Abstract:
An improved belt-loop assembly for hanging goods from a belt primarily used in conjunction with a holster. The belt loop assembly has a tapered belt loop opening and a platform upon which the belt rests. The taper aids in fixedly positioning the assembly along the belt while the platform protects the belt from wear due to belt positioning screws commonly found in belt loop assemblies.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This non-provisional patent application claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/254,706 filed Dec. 11, 2000, and hereby claims the benefit of the embodiments therein and of the filing date thereof. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Holsters for side arm weapons are frequently worn by both military and law enforcement personnel and are traditionally suspended from the duty belt of the wearer. The most common method of suspending a holster from a belt is to incorporate a holster belt loop assembly as a permanent part of the holster. The wearer&#39;s belt is then passed through the belt loop assembly, thus allowing the holster to hang from the belt.  
           [0003]    It is of utmost importance for the holster wearer to be able to precisely and fixedly position the holster along the belt. Such precise placement allows the wearer to position the holster in the best possible location for a smooth and rapid removal of the weapon should circumstances require.  
           [0004]    Heretofore, a holster with a holster belt loop assembly was locked into position along the belt either by friction between the belt and the belt loop or by tightening a screw or screws at the base of the belt loop assembly. The screws, which passed through the belt loop assembly, were secured by a nut; and upon tightening the screws, the sides of the belt loop assembly were compressed against the belt. This compressive force holds the holster in position along the belt. Unfortunately, positioning the holster in this manner can result in damage to the belt, since the threads of the screws often come into direct contact with the belt. Damage to the duty belt is unacceptable. Over time, damage to the belt caused by the screws could result in the failure of the holster to stay fixed along the wearer&#39;s belt and any movement in the position of the holster may inhibit the wearer&#39;s ability remove the weapon from the holster.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Upon examination of the foregoing state of the prior art holster, we have invented a molded belt loop assembly, which includes an internal shelf and tapered belt loop configuration which eliminates the foregoing problems. As with prior art holsters, the inventive belt loop assembly is made a permanent part of the holster. The inventive belt loop assembly allows the wearer to position and fix the belt loop assembly along the duty belt with greater precision while reducing the likelihood of damaging the belt.  
           [0006]    In the inventive belt loop assembly, the duty belt passes through the belt loop opening and rests upon a ridge or shelf, which extends upward from the base of the belt loop opening. The holster is secured into position along the belt by one or more, but preferably, a pair of belt loop tightening screws which, when tightened, exert a force upon two integral belt loop fingers, which are forced inward against the belt. These belt loop fingers exert a compressive force upon the belt and thus secure the holster to the belt at the desired position. The aforementioned ridge or shelf provides a stable platform upon which the belt can rest and keeps the belt above the belt loop screws, to help prevent their contact with the belt.  
           [0007]    To aid in fixing the position of the holster along the belt, the belt loop opening is tapered inwardly against the belt at two locations. First, the belt loop opening is tapered from its outside edges towards its center. The belt loop opening also includes a taper on one side of the upper interior portion of the opening. Both tapers act to wedge the belt into the belt loop opening. Together, the tapers of the belt loop opening and the belt loop fingers securely fix the holster along the belt while reducing the danger of damaging the belt from contact with the belt loop screws.  
           [0008]    These and other features provide an improved molded belt loop holster.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    This invention may be more clearly understood with the following description and by reference to the drawings in which:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is comprised of FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b , in which  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 a  is a side elevational view of a typical belt worn holster employing the belt loop of this invention and a handgun shown in phantom; and  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 b  is a rear side elevational view of the holster of FIG. 1 a;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a rear aspect perspective view of the inventive belt loop assembly;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines  3 - 3  of FIG. 2 showing the first taper of the belt loop;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the inventive belt loop showing the belt ridge or shelf and second taper;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 a  is a front perspective view partially broken away of the inventive ridge or shelf;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a front side elevational view of the inventive belt loop showing the clamping tongues or fingers and belt ridge or shelf in phantom;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper interior end of the belt loop opening showing the second taper;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the inventive belt loop taken along lines  7 - 7  of FIG. 4 showing the location of the ridge or shelf with a fragmentary portion of the belt also shown in phantom;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the inventive belt loop taken along lines  8 - 8  of FIG. 7 showing the belt loop clamped onto a belt and secured in the second taper; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is a fragmentary rear view of the belt loop of this invention with a fragmentary portion of the belt shown, in phantom.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]    Now referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 a  illustrates a typical duty holster  12  with weapon (shown in phantom) incorporating the belt loop assembly  10  of this invention supported on a belt  11 . FIG. 1 b , which is a rear side elevational view of FIG. 1 a , best illustrates the belt loop assembly  10 , which includes belt clamp assembly  14  and offset holster attachment  13 . The holster  12  is attached to the belt loop assembly  10  at the offset attachment  13  by three fasteners F, such as rivets, screws, or possibly sonic, or plastic welds or other securing means.  
         [0023]    In the step of installing the holster  12  on belt  11 , the wearer&#39;s belt  11  moves freely through the clamp assembly  14  until fixed into position by way of two screws S at the base of the clamp assembly  14 , which engage capture nuts CN, not shown in FIG. 1 b , but best shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 illustrates belt loop assembly  10  as a unitary body including clamp assembly  14 . Assembly  14  has a rear face  15 , which rests against the wearer&#39;s body, and a front face  16 . Rear face  15  and front face  16  are both slightly curved, to conform with the curvature of the wearers body with the curvature best shown in FIG. 3. Rear face  15  and front face  16  are separated by belt loop opening  19 , which is generally oval and elongated in shape and is designed to receive a belt. In the preferred embodiment, belt loop assembly  10  is partially rounded at its top  17  so as to eliminate any sharp edges.  
         [0025]    Belt loop assembly  10  also includes an offset attachment  13  which, in the preferred embodiment, is attached to holster  12  by fasteners, not shown in FIG. 2, which engage holster  12  through three openings O best shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0026]    Belt loop assembly  10  may be made from a variety of materials; however, in the preferred embodiment, the material of construction is a lightweight, yet strong, plastic, such as molded nylon.  
         [0027]    The rear face  15  of the clamp assembly  14  includes one or two generally rectangular-shaped integral tongues or fingers  22 . Each finger  22  has a proximal end  23  and a distal end  24 . The proximal end  23  is formed as part of rear face  15 , whereas each distal end  24  is disconnected from rear face  15  so as to allow finger  22  to flex about its proximal end  23 . In the preferred embodiment, each tongue&#39;s distal end  24  has a recess R as well as an opening TO best shown in FIG. 8. The recess R is designed to receive a capture nut CN or other securing means. Opening TO in distal end  24  of tongue  22  corresponds with opening TO′ in front face  16  of clamp assembly  14 , best seen in FIG. 5, and is designed to receive screws or other securing means.  
         [0028]    Belt loop opening  19  has an upper interior end  20  and a lower interior end  21 , best shown in FIGS. 4 and 8. At the lower interior end  21  of belt opening  19  is a ridge or shelf  30  best seen in FIG. 4 a . Ridge  30  is a flat shelf, which extends the entire length of belt loop opening  19  having its widest point  31  located between fingers  22 . Ridge  30  is located above opening TO′ in front face  16  and opening TO in finger  22 , so that the threads of a securing device, such as a screw passing through openings TO and TO′ do not come into contact with duty belt  11  which rests upon shelf  30 . Shelf  30  is preferably integral with the interior walls of belt opening  19  at its widest point  31 . The position of ridge or shelf  30  does not interfere with the fingers&#39;  22  ability to move about their proximal end  23 .  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along lines  3 - 3  of FIG. 2 of clamp assembly  14  which illustrates a first taper T of belt loop opening  19 . This first taper T is one of the inventive aspects of belt loop assembly  10  and aids in fixedly positioning belt loop assembly  10  along belt  11 . First taper T is a narrowing of the width of belt opening  19  from its outside edges towards its center C, and acts to wedge belt  11  into the narrowed area C of belt opening  19 .  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view and illustrates belt loop assembly  10  in the traditional position it would hang from belt  11 . The ridge or shelf  30  can be seen clearly at the lower interior end  21  of belt opening  19 . A second taper T′ can also be seen at the upper interior end  20  of belt opening  19 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 4 a  is a front perspective view partially broken away illustrating the location of shelf or ridge  30 . The widest portion  31  of shelf or ridge  30  is located between fingers  22 . In the preferred embodiment, the widest portion  31  of the ridge or shelf  30  is integral with the interior walls of belt loop opening  19 . Shelf or ridge  30  narrows  32  as it extends away from its widest portion  31  and towards each side of the clamp assembly  14 . FIG. 4 a  also illustrates fingers  22  positioned on either side of the widest portion  31  of shelf or ridge  30 , such that shelf  30  cannot interfere with the movement of fingers  22  about their proximal end  23 . FIG. 4 a  also illustrates shelf  30  located above openings TO′, and thus is above any securing device, such as belt screws S, so that belt  11  is unlikely to be damaged.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 5 illustrates front face  16  of belt loop assembly  10 . The location of ridge or shelf  30  and fingers  22  are shown by a dashed line. FIG. 5 clearly illustrates shelf  30  above openings TO′.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper interior end  20  of the belt loop opening  19 , which illustrates a second taper T′, which is a narrowing of the width of one side of the upper interior end  20  of belt loop opening  19 . Second taper T′ acts to wedge the top of belt  11  into belt opening  19 . The weight of the holster and weapon also aids in wedging belt  11  into taper T′. The first taper T and the second taper T′ of belt loop opening  19 , as well as clamp down fingers  22  provide three separate points where belt loop assembly  10  is fixed into position along belt  11 .  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  of FIG. 4 of the belt loop assembly  10  which illustrates belt  11  (shown in partial segment) resting upon shelf  30 . The portion of ridge  30 , upon which belt  11  directly rests, is shown above the openings TO in distal ends  24  of tongues  22 , and thus out of contact with a securing means, such as belt screws.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the belt loop assembly  10  taken along line  8 - 8  of FIG. 7 and illustrates belt loop assembly  10  fixed along belt  11 . To fix the position of belt loop assembly  10  along belt  11  in the preferred embodiment, belt screws S are inserted into openings TO′ of face  16  and pass through the corresponding openings TO in distal end  24  of fingers  22  and are tightened against mating nuts CN.  
         [0036]    As belt screws S are tightened against their mating nut CN, a force is exerted upon distal end  24  of finger  22  and distal end  24  is pulled inward towards face  16  causing fingers  22  to exert a compressive force against belt  11 , thereby fixing or clamping the belt loop assembly  10  to belt  11 . Because belt  11  rests upon ridge or shelf  30 , and above belt screws S, belt  11  does not come into contact with belt screws S and is not therefore damaged by belt screws S. FIG. 8 also illustrates belt  11  wedged into second taper T′ at the upper interior end  20  of belt opening  19 .  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 9 is a partial rear view of belt loop assembly  10  and illustrates the inventive belt assembly loop  10  rigidly attached to belt  11 , showing one finger  22  of clamp assembly  14  after belt screws S have been tightened against mating nut CN. Belt  11  is shown resting along ridge or shelf  30  in phantom and above and away from belt screws S.  
         [0038]    Altogether this invention provides an effective molded belt loop assembly, which, when attached to a holster, provides for the easy insertion of a duty belt and the ability to securely hold the holster in place at a selected position along the belt.  
         [0039]    The above-described embodiments of the present invention are merely descriptive of its principles and are not to be considered limiting. The scope of the present invention instead shall be determined from the scope of the following claims including their equivalents.