US20150184978A1 - Gun holster and electronic accessory - Google Patents
Gun holster and electronic accessory Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20150184978A1 US20150184978A1 US14/583,342 US201414583342A US2015184978A1 US 20150184978 A1 US20150184978 A1 US 20150184978A1 US 201414583342 A US201414583342 A US 201414583342A US 2015184978 A1 US2015184978 A1 US 2015184978A1
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- Prior art keywords
- holster
- gun sight
- laser gun
- green laser
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Images
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41C—SMALLARMS, e.g. PISTOLS, RIFLES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
- F41C33/00—Means for wearing or carrying smallarms
- F41C33/02—Holsters, i.e. cases for pistols having means for being carried or worn, e.g. at the belt or under the arm
- F41C33/04—Special attachments therefor
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41C—SMALLARMS, e.g. PISTOLS, RIFLES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
- F41C33/00—Means for wearing or carrying smallarms
- F41C33/02—Holsters, i.e. cases for pistols having means for being carried or worn, e.g. at the belt or under the arm
- F41C33/0254—Holsters, i.e. cases for pistols having means for being carried or worn, e.g. at the belt or under the arm with accommodation for auxiliary devices mounted on the small arm, e.g. telescopic sights, flashlights or laser-devices
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41C—SMALLARMS, e.g. PISTOLS, RIFLES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
- F41C33/00—Means for wearing or carrying smallarms
- F41C33/02—Holsters, i.e. cases for pistols having means for being carried or worn, e.g. at the belt or under the arm
- F41C33/0263—Holsters, i.e. cases for pistols having means for being carried or worn, e.g. at the belt or under the arm having a locking system for preventing unauthorized or accidental removal of the small arm from the holster
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
- F41G1/00—Sighting devices
- F41G1/32—Night sights, e.g. luminescent
- F41G1/34—Night sights, e.g. luminescent combined with light source, e.g. spot light
- F41G1/35—Night sights, e.g. luminescent combined with light source, e.g. spot light for illuminating the target, e.g. flash lights
Definitions
- the present invention relates to accessories used with firearms, and more particularly to holsters, laser sighting devices and other accessories relating to firearms, such as handguns, holsters, and laser sighting devices.
- a wide variety of accessories have been developed for users of firearms, to facilitate target visualization and improve targeting accuracy.
- laser sighting devices configured to generate a coherent energy beam parallel or nearly parallel to the extension of a gun barrel, with the precise alignment depending largely on the distance to the target and windage. When activated, the coherent energy beam forms a spot of light on the target to indicate the expected point of impact of the firearm projectile.
- These devices can enhance the experience of any firearm user and have considerable importance in certain law enforcement and military operations.
- Typical laser sighting devices employ visible red or infrared laser frequencies, as energy at the desired frequency can be generated directly, e.g., with a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) crystal. More recently, it has been discovered that visible light in the “green” range, e.g. having a wavelength from about 490 to about 570 nanometers, has much higher visibility than visible red laser energy. The more visible beam, while enhancing utility of a sighting device in general, is particularly effective for daytime use.
- a difficulty that has limited the use of green laser energy in sighting devices is the need for additional components not required by visible red and infrared lasers.
- a Nd:YAG crystal is used to generate energy at a wavelength outside the visible spectrum, such as about 1064 nm, that is then provided to a frequency doubler, such as a potassium titanium oxide phosphate (KTP) or lithium triborate (LBO) crystal to generate the desired wavelength, such as about 532 nm.
- KTP potassium titanium oxide phosphate
- LBO lithium triborate
- the additional components require a larger laser drive circuit, typically a printed circuit board, and a larger power supply to meet a higher power requirement.
- the resulting sighting device may be larger and/or more difficult to use with handguns than other laser sighting devices, either because the handgun barrel is not long enough to accommodate the device or because the device protrudes ahead of the barrel an excessive amount.
- accessory devices incorporating green laser sighting and white light (multichromatic energy) illumination, this difficulty is magnified.
- Another problem encountered with the green laser is the higher power requirement and the accompanying reduction in useful life of the power source, typically one or more batteries.
- a larger battery contributes to the size of the device.
- the battery size may be even larger in devices that combine laser and multichromatic illumination as they typically employ separate voltage level power sources for the separate light sources.
- While sighting devices and other accessories can be mounted to firearms in a variety of ways, one approach gaining increasing acceptance involves forming longitudinally extending rails on opposite sides below the barrel of a handgun ahead of the trigger guard, for example as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,854 (Solinsky et al.).
- the accessory or auxiliary device is provided with opposed projections, each slidable relative to one of the rails to guide the accessory for longitudinal travel relative to the barrel.
- the accessory also carries a transverse spring loaded bar that fits into a transverse groove formed in the barrel to secure the accessory against longitudinal travel. While this approach has proven useful for attaching a variety of accessories including laser sights and illumination devices, problems are encountered due to the differences in locations for the transverse grooves among different brands of firearms.
- Sighting devices typically include a switch for turning the sighting device on and off.
- a user can turn the switch on to activate the green laser, red laser, or white light of the sighting device.
- a user can then turn the switch off to deactivate the green laser, red laser, or white light, thus conserving power.
- a combination includes a holster and a laser gun sight securable to a gun.
- the holster includes a material defining a pocket sized for a gun having an attached laser sight.
- the laser gun sight includes a housing including a laser aperture, a laser module disposed within the laser aperture, a circuit board including circuitry configured to operate the laser module, and a sensor disposed on the circuit board. The sensor is configured to detect the position of the laser gun sight relative to the holster.
- Another embodiment is a combination including a holster and an electronic weapon mounted accessory securable to a gun.
- the holster comprises a material defining a pocket sized for a gun having an attached electronic weapon mounted accessory.
- the electronic weapon mounted accessory includes a circuit board including circuitry configured to operate the electronic weapon mounted accessory and a sensor disposed on the circuit board and configured to detect position of the electronic weapon mounted accessory relative to the holster.
- a holster configured to accommodate a gun to which an electronic weapon mounted accessory has been secured.
- the holster includes a material defining a pocket sized for the gun and the electronic weapon mounted accessory.
- the pocket includes a muzzle receiving area and an electronic weapon mounted accessory receiving area.
- a magnet is attached to the resilient material proximate the electronic weapon mounted accessory receiving area.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative green laser gun sight secured to a handgun in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views of a housing forming a portion of the green laser gun sight of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a green laser module.
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the green laser gun sight of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the green laser gun sight of FIG. 4 , with a front plate removed to illustrate internal components.
- FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the handgun of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating attachment of the green laser gun sight to the handgun.
- FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of an illustrative green laser gun sight in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of the green laser gun sight of FIG. 8 , shown mounted on a gun having a long rail system.
- FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of a remote switch that may be used with the green laser gun sight of FIG. 8 .
- FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the handgun and green laser gun sight of FIG. 1 disposed within a holster.
- FIG. 12 is an upper perspective view of the holster of FIG. 11 .
- FIG. 13 is a lower perspective view of the holster of FIG. 11 .
- FIG. 14 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the holster of FIG. 11 .
- FIG. 15 is a view of a portion of the holster of FIG. 11 , showing the primary retention feature engaging a component of the green laser gun sight.
- FIG. 16 is a schematic view of a green laser module used in the green laser gun sight of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 17 is a simplified schematic view of electrical circuitry in the green laser gun sight of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 18 is a simplified schematic view of electrical circuitry in the green laser gun sight of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the handgun and green laser gun sight of FIG. 1 disposed within a holster.
- FIG. 20 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the holster of FIG. 19 .
- FIG. 21 is an upper perspective view of the holster of FIG. 19 .
- FIG. 22 is a side schematic view of the handgun and the green laser sight in a soft holster.
- FIG. 23 is a schematic view of an activation triggering device.
- FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a top of an activation triggering device.
- FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a bottom of the activation triggering device of FIG. 24 .
- FIG. 26 is a top view of the handgun resting on a gun storage pad.
- FIG. 27 is a top view of the gun storage pad.
- FIG. 28 is a side sectional view of the gun storage pad taken along line 28 - 28 of FIG. 27 .
- FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a paddle.
- FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a rear of the paddle.
- FIG. 31 is a side view of the paddle.
- the disclosure pertains generally to laser gun sights such as green laser gun sights that are configured to be easily attached to a variety of different hand guns.
- the green laser gun sights are configured to permit elevation and windage adjustment without requiring movement of an entire laser module, thereby affording use of a more compact device housing.
- the laser module can be in direct contact with the housing. Because the housing can then function as a heat sink, a smaller laser module may be used.
- FIGS. 1 through 7 illustrate an embodiment of a green laser gun sight attached to a small handgun while FIGS. 8 through 10 illustrate an embodiment of a green laser gun sight secured to a larger gun such as a rifle.
- FIGS. 11 through 14 illustrate an embodiment of a holster that is configured to be used in combination with a handgun to which a green laser gun sight has been attached. Embodiments of the holster are configured to engage various portions of the green laser gun sight to releasably secure the gun within the holster without engaging the trigger guard.
- the green laser gun sight and the holster are configured, in combination, to automatically shut off the green laser gun sight when a gun is holstered and to automatically turn on the green laser gun sight when the holstered gun is drawn, or removed from the holster.
- the handgun 10 includes, among other elements and features, a barrel 12 and a trigger guard 14 .
- the barrel 12 includes a rail system 16 that is configured to accommodate a variety of different accessories and other attachments.
- a laser gun sight 18 may be attached.
- the green laser gun sight 18 is secured to the rail system 16 ahead of the trigger guard 14 .
- the green laser gun sight 18 is configured such that the green laser gun sight 18 does not extend beyond a muzzle end 20 of the barrel 12 .
- the rail system 16 may vary somewhat, depending on the identity of the handgun 10 . Further details of the green laser gun sight 18 , as well as details of how the green laser gun sight 18 attaches to the handgun 10 , will be discussed with respect to subsequent Figures.
- FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views of a housing 22 that forms a part of the green laser gun sight 18 .
- FIG. 2A is a right rear perspective view while FIG. 2B is a left front perspective view.
- the housing 22 may be formed of any suitable material.
- the housing 22 is formed of a strong, lightweight metal such as aluminum. It will be appreciated that the housing 22 , particularly if formed of a highly heat conductive material such as a metal such as aluminum, will function as a heat sink.
- the housing 22 can include several apertures such as a green laser module aperture 24 , a visible light module aperture 26 and a larger aperture 28 that may be configured to accommodate a battery (not illustrated) as well as at least some of the laser circuitry.
- the visible light module may include an LED light source.
- the housing 22 can also include features that facilitate attachment of the green laser gun sight 18 to the handgun 10 .
- a pair of grooves 30 may be formed on the housing 22 .
- one groove 30 may be formed on each side of the housing 22 (only one visible in this illustration).
- the grooves 30 accommodate a rail set that connects the green laser gun sight 18 to the handgun 10 .
- the housing 22 can also include a through aperture 32 for connecting the green laser gun sight 18 to the handgun 10 .
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a green laser module 34 that is aligned to slide into the laser module aperture 24 .
- the green laser module 34 has a cylindrical shape that fits snugly into the laser module aperture 24 .
- the housing 22 may also serve as a heat sink for the green laser module 34 . This may be especially beneficial as green lasers may produce more heat than a correspondingly-powered red laser.
- FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the green laser gun sight 18 .
- Rail sets 36 and 38 are disposed on either side, respectively, of the green laser gun sight 18 and fit into the grooves 30 disposed on either side of the green laser gun sight 18 . It will be appreciated that the rail sets 36 and 38 slide downward into the grooves 30 .
- a connector such as the cross pin 40 , may extend between the rail sets 36 and 38 and may secure the rail sets 36 and 38 .
- the cross pin 40 may slide through an aperture formed in the rail set 36 and may be threadedly engaged in a corresponding threaded aperture formed within the rail set 38 .
- the connector such as the cross pin 40 may include a head 41 that may be used in advancing or withdrawing the cross pin 40 as well as a threaded portion 43 (shown in FIG. 7 ).
- the head 41 may also be used to help secure the green laser gun sight 18 (and hence the handgun 10 ) within a holster.
- the cross pin 40 also helps to secure the rail sets 36 and 38 , and hence the green laser gun sight 18 , to the handgun 10 .
- the rail set 36 includes a mounting surface 42 and the rail set 38 includes a mounting surface 44 .
- the mounting surfaces 42 and 44 may be configured to interact with the rail system ( FIG. 1 ) and may be modified to fit a particular handgun 10 .
- the green laser gun sight 18 includes a front cover 52 .
- the front cover 52 may be formed of a suitable material, such as a polymeric material.
- the front cover 52 may include a portion 46 that is configured to permit laser light to emerge and a portion 48 that is configured to accommodate a visible light.
- a cover 50 seals off the larger aperture 28 ( FIG. 2 ).
- the cover 50 may be threadedly engaged with the housing 22 , but this is not required.
- a first screw 54 and a second screw 56 may be arranged along one side of the portion 46 .
- the first screw 54 may be an elevation screw and the second screw 56 may be a windage screw.
- the green laser gun sight 18 includes one or more switches 80 that can be used, for example, to program the green laser gun sight 18 , to turn the green laser module 34 on or off, to turn the visible light module on or off, or to vary a pulse rate for the green laser module 34 and/or vary a strobe rate for the visible light module.
- the green laser gun sight 18 may include a pair of switches 80 , with one switch 80 arranged on each side of the green laser gun sight 18 .
- the switch(es) 80 may be disposed at a remote location.
- the switch 80 on the right side of the green laser gun sight 18 and the switch 80 on the left side of the green laser gun sight 18 may be used interchangeably. For example, it may be more natural and/or convenient for a right-handed user to use their thumb to operate the switch 80 on the left side of the green laser gun sight 18 . Similarly, it may be more natural and/or convenient for a left-handed user to use their thumb to operate the switch 80 on the right side of the green laser gun sight 18 . In some cases, a user may prefer to turn the green laser gun sight 18 on or off using a different finger before they are holding the gun 10 in a ready-to-fire position. In some embodiments, the green laser gun sight 18 includes circuitry that enables either switch 80 to be used.
- FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 , except that the front cover 52 has been removed to better illustrate internal components.
- a light assembly 62 is disposed in alignment with the portion 48 of the front cover 52 ( FIG. 4 ).
- the first screw (i.e., elevation screw) 54 and the second screw (i.e., windage screw) 56 are arranged in opposition to a spring 60 and thus can be used to alter a position of a laser collimating lens 58 as the force applied to the laser collimating lens 58 by the spring 60 includes a component aligned with (in opposition to) the elevation screw 54 as well as a component that is aligned with (in opposition to) the windage screw 56 .
- An elevation screw spacer 54 a extends between the elevation screw 54 and the laser collimating lens 58 .
- the laser collimating lens 58 may rest on a ribbed or otherwise textured surface to reduce friction.
- An individual can adjust the aim of the laser beam emitted by the green laser sighting device 18 by turning the elevation screw 54 and/or the windage screw 56 .
- the laser collimating lens 58 may slide radially and/or perpendicularly with respect to the green laser module 34 .
- the elevation screw 54 and/or the windage screw 56 may be configured to permit the laser collimating lens 58 to pivot relative to the green laser module 34 .
- the laser collimating lens 58 may be stationary, and the elevation screw 54 and/or the windage screw 56 may be used to alter the position of an additional lens or other optical component (not illustrated) in order to fine tune aiming of the green laser module 34 .
- FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate in greater detail the attachment of the green laser gun sight 18 to the handgun 10 .
- FIG. 6 illustrates an enlarged end portion of the handgun 10 in which the rail system 16 may be seen as including a left (in the illustrated orientation) profile 64 and a corresponding right profile 66 .
- FIG. 7 illustrates the green laser gun sight 18 in combination with the rail set 36 and the rail set 38 .
- the mounting surface 42 of the rail set 36 is configured to fit into or otherwise interact with the left profile 64 of the rail system 16 and that the mounting surface 44 of the rail set 38 is configured to fit into or otherwise interact with the right profile 66 of the rail system 16 .
- the left profile 64 and/or the right profile 66 may be configured to provide a key and lock arrangement between the rail sets 36 and 38 and the rail system 16 such that when the rail sets 36 and 38 are held together via an attaching member, such as cross pin 40 , the green laser gun sight 18 is held in place on the handgun 10 .
- the rail system 16 also includes a horizontal cross slot 68 .
- the rail set 36 and the rail set 38 may include, respectively, mounting apertures 70 and 72 that permit the cross pin 40 to extend through the rail set 36 and the rail set 38 .
- the horizontal cross slot 68 is sized and positioned to accommodate the cross pin 40 and thereby prevent or at least substantially prevent lateral movement of the laser sighting device 18 relative to the handgun 10 .
- each of the rail sets 36 and 38 may include several different mounting apertures to accommodate particular handguns 10 having different positions for the horizontal cross slot 68 .
- the rail sets 36 and 38 may include an aperture 35 (only one visible in FIG. 7 ) that is configured to accommodate a connector 33 , such as a threaded rod or screw.
- the connector 33 may extend through the aperture 35 .
- the connector 33 may threadably engage with the aperture 32 formed in the housing 22 at or near the top of the groove 30 .
- the connector 33 may be a pin that may extend through the apertures 35 to secure the first and second rail sets 36 , 38 to the green laser gun sight 18 .
- a single pin may extend through both rail sets 36 , 38 and may form a frictional or compressive fit with the apertures 35 formed in each of the rail sets 36 , 38 .
- the green laser gun sight 18 may be attached to a variety of different guns or handguns 10 without requiring alteration of the housing 22 .
- the rail sets 36 and 38 may be configured to have mounting surfaces 42 and 44 , respectively that are configured to interact with the particular rail system 16 of a particular gun 10 .
- FIGS. 1 through 7 may be considered in some cases as being designed for use with smaller handguns such as compact and subcompact handguns.
- FIGS. 8 through 10 illustrate a green laser gun sight 82 that shares many features with the green laser gun sight 18 , but in some cases may be considered as being designed for use with larger guns such as full size handguns, rifles, shotguns and the like.
- the green laser gun sight 82 includes a portion 84 that is configured to accommodate the green laser module 34 .
- the portion 84 may include a transparent plate, such as a glass plate, that permits the green laser light to pass through.
- the green laser gun sight 82 also includes a visible light module 86 .
- the visible light module 86 may be configured to provide substantially more visible light than that provided by the visible light module 62 ( FIG. 5 ) and may extend outward relative to the portion 84 .
- the visible light module 86 may be considered as being positioned in front of a battery aperture formed within the green laser gun sight 82 .
- the visible light module 86 may be user-removable in order to permit battery installation and/or replacement.
- the green laser gun sight 82 includes an elevation screw 88 and a windage screw 90 that can be used to adjust the aim of the green laser module by moving a laser collimation lens (as discussed previously with respect to the green laser gun sight 18 ).
- the green laser gun sight 82 includes a first rail set 92 and a second rail set 94 that may be attached to the green laser gun sight 82 in a manner similar to that described previously with respect to the green laser gun sight 18 .
- a fastener 96 such as a screw or bolt, attaches the first rail set 92 to the green laser gun sight 82
- a similar fastener (not visible) attaches the second rail 94 to the opposing side of the green laser gun sight 82 .
- a pair of cross pins 98 secure the first rail set 92 to the second rail set 94 and thus secure the green laser gun sight 82 to a gun rail system.
- the green laser gun sight 82 may be physically larger and longer than, for example, the green laser gun sight 18 and thus may benefit from using more than one cross pin 98 .
- the green laser gun sight 82 includes one or more switches 100 that can be used, for example, to program the green laser gun sight 82 , to turn the green laser module 34 on or off, to turn the visible light module 86 on or off, to vary a pulse rate for the green laser module 34 and/or to vary a strobe rate for the visible light module.
- there is a pair of switches 100 for example one switch 100 may be arranged on each side of the green laser gun sight 82 .
- the green laser gun sight 82 may not include the switch 100 .
- FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of a green laser gun sight 104 secured to a long rail system 102 .
- the green laser gun sight 104 does not include the switch 100 .
- the green laser gun sight 104 includes a rotary switch 106 and a lead 108 that extends to a remote switch (not illustrated).
- the rotary switch 106 may be used to select a particular lighting program, i.e., solid or strobing visible light, solid or pulsing green laser, and the like, while the remote switch may be used to turn either the visible light module 86 and/or the green laser module 34 on or off.
- the settings “A”, “B”, “C” and “D” may each be used to designate a particular function such as constant laser only, constant light only, or constant laser with constant light. In some embodiments, each of these functions may be momentary only. In some embodiments, on or more of the aforementioned settings may be used to designate independent activation between the two separate buttons 112 and 114 (discussed below with respect to FIG. 10 ). In some embodiments, the settings “1”, “2”, “3” and “4” may be used in a similar manner.
- the setting labeled “P” may be used for a program setting that allows the user to change settings according to their preferences, such as the pulse rate for the laser and/or the strobe rate for the visible light.
- the buttons 112 and 114 may be used to increase the laser pulse rate while the other of the buttons 112 and 114 may be used to decrease the laser pulse rate.
- FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of a remote switch 110 that includes a first switch button 112 and a second switch button 114 .
- the first switch 112 and the second switch button 114 may be individually pressed to turn the green laser gun sight 104 on or off.
- the first switch 112 and the second switch 114 may be pressed together and/or in combination with rotating the rotary switch 106 to select between different program modes.
- the remote switch 110 may be located at any convenient location along the gun.
- the remote switch 110 may be placed at a location proximate where the user holds the rifle or shotgun with their non-trigger hand, such as at or near the magazine.
- the remote switch 110 may be mechanically or adhesively secured to the gun.
- FIGS. 11 through 14 provide various views of a holster that is configured to accommodate a handgun 10 to which a green laser gun sight 18 has been attached.
- the holster described herein is configured to interact with the green laser gun sight 18 to releasably secure the handgun 10 within the holster without engaging the trigger guard 14 .
- FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the handgun 10 disposed within a holster 120 .
- FIG. 12 provides a view down into the holster 120 while FIG. 13 provides a lower perspective view.
- the holster 120 includes a pocket 122 that is formed between an outer panel 124 and an inner panel 126 .
- inner and outer may be considered as being relative to a user who has the holster 120 secured to their belt.
- the inner panel 126 is closest to a securement portion 128 that is configured to be secured to a user's belt.
- the outer panel 124 and the inner panel 126 may be distinct portions that are screwed, bolted, riveted, adhered or otherwise secured together. In some embodiments, the outer panel 124 and the inner panel 126 may instead be outer and inner portions, respectively, of a unitary structure. In some embodiments, the outer panel 124 and the inner panel 126 are molded or thermoset as a unitary structure.
- the holster 120 may be formed of any suitable material. In some embodiments, the holster 120 is largely molded from a relatively rigid polymeric material such that a polymeric material defines the pocket 122 . For example, the holster 120 may be formed from a thermal plastic.
- a suitable material may have a modulus of elasticity of approximately 330,000 psi and/or a hardness of 90 on the Rockwell R scale.
- a suitable material includes KYDEX®, an acryl polyvinyl chloride available from Kydex LLC.
- the holster 120 includes a primary retention device 130 and a secondary retention device 132 .
- the primary retention device 130 is configured to releasably engage with an external component of the green laser gun sight 18 .
- the primary retention device 130 includes a moveable lever 134 that includes an engagement portion 136 , a finger button portion 138 and an intervening pivot point 140 .
- the moveable lever 134 is movable between an engagement position in which the engagement portion 136 interacts with a portion of the green laser gun sight 18 and a disengagement position in which the engagement portion 136 is moved out of engagement with the green laser gun sight 18 .
- the moveable lever 134 is biased into the engagement portion by a spring or similarly resilient element (not illustrated).
- the primary retention device 130 is configured such that a user may easily draw the handgun 10 from the holster 120 by depressing the finger portion with their finger to move the primary retention device 130 to a disengagement position and wherein the primary retention device 130 is positioned relative to the pocket 122 such that the gun 10 may be withdrawn from the holster 120 with the user's finger proximate a switch 80 ( FIG. 4 ) on the green laser gun sight 18 .
- the secondary retention device 132 includes a resilient member 142 that forms a frictional fit with the housing 22 of the green laser gun sight 18 . It will be appreciated that the secondary retention device 132 is configured to resist accidental removal of the gun 10 from the holster 120 but permits removal of the gun 10 from the holster 120 when the finger portion 138 is depressed and the gun 10 is withdrawn.
- FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate how the primary retention device 130 interacts with the green laser gun sight 18 .
- the primary retention device 130 interacts with a component of the green laser gun sight 18 .
- the engagement portion 136 of the primary retention device 130 engages with the head 141 of the cross pin 140 .
- FIG. 15 also illustrates the relative position of the head 141 and the engagement portion 136 of the primary retention device 130 when the gun 10 is secured within the holster 120 . It can be seen that the engagement portion 136 blocks movement of the head 141 when in an engagement position but permits movement when the user depresses the finger portion 138 and thus pivots the engagement portion 136 out of the way of the head 141 .
- FIG. 16 is a schematic illustration of a green laser module 154 that may be considered as representative of the green laser module 34 previously discussed.
- the green laser module 154 is configured to produce coherent energy in the green (490-570 nm) range of a visible spectrum.
- Laser module components include a semiconductor chip 166 that emits radiation when receiving battery power, a lasing medium or crystal 168 provided for light amplification at the fundamental frequency corresponding to a wavelength of 1064 nm and a frequency doubler or crystal 170 for converting the energy to the desired wavelength of 532 nm.
- beam collimating optics 172 are positioned to receive the light emitted by the frequency doubler or crystal 170 .
- the beam collimating optics 172 include the collimating lens 58 discussed previously.
- the green laser module 154 may incorporate an infrared blocking filter.
- FIG. 17 provides a simplified schematic view of electrical circuitry in the green laser gun sight 18 .
- a printed circuit board 174 may be separated from the green laser module 154 .
- a printed circuit board 176 that incorporates a microprocessor for a variety of functions including providing battery power to the printed circuit board 174 pulsed at a variety of predetermined pulsing frequencies, and interrupting power to the laser drive circuit after a predetermined time of laser operation with no user input, to prevent overheating and prolong battery life.
- a flexible or pliant conductor 178 electrically couples the battery 162 to the pulsing circuit 176 , a conductor 180 couples the pulsing circuit 176 to the laser drive circuit 174 , and a conductor 182 couples the laser drive circuit 174 to the laser module 154 .
- a switch 184 is coupled to the pulsing circuit 176 and is operable to select one of several desired pulsing frequencies. In one version, the predetermined frequencies are 5 Hz, 7 Hz, and 10 Hz.
- the pulsed input to laser drive circuit 174 causes the drive circuit 174 to generate a laser beam at substantially the same pulsing frequency, so that users visually perceive the beam as pulsed. Moreover, at the relatively low pulsing frequencies involved, the separate pulsing frequencies are readily visually distinguishable from one another. Consequently, in a situation in which sighting beams from several different firearms may be directed towards the same target, for example in certain law enforcement or military operations, the different pulsing rates allow each user to distinguish his or her sighting beam from the others.
- the pulsing circuit 176 can be configured to provide power to the laser drive circuit 174 at several distinct pulsing frequencies, and further to provide power at several different pulsing circuit duty cycles, each associated with a different one of the pulsing frequencies.
- the laser drive circuit 174 provides power to the laser module according to a duty cycle controlled by its corresponding pulsing circuit duty cycle.
- the operator selects the desired pulsing frequency by operating the switch 184 to cycle through five distinct modes: continuous wave, pulse frequency number 1 , pulse frequency number 2 , pulse frequency number 3 , and off.
- the switch 184 also is operable to control the light source 164 .
- a conductor 190 couples the battery 162 to a voltage conversion circuit 192 , which in turn is electrically coupled to the light source 164 by a conductor 194 .
- the green laser module 154 and the light source 164 may be powered by the same power source.
- FIG. 18 provides a simplified schematic view of electrical circuitry in the green laser gun sight 18 . While the laser gun sight 18 has been described as being a green laser gun sight, in some embodiments the laser gun sight 18 may instead be a red laser gun sight, a blue laser gun sight or an infrared laser gun sight. In some embodiments, the laser gun sight 18 is a green laser gun sight 18 .
- the printed circuit board 176 may include a sensing circuit 184 that includes a Hall effect sensor 186 .
- the holster 120 may include one or more magnets that are sized to produce a magnetic field that can be detected by the Hall effect sensor 186 .
- one or more magnets may be placed in a soft holster such as a pocket gun holster.
- one or more magnets may instead be disposed on or in a flat surface such as the floor of a safe, a nightstand drawer, an automobile glove box, or the like.
- the microprocessor 185 decides that a gun 10 to which the green laser gun sight 18 has been mounted has been holstered. When the sensing circuit 184 no longer detects the magnetic field, the microprocessor 185 decides that the gun 10 has been drawn from the holster 120 or picked up from the aforementioned flat surface.
- the microprocessor 185 is configured to turn off the green laser gun sight 18 when detection of a magnetic field indicates that the gun 10 has been holstered or otherwise put away. In some embodiments, the microprocessor 185 is configured to turn on the green laser gun sight 18 when a lack of detection of a magnetic field indicates that the gun 10 has been drawn or picked up. In some embodiments, the microprocessor 185 is configured to turn on the green laser gun sight 18 upon removal from the holster 120 if the green laser gun sight 18 was turned on when holstered, and is configured to keep the green laser gun sight 18 turned off upon removal from the holster 120 if the green laser gun sight 18 was turned off when holstered.
- turning the green laser gun sight 18 on and off refers to completely shutting off the green laser gun sight 18 in order to conserve battery power. In some embodiments, this refers to turning portions of the aforementioned circuitry on or off. For example, turning off the green laser gun sight 18 may refer to stopping power to the laser module 154 and/or the LED module 164 to conserve battery power and/or prevent inadvertent detection of the gun 10 while other portions of the circuitry remain powered.
- the green laser gun sight 18 may be programmed using the one or more buttons 80 to automatically turn on the laser module 154 and/or the LED module 164 when the gun is drawn from the holster 120 . In some embodiments, the green laser gun sight 18 may be programmed to automatically turn on the laser module 154 and/or the LED module 164 after a user programmable time delay should the user wish a short delay to, for example, better position the gun before providing a visual indication of the gun's presence.
- FIGS. 19-21 are similar to FIGS. 11 , 12 and 14 described previously, but have been annotated to indicate an embodiment in which the green laser gun sight 18 and the holster 120 have been configured, in combination, to provide an instant-on feature.
- a region 190 has been indicated in phantom to show the relative position of the Hall effect sensor 186 in the sensing circuit 184 as well as a magnet disposed within the holster 120 .
- FIG. 20 shows an embodiment in which a magnet 192 has been embedded in the resilient member 142 .
- the magnet 192 is a rare earth metal and may be adhesively fixed within a pocket formed in the resilient member 142 .
- FIG. 21 it can be seen that the magnet 192 is positioned relatively close to a region 194 of the green laser gun sight 18 that includes the sensing circuit 184 and the Hall effect sensor 186 .
- FIG. 22 is a side schematic view of the handgun 10 and the green laser gun sight 18 disposed within a soft holster 200 formed of a resilient material 202 .
- the resilient material 202 comprises an exterior layer 204 forming an exterior of the soft holster 200 and an interior layer 206 forming an interior of the soft holster 200 .
- edging material 208 is sewn around a perimeter of the resilient material 202 .
- the resilient material 202 including the exterior layer 204 , the interior layer 206 , and the edging material 208 , comprise one or more types of relatively durable fabrics.
- the resilient material 202 can comprise one or more non-fabric resilient materials that are suitable for the application, such as leather.
- the soft holster 200 defines a pocket 210 sized for the handgun 10 with the attached green laser gun sight 18 .
- the pocket 210 includes a muzzle receiving area 212 for receiving the muzzle end 20 of the handgun 10 and a laser sight receiving area 214 for receiving the green laser gun sight 18 .
- the muzzle receiving area 212 is adjacent to and directly above the laser sight receiving area 214 .
- the soft holster 200 can be shaped to hold the handgun 10 with the attached green laser gun sight 18 relatively firmly. In other embodiments, the soft holster 200 can hold the handgun 10 with the attached green laser gun sight 18 less firmly yet still have the muzzle receiving area 212 and the laser sight receiving area 214 .
- the soft holster 200 is a pocket gun holster having a tab 216 adjacent to and extending downward from the laser sight receiving area 214 .
- the tab 216 can function to hook on a user's pocket (such as a pocket or a front pocket of a pair of pants, not shown) or waistband of a pair of pants (not shown) to retain the soft holster 200 in the user's pocket when the handgun 10 is drawn from the soft holster 200 .
- the soft holster 200 can be shaped differently than as illustrated.
- the tab 216 can be omitted.
- a magnet 218 is attached to the resilient material 202 proximate the laser sight receiving area 214 .
- the magnet 218 can be attached to the resilient material 202 at a location suitable for being detected by the Hall effect sensor 186 of the green laser gun sight 18 .
- the magnet 218 is mounted nearer the tab 216 than a top 220 of the soft holster 200 .
- the Hall effect sensor 186 can sense being removed from the magnetic field of the magnet 218 and automatically activate the green laser gun sight 18 to emit a green laser.
- the magnet 218 can be positioned differently than as illustrated so long as the magnet 218 is positioned at a location suitable for being detected by the Hall effect sensor 186 of the green laser gun sight 18 .
- the magnet 218 is positioned between the exterior layer 204 and the interior layer 206 .
- the magnet 218 can be attached to the interior layer 206 , inward of the interior layer 206 .
- the magnet 218 can be attached to the exterior layer 204 , outside of the exterior layer 204 .
- the magnet 218 can be attached to the resilient material 202 via adhesive suitable for attaching to fabric. In another embodiment, the magnet 218 can be sewn to the resilient material 202 . In further embodiments, the magnet 218 can be attached to the resilient material 202 via another method suitable for the application.
- the green laser gun sight 18 can be replaced with another electronic weapon mounted accessory, such as a red laser, a white light, or a combination of a red or green laser and a white light.
- another electronic weapon mounted accessory such as a red laser, a white light, or a combination of a red or green laser and a white light.
- the laser sight receiving area 214 could be more generally referred to an electronic weapon mounted accessory receiving area.
- Such electronic weapon mounted accessories can be used, activated, and deactivated in substantially the same manner as described with respect to the green laser gun sight 18 .
- FIG. 23 is a schematic view of an activation triggering device 300 .
- the activation triggering device 300 includes a magnet 302 and a fastening mechanism 304 .
- the activation triggering device 300 is a gun holster activation triggering device.
- the fastening mechanism 304 is mounted to the magnet 302 and configured to be secured to a gun holster, such as the holster 120 (shown in FIGS. 11-15 and 19 - 21 ) and the soft holster 200 (shown in FIG. 22 ).
- the fastening mechanism 304 can include adhesive for adhering the activation triggering device 300 to the holster.
- the fastening mechanism 304 can be a screw, bolt, clamp, adhesive, or other material or component configured for attaching the activation triggering device 300 to the holster via sewing, welding, bolting, screwing, clamping, or other method suitable for the application.
- the activation triggering device 300 can be used to modify an existing holster that did not previously have a position sensing magnet, into a holster having a position sensing magnet suitable for use with the sensing circuit 184 and the Hall effect sensor 186 described above.
- the activation triggering device 300 can first be positioned on a holster (such as the holster 120 or the soft holster 200 ) such that the magnet 302 is proximate a sight receiving area (such as the sight receiving area 214 ).
- the fastening mechanism 304 can then be attached to the holster such that the magnet 302 is substantially fixed with respect to the holster.
- a gun sight (such as the green laser gun sight 18 ) can be attached to a handgun (such as the handgun 10 ) in a manner described above, or in another manner. Then, the handgun 10 with the attached green laser gun sight 18 can be inserted and removed from the holster with the attached activation triggering device 300 , and the green laser gun sight 18 can be automatically deactivated and activated upon insertion and removal, respectively.
- the activation triggering device 300 can be attached to an outer surface of the holster. In another embodiment, the activation triggering device 300 can be attached to an inner surface of the holster inside a pocket (such as the pocket 122 or the pocket 210 ) of the holster.
- the activation triggering device 300 can be paired with a green laser gun sight (such as the green laser gun sight 18 ) wherein the combination of the activation triggering device 300 and the green laser gun sight 18 are sized to fit within the pocket of the holster when the green laser gun sight 18 is mounted on the handgun 10 .
- the green laser gun sight 18 can be mounted on the handgun 10 and the green laser gun sight 18 can turn on automatically when used with that holster.
- the activation triggering device 300 allows for retrofitting and upgrading of existing, conventional holsters for use with the automatic activation feature of the green laser gun sight 18 .
- Such conventional holsters can be manufactured and sold separately from the activation triggering device 300 .
- Such conventional holsters need not be designed especially for use with the activation triggering device 300 .
- FIG. 24 is perspective view of a top of an activation triggering device 310 , which is an alternative embodiment of the activation triggering device 300 .
- FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a bottom of the activation triggering device 310 .
- the activation triggering device 310 includes a housing 312 at least partially covering a magnet 314 .
- the housing 312 includes a top surface 316 that curves down toward edges 318 , 320 , 322 , and 324 .
- the edges 318 and 320 are substantially curved edges, with the edge 318 positioned opposite the edge 320 .
- the edges 322 and 324 are substantially straight edges extending between the edges 318 and 320 , with the edge 322 positioned opposite the edge 324 .
- the housing 312 has a bottom surface 326 positioned opposite the top surface 316 .
- the bottom surface 326 defines a cavity 328 sized for the magnet 314 .
- Bosses 330 , 332 , and 334 may extend radially inward into the cavity 328 .
- the magnet 314 is positioned in the cavity 328 of the housing 312 , and can be held in the cavity 328 via a friction fit with the bosses 330 , 332 , and 334 .
- Adhesive can be used to attach the magnet 314 to the housing 312 in addition to or instead of the bosses 330 , 332 , and 334 .
- a layer of adhesive 336 can be applied to the bottom surface 326 of the housing 312 and to the magnet 314 .
- the layer of adhesive 336 can be applied to only one of the bottom surface 326 or the housing 312 .
- the activation triggering device 310 can be attached via a mechanism other than adhesive, such as double-sided tape, sewing, a press fit, bolting, screwing, or riveting.
- the activation triggering device 310 can be relatively small. In the illustrated embodiment, the activation triggering device 310 has a width of about 0.75 inches (1.905 centimeters) and a thickness of about 0.125 inches (0.3175 centimeters). In alternative embodiments, the activation triggering device 310 can have a width of less than about 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) and a thickness of less than about 0.25 inches (0.635 centimeters). In further alternative embodiments, the activation triggering device 310 can have another size and shape suitable for the application.
- the activation triggering device 310 can be adhered or otherwise attached to a holster, such as the holster 120 (shown in FIGS. 11-15 and 19 - 21 ) and the soft holster 200 (shown in FIG. 22 ), in a similar manner to that described above with respect to the activation triggering device 300 .
- the activation triggering device 310 can be adhered or otherwise attached to a bottom of a drawer. The handgun 10 can then be put in the drawer with the green laser gun sight 18 and the Hall effect sensor 186 positioned proximate the activation triggering device 310 .
- the Hall effect sensor 186 can sense being removed from the magnetic field of the magnet 314 and automatically activate the green laser gun sight 18 .
- the green laser gun sight 18 can automatically turn on as soon as the handgun 10 is removed from proximity of the activation triggering device 310 in the drawer.
- the position sensor 310 can be adhered or otherwise attached to an interior surface of a safe.
- the position sensor 310 can be attached via a layer of adhesive 336 to either a foam surface or a hard surface within the safe.
- the handgun 10 can then be put in the safe with the green laser gun sight 18 and the Hall effect sensor 186 positioned proximate the activation triggering device 310 .
- the Hall effect sensor 186 can sense being removed from the magnetic field of the magnet 314 and automatically activate the green laser gun sight 18 .
- the green laser gun sight 18 can automatically turn on as soon as the handgun 10 is removed from proximity of the activation triggering device 310 in the safe.
- one or more of the position sensors 310 can be adhered or otherwise attached to a storage device such as a gun rack.
- the activation triggering device 310 can be attached via the layer of adhesive 336 to a gun holding portion of the gun rack.
- the handgun 10 can then be put in or on the gun rack with the green laser gun sight 18 and the Hall effect sensor 186 positioned proximate the activation triggering device 310 .
- the Hall effect sensor 186 can sense being removed from the magnetic field of the magnet 314 and automatically activate the green laser gun sight 18 .
- Multiple position sensors can be used in gun racks designed for multiple guns.
- the activation triggering device 310 can be adhered or otherwise attached to virtually any object suitable for the application, such as a shelf, a wall, a ceiling, a glove box, a motorcycle compartment, another vehicle compartment, a clothing pocket, a purse, a briefcase, or a personal planner having a compartment, or another container.
- the green laser gun sight 18 can automatically turn on as soon as the handgun 10 is removed from proximity of the activation triggering device 310 in virtually any location.
- FIG. 26 is a top view of the handgun 10 resting on a gun storage pad 400 .
- the gun storage pad 400 is a substantially flat mat upon which the handgun 10 can rest.
- the gun storage pad 400 has a substantially flat top surface 402 defined by sides 404 , 406 , 408 , and 410 .
- the top surface 402 can be relatively non-abrasive so as to reduce scuffing of the handgun 10 and the green laser gun sight 18 .
- the magnet 218 is mounted to the gun storage pad 400 .
- the handgun 10 is rested on the gun storage pad 400 with the Hall effect sensor 186 of the green laser gun sight 18 positioned proximate the magnet 218 .
- the Hall effect sensor 186 is positioned proximate but not directly above the magnet 218 .
- the Hall effect sensor 186 can be positioned directly above the magnet 218 .
- the Hall effect sensor 186 can sense the magnetic field of the magnet 218 and automatically deactivate the green laser gun sight 18 . As the handgun 10 and the green laser gun sight 18 are removed from the gun storage pad 400 , the Hall effect sensor 186 can sense being removed from the magnetic field of the magnet 218 and automatically activate the green laser gun sight 18 . Thus, the green laser gun sight 18 can automatically turn on as soon as the handgun 10 is removed from the gun storage pad 400 .
- the gun storage pad 400 is shown with a single magnet 218 .
- the Hall effect sensor 186 can sense the magnet 218 so long as the Hall effect sensor 186 is positioned sufficiently close to the magnet 218 when the handgun 10 and the green laser gun sight 18 are laid down on the gun storage pad 400 .
- the gun storage pad 400 can have multiple magnets 218 so as to create a larger sensing area on the gun storage pad 400 .
- the gun storage pad 400 can have magnets 218 distributed across much of or the entire top surface 402 .
- FIG. 27 is a top view of the gun storage pad 400 .
- the magnet 218 is mounted on the top surface 402 of the gun storage pad 400 .
- the magnet 218 can be mounted on a bottom surface 412 of the gun storage pad 400 , which is opposite of the top surface 402 .
- the magnet 218 can be mounted between top and bottom layers (not shown) of the gun storage pad 400 .
- the top surface 402 of the gun storage pad 400 can include a gun alignment feature 414 for aligning the handgun 10 on the gun storage pad 400 .
- the gun alignment feature 414 can provide a visual indication of where the handgun 10 should be placed.
- the gun alignment feature can be a printed image shaped like a handgun.
- the gun alignment feature 414 can provide a visual indication of where the green laser gun sight 18 or the Hall effect sensor 186 should be placed.
- the gun alignment feature 414 can include one or more raised ridges tending to align the handgun 10 and/or the green laser gun sight 18 into a suitable position.
- the top surface 402 can be substantially planar, though not entirely planar due to the raised ridges.
- the gun alignment feature 414 can include a fabric hook and loop fastening strap such as Velcro brand fasteners, a magnet sized for holding the handgun 10 and/or the green laser gun sight 18 , or projections for providing a friction fit on the handgun 10 and/or the green laser gun sight 18 .
- a fabric hook and loop fastening strap such as Velcro brand fasteners
- a magnet sized for holding the handgun 10 and/or the green laser gun sight 18 or projections for providing a friction fit on the handgun 10 and/or the green laser gun sight 18 .
- the gun storage pad 400 can be designed to lay flat on a surface without being attached to the surface. In other embodiments, the gun storage pad 400 can be attached to a surface via a mechanism such as adhesive, a magnet, tape, sewing, bolting, screwing, or nailing. In some embodiments the gun storage pad 400 can be located on a horizontal surface. In other embodiments the gun storage pad can be located on an angled or vertical surface.
- the gun storage pad 400 includes a single gun alignment feature 414 .
- the gun storage pad 400 can include multiple gun alignment features 414 for locating multiple guns with respect to multiple magnets 218 .
- FIG. 28 is a side sectional view of the gun storage pad 400 taken along line 28 - 28 of FIG. 27 .
- the top surface 402 is substantially planar, though not entirely planar due to the magnet 218 being mounted on the top surface 402 .
- the top surface 402 can be entirely planar, with the magnet 218 being mounted on the bottom surface 412 or within the gun storage pad 400 .
- FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a paddle 500 .
- the paddle 500 is a holster mounting paddle for securing a gun holster, such as the holster 120 (shown in FIGS. 11-15 and 19 - 21 ) and the soft holster 200 (shown in FIG. 22 ).
- the paddle 500 includes a paddle attachment plate 502 , a paddle extension 504 , and a bridge 506 connecting the paddle attachment plate 502 to the paddle extension 504 .
- the paddle attachment plate 502 includes three mounting pads 508 , 510 , and 512 .
- the mounting pads 508 , 510 , and 512 are each raised from an outer surface 514 of the paddle attachment plate 502 .
- the mounting pad 508 includes three holes 516 , 518 , and 520 extending through and defined by the paddle attachment plate 502 .
- the holes 516 , 518 , and 520 are aligned in an arcuate shape, concave inward toward a center of the paddle attachment plate 502 .
- the mounting pad 510 includes three holes 522 , 524 , and 526 extending through and defined by the paddle attachment plate 502 .
- the holes 522 , 524 , and 526 are also aligned in an arcuate shape, concave inward toward a center of the paddle attachment plate 502 .
- the paddle 500 will be described as having a left side 528 , a right side 530 , a top 532 , and a bottom 534 . However, it should be understood that the terms “left side” and “right side” are relative terms that can be alternated if the paddle 500 were in a different orientation.
- the mounting pad 508 and the holes 516 , 518 , and 520 are positioned toward the left side 528 and near the top 532 .
- the mounting pad 510 and the holes 522 , 524 , and 526 are positioned toward the right side 530 and near the top 532 . Thus, the holes 516 , 518 , and 520 arc inward toward the holes 522 , 524 , and 526 , and vice versa.
- the mounting pad 512 includes five holes 536 , 538 , 540 , 542 , and 544 extending through and defined by the paddle attachment plate 502 .
- the holes 536 , 538 , 540 , 542 , and 544 are aligned in a zig-zag or “W” shape, and are positioned toward the bottom 534 .
- the various holes 516 , 518 , 520 , 522 , 524 , 526 , 536 , 538 , 540 , 542 , and 544 provide locations through which a pin, bolt, screw, or other fastener can be inserted to adjustably mount a holster to the paddle 500 .
- the orientation of the holster with respect to the paddle 500 can be adjusted by selecting different holes 516 , 518 , 520 , 522 , 524 , 526 , 536 , 538 , 540 , 542 , and 544 to use.
- a first pin can be inserted into one of holes 516 , 518 , or 520
- a second pin can be inserted into one of the holes 522 , 524 , or 526
- a third pin can be inserted into one of the holes 536 , 538 , 540 , 542 , and 544 .
- Which holes are selected can depend on a user's preferred orientation of the holster, which can vary depending on whether the user is left-handed or right handed, which pocket or other location is being used as a mounting location, and user preferences.
- a holster can be adjustably mounted to three holes: one in each of the mounting pads 508 , 510 , and 512 .
- the holster can be mounted in an upright orientation by being connected to the paddle 500 at holes 518 , 524 , and 540 .
- the holster can be mounted in an angled orientation by being connected to the paddle 500 at holes 520 , 542 , and 524 .
- the holster can be mounted at a greater angle by being connected to the paddle 500 at holes 520 , 522 , and 544 .
- the holster can be mounted in an angled orientation but rotated in the other direction by being connected to the paddle 500 at holes 518 , 526 , and 538 .
- the holster can be mounted at a greater angle by being connected to the paddle 500 at holes 516 , 526 , and 536 .
- the hole orientation in the illustrated embodiment of the paddle 500 allows a holster to be mounted to the paddle 500 at five different angles which can all allow the holster to have a relatively low center of gravity with respect to the paddle 500 .
- the holster can be mounted in an upright orientation by being connected to the paddle 500 using holes 518 and 524 , which are vertically lower than the holes 516 and 522 .
- the paddle extension 504 is substantially U-shaped, having a first branch 546 positioned on the left side 528 of the paddle attachment plate 502 and a second branch 548 positioned on the right side 530 of the paddle attachment plate 502 .
- the first and second branches 546 and 548 are each attached to and extend downward from the bridge 506 .
- Branch 546 has ribs 550 , 552 , 554 , and 556 extending from an outer surface 558 of the paddle extension 504 .
- Branch 548 has ribs 560 , 562 , 564 , and 566 extending from the outer surface 558 of the paddle extension 504 .
- the ribs 550 , 552 , 554 , 556 , 560 , 562 , 564 , and 566 each have a sharp top edge and a sloping bottom edge so as to act as teeth to hold the paddle 500 in a pocket, such as a pocket of a user's pants (not shown) or a waistband (not shown).
- the paddle extension 504 further includes a hook 568 positioned toward the bottom 534 and between the first and second branches 546 and 548 .
- the hook 568 acts as an additional tooth to hold the paddle 500 in the pocket or a waistband.
- FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a rear of the paddle 500 .
- the paddle attachment plate 502 , the paddle extension 504 , and the bridge 506 are each substantially curved to conform to a shape of a user's body.
- a rear surface 570 of the paddle attachment plate 502 has ribs 572 , 574 , 576 , 578 , 580 , 582 , 584 , and 586 extending from the rear surface 588 toward the paddle extension 504 .
- the ribs 572 , 574 , 576 , and 578 are on a first side of the paddle extension 504 , positioned between the mounting pad 510 and the right side 530 (which appears on the left as viewed from the rear as in FIG. 30 ).
- the ribs 580 , 582 , 584 , and 586 are on a second side of the paddle extension 504 , positioned between the mounting pad 508 and the left side 528 (which appears on the right as viewed from the rear as in FIG. 30 ).
- the ribs 572 , 574 , 576 , 578 , 580 , 582 , 584 , and 586 each have a sharp top edge and a sloping bottom edge so as to act as teeth to hold the paddle 500 in a pocket, such as a pocket of a user's pants (not shown) or a waistband (not shown).
- the paddle 500 includes the ribs 550 , 552 , 554 , 556 , 560 , 562 , 564 , and 566 (shown in FIG. 29 ) in conjunction with the ribs 572 , 574 , 576 , 578 , 580 , 582 , 584 , and 586 .
- the shape, position and orientation of the ribs can be modified as appropriate for a given application.
- FIG. 31 is a side view of the paddle 500 .
- the hook 568 as well as the ribs 560 , 562 , 564 , and 566 are shown as extending from the outer surface 558 of the paddle extension 504 .
- the paddle attachment plate 502 is connected to an outer portion 588 of the bridge 506 and the paddle extension 504 is connected to an inner portion 590 of the bridge 506 so as to define a slot 592 between the paddle attachment plate 502 and the paddle extension 504 .
- the slot 592 allows a substantially flat object, such as a belt or fabric of a pants pocket or waistband, to be positioned between the paddle attachment plate 502 and the paddle extension 504 .
- Bottom lips 594 and 596 of the paddle attachment plate 502 and the paddle extension 504 are not attached to one-another.
- the paddle attachment plate 502 and the paddle extension 504 each extend from the bridge 506 in a cantilevered fashion.
- the paddle 500 can be made from a flexible and resilient material, which allows the paddle attachment plate 502 to be bent away from the paddle extension 504 to allow the paddle 500 to be inserted over a belt or waistband. The paddle 500 can then spring back to the illustrated shape, allowing the paddle attachment plate 502 and the paddle 504 to collapse on and hold the belt or waistband. This resiliency creates a force to hold the ribs 550 , 552 , 554 , 556 , 560 , 562 , 564 , and 566 and/or the ribs 572 , 574 , 576 , 578 , 580 , 582 , 584 , and 586 against the belt or waistband to hold the paddle 500 and an attached holster relatively firmly.
- the paddle 500 is made from a polymer material via injection molding.
- the paddle 500 can be a composite material, such as a combination of the polymer material and glass.
- the paddle 500 can be made of another material and/or via another manufacturing method suitable for the application.
Abstract
Description
- This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/921,311, filed Dec. 27, 2013; U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/921,312, filed Dec. 27, 2013; U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/921,315, filed Dec. 27, 2013; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/921,318, filed Dec. 27, 2013, each of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
- The present invention relates to accessories used with firearms, and more particularly to holsters, laser sighting devices and other accessories relating to firearms, such as handguns, holsters, and laser sighting devices.
- A wide variety of accessories have been developed for users of firearms, to facilitate target visualization and improve targeting accuracy. Among these are laser sighting devices configured to generate a coherent energy beam parallel or nearly parallel to the extension of a gun barrel, with the precise alignment depending largely on the distance to the target and windage. When activated, the coherent energy beam forms a spot of light on the target to indicate the expected point of impact of the firearm projectile. These devices can enhance the experience of any firearm user and have considerable importance in certain law enforcement and military operations.
- Typical laser sighting devices employ visible red or infrared laser frequencies, as energy at the desired frequency can be generated directly, e.g., with a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) crystal. More recently, it has been discovered that visible light in the “green” range, e.g. having a wavelength from about 490 to about 570 nanometers, has much higher visibility than visible red laser energy. The more visible beam, while enhancing utility of a sighting device in general, is particularly effective for daytime use.
- A difficulty that has limited the use of green laser energy in sighting devices is the need for additional components not required by visible red and infrared lasers. To generate coherent energy in the green region of the spectrum, a Nd:YAG crystal is used to generate energy at a wavelength outside the visible spectrum, such as about 1064 nm, that is then provided to a frequency doubler, such as a potassium titanium oxide phosphate (KTP) or lithium triborate (LBO) crystal to generate the desired wavelength, such as about 532 nm. The additional components require a larger laser drive circuit, typically a printed circuit board, and a larger power supply to meet a higher power requirement. The resulting sighting device may be larger and/or more difficult to use with handguns than other laser sighting devices, either because the handgun barrel is not long enough to accommodate the device or because the device protrudes ahead of the barrel an excessive amount. In accessory devices incorporating green laser sighting and white light (multichromatic energy) illumination, this difficulty is magnified.
- Another problem encountered with the green laser is the higher power requirement and the accompanying reduction in useful life of the power source, typically one or more batteries. A larger battery, of course, contributes to the size of the device. The battery size may be even larger in devices that combine laser and multichromatic illumination as they typically employ separate voltage level power sources for the separate light sources.
- While sighting devices and other accessories can be mounted to firearms in a variety of ways, one approach gaining increasing acceptance involves forming longitudinally extending rails on opposite sides below the barrel of a handgun ahead of the trigger guard, for example as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,854 (Solinsky et al.). The accessory or auxiliary device is provided with opposed projections, each slidable relative to one of the rails to guide the accessory for longitudinal travel relative to the barrel. The accessory also carries a transverse spring loaded bar that fits into a transverse groove formed in the barrel to secure the accessory against longitudinal travel. While this approach has proven useful for attaching a variety of accessories including laser sights and illumination devices, problems are encountered due to the differences in locations for the transverse grooves among different brands of firearms.
- Sighting devices typically include a switch for turning the sighting device on and off. A user can turn the switch on to activate the green laser, red laser, or white light of the sighting device. A user can then turn the switch off to deactivate the green laser, red laser, or white light, thus conserving power.
- Disclosed herein are various embodiments of laser gun sights, holsters, and position sensor assemblies.
- According to one embodiment, a combination includes a holster and a laser gun sight securable to a gun. The holster includes a material defining a pocket sized for a gun having an attached laser sight. The laser gun sight includes a housing including a laser aperture, a laser module disposed within the laser aperture, a circuit board including circuitry configured to operate the laser module, and a sensor disposed on the circuit board. The sensor is configured to detect the position of the laser gun sight relative to the holster.
- Another embodiment is a combination including a holster and an electronic weapon mounted accessory securable to a gun. The holster comprises a material defining a pocket sized for a gun having an attached electronic weapon mounted accessory. The electronic weapon mounted accessory includes a circuit board including circuitry configured to operate the electronic weapon mounted accessory and a sensor disposed on the circuit board and configured to detect position of the electronic weapon mounted accessory relative to the holster.
- Another embodiment is a holster configured to accommodate a gun to which an electronic weapon mounted accessory has been secured. The holster includes a material defining a pocket sized for the gun and the electronic weapon mounted accessory. The pocket includes a muzzle receiving area and an electronic weapon mounted accessory receiving area. A magnet is attached to the resilient material proximate the electronic weapon mounted accessory receiving area.
- While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative green laser gun sight secured to a handgun in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. -
FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views of a housing forming a portion of the green laser gun sight ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a green laser module. -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the green laser gun sight ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the green laser gun sight ofFIG. 4 , with a front plate removed to illustrate internal components. -
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the handgun ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating attachment of the green laser gun sight to the handgun. -
FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of an illustrative green laser gun sight in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of the green laser gun sight ofFIG. 8 , shown mounted on a gun having a long rail system. -
FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of a remote switch that may be used with the green laser gun sight ofFIG. 8 . -
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the handgun and green laser gun sight ofFIG. 1 disposed within a holster. -
FIG. 12 is an upper perspective view of the holster ofFIG. 11 . -
FIG. 13 is a lower perspective view of the holster ofFIG. 11 . -
FIG. 14 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the holster ofFIG. 11 . -
FIG. 15 is a view of a portion of the holster ofFIG. 11 , showing the primary retention feature engaging a component of the green laser gun sight. -
FIG. 16 is a schematic view of a green laser module used in the green laser gun sight ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 17 is a simplified schematic view of electrical circuitry in the green laser gun sight ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 18 is a simplified schematic view of electrical circuitry in the green laser gun sight ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the handgun and green laser gun sight ofFIG. 1 disposed within a holster. -
FIG. 20 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the holster ofFIG. 19 . -
FIG. 21 is an upper perspective view of the holster ofFIG. 19 . -
FIG. 22 is a side schematic view of the handgun and the green laser sight in a soft holster. -
FIG. 23 is a schematic view of an activation triggering device. -
FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a top of an activation triggering device. -
FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a bottom of the activation triggering device ofFIG. 24 . -
FIG. 26 is a top view of the handgun resting on a gun storage pad. -
FIG. 27 is a top view of the gun storage pad. -
FIG. 28 is a side sectional view of the gun storage pad taken along line 28-28 ofFIG. 27 . -
FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a paddle. -
FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a rear of the paddle. -
FIG. 31 is a side view of the paddle. - While the disclosure is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the disclosure to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives thereof.
- The disclosure pertains generally to laser gun sights such as green laser gun sights that are configured to be easily attached to a variety of different hand guns. In some embodiments, the green laser gun sights are configured to permit elevation and windage adjustment without requiring movement of an entire laser module, thereby affording use of a more compact device housing. In some embodiments, the laser module can be in direct contact with the housing. Because the housing can then function as a heat sink, a smaller laser module may be used.
- The green laser gun sights described herein may be used with a variety of different firearm or gun styles and sizes, including handguns, rifles, shotguns and the like. For purposes of illustration,
FIGS. 1 through 7 illustrate an embodiment of a green laser gun sight attached to a small handgun whileFIGS. 8 through 10 illustrate an embodiment of a green laser gun sight secured to a larger gun such as a rifle.FIGS. 11 through 14 illustrate an embodiment of a holster that is configured to be used in combination with a handgun to which a green laser gun sight has been attached. Embodiments of the holster are configured to engage various portions of the green laser gun sight to releasably secure the gun within the holster without engaging the trigger guard. In some embodiments, the green laser gun sight and the holster are configured, in combination, to automatically shut off the green laser gun sight when a gun is holstered and to automatically turn on the green laser gun sight when the holstered gun is drawn, or removed from the holster. - Turning to
FIG. 1 , ahandgun 10 is illustrated. Thehandgun 10 includes, among other elements and features, abarrel 12 and atrigger guard 14. Thebarrel 12 includes arail system 16 that is configured to accommodate a variety of different accessories and other attachments. In some embodiments, alaser gun sight 18 may be attached. In some embodiments, as illustrated, the greenlaser gun sight 18 is secured to therail system 16 ahead of thetrigger guard 14. In some embodiments, the greenlaser gun sight 18 is configured such that the greenlaser gun sight 18 does not extend beyond amuzzle end 20 of thebarrel 12. It will be appreciated that therail system 16 may vary somewhat, depending on the identity of thehandgun 10. Further details of the greenlaser gun sight 18, as well as details of how the greenlaser gun sight 18 attaches to thehandgun 10, will be discussed with respect to subsequent Figures. -
FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views of ahousing 22 that forms a part of the greenlaser gun sight 18.FIG. 2A is a right rear perspective view whileFIG. 2B is a left front perspective view. Thehousing 22 may be formed of any suitable material. In some embodiments, thehousing 22 is formed of a strong, lightweight metal such as aluminum. It will be appreciated that thehousing 22, particularly if formed of a highly heat conductive material such as a metal such as aluminum, will function as a heat sink. Thehousing 22 can include several apertures such as a greenlaser module aperture 24, a visiblelight module aperture 26 and alarger aperture 28 that may be configured to accommodate a battery (not illustrated) as well as at least some of the laser circuitry. In some embodiments, the visible light module may include an LED light source. - The
housing 22 can also include features that facilitate attachment of the greenlaser gun sight 18 to thehandgun 10. A pair ofgrooves 30 may be formed on thehousing 22. For example, onegroove 30 may be formed on each side of the housing 22 (only one visible in this illustration). As will be explained subsequently, thegrooves 30 accommodate a rail set that connects the greenlaser gun sight 18 to thehandgun 10. Thehousing 22 can also include a throughaperture 32 for connecting the greenlaser gun sight 18 to thehandgun 10. -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating agreen laser module 34 that is aligned to slide into thelaser module aperture 24. In some embodiments, thegreen laser module 34 has a cylindrical shape that fits snugly into thelaser module aperture 24. Thehousing 22 may also serve as a heat sink for thegreen laser module 34. This may be especially beneficial as green lasers may produce more heat than a correspondingly-powered red laser. -
FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the greenlaser gun sight 18. Rail sets 36 and 38 are disposed on either side, respectively, of the greenlaser gun sight 18 and fit into thegrooves 30 disposed on either side of the greenlaser gun sight 18. It will be appreciated that the rail sets 36 and 38 slide downward into thegrooves 30. A connector, such as thecross pin 40, may extend between the rail sets 36 and 38 and may secure the rail sets 36 and 38. In some embodiments, for example, thecross pin 40 may slide through an aperture formed in the rail set 36 and may be threadedly engaged in a corresponding threaded aperture formed within the rail set 38. In some embodiments, the connector, such as thecross pin 40 may include ahead 41 that may be used in advancing or withdrawing thecross pin 40 as well as a threaded portion 43 (shown inFIG. 7 ). Thehead 41 may also be used to help secure the green laser gun sight 18 (and hence the handgun 10) within a holster. - As will be illustrated with respect to a subsequent drawing, the
cross pin 40 also helps to secure the rail sets 36 and 38, and hence the greenlaser gun sight 18, to thehandgun 10. It can be seen that the rail set 36 includes a mountingsurface 42 and the rail set 38 includes a mountingsurface 44. The mounting surfaces 42 and 44 may be configured to interact with the rail system (FIG. 1 ) and may be modified to fit aparticular handgun 10. - The green
laser gun sight 18 includes a front cover 52. In some embodiments, the front cover 52 may be formed of a suitable material, such as a polymeric material. The front cover 52 may include aportion 46 that is configured to permit laser light to emerge and aportion 48 that is configured to accommodate a visible light. Acover 50 seals off the larger aperture 28 (FIG. 2 ). In some embodiments, thecover 50 may be threadedly engaged with thehousing 22, but this is not required. Afirst screw 54 and asecond screw 56 may be arranged along one side of theportion 46. In one embodiment, thefirst screw 54 may be an elevation screw and thesecond screw 56 may be a windage screw. - In some embodiments, the green
laser gun sight 18 includes one ormore switches 80 that can be used, for example, to program the greenlaser gun sight 18, to turn thegreen laser module 34 on or off, to turn the visible light module on or off, or to vary a pulse rate for thegreen laser module 34 and/or vary a strobe rate for the visible light module. In some embodiments, the greenlaser gun sight 18 may include a pair ofswitches 80, with oneswitch 80 arranged on each side of the greenlaser gun sight 18. In some embodiments, as will be discussed subsequently, the switch(es) 80 may be disposed at a remote location. - In some embodiments, the
switch 80 on the right side of the greenlaser gun sight 18 and theswitch 80 on the left side of the greenlaser gun sight 18 may be used interchangeably. For example, it may be more natural and/or convenient for a right-handed user to use their thumb to operate theswitch 80 on the left side of the greenlaser gun sight 18. Similarly, it may be more natural and/or convenient for a left-handed user to use their thumb to operate theswitch 80 on the right side of the greenlaser gun sight 18. In some cases, a user may prefer to turn the greenlaser gun sight 18 on or off using a different finger before they are holding thegun 10 in a ready-to-fire position. In some embodiments, the greenlaser gun sight 18 includes circuitry that enables either switch 80 to be used. -
FIG. 5 is similar toFIG. 4 , except that the front cover 52 has been removed to better illustrate internal components. Alight assembly 62 is disposed in alignment with theportion 48 of the front cover 52 (FIG. 4 ). It can be seen that the first screw (i.e., elevation screw) 54 and the second screw (i.e., windage screw) 56 are arranged in opposition to aspring 60 and thus can be used to alter a position of alaser collimating lens 58 as the force applied to thelaser collimating lens 58 by thespring 60 includes a component aligned with (in opposition to) theelevation screw 54 as well as a component that is aligned with (in opposition to) thewindage screw 56. Anelevation screw spacer 54 a extends between theelevation screw 54 and thelaser collimating lens 58. In some embodiments, thelaser collimating lens 58 may rest on a ribbed or otherwise textured surface to reduce friction. - An individual can adjust the aim of the laser beam emitted by the green
laser sighting device 18 by turning theelevation screw 54 and/or thewindage screw 56. As a result of turning theelevation screw 54 and/or thewindage screw 56, thelaser collimating lens 58 may slide radially and/or perpendicularly with respect to thegreen laser module 34. In some embodiments, theelevation screw 54 and/or thewindage screw 56 may be configured to permit thelaser collimating lens 58 to pivot relative to thegreen laser module 34. In some embodiments, thelaser collimating lens 58 may be stationary, and theelevation screw 54 and/or thewindage screw 56 may be used to alter the position of an additional lens or other optical component (not illustrated) in order to fine tune aiming of thegreen laser module 34. -
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate in greater detail the attachment of the greenlaser gun sight 18 to thehandgun 10.FIG. 6 illustrates an enlarged end portion of thehandgun 10 in which therail system 16 may be seen as including a left (in the illustrated orientation)profile 64 and a correspondingright profile 66.FIG. 7 illustrates the greenlaser gun sight 18 in combination with the rail set 36 and the rail set 38. It will be appreciated that the mountingsurface 42 of the rail set 36 is configured to fit into or otherwise interact with theleft profile 64 of therail system 16 and that the mountingsurface 44 of the rail set 38 is configured to fit into or otherwise interact with theright profile 66 of therail system 16. Theleft profile 64 and/or theright profile 66 may be configured to provide a key and lock arrangement between the rail sets 36 and 38 and therail system 16 such that when the rail sets 36 and 38 are held together via an attaching member, such ascross pin 40, the greenlaser gun sight 18 is held in place on thehandgun 10. - In some embodiments, the
rail system 16 also includes ahorizontal cross slot 68. In some embodiments, as illustrated, the rail set 36 and the rail set 38 may include, respectively, mountingapertures cross pin 40 to extend through the rail set 36 and the rail set 38. In some embodiments, thehorizontal cross slot 68 is sized and positioned to accommodate thecross pin 40 and thereby prevent or at least substantially prevent lateral movement of thelaser sighting device 18 relative to thehandgun 10. In some embodiments, each of the rail sets 36 and 38 may include several different mounting apertures to accommodateparticular handguns 10 having different positions for thehorizontal cross slot 68. - In some embodiments, the rail sets 36 and 38 may include an aperture 35 (only one visible in
FIG. 7 ) that is configured to accommodate aconnector 33, such as a threaded rod or screw. Theconnector 33 may extend through theaperture 35. In some embodiments, theconnector 33 may threadably engage with theaperture 32 formed in thehousing 22 at or near the top of thegroove 30. In some embodiments, theconnector 33 may be a pin that may extend through theapertures 35 to secure the first and second rail sets 36, 38 to the greenlaser gun sight 18. In some embodiments, a single pin may extend through both rail sets 36, 38 and may form a frictional or compressive fit with theapertures 35 formed in each of the rail sets 36, 38. - It will be appreciated, therefore, that the green
laser gun sight 18 may be attached to a variety of different guns orhandguns 10 without requiring alteration of thehousing 22. Rather, the rail sets 36 and 38 may be configured to have mountingsurfaces particular rail system 16 of aparticular gun 10. - The green
laser gun sight 18 described with respect toFIGS. 1 through 7 may be considered in some cases as being designed for use with smaller handguns such as compact and subcompact handguns.FIGS. 8 through 10 illustrate a greenlaser gun sight 82 that shares many features with the greenlaser gun sight 18, but in some cases may be considered as being designed for use with larger guns such as full size handguns, rifles, shotguns and the like. - The green
laser gun sight 82 includes aportion 84 that is configured to accommodate thegreen laser module 34. In some embodiments, theportion 84 may include a transparent plate, such as a glass plate, that permits the green laser light to pass through. The greenlaser gun sight 82 also includes avisible light module 86. In some embodiments, as illustrated, thevisible light module 86 may be configured to provide substantially more visible light than that provided by the visible light module 62 (FIG. 5 ) and may extend outward relative to theportion 84. In some embodiments, thevisible light module 86 may be considered as being positioned in front of a battery aperture formed within the greenlaser gun sight 82. In some embodiments, thevisible light module 86 may be user-removable in order to permit battery installation and/or replacement. In some embodiments, the greenlaser gun sight 82 includes anelevation screw 88 and awindage screw 90 that can be used to adjust the aim of the green laser module by moving a laser collimation lens (as discussed previously with respect to the green laser gun sight 18). - The green
laser gun sight 82 includes a first rail set 92 and a second rail set 94 that may be attached to the greenlaser gun sight 82 in a manner similar to that described previously with respect to the greenlaser gun sight 18. In some embodiments, afastener 96, such as a screw or bolt, attaches the first rail set 92 to the greenlaser gun sight 82, while a similar fastener (not visible) attaches thesecond rail 94 to the opposing side of the greenlaser gun sight 82. In some embodiments, as illustrated, a pair of cross pins 98 secure the first rail set 92 to the second rail set 94 and thus secure the greenlaser gun sight 82 to a gun rail system. In some embodiments, it will be appreciated that larger guns havelonger rail systems 102 and thus can accommodate more than onecross pin 98. In some embodiments, the greenlaser gun sight 82 may be physically larger and longer than, for example, the greenlaser gun sight 18 and thus may benefit from using more than onecross pin 98. - In some embodiments, the green
laser gun sight 82 includes one ormore switches 100 that can be used, for example, to program the greenlaser gun sight 82, to turn thegreen laser module 34 on or off, to turn thevisible light module 86 on or off, to vary a pulse rate for thegreen laser module 34 and/or to vary a strobe rate for the visible light module. In some embodiments, there is a pair ofswitches 100. For example oneswitch 100 may be arranged on each side of the greenlaser gun sight 82. In some embodiments, as illustrated for example inFIG. 9 , the greenlaser gun sight 82 may not include theswitch 100. -
FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of a greenlaser gun sight 104 secured to along rail system 102. In some embodiments, the greenlaser gun sight 104, however, does not include theswitch 100. Instead, the greenlaser gun sight 104 includes arotary switch 106 and a lead 108 that extends to a remote switch (not illustrated). In some embodiments, therotary switch 106 may be used to select a particular lighting program, i.e., solid or strobing visible light, solid or pulsing green laser, and the like, while the remote switch may be used to turn either thevisible light module 86 and/or thegreen laser module 34 on or off. - As an illustrative but non-limiting example, the settings “A”, “B”, “C” and “D” may each be used to designate a particular function such as constant laser only, constant light only, or constant laser with constant light. In some embodiments, each of these functions may be momentary only. In some embodiments, on or more of the aforementioned settings may be used to designate independent activation between the two
separate buttons 112 and 114 (discussed below with respect toFIG. 10 ). In some embodiments, the settings “1”, “2”, “3” and “4” may be used in a similar manner. In some embodiments, the setting labeled “P” may be used for a program setting that allows the user to change settings according to their preferences, such as the pulse rate for the laser and/or the strobe rate for the visible light. For example, one of thebuttons buttons -
FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of aremote switch 110 that includes afirst switch button 112 and asecond switch button 114. In some embodiments, thefirst switch 112 and thesecond switch button 114 may be individually pressed to turn the greenlaser gun sight 104 on or off. In some embodiments, thefirst switch 112 and thesecond switch 114 may be pressed together and/or in combination with rotating therotary switch 106 to select between different program modes. Theremote switch 110 may be located at any convenient location along the gun. In some embodiments, theremote switch 110 may be placed at a location proximate where the user holds the rifle or shotgun with their non-trigger hand, such as at or near the magazine. In some embodiments, theremote switch 110 may be mechanically or adhesively secured to the gun. -
FIGS. 11 through 14 provide various views of a holster that is configured to accommodate ahandgun 10 to which a greenlaser gun sight 18 has been attached. In some embodiments, the holster described herein is configured to interact with the greenlaser gun sight 18 to releasably secure thehandgun 10 within the holster without engaging thetrigger guard 14. -
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of thehandgun 10 disposed within aholster 120.FIG. 12 provides a view down into theholster 120 whileFIG. 13 provides a lower perspective view. As seen inFIGS. 11-13 , theholster 120 includes apocket 122 that is formed between anouter panel 124 and aninner panel 126. In this, inner and outer may be considered as being relative to a user who has theholster 120 secured to their belt. Theinner panel 126 is closest to asecurement portion 128 that is configured to be secured to a user's belt. - In some embodiments, the
outer panel 124 and theinner panel 126 may be distinct portions that are screwed, bolted, riveted, adhered or otherwise secured together. In some embodiments, theouter panel 124 and theinner panel 126 may instead be outer and inner portions, respectively, of a unitary structure. In some embodiments, theouter panel 124 and theinner panel 126 are molded or thermoset as a unitary structure. Theholster 120 may be formed of any suitable material. In some embodiments, theholster 120 is largely molded from a relatively rigid polymeric material such that a polymeric material defines thepocket 122. For example, theholster 120 may be formed from a thermal plastic. In some embodiments, a suitable material may have a modulus of elasticity of approximately 330,000 psi and/or a hardness of 90 on the Rockwell R scale. One example of a suitable material includes KYDEX®, an acryl polyvinyl chloride available from Kydex LLC. - The
holster 120 includes aprimary retention device 130 and asecondary retention device 132. In some embodiments, theprimary retention device 130 is configured to releasably engage with an external component of the greenlaser gun sight 18. In some embodiments, as illustrated, theprimary retention device 130 includes amoveable lever 134 that includes anengagement portion 136, afinger button portion 138 and an interveningpivot point 140. In some embodiments, themoveable lever 134 is movable between an engagement position in which theengagement portion 136 interacts with a portion of the greenlaser gun sight 18 and a disengagement position in which theengagement portion 136 is moved out of engagement with the greenlaser gun sight 18. In some embodiments, themoveable lever 134 is biased into the engagement portion by a spring or similarly resilient element (not illustrated). In some embodiments, theprimary retention device 130 is configured such that a user may easily draw thehandgun 10 from theholster 120 by depressing the finger portion with their finger to move theprimary retention device 130 to a disengagement position and wherein theprimary retention device 130 is positioned relative to thepocket 122 such that thegun 10 may be withdrawn from theholster 120 with the user's finger proximate a switch 80 (FIG. 4 ) on the greenlaser gun sight 18. - In some embodiments, the
secondary retention device 132 includes aresilient member 142 that forms a frictional fit with thehousing 22 of the greenlaser gun sight 18. It will be appreciated that thesecondary retention device 132 is configured to resist accidental removal of thegun 10 from theholster 120 but permits removal of thegun 10 from theholster 120 when thefinger portion 138 is depressed and thegun 10 is withdrawn. -
FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate how theprimary retention device 130 interacts with the greenlaser gun sight 18. In particular, theprimary retention device 130 interacts with a component of the greenlaser gun sight 18. In some embodiments, theengagement portion 136 of theprimary retention device 130 engages with thehead 141 of thecross pin 140. By comparingFIG. 14 with, for example,FIG. 4 , it will be appreciated that theengagement portion 136 is positioned to oppose movement of thehead 141 of thecross pin 140 and thus prevent withdrawal of the greenlaser gun sight 18 and thegun 10 to which the greenlaser gun sight 18 is attached.FIG. 15 also illustrates the relative position of thehead 141 and theengagement portion 136 of theprimary retention device 130 when thegun 10 is secured within theholster 120. It can be seen that theengagement portion 136 blocks movement of thehead 141 when in an engagement position but permits movement when the user depresses thefinger portion 138 and thus pivots theengagement portion 136 out of the way of thehead 141. -
FIG. 16 is a schematic illustration of agreen laser module 154 that may be considered as representative of thegreen laser module 34 previously discussed. Thegreen laser module 154 is configured to produce coherent energy in the green (490-570 nm) range of a visible spectrum. Laser module components include asemiconductor chip 166 that emits radiation when receiving battery power, a lasing medium orcrystal 168 provided for light amplification at the fundamental frequency corresponding to a wavelength of 1064 nm and a frequency doubler orcrystal 170 for converting the energy to the desired wavelength of 532 nm. In some embodiments,beam collimating optics 172 are positioned to receive the light emitted by the frequency doubler orcrystal 170. In some embodiments, thebeam collimating optics 172 include the collimatinglens 58 discussed previously. In some embodiments, thegreen laser module 154 may incorporate an infrared blocking filter. -
FIG. 17 provides a simplified schematic view of electrical circuitry in the greenlaser gun sight 18. In some embodiments, a printedcircuit board 174 may be separated from thegreen laser module 154. A printedcircuit board 176 that incorporates a microprocessor for a variety of functions including providing battery power to the printedcircuit board 174 pulsed at a variety of predetermined pulsing frequencies, and interrupting power to the laser drive circuit after a predetermined time of laser operation with no user input, to prevent overheating and prolong battery life. A flexible orpliant conductor 178 electrically couples thebattery 162 to thepulsing circuit 176, aconductor 180 couples thepulsing circuit 176 to thelaser drive circuit 174, and aconductor 182 couples thelaser drive circuit 174 to thelaser module 154. Aswitch 184 is coupled to thepulsing circuit 176 and is operable to select one of several desired pulsing frequencies. In one version, the predetermined frequencies are 5 Hz, 7 Hz, and 10 Hz. - The pulsed input to
laser drive circuit 174 causes thedrive circuit 174 to generate a laser beam at substantially the same pulsing frequency, so that users visually perceive the beam as pulsed. Moreover, at the relatively low pulsing frequencies involved, the separate pulsing frequencies are readily visually distinguishable from one another. Consequently, in a situation in which sighting beams from several different firearms may be directed towards the same target, for example in certain law enforcement or military operations, the different pulsing rates allow each user to distinguish his or her sighting beam from the others. - More generally, the
pulsing circuit 176 can be configured to provide power to thelaser drive circuit 174 at several distinct pulsing frequencies, and further to provide power at several different pulsing circuit duty cycles, each associated with a different one of the pulsing frequencies. In each case, thelaser drive circuit 174 provides power to the laser module according to a duty cycle controlled by its corresponding pulsing circuit duty cycle. - In some embodiments, the operator selects the desired pulsing frequency by operating the
switch 184 to cycle through five distinct modes: continuous wave,pulse frequency number 1, pulse frequency number 2, pulse frequency number 3, and off. Theswitch 184 also is operable to control thelight source 164. With further reference toFIG. 9 , aconductor 190 couples thebattery 162 to avoltage conversion circuit 192, which in turn is electrically coupled to thelight source 164 by aconductor 194. Thus, thegreen laser module 154 and thelight source 164 may be powered by the same power source. -
FIG. 18 provides a simplified schematic view of electrical circuitry in the greenlaser gun sight 18. While thelaser gun sight 18 has been described as being a green laser gun sight, in some embodiments thelaser gun sight 18 may instead be a red laser gun sight, a blue laser gun sight or an infrared laser gun sight. In some embodiments, thelaser gun sight 18 is a greenlaser gun sight 18. - In some embodiments, the printed
circuit board 176 may include asensing circuit 184 that includes aHall effect sensor 186. In some embodiments, as will be described, theholster 120 may include one or more magnets that are sized to produce a magnetic field that can be detected by theHall effect sensor 186. In some embodiments, one or more magnets may be placed in a soft holster such as a pocket gun holster. In some embodiments, one or more magnets may instead be disposed on or in a flat surface such as the floor of a safe, a nightstand drawer, an automobile glove box, or the like. If thesensing circuit 184 detects a magnetic field of a particular strength, themicroprocessor 185 decides that agun 10 to which the greenlaser gun sight 18 has been mounted has been holstered. When thesensing circuit 184 no longer detects the magnetic field, themicroprocessor 185 decides that thegun 10 has been drawn from theholster 120 or picked up from the aforementioned flat surface. - In some embodiments, the
microprocessor 185 is configured to turn off the greenlaser gun sight 18 when detection of a magnetic field indicates that thegun 10 has been holstered or otherwise put away. In some embodiments, themicroprocessor 185 is configured to turn on the greenlaser gun sight 18 when a lack of detection of a magnetic field indicates that thegun 10 has been drawn or picked up. In some embodiments, themicroprocessor 185 is configured to turn on the greenlaser gun sight 18 upon removal from theholster 120 if the greenlaser gun sight 18 was turned on when holstered, and is configured to keep the greenlaser gun sight 18 turned off upon removal from theholster 120 if the greenlaser gun sight 18 was turned off when holstered. - In some embodiments, turning the green
laser gun sight 18 on and off refers to completely shutting off the greenlaser gun sight 18 in order to conserve battery power. In some embodiments, this refers to turning portions of the aforementioned circuitry on or off. For example, turning off the greenlaser gun sight 18 may refer to stopping power to thelaser module 154 and/or theLED module 164 to conserve battery power and/or prevent inadvertent detection of thegun 10 while other portions of the circuitry remain powered. - In some embodiments, the green
laser gun sight 18 may be programmed using the one ormore buttons 80 to automatically turn on thelaser module 154 and/or theLED module 164 when the gun is drawn from theholster 120. In some embodiments, the greenlaser gun sight 18 may be programmed to automatically turn on thelaser module 154 and/or theLED module 164 after a user programmable time delay should the user wish a short delay to, for example, better position the gun before providing a visual indication of the gun's presence. -
FIGS. 19-21 are similar toFIGS. 11 , 12 and 14 described previously, but have been annotated to indicate an embodiment in which the greenlaser gun sight 18 and theholster 120 have been configured, in combination, to provide an instant-on feature. InFIG. 19 , aregion 190 has been indicated in phantom to show the relative position of theHall effect sensor 186 in thesensing circuit 184 as well as a magnet disposed within theholster 120.FIG. 20 shows an embodiment in which amagnet 192 has been embedded in theresilient member 142. In some embodiments, themagnet 192 is a rare earth metal and may be adhesively fixed within a pocket formed in theresilient member 142. InFIG. 21 , it can be seen that themagnet 192 is positioned relatively close to aregion 194 of the greenlaser gun sight 18 that includes thesensing circuit 184 and theHall effect sensor 186. -
FIG. 22 is a side schematic view of thehandgun 10 and the greenlaser gun sight 18 disposed within asoft holster 200 formed of aresilient material 202. Theresilient material 202 comprises anexterior layer 204 forming an exterior of thesoft holster 200 and aninterior layer 206 forming an interior of thesoft holster 200. In the illustrated embodiment, edgingmaterial 208 is sewn around a perimeter of theresilient material 202. In the illustrated embodiment, theresilient material 202, including theexterior layer 204, theinterior layer 206, and the edgingmaterial 208, comprise one or more types of relatively durable fabrics. In alternative embodiments, theresilient material 202 can comprise one or more non-fabric resilient materials that are suitable for the application, such as leather. - The
soft holster 200 defines apocket 210 sized for thehandgun 10 with the attached greenlaser gun sight 18. Thepocket 210 includes amuzzle receiving area 212 for receiving themuzzle end 20 of thehandgun 10 and a lasersight receiving area 214 for receiving the greenlaser gun sight 18. Themuzzle receiving area 212 is adjacent to and directly above the lasersight receiving area 214. In some embodiments, thesoft holster 200 can be shaped to hold thehandgun 10 with the attached greenlaser gun sight 18 relatively firmly. In other embodiments, thesoft holster 200 can hold thehandgun 10 with the attached greenlaser gun sight 18 less firmly yet still have themuzzle receiving area 212 and the lasersight receiving area 214. - In the illustrated embodiment, the
soft holster 200 is a pocket gun holster having atab 216 adjacent to and extending downward from the lasersight receiving area 214. Thetab 216 can function to hook on a user's pocket (such as a pocket or a front pocket of a pair of pants, not shown) or waistband of a pair of pants (not shown) to retain thesoft holster 200 in the user's pocket when thehandgun 10 is drawn from thesoft holster 200. In alternative embodiments, thesoft holster 200 can be shaped differently than as illustrated. For example, in some embodiments thetab 216 can be omitted. - A
magnet 218 is attached to theresilient material 202 proximate the lasersight receiving area 214. Themagnet 218 can be attached to theresilient material 202 at a location suitable for being detected by theHall effect sensor 186 of the greenlaser gun sight 18. In the illustrated embodiment, themagnet 218 is mounted nearer thetab 216 than a top 220 of thesoft holster 200. As thehandgun 10 and the greenlaser gun sight 18 are removed from thesoft holster 200, theHall effect sensor 186 can sense being removed from the magnetic field of themagnet 218 and automatically activate the greenlaser gun sight 18 to emit a green laser. In various embodiments, themagnet 218 can be positioned differently than as illustrated so long as themagnet 218 is positioned at a location suitable for being detected by theHall effect sensor 186 of the greenlaser gun sight 18. - In the illustrated embodiment, the
magnet 218 is positioned between theexterior layer 204 and theinterior layer 206. In an alternative embodiment, themagnet 218 can be attached to theinterior layer 206, inward of theinterior layer 206. In another alternative embodiment, themagnet 218 can be attached to theexterior layer 204, outside of theexterior layer 204. - In one embodiment, the
magnet 218 can be attached to theresilient material 202 via adhesive suitable for attaching to fabric. In another embodiment, themagnet 218 can be sewn to theresilient material 202. In further embodiments, themagnet 218 can be attached to theresilient material 202 via another method suitable for the application. By providing thesoft holster 200 with themagnet 218 as described, the greenlaser gun sight 18 can turn on automatically when used with relatively small handguns, such as subcompact handguns used with a soft pocket holster. - In some embodiments, the green
laser gun sight 18 can be replaced with another electronic weapon mounted accessory, such as a red laser, a white light, or a combination of a red or green laser and a white light. In such circumstances, the lasersight receiving area 214 could be more generally referred to an electronic weapon mounted accessory receiving area. Such electronic weapon mounted accessories can be used, activated, and deactivated in substantially the same manner as described with respect to the greenlaser gun sight 18. -
FIG. 23 is a schematic view of anactivation triggering device 300. Theactivation triggering device 300 includes amagnet 302 and afastening mechanism 304. In the illustrated embodiment, theactivation triggering device 300 is a gun holster activation triggering device. Thefastening mechanism 304 is mounted to themagnet 302 and configured to be secured to a gun holster, such as the holster 120 (shown inFIGS. 11-15 and 19-21) and the soft holster 200 (shown inFIG. 22 ). In one embodiment, thefastening mechanism 304 can include adhesive for adhering theactivation triggering device 300 to the holster. In alternative embodiments, thefastening mechanism 304 can be a screw, bolt, clamp, adhesive, or other material or component configured for attaching theactivation triggering device 300 to the holster via sewing, welding, bolting, screwing, clamping, or other method suitable for the application. - The
activation triggering device 300 can be used to modify an existing holster that did not previously have a position sensing magnet, into a holster having a position sensing magnet suitable for use with thesensing circuit 184 and theHall effect sensor 186 described above. Theactivation triggering device 300 can first be positioned on a holster (such as theholster 120 or the soft holster 200) such that themagnet 302 is proximate a sight receiving area (such as the sight receiving area 214). Thefastening mechanism 304 can then be attached to the holster such that themagnet 302 is substantially fixed with respect to the holster. A gun sight (such as the green laser gun sight 18) can be attached to a handgun (such as the handgun 10) in a manner described above, or in another manner. Then, thehandgun 10 with the attached greenlaser gun sight 18 can be inserted and removed from the holster with the attachedactivation triggering device 300, and the greenlaser gun sight 18 can be automatically deactivated and activated upon insertion and removal, respectively. - In one embodiment, the
activation triggering device 300 can be attached to an outer surface of the holster. In another embodiment, theactivation triggering device 300 can be attached to an inner surface of the holster inside a pocket (such as thepocket 122 or the pocket 210) of the holster. Theactivation triggering device 300 can be paired with a green laser gun sight (such as the green laser gun sight 18) wherein the combination of theactivation triggering device 300 and the greenlaser gun sight 18 are sized to fit within the pocket of the holster when the greenlaser gun sight 18 is mounted on thehandgun 10. - By attaching the
activation triggering device 300 to a holster as described, the greenlaser gun sight 18 can be mounted on thehandgun 10 and the greenlaser gun sight 18 can turn on automatically when used with that holster. Thus, theactivation triggering device 300 allows for retrofitting and upgrading of existing, conventional holsters for use with the automatic activation feature of the greenlaser gun sight 18. Such conventional holsters can be manufactured and sold separately from theactivation triggering device 300. Such conventional holsters need not be designed especially for use with theactivation triggering device 300. -
FIG. 24 is perspective view of a top of anactivation triggering device 310, which is an alternative embodiment of theactivation triggering device 300.FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a bottom of theactivation triggering device 310. Theactivation triggering device 310 includes ahousing 312 at least partially covering amagnet 314. Thehousing 312 includes atop surface 316 that curves down towardedges edges edge 318 positioned opposite theedge 320. Theedges edges edge 322 positioned opposite theedge 324. - The
housing 312 has abottom surface 326 positioned opposite thetop surface 316. Thebottom surface 326 defines acavity 328 sized for themagnet 314.Bosses cavity 328. Themagnet 314 is positioned in thecavity 328 of thehousing 312, and can be held in thecavity 328 via a friction fit with thebosses magnet 314 to thehousing 312 in addition to or instead of thebosses - A layer of adhesive 336 can be applied to the
bottom surface 326 of thehousing 312 and to themagnet 314. In alternative embodiments, the layer of adhesive 336 can be applied to only one of thebottom surface 326 or thehousing 312. In further alternative embodiments, theactivation triggering device 310 can be attached via a mechanism other than adhesive, such as double-sided tape, sewing, a press fit, bolting, screwing, or riveting. - The
activation triggering device 310 can be relatively small. In the illustrated embodiment, theactivation triggering device 310 has a width of about 0.75 inches (1.905 centimeters) and a thickness of about 0.125 inches (0.3175 centimeters). In alternative embodiments, theactivation triggering device 310 can have a width of less than about 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) and a thickness of less than about 0.25 inches (0.635 centimeters). In further alternative embodiments, theactivation triggering device 310 can have another size and shape suitable for the application. - In one embodiment, the
activation triggering device 310 can be adhered or otherwise attached to a holster, such as the holster 120 (shown inFIGS. 11-15 and 19-21) and the soft holster 200 (shown inFIG. 22 ), in a similar manner to that described above with respect to theactivation triggering device 300. In an alternative embodiment, theactivation triggering device 310 can be adhered or otherwise attached to a bottom of a drawer. Thehandgun 10 can then be put in the drawer with the greenlaser gun sight 18 and theHall effect sensor 186 positioned proximate theactivation triggering device 310. As thehandgun 10 is removed from the drawer, theHall effect sensor 186 can sense being removed from the magnetic field of themagnet 314 and automatically activate the greenlaser gun sight 18. Thus, the greenlaser gun sight 18 can automatically turn on as soon as thehandgun 10 is removed from proximity of theactivation triggering device 310 in the drawer. - In another embodiment, the
position sensor 310 can be adhered or otherwise attached to an interior surface of a safe. For example, theposition sensor 310 can be attached via a layer of adhesive 336 to either a foam surface or a hard surface within the safe. Thehandgun 10 can then be put in the safe with the greenlaser gun sight 18 and theHall effect sensor 186 positioned proximate theactivation triggering device 310. As thehandgun 10 is removed from the safe, theHall effect sensor 186 can sense being removed from the magnetic field of themagnet 314 and automatically activate the greenlaser gun sight 18. Thus, the greenlaser gun sight 18 can automatically turn on as soon as thehandgun 10 is removed from proximity of theactivation triggering device 310 in the safe. - In another alternative embodiment, one or more of the
position sensors 310 can be adhered or otherwise attached to a storage device such as a gun rack. For example, theactivation triggering device 310 can be attached via the layer of adhesive 336 to a gun holding portion of the gun rack. Thehandgun 10 can then be put in or on the gun rack with the greenlaser gun sight 18 and theHall effect sensor 186 positioned proximate theactivation triggering device 310. As thehandgun 10 is removed from the gun rack, theHall effect sensor 186 can sense being removed from the magnetic field of themagnet 314 and automatically activate the greenlaser gun sight 18. Multiple position sensors can be used in gun racks designed for multiple guns. - In further alternative embodiments, the
activation triggering device 310 can be adhered or otherwise attached to virtually any object suitable for the application, such as a shelf, a wall, a ceiling, a glove box, a motorcycle compartment, another vehicle compartment, a clothing pocket, a purse, a briefcase, or a personal planner having a compartment, or another container. Thus, the greenlaser gun sight 18 can automatically turn on as soon as thehandgun 10 is removed from proximity of theactivation triggering device 310 in virtually any location. -
FIG. 26 is a top view of thehandgun 10 resting on agun storage pad 400. Thegun storage pad 400 is a substantially flat mat upon which thehandgun 10 can rest. Thegun storage pad 400 has a substantially flattop surface 402 defined bysides top surface 402 can be relatively non-abrasive so as to reduce scuffing of thehandgun 10 and the greenlaser gun sight 18. Themagnet 218 is mounted to thegun storage pad 400. - As illustrated in
FIG. 26 , thehandgun 10 is rested on thegun storage pad 400 with theHall effect sensor 186 of the greenlaser gun sight 18 positioned proximate themagnet 218. In the illustrated embodiment, theHall effect sensor 186 is positioned proximate but not directly above themagnet 218. In an alternative embodiment, theHall effect sensor 186 can be positioned directly above themagnet 218. - As the
handgun 10 and the greenlaser gun sight 18 are rested on thegun storage pad 400, theHall effect sensor 186 can sense the magnetic field of themagnet 218 and automatically deactivate the greenlaser gun sight 18. As thehandgun 10 and the greenlaser gun sight 18 are removed from thegun storage pad 400, theHall effect sensor 186 can sense being removed from the magnetic field of themagnet 218 and automatically activate the greenlaser gun sight 18. Thus, the greenlaser gun sight 18 can automatically turn on as soon as thehandgun 10 is removed from thegun storage pad 400. - In the illustrated embodiment, the
gun storage pad 400 is shown with asingle magnet 218. In that embodiment, theHall effect sensor 186 can sense themagnet 218 so long as theHall effect sensor 186 is positioned sufficiently close to themagnet 218 when thehandgun 10 and the greenlaser gun sight 18 are laid down on thegun storage pad 400. In alternative embodiments, thegun storage pad 400 can havemultiple magnets 218 so as to create a larger sensing area on thegun storage pad 400. In further alternative embodiments, thegun storage pad 400 can havemagnets 218 distributed across much of or the entiretop surface 402. -
FIG. 27 is a top view of thegun storage pad 400. As shown inFIG. 27 , themagnet 218 is mounted on thetop surface 402 of thegun storage pad 400. In an alternative embodiment, themagnet 218 can be mounted on abottom surface 412 of thegun storage pad 400, which is opposite of thetop surface 402. In a further alternative embodiment, themagnet 218 can be mounted between top and bottom layers (not shown) of thegun storage pad 400. - The
top surface 402 of thegun storage pad 400 can include agun alignment feature 414 for aligning thehandgun 10 on thegun storage pad 400. In one embodiment, thegun alignment feature 414 can provide a visual indication of where thehandgun 10 should be placed. For example, the gun alignment feature can be a printed image shaped like a handgun. In an alternative embodiment, thegun alignment feature 414 can provide a visual indication of where the greenlaser gun sight 18 or theHall effect sensor 186 should be placed. - In another alternative embodiment, the
gun alignment feature 414 can include one or more raised ridges tending to align thehandgun 10 and/or the greenlaser gun sight 18 into a suitable position. In an embodiment with thegun alignment feature 414 having raised ridges, thetop surface 402 can be substantially planar, though not entirely planar due to the raised ridges. - In a further alternative embodiment, the
gun alignment feature 414 can include a fabric hook and loop fastening strap such as Velcro brand fasteners, a magnet sized for holding thehandgun 10 and/or the greenlaser gun sight 18, or projections for providing a friction fit on thehandgun 10 and/or the greenlaser gun sight 18. - In some embodiments, the
gun storage pad 400 can be designed to lay flat on a surface without being attached to the surface. In other embodiments, thegun storage pad 400 can be attached to a surface via a mechanism such as adhesive, a magnet, tape, sewing, bolting, screwing, or nailing. In some embodiments thegun storage pad 400 can be located on a horizontal surface. In other embodiments the gun storage pad can be located on an angled or vertical surface. - In the illustrated embodiment, the
gun storage pad 400 includes a singlegun alignment feature 414. In alternative embodiments, thegun storage pad 400 can include multiple gun alignment features 414 for locating multiple guns with respect tomultiple magnets 218. -
FIG. 28 is a side sectional view of thegun storage pad 400 taken along line 28-28 ofFIG. 27 . In the embodiment shown inFIG. 28 , thetop surface 402 is substantially planar, though not entirely planar due to themagnet 218 being mounted on thetop surface 402. In alternative embodiments, thetop surface 402 can be entirely planar, with themagnet 218 being mounted on thebottom surface 412 or within thegun storage pad 400. -
FIG. 29 is a perspective view of apaddle 500. Thepaddle 500 is a holster mounting paddle for securing a gun holster, such as the holster 120 (shown inFIGS. 11-15 and 19-21) and the soft holster 200 (shown inFIG. 22 ). Thepaddle 500 includes apaddle attachment plate 502, apaddle extension 504, and abridge 506 connecting thepaddle attachment plate 502 to thepaddle extension 504. - The
paddle attachment plate 502 includes three mountingpads pads outer surface 514 of thepaddle attachment plate 502. The mountingpad 508 includes threeholes paddle attachment plate 502. Theholes paddle attachment plate 502. The mountingpad 510 includes threeholes paddle attachment plate 502. Theholes paddle attachment plate 502. - The
paddle 500 will be described as having aleft side 528, aright side 530, a top 532, and a bottom 534. However, it should be understood that the terms “left side” and “right side” are relative terms that can be alternated if thepaddle 500 were in a different orientation. The mountingpad 508 and theholes left side 528 and near the top 532. The mountingpad 510 and theholes right side 530 and near the top 532. Thus, theholes holes - The mounting
pad 512 includes fiveholes paddle attachment plate 502. Theholes various holes paddle 500. The orientation of the holster with respect to thepaddle 500 can be adjusted by selectingdifferent holes holes holes holes - In the illustrated embodiment, a holster can be adjustably mounted to three holes: one in each of the mounting
pads paddle 500 atholes paddle 500 atholes paddle 500 atholes paddle 500 atholes paddle 500 atholes paddle 500 allows a holster to be mounted to thepaddle 500 at five different angles which can all allow the holster to have a relatively low center of gravity with respect to thepaddle 500. For example, the holster can be mounted in an upright orientation by being connected to thepaddle 500 usingholes holes - The
paddle extension 504 is substantially U-shaped, having afirst branch 546 positioned on theleft side 528 of thepaddle attachment plate 502 and asecond branch 548 positioned on theright side 530 of thepaddle attachment plate 502. The first andsecond branches bridge 506.Branch 546 hasribs outer surface 558 of thepaddle extension 504.Branch 548 hasribs outer surface 558 of thepaddle extension 504. Theribs paddle 500 in a pocket, such as a pocket of a user's pants (not shown) or a waistband (not shown). - The
paddle extension 504 further includes ahook 568 positioned toward the bottom 534 and between the first andsecond branches hook 568 acts as an additional tooth to hold thepaddle 500 in the pocket or a waistband. -
FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a rear of thepaddle 500. Thepaddle attachment plate 502, thepaddle extension 504, and thebridge 506 are each substantially curved to conform to a shape of a user's body. Arear surface 570 of thepaddle attachment plate 502 hasribs rear surface 588 toward thepaddle extension 504. Theribs paddle extension 504, positioned between the mountingpad 510 and the right side 530 (which appears on the left as viewed from the rear as inFIG. 30 ). Theribs paddle extension 504, positioned between the mountingpad 508 and the left side 528 (which appears on the right as viewed from the rear as inFIG. 30 ). Theribs paddle 500 in a pocket, such as a pocket of a user's pants (not shown) or a waistband (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, thepaddle 500 includes theribs FIG. 29 ) in conjunction with theribs -
FIG. 31 is a side view of thepaddle 500. Thehook 568 as well as theribs outer surface 558 of thepaddle extension 504. Thepaddle attachment plate 502 is connected to anouter portion 588 of thebridge 506 and thepaddle extension 504 is connected to aninner portion 590 of thebridge 506 so as to define aslot 592 between thepaddle attachment plate 502 and thepaddle extension 504. Theslot 592 allows a substantially flat object, such as a belt or fabric of a pants pocket or waistband, to be positioned between thepaddle attachment plate 502 and thepaddle extension 504.Bottom lips paddle attachment plate 502 and thepaddle extension 504, respectively, are not attached to one-another. Thus, thepaddle attachment plate 502 and thepaddle extension 504 each extend from thebridge 506 in a cantilevered fashion. - The
paddle 500 can be made from a flexible and resilient material, which allows thepaddle attachment plate 502 to be bent away from thepaddle extension 504 to allow thepaddle 500 to be inserted over a belt or waistband. Thepaddle 500 can then spring back to the illustrated shape, allowing thepaddle attachment plate 502 and thepaddle 504 to collapse on and hold the belt or waistband. This resiliency creates a force to hold theribs ribs paddle 500 and an attached holster relatively firmly. In the illustrated embodiment, thepaddle 500 is made from a polymer material via injection molding. In some embodiments, thepaddle 500 can be a composite material, such as a combination of the polymer material and glass. In alternative embodiments, thepaddle 500 can be made of another material and/or via another manufacturing method suitable for the application. - Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed. For example, while the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the disclosure is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the disclosure, together with all equivalents thereof.
Claims (19)
Priority Applications (1)
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