Gun holster

• US 7,584,875 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tactical Design Labs Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tactical Design Labs Inc.
• Inventors: Senn, Anthony J., Yates, Eric, Lowe, Michael V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse; Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Larson; Justin M
• Application Number:
  US10/877,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20050040195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,901 Days
• Field of Search: 224/192, 224/193, 224/196, 224/243, 224/244, 224/911, 224/912
• US Class Current: 224/243
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/0209 Pouch or pocket like containers for small arms covering all or most of the small arm
• 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 33/0254 with accommodation for auxiliary devices mounted on the small arm, e.g. telescopic sights, flashlights or laser-devices
• 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: Y10S 224/912 Handgun holder formed of metal or other rigid material

Abstract

A security holster for handguns which utilizes a U-shaped rod as part of the locking and releasing mechanism. The user presses a handgun against a portion of the U-shaped rod, which pushed the U-shaped rod forward, and causes the locking tab to seat against the ejection port or another feature of the handgun.

Claims

1. A security holster for use with a semi-automatic handgun, wherein the holster comprises:

a holster body that includes a substantially rigid holster inner and outer sidewalls formed to define an inner cavity and an open top portion and a bottom portion, said inner and outer sidewalls together with said top and bottom portions configured to define a handgun shaped interior space, said holster body having a long axis, with said long axis extending from said open top portion of said holster to said bottom portion of said holster;

a generally U-shaped rod slidably mounted to said holster body, said U-shaped rod comprising an inner segment slidably attached to said inner sidewall and an outer segment slidably attached to said outer sidewall with one or more springs associated with said U-shaped rod which urge said U-shaped rod toward said open top portion of said holster body, wherein a bottom segment joins said inner and outer segments of said U-shaped rod and extends across said bottom portion of said holster body;

a locking tab attached to said outer sidewall of said holster body at a point approximately midway between said open end and said bottom portion of said holster body configured to move from a release position to a locking position, said release position being lateral from said long axis of said holster relative to said locking position of said locking tab and said locking position of said locking tab being medial to said long axis of said holster relative to said release position of said locking tab;

a release tab, attached to the holster body approximately midway between said top portion and said bottom portion of said holster, for moving said locking tab to said release position, with said release tab operationally connected to said locking tab, which when activated is configured to cause movement of said locking tab from said locking position to said release position.

2. The security holster of claim 1 in which said locking tab and said release tab are joined together on a lever, and are at opposite ends of said lever, and said lever has a fulcrum attached to one side of said U-shaped rod.

3. The security holster of claim 1, which further includes a pair of notches defined in the end of said holster body located near said bottom portion of said holster body, in which said U-shaped rod is positioned, and configured to move forward and backward in said notches.

4. The security holster of claim 1 which further includes a plurality of tube guides attached to said holster body, which enclose and guide said U-shaped rod.

5. The security holster of claim 1 which includes a finger tube formed by a region between said handgun shaped space and said holster body, said finger tube with an axis generally parallel to said long axis of said holster body, enclosing said release tab, which restricts access to said release tab, in which a user inserts a finger in order to activate said release tab to release said locking tab.

6. The security holster of claim 1, in which a portion of said U-shaped rod forms a resilient bumper for contact with the barrel of said handgun, for use in pressing said handgun into said holster against resistance creating said downward force against said U bar.

7. The security holster of claim 1 further comprising an attachable overlay that may be fixed to said holster body to form a finger receiving receptacle shielding said release tab from access.

8. The security holster of claim 1, wherein said locking tab is configured for engaging the ejection port of a semiautomatic handgun.

9. The security holster of claim 1, wherein said release tab is positioned over said trigger guard, and has an extended planar surface for allowing the release tab to be engaged by a left thumb of a left-handed user.

10. The security holster of claim 1, wherein said locking tab further comprises a ramped end for more easily locking and releasing said handgun in said security holster.

11. The security holster of claim 1 in which said U-shaped bar includes a left and a right compression spring, mounted to a left side and right side of said U-shaped bar, for urging said U-shaped bar toward the open end of the holster.

12. The security holster of claim 11 in which the right compression spring also serves as a torsion spring, and is connected to said lever, and presses said locking tab toward said handgun shaped space.

13. The security holster of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of grooves on said U-shaped rod for attaching a plurality of snap rings and bushings to fix in place said compression spring and said torsion spring for biasing said U bar and said lever.

14. The security holster of claim 13, further comprising at least one bushing near ends of said U-shaped rod wherein said at least one of said plurality of snap rings prevents said bushing from sliding off an end of said U-shaped rod wherein the biasing device is positioned on either side of said biasing device between said bushing and said left aperture on an inner side of said holster and said right aperture on an outer side of said security holster for requiring said minimum compression force and preventing said biasing device from making noise.

15. A security holster comprising:

a holster body with inner and outer spaced substantially rigid sidewalls defining an inner cavity and an open top portion for receiving a handgun therein and for removing a handgun there from, with the end of the holster that houses the barrel of the handgun being the front of the holster, and the end of the holster that houses the handle of the handgun being the rear of the holster wherein said outer spaced substantially rigid sidewall further defines a pair of notches at the front of said holster and a left guide and a right guide aperture running parallel to a long axis of said security holster;

a U-shaped rod mounted within said pair of notches at the front of said holster wherein ends of said U-shaped rod pass through said left and right guides wherein said U-shaped rod is biased by at least one biasing device to require a minimum compression force into said security holster in order to lock into place said handgun or activate a release tab for releasing said handgun, wherein said U-shaped rod presses against said handgun as said handgun is inserted into said holster body; and

a first class lever wherein said first class lever further defines a pivot point through which said ends of said U-shaped rod pass through wherein a first end of said first class lever is said release tab and a fulcrum of said first class lever pivots about said pivot point and a second end of said first class lever is a locking tab torsionally biased by a interconnected torsion spring normal to said handgun for engaging a feature of said handgun.

16. The security holster of claim 15, wherein said biasing device is any of a compression or torsion spring.

17. A security holster for use with a semi-automatic handgun, the handgun having a trigger guard and trigger, an ejection port, a slide, and a handle, wherein the holster comprises:

a holster body that includes a substantially rigid holster sidewall formed to define an inner cavity shaped to receive a handgun therein, said holster body having a long axis parallel with said barrel portion of said handgun shaped space, said holster body includes a top portion corresponding to the handle portion of said handgun shaped space;

a U-shaped rod comprising a left segment approximately parallel with said long axis of said holster body and an right segment approximately parallel with said long axis of said holster body, wherein a bottom segment joins said left and right segments of said U-shaped rod and extends across said front of said holster body, generally U-shaped rod slidably mounted to said holster body, with one or more springs associated with said U-shaped rod which urge said U-shaped rod toward said open top portion of the holster body;

a locking tab configured to move from a release position to a locking position, and in said locking position to extend into said handgun shaped space;

a release tab, for moving said locking tab to said release position with said release tab operationally connected to said locking tab, which when activated moves said locking tab from said handgun shaped space; and

an attachable overlay that may be fixed to said holster body to form a finger receiving receptacle shielding said release tab from access.

18. A security holster for a handgun comprising:

a releasing mechanism comprising a release tab, a locking tab biased normal to said handgun by a torsion spring and said locking tab rotationally connected to said release tab;

a U-shaped rod biased by at least one spring toward a receiving end of said security holster wherein said U-shaped rod passes through said releasing mechanism as a fulcrum about which said release tab and said locking tab rotate, wherein said U-shaped rod presses against said handgun as said handgun is inserted into said holster body;

an attachable overlay attachable to said security holster for defining a finger tube between said attachable overlay and a holster body and for protectively covering said release mechanism and said U-shaped rod from unwanted release of said handgun.

19. The security holster of claim 18, wherein said attachable overlay is a molded plastic part that is configured to snap into engagement with said holster body.

20. The security holster of claim 18, wherein said attachable overlay further comprises any of snaps, straps, screws, or bolts for attaching it to said security holster.

21. A security holster for use with a handgun, the handgun having a trigger guard, and trigger, comprising:

a holster body with inner and outer spaced substantially rigid sidewalls defining an inner cavity and an open top portion for receiving a handgun therein and for removing a handgun there from, with the end of the holster that houses the barrel of the handgun being the front of the holster, and the end of the holster that houses the handle of the handgun being the read of the holster;

a locking tab configured to admit said handgun into said security holster, and adapted to engage a handgun feature of said handgun placed in said inner cavity of said security holster, said locking tab thereby preventing the withdrawal of said handgun prior to release of said locking tab, said locking tab including a generally U-shaped rod with a right side, a left side, and a joining piece, with said right side positioned parallel to the right side of the holster, the left side position parallel to the left side of the holster, and the joining piece penetrating the holster through a pair of slots defined at the front end of the holster, with one or more springs which urge the U-shaped rod toward the rear of the holster, and with said locking tab attached to the U-shaped rod, wherein said U-shaped rod presses against said handgun as said handgun is inserted into said holster body;

a release tab rotatably mounted to said U-shaped rod, and located adjacent to said trigger of said handgun, for releasing said locking tab by flexure of a user'"'"'s finger or thumb, said release tab comprising an elongated release tab which is biased by a torsional spring to engage said handgun feature when said one or more springs which urge the U-shaped rod are compressed toward the front of said holster wherein said elongated release tab which is configured for sliding engagement with an index finger or thumb of a user as a user reaches for, releases, and removes said handgun from said holster, with said elongate release tab operationally connected to said locking tab, and with said elongate release tab activated by flexure of a finger or thumb of said user, which disengages said locking tab from said handgun feature when said release tab is depressed;

wherein

said security holster provides for one handed insertion of said handgun into said security holster, via said locking tab which admits said handgun during insertion, and which engages a handgun feature for retention of said handgun unless said locking tab is disengaged by depression of said elongate release tab by flexure of said index finger or thumb, thereby providing said security holster with one finger release of said handgun, and one handed insertion and withdrawal of said handgun by sliding engagement of said elongate release tab with a user'"'"'s index finger or thumb.

22. The security holster of claim 21, in which said U-shaped rod is configured to be moved toward the front of the holster by pressure from the handgun being pressed into the holster, and with the locking tab configured to move with the U-shaped rod and move from a position adjacent an ejection port of the holster, to a position over the ejection port of the holster and the handgun, and to drop into place in the ejection port of the handgun.

23. The security holster of claim 22, in which said locking tab is sized so that when seated in the ejection port, a force to remove said handgun from said holster without releasing said locking tab causes said locking tab to jam against the front side of the ejection port of the slide.

24. A security holster for use with a semi-automatic handgun, the handgun having a trigger guard and trigger, an ejection port, a slide, and a handle, wherein the holster comprises:

a holster body that includes a substantially rigid holster sidewall formed to define an inner cavity and an open top portion for receiving a handgun therein, and for removing a handgun therefrom, said holster body having a long axis parallel with said barrel of said handgun when secured in said holster body;

a generally U-shaped rod slidably mounted to said holster body, with one or more springs associated with said U-shaped rod which urge said U-shaped rod toward said open top portion of the holster body, wherein said U shaped rod presses against said handgun as said handgun is inserted into said holster body;

a locking tab configured to admit said semi-automatic handgun into said security holster body, and upon insertion of said handgun, to move from a release position to a locking position, and in said locking position to engage said ejection port of said semi-automatic handgun, thereby preventing the withdrawal of said handgun prior to release of said locking tab;

a release tab, for moving said locking tab to said release position for withdrawal of said handgun, with said release tab operationally connected to said locking tab, which when activated disengages said locking tab from handgun feature and further which said locking tab and said release tab are joined together on a lever, and are at opposite ends of said lever, and said lever has a fulcrum attached to one side of said U-shaped rod.