Patent Application
20130015225
In many jurisdictions, off-duty police officers are required or permitted to carry a handgun that is in some way concealed from the view of others who may be in proximity to the officers. This is particularly important to those who may be working “under cover.” Many of these officers may also wish to carry a concealed handgun in addition to the service weapon normally worn whale on duty. In addition, many states have enacted “right to carry” laws that permit a resident to carry a concealed handgun providing the resident has taken a prescribed handgun safety course, has no criminal record, has no outstanding restraining orders imposed by a court of law, and has passed a background check. Many states may not permit persons within the state to openly carry a handgun in public places.
Concealing a handgun may be accomplished by hiding it from view of others within a person's clothing or garments. While being hidden beneath layers of clothing may accomplish concealment, it may also make it difficult for the user to access the handgun expeditiously when confronted by danger. An example of this method of concealment is a shoulder holster carried beneath an armpit and covered with a jacket. Another example is a holster attached to a lower part of a leg. Both of these examples may limit the speed with which a user can access the handgun. Even a holster worn inside a belt and pant waist may require some form of clothing to conceal the presence of a handgun, such as having to wear a shirt tail outside the pants, which may make quick access difficult.
Another method of concealing a handgun is to enclose it within an article that appears to be something other than a holster for a handgun. The exterior façade may appear to be a carrying case for a mobile phone or pager. It may also be a fanny pack, bi-fold wallet or pouch used when hiking or participating in similar sporting activities. These implementations typically rely on mechanical snaps, zippers and hook-and-loop type fasteners to close an opening used to access the firearm, and usually require the use of two hands or extensive movements of the hands and arms. These enclosing devices may impede access to a handgun when it becomes necessary to access it quickly.
Although many new handgun designs have been dramatically reduced in size, thereby making it easier to conceal, prior art methods described in available literature for concealing a handgun are still encumbered with poor concealment and difficulty of quick access when required.
The following disclosure describes a handgun holster for concealed carry that relies on a façade of a cell phone, or a cell phone case with spring-loaded hinges securing moveable panels. It is a compact design that can be worn on the street when dressed in casual clothes or in an office setting when wearing more formal work clothes without drawing attention to the fact that the wearer is carrying a handgun. Although it may rely on a snap or hook-and-loop material, another embodiment using a single magnetic latch on the front or rear edge of a spring-loaded panel is advantageous for rapid acquisition of the handgun. Under this embodiment, springs may be released for providing opening of the holster by simply pressing inward on a side panel, which breaks the magnetic force holding the release springs.
The handgun holster is designed to fit inside the waistband in front of a side pocket close to a draw hand. Being free of material, zippers or straps, it enables a clean grip of the handgun yet allows for quick access that may be accomplished with the flip of a finger. Access is provided whether a user is standing or sitting, allowing ready access even while sitting in a vehicle.
The holster includes spring-loaded hinged panels that appear to be a cell phone case when closed. When unlatched, the hinged panels spring open to be flush against the body of the user, allowing unimpeded access to the handgun held within the holster pocket, wherein the handgun may be quickly drawn and ready for use. Access is provided with minimal movement of an arm, a hand or even just a finger. A waistband clip may be provided to safely secure the holster containing a handgun inside the waistband of a user while holding the holster securely in place while the gun is withdrawn.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:
For reference purposes, Table 1 below provides reference designator identification for the components of embodiment of the disclosed holster.
The detailed description is directed to a handgun holster apparatus for a person desiring to carry a handgun concealed from view of others.
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.
