SYSTEM FOR ACTUATING GUN AND UTILITY LOCKS WITH AN EXTERNAL MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20160054080A1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Locking Control Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Locking Control Ltd.
• Inventors: HAIMI, Shlomo Uri
• Granted Patent: US 9,784,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/06 Electric or electromechanical safeties F41A17/04, F41A17/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/46 Trigger safeties, i.e. means for preventing trigger movement F41A17/02 - F41A17/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/54 Protecting-caps for trigger guards; Trigger locking pieces mounted on, or within, the trigger guard
• 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 33/029 combined with electronic devices, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A safety holster, trigger lock and utility lock including an electronically actuated locking mechanism configured to admit the weapon or object into the device, and to engage a feature of the weapon, thereby preventing the withdrawal of the weapon prior to release of the electronically actuated locking mechanism; a control system including a microcontroller unit adapted to actuate the electronically actuated locking mechanism upon receipt of a control signal where the device provides for insertion of the weapon into the holster body/trigger guard, with the locking mechanism which admits the weapon during insertion, and which engages the weapon feature for retention of the weapon in a locked state upon receiving a locking control signal from an external device until the locking mechanism is disengaged by receiving an unlocking control signal from the external device.

Claims

1. A safety holster for use with a weapon, the weapon having a barrel, a trigger guard, a trigger, a hammer end and a handle, wherein the holster comprises:

a holster body that includes spaced apart strap-side and outer-side substantially rigid sidewalls formed to define an inner cavity and an open handle-end portion for receiving a weapon therein, and for removing said weapon there from, said holster body having a long axis parallel with the barrel of said weapon when secured in said holster body;

an electronically actuated locking mechanism configured to admit said weapon into the safety holster, and to engage a feature of said weapon, thereby preventing the withdrawal of said weapon prior to release of said electronically actuated locking mechanism;

a control system including a microcontroller unit adapted to actuate said electronically actuated locking mechanism upon receipt of a control signal;

the safety holster provides for insertion of the weapon into said holster body, with said locking mechanism which admits said weapon during insertion, and which engages said weapon feature for retention of said weapon in a locked state upon receiving a locking said control signal from an external device until said locking mechanism is disengaged by receiving an unlocking said control signal from said external device.

2. The safety holster of claim 1, further comprising a trigger-guard enclosure that includes spaced apart strap-side and outer-side substantially rigid sidewalls formed to define an inner cavity and an open handle-end portion for receiving the trigger guard of said weapon therein, and for removing the trigger-guard of said weapon there from, said trigger-guard enclosure having a long axis parallel with the trigger guard of the weapon when secured in said trigger-guard enclosure.

3. The safety holster of claim 1, wherein said external device is a mobile device.

4. The safety holster of claim 1, further comprising a data connector, adapted for operationally coupling said electronically actuated locking mechanism to said mobile device.

5. The safety holster of claim 4, wherein said data connector is a docking port for said mobile device.

6. The safety holster of claim 4, wherein said data connector is operationally coupled to said mobile device via a wired means.

7. The safety holster of claim 6, wherein said data connector is also a power port for receiving power from an external device.

8. The safety holster of claim 3, wherein said mobile device is a cellular communications device.

9. The safety holster of claim 3, wherein said mobile device is a satellite communications device.

10. The safety holster of claim 3, wherein said mobile device is a portable computing device.

11. The safety holster of claim 1, wherein said control signal is received via a wired communication.

12. The safety holster of claim 1, wherein said control signal is received via a wireless communication.

13. The safety holster of claim 12, wherein said wireless communication is a Local Area Wireless Communication (LAWC).

14. The safety holster of claim 12, wherein said wireless communication is a Wide Area Wireless Communication (WAWC).

15. The safety holster of claim 14, wherein said mobile device receives said control signal from a remote source over WAWC technology.

16. The safety holster of claim 3, wherein said control signal is sent only after a biometric sample has been captured and approved via said mobile device.

17. The safety holster of claim 16, wherein said biometric sample is selected from the group consisting of:

a fingerprint, a retinal scan, facial recognition, and a voice print.

18. The safety holster of claim 3, wherein said control signal is sent only after a geospatial position of the security holster is ascertained and approved.

19. The safety holster of claim 18, wherein said geospatial position is ascertained and approved via said mobile device.

20. A trigger lock for a weapon having a frame, a trigger and a trigger guard, the trigger lock comprising:

a trigger-guard enclosure including a body component and a locking pin component, that together define an inner cavity and an open entry channel for receiving the trigger guard of a weapon therein, and for removing the trigger-guard of said weapon there from, said trigger-guard enclosure having a long axis parallel with the trigger guard of the weapon when secured in said trigger-guard enclosure;

an electronically actuated locking mechanism configured to admit the trigger guard therein, and to engage the trigger guard of the weapon, thereby preventing the withdrawal of the trigger guard prior to release of said locking mechanism;

a control system including a microcontroller unit adapted to actuate said electronically actuated locking mechanism upon receipt of a control signal;

the trigger lock provides for insertion of the trigger guard into the trigger lock, with said locking mechanism which admits the trigger guard during insertion, and which engages said trigger guard for retention of the trigger guard in a locked state upon receiving a control signal from an external device, thereby restricting access to the trigger, until said locking mechanism is disengaged by receiving said control signal from said external device.

21. The trigger lock of claim 20, wherein said electrically actuated locking mechanism includes a locking tab movable between a locked and an unlocked position, engaging said trigger guard in said locked position.

22. The trigger lock of claim 20, wherein said body component includes a first cover member and a coupling element, said cover member having a surface area large enough to restrict access to the trigger and said locking pin component includes a second cover member, substantially corresponding in size and shape to said first cover member;

said locking pin component further including a shaft section which is adapted to pass through an area defined by said trigger guard and a frame of said weapon, and fit into a coupling element of said body component;

said body and locking pin components are separately positioned on either side of the trigger-guard and locked together about the trigger-guard in a manner which prevents actuation of the trigger;

said electrically actuated locking mechanism including a locking tab movable between a locked and an unlocked position adapted to releasably couple said locking pin component to said body component by locking said shaft section with said coupling element in a locked state and unlocking said shaft section from said coupling element in an unlocked state.

23. The trigger lock of claim 20, further comprising a data connector, adapted for coupling said external device to the trigger guard lock.

24. The trigger lock of claim 20, wherein said control system further includes a wireless transceiver adapted to receive wireless transmissions from said external device.

25. A utility lock, comprising:

a lock body having a locked state and an unlocked state;

an electronically actuated retention mechanism including a locking tab moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position, a microcontroller unit (MCU) adapted to manipulate said electronically actuated retention mechanism upon receipt of a control signal; and

said lock body being transformed into in a locked state by moving said locking tab into a locked position upon receiving a locking said control signal from an external device, and transforming said lock body into an unlocked state by moving said locking tab into an unlocked position upon receiving an unlocking said control signal from said external device.

26. The utility lock of claim 25, wherein said external device is operationally coupled to said lock body by a physical medium.

27. The utility lock of claim 25, wherein said external device is operationally coupled to said lock body via a wireless medium.