Security holster for pistols with attached utility device

• US 7,644,845 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael Lowe
• Original Assignee: Michael Lowe
• Inventors: Lowe, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse; Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): LARSON, JUSTIN MATTHEW
• Application Number:
  US11/057,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20050279790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: 224/192, 224/193, 224/196, 224/198, 224/238, 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 33/0245 Skeleton-holsters, e.g. contacting only a minimal part of the small arm, e.g. contacting the muzzle, ejection port, chamber, trigger guard or hammer
• 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 with capability for use with a handgun with attached flashlight or laser sighting device.

Claims

1. A security holster for use with a handgun having an attached utility device, said handgun having an ejection port, slide, barrel, handle, trigger, and trigger guard, wherein the holster comprises:

a holster body comprising inner and outer spaced substantially rigid sidewalls formed to define an inner cavity, with an open top portion for receiving said handgun therein and for removing said handgun therefrom, said inner cavity configured to receive said handgun, with said holster body comprising a stabilizing device configured to bound a handgun trigger guard, and a barrel region configured to hold said barrel of said handgun, and a central plane which passes through a top center of said handgun barrel region and through a center of said stabilizing device;

said holster body further comprising a utility chamber attached to and depending from said barrel region of said holster body, said utility chamber comprising a hollow chamber, said hollow chamber in said central plane of said holster body and parallel with said barrel region of said holster body and above said stabilizing device of said holster body, with said utility chamber configured to receive said utility device attached to said handgun;

a locking tab movably attached to said holster body, said locking tab configured to admit said handgun into said security holster body, and upon insertion of said handgun into said holster body, to engage a feature of said handgun until released, thereby preventing the withdrawal of said handgun prior to release of said locking tab;

a release tab positioned on said holster body generally over a position consistent with the position occupied by said trigger guard of said handgun when said handgun is inserted in said holster body, with said release tab configured to release said locking tab from said hand gun feature by moving said locking tab in relation to said holster body, with said release tab operationally connected to said locking tab, so that when said release tab is activated it causes said locking tab to be disengaged from said handgun feature by moving said locking tab away from said handgun feature; and

said stabilizing device mounted in said holster below said barrel region, configured for sliding engagement with said handgun trigger guard, said stabilizing device operatively connected to said holster body and configured to prevent rotation of said handgun within said holster body, and configured to admit said utility device attached to said handgun;

wherein

said security holster is configured to allow insertion of said handgun into said security holster, with said locking tab configured to admit said handgun with attached utility device into said holster during insertion and wherein said locking tab is configured to move into engagement with a feature of said handgun to retain said handgun within said holster until said locking tab is moved out of engagement by activation of said release tab, thereby providing said security holster with locking engagement of said handgun feature until said release tab is pressed for moving said locking tab from engagement with said handgun feature.

2. The security holster of claim 1 wherein said locking tab is configured to engage an ejection port of said handgun.

3. The security holster of claim 1 in which said release tab is configured for sliding engagement with a user'"'"'s finger during release of said handgun, so that said release tab may be depressed while said user'"'"'s finger is being withdrawn from said holster body, along with said handgun.

4. The security holster of claim 1 wherein said release tab is configured to be activated by flaxion of said user'"'"'s index finger.

5. The security holster of claim 1 in which said holster is configured to admit a handgun with an attached utility device mounted below the handgun barrel.

6. The security holster of claim 5 in which said holster is configured to admit a handgun with an attached utility device comprising a flashlight, mounted below the handgun barrel.

7. The security holster of claim 5 in which said holster is configured to admit a handgun with an attached utility device comprising a laser sighting device, mounted below the handgun barrel.

8. A security holster for use with a handgun having a utility device guard, wherein the holster comprises:

a holster body comprising inner and outer spaced substantially rigid sidewalls formed to define an inner cavity, with an open top portion for receiving said handgun therein and for removing said handgun therefrom, with said holster body comprising a stabilizing device and a barrel region configured to hold said barrel of said handgun, and a central plane which passes through a top center of said handgun barrel region and through a center of said stabilizing device said inner cavity configured to receive said handgun with said utility device attached to said handgun below said barrel;

said holster body further comprising a utility chamber attached to and depending from said barrel region of said holster body, said utility chamber comprising a hollow chamber, said hollow chamber in said central plane of said holster body and parallel with said barrel region of said holster body and above said stabilizing device of said holster body, with said utility chamber configured to receive said utility device attached to said handgun;

a locking tab movably attached to said holster body, said locking tab configured to admit said handgun into said security holster body, and upon insertion of said handgun into said holster body, to move into locking engagement with said ejection port of said handgun through said passage in said holster body;

thereby preventing the withdrawal of said handgun prior to release of said locking tab;

a release tab positioned on said holster body generally over a position consistent with the position occupied by said trigger guard of said handgun when said handgun is inserted in said holster body, with said release tab, operatively connected to said locking tab, and configured to release said locking tab from said ejection port by moving said locking tab out of said ejection port; and

a stabilizing assembly operatively connected to said holster body and configured to prevent rotation of said handgun within said holster body by sliding engagement with said trigger guard, and configured to admit said handgun with attached utility device;

said security holster configured to allow insertion of said handgun into said security holster, with said locking tab configured to admit said handgun with attached utility device into said holster during insertion and wherein said locking tab is configured to move into engagement with said ejection port of said handgun to retain said handgun within said holster until said locking tab is moved out of engagement by activation of said release tab, thereby providing said security holster with locking engagement of said handgun feature until said release tab is pressed for moving said locking tab from engagement with said handgun ejection port.

9. The security holster of claim 8 wherein said release tab is located in a position adjacent said trigger of said handgun when said handgun is inserted and secured in said holster body, and wherein said trigger is at least partially covered by said release tab, thus preventing depressing of said trigger during handgun withdrawal.

10. The security holster of claim 8 further comprising an audible indication of locking, so that a user does not have to look at said holster to verify that said handgun is secured in said holster body.

11. The security holster of claim 10 in which said audible indication of locking is caused by movement of said locking tab when said locking tab is snapped into a desired position, thus providing an audible indication of locking.

12. A security holster for use with a handgun having an attached utility device in the form of a flashlight, said handgun having an ejection port, slide, barrel, handle, trigger, and trigger guard, with said flashlight attached to said handgun at a point below the barrel, wherein the holster comprises:

a holster body comprising inner and outer spaced substantially rigid sidewalls formed to define an inner cavity, with an open top portion for receiving said handgun therein and for removing said handgun therefrom, said inner cavity configured to receive said handgun, with said holster body comprising a stabilizing device and a barrel region configured to hold said barrel of said handgun, and a central plane which passes through a top center of said handgun barrel region and through a center of said stabilizing device;

said holster body further comprising a utility chamber attached to and depending from said barrel region of said holster body, said utility chamber comprising a hollow chamber, said hollow chamber in said central plane of said holster body and parallel with said barrel region of said holster body and above said stabilizing device, with said utility chamber configured to receive said utility device in the form of a flashlight attached to said handgun;

a locking tab movably attached to said holster body, said locking tab configured to admit said handgun into said security holster body, and upon insertion of said handgun into said holster body, to engage a feature of said handgun until released, thereby preventing the withdrawal of said handgun prior to release of said locking tab;

a release tab, positioned on said holster body generally over a position consistent with the position occupied by said trigger guard of said handgun when said handgun is inserted in said holster body, with said release tab configured to release said locking tab from said handgun feature by moving said locking tab in relation to said holster body, with said release tab operationally connected to said locking tab, so that when said release tab is activated it causes said locking tab to be disengaged from said handgun feature by moving said locking tab away from said handgun feature; and

said stabilizing device mounted in said holster below said barrel region and in said central plane and parallel with said handgun barrel region for sliding engagement with said trigger guard, said stabilizing device operatively connected to said holster body and configured to prevent rotation of said handgun within said holster body, and configured to admit said flashlight attached to said handgun;

wherein

said security holster is configured to allow insertion of said handgun with attached flashlight into said security holster, with said locking tab configured to admit said handgun with attached flashlight into said holster during insertion and wherein said locking tab is configured to move into engagement with a feature of said handgun to retain said handgun within said holster until said locking tab is moved out of engagement by activation of said release tab, thereby providing said security holster with locking engagement of said handgun feature until said release tab is pressed for moving said locking tab from engagement with said handgun feature.

13. A security holster for use with a handgun having an attached utility device in the form of a laser sight, said handgun having an ejection port, slide, barrel, handle, trigger, and trigger guard, with said laser sight attached to said handgun at a point below the barrel, wherein the holster comprises:

a holster body comprising inner and outer spaced substantially rigid sidewalls formed to define an inner cavity, with an open top portion for receiving said handgun therein and for removing said handgun therefrom, said inner cavity configured to receive said handgun, with said holster body comprising a stabilizing device region and a barrel region configured to hold said barrel of said handgun, and a central plane which passes through a top center of said handgun barrel region and through a center of said stabilizing device;

said holster body further comprising a utility chamber attached to and depending from said barrel region of said holster body, said utility chamber comprising a hollow chamber, said hollow chamber in said central plane of said holster body and below and parallel with said barrel region of said holster body and above said stabilizing device region of said holster body, with said utility chamber configured to receive said utility device in the form of a laser sight attached to said handgun;

a locking tab movably attached to said holster body, said locking tab configured to admit said handgun into said security holster body, and upon insertion of said handgun into said holster body, to engage a feature of said handgun until released, thereby preventing the withdrawal of said handgun prior to release of said locking tab;

a release tab, positioned on said holster body generally over a position consistent with the position occupied by said trigger guard of said handgun when said handgun is inserted in said holster body, with said release tab configured to release said locking tab from said hand gun feature by moving said locking tab in relation to said holster body, with said release tab operationally connected to said locking tab, so that when said release tab is activated it causes said locking tab to be disengaged from said handgun feature by moving said locking tab away from said handgun feature; and

a stabilizing device mounted in said holster for sliding engagement with said trigger guard, said stabilizing device operatively connected to said holster body and configured to prevent rotation of said handgun within said holster body, and configured to admit said laser sight attached to said handgun;

wherein

said security holster is configured to allow insertion of said handgun into said security holster, with said locking tab configured to admit said handgun with attached laser sight attachment into said holster during insertion and wherein said locking tab is configured to move into engagement with a feature of said handgun to retain said handgun within said holster until said locking tab is moved out of engagement by activation of said release tab, thereby providing said security holster with locking engagement of said handgun feature until said release tab is pressed for moving said locking tab from engagement with said handgun feature.