Patent Document

This application claims the benefit of priority of provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/223,256 filed Aug. 4, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a holster and more particularly to a handgun holster with an internal retention device for securely latching a handgun in the holster until its removal is desired by the holster wearer. 
     Handgun users, particularly those people engaged in law enforcement, require a holster in which a handgun remains securely held until intentionally removed by the holster wearer. The holster must retain the handgun securely during not only the normal movements of the wearer, but also during more vigorous activity; possibly including physical contact such as when attempting to restrain another person or while being attacked by another person. But while the holster should resist unauthorized removal of the handgun, it should also permit rapid, safe and easy withdrawal of the handgun when its use is required by the holster wearer. 
     The recent popularity among law enforcement agencies and personnel of handguns having a striker-type firing mechanism presents a unique challenge to holster design. Striker-type handguns do not have external hammers. Consequently, conventional holster designs using an external retention strap to secure a handgun that employs an external hammer do not necessarily prevent a striker-type handgun from discharging unintentionally when holstered. This is because the retention strap, when secured across the top of a holstered handgun with an external hammer, will prevent the hammer from moving and, thus, will likely prevent the gun from discharging, but when the strap is secured across the top of a hammerless handgun, discharge may still occur because the strap has no hammer to secure and, thus, does not operate to prevent the discharge. 
     Furthermore, handguns having a striker firing mechanism generally require a lesser force to pull the trigger and fire the weapon than is generally associated with many other types of law enforcement handguns. this lesser force, often combined with a shorter trigger stroke, contributes to the ease of intentional firing when needed and the possibility of unintentional firing when holstered. 
     Because striker-type handguns are being used more widely by law enforcement, holster design must evolve to better meet the needs of users of hammerless handguns. The vigorous activity engaged in by law enforcement officers, including close-quarter confrontation with suspects, establishes the need for a holster design that can retain a hammerless handgun safely while both allowing the officer quick access to his weapon and minimizing the chance of inadvertent discharge when holstered. 
     Therefore, what is needed is a holster having an internally located retention device that accomplishes multiple functions for the user. First, it should permit a holstered handgun to be withdrawn in a natural motion by the holster wearer. Second, it should effectively resist unauthorized withdrawal of the handgun from the holster by another person. Third, it should protect the trigger area of the handgun from intrusion by objects, such as knives or other weapons that might be used against the officer, and by the fingers of a third person, either of which could cause the handgun to discharge while still holstered. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention meets the design challenges presented by hammerless handguns by improving upon the retention systems utilized in previously available holsters by providing a handgun holster with an internal retention device which prevents the handgun from being removed from the holster until after a slight rotation of the gun about an axis generally parallel with the barrel of the handgun, and which further includes a restricted access to the trigger. A holster according to the invention has a body which includes outer and inner sides which are interconnected, possibly by a spacer or similar interconnecting structure, to define the rear portion of an upwardly open or openable pocket for receiving a handgun including a trigger guard. A catch is attached to the outer side and projects within the pocket toward the inner side, the side closer to the holster wearer&#39;s body. The catch is located where it will be engaged with the trigger guard when the handgun is fully holstered and is configured and mounted so that attempting simply to pull the handgun directly from the holster does not allow the trigger guard to pass the catch. A guide plate is close enough to the outer side to keep the trigger guard engaged with the catch, securing the handgun within the holster. The guide plate, however, is movable away from the end of the catch to provide clearance, at least as great as the lateral width of the trigger guard, for passage of the trigger guard past the catch to remove the handgun from the holster. The guide plate extends past the rear of the trigger of the handgun. 
     When a handgun is inserted into the holster, the guide plate is forced temporarily away from the end of the catch as the trigger guard moves past the end of the catch, and the trigger guard moves to extend around the catch as the handgun is seated in the holster. 
     Preferably, the catch is mounted on a mounting plate, which also extends past the rear of the trigger of the handgun. 
     By covering the trigger of the handgun with the guide plate, and optionally with the mounting plate as well, the trigger is covered so as to prevent a foreign object from coming into accidental contact with the trigger. In a preferred embodiment, the guide plate and mounting plate extend to the upper margin of the holster body. 
     The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away outer side elevation view of a holster, together with a handgun held in the holster by an internal retention device of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the holster shown in FIG. 1 without the handgun. 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the holster shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4A is a sectional detail view of the holster shown in FIG. 1 taken in the direction of line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3  and showing the catch used to retain a handgun within the holster. 
     FIG. 4B is a view similar to that of FIG. 4A, showing a movable portion of the guide plate displaced to permit removal of a handgun from the holster. 
     FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, viewed from the opposite side and with additional elements cut away, and without the handgun in the holster. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-5 show a holster  10  embodying the present invention. An internal retention device  12  is included in the holster  10  for holding a handgun  14  securely in the holster  10  and preventing undesired withdrawal. A body  16  of the holster  10  includes an outer side  18  and an inner side  20  interconnected by a connecting portion such as a spacer  22  located between the respective rear margins  24  and  26  of the outer side  18  and inner side  20 . A catch  28  mounted on a mounting plate  30  is associated with the outer side of the holster body, where it projects into a handgun-receiving pocket  32  of the holster  10  and extends toward the inner side  20 . 
     The catch  28  includes an obliquely inclined upper cam surface  34  facing upward and toward the inner side  20  of the handgun-receiving pocket and extending to the end  29  of the catch  28 , which is directed toward the inner side  20  of the holster  10 . Front and rear surfaces  36  and  38  of the catch  28  extend laterally of the holster  10 , generally normal to the outer side  18 , as does a downwardly convex cylindrical bottom surface  40  of the catch  28 . The spacer portion  22  of the connecting portion has an upper or inner surface  42 , located beneath the catch  28 , which defines a trigger guard position between the rear portions of the inner side  20  and outer side  18 . This provides room for the trigger guard beneath the catch  28 , but prevents a handgun from being urged into the holster so far that it could be discharged by pressure of the catch itself against the trigger  46  within the trigger guard  44 . 
     A movable guide plate  48  of stiff yet resilient sheet material is located within the handgun-receiving pocket  32  of the holster  10 . A small portion of the material forming the inner side  20  is cut away, forming an opening  50 , to leave room for the guide plate to be moved resiliently outward, away from the interior of the handgun-receiving pocket  32 , as indicated by the arrow  52 . This provides clearance for passage of the trigger guard  44  toward the wearer of the holster far enough for the trigger guard  44  to clear the end of the catch  28 . The guide plate  48  is preferably formed integrally as a part of a plate  54  lying between the connecting portion  22  and the inner side  20  of the holster. As shown in FIG. 5, the movable guide plate  48  is preferably defined by a slot  60 . As the handgun is pushed downward the trigger guard rides along the catch  28 , and by camming action forces the guide plate  48  to bend resiliently away from the interior of the handgun-receiving pocket of the holster, into the opening  50 , until the trigger guard  44  passes the end  29  of the catch  28 . Once the trigger guard passes the end  29  of the catch  28 , the guide plate  48 , by its elastic restoring forces, urges the trigger guard  44  laterally toward the outer side  18  and under the catch  28 , which then prevents the handgun from being removed from the holster. 
     For removal of a handgun from the holster, the butt end of the grip  62  of the handgun  14  is urged inward toward the wearer. This movement rotates the handgun  14  slightly toward the wearer about an axis  64  generally parallel with the bore of the barrel  66  of the handgun, bringing the trigger guard  44  into contact with the guide plate  48  and forcing the guide plate  48  away from the end  29  until clearance is available for the trigger guard to be moved past the end  29 . The handgun may then be withdrawn upward from the handgun-receiving pocket  32 , in a direction parallel with the axis  64  of the bore of the barrel. 
     A space is provided outside the handgun-receiving pocket for movement of the guide plate  48  laterally away from the catch  28  toward the holster wearer, by a spacer  68  which is preferably formed integrally with a backing plate  70  to which a belt loop  72  is attached. The backing plate may be made, for example, of a rigid plastic such as nylon, ABS or polystyrene. 
     The present invention provides the advantage of shielding the trigger area  74  of the handgun when the handgun is holstered. The trigger area  74  of the handgun is defined by the open space enclosed by the trigger guard  44  and the portion  76  of the holster surrounding the trigger. The guide plate  48  is extended so as to cover a substantial portion of the inner side of trigger area  74  of the handgun when the handgun is holstered, and in particular to extend past the rear of the trigger. Accordingly, the guide plate  48  is formed so that, when the handgun is in the holster, the guide plate  48  extends at least past the rear of the trigger. The guide plate  48  thus eliminates access to the trigger while the handgun is secured in the holster. In a preferred embodiment, the guide plate  48  extends from the upper surface  42  of the spacer beneath the catch  28  up to the upper margin  78  of the inner side  20  of the holster, so that the top surface  80  of the guide plate is adjacent to the upper margin. In addition, the guide plate  48  is substantially straight and planar along its entire length so that it is in close proximity to the trigger area  74  of the handgun. Preferably, the guide plate  48  has a thickness of {fraction (3/16)} inch, or about 5 mm. The top surface  80  of the guide plate  48  that is exposed to the exterior of the holster is preferably flat, with squared edges between the top surface  80  and the side surfaces of the guide plate, so that the top surface is oriented substantially transversely to the inner side  20 . The guide plate covers as much of the trigger area as possible, preferably at least a major portion of the trigger area. 
     Similarly, the outer side of the trigger area  74  of the handgun is preferably protected by the mounting plate  30 . The mounting plate  30  is extended so as to cover the trigger area  74  of the handgun when the handgun is holstered. Accordingly, the mounting plate  30  is formed so that, when the handgun is in the holster, the mounting plate  30  extends past the rear of the trigger of the handgun. The mounting plate  30  thus eliminates access to the trigger while the handgun is secured in the holster. In a preferred embodiment, the mounting plate  30  extends from the upper surface  42  of the spacer  22  beneath the catch  28  up to the upper margin  82  of the outer side of the holster so that the top margin  84  of the mounting plate is adjacent the upper margin  82 . In addition, the mounting plate  30  is substantially straight and planar along its entire length so that it is in close proximity to the trigger area  74  of the handgun. Preferably, the mounting plate  30  has a thickness of about {fraction (3/16)} inch, or about 5 mm. The top margin  84  of the mounting plate  48  that is exposed to the exterior of the holster is preferably slightly beveled, so that the handgun  14  may slide easily into the holster along the mounting plate  30  before coming into contact with the catch  28 . The mounting plate covers as much of the trigger area as possible, preferably at least a major portion of the trigger area. 
     Together, the guide plate  48  and mounting plate  30  enclose at least a substantial portion of the trigger area  74  of the handgun so as to protect the trigger  46  from accidental contact with foreign objects. The squared, top surface  80  of the guide plate  48  further restricts access to the trigger area. Nevertheless, while the guide plate  48  and mounting plate  30  protect the trigger area, they do not interfere with the functioning of the internal retention device  12  or the withdrawal of the holster. The guide plate and mounting plate are useful not only for handguns having the striker firing mechanism, but also for handguns having conventional hammer firing mechanisms. 
     The present invention may be utilized in any holster in which it is desired to include such an internal retention device  12 . Details of the construction of one such holster are disclosed in Marx, U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,474, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the holster body  16  includes a frame  86  surrounding and supporting the outer side  18  and inner side  20 . The frame  86  is a thin sheet of a suitably stiff, resilient, tough, and yet somewhat flexible material (such as a copolymeric mixture of polyvinylchloride and polyacrylic plastic material available from Kleerdex Company of Mt. Laurel, N.J., under the trademark “Kydex”), which is cut to the desired shape. 
     In the embodiment of the invention shown, the outer side  18  and inner side  20  are constructed of a multi-layered, resilient, laminated sheet material, including an outer layer  88 , an intermediate layer  90 , and an inner layer  92 . The outer layer is a sturdy, wear-resistant, strong material such as a 1000-denier woven nylon cloth, and the inner layer is preferably a softer, non-abrasive material such as a 430-denier smooth-surfaced nylon pack cloth, although the layers  88  and  92  might be of other materials, including leather. The intermediate layer  90  is a compressible resilient material, for example, a synthetic polymeric foam such as an open-cell polyethylene foam having a density of 9-15 pounds per cubic foot and having a thickness  44  of about ¼ inch when relaxed. Other resilient materials such as closed cell foam could also be used. 
     The outer layer  88 , intermediate layer  90 , and inner layer  92  are interconnected by thermal welding or adhesives (not shown). The laminated material is bent to form roughly a “U” shape as seen from above the holster  10 , defining a front  94 , a bottom  96 , the outer side  18 , the inner side  20 , and their respective rear margins  24  and  26 , and generally diagonal respective upper margins  82  and  78 . 
     Although such a construction is not shown, it is also contemplated that a structure similar to the frame could be incorporated between layers of the laminated material, instead of extending about the outside of the laminated material. For example, such a structure could be located between a pair of thinner layers of compressible, resilient foam material replacing the intermediate layer  40 . 
     An adjustable fastener such as a clamp bolt  96  may extend through an area of the outer side portion of the frame and through corresponding portions of the outer side, the connecting spacer, and the inner side  20  of the body  16 . The adjustable fastener permits adjustment of the holster  10  to receive a particular handgun snugly, by adjusting the spacing between portions of the sides  18  and  20  and adjusting the degree to which the frame  86 , and particularly its lower horizontal band, compresses the inner side  20  and outer side  18 , especially the intermediate layer  90  of each, against the handgun. 
     A belt loop  100  is attached to the inner side portion of the frame  86 . A thumb break  102  is attached adjustably to the inner side portion  86  of the frame  36 . A security strap  104  is attached to the outer side  18  of the body and may be secured detachably to the thumb break  102  by a fastener such as a snap to hold the handgun securely in the holster when need to use the handgun is not imminent. It is to be understood, however, that the retention device of the present invention still provides security for the handgun when the thumb break and security strap are separated. 
     Preferably, a ribbon-like spine strip  104  of tough, flexible, somewhat slippery material such as sheet polyurethane is sewn to the top and bottom margins of the handgun-receiving pocket of the holster, and extends vertically along the interior of the front portion. This guards the fabric of the interior layer of the handgun-receiving pocket against being torn by the sight of a handgun, and protects the sight blade of a handgun against abrasion during drawing or replacement of a handgun within the pocket. 
     The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.

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