Patent Publication Number: US-6908019-B2

Title: Concealable baton scabbard

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to baton carriers or scabbards for releasably holding a baton such as used by law enforcement, security and military personnel, and more particularly to a baton scabbard configured and adapted to be worn, as on a belt or strap secured around the user&#39;s waist, under an article of outer clothing so that the scabbard and associated baton are substantially concealed and undetectable. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   It is frequently necessary for law enforcement and security personnel to carry an intermediate force weapon on their person. The weapon of choice is an extendable tactical baton which is lightweight, easy-to-carry, may be worn at the belt of the law enforcement and security personnel, and may be quickly drawn to a ready position. An example of such a tactical baton is the ASP TACTICAL BATON manufactured by Armament Systems and Procedures, Inc., the assignee of the subject invention. The ASP baton includes one or more telescoping sections that may be retracted into a handle portion so as to provide a cylindrical retracted baton of approximately seven to twelve inches in length and about one inch in diameter. Depending on its retracted length, the baton can approximate 16-31 inches in length when extended. 
   Typically, a law enforcement or security officer will carry the baton on his person in its retracted condition and will draw the baton from a scabbard, alternatively termed a carrier or holster, across his body into an at-ready position. A drawing and snapping action extends the baton to its fully expanded position. The baton may be stowed in the scabbard by retracting it and replacing it in the scabbard. Baton scabbards used by security and law enforcement personnel for stowing a baton are typically designed to be carried on a belt or strap secured about the user&#39;s waist, usually externally of the user&#39;s primary clothing so that the baton is stowed in a readily accessible position. 
   Situations frequently occur for security and law enforcement personnel in which it is highly desirable that the baton and associated scabbard be carried in a concealed and substantially undetected manner, for example, under the officer&#39;s outer clothing such as a jacket or coat, and yet still be readily accessible for quick removal and at-ready positioning of the baton. A typical situation in which security personnel are required to carry a baton in a concealed manner is when attending a function for dignitaries where the officer&#39;s weapons must be concealed and substantially undetectable under semiformal or formal civilian clothing. Other occasions may also call for the security officer&#39;s baton and scabbard to be concealed and not readily detectable under the officer&#39;s clothing. 
   Baton scabbards are known that are attachable to the belts of security and law enforcement personnel for carrying a baton. However, when worn under outer clothing such as a coat or jacket, the known baton scabbards generally result in outward bulging of the outer clothing. Other baton scabbard designs that enable the baton to be carried elsewhere on the body of the law enforcement officer, such as generally on the chest or torso, allow the officer ready access and release of the baton from its scabbard but often also result in outward detectable bulging of any overlying clothing. 
   Thus, there is a need for a baton scabbard or carrier that can be worn by security and law enforcement personnel in such a manner that the scabbard and associate baton are concealed and substantially undetectable under the user&#39;s clothing and yet enable the baton to be readily accessed and withdrawn from the scabbard. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention, a baton carrier or scabbard is provided that allows a baton to be concealed using a soft flexible case but employing a rigid inner tubular core configured to allow the baton to be readily inserted into the core and rapidly removed. To this end, an elongated rigid tubular baton receiving core or sleeve defines a generally cylindrical interior baton receiving chamber having an open upper end and partially closed bottom end. A pair of flexible wing members are formed by molding on diametrically opposite sides of the rigid core and overmolding or encircling the rigid core so as to provide a comfortable feel and aid in concealment of the scabbard and a baton stowed in the core. The flexible wing members, which may alternatively be termed wing panels, are thus attached to substantially diametrically opposite sides of the baton receiving core so as to lie generally in a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the tubular core in their non-flexed condition. The wing members are preferably made of a moldable soft flexible material, such as a suitable plastic, that enables flexing of the wing members in directions generally normal to their major surface areas relative to their lines of connection to the baton receiving core. 
   Each of the wing members includes means in the form of selectively positioned through-slots that are adapted to receive a belt or strap for securing the scabbard about the user&#39;s torso, such as at waist height, so as to allow ready access to and removal of a baton stowed in the scabbard and, conversely, re-stowing of the baton into the scabbard after use. The slots are preferably formed in laterally opposite pairs symmetrical about the axis of the baton receiving housing. A belt or strap can be inserted through a pair of laterally opposite slots so that the belt lies along the inner side of the baton housing relative to the user&#39;s body, thereby not deviating significantly from the normal line of belt tension when secured about the waist. The flexible wing members are caused to flex inwardly to the user&#39;s torso by the belt so that a relatively smooth outer contour surface is established by the scabbard that deviates only slightly from the normal line of tension created by the belt when taut about a user&#39;s waist. In this manner, when the scabbard is worn, for example at the user&#39;s waist height, the outer exposed surfaces of the scabbard wing members and the associated baton receiving core or sleeve establish a relatively uniform outer contour surface so that an overlying article of clothing engaging the scabbard and baton does not exhibit a significant outwardly detectable bulge revealing the underlying intermediate force weapon. By selective positioning of the belt receiving slots in the scabbard wings, the scabbard can be worn with the rigid baton receiving core disposed generally vertically or at a selected inclined angle relative to vertical. The belt or strap receiving slots in the scabbard wing members preferably have one or more breakaway bars formed integral with the corresponding wing members and extending generally transversely of the slots. The breakaway bars enable selective removal to extend the lengths of the slots to accommodate use of the scabbard with different width belts or straps. 
   In the preferred embodiment, the upper open end of the baton receiving core is beveled relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing downwardly away from the user&#39;s body so as to create a slightly elevated rear portion of the core. This enables the tip of the baton to be indexed against the elevated rear portion of the case and facilitate insertion of a baton into the core, as when re-stowing it after use. The bottom end of the baton receiving core is partially closed by a transverse flange that prevents the tip of a baton handle from passing below the bottom of the baton core but allows the tip end of an expanded baton to extend through the bottom of the baton core, as when re-holstering an expanded baton. The tubular handle of an expandable baton typically has a foam type gripping surface and tapers slightly inwardly toward the tip end of the baton handle. Because of this, and the fact that the baton receiving chamber in the rigid baton receiving core is generally cylindrical, the baton receiving core preferably has one or more radially inwardly extending retention ribs or pads formed on its interior cylindrical surface for engaging approximately the lower one-third of the baton handle when inserted into the core, thus preventing full surface contact of the baton with the interior wall of the chamber and facilitating rapid release and removal of a stowed baton. 
   It will understood that the concealable scabbard in accordance with the present invention is not restricted to use by law enforcement and security officers, but finds application by persons in other capacities, such as private investigators and security guards and the like. 
   Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals identify like elements throughout the several views. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a concealable baton scabbard constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrated attached to a belt such as worn by security and law enforcement personnel and having a baton stowed within the scabbard; 
       FIG. 2  is a front elevational view, partially in longitudinal section, of the scabbard of  FIG. 1  with a portion of the baton shown in phantom; 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the concealable baton scabbard of  FIG. 2  taken substantially along line  3 — 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along line  4 — 4  of  FIG. 3  but with a baton shown in elevation within the scabbard; 
       FIG. 5  is an elevational view of the baton receiving housing or sleeve employed in the scabbard of  FIG. 1 , a portion being broken away for clarity; 
       FIG. 6  is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along line  6 — 6  of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the baton receiving housing of  FIG. 5 ; and 
       FIG. 8  is a plan view of the scabbard of  FIG. 1  shown attached to a fragmentary portion of a belt as worn about a user&#39;s waist and with the baton removed from the scabbard. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   While the present invention is susceptible of embodiments of various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described some exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as exemplary of preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated and described. 
   Very generally, a concealable baton scabbard constructed in accordance with the present invention is particularly adapted for use with an intermediate force weapon in the form of an expandable baton and enables the scabbard to be conveniently worn on a belt or strap disposed generally about a user&#39;s waist beneath an article of clothing, such as an outer coat or jacket, so as to eliminate significant detectable bulging of the overlying clothing. Typical expandable batons include a tubular handle portion and at least one telescoping tubular section that can be extended from and retracted into the handle portion. When a belt is worn, for example, about one&#39;s waist with nothing attached to it, the belt defines a normal line of tension that coincides with the path of the belt around the user&#39;s waist. When an item, such as a scabbard for supporting an intermediate force weapon, is clipped or otherwise attached to the belt, it typically extends outboard of the belt line of tension and produces a corresponding bulge or outward distortion of any outer clothing that overlies the attached item, thereby providing a visual indication that something is under the outer clothing. This can present a problem when a suit coat or the like is worn by a security officer who may wish to appear as a causal observer and not be readily detected as possibly having a weapon stowed beneath his clothing. 
   Referring now the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1-4 , one embodiment of a concealable baton scabbard in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally at  10 . The scabbard  10 , which may alternatively be termed a carrier or holster, is particularly adapted to releasably support an intermediate force weapon, such as an expandable baton  12 , on a user&#39;s belt or the like, a fragmentary portion of which is indicated at  14  in  FIG. 8 , adapted to be worn about the user&#39;s waist so that the scabbard and baton are substantially undetectable under an article of clothing, such as a coat or jacket, worn by the user in overlying relation to the scabbard. As will become apparent, the concealable baton scabbard  10  finds particular application with security and law enforcement personnel where it is desired that an intermediate force weapon carried by the user be substantially undetectable under the user&#39;s outer clothing. 
   The concealable scabbard  10  includes an elongated rigid cylindrical tubular baton receiving core or sleeve  16  that is connected to attachment means, indicated generally at  18 , for attaching the scabbard to the belt or strap  14 . The baton receiving core  16 , which may alternatively be termed a tubular housing, is adapted to receive and releasably support the baton  12  so that when the scabbard is supported on a belt disposed about the user&#39;s waist, minimal outwardly bulging of the overlying clothing is observable. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2  taken in conjunction with  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the baton receiving core  16  includes a rigid tubular sleeve  22  that is preferably made of a lightweight corrosion resistant material, such as a suitable plastic, having an annular rim  22   a  formed about its open upper end  22   b , an annular rim  22   c  formed adjacent its lower end  22   d , and an intermediate annular rim  22   e  spaced upwardly from the lower rim  22   c . The rigid tubular sleeve  22  has a first pair of rectangular tabs  24   a  and  24   b  formed integral therewith so as to extend generally radially outwardly from diametrically opposite sides of the cylindrical sleeve adjacent its upper open end  22   b . A similar second pair of rectangular tabs  26   a  and  26   b  are formed integral with the tubular sleeve  22  adjacent its lower end interposed between the annular rims  22   c  and  22   e  and extending generally radially from diametrically opposite sides of the sleeve so that all of the tabs  24   a,b ,  26   a,b  lie in a common plane containing the longitudinal axis of sleeve  22 , as depicted by line  28  in FIG.  2 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the tabs  24   a,b  and  26   a,b  preferably have at least two openings extending therethrough, as indicated at  30 , to facilitate attachment of wing members to the sleeve  22  by a molding process as will be described. 
   The lower end  22   d  of sleeve  22  has a transverse flange  32  formed integral therewith so as to extend generally radially inwardly from the lowermost forward edge of the sleeve and thereby partially close the lower end of the sleeve, as shown in  FIGS. 3-8 . The lower forward edge of the sleeve  22  may also be considered to be the outermost surface of the rigid sleeve when the scabbard is worn about the user&#39;s waist, the inner surface of the sleeve being closest to the user&#39;s body. The flange  32  extends radially inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the sleeve sufficiently to prevent a collapsed baton from falling through the scabbard outwardly of the lower end and also prevent the telescopically retracted extendable sections of the collapsed baton from being accidentally jarred open and expanding, but allows the extended sections of an expanded baton to pass through the partially open lower end when inserting or re-holstering an expanded baton into the scabbard. 
   The upper exposed edge of the open end  22   d  of the baton receiving sleeve  22  is inclined relative to the longitudinal axis  28  of the sleeve from the rearward surface or wall to the forwardmost surface or front wall of the rigid sleeve  22 . In this manner, the tip of a retracted baton or tip end of an expanded baton can be indexed against the higher rear surface of sleeve  22  to facilitate insertion of a cylindrical baton into the baton receiving sleeve, and when re-stowing it after use. The angle of incline alpha is preferably in the range of approximately about 5-15 degrees, and more preferably about 7 degrees, relative to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve  22 . With the scabbard  10  attached to a user&#39;s belt the lower end of a collapsed baton can be indexed against the higher rear wall surface of sleeve  22  and readily slid down the back wall until the tip end of the baton engages the flange  22  of the sleeve without having to orient the baton to a position substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the sleeve to initiate entry. As aforedescribed, when an expanded baton is re-holstered into the scabbard, the outermost tip of the extended baton sections is indexed against the higher rear wall of the sleeve  22  and slid down the rear wall past the flange  32  until the open end of the baton handle engages flange  32  and prevents further insertion of the baton. The inner peripheral edge of the upper end  22   b  of sleeve  22  is preferably chamfered or beveled at  22   e  ( FIG. 6 ) to further facilitate entry of a baton. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the handle portion of a typical baton  12  is tapered inwardly toward the end  12   a  that receives one or more extendable telescoping sections so that the peripheral surface of the tapered end is spaced inwardly from the adjacent inner annular surface of the sleeve  22 . The rigid baton receiving sleeve  22  preferably has at least one, and preferably four equally circumferentially spaced elongated retention ribs or pads  34  formed on its inner surface such as being molded onto or otherwise affixed to the inner surface of the sleeve  22 . The retention ribs  34  are sized to frictionally engage and releasably retain a baton  12  within the sleeve  22  so as to reduce the force necessary to withdraw the baton but prevent inadvertent release of a stowed baton. As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the retention ribs  34  preferably extend from the lower end of the sleeve  22  to a position wherein the ribs engage approximately the lower one-third of the length of the baton. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4 , taken in conjunction with  FIGS. 5-7 , the attachment means  18  preferably takes the form of a pair of wing members or panels  40  and  42  that are affixed to diametrically opposite sides of the baton receiving sleeve and lie generally in a plane containing the longitudinal axis  28  of the housing sleeve and the tabs  24   a,b  and  26   a,b . The wing members  40  and  42  are preferably made of a suitable plastic, such as polyurethane, having a soft “touch” and being non-rigid so as to enable flexing about their respective lines of connection to the sleeve  22 . The wing members  40  and  42  may be formed by a suitable molding process so that the wing members are integral with an annular wall  44  of similar molded plastic formed coaxially about and in contact with the baton receiving sleeve  22 . The molded wing members or panels attach to the tabs  24   a,b  and  26   a,b  through the holes  30  formed in the tabs. In this manner, the wing members or panels  40 ,  42  and associated molded annular wall  44  are prevented from rotational sliding about the sleeve  22 . 
   As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , the wing members  40  and  42  are symmetrical about the longitudinal axis  28  of the baton receiving housing  16  and have generally arcuate shaped outer peripheral edges  40   a  and  42   a , respectively. The wing members are preferably formed of equal transverse thickness and each defines an outer generally arcuate portion  40   b  and  42   b , respectively, of greater thickness than a corresponding web portion  40   c  and  42   c  that is formed integral with and extends between the arcuate outer portion and the annular wall  44 . The upper and lower ends of the thicker arcuate portions  40   b  and  42   b  of the wing members are molded to the corresponding pairs of tabs  24   a,b  and  26   a,b  formed on the baton receiving housing sleeve  22 . 
   The wing members  40  and  42  each have a pair of generally arcuate shaped slots, indicated at  48   a,b  and  50   a,b  respectively, formed therethrough so that the slots establish laterally opposite pairs of slots  48   a ,  50   a  and  48   b ,  50   b  on diametrically opposite sides of the baton receiving sleeve. The diametrically opposed slots  48   a ,  50   a  and  48   b ,  50   b  are operative to receive a belt  14  of a user when it is desired to carry the baton scabbard so that a baton stowed in the scabbard is disposed in a generally vertical orientation. Should it be desired to orient the scabbard at an inclined angle relative to vertical so that the baton extends forwardly at an angle to vertical for easier access and withdrawal across the user&#39;s chest, the belt  14  may be inserted through the slots  48   a  and  50   b  or  48   b  and  50   a , depending upon which side of the waist the user wishes to carry the baton, thus enabling the user to carry the baton in a forwardly inclined position when worn on either the left or right-hand side of the user&#39;s waist. 
   Each of the belt receiving slots  48   a,b  and  50   a,b  has a plurality of substantially identical breakaway bars, such as indicated at  54 , that are preferably molded of plastic with the wing members so as to be integral therewith and extend transversely of the slots. Removing one or both of the breakaway bars results in a longer length slot for receiving larger width belts or straps for wearing the scabbard on the user&#39;s waist. 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , when a user wears a belt  14  around, for example the user&#39;s waist, as depicted by line  56 , the belt establishes a normal line of tension coincident with the belt around the user. When the concealable baton scabbard  10  is attached to the user&#39;s belt as by threading the belt through slots  48   a  and  50   a , the wing members  40  and  42  flex about their lines of connection to the baton receiving core  16  and the belt engages the inner surface of the baton receiving core as shown. With the wing members or panels  40  and  42  flexed arcuately toward the user&#39;s waist by the belt  14 , a relatively smooth outer profile or contour surface is created by the flexed wing members and outer curvature of the baton receiving core that defines a new line of tension, as indicated generally by dash line  60 , which forms a smooth transition from the belt&#39;s normal line of tension. 
   Thus, with the concealable baton scabbard  10  held against the user&#39;s waist by the belt  14  as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , an article of outer clothing that overlies the scabbard and a baton carried therein will lie generally along the smooth path of the line of tension  60  to thereby make the scabbard and baton virtually undetectable when viewed by persons observing the user. That is, the observer will be unaware that the user is carrying a scabbard underneath the user&#39;s outer clothing. 
   While the baton receiving core  16  is illustrated and described as having a cylindrical tubular configuration, it will be understood that the baton receiving core  16  may be formed with other transverse cross-sectional shapes for receiving non-cylindrical shaped intermediate force weapons as may be carried by law enforcement and security personnel. It will also be understood that the wing members or panels  40  and  42  may be formed with alternative elevational profiles such as rectangular or more elongated than the illustrated arcuate shaped wing members. It will be further understood that the wing members or panels  40  and  42  may have single belt receiving slots or more than two such slots. 
   While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular details depicted, and that changes and modifications may be made in the aforedescribed scabbard without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the various components of the illustrated scabbard may be made of various materials, such as a lightweight metal, plastics, etc. which exhibit the same rigidity and flexibility as aforedescribed, and which may have different elevational profiles and cross-sectional configurations, such as square, rectangular, circular, etc. It is intended, therefore, that the subject matter herein disclosed be interpreted as illustrative and not in limiting sense. Various features of the invention are defined in the following claims.