael, Christopher J., Meinert, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Skurdal, Corey N
• Application Number:
  US16/364,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20190293386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0591 Defense articles, e.g. small arms, handguns, pistols, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/021 to the belt
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/0236 Half-holsters covering by encircling only a part of the small arm, e.g. ghost-holsters
• 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: F41C 33/0272 having means for facilitating or accelerating the drawing of the small arm from the holster
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/041 for connecting a holster to a belt, webbing or other object
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/043 for connection in more than one transversal position
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/045 for connection in more than one rotational position around an axle, e.g. by using a rotatable connection

Abstract

A holster for receiving and withdrawing a handgun has a proximal wall portion with a handgun retention mechanism thereon. The mechanism having a first lever with a tab portion for actuation and release of a trigger guard, the lever having a snap fit into a lever region without a separate pin. A belt engaging member covers the lever region capturing the first lever therein. If a second retention mechanism is used, another lever with a tab portion is positioned so the tabs are stacked, depressing one also depresses the tab behind it, such that both mechanisms are released. Overmolded polymer layers in the holster body provides a softer interior handgun engagement surfaces. The holster body is split forwardly with a threaded fastener for clamping onto the handgun. No holster body is beneath or rearward of the tab portion, configured as a thumb button, allowing smooth transition to gripping the handgun.

Claims

1. A holster for receiving a handgun having a handgun body, a handgrip, a slide, and a trigger guard, the holster comprising:

a holster body having a plurality of unitary holster wall portions defining a handgun receiving cavity and a rearward opening, the holster body having a handgun receiving and withdrawal axis, the plurality of holster wall portions comprising a user proximal wall portion and a user distal wall portion, the proximal wall portion having thumb button recess with a thumb button recess edge portion defining the thumb button recess, the thumb button recess extending forwardly from the rearward opening;

a first user actuatable handgun retention mechanism at the proximal wall portion for selectively preventing the handgun, when in the cavity, from being withdrawn from the cavity;

the first handgun retention mechanism comprising a first lever pivotally mounted on the proximal wall portion of the holster body with a first axis of rotation, the first lever having an actuation tab rearwardly positioned on the lever and positioned within the recess, the actuation tab having an upper margin, a rearward margin, and a lower margin, the lever further having a trigger guard blocking portion forwardly positioned on the lever, the lever configured and positioned such that depression of the actuation tab rotates the lever about its respective axis of rotation to move the trigger guard blocking portion from a trigger guard blocking position to a non-blocking position,

wherein the first lever is seated in a lever receiving region on the proximal wall portion and has two unitary pivot portions that cooperate with two pivot portions unitary with the proximal wall portion, whereby the pivoting connection is made without metal pins

wherein an upper portion of the thumb button recess edge portion extends rearwardly of the actuation tab along the upper margin of the actuation tab and a lower portion of the thumb button recess edge portion extends rearwardly of the actuation tab at the lower margin of the actuation tab.

2. The holster of claim 1, wherein the holster further comprises a pair of thumb guides positioned above and below the actuation tab, the thumb guides projecting laterally outward from the holster body proximal wall portion beyond an undepressed position of the actuation tab.

3. The holster of claim 2 wherein the thumb guides each extend laterally outward from an outward surface of the proximal wall portion a distance of at least 0.35 inches.

4. The holster of claim 1 wherein the holster has a second handgun retention mechanism including a pivoting shroud or U-shaped member positioned rearwardly of the slide of the handgun holstered in the holster, the second handgun retention mechanism comprising a second lever, the second lever having an actuation tab configured as a thumb button, the actuation tab of the first lever position behind the thumb button whereby depression of the thumb button also depresses the actuation tab of the first lever.

5. The holster of claim 1, wherein the first lever is seated in a lever receiving region on the proximal wall portion and wherein the proximal wall portion has three threaded bosses for receiving a holster engagement member dispersed around the lever receiving region for receiving a belt engaging member, and wherein when the belt engaging member is attached the first lever is captured within the receiving region, and wherein when the belt engaging member is not attached, the first lever may be removed from an engagement with the proximal wall portion.

6. A holster for receiving a handgun having a handgun body, a slide, and a trigger guard, the holster comprising:

a holster body having a plurality of holster wall portions defining a rearward opening cavity extending along a handgun receiving and withdrawal axis for receiving and holding the handgun, the plurality of holster wall portions comprising a user proximal wall portion and a user distal wall portion;

a first handgun retention mechanism and a second handgun retention mechanism, disposed at the proximal wall portion, each handgun retention mechanism selectively preventing the handgun when in the cavity from being withdrawn from the cavity;

the first and second handgun retention mechanisms having a respective first lever having a first axis of rotation and a second lever with an axis of rotation, each lever having a respective actuation tab on one end of the lever where depression of the actuation tab rotates the lever about its respective axis of rotation, one of the two actuation tabs configured as a thumb receiving button with an outer thumb receiving surface;

wherein the first lever of the first handgun retention mechanism being pivotally supported by the holster body, the first lever comprising an elongate central portion and a blocking portion at an end opposite the respective actuation tab, the blocking portion movable in and out of a handgun blocking position;

the second handgun retention mechanism comprising a shroud or U-shaped member that is pivotally supported by the holster body so that the shroud or U-shaped member selectively pivots between a handgun retaining position in which the shroud or U-shaped member extends across a portion of a rearward opening of the cavity and a release position in which the shroud or U-shaped member is displaced from the portion of the rearward opening so that a withdrawal path of the handgun is unobstructed by the shroud or U-shaped member.

7. The holster of claim 6, wherein the other of the two actuation tabs positioned behind the thumb receiving button such that depression of the thumb receiving button effects a depression of the other of the two actuation tabs, whereby depression of the thumb receiving button actuates both the first handgun retention mechanism and the second handgun retention mechanism.

8. The holster of claim 7, wherein the thumb receiving button is part of the second lever, and wherein the thumb receiving button is not depressed, the actuation tab of the first lever is spaced therefrom such that the thumb receiving button moves a range of rotary distance when depressed before the thumb receiving button engages with the actuation tab of the second lever.

9. The holster of claim 6, wherein the first lever pivotally attaches to the proximal wall portion by way of a pair of C-shaped portions and a pair of cooperating pin portions, each C-shaped portion and each pin portion unitary with one of the holster body and the first lever.

10. The holster of claim 6, wherein the first lever is seated in a lever receiving region on the proximal wall portion and has two unitary pivot portions that cooperate with two pivot portions unitary with the proximal wall portion, whereby the pivoting connection is made without metal pins.

11. The holster of claim 6, wherein the first lever is seated in a lever receiving region on the proximal wall portion and wherein the proximal wall portion has three threaded bosses for receiving a holster engagement member dispersed around the lever receiving region for receiving a belt engaging member, and wherein when the belt engaging member is attached the first lever is captured within the receiving region, and wherein when the belt engaging member is not attached, the first lever may be removed from an engagement with the proximal wall portion.

12. The holster of claim 11, wherein when the belt engaging member is not attached, the first lever may be removed from the receiving region without tools.

13. The holster of claim 11, wherein when the belt engaging member is not attached, the first lever may be removed by simply prying the first lever outwardly from its seated position.

14. The holster of any one of claim 6, in combination with a belt engaging member, wherein the belt engaging member is attached with a plurality of threaded fasteners extending into the holster body, and wherein a column portion of the belt engaging member extends forwardly, wherein when the handgun is holstered the thumb button is positioned inbetween the handgun body and the belt engaging member, wherein the belt engaging member has a pair of ribs having their elongate dimension extending forwardly and rearwardly and positioned to confront a pair of thumb guides on the holster, whereby access to the thumb button is restricted on four sides of the thumb button and an access path for the thumb is provided rearwardly of the thumb button.

15. The holster of claim 14, wherein the belt engaging member is a jacket slot belt loop having a pair of clamping belt loop portions extending from the column portion, each of the clamping belt loop portions adjustable with respect to the column portion by a respective threaded fastener.

16. A holster for receiving a handgun having a handgun body, a slide, and a trigger guard, the holster comprising:

a holster body having a plurality of holster wall portions defining a rearward opening cavity extending along a handgun receiving and withdrawal axis for receiving and holding the handgun, the plurality of holster wall portions comprising a user proximal wall portion and a user distal wall portion;

a first handgun retention mechanism and a second handgun retention mechanism, disposed at the proximal wall portion, each handgun retention mechanism selectively preventing the handgun when in the cavity from being withdrawn from the cavity;

the first and second handgun retention mechanisms having a respective first lever having a first axis of rotation and a second lever with an axis of rotation, each lever having a respective actuation tab on one end of the lever where depression of the actuation tab rotates the lever about its respective axis of rotation, one of the two actuation tabs configured as a thumb receiving button with an outer thumb receiving surface, the other of the two actuation tabs positioned behind the thumb receiving button such that depression of the thumb receiving button effects a depression of the other of the two actuation tabs, whereby depression of the thumb receiving button actuates both the first handgun retention mechanism and the second handgun retention mechanism;

wherein the first lever of the first handgun retention mechanism being pivotally supported by the holster body, the first lever comprising an elongate central portion and a blocking portion at an end opposite the respective actuation tab, the blocking portion movable in and out of a handgun blocking position;

the second handgun retention mechanism comprising a shroud or U-shaped member that is pivotally supported by the holster body so that the shroud or U-shaped member selectively pivots between a handgun retaining position in which the shroud or U-shaped member extends across a portion of a rearward opening of the cavity and a release position in which the shroud or U-shaped member is displaced from the portion of the rearward opening so that a withdrawal path of the handgun is unobstructed by shroud or U-shaped member.

17. The holster of claim 16 wherein the first lever is disposed between a belt engaging member attached at the proximal wall and the holster body.

18. The holster of claim 17, wherein the lever can be freely separated from the holster body without tools after the belt engaging member is removed from the holster body.

19. The holster of claim 16, in combination with a belt engaging member, wherein the belt engaging member is attached with a plurality of threaded fasteners extending into the holster body, and wherein a column portion of the belt engaging member extends rearwardly, wherein when the handgun is holstered the thumb button is positioned inbetween the handgun body and the belt engaging member, wherein the belt engaging member has a pair of ribs having their elongate dimension extending forwardly and rearwardly and positioned to confront the thumb guides whereby access to the thumb button is restricted on four sides of the thumb button and an access path for the thumb is provided rearwardly of the thumb button.

20. The holster of claim 19, wherein the belt engaging member is a jacket slot belt loop having a pair of clamping belt loop portions extending from the column portion, each of the clamping belt loop portions adjustable with respect to the column portion by a respective threaded fastener.