Patent Application
20230404182
The present invention relates to firearms holsters. In particular, examples of the present invention relate to a concealed carry vest with a compartment which receives and carries an in-waistband holster to allow a person to safely carry a firearm.
Many individuals desire to carry a firearm for self defense and for the protection of others. In some situations, a traditional holster may not adequately secure the firearm. For example, a waistband mounted holster may not remain adequately secured during exercise or physical activities such as jogging or biking. The present vest allows a person to secure an in-waistband holster within a closeable compartment to securely hold the holster and a firearm while still permitting access to the firearm.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Unless otherwise noted, the drawings have been drawn to scale. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various examples of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.
It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The examples shown each accomplish various different advantages. It is appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element or advantage in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of the examples in greater clarity. Similarly, not every example need accomplish all advantages of the present disclosure.
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one having ordinary skill in the art that the specific detail need not be employed to practice the present invention. In other instances, well-known materials or methods have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present invention.
In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific implementations in which the disclosure may be practiced. It is understood that other implementations may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, such feature, structure, or characteristic may be used in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. The particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable combination and/or sub-combinations in one or more embodiments or examples. It is appreciated that the figures provided herewith are for explanation purposes to persons ordinarily skilled in the art.
As used herein, “adjacent” refers to near or close sufficient to achieve a desired effect. Although direct contact is common, adjacent can broadly allow for spaced apart features.
As used herein, the singular forms “a,” and, “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
As used herein, the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, an object that is “substantially” enclosed would mean that the object is either completely enclosed or nearly completely enclosed. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context. However, generally speaking the nearness of completion will be such as to have the same overall result as if absolute and total completion were obtained. The use of “substantially” is equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, a composition that is “substantially free of” particles would either completely lack particles, or so nearly completely lack particles that the effect would be the same as if it completely lacked particles. In other words, a composition that is “substantially free of” an ingredient or element may still actually contain such item as long as there is no measurable effect thereof.
As used herein, the term “about” is used to provide flexibility to a number or numerical range endpoint by providing that a given value may be one significant figure above or one significant figure below the number or endpoint.
As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary.
Dimensions, amounts, and other numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such a range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. As an illustration, a numerical range of “about 1 to about 5” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 1 to about 5, but also include individual values and sub-ranges within the indicated range. Thus, included in this numerical range are individual values such as 2, 3, and 4 and sub-ranges such as from 1-3, from 2-4, and from 3-5, etc., as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, individually.
Turning now to
The main body of the vest 10 including the vest front 22 and back 30 is typically made of a flexible and stretchable material such as a synthetic fabric which includes some elastic content. The flexible and elastic material and the side laces 34 allow a user to adjust the vest 10 to fit snugly to their body to stabilize the vest and prevent a carried handgun from moving too much during physical activity. The vest 10 may be worn snugly without restricting the user's movement, allowing the vest to be worn during many recreational activities. Although not shown, the article of clothing 10 may include sleeves and may be provided as a short or long sleeve shirt or jacket. Such an article of clothing 10 may include a snugly fitted body as discussed and may have looser sleeves if desired.
The vest 10 may include a front storage pocket 46. The example storage pocket 46 is closed by a zipper 50 and may be used to store keys, a wallet, etc. while a person is using the vest 10. The vest 10 includes a firearm storage compartment 54 positioned on the front of the vest 10. The firearm storage compartment 54 allows a user to conceal and carry a handgun.
The firearm storage compartment is formed between the vest front panel 22 and a storage compartment front flap 58. The firearm storage compartment front flap 58 is typically made from the same flexible and elastic material as the body of the vest 10. The bottom of the storage compartment flap 58 is sewn to the vest front 22. In the example vest, between about the bottom third and about the bottom two thirds, and more commonly about the bottom half of the storage compartment flap 58 is sewn to the front panel 22 and permanently attached to the front panel 22. Accordingly, the flap 58 is openable to expose between about the upper one third (0.3) and about the upper two thirds (0.7) of the storage compartment, and more commonly about the upper half (0.5) of the storage compartment when the flap 58 is open downwardly away from the vest body 22 and the storage compartment 54. A releasable fastener such as hook and loop fastener are attached to the perimeter of the upper portion of the storage compartment flap 58 and a corresponding location on the vest front 22. In the example vest 10, the loop portion 62 of the fastener is attached to the perimeter of the flap 58 and the hook portion 66 of the fastener is attached to the vest front 22. The releasable hook and loop fastener allows the storage compartment flap 58 to be secured to the vest front 22 in a closed position to conceal and securely store a firearm and to be released form the vest front 22 and moved into an open position to permit access to a stored firearm. In the example vest, the hook portion 66 of the releasable fastener is attached to the vest body 22 and the loop portion 62 of the releasable fastener is attached to the flap 58. This prevents damage to the exterior of the vest 10 if the flap 58 is misaligned when closing the flap.
The firearm storage compartment front flap 58 may include a finger grip 68. The example finger grip 68 is made from a high friction material such as rubber or rubberized fabric and may include a textured surface such as a molded logo, etc. The finger grip 68 may also be a section of fabric that is sewn to the center top of the front flap 58. The example finger grip 68 wraps around the center top of the storage compartment flap 58 and covers a portion of the outside of the flap 58 and a portion of the inside of the flap 58. The finger grip 68 covers a portion of the releasable fastener (e.g. the loop portion 62) on the inside of the flap 58. The finger grip 68 makes it easier for a user to grip the appropriate part of the flap 58 to open the flap without looking at the flap. The finger grip also makes it easier for the user to grip the flap 58 and not lose their grip while opening the flap in an emergency situation. The finger grip 58, by covering or replacing a portion of the hook and loop releasable fastener, makes it easier for the person to open the storage compartment 54.
The vest 10 also includes a correspondingly placed section 72 along the perimeter of the firearm storage compartment 54 which does not include the hook and loop fastener. In one example, strips of the hook portion 66 of the fastener are sewn to the body of the vest 10 along the perimeter of the firearm storage compartment 54 and a section 72 of the hook portion 66 of the releasable fastener is covered with a section of material. In another example, the strips of the hook portion 66 of fastener terminate at the section 72. Similarly, the storage compartment flap 58 may be made with strips of the loop portion 62 of the fastener which extend across the central non-fastened area 68 and which are then covered by the finger grip 68 or material at area 68. Alternately, the strips of loop portion 62 of the fastener material may terminate and not extend across the section 68 of the flap 58. As a result, the firearm storage compartment 54 and storage compartment flap 58 include a section at 68, 72 where they are not fastened to each other. This section is between about 1 and about 3 inches wide and is typically about 2 inches wide. A user can place their finger or thumb in this unfastened section and more quickly and easily open the firearm storage compartment 54.
Accordingly, the firearm storage compartment 54 and the storage compartment front flap 58 are permanently fastened to each other on a lower portion, releasably fastened to each other with a fastener across the upper portion, and includes an unfastened section on the upper portion to facilitate easy opening of the firearm storage compartment 54 by allowing a user to insert a finger into the unfastened section. More preferably, the firearm storage compartment 54 and the storage compartment front flap 58 are permanently fastened to each other on a lower portion that extends up the sides of the firearm storage compartment perimeter to a height which is between about ¼ and about ½ of the height of the firearm storage compartment 54, releasably fastened to each other with a fastener across the top of the firearm storage compartment 54 and the upper portion of the sides of the firearm storage compartment 54, and includes an unfastened section of the upper portion which is about 2 inches wide. Still more preferably, the firearm storage compartment 54 and the storage compartment front flap 58 are permanently fastened to each other on a lower portion that extends up the sides of the firearm storage compartment perimeter to a height which is between about ⅓ and about ½ of the height of the firearm storage compartment 54, releasably fastened to each other with a fastener across the top of the firearm storage compartment 54 and the upper portion of the sides of the firearm storage compartment 54, and includes an unfastened section of the upper portion which is about 2 inches wide and which is located along the top of the firearm storage compartment and preferably near the center of the top of the firearm storage compartment 54.
The flap 58 includes pleats 64. The pleats 64 allow the flap 58 to expand when an in-waistband holster and firearm are placed into the firearm storage compartment 54.
A holster strap 70, such as a length of nylon webbing, is fastened to the sides of the firearm storage compartment 54 and extends across the firearm storage compartment 54. The holster strap 70 is unfastened across its center and allows an in-waistband holster to be placed between the holster strap and the vest to secure the holster in the firearm storage compartment 54. The example holster strap 70 is sewn to the vest 10 between the vest front 22 and the releasable fastener hook material 66. The holster strap 70 is positioned horizontally or slightly angled downwardly from horizontal towards the bottom of the side of the vest 10. The holster strap is positioned within the firearm storage compartment 54 at a position which is down from the top of the storage compartment 54 between about ⅓ of the height of the storage compartment 54 and about ½ of the height of the storage compartment 54. The holster strap 70 is attached to the vest front 22 at its left and right ends, typically by sewing the ends of the holster strap 70 between the vest front 22 and the hook and loop fastener material 66. The center of the holster strap 70 is separated from the vest front 22 and also from the storage compartment front flap 58 and an in-waistband holster is placed between the holster strap 70 and the vest front 22.
The vest 10 allows a person to carry a firearm 78 during exercise or recreational activities where it would otherwise be difficult to carry a firearm 78. The close fitting and flexible/elastic design of the vest 10 minimizes discomfort and restriction to the user's movements while also holding the firearm 78 securely against the user's body and preventing excessive movement of the firearm. The vest 10 also allows the user to use a single in waistband holster 74 for the firearm 78. The user may use the in-waistband holster 74 to carry the firearm 78 inside of their waistband when desired and then move the holster 74 and firearm 78 to the vest 10 when the activity is incompatible with in waistband carrying of the firearm 78. This allows the user to avoid the expense of additional holsters and the unfamiliarity that may come with changing holsters or firearms for different activities.
While a vest 10 is shown above as the example article of clothing 10, it is appreciated that sleeves can be added to the vest 10 to create a short or long sleeve shirt or jacket while maintaining the other properties and structures of the vest discussed above. Additionally, the firearm storage compartment 54 can also be added to an article of clothing such as pants while retaining the advantageous ability to safely carry a firearm inside of a clothing pocket while using an in-waistband holster that the user already owns and is already familiar with.
The additional views of the vest 10 shown in
The above description of illustrated examples of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limiting to the precise forms disclosed. While specific examples of the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible without departing from the broader scope of the present claims. Indeed, it is appreciated that specific example dimensions, materials, etc., are provided for explanation purposes and that other values may also be employed in other examples in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/353,586, filed Jun. 18, 2022, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63353586 | Jun 2022 | US |
