U.S. patent application number 13/497826 was filed with the patent office on 2012-07-26 for gas spray holster.
This patent application is currently assigned to HOLSTER TECH FINLAND OY. Invention is credited to Sami Helle, Jarno Tyybakinoja.
Application Number | 20120187163 13/497826 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41136413 |
Filed Date | 2012-07-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120187163 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tyybakinoja; Jarno ; et
al. |
July 26, 2012 |
GAS SPRAY HOLSTER
Abstract
The invention relates to a gas spray holster including a holster
part having belt fasteners, an inner frame for holding a standard
gas spray, and mutual connectors. These comprise quick couplers
with a release handle and a lifting spring for improving the
lifting of the inner frame.
Inventors: |
Tyybakinoja; Jarno; (Lahela,
FI) ; Helle; Sami; (Masku, FI) |
Assignee: |
HOLSTER TECH FINLAND OY
Lahela
FI
|
Family ID: |
41136413 |
Appl. No.: |
13/497826 |
Filed: |
October 1, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
October 1, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FI10/50762 |
371 Date: |
March 23, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
224/162 ;
224/197; 224/663 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41C 33/0263 20130101;
A45F 2200/0591 20130101; A45F 5/021 20130101; F41C 33/0272
20130101; F41H 9/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
224/162 ;
224/663; 224/197 |
International
Class: |
F41H 9/10 20060101
F41H009/10; A45F 5/02 20060101 A45F005/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 12, 2009 |
FI |
20096053 |
Claims
1-15. (canceled)
16. A gas spray holster comprising the following: a holster part
comprising belt fasteners, an inner frame for holding a standard
gas spray said inner frame comprising a finger detent for fingers,
mutual connecting means between the holster part and the inner
frame wherein said mutual connecting means comprising quick
coupling means with a release handle, and a lifting spring for
improving lifting of the inner frame.
17. A gas spray holster according to claim 16, wherein the mutual
connecting means further comprising a guard articulated to the
holster part for protecting the release button included in the gas
spray.
18. A gas spray holster according to claim 16, wherein said quick
coupling means are spring-loaded.
19. A gas spray holster according to claim 16, wherein said lifting
spring is a spring wire comprising an elastic part that is parallel
to the bottom of the holster part, forms an open loop and is set
against the inner frame, vertical parts perpendicular to the bottom
of the holster part, and foot parts parallel to the bottom of the
holster part for supporting the lifting spring to the bottom of the
holster part.
20. A gas spray holster according to claim 16, wherein the inner
frame comprising a body part adapted for inner frame's inner size
for fastening the gas spray thereto.
21. A gas spray holster according to claim 16, wherein the gas
spray holster is adapted for standard gas sprays.
22. A gas spray holster according to claim 16, wherein said quick
coupling means comprising a release handle articulated to the
holster part having a locking latch adapted to a detent in the body
part of the inner frame.
23. A gas spray holster according to claim 16, wherein in said
holster part, the belt fastener includes a fastening point a belt
loop part for turning the gas spray holster for 360.degree.
relative to the user's belt, and teeth for locking the fastening
point and the belt loop part relative to each other.
24. A gas spray holster according to claim 16, wherein the inner
frame of the gas spray holster and part of the holster part having
a groove-like finger detent accommodating the forefinger for the
finger grip for lifting and directing the inner frame from the
holster part.
25. A gas spray holster according to claim 16, wherein the body
part of said inner frame having guide rails for directing the inner
frame to the holster part.
26. A gas spray holster according to claim 16, wherein the gas
spray holster is made of a polymer blend.
27. A gas spray holster according to claim 16, wherein the gas
spray holster comprising reeling means between the inner frame and
the holster part adapted to reel the inner frame connected to a
wire back to the vicinity of the holster part.
28. A gas spray holster according to claim 27, wherein the reeling
means comprising a wire connected between the inner frame and the
holster part and a spring-operated reeling device fastened to the
holster part.
29. A gas spray holster according to claim 16, wherein the guard
and the finger detent having roughened surfaces for improving the
grip.
30. A gas spray holster according to claim 16, wherein a double
locking system is adapted in the gas spray holster by means of the
quick coupling means and the guard for locking the gas spray in the
gas spray holster.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a gas spray holster comprising the
following: [0002] a holster part including belt fasteners, [0003]
an inner frame for holding a standard gas spray said inner frame
including a finger detent for fingers, [0004] mutual connecting
means between the holster part and the inner frame.
[0005] In known gas spray holsters, taking the gas spray into use
is difficult and slow. Very often, in sudden situations requiring
use of force, the gas spray comes to the user's hand such that the
nozzle part of the gas spray points to a wrong direction, even
towards the user him-/herself. The slow introducibility into use of
a gas spray and its incorrect position have caused many hazardous
situations and even physical damage in situations where the user of
the gas spray has not been able to take his/her gas spray out of
the holster sufficiently quickly in a use of force situation.
[0006] Present gas spray holsters are mainly holsters made of
leather or fabric. The top part of the gas spray is protected by a
flap provided with a press stud fastening, which flap is opened
before taking the gas spray from the holster. After this, the top
part of the gas spray is grasped with fingers and the gas spray is
pulled out of the holster. The gas spray comes out of the holster
in such a position that the gas spray cannot be used with the same
grip.
[0007] Various types of commonly used gas spray models exist and
they can be divided, based on the shape of the gas spray jet, into
gas spray models equipped with a cone-shaped, a point-shaped, or a
cloud-shaped spray jet. The most popular gas spray model used by
the authorities and the security business is the gas spray model
with the point-shaped jet since using a spray gun with the
cloud-shaped and cone-shaped jet indoors, for example, exposes also
all bystanders to the gas. When used outdoors, the cloud-shaped and
cone-shaped model gas sprays are very sensitive to wind, and in the
worst case, the user receives the gas into his/her own eyes. A
significant aspect in the point-shaped gas spray is that the gas
spray jet (liquid spray jet) requires high accuracy, and a desired
effect is not achieved if the gas spray jet, for example, goes by
the face of the target.
[0008] An additional problem discovered in the present gas spray
holsters is also slackening of holsters based on friction, which
may cause unintentional falling of the gas spray out of the
holster. A problem with the friction-operated holsters is sticking
of the gas spray in the holster, rusting of the press stud in the
securing flap, which prevents opening the holster, as well as
damaging of the gas spray bottle due to friction against the metal
part of the press stud.
[0009] Currently, the best holster in the market is a two-part gas
spray holster manufactured by Peter Jones (ILG) Ltd., marketed with
the product name "non lethal spray holder P175" wherein the gas
spray bottle is surrounded by a rubber-like frame. The hip side of
the holster part includes a rail that fastens to a bracket in the
belt. This holster is also protected with a leather flap and press
stud fastening, which delays its use in hazards.
[0010] In the gas spray holster disclosed in US patent application
2007/0039989 A1, also representing the prior art, the gas spray is
locked in the holster with a locking latch. When the locking latch
is released, a spring at the bottom of the holster lifts the gas
spray from the holster. In this model, the gas spray must be of a
special construction to be suitable for use together with the
locking mechanism.
[0011] The object of the invention is to provide a gas spray
holster from which a standard type gas spray can be taken out
quickly and easily, always correctly directed, and which is
equipped with a secure safety mechanism. More precisely, the gas
spray holster according to the invention is characterized by what
is claimed in the appended claim 1.
[0012] This object can be achieved according to the invention with
a gas spray holster including a holster part with belt fasteners,
an inner frame for holding a standard gas spray, with said inner
frame including a finger detent for fingers and mutual connecting
means for the holster part and the inner frame. It is essential
that the mutual connecting means include quick locking means with a
release handle and a lifting spring for improving the lifting of
the inner frame. With the mutual connecting means, the gas spray
can be taken into use quickly and reliably and it is always
correctly directed. In addition, the mutual connecting means ensure
that seizing the gas spray from the gas spray holster is
difficult.
[0013] Advantageously, the mutual connecting means further include
a guard articulated to the holster part for protecting the release
button included in the gas spray. The guard can be quickly turned
away when the gas spray is needed and it functions as a second
coupling means beside the quick coupling means.
[0014] The quick coupling means can be spring loaded. According to
an embodiment, the quick coupling means include a spring wire with
an elastic part that is parallel to the bottom of the holster part,
forms an open loop and is set against the inner frame, vertical
parts perpendicular to the bottom of the holster part, and foot
parts parallel to the bottom of the holster part for supporting the
spring to the bottom of the holster part. The spring wire provides
an appropriate amount of force for lifting the inner frame,
sufficient for lifting the gas spray slightly upwards but not
flinging the gas spray too high, in which case it could drop from
the holster part.
[0015] According to an embodiment, the inner frame includes a body
part adapted for its internal size for fastening the gas spray
thereto. The body part protects the gas spray bottle from dents and
scratches.
[0016] The gas spray holster is advantageously adapted for standard
gas sprays. The gas spray holster can be used for the most common
gas sprays directly or with minor modifications.
[0017] According to an embodiment, the quick coupling means include
a release handle articulated to the holster part wherein the
locking latch is adapted to a detent in the body part of the inner
frame. With the release handle, the gas spray can be quickly and
reliably released from the holster part.
[0018] In the holster part, the belt fastener can include a
fastening point, a belt loop part for turning the gas spray holster
360.degree. relative to the user's belt, and teeth for locking the
fastening point and the belt loop part relative to each other. With
the belt fastener, the position of the gas spray holster on the
user's belt can be freely determined.
[0019] For the finger grip, a groove-like finger detent
accommodating the forefinger can be present in the inner frame of
the gas spray holster and in part of the holster part, for lifting
and directing the inner frame from the holster part. Using the
finger detent, the gas spray is easy to lift from the holster part
and a good grip can be taken from the gas spray. According to an
embodiment, the body part of the inner frame has guide rails for
directing the inner frame to the holster part. Due to the guide
rails, the gas spray is always in the correct position in the
holster part and it is in the correct position as regards
directing.
[0020] The gas spray holster can be made of a polymer blend. A
polymer blend is a light and durable material, which is important
in the application of gas spray holsters. Advantageously, the guard
and the finger detent have roughened surfaces for improving the
grip.
[0021] According to an embodiment, the gas spray holster includes
reeling means between the inner frame and the holster part adapted
to reel the inner frame, connected to a wire, back to the vicinity
of the holster part. The reeling means can include a wire connected
between the inner frame and the holster part and a spring-operated
wire reeling device connected to the holster part.
[0022] A double locking system is adapted in the gas spray holster
by means of the quick coupling means and the guard for locking the
gas spray to the gas spray holster. In order to snatch the gas
spray, the snatcher should be able to release both locking systems,
which is very difficult in practice.
[0023] The invention is described below in detail by making
reference to the enclosed drawings which illustrate some of the
embodiments of the invention, in which
[0024] FIG. 1 is an axonometric oblique front view of the gas spray
holster according to the invention wherein the gas spray bottle is
installed in the inner frame, with the guard in the bottom
position,
[0025] FIGS. 2a-2b are axonometric oblique rear views of the gas
spray holster according to the invention wherein the gas spray
bottle is installed in the inner frame, with the guard in the
bottom and top positions,
[0026] FIGS. 3a-3b are side and rear views of the gas spray holster
according to the invention wherein the gas spray bottle is
installed in the inner frame, with the inner frame released and
slightly lifted from the holster part,
[0027] FIGS. 4a-4b are side views of the gas spray holster
according to the invention wherein the gas spray bottle is
installed in the inner frame, with the inner frame released and
lifted out of the holster part,
[0028] FIGS. 5a-5b are cross-sectional views of the gas spray
holster according to the invention wherein the gas spray bottle is
installed in the inner frame, with the guard in the bottom and top
positions,
[0029] FIGS. 6a-6c are axonometric oblique front views of the
holster part, frame part and gas spray of the gas spray holster
according to the invention,
[0030] FIG. 7 is a rear view of the inner frame of the gas spray
holster according to the invention wherein the gas spray bottle is
installed in the inner frame,
[0031] FIG. 8 is a side view of the holster part of the gas spray
holster according to the invention, without the frame part and gas
spray,
[0032] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of
the gas spray holster according to the invention, with the guard
closed, wherein the lifting spring is a spring wire,
[0033] FIG. 10 is an axonometric oblique front view of the
embodiment of the gas spray holster according to FIG. 9, with the
guard opened.
[0034] FIG. 1 shows an axonometric view of the gas spray holster 10
according to the invention. The gas spray holster 10 is fastened to
the user's belt with a belt fastener 13. Deviating from the prior
art, the fastening angle of the gas spray holster 10 relative to
the belt can be adjusted for 360.degree.. The gas spray 14 is
connected by means of friction to the inside of the inner frame 15
by the container part 27. In addition, disposed around the inner
frame 15 there is a fastening band (not shown) which helps keeping
the container part 27 of the gas spray 14 in place in the inner
frame 15.
[0035] FIGS. 2a and 2b show an axonometric oblique rear view of the
gas spray holster 10 according to the invention with the guard 12
in the top and bottom positions. The holster part 16 has a quick
coupling means which automatically locks the gas spray bottle 14
including the inner frame 15 to the holster part 16. The quick
coupling means are composed of a release handle, articulated to the
holster part, the release handle having a locking latch adapted to
a detent in the body part of the inner frame. A guard 12 is
articulated to the top section of the holster part. The guard 12
protects the release button 28 of the gas spray and the entire top
section of the gas spray 14 from damage and snatching attempts. The
guard is provided with friction-based resistance which locks the
guard in either the top or bottom position but does not cause
friction when lifting/lowering the guard. The guard 12 and the
finger detent 18 may have a roughened surface (not shown) which
ensures a better finger grip against the surface.
[0036] For snatching attempts, the gas spray holster includes
mutual connecting means between the holster part and the inner
frame, including quick coupling means 17 (FIGS. 5a and 5b) and a
guard 12. In its top position the guard 12 prevents mechanically
releasing the inner frame 15 from the holster part 16 when pressing
the release handle 20. In practice, the gas spray holster has a
double locking system; that is, for releasing the gas spray, it is
first necessary to open the guard and then undo the quick coupling
means in order to get the gas spray in hand.
[0037] FIGS. 3a-4b illustrate the various steps of taking the gas
spray 14 into use. When using the gas spray 14, the guard 12 is
pulled back for about 50.degree. by the thumb, the holster part 16
is grasped with a finger grip placing the forefinger in the finger
detent 18 present in the inner frame 15, leaving the thumb in the
top part of the gas spray 14 and grasping the release handle 20
with the rest of the fingers. By pressing the release handle 20,
the quick coupling means 17 of FIGS. 5a and 5b are released and the
inner frame 15 lifts up for 1-10 mm. After this, the inner frame 15
together with the spray bottle 14 is pulled up using the
thumb-forefinger grip and the rest of the fingers get a firm hold
from the body part 22 of the inner frame 15 while the inner frame
15 has been completely lifted up from the holster part 16. The
inner frame 15 protects the container part 27 from impacts,
scratches and wearing. A damaged gas spray must always be
immediately replaced with a new one to avoid that the gas escapes
from the opening possibly caused by the damage. The container part
27 of the gas spray 14 is kept inside the inner frame 15 for the
entire period of use being thus protected from impacts and
scratches even though the gas spray would be dropped down in a use
of force situation.
[0038] FIGS. 5a and 5b show a lateral cross-sectional view of the
gas spray holster 10 according to the invention. When encasing
again, the inner frame 15 together with the gas spray 14 is placed
against the guide rails 29 located inside the holster part 16 and
pressed down whereupon the quick coupling means 17 lock the inner
frame 15 to the holster part 16. The guard 12 articulated to the
holster part 12 is turned back to the top position using the thumb.
Guide rails 29 on the outer surface of the inner frame 15 ensure
that the gas spray 14 goes to the gas spray holster 10 only in the
correct position. The guide rails 29 are shown better in FIG.
7.
[0039] When the quick coupling means 17 of the gas spray holster 10
are in the locked position, the locking spring 24 turns the release
handle 20 relative to the shaft 30 whereupon the locking latch 32
is in the detent 34 of the inner frame 15 and thus prevents lifting
of the inner frame 15. More precisely, the detent 34 is an
indentation in the body part 22 of the inner frame 15. The detent
34 can also be a protrusion appropriate for the purpose.
[0040] When opening the quick coupling means 17 of the gas spray
holster 10, the user of the gas spray holster 10 presses the
release handle 20 fully down, the locking spring 24 is compressed,
the release handle 20 turns relative to the shaft 30 and the
locking latch 32 moves away from the detent 34 of the inner frame
15. The detent 34 is designed as a counter part of the locking
latch 32. Thus the lifting spring 26 located at the bottom of the
holster part 16 lifts the inner frame 15 for about 1-10 mm, after
which the inner frame 15 can be lifted out of the holster part 16
with a finger grip using the finger detent 18. In the locked
position, the lifting spring is adapted to remain stressed against
the quick coupling means, and upon opening the quick coupling means
using the release handle, this stress is adapted to be released
whereby the lifting spring pushes the inner frame outwards.
[0041] An essential aspect of the release handle 20 is its locking
30 latch 32 having a free position and a locked position. Instead
of an articulation, the release handle can also be slidable along a
path adapted for it.
[0042] FIGS. 6a-6c show the main components of the gas spray 35
holster 10: the holster part 16, the inner frame 15 and the gas
spray 14. Designed for the forefinger, the inner frame 15 has a
finger detent 18, the heavily grooved shape of which provides a
support surface for the forefinger for pulling up the inner frame
15 out of the holster part 16. The finger detent 18 begins from the
holster part 16 of the gas spray holster 10 and extends over the
entire width of the part that is visible during the locked state of
the inner frame 15. This enables taking the inner frame 15 and the
gas spray 14 quickly in use after releasing the quick coupling
means 17. With the finger detent 18, the user immediately gets a
good and firm hold of the inner frame 15. At the same time, the gas
spray 14 comes to the hand automatically in the correct direction
as regards use, which saves time in a critical use of force
situation. Due to the finger detent 18 and the guide rails 29, the
inner frame 15 can be locked again in the holster part only in the
correct direction.
[0043] FIG. 7 shows the gas spray 14 inside the inner frame 15 seen
from the opposite side relative to the spraying direction. The
figure shows a hinge component 37 with a special construction 20
with which the halves of the inner frame are connected
together.
[0044] FIG. 8 shows the mere holster part 16 of the gas spray
holster 10 seen from the direction of the belt fastener 13. The
belt loop part 23 of the belt fastener is connected to the
fastening point 31 on the side of the holster part with a fastener
21. The surfaces between both the belt loop part 23 and the
fastening point 31 are provided with teeth 33 with which the user
can adjust the angle between the user's belt and the gas spray
holster 10 according to the invention as desired and then lock the
gas spray holster 10 in this position. This feature, too,
facilitates taking the gas spray 14 into use.
[0045] FIGS. 9 and 10 show an embodiment of the gas spray holster
35 according to the invention wherein the lifting spring 26 is a
spring wire 26'. The spring wire 26' is advantageously a spring
made of one wire including an elastic part 36 in the form of an
open loop against which the bottom of the gas spray is set. The
elastic part 36 is parallel to the bottom. For elasticity, the
spring wire 26' has vertical parts 38 with which the elastic part
36 is connected to the foot part 40. With the foot part 40, the
spring wire 26' is connected to the grooves 42 at the bottom of the
holster part 16. The spring wire 26' is tensioned between the
grooves 42 such that it is kept there automatically. The lifting
force achievable with the spring 10 wire is exactly suitable for
lifting the gas spray together with the inner frame out of the
holster part, yet it does not bounce the gas spray so high that a
danger of the gas spray dropping down from the holster part would
exist.
[0046] According to an embodiment, reeling means can be disposed
between the holster part of the gas spray holster and the inner
frame. The reeling means can operate according to the principle of
a ski lift ticket badge reel, for example, i.e. the holster part
has a spring-operated reeling device which reels the wire 20
inwards while the other end of the wire is fastened to the inner
frame. With such a solution, a gas spray dropped from hands by the
user is always kept with the user and is reeled back close to the
user.
[0047] In an embodiment of the invention, the holster part of the
gas spray holster is made of two parts connected with
fasteners.
[0048] In an embodiment of the invention, the gas spray holster is
made of a polymer blend or other material suitable for the purpose.
For example, the gas spray holster can be made of
fiberglass-reinforced nylon or a similar material.
[0049] Solutions deviating from the above description can also be
contemplated within the scope of the invention. Hence, the gas
spray holster can be made, for example, as a mirror of an
embodiment of the gas spray holster according to the invention
shown in the figures, in which case it is suitable for use on the
other side of the belt.
* * * * *