# Patent

## Title
Holster

## Abstract

A holster for a handgun that comprises a holster body with a handgun cavity for receiving and retaining the handgun by way of a obstructing member at the ejection port and at the rear portion of the handgun slide. Moreover, a single obscured push button actuates both mechanisms. An internal retention sleeve having an inverted U-shape is slidingly mounted within the holster body and movable between a first securement position and a second release position. The sleeve having an integral thumb button depressible downwardly whereby the sleeve moves downwardly within the body to release a ejection port stop catch and the latch hood. The sleeve biased toward a normal retention position, the handgun withdrawal obstructing member biased toward the normal retention position, the latch hood biased toward a release position but having a normal latched obstructing position until released by the sleeve.

## Background
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Current rigid polymer holsters that utilize retention mechanisms for preventing removal of the handgun typically secure the handgun at the trigger guard, Holsters that utilize trigger guard latch mechanisms generally cannot accommodate accessories mounted forwardly of the trigger guard of the handgun, such as laser sights. Moreover, a particular holster design for different handguns, or for the same handgun with accessories, will typically require entirely new component configurations for a particular model of holster. This is due to the requirement for proper operation of the release mechanism of a very close form fit between the handgun and the holster. Such requires different mold sets for each configuration greatly increasing manufacturing cost. Additionally when a holster has more than one retention feature, often mechanisms are either complicated, not reliable, and/or the actuation buttons are readily visible. It would be advantageous to have less visible release buttons on a holster, and the capability of capturing handguns with accessories forward of the trigger guard. Also, the capability for utilizing common components in holsters for different handguns would be beneficial in a cost perspective.
SUMMARY
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention address the above with a holster for a handgun that comprises a holster body with a defined handgun cavity for receiving and retaining the handgun at the ejection port and at the rear end of the handgun slide. Moreover, a single obscured push button actuates both mechanisms. The holster comprising a holster body having an upper opening for inserting and removing the handgun, a cavity for receiving the handgun and having a bottom or lower wall portion and a first and an opposite second side wall, a forward wall and a rearward wall portion. A pivot guard or latch hood configured is pivotally connected between the first and second walls adjacent to the forward wall portion and at the upper opening, the latch hood having a capture position extending over the handgun slide end and a release open position with a spring bias towards the release open position. An internal retention sleeve having an inverted U-shape is slidingly mounted within the holster body at the forward wall portion and extending downwardly to the first and second side walls. The U-shaped sleeve movable between a first securement position and a second release position. The U-shaped sleeve sized to receive and move along an upper portion of the handgun, primarily the slide. The sleeve having an integral thumb button depressible downwardly whereby the sleeve moves downwardly within the body. A resilient cantilevered leaf spring has an ejection port stop catch, an actuation portion and an end secured to the body. The stop catch being in an obstructing position with the ejection port in a first normal position and movable to a second release position. The actuation portion engageable with an engagement portion of the sleeve, at least one of the intermediate portion and sleeve having a cam wedge portion whereby when the sleeve is moved downwardly, the leaf spring is deflected out of the obstructing position with the ejection port.
The sleeve further having a latch hood engagement portion and the latch hood further having a sleeve engagement portion that cooperate with each other, whereby the latch hood engagement portion and the sleeve engagement portion are latchable together when the latch hood is in the capture position for retaining the latch hood in said capture position, and wherein sliding the U-shaped slide portion forwardly toward the second release position disengages the latch hood engagement portion and the sleeve portion engagement portion allowing the latch hood to open to the release position driven by the bias of the latch hood toward the release position.
After the handgun is removed, the latch hood remains open. Resetting the retention mechanisms is accomplished by replacing the gun in the holster, slightly depressing the push button and rotating the latch hood to the capture position and then releasing the push button such that the cooperating engagement portions of the sleeve and the latch hood are engaged.
A feature and advantage of embodiments of the invention is the retention sleeve that is removable from the holster body. The removable retention sleeve can have various shapes and sizes for different handguns so that a particular retention sleeve can fit into the holster body and then be switched out with another retention sleeve, depending on the desired type of handgun for use. Thus, manufacturing costs for holsters for different handguns can be reduced. In embodiments, the end consumer may be able to switch out the sleeves.
In particular embodiments, the latch hood is in a closed position when the latch hood is engaged with the retention sleeve. To engage the retention sleeve with the latch hood, the retention sleeve may have at least one or more projections or prongs that slide into or fit into compartments, sleeves, or pockets of the latch hood. Alternatively, the latch hood may have one or more projections or prongs that fit into or slide into compartments, sleeves, or pockets of the retention sleeve.
Embodiments of the invention include the individual mechanisms as well. A feature and advantage of embodiments is a latch hood operated by a push button attached to an axially movable member that slides or moves out of a latching engagement with the latch hood and the latch hood by way of a spring bias rotates to the open position allowing removal of the handgun.
The retention sleeve may include at least one projection that extends out on one end of the retention sleeve. In one embodiment, the projecting component extends towards the front of the gun, downwardly in the holster body, and is sized to capture a spring. The spring engages a spring catch of the interior of the holster body to provide a bias of the sleeve towards the open top of the holster. A feature and advantage of the holster is that the pivoting latch hood can remain open when the handgun is reholstered to provide a lesser retention level than with the latch hood in a capture position.
A feature and advantage of embodiments is the release lever coupled to the retention sleeve. When the release sleeve and latch hood are engaging with each other, pressing downward (or forward) on the release lever simultaneously or sequentially actuates and disengages the catch wedge of the latch member from the ejection port of a handgun and disengages the prongs from the latch hood from the compartments, pockets, or sleeves of the retention sleeve. A spring or other resilient material may be placed underneath the ejection port capture member for primary or supplemental bias in the obstruction position with the ejection port.
A feature and advantage of embodiments of the invention is that the retention of the firearm at the slide allows the holster to be configured to receive firearms with laser illumination sights units mounted forwardly of the trigger guard. Conventional holsters with trigger guard retention mechanisms cannot receive firearms with such laser sights.
A feature and advantage of embodiments of the invention is a single thumb actuated push button that releases the spring loaded pivoting latch hood and a gun withdrawal obstruction member. In embodiments the obstruction member may be on the trigger guard, in embodiments on the ejection port.
A feature and advantage of embodiments of the invention is that a single motion with the thumb depression can actuate the latch hood to snap open providing a provocative signal to a potential suspect that the gun may be deployed. A feature and advantage of the embodiments of the invention is that the actuation button is not readily visible. Moreover, in embodiments, the push button is positioned in a difficult to access position by others not wearing the holster. In embodiments the button is forward of the hood and intermediate the firearm and holster attachment portion, for example, a belt clip. Also, the user may mute the latch hood “snap” by preventing it from snapping open with the same hand actuating the push button.
The holster can attach to a holster holding device so that the holster can hang from a particular location, like the belt of a user. The holster holding device can attach to the outside of the holster by lining up a mounting plate located in the interior of the holster body with the holster holding device located on the exterior of the holster body. In one embodiment, the holster body, mounting plate, and holster holding device will each have a set or series of sets of holes that can be lined up and then fastened together, i.e. a screw.
These and other features and aspects of the present invention may be described below in connection with some exemplary embodiments of the invention and other attributes and benefits of the foregoing will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the following drawings and detailed description. Other holsters which disclose mechanisms and configurations that are suitable for portions of embodiments of the invention of this application are illustrated in U.S. Patent/Publication Nos. US 2007/0181619, US 2011/0163138, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,694,860 and 7,556,181, which are incorporated by reference herein.
In an embodiment of the invention, a holster shell with a insertion/withdrawal direction, a thumb pushbutton is on one side of the holster and connects to linkage that transfers a downward motion of the button on the one side to an opposite side of the holster and the linkage engages an ejection port obstruction member that has an obstructing position and a release position with respect to engagement of a handgun at the ejection port, the handgun in the holster shell, the ejection port obstruction member being movable to a release position by the downward motion. The obstruction member biased to a normal obstruction position. In embodiments, the pushbutton retains a pivoting hood, positioned above a rear portion of a slide of the handgun, in a retention position, the actuation of the pushbutton releasing the pivoting hood to a non-retention position, the hood biased, such as by a spring, to the non-retention position.
The above summary of the various representative features and aspects of the present invention is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. Rather, the various representative features and aspects are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may appreciate and understand the principles of certain aspects of the present invention. The figures in the detailed description that follows more particularly exemplify such aspects of the present invention.



DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a holster according to embodiments of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the holster of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the holster with the belt clip removed in accord with embodiments of the invention.
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a holster and handgun in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a holster in accord with the invention with the handgun shown in phantom.
FIG. 6 is a view of the holster of FIG. 5 with the latch hood released for removal of the handgun in accord with embodiments of the invention.
FIG. 7 is top perspective view showing the inside of the holster with the obstruction member shown stippled for purposes of clarity.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the front of the holster with the retention sleeve shown stippled for clarity purposes.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the holster illustrating the sliding engagement of the sleeve with the holster body in accord with embodiments of the invention. The cross section taken at about line.
FIG. 10 illustrates the engagement mechanisms of the latch hood to the sleeve.
FIG. 11 is another view of the engagement of the latch sleeve to the hood.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a handgun with two retention means and the actuation sleeve thereon without the shell illustrated for purposes of clarity.
FIG. 13 is a view of the top of the gun (or the front of the holster) illustrating the retention means of FIG. 12.
FIG. 14 is a view facing the front of the handgun an illustrating the relationship of the sleeve to the top surface of the handgun.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the retention means of FIGS. 12-14 without the handgun.
FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the sleeve and ejection port obstruction member as the cooperate in the holster.
FIG. 17 is the same perspective view of FIG. 16 without the sleeve.
FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a different embodiment of a latch hood as compared to FIGS. 10 and 11.
FIG. 19 is another perspective view of the latch hood of FIG. 18.
FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the actuation sleeve of FIGS. 12-16.
FIG. 21 is another perspective view of the actuation sleeve of FIG. 20.
FIG. 22A is a side view of the latch hood in a retention position secured in place by the actuation sleeve, for purposes of clarity, the holster body is not shown.
FIG. 22B is a side view of the latch hood of FIG. 22A with the manual pushbutton of the actuation sleeve being depressed commencing the handgun release sequence.
FIG. 22C is a side view of the latch hood of FIG. 22A with the sleeve moved to the release position allowing the pivot hood to snap open.
FIG. 22D is a side view of the latch hood of FIG. 22A with the pivot hood in the release-full open position and the sleeve full forward.
FIG. 22E is a side view of the latch hood of FIG. 22A with the sleeve retracted.
FIG. 22F is a side view of the latch hood of FIG. 22A with the obstruction of the pivoting of the latch hood when the sleeve has not been pushed forward.



DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIGS. 1-7, a holster 20 is configured to receive a handgun 22 and in particular embodiments is equipped with two retention means commonly actuated. The holster comprises generally a holster body 30, linkage configured as a slidably engaged internal retention sleeve 34 connected to the body, a handgun withdrawal obstructing member 40 configured as an ejection port obstruction or capture member connected to the body, and a latch hood 46 connected to the body. A holster holding device such as an attachment clip 50 may be used to secure the holster to a belt or other harness. The handgun is a conventional semi-automatic with a slide 51 and ejection port 52 with a surface 55 that extends transverse to the direction d of insertion and removal of the firearm. The holster has a longitudinal axis a extending parallel to the insertion/withdrawal direction. Of note, the holster provides functionality even when the handgun has accessories such as laser illumination sights 53.
The holster body 30 or shell may be formed from two clam shell type halves 54, 56 that may be secured together by fasteners 58 or the body may be unitarily formed. The body has a bottom portion 60, sidewalls 62, 64, a forward wall portion 66, a rearward wall portion 68, and, an open top 70.
Referring to FIGS. 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, the U-shaped retention sleeve is shown in detail. The U-shaped sleeve is a motion transfer linkage to transfer the thumb downward motion to the opposite side of the holster where the ejection port of the slide is located. The sleeve has a top slide portion 76 which engages a cooperating groove 78 configured as a channel formed into the forward wall portion of the holster body. In other embodiments an axially extending groove may be provided in the slide to engage protruding portions extending from the body or shell. The sleeve has a forward spring catch 82 engaged with a spring 84 that is also engaged with the holster body, such as in a recess 85, to provide a bias to the sleeve towards the open top 70 of the holster. The sleeve further has a lever or pushbutton handle 86 integrally formed such as by injection molding with the slide portion 88 of the sleeve. The thumb button may be advantageously positioned between the firearm and a holster holding device, such as the clip illustrated. Latch hood engagement portions 90 provide recesses or slots for cooperative engagement of the latch hood. The sleeve also has an engagement portion 94 configured as a surface defining a recess or slot, an opening, an aperture or window for engaging the ejection port obstructing member 40 as the sleeve. Such a recess or slot, an opening, an aperture or window provides a guide-in effect to minimize misalignments of the components and added reliability in the release function.
The latch hood 46, or rear pivot guard, has sleeve engagement portions 102, 104 which cooperate and engage with the sleeve at the recesses or slots 90 of the sleeve to prevent pivoting of the latch hood. The latch hood may be pivotally attached to the holster body by way of a pin 108 and may be biased towards an open unlatched position as illustrated in FIG. 6 by way of a torsion spring 112. The latch hood has a handgun slide obstructing cap portion 114 which when in a closed retention or capture position precludes removal of the handgun by obstructing the rear slide portion 115 of the handgun. The handgun is installed in the holster with the latch hood in the open release position as illustrated in FIG. 6.
The ejection port obstruction member 40 is best illustrated in FIGS. 4, 7 and 9 and provides a capture or retention position and a release position by engaging a surface that extends transverse to the direction d of insertion and removal of the firearm. The surface may be an edge or edge surface of an ejection port of the slide. Alternative transverse surfaces may be utilized depending on the firearm and may also comprise a transverse surface on an accessory added to the firearm. The obstruction member 40 may be configured as a leaf spring with a first end 120 that is secured to the side wall 64 of the holster body by way of a fastener such as a screw 122, rivet, welding, or other means. The ejection port capture member may have a catch at the opposite second end 126. The capture member may be configured as a resilient leaf spring utilizing the resiliency of the leaf spring material to resiliently provide a normal position of retention by obstructing the ejection port of a handgun in the holster. The catch end 126 may have an angle that is best illustrated in FIG. 7 for enhanced securement at the ejection port. The catch member also has an engagement portion 132 that cooperates with the U shaped sleeve 34 at an engagement portion 136. The engagement provides that as the sleeve is depressed downwardly a cam follower or wedge surface 138 on the ejection port catch member is engaged by an engagement surface configured as a cam surface on the sleeve causing said ejection port capture member to move towards the side wall and away from the engagement position with the ejection port of the handgun. In other embodiments the obstruction member may be pivotally attached to the body with a retention position and a release position with the retention position blocking removal of the firearm by obstruction of a surface transverse to the insertion and removal directions of the firearm in the holster. The obstruction member may be biased by a spring to the obstructing position.
The holster holding device 50 may extend upwardly and provides restricted access to the thumb-release button. The holster may be disassembled such as by removal of the hood pin 108 and then sliding removal of the sleeve. Different sleeves may be utilized to convert the holster to conform to different firearms. In embodiments of the invention, a kit may be provided with a shell and differently configured sleeves to accommodate different handguns. Also, in embodiments, more than one obstructing member may be provided with such kits.
Referring to FIGS. 12-22F, a different embodiment of the holster retention mechanism is illustrated compared to FIGS. 10 and 11. The latch hood 200 has prongs 202, 204 that are shorter than in the previous embodiment and have a notch 208 that precludes closure of the hood 200 without the downward(or forward) actuation of the sleeve 209. This assures the use of two retention mechanisms when the handgun is secured in the holster by way of precluding the latching of the pivot hood until the sleeve is forward which deflects the ejection port obstruction member . The sleeve has a top 210, sides 212, 214 and lower recess with a conforming shape to the handgun to be received. The sleeve engages the top surface of the handgun in the holster and has a T-shaped upper portion 220 that is received in the groove of the holster shell or body as illustrated best in FIG. 9. A thumb pushbutton 224 extends from a mid portion 226 of one of two side wall portions 212 which extend horizontal (when the axis of the gun and holster are horizontal) and taper downwardly.
Referring to FIGS. 22A to 22F, the sequence of operation of the pivot hood retention mechanism is illustrated. FIG. 22A has the hood in the retention or obstruction position latched in place by the prongs received in slots and resting on platforms 234 of the sleeve 209, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 20, for example. With the pushing of the pushbutton the result is illustrated in FIG. 22B and in FIG. 22C the sleeve no longer restricts the spring driven rotation of the hood and the hood is shown in a upward motion to the full open and release position of FIG. 22D and with the full downward position of the sleeve which then has the curved cam surface 242 of opening or slot 240 in sleeve 209 fully deflecting outwardly the obstructing member 24 such that the stop surface 238 is in a non-obstructing position with respect to the handgun ejection port 244. FIG. 22E illustrates the sleeve sliding rearwardly (with respect to the handgun) or upwardly (with respect to the holster) and FIG. 22F illustrates the sleeve in its normal undepressed position and with the latch hood manually pivoted such that the notches 208 are obstructed by the corners 252 of the platforms 234.
In addition to the T-shaped top porton 220, the sleeve may have bearing surfaces 260 on its sides to engage the inside surface of the holster body. The inside of the sleeve also has bearing surfaces 262 that engage the top surface of the handgun. Such bearing surfaces conform to the shape of the slide of the handgun. Also opposing side surfaces 266, 268 are parallel to each other and sandwich the slide of the handgun therebetween. As best illustrated by FIG. 14, the engagement of the handgun with the side surfaces may be a close fit with some tolerance to allow easy sliding of the handgun in and out of the holster without the slide gripping and impeding said insertion and withdrawal of the handgun.
The body and sleeve and ejection port obstructing member, and latch hood may be formed of injection molded polymers or composite construction. Generally the shell components, the sleeve, the obstructing member, and the latch hood will be rigid materials with some resilience. Nylons, polyethelenes, epoxies, may be suitable for example; such may be reinforced with glass, carbon or other fiber materials. Other materials may also be suitable, for example the ejection port obstructing member could readily be formed from spring steel or composite construction-polymer and steel.
The above references in all sections of this application are herein incorporated by references in their entirety for all purposes.
All of the features disclosed in this specification (including the references incorporated by reference, including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.
Each feature disclosed in this specification (including references incorporated by reference, any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any incorporated by reference references, any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed The above references in all sections of this application are herein incorporated by references in their entirety for all purposes.
Although specific examples have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose could be substituted for the specific examples shown. This application is intended to cover adaptations or variations of the present subject matter. Therefore, it is intended that the invention be defined by the attached claims and their legal equivalents, as well as the following illustrative aspects. The above described aspects embodiments of the invention are merely descriptive of its principles and are not to be considered limiting. Further modifications of the invention herein disclosed will occur to those skilled in the respective arts and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the invention.

## Claims

1. A holster for securing a handgun with a holster body, the holster comprising:
an internal retention sleeve coupled with a release lever, the internal retention sleeve including a slot;
a spring located between the internal retention sleeve and the interior portion of the holster body;
an ejection port obstruction member configured as a leaf spring, one end of the ejection port obstruction member being secured to a side wall of the holster body and another end of the ejection port obstruction member having a latch member that fits within the slot of the internal retention sleeve and is adapted to engage an ejection port of the handgun to preclude removal of the handgun from the holster; and
a latch hood that engages with the internal retention sleeve, wherein the internal retention sleeve contains a pair of slots for receiving a pair of prongs that are directly attached to the latch hood,
wherein:
the latch hood has an obstruction position to obstruct a rear portion of the handgun and preclude removal of the handgun from the holster when the pair of prongs are received in the pair of slots,
the latch hood has a non-obstruction position to allow removal of the handgun from the holster,
the prongs are engagable with the internal retention sleeve to preclude rotation of the latch hood from the non-obstruction position to the obstruction position; and
the prongs are disengagable from the internal retention sleeve to allow rotation of the latch hood to the obstruction position to obstruct the rear portion of the handgun.

2. The holster as set forth in claim 1, wherein the release lever disengages the latch hood from the internal retention sleeve and is adapted to simultaneously or sequentially disengage the latch member from the ejection port of the handgun.

3. The holster as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a holster holding device that attaches to the holster through a mounting plate.

4. The holster as set forth in claim 1, wherein a forward force applied to the release lever actuates the latch member to disengage from the slot of the internal retention sleeve and from the ejection port of the handgun, and simultaneously actuates the latch hood to disengage from the internal retention sleeve.

5. The holster as set forth in claim 1, wherein the latch hood is connected to the holster body with a pivot spring; further wherein the ejection port obstruction member configured as the leaf spring includes a single wedge; further wherein the latch member comprises the single wedge.

6. The holster as set forth in claim 1, wherein the prongs define at least one notch adapted to engage the internal retention sleeve to preclude rotation of the latch hood to the obstruction position.

7. A holster for securing a handgun with a holster body, the holster comprising:
an internal retention sleeve coupled with a release lever, the internal retention sleeve including a slot;
a spring located between the internal retention sleeve and the interior portion of the holster body;
an ejection port obstruction member configured as a leaf spring, one end of the ejection port obstruction member being secured to a side wall of the holster body and another end of the ejection port obstruction member having a latch member that fits within the slot of the internal retention sleeve and is adapted to engage an ejection port of the handgun to preclude removal of the handgun from the holster; and
a latch hood that engages with the internal retention sleeve, the latch hood being constructed to obstruct a rear portion of the handgun to preclude removal of the handgun from the holster;
wherein the latch hood is pivotably attached to the holster body, the latch hood covering a portion of the holster body when in a closed position;
wherein a forward force applied in a forward direction to the release lever actuates the latch member to disengage from the ejection port of the handgun and actuates the latch hood to pivot to an open, handgun-release position;
further wherein the internal retention sleeve comprises a pair of platforms and the latch hood comprises a pair of prongs extending in the forward direction and adapted to rest on the platforms to restrict pivoting of the latch hood to the open, handgun-release position;
further wherein the forward force applied to the release lever moves the internal retention sleeve to disengage the prongs from the platforms, to allow pivoting of the latch hood to the open, handgun-release position.

8. The holster as set forth in claim 7, wherein the forward force applied to the release lever compresses the spring located between the internal retention sleeve and the interior portion of the holster body.

9. The holster as set forth in claim 7, wherein each prong defines a notch and each platform defines a corner, each corner being adapted to engage a respective notch and restrict pivoting of the latch hood away from the open, handgun-release position.