Abstract:
Presented is a accessory holder for use on a belt for holding accessories normally carried on a belt, and for providing quick on handed attachment and release of such accessories. The accessories include ammunition clips, flashlights, tasers, mace spray, hand cuffs, laser sighting equipment and ammunition magazines.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the priority date of the provisional application entitled MAGAZINE HOLDER filed by Mike Lowe on Jun. 5, 2007, with application Ser. No. 60/803,962. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for securing accessories to a belt, and more particularly to securing ammunition magazines to a belt.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Police officers are required to carry quite a few items on their belt, including flashlights, ammunition for their handgun, tasers, laser sites for their handgun, pepper spray, knives and other items. Some of theses items have to be rapidly accessible to an officer even when he/she is occupied with a dangerous situation with a criminal. For instance the officer may have to have a gun in his right hand (for right handed officers), while at the same he may need to access one of the accessories on his belt such as an ammunition clip, hand cuffs, flashlight or other accessories. To facilitate accessing one of these belt accessories, an accessory holder is needed which allows an officer to remove an accessory with one hand without looking at it, and to insert an accessory into its position on a belt to that it remains securely attached to the belt until needed.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     These and other goals are accomplished by the accessory holder of the invention.  
         [0005]     The invention is a belt-mounted holster for securing accessories on the belt. The holster is designed for one-handed insertion of an accessory, and one-handed withdrawal of the same accessory. The accessories can include the ammunition clip or pistol magazine of a semi-automatic pistol, a flashlight, a tube of mace, a tube of pepper spray, handcuffs, batteries, a knife, or any other accessory which may be advantageous to carry on a belt. Each of the accessories has a common feature and that is that they have a top edge. A locking tab of the holster engages the top edge of each of these and holds it securely in place.  
         [0006]     The holster of the invention includes a belt attachment means. The belt attachment means is preferably able to hold the holster body in place at an angle on the user&#39;s belt. The angle is to facilitate cross body draw of the accessory from the holster. For instance the holster could be mounted on a Police Officer&#39;s right side, and the accessory could be inserted and removed using the Officer&#39;s left hand. This would be in the case of a right-handed Officer, and would allow him to keep his right hand free for accessing a handgun; the left-handed version would be the mirror image of the right. When used with a handgun, the Officer could be holding the handgun in his right hand, reach for the accessory holster with his left hand, remove an ammunition clip, and insert it with his left hand into the handgun held by the right hand. While in the holster the ammunition clip or other accessory would also be secured in place so that it would not fall out during a scuffle, or any other act, which would typically dislodge an ammunition clip.  
         [0007]     The holster includes a holster body with a bottom side, a top side, a left side, and a right side. One side would be open for insertion of the accessory, and a side opposite the open side could either be closed over or left open. The sides define an inner chamber into which the accessory is inserted.  
         [0008]     Attached to the bottom side of the holster body is a biased locking tab. The locking tab is configured to engage the top edge of the accessory. The locking tab is displaced by the accessory when the accessory is inserted into the inner chamber, and once the accessory is inserted, the locking tab snaps into position behind the top edged of the accessory and engages the top edge of the accessory to block its removal unless the locking tab is displaced. The locking tab includes a thumb tab on the first side of the locking tab. The thumb tab is for the user to use in displacing the locking tab. This allows for one handed insertion and removal of the accessory.  
         [0009]     The locking tab also has a cutout on the second side of the locking tab, opposite the thumb tab, so that the user&#39;s middle finger can grip the accessory and assist in removing it.  
         [0010]     The locking tab can further have a hook on a distal and for engaging the top end of the accessory. The locking tab can be an extension of the bottom side attached to part of but not all of its length to the left and its right side. If the holster body is made up of high impact plastic, the locking tab being partially but not fully attached to the left and right sides allows it to have some flex, and provides the biasing capability to the locking tab. The left side of the holster body is adjacent to the thumb tab, and is preferably configured to be shorter than the right side this allows space for the users thumb on the left side and also with the right side being longer provides a space for the users index finger to press against the right side in opposition to pressure of the users thumb on the left side.  
         [0011]     The purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the public, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection, the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The Abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.  
         [0012]     Still other features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description describing preferred embodiments of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out my invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiments are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive in nature. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the accessory holder of the invention, showing a user&#39;s thumb and hand in position to release an ammunition clip. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]     While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.  
         [0015]     In the following description and in the figures, like elements are identified with like reference numerals. The use of “or” indicates a non-exclusive alternative without limitation unless otherwise noted. The use of “including” means “including, but not limited to,” unless otherwise noted.  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a preferred embodiment of the accessory holster of the invention. Although the accessory shown is an ammunition clip or an ammunition magazine for a pistol it is to be understood that other accessories which are commonly held on a police office&#39;s belt would also be accessories which could be held by the accessory holster of the invention. This includes tasers, handcuffs, mace cans, flashlights, laser sighting devices and other accessories that are commonly used by a police officer, S.W.A.T. team member, security guard, or military police or other similar professions.  
         [0017]     The accessory holster  10  of the invention includes a belt attachment means  12 , which can be a simple, or can also be a rotating belt loop which allows the accessory holder  10  to be placed on a belt at an angle. The belt attachment means can also be compatible with utility belts which have a rail or other means of attaching accessories. The device includes a holster body  14  which is preferably made of thermal molded plastic. The device can also be made by injection molding or by other manufacturing techniques which provide suitable rigidity and durability in the holster body, with adequate results in the locking tab. The holster body includes a bottom side  16 , top side  18 , a left side  20  and a right side  22 . The sides, bottom and top define in inner chamber  24  and accessory  26  is inserted into the inner chamber  24  for carrying and storage on an officer&#39;s utility belt. The accessory holder tab includes a locking tab  28  which in a preferred embodiment of the bottom side of the holster body. It is bias by the shape of the lock tab and the bottom side and then a preferred embodiment continuous with the bottom side  16  of the holster body. The biasing effect is provided by the resilience of the plastic of which the holster  14  is made off. The locking tab  28  includes a hook  38  on the distal end of the locking tab. The hook  38  configured to engage the top edge  30  of an accessory such as the ammunition clip shown. The locking tab  28  includes a first side  34  and a second side  40 . On the first side  34  is located is from the thumb tab  32  provides a feature which the user can press against with his thumb  42 . When depressed with sideways pressure of the thumb  42 , the hook  38  on the locking tab  28  is moved to disengage with the top edge  30  of the accessory held within the accessory holster  10 . Once released form the hook  38 , the accessory  26  may be removed form the accessory holster  10 . To facilitate remove of the accessory form the accessory holster, the left side  20  of the holster body may be shorter then the right side  22 . This provides extra service of the accessory which is exposed for clipping the user&#39;s thumb  42 . Another way that the removal  36  holster  10 , is facilitated is by the second side  40  of the locking tab, defining a cut out  36 , which facilitates the user, gripping the side of the accessory opposite from the user&#39;s thumb  42 , to be able to get a better grip on the accessory an to facilitate removal.  
         [0018]     While there is shown and described the present preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that this invention is not limited thereto, but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.