A HOLSTER FOR A HANDGUN WITH A LIGHTING DEVICE

DESCRIPTION

Technical field of the invention

The present invention refers in general to the field of accessories for firearms.

More precisely, the invention concerns a handgun holster. Even more in detail, the present invention concerns a handgun holster with a light device (possibly even of the laser type).

Background of the invention

As known, such weapons are suitable for being mounted with a light device, in the rest of the description called more simply "light", which is fixedly connected, but in a removable manner, to the body of the handgun so as to highlight the aiming point and to ensure that the shooter has a good view of the target, even in poor lighting conditions.

It is clear that, once the light is mounted on the body, the handgun has an overall greater bulk. Consequently, the handgun thus accessorised cannot be fitted inside a rigid holster even of the thermoformed kind, or in any case any holster that is made for being adapted to the "standard" bulk of the handgun without a mounted display light.

It is furthermore actually inconceivable for the owner of the weapon to have to remove the light each time he needs to place the handgun back into the holster; indeed, it should be considered that such weapons are often used by armed forces such as police forces, the military, etc. which can extract the handgun and place it back in the holster even many times during an operation or an armed response.

Holsters have thus been proposed having "greater" dimensions such as to be able to receive the handgun even when the light device is mounted on it. Such holsters however, have shown some drawbacks. In particular, since they are shaped on handguns with light devices mounted on them, once the light is not mounted on the body (and the handgun thus returns to its "standard" bulk), the holster is oversized and does not create a fitting engagement with the weapon inside it.

The handgun could thus move inside the holster, even when the handgun is stopped by the anti-extraction locking means and all the more so when such means are released, with extremely serious consequences like the accidental firing of the weapon or the weapon falls into the wrong hands. Even simple oscillations or slight movements can potentially lead to dangerous situations. Indeed, such movements can in any case cause the accidental firing of a bullet or produce noises that are capable of detecting the position of the agent during police operations, with serious consequences for the safety of the agent himself.

Holsters have thus been proposed having reversible filling inserts for the holster that are, in practice, suitable for taking up the place of the light when it is not present, or resizable solutions having a double layer of fabric with Velcro ^® elements, so as to thus make the holster itself suitable for fitting the handgun without the light device. Such expedients however, cause problems in terms of functionality which ultimately make them barely satisfactory.

Another attempt at finding a solution is to provide the holster with a longitudinal track for slidingly engaging it with a step that is foreseen on the barrel of the handgun, so as to stabilise the handgun and the holster with one another even without a light device. Such a proposal is only suitable however for guns having a precise shape and in particular that are provided with a step at a certain position.

Summary of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is thus that to solve these drawbacks by providing a holster which makes it possible to fittingly accommodate the handgun whether it has a light device mounted on it or not, without using additional inserts and in a versatile manner for handguns having different shapes and configurations.

These and other purposes are achieved by the holster according to the present invention, the essential characteristics of which are defined by attached claim 1. Further important characteristics are defined by the dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

The characteristics and the advantages of the holster according to the present invention shall become clearer from the following description of an embodiment thereof given as an example and not for limiting purposes with reference to the attached drawings, in which: figure 1 shows a perspective view of a holster accommodating a handgun, the holster comprising weapon restrain means according to a first embodiment of the invention;

figure 2 shows a longitudinal section view of a portion of the holster on which the restrain means are provided;

figure 3 is a perspective view of the restrain means of the previous figures, isolated from the rest of the holster;

figures 4 and 5 are a front view and a lateral view, respectively, of the restrain means of figure 3;

- figure 6 is a cross-section view of a portion of the holster with weapon restrain means in a second embodiment of the invention;

figure 7 shows a perspective and isolated view of an element of the restrain means of figure 6;

figure 8 is a perspective view of a weapon that is engaged with restrain means according to a third embodiment of the invention, such restrain means being intended for being fixedly assembled inside a holster that is not shown for the sake of clarity;

figure 9 shows a side view of a holster inside which a handgun is housed, the holster comprising restrain/holding means of the handgun according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;

figure 10 shows a front view of the handgun and the holster of figure 9, the holster being represented as transparent so as to highlight the restrain means according to the fourth embodiment;

figure 11 is a further perspective view of the handgun that is engaged with the restrain means according to figures 9 and 10 and without completely representing the holster for the sake of clarity.

Detailed description of the invention

With reference for the moment to figure 1 , this represents a handgun P and a holster 1 which is suitable for housing the handgun P. With reference to the latter, it is possible to identify three directions which are perpendicular to one another so as to define a Cartesian coordinate system; X is the longitudinal direction, according to which the body/barrel of the handgun P extends in length; Y is the height direction (the reference is the firing configuration with the barrel that is substantially horizontal, i.e. parallel to the ground on which the user is standing), substantially according to which the butt or handgrip of the handgun and the trigger extend in length; Z is, on the other hand, the direction of the thickness or crosswise width direction, which is perpendicular to the first two or rather perpendicular to the sides of the handgun P.

The holster 1 comprises a body 10 inside which a cavity 11 opens up for housing the weapon. The cavity has a shape and dimensions such as to fittingly and firmly accommodate the handgun P substantially according to all directions when a lighting system (or light device system) L, like the one which was previously mentioned, is associated with it. Furthermore, it is necessary for there to be locking means, of the known type and that are not described, for preventing the handgun from coming out in the longitudinal direction X.

Referring now to the actual object of the invention, and speaking in general terms, reversible restrain means of the handgun P are associated with the holster 1 , independently with respect to the aforementioned locking means, said restrain means operating inside the cavity 11 in a forcing action or in any case in engagement on the weapon so as to prevent it from accidentally moving even when the handgun does not have a light device and also with the locking means released. In particular the restrain means are suitable for coming into contact with the slide of the handgun or the body at the trigger guard, and in general anywhere the weapon can be held generating a forcing action and/or contact and/or a restraining action that is directed, when required, in the direction of the thickness Z, but mainly preventing the weapon from swinging or shaking loose in the height direction Y, which is that according to which the stability is made more critical due to the absence of the light device.

Thanks to such restrain means therefore, the holster obtains an engagement that fits and is modelled on the handgun, even when the light L is not fixed onto it.

Going into further detail, reference is made to figures from 1 to 7, which refer to a first and to a second embodiment of the invention, that means two specific solutions that are adopted for the restrain means. In such embodiments the restrain means, generally indicated with reference numeral 2, comprise a latch 20, 20' that is suitable for moving between an extracted position in which it partially projects inside the cavity 11 so as to exert the holding action of the weapon (substantially according to the height direction Y), in particular in this case on the body of the handgun, near to the inner part of the trigger guard, and a retracted position in which they free up the cavity 11 , thus making the holster suitable for housing the handgun with the light device mounted on it.

In the retracted position the latch is contained within a box-like element 21 , 21 ', which is integral with a side wall 12 of the holster and protrudes outwards with respect to the holster itself. The box-like element is indeed substantially positioned in the region that is adapted to correspond, when the handgun is inserted, with the inner side of the trigger guard of the handgun.

In order to allow the passage between the two aforementioned positions, the latch is tiltably connected to the box-like element according to a rotation axis so as to ensure that the forcing or engagement action is actuated, urging the latch towards the extracted position, according to a direction that is substantially in agreement with the axis Z.

With reference to the first variant embodiment of the invention, represented in figures from 1 to 5, the latch 20 is a body that is pivoted on a pin 22 that is fixedly attached to the box-like element 21 and defines a rotation axis Y' that is parallel to the plane XY and in particular extends in accordance with the direction Y. The pin 22 extends, as can be clearly understood in the figures, between two flat side walls 210 of the box-like element that are parallel and face one another projecting from the side wall 12 of the holster. Again, the box-like element 21 defines a housing 21a which opens up on the cavity 11 and has dimensions such as to contain the body 20 in the retracted position.

Entering into even greater detail, the body 20 can have a triangular profile, with a first vertex A on which the pivoting support is carried out, a second free vertex B that protrudes internally with respect to the cavity in the extracted position so as to come into contact with the weapon, and a third vertex C that is linked with the box-like element 21 through elastic return means 23; the latter keep the body towards the completely extracted position when the holster is empty, whereas the resistance exerted by them is partially or totally overcome by the mechanical abutment that result, respectively, from the insertion of the weapon without light, and from the insertion of the weapon provided with a light. In this second case the body is pushed to a retracted flush position in the housing 21a.

The elastic return means comprise for example a suitably calibrated helical spring 23 that extends between the vertex C of the lever 20 and a bottom wall 211 of the boxlike element, such a wall extending perpendicular with respect to the aforementioned side walls 210 and delimiting, at the bottom, the housing 21a.

It should be noted that when the handgun without a light device is inserted in the holster, the abutment/engagement action on the body of the handgun near for example to the guard is such as to hinder movements of the weapon fundamentally in the direction Y, by actual mechanical interference, whereas the locking in the longitudinal direction X is in any case ensured by the usual, and therefore not described, anti- extraction safety systems with which the holster is conventionally provided.

The restrain means thus described are preferably in a number of two and involve both the walls of the holster and consequently, both the sides of the weapon.

Considering now figures 6 and 7, these show a second embodiment of the invention that is similar to the previous one, in particular in terms of the rotational kinematics of the restrain means 2'. These indeed comprise an arm 20' which projects from a central core 25 on which a pivotal connection is carried out, in this case around a rotation axis X' that is parallel to the plane XY and concordant with the direction X (but a solution with rotation axis concordant with respect to Y can be possible as well). Indeed, the core 25 pivots around a pin 22' that is fixedly attached to a box-like element 21'. The latter is also in this case arranged at the body and/or the slide of the handgun near to the guard of the trigger and it is suitable for housing the arm 20' flush.

Differently from the previous solution, however, the rotation of the arm 20' from the flush position to the extracted position is not biased by a spring, but it occurs with an active actuation by the user. For such a purpose, a lever 24 protrudes radially from the central core 25, at a certain angular distance from the arm 20'. Thanks to a suitable opening on the box-like element 21' the lever 24 is exposed with its free extremity outside the holster and the box-like element, so as to be actuated manually, the opening also making it possible to move between two end stops corresponding to the two positions of the arm 20', i. e. the extracted/retracted positions.

The arm 20' therefore, when in the retracted position, is suitable for allowing the insertion of the weapon equipped with a light in the holster. In the case in which the weapon is inserted without a light, the arm is free to rotate inwards, and this is carried out by actuating the lever 24 until the arm comes into contact with the weapon and with this obtains the desired stabilization engagement. The end stop inside the holster is stabilised by a snap-lock. The weapon is prevented from retracting according to the direction Y due to the forcing action of the unit formed by the lever 24 and the arm 20' between the weapon itself and the holster.

Finally, although also in this case it is possible to foresee two restrain means as described above, each arranged on a wall of the holster, only one can be sufficient for ensuring the desired configuration, thus being easier for the user to actuate.

With reference now to figure 8, there is shown a third embodiment of the invention, again within by the same functional concept but having a different kind of construction.

In this third embodiment the restrain means 2" comprise two laminar flaps 20", each for a corresponding side of the handgun, which are fixedly connected with one extremity 20a" to the holster, not represented herein. More precisely, such extremities are fixed to respective inner faces of the side walls of the holster, near to the region that houses the butt of the handgun, and the laminae extend mainly along the longitudinal direction (axis X) towards the region corresponding to the muzzle of the weapon, and thus towards the blind end or bottom of the holster. The flaps end with respective free extremities 20b.

The flaps are shaped with two curved bulging portions 20c and with the free extremities 20b of each slightly convergent, i.e. in a way so that their distance from one another in the width direction Z decreases at the extremities, so as to define a handgun insertion passage that is progressively narrowed towards the bottom of the holster. The flaps are elastically pliable in a bending fashion, almost completely flattening the curvatures 20c, so as to allow and accompany the insertion of the handgun with the light mounted thereon. The same curvatures are flattened, on the other hand, only partially when the weapon has no light, exerting an elastic pressure and mechanical hindrance action, at the body and/or slide of the handgun near to the guard of the trigger, such an action being effective and capable of counteracting undesired movements in the direction Y, even without the light and therefore when the weapon has a diminished bulk (and so the base shape of the holster results exceedingly large).

With reference to figures from 9 to 11 , these finally describe a further construction variant of the restrain means which leads to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

In such a case the restrain means comprise a cylinder 20"' which is tiltably arranged with an axis according to the crosswise direction Z inside the cavity 11 of the holster, and more precisely in the region of the trigger guard. The cylinder is, in practice, pivoted to the opposite side walls 12 of the holster and can thus rotate around a main rotation axis Z', indeed parallel to the direction Z. In order to actuate such a rotation movement there is a bezel 21 "' that projects from one axial end of the cylinder outwards with respect to the holster, so as to be actuated by a user, for example via a cut which can be engaged by a coin, a key or other common tool.

The side surface of the cylinder is centrally excavated by a milling 22"', which in practice forms a wider recess with an arc-shaped profile centred at an axis that is parallel with the longitudinal direction X. Such a wide milled recess is shaped as a function of the shape of the gun-mounted light device, as made clearer hereafter. From a diametrically opposite side with respect to the milling 22"' the same side surface of the cylinder has a groove 23"' with a smaller depth and flat bottom, obtained by removal of a circular solid segment through a certain axial length, which is determined based on the shape and dimensions of the guard of the handgun.

The recess and the groove mentioned above, and more in general the cylinder, work as follows. When it is desired to insert the handgun provided with the light inside the holster the user must rotate the cylinder so as to face the recess/milling 22"' towards the region of the barrel of the handgun, i.e. so that the recess itself defines a space that is suitable for allowing the light itself to pass and for housing it without there being an obstacle to the penetration inside the holster. On the contrary, when the weapon does not have the light mounted on it, the cylinder is rotated so as to orient the groove 23"' towards the barrel. In such a way, when the handgun is introduced, the guard of the handgun (indeed see figures 10 and 11 ) engages with a slight forcing action in the groove itself, in this case also achieving the objective of preventing accidental movement in the direction Y.

The advantages of the holster according to the present invention are clear from what has been described. In particular the holster is suitable both for housing handguns with lights and handguns without them. Indeed, even without lights, the holster obtains a fitting engagement of the weapon. The accidental movements of the weapon inside the holster, and thus the consequent risks, are thus avoided. It is worth underlining that the invention, contrarily to known solutions, does not foresee the use of removable external adaptor accessories and that the constraint action only and specifically concerns possible transversal shaking/swinging (first of all in the height direction Y), which is something conceptually different from the well-known locks against the removal and withdrawal in the longitudinal direction X.

The choice of one constructive solution or another, among those described, and also other conceptually equivalent ones, is firstly determined by the type of weapon/light that the holster is intended to house.

According to the type, for example, the point of the handgun on which it is more rational to exert the restrain action varies (guard, body, slide etc.) and it will consequently be more suitable to go for one or another configuration of the restrain means. When needed, in order to increase the stability and to oppose the movement of the handgun in the direction Y the holster may be equipped with a peg on the bottom thereof so as to engage with the firing hole of the barrel, creating a second holding point of the weapon. Other criteria which can make one embodiment more or less preferable to another include simply concerning production or cost-effectiveness, being it understood that all the solutions described are functional and structurally simple and are therefore competitive both in terms of manufacturing costs and in terms of reliability and ease of use.

In order to manufacture the restrain means a wide range of different materials can be used, with reference of course to the specific field of application, like for example self-lubricant polymers (acetal resin POM) or nylon PA also filled with fibreglass, or prestressed steel.

The present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof. It should be understood that there can be other embodiments that belong to the same inventive concept, inasmuch they fall within the scope of protection of the following claims.