Tourniquet holsters

Abstract

Tourniquet holsters for accessibly supporting tourniquets on supporting articles, the holsters including sleeves extending longitudinally around sleeved regions. The sleeves may define sleeve openings configured to slidingly receive forward portions of tourniquets, rear walls extending laterally across portions of the sleeved regions, first side flanges extending from first sides of the rear walls, and second side flange extending from second sides of the rear walls. The first side flanges and the second side flanges may collectively define sleeve channels. Some examples may include windlass retainers configured to retain elongated windlass handles attached to the tourniquets. Some examples may include sleeves formed from a thermoplastic material including an acrylic-polyvinyl alloy.

1 . A tourniquet holster for accessibly supporting a tourniquet on a supporting article, the holster comprising:
 a sleeve extending longitudinally around a sleeved region, the sleeved region extending from a first sleeve end to a second sleeve end, the sleeve defining:
 a sleeve opening proximate the first sleeve end, the sleeve opening configured to slidingly receive a forward portion of the tourniquet; 
 a rear wall extending laterally across a portion of the sleeved region from a first side to a second side; 
 a first side flange extending from the first side of the rear wall; and 
 a second side flange extending from the second side of the rear wall, the first side flange and the second side flange collectively defining a sleeve channel routed from the first sleeve end to the second sleeve end. 
   
     
     
         2 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the tourniquet includes an elongated windlass handle defining a windlass handle width; and   the sleeve channel defines a sleeve channel width complimentarily configured with the windlass handle width to enable the windlass handle to pass through the sleeve channel.   
     
     
         3 . The holster of  claim 2 , further comprising a retention member extending from the first side flange into the sleeve channel to partially restrict the windlass handle from exiting the sleeved region via the sleeve channel. 
     
     
         4 . The holster of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the retention member defines a first retention member and further comprising a second retention member extending from the second side flange into the sleeve channel to cooperatively, with the first retention member, restrict the windlass handle from exiting the sleeved region via the sleeve channel; and   the first retention member and the second retention member define a retention channel between them, the retention channel defining a retention channel width that is narrower than the sleeve channel width.   
     
     
         5 . The holster of  claim 4 , wherein the first retention member and the second retention member taper toward one another along a tapered portion of their lengths to restrict the windlass handle from entering the sleeved region via the retention channel. 
     
     
         6 . The holster of  claim 5 , wherein the first retention member is resilient and selected to flex when a user applies a removal force to the tourniquet against the first retention member. 
     
     
         7 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeved region frictionally and resiliently engages the tourniquet to inhibit the tourniquet from exiting the sleeved region. 
     
     
         8 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve defines a third flange projecting from the rear wall proximate the second sleeve end to a third flange end, the third flange being configured to restrict the forward portion of the tourniquet from sliding beyond the second sleeve end by abutting the forward portion of the tourniquet when fully inserted into the sleeved region. 
     
     
         9 . The holster of  claim 8 , wherein the third flange is curved toward the first sleeve end. 
     
     
         10 . The holster of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the tourniquet includes an elongated windlass handle; and   the third flange includes a blocking protuberance aligned with the windlass handle when the tourniquet is received in the sleeved region.   
     
     
         11 . The holster of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastener attached to the rear wall opposite the sleeved region, the fastener configured to attach to the supporting article. 
     
     
         12 . The holster of  claim 11 , wherein the fastener defines a clamp. 
     
     
         13 . The holster of  claim 11 , wherein the fastener defines a top substantially aligned with the sleeve opening. 
     
     
         14 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is substantially rigid. 
     
     
         15 . The holster of  claim 14 , wherein the sleeve is formed from a thermoplastic material including an acrylic-polyvinyl alloy. 
     
     
         16 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve defines a dimple protruding into the sleeved region. 
     
     
         17 . The holster of  claim 16 , wherein the dimple protrudes from the first side flange. 
     
     
         18 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sleeve is sized to engage a supporting portion of the tourniquet when the tourniquet has been slidingly received by the sleeve to retain tourniquet in a stored position; and   an exposed portion of the tourniquet extends beyond the sleeved region when the tourniquet is stored in the stored position, the exposed portion being large enough for a user to readily grip.   
     
     
         19 . A tourniquet holster for supporting a tourniquet on a supporting article, wherein the tourniquet includes an elongated windlass handle, the holster comprising:
 a sleeve extending longitudinally around a sleeved region, the sleeved region extending from a first sleeve end to a second sleeve end, the sleeve defining;
 a sleeve opening proximate the first sleeve end, the sleeve opening configured to slidingly receive a forward portion of the tourniquet; and 
 a sleeve channel extending from the first sleeve end toward the second sleeve end, the channel defining a sleeve channel width sized to receive a received portion of the windlass handle; and 
   a retention member connected to the sleeve proximate the channel, the windlass retainer configured to restrict the windlass handle from releasing from the sleeve channel when the received portion of the windlass handle is at least partially disposed in the channel.   
     
     
         20 . A tourniquet holster, the holster comprising:
 a sleeve extending longitudinally around a sleeved region, the sleeved region extending from a first sleeve end to a second sleeve end, the sleeve defining a sleeve opening proximate the first sleeve end, the sleeve opening configured to slidingly receive a forward portion of a tourniquet;   wherein:
 the sleeve is formed from a thermoplastic material including an acrylic-polyvinyl alloy; and 
 the sleeve is sized to engage a supporting portion of the tourniquet when the tourniquet has been slidingly received by the sleeve to retain tourniquet in a substantially upright stored position.