Locking holster system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11994362-B2
Application number	US-202217872106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2022
Priority date	Dec 4, 2020
Publication date	May 28, 2024
Grant date	May 28, 2024

Abstract

A holster for receiving and withdrawing a handgun having two active restraints and a dust cover. The holster further has a lockout button assembly comprising an elongated member having a lockout button portion on a proximal end and a blocking portion on a distal end, wherein the lockout button assembly is configured to be slidingly mounted to a housing for manual movement of the lockout button assembly between a protrusion portion blocking position and a protrusion portion non-blocking position, wherein the blocking portion is configured to block rotation of the protrusion portion and the thumb button when in the blocking position, and wherein the blocking portion is configured to allow rotation of the protrusion portion and the thumb button when in the non-blocking position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A holster, comprising:
a holster body configured to receive a handgun; the holster body comprising a handgun receiving and withdrawal axis, the holster body comprising a plurality of holster wall portions defining a handgun receiving cavity and a rearward opening;
one of the plurality of holster wall portions comprising a first user actuable handgun retention mechanism configured for selectively preventing the handgun, when in the cavity, from being withdrawn from the cavity, the first actuable handgun retention mechanism comprising a blocking portion movable from a handgun blocking position to a non-blocking position;
a button, the button configured to be manually pressed by a user inwardly towards the holster body to an engagement position, wherein the button is moveable between a non-engagement position allowing the blocking portion of the first user actuable handgun retention mechanism to be in the blocking position and the engagement position allowing the blocking portion of the first user actuable handgun retention mechanism to be in the non-blocking position; and
a lockout assembly comprising:
a lockout button portion configured to be manually pressed by a user moving a thumb forwardly in a direction parallel to the handgun receiving and withdrawal axis to a non-blocking position, and
a blocking portion, the blocking portion comprising an engagement portion configured to engage with the button when the blocking portion of the lockout assembly is in a blocking position, and wherein the lockout assembly is configured for manual movement of the lockout assembly between the blocking position and the non-blocking position,

wherein:
the blocking portion of the lockout assembly is configured to block pressing of the button when the blocking portion of the lockout assembly is in the blocking position allowing the blocking portion of the first user actuable handgun retention mechanism to be in the blocking position,
the blocking portion of the lockout assembly is configured to allow pressing of the button when the blocking portion of the lockout assembly is in the non-blocking position allowing the blocking portion of the first user actuable handgun retention mechanism to be in the non-blocking position.

2. The holster of claim 1 , wherein pressing of the button comprises the button being configured to be rotatable about an axis of rotation.

3. The holster of claim 1 , further comprising a second user actuable handgun retention mechanism, the second user actuable handgun retention mechanism comprising a housing and a hood assembly, the hood assembly comprising:
a shroud that is pivotally supported by the holster body so that the shroud selectively pivots between a handgun retaining position in which the shroud extends across a portion of a rearward opening of a cavity of the holster body and a release position in which the shroud is displaced from the portion of the rearward opening so a withdrawal path of the handgun is unobstructed by the shroud, and
a bracket comprising a lug portion;
wherein the button comprises a thumb button comprising a protrusion portion configured to engage the lug while the shroud is in the handgun retaining position.

4. The holster of claim 3 , wherein the holster body is configured to receive a handgun equipped with a red dot sight (RDS) the plurality of holster wall portions comprising a user proximal wall portion, a user distal wall portion and an upward wall portion comprising a projection to accommodate at least a portion of the RDS.

5. The holster of claim 4 , further comprising a dust cover hingeably connected to the holster body and positioned and configured to cover at least a portion of the RDS not covered by the holster body when the dust cover is in a second, closed position and to not cover the RDS when in a first, open position.

6. The holster of claim 3 , wherein the shroud is configured to be in the handgun retaining position when the blocking portion blocks rotation of the protrusion portion of the thumb button, and wherein the shroud is configured to be in the handgun release position when the blocking portion allows rotation of the protrusion portion of the thumb button.

7. The holster of claim 6 , wherein the shroud comprises a U-shaped member.

8. The holster of claim 7 , further comprising a hood spring that biases the U-shaped member to pivot toward the release position.

9. The holster of claim 8 , wherein the hood spring biases the lug portion of the hood assembly against the protrusion portion of the thumb button while the U-shaped member is in the handgun retaining position.

10. The holster of claim 9 , wherein rotation of the thumb button through a first range of rotary motion causes the protrusion portion of the thumb receiving to disengage the lug portion of the hood assembly, wherein the lockout assembly is configured to block the thumb button from rotation of the thumb button through the first range of rotary motion when the lockout assembly is in the protrusion portion blocking position.

11. The holster of claim 10 , the plurality of holster wall portions comprising a user proximal wall portion comprising a thumb button recess with a thumb button edge portion defining the thumb button recess, the thumb button recess extending forwardly from the rearward opening, and the first user actuable handgun retention mechanism further comprising a first lever pivotally mounted on the user proximal wall portion of the holster body with a first axis of rotation, the first lever comprising an actuation tab rearwardly positioned on the first lever and positioned within the thumb button recess, the actuation tab comprising an upper margin, a rearward margin, and a lower margin, the first lever further comprising the blocking portion forwardly positioned on the first lever, the first lever configured and positioned such that depression of the actuation tab rotates the first lever about its respective axis of rotation to move the blocking portion from the blocking position to the non-blocking position, wherein an upper portion of the thumb button recess edge portion extends rearwardly of the actuation tab along the upper margin of the actuation tab and a lower portion of the thumb button recess edge portion extends rearwardly of the actuation tab at the lower margin of the actuation tab.

12. The holster of claim 11 , wherein rotation of the thumb button through a second range of rotary motion causes the thumb button to engage the actuation tab of the first lever causing at least a portion of the blocking portion of the lever to be withdrawn from the holster body, wherein the lockout assembly is configured to block the thumb button from rotation of the thumb button through the second range of rotary motion when the lockout assembly is in the protrusion portion blocking position.

13. The holster of claim 5 , wherein the dust cover is not opened by movement of the shroud from the handgun retaining position to the release position, wherein the dust cover is capable of configured to being manually moved between the first, open position and the second closed position when the shroud is in the release position, and wherein the dust cover is moved from the first, open position to the second, closed position by engagement with the shroud when the shroud is pivoted from the release position to the handgun retaining position.

Assignees

• Vista Outdoor Operations Llc

Inventors

• Smith Paul N
• Sereday Daniel
• Michael Christopher J
• Lance Troy E

Classifications

• F41C33/0263 Primary

  having a locking system for preventing unauthorized or accidental removal of the small arm from the holster (F41C33/0227 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F41A35/02

  Dust- or weather-protection caps or covers (protecting-caps for trigger guards F41A17/54) · CPC title

• F41C33/0254

  with accommodation for auxiliary devices mounted on the small arm, e.g. telescopic sights, flashlights or laser-devices · CPC title

• F41C33/041

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

• F41C33/0227 Primary

  having a strap or other restraining element only covering the hammer or a part of the upper part of the small arm · CPC title