US20130320055A1

US20130320055A1 - Holster Apparatuses

Info

Publication number: US20130320055A1
Application number: US13/680,013
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas Chang King
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-11-18
Filing date: 2012-11-17
Publication date: 2013-12-05
Also published as: US20130175309A1

Abstract

Improved holster apparatuses are disclosed. In one embodiment, a holster apparatus includes a body defining a cavity for receiving an object and a rigid material releasably attached to the body via a locking system and further attached to a flexible material such as a pocket, a purse, a handbag, or a saddlebag. In another embodiment, a holster apparatus comprises a body defining a cavity for receiving an object and one or more structures disposed on an exterior surface of the body for moving moisture away from a user of the apparatus. Each of the structures comprises a moisture wicking material at least partially surrounding a moisture resistant material. The moisture wicking material is capable of moving moisture from a first plane between the user and the moisture resistant material to a second plane between the moisture resistant material and the body of the apparatus.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/561,826 filed on Nov. 18, 2011, which is incorporated herein by reference, and this application is copending with another application filed on the same date as this application, also entitled “Improved Holster Apparatuses”.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates generally to holster apparatuses, and more particularly to a holster apparatus having a rigid material releasably attached to the holster body and further attached to a flexible material and also to a holster apparatus having one or more moisture relocation structures.
Weapons such as handguns are commonly carried in holsters designed to protect the weapon and hold it securely in place. Holsters have typically been worn on a belt at the waist, on the thigh, under an arm, or around an ankle. However, today's users of handguns are more concerned with concealing the holster in more comfortable positions such as inside pockets, purses, handbags, saddlebags, and so forth, which involves mounting the holster on a flexible material.
Unfortunately, current methods of mounting holsters directly on flexible materials are problematic. For example, the weight of the weapon in the holster may cause the flexible material to tear at the point where the holster is attached. Further, the holster is likely to change positions in response to movements of the user. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,841,497 to Gregory et al. describes the attachment of a holster to a flexible material such as a belt or the user's apparel using quick disconnect or other couplings. The attachment of such couplings directly to a flexible material allows the holster to change positions, making quick draw of the weapon more difficult. Moreover, as the holster changes positions, it might no longer be concealed. For example, if the holster is mounted on a flexible belt, the weight of the butt of the gun might pull it outwards, causing the gun to print through the concealing garment.
Another drawback of current holsters is that their presence near the user's skin may cause the user to sweat, particularly if he or she is engaged in vigorous activity such as running. The user of a holster might also get wet from, for example, rain or from going swimming. In any of these situations, moisture may be retained on the user's skin, making the user very uncomfortable. It would therefore be desirable to develop a way to remove moisture from the skin of the user of a holster.

SUMMARY

Improved holster apparatuses are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for holding an object comprises: a body defining a cavity for receiving the object; a rigid material releasably attached to the body via a locking system and being further attached to a flexible material, wherein the locking system includes one or more surfaces adjacent to the rigid material, and the rigid material includes a surface adjacent to the flexible material. The surface of the rigid material disposed adjacent to the flexible material has an area that is at least twice the size of a total area of the one or more surfaces of the locking system disposed adjacent to the rigid material.
In another embodiment, an apparatus for holding an object comprises: a body defining a cavity for receiving the object; and one or more structures disposed on an exterior surface of the body for moving moisture away from a user of the apparatus. Each of the structures comprises a moisture wicking material at least partially surrounding a moisture resistant material. The moisture wicking material is capable of moving moisture from a first plane between the user and the moisture resistant material to a second plane between the moisture resistant material and the body of the apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred embodiments of the invention, together with the advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a handbag having a strobe light and a holster apparatus mounted therein in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the handbag from FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the front of saddlebag having a holster apparatus mounted therein in accordance with another embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a side plan view of the saddlebag from FIG. 3 when it is open;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the saddlebag from FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the back of the saddlebag from FIG. 3 and of a belt to which the saddlebag may be attached in accordance with another embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a side plan view of a holster apparatus mounted on a pant belt in accordance with one embodiment and of another holster apparatus mounted in a cargo pant pocket in accordance with another embodiment;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the holster apparatus mounted in the cargo pant pocket from FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the back of the holster apparatus mounted on the pant belt from FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a side plan view of a holster apparatus mounted in a pant pocket in accordance with another embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a partial front view of a female wearing a holster apparatus mounted on a neck chain and strapped to her clothing in accordance with still another embodiment, wherein a cross-section of the holster apparatus is shown;

FIG. 12 is a detailed view of the holster apparatus from FIG. 11 showing it mounted on the neck chain and strapped to the clothing;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the back of a holster apparatus mounted on a neck chain, wherein structures for moving moisture away from a user are disposed on the holster apparatus in accordance with yet another embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a partial front view of a female wearing the holster apparatus mounted on the neck chain from FIG. 13, wherein a cross-section of the holster apparatus is shown;

FIG. 15 is a front view of the holster apparatus from FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a quick-releasable lock for use in a holster apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a rigid material having rings of the quick-releasable lock from FIG. 16 attached thereto via connecting tabs; and

FIG. 18 is a side plan view of a handbag having the rigid material from FIG. 17 sewn thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to a non-limiting embodiment, a holster apparatus for holding an object includes a body defining a cavity for receiving the object and a rigid material that is releasably attached to the body via a locking system and that is further attached to a flexible material. While the object that the cavity is shaped to receive may be a weapon such as a handgun, a knife, a baton, a taser, pepper spray, or a mace canister, it is understood that the object could also be other objects that users of the holster apparatus would like to carry with them, including tools such as a drill or a hammer. The flexible material to which the rigid material may be attached is desirably a material that allows the holster apparatus to be carried in a concealed manner. Examples of suitable flexible materials include but are not limited to a sidewall of an article of clothing, a pocket, a cargo pant pocket, a belt, a seat belt of a vehicle, and a bag such as a purse, a handbag, a saddlebag, a mail saddlebag, and a backpack.
As indicated above, the body of the holster apparatus is indirectly attached to the flexible material via a rigid material. This rigid material advantageously distributes the weight of the holster apparatus evenly over a larger area so that the flexible material does not rip. The attachment of the holster body to the rigid material using an appropriate locking system also helps ensure that the holster apparatus will remain in the same position and will not wobble despite the movements of the user of the holster apparatus. As such, the holster apparatus is more likely to remain concealed and is less likely to move to a position where its print might be seen through the material behind which it is concealed.
The rigid material may comprise, for example, wood, leather treated to be hard (e.g., soaking the leather in water and stretching it in bright sunlight), metal, carbon fiber, glass fiber, a polymeric material, or combinations thereof. Suitable metals include but are not limited to steel, aluminum, titanium, and alloys thereof. Suitable polymeric materials include but are not limited to epoxy resins, phenolic resins, polyimide resins, cyanate resins, high-strength plastics, glass or polymer fiber reinforced plastics, and epoxy laminates. The body of the holster apparatus may also comprise any of the foregoing materials or other materials such as leather, vinyl, or cloth.
The aforementioned locking system is of a type that allows the rigid material to be “releasably attached” to the body of the holster apparatus, meaning that the rigid material may be easily detached and connected to the body by the user of the holster apparatus without the use of tools. The locking system desirably cannot be accidentally disengaged. Examples of suitable locking systems will be described later in reference to the drawings.
The size of the rigid material that is suitable for preventing the tearing of the flexible material may be defined in the following manner. The locking system includes one or more surfaces adjacent to the rigid material, and the rigid material includes a surface adjacent to the flexible material. This surface of the rigid material has an area that is at least twice the size of the total area of the one or more surfaces of the locking system disposed adjacent to the rigid material. This total area may be more clearly understood by referring to the description of the drawings that follows.
According to another embodiment, a holster apparatus for holding an object includes a body defining a cavity for receiving the object and one or more structures disposed on an exterior surface of the body for moving moisture away from a user of the apparatus. Each of the structures comprises a moisture wicking material at least partially surrounding a moisture resistant material. The moisture wicking material is capable of moving moisture from a first plane between the user and the moisture resistant material to a second plane between the moisture resistant material and the body of the apparatus. The cavity of the body of the holster apparatus may be shaped to receive various objects such as the weapons and tools mentioned above. As used herein, the term “moisture wicking material” is taken to mean a material that draws moisture from one place to another place rather than absorb the moisture. Examples of suitable moisture wicking materials include but are not limited to wool, chemically treated silk, polyester, microfiber, and combinations thereof. Suitable polyester materials include specially-engineered polyester fibers commercially available from DuPont under the tradename COOLMAX™ and commercially available from Under Armour, Inc. under the tradename HEATGEAR™. Further, the term “water resistant material” is taken to mean a material that hinders the penetration of water. Examples of suitable moisture resistant materials include but are not limited to foam rubber, foam neoprene, nylon, vinyl, patent leather, a polymeric material, and combinations thereof.
The structures comprising both the moisture wicking material and the moisture resistant material raise the holster apparatus above the body of the user such that only the bottom of the moisture wicking material is next to the skin. The moisture wicking material therefore relocates moisture next to the user's skin to a higher plane where it can evaporate so that the user feels dry rather than wet and uncomfortable. As such, the user does not feel the need to stop carrying the holster apparatus when he or she starts perspiring or is exposed to water such as rain or in a swimming pool.
In addition, the moisture relocation structures are preferably spaced apart from each other by channels that drain away excess moisture which becomes deposited in the channels by the moisture wicking material. The presence of such channels between the user and the holster apparatus also exposes the user's skin to air. These channels therefore assist in keeping the user's skin dry.
Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment in which a handbag 1 has a weapon holster body 2 and a strobe light 3 mounted in it. In addition, the handbag 1 is attached to a rigid material 4 via a quick-releasable lock. The rigid material 4 is connected to a flexible vehicular seat belt 5. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the handbag 1 from FIG. 1. As shown, the weapon holster body 2 is attached with a quick-releasable lock 6 to a rigid material 7 that is further attached to the flexible sidewall of handbag 1. By way of example, the rigid material 7 may be sewed and/or glued onto the sidewall of handbag 1. Handbag 1 is mounted via bipartite quick-releasable lock 8 to rigid material 4, which is connected to flexible vehicular seat belt 5. As used throughout the specification, a “quick-releasable lock” refers to a lock that can be easily connected or disconnected by a simple action of the user of the lock.
The quick-releasable locks disclosed herein are preferably bipartite locks having two parts that mate with each other such as the bipartite quick-releasable lock shown in FIG. 16. The quick-releasable lock of FIG. 16 includes a holster mount 42 that is attached to the body of a holster apparatus (not shown) via screws and/or glue, preferably at the center of mass of the holster body when a weapon is disposed therein. One or more members 44 (two are shown) having depressible buttons 47 disposed thereon are attached to holster mount 42. The quick-releasable lock further includes one or more additional mounts attached to a rigid material (e.g., the rigid material 7 depicted in FIG. 2) via tabs 48 and/or glue and having rings 46 disposed thereon that are shaped to receive members 44. Alternatively, the members 44 having depressible buttons 47 may be attached to the rigid material, and the additional mounts having rings 46 may be attached to holster mount 42. In either case, the two parts of the quick-releasable lock may be engaged by sliding members 44 through rings 46. During this sliding motion, the buttons 47 disposed on members 44 remain depressed until they are all the way through rings 46, at which point they catch on rings 46 such that they are locked in place. To disengage the quick-releasable lock, the buttons 47 may be depressed in order to release members 44 from rings 46. Other suitable quick-releasable locks, also known as “quick-disconnect locks”, are known in the art. An example of a suitable quick-releasable lock is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,170 to Otrusina, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
FIG. 17 illustrates the tabs 48 depicted in FIG. 16 after they have been employed to attach the mounts for rings 46 (shown in FIG. 16) to rigid material 7. Rigid material 7 includes openings 51 that can be used to sew rigid material 7 to a flexible material such as the inside of a handbag (e.g., the handbag 1 depicted in FIG. 2). FIG. 18 further depicts rigid material 7 after it has been sewn onto the flexible sidewall of handbag 1 using thread 52. Note how the surface area of rigid material 7 that is disposed adjacent to the flexible material is at least two times the total area of surfaces 49 (depicted in FIG. 16) on the backside of mounts 53 for holding rings 46, thereby ensuring that the flexible material does not tear under the weight of the holster apparatus.
Turning to FIG. 3, a saddlebag 9 having a weapon holster apparatus mounted therein is shown. The word “mail” 10 is written on saddlebag 9 to conceal the weapon by mislabeling its contents as mail. FIGS. 4 and 5 provide a more detailed view of saddlebag 9 when it is open. The saddlebag 9 contains a weapon holster body 11 that is attached to a rigid material 14 via buttons 12, which in turn is attached to a flexible sidewall of saddlebag 9. The buttons 12 may be attached to the rigid material 14 by, e.g., gluing or sewing them to material 14. As shown in FIG. 5, button slits 13 (i.e., lateral openings) which correspond to the buttons 12 are disposed in a sidewall of the holster body 11. The buttons 12 may be used to attach holster body 11 to rigid material 14 by positioning them within button slits 13. In another embodiment, the buttons 12 might be attached to the holster body 11 and the button slits 13 might be disposed in the rigid material 14. As depicted in FIG. 6, a quick-releasable lock 15 like that described above may be employed to attach the saddlebag 9 to a rigid material 16 that is connected to a flexible pant belt 17.
Whenever buttons and button slits for attaching a holster body to a rigid material are mentioned in this disclosure, it is to be understood that a portion of the slits extends in a first direction and another portion of the slits extends in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. While each button may move in the direction of its corresponding slit, it cannot move perpendicular to that direction. Thus, by using button slits that extend in different directions, stability may be achieved since the overall effect is to prevent the buttons from moving in any direction. Consequently, the use of this type of locking system to attach a holster body to a rigid material most likely will ensure that the holster body does not change positions relative to the rigid material. In addition, the button slits are preferably positioned such that they encircle the center of mass of the holster body when a weapon is disposed therein, thereby further ensuring that the holster body position remains the same. In cases where such a button locking system is used to connect a holster body to a flexible material, the area of the surface of the rigid material that is positioned adjacent to the flexible material is desirably at least two times the total area of the button surfaces disposed adjacent to the rigid material.
Turning to FIG. 7, alternate mounting locations of a weapon holster apparatus are shown. In particular, FIG. 7 illustrates that a body 11 of the holster apparatus may be attached to a pant belt 18 and/or to a pocket 19 of cargo pants 20. FIG. 8 provides a detailed view of the holster body 11 mounted in cargo pant pocket 19. The holster body 11 includes button slits 13 for mating with buttons 12 that are attached to a rigid material 14, which is in turn attached to the flexible sidewall of either pocket 19 or cargo pants 20. A weapon retaining strap 21 may be attached to one side of holster body 11 for retaining a weapon 24 inside holster body 11. A hook and loop fastener may be used to attach the end of strap 21 to an opposed side of holster body 11. In particular, the end of strap 21 may include a hook fastener 22 capable of mating with a loop fastener 23 disposed on the opposite side of the holster body 11. A suitable hook and loop fastener is commercially available from Velcro USA, Inc. under the tradename VELCRO®. Weapon retaining strap 21 may be tucked behind a barrier or in a pocket disposed on holster body 11 to prevent the hook fastener 22 on strap 21 from damaging delicate fabrics such as silk. FIG. 9 depicts a backside view of the holster body 11 mounted to pant belt 18. In particular, the holster body 11 includes a slot 25 or alternatively a loop (not shown) for slidably receiving belt 18 therein. In alternate embodiments, the slot 25 might receive a cord, a ribbon, or a chain therein. The holster body 11 also includes button slits 13 for attachment to corresponding buttons that are mounted on a rigid material, which in turn is attached to the flexible sidewall of cargo pants 20. The button slits 13 extend in perpendicular directions with respect to each other.
FIG. 10 illustrates yet another mounting location for the holster apparatus on cargo pants 20. The holster body 11 is mounted in pant pocket 27 with button slits that join to matching buttons 12 that are attached to a rigid material. This rigid material is further attached to the flexible sidewall of either pocket 27 or pants 20, thereby concealing the holster body 11 within pants pocket 27.
Turning to FIG. 11, another embodiment is illustrated in which holster body 11 is mounted on a neck chain 28 being worn by a female. Alternatively, the neck chain might be replaced with a belt, a cord, a ribbon, etc. As shown, a strap 29 may be used to secure holster body 11 to an article of clothing 31 of the female, e.g., underwear or a swimsuit, thus serving to prevent holster body 11 from riding up when a weapon 24 disposed therein is removed or drawn. FIG. 12 provides a more detailed view of holster body 11 mounted on neck chain 28. The holster body 11 includes button slits 13 for attaching the body 11 to a rigid material having buttons disposed thereon that mate with the button slits 13. This rigid material may be attached to a flexible sidewall of an article of clothing such as an undershirt. A weapon retaining strap 21 like that described above may be attached to holster body 11 for securing weapon 24 within body 11. The end of strap 21 may tuck into pocket 26 when not in use to prevent the hook fastener on strap 21 from damaging delicate fabrics such as silk. The other strap 29 includes one end that may be attached to holster body 11 and another end that may be attached to clothing 31, e.g., underwear or a swimsuit. As such, strap 29 may be used to prevent holster body 11 from riding up with weapon 24 when the weapon 24 is drawn.
Turning to FIG. 13, another embodiment of a holster apparatus is shown in which a holster body 32 is mounted on a neck chain 28. The holster body 32 includes moisture draining channels 33 disposed between moisture relocation structures comprising a moisture resistant material 34 and a moisture wicking material 40. The moisture wicking material 40 extends beneath and over the moisture resistant material 34 as well as laterally adjacent to a sidewall of the moisture resistant material 34. The moisture wicking material 40 advantageously draws moisture away from the body of a user of the holster apparatus to a higher plane where it can evaporate to keep the user dry. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that the moisture wicking material uses capillary action to move the moisture away from the user. Moreover, any excess moisture that the moisture wicking material 40 might be unable to handle may be deposited in channels 33 where the moisture can drain away. Holster body 32 includes button slits 36 that join to corresponding buttons mounted on a rigid material, which in turn may be attached to a flexible material. The holster body 32 may include a slot 35 or alternatively a loop (not shown) for slidably receiving neck chain 28. Alternatively, the slot 35 may receive a belt, a cord, a ribbon, or any suitable member for attaching the holster body 32 to a person. While FIG. 13 depicts the moisture relocation structures disposed on a holster body attached to a neck chain, it is to be understood that such moisture relocation structures may also be used in combination with any of the holster apparatuses described in this disclosure and/or depicted in previous drawings.
FIG. 14 depicts a female wearing the holster body 32 from FIG. 13 on neck chain 28. A handgun 37 such as a revolver may be enclosed within holster body 32, which is desirably composed of a moisture resistant material to keep handgun 37 dry. By way of example, holster body 32 may be a plastic bag. A strap 29 may be used to secure holster body 32 to an article of clothing 31 of the female, e.g., underwear or a swim suit, to inhibit body 32 from riding up when handgun 37 is drawn. FIG. 15 is a front view of the holster body 32 shown in FIG. 14 and further illustrates that holster body 32 is separated into two parts by a zipper 39. As such, the revolver 37 contained in holster body 32 may be accessed by pulling on either part of body 32 divided by zipper 39.
As used herein, the terms “a” and “an” do not denote a limitation of quantity but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. Reference throughout the specification to “an embodiment”, “one embodiment”, “another embodiment”, and so forth means that a particular element (e.g., feature, structure, and/or characteristic) described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment described herein and might or might not be present in other embodiments. Unless defined otherwise, technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of skill in the art to which this invention belongs.
While the preferred embodiments have been described, it is to be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various changes and/or improvements without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims which follow. In addition, it is to be understood that aspects of the various embodiments may be combined or interchanged in any suitable manner. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the claims should not be limited to the descriptions and examples herein.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for holding an object, comprising:

a body defining a cavity for receiving the object; and

one or more structures disposed on an exterior surface of the body for moving moisture away from a user of the apparatus, wherein each of the structures comprises a moisture wicking material at least partially surrounding a moisture resistant material, and wherein the moisture wicking material is capable of moving moisture from a first plane between the user and the moisture resistant material to a second plane between the moisture resistant material and the body of the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the structures are spaced apart from each other by a channel for draining moisture.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moisture wicking material extends beneath and over the moisture resistant material as well as laterally adjacent to a sidewall of the moisture resistant material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moisture wicking material comprises wool, chemically treated silk, polyester, microfiber, or combinations thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moisture resistant material comprises foam rubber, foam neoprene, nylon, vinyl, patent leather, a polymeric material, or combinations thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a rigid material releasably attached to the body via a locking system, the rigid material being further attached to a flexible material.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the locking system comprises:

(a) two or more buttons attached to the rigid material and corresponding button slits disposed in a sidewall of the body; or

(b) two or more buttons attached to a sidewall of the body and corresponding button slits disposed in the rigid material.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein one of the button slits extends in a first direction and another of the button slits extends in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a slot or loop for receiving a belt, cord, ribbon, or a chain therein.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a strap having one end attached to the body and another end that is capable of being attached to an article of clothing.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the body is attached to a chain and the article of clothing is underwear or a swimsuit.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the locking system is a quick-releasable lock.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the quick-releasable lock comprises:

(a) one or more members attached to the body having depressible buttons disposed thereon and corresponding rings attached to the rigid material, wherein the lock is capable of being engaged by sliding the one or more members through the corresponding rings until the rings catch on the depressible buttons, and wherein the lock is capable of being disengaged by depressing the buttons to release the one or more members from the corresponding rings; or

(b) one or more rings attached to the body and corresponding members attached to the rigid material having depressible buttons, wherein the lock is capable of being engaged by sliding the one or more members through the corresponding rings until the rings catch on the depressible buttons, and wherein the lock is capable of being disengaged by depressing the buttons to release the one or more members from the corresponding ring.

14. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the flexible material is a sidewall of an article of clothing, a pocket, a cargo pant pocket, a belt, or a seat belt of a vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the rigid material comprises wood, leather treated to be hard, metal, carbon fiber, glass fiber, a polymeric material, or combinations thereof.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a retaining strap attached to one side of the body for retaining the object inside the cavity, wherein an end of the strap is capable of being attached to an opposed side of the body via a hook and loop fastener when the strap is fastened, and wherein the end of the strap is capable of being positioned behind a barrier or in a pocket disposed on the body when the strap is unfastened.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object is a weapon.