Abstract:
An apparatus operates as both a holster and a benchrest for a handgun. The apparatus comprises first and second end walls, and a supporting pad secured between the first and second end walls. As a holster, the first and second end walls and the supporting pad define a cradle adapted for holstering a handgun. The holster may also be flipped upside-down and then operated as a benchrest. When the assembly is operating as a benchrest, a barrel rest may be inserted into a barrel-rest receiver slot on the top-side of the assembly. The barrel rest has a U-channel adapted for supporting the barrel of a handgun. The supporting pad further provides a surface for supporting the grip of the handgun. Thus, the apparatus provides a benchrest

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/086,564, filed Dec. 2, 2014, which application is hereby incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a convertible holster-and-benchrest assembly, that is, an apparatus that is adapted to holster a handgun and also adapted to operate as a benchrest. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Ownership of firearms and personal defense weapons is on the rise. Owners desire to transport their handguns to shooting ranges in order to hone their marksmanship skills. Handguns are typically transported in a holster. Owners often desire to fire their handguns using a benchrest when they are at a shooting range, which steadies the handgun and provides for a more accurate shot, which is particularly important when calibrating the sights on a gun. A benchrest is particularly desirable when a scope is attached to a handgun, particularly if the scope needs to be calibrated also. However, conventional holsters are not capable of holstering a scoped handgun, or require the scope to be removed from the handgun prior to holstering, thereby requiring the owner to re-sight the scope when reattaching the scope. Owners also often forget to bring a benchrest with then to the shooting range or do not desire to transport a cumbersome benchrest with them to the shooting range. Thus, owners often lose the benefits of shooting from a benchrest. 
         [0004]    As such, there is a need for a lightweight holster assembly that also provides for a benchrest that can be easily transported with a handgun. It would be desirable if such a holster assembly could holster a scoped handgun. Still further, it would also be desirable for such a holster assembly to be durable, yet capable of being manufactured cost-effectively. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides for an apparatus for holstering a handgun and also operating as a benchrest. The apparatus comprises a first end wall and a second end wall. A barrel rest having a channel adapted to secure a barrel of a handgun when the apparatus is operating as a benchrest is provided. A supporting pad is secured between the first end wall and the second end wall. The supporting pad has a barrel-rest receiver slot adapted to secure the barrel rest when the apparatus is operating as a benchrest. The supporting pad also has a first surface adapted to support a grip-portion of a handgun when the apparatus is operating as a benchrest. The supporting pad also has a second surface adapted to secure a barrel of a handgun when the apparatus is holstering a handgun. The first end wall, the second end wall, and the supporting pad define a cradle adapted to secure a grip-portion of a handgun when the apparatus is holstering a handgun. 
         [0006]    The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of a holster assembly in accordance with the present invention exemplified operating as a benchrest; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the holster assembly exemplified operating as a benchrest and having a handgun oriented in a position for firing; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the holster assembling exemplified operating as a holster and holstering a scoped handgun; 
           [0011]      FIGS. 4A-4C  are front views of multiple embodiments of a barrel rest in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the holster assembly; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of an embodiment of a tube-and-plug fastener in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6A  is a side view of a plug in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention taken along view line  6 A- 6 A; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6B  is a side view of the plug taken along view line  6 B- 6 B; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 6C  is a side view of a plug in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    In the discussion of the FIGURES, the same reference numerals will be used throughout to refer to the same or similar components. In the interest of conciseness, various other components known to the art, such as pistols, mattresses, and the like, have not been shown or discussed in detail. Additionally, as used herein, the term “substantially” is to be construed as a term of approximation. The term handguns as used herein includes handguns, revolvers, Tasers, pistols, stun guns, and the like effective for protection. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, reference numeral  100  generally designates a holster assembly embodying features of the present invention. Holster assembly  100  is exemplified oriented for operation as a benchrest. Holster assembly  100  comprises end walls  110   a  and  110   b.  Optionally, dividing wall  120  is located between end walls  110   a  and  110   b . Supporting pad  130   a  is secured between end wall  110   a  and dividing wall  120 ; while supporting pad  130   b  is secured between end wall  110   b  and dividing wall  120 . Surface  136  of each supporting pad is adapted to provide a flat platform for supporting the grip portion of a handgun when holster assembly  100  is operating as a benchrest. Barrel rest  140  is adapted to support a barrel of a handgun when holster assembly  100  is operating as a benchrest. Barrel-rest receiver slot  132  is formed between walls  110   a,    110   b,  and  120  and supporting pads  130   a  and  130   b . Barrel rest  140  inserts into barrel-rest receiver slot  132  as shown by the arrow  133  and thus secured therein. Tube-and-plug fasteners  600 , described in further detail below with respect to  FIG. 6 , secure end walls  110   a  and  110   b,  supporting pads  130   a  and  130   b,  and dividing wall  120  together. Securing means  190 , preferably a Velcro® strap, is threaded through a central opening  112  for securing a handgun in place. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , holster assembly  100  is exemplified operating as a benchrest for scoped handgun  50 . The grip portion  52  of handgun  50  is supported by surfaces  136  of supporting pads  130   a  and  130   b.  The barrel  54  of handgun  50  is supported by barrel rest  140 . It may be appreciated that barrel rest  140  (see  FIG. 4A-C ) is sized and shaped according to the characteristics (e.g., size and shape) of handgun  50  being fired and, optionally also the desired trajectory of a shot. As such, holster assembly  100  may also be used as a benchrest for a handgun, thereby increasing the accuracy of a shot. This is particularly advantageous when firing a scoped handgun, or sighting the scope of a handgun. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , holster assembly  100  is exemplified as holstering scoped handgun  50  in cradle  135 , which is defined by supporting pad  130   a,  dividing wall  120 , and end wall  110   a.  Cradle  135  is adapted for securing the grip and trigger guard portions of handgun  50 . A surface  137  of supporting pad  130   a  is adapted for supporting the barrel of handgun  50 . Supporting pad  130   a  also has a flange  138  (see  FIG. 5 ) adapted for securing the heel of handgun  50 . Securing means  190 , preferably a Velcro® strap, is provided through central opening  112  and may be used to further secure handgun  50  in in place. Securing means  190  may also be flipped around and similarly used to secure a handgun when holster assembly  100  is operating as a benchrest (see  FIG. 2 ). Storage compartment  139  is adapted for storing barrel rest  140  when holster assembly  100  is not operating as a benchrest. Storage compartment  139  is defined by supporting pad  130   b,  dividing wall  120 , and end wall  110   b.  As is evident, holster assembly  100  is capable of accommodating a handgun of virtually any size, including a scoped handgun without the need to remove the scope. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 4A-4C , three embodiments ( 140   a,    140   b,  and  140   c ) of barrel rest  140 , each of a varying sizes, are provided. Barrel rests  140   a,    140   b,  and  104   c  each has a horseshoe-shaped or U-shaped upper portion  144  that defines U-channel  146  that is adapted to secure the barrel of a handgun. Height h defines the height channel  146 , which determines the vertical elevation of the barrel of a handgun relative to the heel of the handgun. Width w of channel  146  determines the permissible barrel diameters of handguns that may be used with barrel rest  140   a.  By varying h and w, handguns of any size may be used with holster assembly  100  as shown in  FIGS. 4A-4C . Barrel rests  140   a,    140   b,  and  104   c  each has an undercut slot  142  adapted for securing the barrel rest to complementary protrusion  134  formed in supporting pad  130   b  when the barrel rest is stored in storage compartment  139  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , an exploded view of holster assembly  100  is provided. Aligned openings  160  are formed in end walls  110   a  and  110   b,  dividing wall  120 , and supporting pads  130   a  and  130   b.  Preferably, tube-and-plug fasteners  600  are inserted through openings  160  during assembly and are used to secure holster assembly  100  together. In alternate embodiments, additional openings  160  are formed and secured by additional fasteners  600 , or fewer openings  160  secured by fewer fasteners  600  are provided. Securing means  190  is threaded through central openings  112 . 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 6, 6A, and 6B , a preferred embodiment of a tube-and-plug fastener  600  is provided. Tube-and-plug fastener  600  comprises tube  620  and plugs  630 . In a preferred embodiment, tube  620  is fabricated from plastic, such as polyethylene, with an outside diameter, by way of example but not limitation, of approximately 0.25 inches (0.6 cm). The length of tube  620  is determined by the width of the components being secured as discussed below. Plugs  630  are used to secure the ends of tube  620  against end walls  110   a  and  110   b.  Each plug  630  has a head  650  and a rectangular body  660 . Strengthening pillars  652  are preferably provided where head  650  couples to body  660 . Strengthening pillars  652  are advantageous as they strengthen the structural integrity of plug  630 , while conserving material used to fabricate plug  630  and providing for a tighter fit between plug  630  and end wall  110   a  or  110   b  being secured thereto. Body  660  has angled ribbing  670  and straight ribbing  672  adapted for allowing insertion of body  660  into the end of tube  620 , but for resisting removal of body  660  from the tube. Plugs  630  are preferably injection molded from plastic, such as polypropylene. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 6C , plug  635  is provided in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the present invention. Plugs  635  may be used to secure the ends of tubes  620  (see  FIG. 6 ). Each plug  635  has a head  655  and a cylindrical body  665 . Strengthening pillars  657  are provided where head  655  couples to body  665 . Strengthening pillars  657  are advantageous as they strengthen the structural integrity of plug  635 , while conserving material used to fabricate plug  635  and providing for a tighter fit between plug  635  and an end wall  110   a  or  110   b  being secured thereto. Body  665  has conical ribbing  675  adapted for allowing insertion of body  665  into the end of tube  620 , but for resisting removal of body  665  from the tube. Plugs  635  are preferably injection molded from plastic, such as polypropylene. 
         [0025]    In the assembly of the holster assemblies described above, supporting pads  130   a  and  130   b  are preferably fabricated form a suitable sheet of semi-rigid, closed-cell type of foam, such as a polyethylene foam. The sheet of foam preferably has a thickness suitable for forming cradle  135  sized for receiving and holding a selected handgun. The sheet of foam is then suitably cut, preferably using a water jet cutter, to form respective supporting pads. Thus, each supporting pad is preferably fabricated from a single, unitary piece of foam. Barrel rests  140  are similarly fabricated, preferably from a single unitary piece of foam. 
         [0026]    End walls  110   a  and  110   b  and dividing wall  120  are preferably cut from a sheet of tough plastic, or thermoplastic, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), using a water jet cutter. The sheet of plastic preferably has a thickness sufficient to provide desired vertical and transverse structural support, yet flexible enough to bend when a lateral force is applied. This allows for handguns of different widths to be stored in holster assembly  100 , including handguns whose widths exceed the width of cradle  135 . For example, a revolver having a cylinder wider than the cradle can be accommodated as end wall  110   a  and dividing wall  120  are capable of flexing. As such, the handgun assembly has the benefit of accommodating virtually any sized handgun. 
         [0027]    Holster assembly  100  is preferably secured using tube-and-plug fasteners  600 . Openings  160  are formed in walls  110   a  and  110   b,  dividing wall  120 , and supporting pads  130   a  and  130   b.  Openings  160  are preferably formed using a water jet cutter. In a preferred embodiment, openings  160  are preferably approximately 0.25 inches (0.6 cm) in diameter. Tubes  620  are first inserted into each set of aligned openings  160 . After securing a first end of each tube  620  using plug  630  (or any other means, such as plug  635 ), the components of holster assembly  100  are urged into their proper position along tubes  620 . The tubes are not pre-cut to precisely the needed length. Instead, each tube is initially cut to a length slightly longer than the anticipated width of the finished holster assembly. As such, the unplugged ends of tubes  620  protrude out from openings  160  in the component that is farthest from the plugged ends of tubes  620 . The excess portions of tubes  620  are then removed using a tool, e.g., a razor blade. Plugs  630  are then inserted into the unplugged ends of tubes  620 . When plugs  630  are inserted into the ends of tubes  620 , the ends are enlarged. This enlargement urges the ends of tubes  620  against the opening in end walls  110   a  and  110   b,  which provides additional friction to secure the holster assembly together. Furthermore, with the length of tubes  620  substantially the width of holster assembly  100 , heads  650  of plugs  630  urge against the exterior surface of end wall  110   a  and  110   b,  thereby providing additional structural stability. 
         [0028]    The method of securing holster assembly  100  in accordance with the principles of the present invention provides a number of advantages not seen in the prior art. For example, it is particularly useful because the width of each component (e.g., the foam supporting pads) may vary by, for example, as much as ⅛ of an inch, which causes the width of the entire holster assembly to vary. If tubes  620  were precisely cut before assembly, some tubes would be too long or too short. Cutting tubes  620  after inserting them into the holster assembly ensures that each tube will be substantially the correct length for a particular holster assembly. This allows the components (e.g., the foam supporting pads) to be cut using less expensive techniques, thus reducing manufacturing costs. 
         [0029]    The use of plastics and foam provides further advantages of a strong, yet lightweight, holster assembly  100 . In particular, lightweight foam is preferably used for larger components, such as supporting pads  130   a  and  130   b.  Stronger thermoplastic is preferably used for end walls  110   a  and  110   b,  dividing wall  120 , and fasteners, which collectively provide rigidity in all three dimensions and prevents foam supporting pads  110   a  and  110   b  from being crushed. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention does not require any metal components, which are not only more costly but may also scratch or damage a handgun. Still further, preferred embodiments also avoid the use of adhesives, which can deteriorate over time and potentially damage a handgun. 
         [0030]    It is understood that the present invention may take many forms and embodiments. Accordingly, several variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. For example, additional dividing walls  120  and supporting pads  130   a / 130   b  could be added to store additional handguns. Alternatively, dividing wall  120  or one of supporting pads  130   a  or  130   b  could be omitted. The shape of the walls and support pads could be configured in alternative ways, e.g., the central portions of supporting pads  130   a / 130   b  and/or walls  110  and  120  could be cutout to reduce material costs and to reduce weight of a finished holster assembly. 
         [0031]    Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered obvious and desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.