Quick detach belt loop

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11147360-B2
Application number	US-201916715865-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2019
Priority date	Dec 14, 2018
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

In embodiments, a belt clamp includes an inboard plate and an outboard plate that are pivotally coupled at their upper ends. The belt clamp may also include a spring biased locking mechanism that selectively and releasably connects the lower end of the inboard plate to the lower end of the outboard plate by way of locking posts in the inboard plate that are displaced upwardly from the lower edge of said plate. The outboard locking plate may have latch members that are entirely contained (except for opposing actuation buttons) within a compartment formed by two portions of the outboard plate connected by a living hinge. The opposing actuation buttons require a motion in a first direction, such as upwardly, to allow motion in a second direction, such as inwardly, to rotate the latching members inwardly to release the locking posts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A belt clamp for securing a holster or accessories to a user's belt, the clamp comprising: an inboard plate and an outboard plate that are pivotally coupled at respective upper ends at respective hinge portions;
a spring biased locking mechanism configured to selectively and releasably connect a lower end of the inboard plate to a lower end of the outboard plate,
wherein the spring biased locking mechanism comprises one or more latching members positionable between a latched position and an unlatched position,
wherein the outboard plate has a lower mechanism compartment defined by a containment portion of the outboard plate,
wherein the outboard plate has an extension portion connected by a living hinge to a lower margin of the outboard plate, the extension portion conformingly sized to the compartment, and
wherein the extension portion is configured to be foldable over into the compartment for closing the compartment with the one or more latching members in the compartment.

2. The belt clamp of claim 1 , wherein the containment portion and the extension portion have molded features therein configured for constraining movement of the one or more latching members between the latched position and the unlatched position, and
wherein the one or more latching members are configured to be rotatably and slidably moved between the latched position and the unlatched position.

3. The belt clamp of claim 2 , wherein the one or more latching members comprise a pair of latching members, and
further comprising a coil spring urging each of the pair of latching members to the latching position, and
wherein the compartment is configured to substantially contain the pair of latching members and the coil spring when the compartment is closed by the extension portion.

4. The belt clamp of claim 1 , wherein the inboard plate has one or two locking posts unitary with the inboard plate and projecting in an outboard direction.

5. The belt clamp of claim 4 , wherein the one or two locking posts are displaced from a lower margin of the inboard plate and wherein each of the one or two locking posts has a respective ramp at a distal end of each respective locking posts.

6. The belt clamp of claim 1 , wherein each of the respective hinge portions comprises a plurality of knuckles,
wherein the plurality of knuckles of one of the inboard plate and the outboard plate has a unitary hinge pin, and
wherein the unitary hinge pin is received in the knuckles of the other of the inboard plate and outboard plate.

7. The belt clamp of claim 1 , further comprising at least one marking display disposed on at least one of the inboard plate and the outboard plate, wherein the marking display comprises atleast one marking matrix comprising recessed lines arranged in a seven-segment display configuration.

8. A belt clamp for securing a holster or accessories to a user's belt, the belt clamp comprising:
an inboard plate and an outboard plate each comprising a respective hinge portion at a respective upper end, the inboard plate and the outboard plate pivotally coupled at the respective upper ends at the respective hinge portions;
a spring biased locking mechanism configured to selectively and releasably connect a lower end of the inboard plate to a lower end of the outboard plate,
wherein each of the respective hinge portions comprises a plurality of knuckles,
wherein the plurality of knuckles of one of the inboard plate and the outboard plate has a unitary hinge pin,
wherein the unitary hinge pin is received in the plurality of knuckles of the other of the inboard plate and outboard plate;
wherein the spring biased locking mechanism comprises at least one locking post on the inboard plate, and at least one latching member on the outboard plate, each latching member is configured to latchingly engage a locking post, and each latching member is further configured to be rotatably and slidably moved between a latched position and an unlatched position.

9. The belt clamp of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the plurality of knuckles comprises a detent portion that provides a favored and an unfavored region in a range of motion of the inboard plate and outboard plate, wherein the detent portion comprises a nub extending in a direction parallel to a hinge axis of the respective hinge portions.

10. The belt clamp of claim 8 , wherein the outboard plate has a lower mechanism compartment defined by a containment portion of the outboard plate,
wherein the outboard plate has an extension portion connected by a living hinge to a lower margin of the outboard plate, the extension portion conformingly sized to the compartment, and
wherein the extension portion is configured to be foldable over into the compartment for closing the compartment with the at least one latching member in the compartment.

11. The belt clamp of claim 10 , wherein the containment portion and the extension portion have molded features therein configured for constraining movement of the at least one latching member between the latched position and the unlatched position.

12. The belt clamp of claim 8 , wherein each locking post is unitary with the inboard plate and projects in an outboard direction; and
wherein each locking post is displaced from a lower margin of the inboard plate and wherein each locking post has a respective ramp at a distal end thereof.

13. The belt clamp of claim 8 , further comprising at least one marking display disposed on at least one of the inboard plate and the outboard plate, wherein the marking display comprises at least one marking matrix comprising recessed lines arranged in a seven-segment display configuration.

14. A belt clamp for securing a holster or accessories to a user's belt, the belt clamp comprising:
an inboard plate and an outboard plate each comprising a respective hinge portion at a respective upper end, the inboard plate and the outboard plate pivotally coupled at the respective upper ends at the respective hinge portions;
a locking mechanism that selectively and releasably connects a lower end of the inboard plate to a lower end of the outboard plate,
a belt width adjustment bar;
wherein one of the inboard plate and outboard plate comprises a plurality of openings for receiving a belt width adjustment bar;
wherein the belt width adjustment bar comprises a sizing bar configured for spanning at least partially across the inside of the one of the inboard plate and outboard plate;
wherein one of the inboard plate and outboard plate comprises at least one ramped rib, wherein each ramped rib is configured to guide the user's belt during installation of the belt clamp onto the belt.

15. The belt clamp of claim 14 , wherein the belt width adjustment bar further comprises a pair of prongs spaced apart to be received in each of the plurality of openings by deflecting inwardly, and a central tongue member positioned between the pair of prongs, the tongue member limiting inward deflection of each of the pair of prongs,
wherein the openings are slots disposed on the inboard plate; and
wherein each slot has a pair of web portions at ends of the slot, each of the pair of web portions displaced from an outer surface of the respective plate.

16. The belt clamp of claim 14 , wherein the outboard plate has a lower mechanism compartment defined by a containment portion of the outboard plate,
wherein the outboard plate has an extension portion connected by a living hinge to a lower margin of the outboard plate, the extension portion conformingly sized to the compartment, and
wherein the extension portio

Assignees

• Vista Outdoor Operations Llc

Inventors

• Michael Christopher J
• Sereday Daniel

Classifications

• F41C33/041 Primary

  for connecting a holster to a belt, webbing or other object · CPC title

• A45F5/021 Primary

  to the belt · CPC title