One sided holster

• US 8,302,827 B1
• Filed: 03/04/2009
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tod L. Cole
• Original Assignee: Tod L. Cole
• Inventors: Cole, Tod L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nash, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US12/397,621
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 224/587, 224/243
• US Class Current: 224/243
• 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 33/048 for concealed carrying of a small arm
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 9/02 Concealed pistols, e.g. in pencils

Abstract

A holster apparatus includes a taller outside and a shorter inside panel joined together to form a shallow bottom pocket. The holster apparatus is generally open to the inside. The outside of the holster apparatus substantially completely covers the handgun so that the holster apparatus and handgun may be carried in a user'"'"'s pocket and give the general appearance of a wallet carried within the pocket. The handgun is not discernible to a viewer when the handgun and holster are carried in the user'"'"'s pocket.

Claims

1. A holster apparatus for holding a handgun in a user'"'"'s pocket, comprising:

an outside panel having a first height, a width, an inside surface and first and second lateral edges, wherein the first height and the width are greater than a corresponding height and width of the handgun;

an inside panel having a second height less than the first height of the outside panel, the inside and outside panels being joined together adjacent the first lateral edge of the outside panel and along a lower edge of the holster to form a pocket adjacent the first lateral edge, wherein said pocket formed adjacent the first lateral edge is operable to receive a muzzle of the handgun, wherein the inside panel is between the outside panel and the user if the holster apparatus is holding the handgun in the user'"'"'s pocket; and

a retention device attached to the inside surface of the outside panel above the second height of the inside panel and spaced laterally from the first lateral edge, wherein the retention device is a retention block having an abutment surface for engaging an inside surface of a trigger guard of the handgun and a channel configured to receive a trigger of the handgun when the handgun is located in the holster in an upright position with a muzzle of the handgun received in the pocket.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the second height is less than one-half the first height.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the abutment surface of the retention device comprises the channel for receiving the trigger of the handgun.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the abutment surface of the retention device comprises a peripheral abutment surface for engaging an inside of the trigger guard of the handgun.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the retention device comprises a resilient block.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the retention device further comprises a compression member for compressing the resilient block to laterally expand the resilient block.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first lateral edge is straight and a lower portion of the second lateral edge is curved so that the holster will fit in a front pants pocket.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second lateral edges are straight and generally parallel to each other so that the holster will fit in a back pants pocket.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the inside panel and the outside panel are substantially equal in width and the inside panel forms a second pocket adjacent the second lateral edge for holding an ammunition magazine.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the outside panel is formed of a material rigid enough to substantially prevent the profile of the handgun from showing through the outside panel when the handgun is received in the holster.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the material is leather.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the holster is open above the inside panel.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

an inside resilient cover located above the inside panel and attached to the outside panel adjacent the first and second lateral edges of the outside panel.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the inside and outside panels comprise a single piece of leather folded to form a bottom edge of the holster.

15. A holster apparatus for holding a handgun in a user'"'"'s pocket, comprising:

an outside panel having a first height, a width, and an inside surface;

an inside panel having a second height less than the first height, the inside panel being attached to the outside panel along at least a lower edge of each and a first lateral edge of each to form a pocket for receiving a muzzle of a handgun, wherein the inside panel is between the outside panel and the user when the holster is holding the handgun in the user'"'"'s pocket;

a retention device comprising a resilient block attached to the inside surface of the outside panel above the inside panel and laterally spaced from the first lateral edge, wherein an abutment surface of the resilient block abuts and frictionally engages an inside surface of an inner circumference of a trigger guard of the handgun and a posterior surface of a trigger of the handgun when the handgun is located in the holster in an upright position with the muzzle of the handgun received in the pocket;

wherein the outside panel is formed of a material rigid enough to substantially prevent the profile of the handgun from showing through the outside panel when the holster is holding the handgun.

16. A holster apparatus for holding a handgun, comprising:

an outside panel having a first height, the outside panel having an inside surface, first and second lateral edges, and a lower edge;

an inside panel having a second height less than the first height of the outside panel, the inside and outside panels being joined together adjacent the first lateral edge of the outside panel and along the lower edge of the outside panel to form a pocket adjacent the first lateral edge, between the inside panel and the outside panel;

a retention device attached to the inside surface of the outside panel above the second height of the inside panel and spaced laterally from the first lateral edge, the retention device having an abutment surface for engaging a trigger guard of the handgun when the handgun is located in the holster in an upright position with a muzzle of the handgun received in the pocket; and

an elastic cover located at least partially above an upper edge of the inside panel and attached to the outside panel adjacent the first and second lateral edges of the outside panel.

17. A holster apparatus for retaining a handgun, the handgun having a trigger guard defining a trigger guard interior space, the handgun having a trigger extending into the trigger guard interior space, the holster apparatus comprising:

an outer panel having a first height, an outer panel upper edge and an outer panel lateral edge;

an inner panel having a second height less than the first height of the outer panel, an inner panel upper edge, and an inner panel lateral edge, wherein the inner panel lateral edge is substantially co-extensive with the outer panel lateral edge;

a pocket defined between the inner and outer panels, wherein the pocket is shaped to at least partially receive a muzzle of the handgun;

a resilient retention block protruding from the outer panel generally toward the inner panel, wherein the retention block is attached to the outer panel at a location above the inner panel upper edge and below the outer panel upper edge and spaced from the outer panel lateral edge; and

a channel defined in the retention block, the channel shaped to at least partially receive the trigger when the handgun is received in the pocket and the retention block is in the trigger guard interior space.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the retention block comprises an abutment surface operable to abut and frictionally engage an inside surface of the trigger guard and a posterior surface of the trigger simultaneously while the handgun is received in the pocket and the trigger is received in the channel.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the retention block is dimensioned to abut and frictionally engage an inside surface of the trigger guard and a posterior surface of the trigger while the handgun is received in the pocket and the trigger is received in the channel.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the retention block is dimensioned to substantially fill a gap between the trigger and the trigger guard, and frictionally engage a posterior surface of the trigger and an inside surface of an inner circumference of the trigger guard when the handgun is received in the pocket and the trigger is received in the channel.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

a lower edge of the retention block protrudes from the outer panel less than an edge of the retention block adjacent the channel such that the handgun can be withdrawn from the holster apparatus when the handgun is removed from frictional engagement with the retention block and tilted away from the outside panel.