Not Applicable.
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not Applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an assembly for mounting a firearm holster inside the waistband of a user. More specifically, the invention pertains to an assembly featuring a clip and base combination and/or a clip, base, holster combination where the clip is adapted to mount readily and in a stable manner to the waistband and belt of the user and a clip/base interface allows the height of the holster with respect to the belt/waistband to be adjusted and also allows the angle of the holster to be vertical, canted forward, or canted backward as necessary depending on the mounting position on the body of the user for the user to be able to draw a firearm for deployment.
2. Relevant Art
Handgun holsters come in many different varieties and can be classified generally in terms of the type of user/use for which the holster is intended, or the location where the holster is located on the user's body. An example of the former, would be an open carry duty holster worn by a policeman and typically worn on the hip on the strong side (i.e., on the right hand side for a right-handed shooter or left for a left-handed shooter). Examples of holster classification in terms of location would include a hip mounted holster worn outside the waistband (such as the duty holster just discussed), a shoulder holster, and inside the waistband holsters of the type discussed in the instant disclosure. Inside the waistband holsters can be designed for use at various convenient locations, but the most popular is generally on the back of the hip on the strong side. In the front of the hip on the strong side is also popular with some users. In some cases, a cross-draw position on the front of the hip on the weak side is used. Finally, though it is not currently encouraged by most law enforcement agencies, maximum concealment can often be achieved by center of the black placement.
These variations lead to problems in terms of the types of specialized holster mounting assembly required for each. For example, a behind the hip mount will require, for comfortable and convenient withdraw/deployment of the firearm, that the holster/firearm be canted towards the user's strong side—i.e., angled or slanted so that the barrel is not pointed straight down (a vertical position) but is diagonally positioned with the barrel pointed slightly towards the user's centerline and the handle oriented more towards the user's strong side with the butt upward and the handle oriented towards the user's strong-side hand. Thus, the holster mounting system used must be adapted for positioning the holster in a stable manner in this position.
Unfortunately, the holster and mounting system of this disclosure, if moved to front of the hip on the strong or weak side, being on the front rather than the back of the body, will cause the handle to be pointed away from the user's hand—i.e., the exact opposite of what would be required for ease of deployment. In short, ease of deployment for a firearm mounted in front of the strong side hip or by cross-draw in front of the weak side hip will require the exact opposite cant from that required for efficient and convenient use when placed on the back side of the user. To complicate matters even further, some users prefer a strict vertical (straight up-and-down) mount, particularly if a center of the back mourning position is chosen. Consequently, to accommodate different preferred positions, a large variety of “fixed” mounting systems are currently provided.
However, even this does not solve all positioning problems, as the vertical positioning of the firearm/holster in relation to the waistband/belt of a user is also an area where variation is required. A larger firearm/holster combination may be too large to be comfortably inserted to its full length inside the waistband of as user. Likewise, users have different preferences for vertical positioning to achieve a shooting grip on the handgun, even where using the same sized firearm/holster combination. Consequently, a truly versatile inside-the-waistband, holster/firearm mounting system must not only be easily and simply adjustable for different holster/firearm angles as necessitated by the different preferred positions of particular users; it must also be simultaneously adjustable in terms of the vertical positioning of the holster/firearm with regard to the belt/waistband of the user.
To the best of the inventor's knowledge and belief, there is no firearm holster in the prior art that satisfies all these requirements. Relevant prior art adjustable holsters for inside-the-waistband use typically have a fixed belt mounting apparatus using a single screw to fasten the holster on and hold it in position at a particular angle with respect to the mount and belt. However, the day-to-day motions of a user in bending over to pick something up, twisting, getting in and out of a car, sitting in a chair and so forth cause forces to be exerted on the holster that inevitably cause the screw to work loose over time. When this happens, the holster is no longer fixed in the desired position, and the user needs to find a tool to re-tighten the securing screw for the assembly, thereby resulting in as continuing maintenance situation for the user.
In one aspect of the present invention there is provided an assembly of a clip and base, and/or clip, base and holster, including very convenient features for stably mounting a firearm holster inside the waistband of a user. From this standpoint, the clip of the invention has a body section that mounts outside of the waistband and under the belt of a user with a tab on its front (outward) side that hooks upward so as to hook under the belt of the user to prevent the assembly from being moved upward from its preferred position when engaged, at least one prong pointing downward located on the back (inward) side of the clip body to hook over the top of the waistband and prevent the combination from being moved downward from its preferred location when engaged. In combination, these features anchor the assembly very securely in position at the waist of the user for safe, comfortable and convenient access by the user, who likely will generally be a plainclothes policeman or federal agent.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a clip and base assembly and/or a clip, base and holster combination where the juncture and/or interface between the clip and base allow the holster mounted to the base or combined therewith to be mounted and affixed: (1) at different heights with respect to the clip and therefore with respect to the belt and waistband of the user; and (2) at different angles with respect to the clip and therefore with respect to the user, including a vertically mounted position, canted forward position, or a canted backward position as necessary depending on the mounting position on the body of the user for convenient firearm draw and deployment.
In terms of mounting the holster at different heights, so as to achieve the preferred position of the user for a shooting grip on the handgun, the upper end of the clip body features a vertical row of fastener apertures for as fastener to be inserted so as to attach clip to base and holster. Connecting the aforesaid elements together via different such fastener apertures will result in lower mounting of the holster with respect to the clip and therefore the belt and waistband when the upper fastener apertures are used. Likewise, it will result in a higher mounting when lower fastener apertures are used. This variability is extremely important for comfortable wear, especially with long-term wear and use of the type typical for service holsters and firearms used by law enforcement personnel.
Mounting the holster at different angles is provided by a plurality of arcs of peg depressions on each side of each fastener aperture. The base of the invention (which can be a separate piece or formed as part of the holster) has two pegs that can be inserted into peg depressions on either side of each fastener aperture. These peg depressions are arranged in an arcuate fashion around each fastener aperture such that there is equal distance between peg depressions on directly opposite sides of each fastener aperture. This allows the pegs to be inserted into peg depressions that are directly opposite (on a horizontal line) from each other for a vertical mount. It also allows the pegs to be inserted into peg depressions that are directly opposite (on inclined lines) for canted mounting in a forward or back cant at 30 degrees to the horizontal. Canted mounting and the ability to change holster angle between a forward and back cant are both extremely important. As discussed above, inside the waistband mounted firearms are usually mounted either behind the hip on the side of the user's gun hand (requiring canting in one direction for conveniently grasping and deploying the firearm) or in front of the opposite hip for a cross-draw (requiring canting in another direction for convenient grasp and deployment). Hence both canting and the ability to mount in either position are necessary in terms of the versatility and usability of the invention by the user.
Finally, the fixed nature of the mounting means described also overcomes the problem described above, as the day-to-day motions of a user cannot cause the rigidly “pegged” angles at which the holster is fixed to vary so as to cause the fastening screw to work loose over time. Comfort and some necessary movement is maintained by the structure and length of the clip, which is dimensioned to allow some play between the belt clip of the user and the user's belt, allowing necessary and temporary movement without disturbing the overall angle of the holster. The foregoing objects and other objects are accomplished by the provision of the clip and base, and/or clip, base and holster assembly described herein.
The novel features believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation together with further object and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
The belt clip assembly of this invention includes belt clip 1 as shown in
At the upper end of body 2, a central vertical row of fastener apertures 5A through 5D allow a fastener 6 to be inserted so as to attach clip 1 to base 10 and holster 20 in the manner illustrated in
Perhaps more importantly from the standpoint of comfort and utility, and even more unique, are the arcs of peg depressions 50 through 67 flanking fastener apertures 5A through 5D. To best understand the manner in which these function in the invention, it will be best to review
The distance between peg 10A and peg 10B is equal to the distance between any two peg depressions 50 through 67 flanking a particular fastener aperture 5A through 5D along a line passing across the center of fastener aperture 5A through 5D. Thus, for example, when base 10 is mounted to clip 1 via fastener aperture 5A, pegs 10A and 10B can be inserted into peg depression pairs 50 and 55, 52 and 53, and 54 and 51, but cannot be inserted into any other combination as these are the only pairings where a line can be drawn between the peg depression pairs named that passes across the center of fastener aperture 5A and which peg depression pairs are, therefore, separated by the correct distance.
This feature allows the mounting of holster 20 vertically as illustrated in
Similarly, to achieve the cant illustrated in
To achieve the cant illustrated in
For the purposes of this invention, as best seen and denoted in
Finally, it should be noted that the lower peg depressions for each fastener aperture 5A through 5C form the upper peg depressions for the peg depressions below. Thus, the lower peg depressions 54 and 55 for fastener aperture 5A form the upper peg depressions for fastener aperture 5B and so forth. This arrangement is inherently more efficient than having completely independent sets of peg depressions for each fastener aperture. However, it should be noted that this and numerous other changes and variations can be made without exceeding the scope of the inventive concept outlined. Thus, though the invention is described in the context of a firearm holster (a typical embodiment); this is not intended to limit the applicability of the teachings of the invention to this particular application. It could be used for a variety of “holsters”such as those designed and adapted to hold a magazine clip, knife, handcuffs, wallet, phone, calculator, or other necessary/useful items. Thus, the terms “holster” as used in the claims should be given its broadest possible meaning. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiment(s) of the invention herein described is/are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiment(s) is not intended to limit the scope of the claims, which recite those features regarded as essential to the invention.
1 Belt Clip
2 Belt Clip Body
2A Belt Clip Front Side
2B Belt Clip Back Side
2C Belt Clip Flattened Indent
3 Front Hook (for placement under user belt)
3A Hook Receiver
4A-B Prongs (for placement over waist band)
4C Prong Recess
5A-5D Fastener Apertures
6 Fastener
6A Fastener head
10 Base
10A-10B Peas
10C Base Fastener aperture
20 Holster
21 Handgun/Firearm
30A Belt
30B Waistband
50-67 Pea Recesses
70 Gap
This application claims an invention that was disclosed in part in U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/469,368, filed Oct. 9, 2013, and entitled “Belt Clip Assembly for a Holster”.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 29469368 | Oct 2013 | US |
Child | 14467468 | US |