The invention relates to article carriers and, more particularly, to those mounted to a vehicle by flaccid securing means.
It is an object of the invention to improve on secure handgun storage in the interior of a motor vehicle's cabin.
Nowadays, the conventional options for storing a handgun inside of a vehicle often are not universal for fitting the design features of a broad spectrum of motor vehicles, often impede accessibility of the handgun and often impede the comfort of the operator of the vehicle.
Conventional handgun vehicle storage options include the following. Handguns are often stored in a glove box or another compartment of the vehicle. However, this method of storage does not allow the operator of the vehicle immediate access to the handgun. Waist belt holsters are not easily worn when operating a motor vehicle and are difficult to draw a weapon from when seated.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,010,600 of Gleaton et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 9,340,164 of Picket are alike in showing dashboard holsters which have a flaccid securing means. That is, these patent disclosures disclose flat webbing systems extending between opposite ends secured to opposite gutter hooks, respectively, and then disclose other features as well.
Each of these patent disclosures rely on at least a lower gutter hook to hook under some portion of dashboard molding. The gutter hooks are typically constructed of bent metal plate comprising a bight portion and a shank portion. The shank portion typically has a stamped rectangular ‘eye’ (or loop hole) through which the flat webbing strap is threaded.
Some dashboards of compact cars—and even vehicles as large as SUV's with tilt steering wheel columns—have dashboard molding features which are too compact to accommodate a webbing strap with upper and lower hooks that can also thread through the ‘holster loop provision’ to carry the holster.
Brief pause can be taken here, to consider more particularly what is meant by ‘holster loop provision.’ A single holster loop can be likened to a single belt loop on a pair of pants. With belt loops, a belt threads through the passage between the belt loop and the waist of the pants. The pants are carried in part from falling off the wearer by the belt loops hanging from the belt. Ordinarily, pants will have a plurality (multiplicity) of belt loops at spaced locations around the waist of the pants. The pants rely on the plurality (multiplicity) of belt loops altogether for support, rather than a single belt loop. Let's call the plurality (multiplicity) of belt loops the ‘belt loop provision’ for the pants.
Similarly, a holster can be strapped to a waist belt. All the holster needs is a ‘holster loop provision.’ The waist belt is threaded through the passage(s) between the holster loop provision and the holster, and thus the holster hangs from (is carried on) the waist belt of the wearer.
It is common with conventional holsters to rely on a single—albeit broad—holster loop. In contrast, belt loops are typically narrow. However, a holster loop provision for a holster may alternatively comprise a plurality of individually narrow holster loops.
Given the foregoing, a ‘holster loop provision’ is the sum of the individual holster loops provided on a given holster that will carry the holster by the threaded belt or strap therethrough. Thus a holster loop provision can vary from a single (probably broad) loop to a plurality of (probably narrow) loops.
To return from the pause above, what was last stated was this. Some dashboards of compact cars—and even vehicles as large as SUV's with tilt steering wheel columns—have dashboard molding features which are too compact to accommodate a webbing strap with upper and lower hooks that can also thread through the ‘holster loop provision’ to carry the holster.
That is, if an upper hook is hooked through a gap on an upper edge of some feature of dashboard molding, and lower hook under a lower edge, the remaining gap between the eyes of the hooks for the webbing is too miniature of a gap to accommodate the requirements to thread through the ‘holster loop provision’ of the holster, let alone further accommodate other webbing tackle like buckles, triglide slides, tension locks and so on.
What is needed is an improvement over the shortcomings of the prior art.
It is an object of the invention to improve on secure handgun storage in the interior of a vehicle's cabin.
It is an alternate object of the invention to improve accessibility without impeding driver comfort with an inventive solution for handgun storage in the interior of a motor vehicle's cabin.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a holster loop provision for a holster that allows the holster to be oriented in at least two different orientations relative the axis of the support webbing (preferably but without limitation in two different orientations that are perpendicular, or nearly so, to each other).
It is a further object of the invention to provide a holster loop provision for a holster that allows the holster to be oriented across a range of different orientations relative the axis of the support webbing (preferably but without limitation between extremes that are perpendicular, or nearly so, to each other).
These and other objects and aspects of the invention comprises a combination of a handgun holster, flat webbing strap and an optional buckle as well as an optional one or more cinch slides (triglide slides) and/or tension locks. Overall, the combination serves to securely mount around a vehicle steering wheel column, or around dashboard molding underneath or surrounding the steering wheel column.
A number of additional features and objects will be apparent in connection with the following discussion of the preferred embodiments and examples with reference to the drawings.
There are shown in the drawings certain exemplary embodiments of the invention as presently preferred. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed as examples, and is capable of variation within the scope of the skills of a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. In the drawings,
The combination 20 and/or 21 comprises a holster 24, webbing strap 32 for mounting the holster 24 and various pieces of webbing tackle 34-37 including but not limited to a buckle 34-35 and optional other tackle 36-37, such as triglide slides 36 and so on (eg., a pair of triglide slides 36 are shown in
In
A complete buckle 35 is more like waist-belt buckles (neither waist-belt no buckles therefor are shown) for holding up pants. The tag end of the waist-belt has to be passed through the buckle therefor in order to fasten (again, none of this is shown). Quick release buckles 34 have a complimentary buckle halves (e.g., 42 and 44) for the strap 32, that connect together in a quick-connector fashion.
In
The holster 24 defines a handgun-receiving pocket 75, and may be made of genuine leather or any other sufficiently firm and malleable material.
The mounting webbing 32 preferably takes the form of flat strap 32 preferably between about one-half (½) to two (2) inches (12 to 50 mm) wide. The mounting webbing 32 can be made from any number of natural (e.g., cotton) or synthetic materials, the latter which include without limitation polyester, polypropylene, nylon and so on.
The webbing tackle 34-37 can include a numerous multiplicity of optional devices, but the options can be filtered down to the following four (4) broad categories.
As stated above, there are triglide slides 36 (see, e.g.,
With a triglide slide 36, the webbing 32 extends from a distant origin and enters the nearest (1st) loophole, is run over the central crossbar, pulled through the second (2nd) loophole and then extends on to a distant destination (see, e.g.,
With a triglide buckle 35tg, the webbing 32 extends from a distant origin, passes under the nearest (1st) loophole, enters through the second (2nd) loophole, loops backward over the central crossbar to be pulled through the near (1st) loophole, to lay on top of itself and return to the distant origin (see, e.g.,
With triglide slides 36, the outer two (2) of the three (3) crossbars are generally mirror opposites and lack provisions to let the webbing 32 do anything other than to pass smoothly, while the central crossbar will be provided with some roughness to prevent webbing slippage.
With triglide buckles 35tg, one of the outer two (2) of the three (3) crossbars is non-involvedand its features are irrelevant (to securing the half circle of strap 32 threaded therethrough). The central crossbar might have teeth. The outer crossbar under which the webbing 32 returns to origin might have teeth or at least a wedge formation 54 (see, e.g.,
In
A motor vehicle interior handgun mount 26 in accordance with the invention for a motor vehicle dashboard 62 having a free span 64 of molding 64 extending and spanning horizontally under a steering wheel column 66, preferably comprises the following.
An adjustable tension strap 32 extending between a first end 46 and a spaced away second end 48.
A holster 24 having an inner wall 72 and outer wall 73 meeting at at least two spaced away peripheral edge portions 74 and forming a handgun-holding pocket 75 extending between and open receiving end 76 and a spaced away muzzle end 77.
Said inner wall 72 having a holster loop provision 78 in which the strap 32 is threaded therethrough along an axis 82 (see
And, a quick release buckle 34 comprising one and another complimentary releasing buckle portions 42 and 44, or vice versa, the one complimentary releasing buckle portion 42 or 44 being attached to the first end 46 of the adjustable strap 32 and the other complimentary releasing buckle portion 44 or 42 being engaged with the strap 32 somewhere between the first and second ends 46 and 48 thereof in an adjustable-tension lock engagement (e.g., in the manner of triglide buckle portion 35tg′ and see, e.g.,
Wherein the strap 32 is disposed encircled around either the free span 64 of the dashboard molding or the steering wheel column 66 with the one and another complimentary releasing buckle portions 42 and 44 of the quick release buckle 34 buckled together.
And further wherein the other complimentary releasing buckle portion 44 or 42 that engages with the strap 32 somewhere between the first and second ends 46 and 48 thereof might optionally further comprise tackle 34-37 in the form of a triglide buckle portion 35tg′, whereby pulling the second end 48 of the strap 32 tight tensions the encircling portion of the strap 32 between the one and another complimentary releasing buckle portions 42 and 44 of the quick release buckle 34.
Said motor vehicle interior handgun mount 26 of might optionally further comprise a triglide slide 36 threaded onto the strap 32 on one side of the holster 24 to confine the holster 24 from sliding past the triglide slide 36.
Said motor vehicle interior handgun mount 26 of might also optionally further comprise another triglide slide 36 threaded onto the strap 32 on the other side of the holster 24 to confine the holster 24 from sliding this other triglide slide 36.
And additionally wherein, said quick release buckle 34 optionally comprises a side-release style quick release buckle 34.
And also wherein, when a handgun 84 having a barrel 86 that has a barrel axis 88 is firmly holstered in the holster 24, the holster 24 optionally carries the handgun 84 on a cant axis 92 that coincident with or parallel to the handgun's barrel axis 88, and, the cant axis 92 is non-parallel to the axis 82 (see
By one option, the cant axis 92 is perpendicular to the axis 82 (see
It is additionally optionally possible that, when a handgun 84 having a barrel 86 that has a barrel axis 88 is firmly holstered in the holster 24, the holster 24 optionally carries the handgun 84 on a cant axis 92 that coincident with or parallel to the handgun's barrel axis 88, and, the holster loop provision 78 further comprises a rotational-adjustability provision such that the cant axis 92 can be rotated relative to the axis 82 (see
Given the foregoing, the rotational-adjustability provision of the holster loop provision 78 might optionally comprise the holster loop provision 78 being formed with opposed arcuate slits 94.
According to an alternate embodiment of a motor vehicle interior handgun mount 27 in accordance with the invention for a motor vehicle dashboard 62 having a free span 64 of molding extending and spanning horizontally under a steering wheel column 66, it might comprise the following aspects.
An adjustable tension strap 32 extending between a first end 46 and a spaced away second end 48.
A holster 24 having an inner wall 72 and outer wall 73 meeting at at least two spaced away peripheral edge portions 74 and forming a handgun-holding pocket 75 extending between and open receiving end 76 and a spaced away muzzle end 77.
Said inner wall 72 having a holster loop provision 78 in which the strap 32 is threaded therethrough along an axis 82 (see
And, a buckle 35 attached to the first end 46 of the adjustable strap 32 for buckling to portions of the strap 32 somewhere between the first and second ends 46 and 48 thereof in an adjustable-tension lock engagement (e.g., in the manner of triglide buckle 35tg and see, e.g.,
Wherein the second end 48 of the strap 32 is fed over and down behind the free span 64 of the dashboard molding to a destination where the buckle 35 can be buckled to the strap 32 somewhere between the first and second ends 46 and 48 thereof in the adjustable-tension lock engagement (e.g., in the manner of triglide buckle 35tg and see, e.g.,
Wherein optionally, the buckle 35 might comprise one of a triglide buckle 35tg or a ladder lock buckle 35dd.
Said motor vehicle interior handgun mount 27 of might optionally further comprise a triglide slide 36 threaded onto the strap 32 in between the first end 46 and holster 24 slid up underneath the holster 24 to support the holster 24 in front of the free span 64 of dashboard molding at a given elevation.
Said motor vehicle interior handgun mount 27 might also optionally further comprise another triglide slide 36 threaded onto the strap 32 in between the holster 24 and the second end 48 and slid down on top of the holster 24 to confine the holster 24 at the given elevation.
It is an aspect of the invention to allow mounting on compact dashboard molding (see, e.g.,
The free span 64 of dashboard molding might only have a usable span along the axis 82 (see
For a handgun 84 having a barrel 86 that has a barrel axis 88 is firmly holstered in the holster 24, the holster 24 optionally carries the handgun 84 on a cant axis 92 that coincident with or parallel to the handgun's barrel axis 88, and, the cant axis 92 is non-parallel to the axis 82 (see
Alternatively, for a handgun 84 having a barrel 86 that has a barrel axis 88 is firmly holstered in the holster 24, the holster 24 optionally carries the handgun 84 on a cant axis 92 that coincident with or parallel to the handgun's barrel axis 88, and, the holster loop provision 78 further comprises a rotational-adjustability provision such that the cant axis 92 can be rotated relative to the axis 82 (see
A further embodiment of a motor vehicle interior handgun mount 26 for a motor vehicle dashboard 62 having a free span 64 of molding extending and spanning horizontally under a steering wheel column 66, might comprise the following.
An adjustable tension strap 32 extending between a first end 46 and a spaced away second end 48.
A holster 24 having an inner wall 72 and outer wall 73 meeting at at least two spaced away peripheral edge portions 74 and forming a handgun-holding pocket 75 extending between and open receiving 76 end and a spaced away muzzle end 77.
Said inner wall 72 having a holster loop provision 78 in which the strap 32 is threaded therethrough along an axis 82 (see
And, a separable buckle 34 comprising one and another complimentary releasing buckle portions 42 and 44, or vice versa, the one complimentary releasing buckle portion 42 or 44 being attached to the first end 46 of the adjustable strap 32 and the other complimentary releasing buckle portion 44 or 42 being engaged with the strap 32 somewhere between the first and second ends 46 and 48 thereof in an adjustable-tension lock engagement (e.g., in the manner of triglide buckle portion 35tg′ and see, e.g.,
Wherein the strap 32 is disposed encircled around either the free span 64 of the dashboard molding or the steering wheel column 66 with the one and another complimentary releasing buckle portions 42 and 44 of the separable buckle 34 buckled together.
And further wherein, when a handgun 84 having a barrel 86 that has a barrel axis 88 is firmly holstered in the holster 24, the holster 24 optionally carries the handgun 84 on a cant axis 92 that coincident with or parallel to the handgun's barrel axis 88, and, the cant axis 92 is non-parallel to the axis 82 (see
The holster mount 26 and/or 27 is meant to be mounted in the helm area of the cabin of the vehicle 30, or that is, within reach of the seated driver.
The invention having been disclosed in connection with the foregoing variations and examples, additional variations will now be apparent to persons skilled in the art. The invention is not intended to be limited to the variations specifically mentioned, and accordingly reference should be made to the appended claims rather than the foregoing discussion of preferred examples, to assess the scope of the invention in which exclusive rights are claimed.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/286,931, filed Jan. 25, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference thereto.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
410681 | Watkins | Sep 1889 | A |
749865 | Jarvis | Jan 1904 | A |
1320751 | Freyer | Nov 1919 | A |
1430081 | Holler | Sep 1922 | A |
2037132 | Hoyt | Apr 1936 | A |
2407884 | Johnston | Sep 1946 | A |
2531170 | Tackett | Nov 1950 | A |
2553328 | Parton | May 1951 | A |
2655298 | Riley | Oct 1953 | A |
3762616 | Brunstetter | Oct 1973 | A |
3902639 | Rogers | Sep 1975 | A |
4410118 | Taurisano | Oct 1983 | A |
4505411 | Munn | Mar 1985 | A |
4577787 | Hersey | Mar 1986 | A |
4762255 | Dunn | Aug 1988 | A |
4828154 | Clifton, Jr. | May 1989 | A |
4923105 | Snyder | May 1990 | A |
4984725 | Urbom | Jan 1991 | A |
5215238 | Baruch | Jun 1993 | A |
5410762 | Maskovich | May 1995 | A |
5445303 | Cawile, Jr. | Aug 1995 | A |
5495969 | Cardenas | Mar 1996 | A |
5865502 | Ayers et al. | Feb 1999 | A |
6000592 | Clanin | Dec 1999 | A |
6098860 | Phillips | Aug 2000 | A |
6338517 | Canni | Jan 2002 | B1 |
6405909 | Burnett et al. | Jun 2002 | B1 |
6648193 | Rioux | Nov 2003 | B2 |
6986446 | Murray et al. | Jan 2006 | B2 |
8205374 | Lamm | Jun 2012 | B2 |
8752745 | Bond et al. | Jun 2014 | B2 |
8967315 | Lescallett | Mar 2015 | B1 |
9010600 | Gleaton et al. | Apr 2015 | B1 |
9027811 | Cannon | May 2015 | B1 |
D734706 | Gleaton et al. | Jul 2015 | S |
9340164 | Pickett | May 2016 | B2 |
20030094470 | Cragg | May 2003 | A1 |
20030141328 | Cragg | Jul 2003 | A1 |
20030218035 | Willows | Nov 2003 | A1 |
20040252493 | Sheffield | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20060011676 | Willows | Jan 2006 | A1 |
20060213942 | Gomez et al. | Sep 2006 | A1 |
20100102096 | Willows | Apr 2010 | A1 |
20100176167 | Hudspeth | Jul 2010 | A1 |
20110132951 | Vennemeyer | Jun 2011 | A1 |
20140008405 | Beaver | Jan 2014 | A1 |
20140158730 | McDonnell | Jun 2014 | A1 |
20140166712 | Pickett | Jun 2014 | A1 |
20160047166 | Payne | Feb 2016 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
2 434 430 | Jul 2007 | GB |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62286931 | Jan 2016 | US |