Patent Application
20240159495
The present invention relates generally to holsters for handguns having a retention mechanism associated therewith for preventing unauthorized withdrawal of the weapon from the holster and, more particularly, to an improved retention mechanism which allows for rapid deployment of the weapon from the holster pocket by the user when desired, but prevents unauthorized, accidental or inadvertent removal of the weapon from the holster.
Inadvertent, accidental, and even unauthorized removal of a weapon from a holster is a common problem faced by law enforcement personnel, military personnel and other tactical users of holstered weapons. To be effective, a holster must address two major concerns, namely, (1) security of the weapon at all times, and (2) allowing the authorized user access and means for the rapid deployment of the weapon when desired. There is therefore a need for effectively carrying a weapon in a holster and for rapidly deploying such weapon when needed. There is also a need to effectively prevent accidental, inadvertent, or unauthorized withdrawal of the weapon from a holster such as when the authorized user is running, maneuvering, or otherwise engaging the enemy or an assailant.
The prior art discloses a wide variety of different mechanisms to prevent inadvertent withdrawal of a weapon from a holster. Prior art constructions for the most part are characterized by complicated and cumbersome mechanisms which are inconvenient, awkward and difficult to manipulate and operate to achieve rapid deployment of the weapon from the holster, and such mechanisms can suffer from substantial wear and tear during use. Although such security devices and mechanisms are desired in all types of holsters, including belt carried holsters, shoulder holsters, competition holsters and others, to reduce the risk of unauthorized, inadvertent, or accidental removal of the weapon from the holster, mechanisms which ensure higher security of the weapon within the holster pocket typically lead to a slower draw or slower deployment of the weapon whereas mechanisms which afford rapid deployment of the weapon typically lead to a lesser amount of security for the holstered weapon. As such, the user is often left with an undesirable trade-off between the two necessary features, namely, security versus rapid deployment. Recognizing that the weapon is the implement of last resort and immediate need for an authorized user, use of a weapon retention mechanism which affords both high security and rapid deployment, and which does not compromise either necessary feature, is highly desirable.
Thus, there is a need for weapon retention mechanism for holsters which both effectively incorporate high security weapon retention features in a holster without inhibiting the speed with which a user may deploy the weapon. As a result, the present invention is directed to a holster retention mechanism which overcomes one or more of the problems set forth above and represents an improvement over the known prior art weapon retention mechanisms.
In accordance with one embodiment, firearm holster for securely enclosing a firearm is provided. The firearm holster includes a top frame defining a slider base recess. The top frame defines a resettable drop lock passage. A slider base is disposed in the slider base recess of the top frame and is operable to receive and slidably engage a slider. The slider base defines a resettable drop lock mount. The firearm holster includes a lower body and is secured to the top frame via a backbone securing the top frame to the lower body. A triggering lever mount is defined by the backbone. A triggering lever is pivotally secured to the triggering lever mount and has a triggering arm and an actuating arm. The triggering lever defines a spring channel. A triggering lever spring is disposed within the spring channel and is operable to spring-bias the triggering lever in locked the position. A slider is operable to slide on the slider base from a locked position to an unlocked position. An extension arm is connected to the slider and is operable to receive a force from the actuating arm of the triggering lever to slide the slider from a locked position to an unlocked position. A spring-biased automatic resettable drop lock is pivotally connected to the resettable drop lock mount and is operable to extend into the resettable drop lock passage and into an ejection port of a firearm secured in the firearm holster. The resettable drop lock is operable to be pivoted out of the ejection port of the firearm in the firearm holster by contact with the slider as the slider moves from a locked position into an unlocked position. The firearm holster includes a secondary lock assembly having a secondary lock body, a helical lock shaft disposed within the secondary lock body and operable to extend from the helical lock shaft passage, a sear lever pivotally attached to the secondary lock body and operable to retain the helical lock shaft in the secondary lock body, and a helical lock bar attached to the helical lock shaft. The helical lock bar is operable to rotate and extend from a locked position to an unlocked position.
In one embodiment of the invention, a top frame of a firearm holster is provided. The top frame includes a top frame body having a proximal end opposite a distal end and an upper portion opposite a lower portion. A slider base recess is defined by the upper portion of the body and is operable to receive and secure a slider base. A slider base is disposed within the slider base recess and is operable to receive and secure a slider. The slider base operable to enable a slider to selectively slide relative to the top frame body. In some embodiments, the slider is defined by and integral to the top frame. In some embodiments, a mount is operable to receive and secure a lock bar and operable to enable a resettable lock bar to pivot.
In one embodiment, a backbone is operable for use coupling a top frame of a firearm holster to a lower body of the firearm holster, comprising. A backbone body hays a proximal end opposite a distal end. A proximal frame coupler is disposed at the proximal end of the backbone body and is operable to couple to a top frame of a firearm holster and a lower body of a firearm holster. A distal frame coupler is disposed at the distal end of the backbone body and is operable to couple to a top frame of a firearm holster and a lower body of a firearm holster. In some embodiments, a triggering lever mount is attached to the backbone body and is operable to receive and secure a triggering lever. In some embodiments, a coupling mount is attached to the backbone body.
In accordance with embodiments of the invention, a triggering lever is provided. The triggering lever includes a triggering lever body defining a cylindrical passage operable to receive and rotate around a cylindrical shaft from a locked position to an unlocked position. A spring channel is defined by the triggering lever body and is operable to securely enclose a triggering lever spring. A spring end opening is defined by the triggering lever body. A triggering lever spring disposed within the spring channel of the triggering lever body and has a first end extending into the spring end opening of the triggering lever body. The spring operable to bias the triggering lever into a locked position. A triggering lever spring tension device is operable to secure to a trigger lever mount and defines a spring end opening. The triggering lever spring tension device is operable to adjust tension in the triggering lever spring by selectively rotating and coupling the triggering lever spring tension device relative to the thumb lever mount to contract or elongate the triggering lever spring. A coupler is defined by the triggering lever spring tension device and is operable to couple to a thumb lever mount. A triggering arm is attached to the triggering lever body and is operable to receive a force from a user counteracting the bias of the spring and rotate the triggering lever body in response to the force. A drive arm is attached to the triggering lever body and is operable to rotate a slider from a locked position to an unlocked position in response to the force from a user. In some embodiments, the triggering lever is oriented to enable a user to use an ergonomic thumb motion to press the triggering lever while the user grips the firearm holster in the perfect shooting grip.
In accordance with embodiments of the invention, a resettable drop lock is provided and is operable to retain a firearm in a firearm holster. The resettable drop lock includes a resettable drop lock body having a proximal end opposite a distal end and is operable to connect to a top frame of a firearm holster. The resettable drop lock body is operable to protrude into an ejection port of a firearm. A cylindrical passage defined by the resettable drop lock body is operable to receive and secure a shaft. The resettable drop lock body is operable to rotate about the shaft. A spring is operable to spring-bias and selectively pivot the resettable drop lock body through a resettable drop lock passage and into the ejection port of a firearm secured within a firearm holster.
In accordance with embodiments of the invention, a slider is provided. The slider is operable for securing a firearm in firearm holster. The slider includes a slider body and a slider base disposed on a firearm holster. A sliding surface is disposed on a bottom of the slider body and operable to enable the slider to slide between a locked position and an unlocked position along the slider base. In some embodiments, the slider is operable to selectively pivot a resettable drop lock into an ejection port of a firearm secured in a firearm holster to secure the firearm in the holster, and the slider is operable to selectively pivot a resettable drop lock out of the ejection port of a firearm secured in a firearm holster to enable removal of the firearm from the firearm holster.
In accordance with embodiments of the invention, a secondary lock assembly is operable to retain a firearm in a holster. The secondary lock assembly includes a secondary lock body defining a helical lock shaft passage. A sear lever channel is defined by the secondary lock body. A helical lock guide pin aperture is defined by the secondary lock body. The secondary lock body is operable for attachment to a firearm holster. A sear lever is pivotally attached to the secondary lock body and is operable to pivot from a locked position to an unlocked position. The sear lever is operable to engage and retain a helical lock bar. A secondary thumb pad is attached to the sear lever and is operable to receive a force from a user to pivot the sear lever. In some embodiments, the triggering lever is oriented to enable a user to use an ergonomic thumb motion to press the triggering lever while the user grips the firearm holster in the perfect shooting grip. A helical lock shaft is disposed within the helical lock shaft passage and defines a helical guide slot. The helical lock shaft is operable to rotate and extend from the helical lock shaft passage. A helical lock bar is attached to the helical lock shaft and is operable to rotate from a locked position to an unlocked position. A helical guide pin is disposed within the helical guide pin aperture and protrudes into the helical guide slot. The helical guide pin is operable to retain the helical lock bar in the helical lock shaft passage. A helical lock spring is disposed between the secondary lock body and the helical lock shaft and is operable to apply a force to the helical lock shaft to bias the helical lock shaft into an unlocked position. A helical sear lever spring disposed between the secondary lock body and the sear lever and is operable to apply a force to the sear lever to bias the sear lever into a locked position.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are given like reference numerals and, wherein:
The images in the drawings are simplified for illustrative purposes and are not depicted to scale. Within the descriptions of the figures, similar elements are provided similar names and reference numerals as those of the previous figure(s). The specific numerals assigned to the elements are provided solely to aid in the description and are not meant to imply any limitations (structural or functional) on the invention.
The appended drawings illustrate exemplary configurations of the invention and, as such, should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention that may admit to other equally effective configurations. It is contemplated that features of one configuration may be beneficially incorporated in other configurations without further recitation.
The embodiments of the disclosure will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. It will be readily understood that the components, as generally described and illustrated in the Figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations or be entirely separate. Thus, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the system and method of the disclosure, as represented in the Figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, as claimed, but is merely representative of possible embodiments of the disclosure.
A slider 130 is slidably attached to and operable to slide along a slider base 138 atop the frame 104. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
In one embodiment, to provide a second level of retention, a pivotal triggering lever 115 is attached to the firearm holster 100 via a triggering lever mount 112, as illustrated in
As illustrated in the Figures, one embodiment of the triggering assembly screw 122 defines a plurality of holes 125 for use with a spanner wrench to tighten or loosen triggering assembly screw 122.
A novel aspect of the invention enables the user to adjust the force required to rotate the triggering lever 115 to remove the firearm 102 from the holster 100. This is advantageous for applications that may require stronger levels of retention by the holster 100, such as crowd control or riots. Using the spring tension of the triggering lever spring 126, the user may selectively attach the triggering lever spring tension device 124 to the triggering lever mount 112 along the hexagonal coupler to increase or decrease the tension in the triggering lever spring 126. Referring to
In one embodiment, when the holster 100 is assembled (as illustrated in
As illustrated in
In one embodiment, as illustrated in
A secondary thumb pad 154 is attached to the sear lever 156 and is operable to receive a force from a user to pivot the sear lever 156. A helical lock shaft 158 is disposed within the helical lock shaft passage 153 and is operable to rotate and extend from the helical lock shaft passage 153 upon receipt of a force from a user applied to the secondary thumb pad 154. The helical lock shaft 158 defines a helical guide slot 166. The helical guide slot 166 is operable to enable a rotation of the helical lock shaft 158 by engaging a helical guide pin 164 as it extends from the secondary lock body 152. A helical lock bar 160 is secured to the helical lock shaft 158 by a helical lock fastener 162 and is operable to rotate from the locked position C to an unlocked position D in the direction of arrow 117, as illustrated in
This invention provides several unique advantages over the prior art. First, the configuration allows for a comfortable and quick removal of the firearm 102 from the holster 100 using natural, ergonomic thumb motions. This configuration reduces the amount of training required to train a user to quickly remove the firearm 102 from the holster 100. To remove the firearm 102 from the holster 100, a user will first grip the firearm 102 in a typical shooting grip. The user will then use their thumb to press thumb pad 154 towards the top of the holster 100, thereby rotating the helical lock bar 160 from the locked position C to the unlocked position D. Next, still holding the firearm 102 in the shooting grip, the user will press down on the thumb pad 128 of the triggering arm 116. Pressing the triggering arm 116 down will cause the triggering lever 115 to rotate around the cylindrical shaft portion 129 and drive arm 120 will rotate towards the back of the firearm holster 100. As the drive arm 120 rotates toward the back of the firearm holster 100, it will pull the slider 130 toward the back of the firearm holster 100 from the locked position A to the unlocked position B via the extension arm 134. When the slider 130 is pulled towards the back of the firearm holster 100, the resettable drop lock 146 will pivot up and out of the ejection port 174 of the firearm 102. Once the resettable drop lock 146 is out of the injection port 174, the firearm 102 can be removed from the holster 100 by using enough force required to pull the firearm 102 from the holster 100.
Another novel feature of the invention is that the user is able to maintain a perfect firing grip on the firearm 102 during removal from the holster 100, as illustrated in
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference has been made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language has been used to describe these embodiments. However, this specific language intends no limitation of the scope of the invention, and the invention should be construed to encompass all embodiments that would normally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art. The particular implementations shown and described herein are illustrative examples of the invention and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the invention in any way. For the sake of brevity, conventional aspects of the system (and components of the individual operating components of the system) may not be described in detail. Furthermore, the connecting lines, or connectors shown in the various figures presented are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical or logical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships, physical connections or logical connections may be present in a practical device. Moreover, no item or component is essential to the practice of the invention unless the element is specifically described as “essential” or “critical”. Numerous modifications and adaptations will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/118,536, filed July Mar. 7, 2023, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/876,230, filed Jul. 28, 2022, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,624,584, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/582,658, filed Jan. 24, 2022, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,421,959, which is a continuation to PCT/US2020/046585, filed Aug. 16, 2020, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/888,155, filed Aug. 16, 2019, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference as if fully disclosed herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62888155 | Aug 2019 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 18118536 | Mar 2023 | US |
| Child | 18412771 | US | |
| Parent | 17876230 | Jul 2022 | US |
| Child | 18118536 | US | |
| Parent | 17582658 | Jan 2022 | US |
| Child | 17876230 | US | |
| Parent | PCT/US20/46585 | Aug 2020 | US |
| Child | 17582658 | US |
