Case with quick-access weapon holder

Abstract

A case has a quick-access weapon holder assembly that moves from a concealed position to an accessible position. The weapon carried by the weapon holder assembly may be a firearm, a chemical-based defense weapon, a baton, or an electricity-based (electroshock) weapon. The weapon holder assembly may include a holster designed to secure the weapon in the manner of a traditional holster so that the weapon is securely held by the weapon holder assembly and so the weapon does not unintentionally fall out of the holder assembly during normal use of the case. The movement of the weapon holder assembly is actuated without the need for the user to remove his hand from the normal case-carrying position. The normal case-carrying position is one wherein the user's hand is positioned on a handle of a hard-sided case or positioned on the lower portion of the front portion of a strap of a soft-sided case or purse.

1 . A case having a quick access weapon holder assembly, the case comprising:
 a body defining a storage chamber; and   a weapon holder assembly carrying a weapon in a concealed position within the storage chamber in a manner that allows the holder of the case to obtain quick-access to a weapon in a quick and natural movement when the weapon holder assembly is in an accessible position.   
     
     
         2 . The case according to  claim 1 , further comprising a handle; the weapon holder assembly being moved from the concealed position to the accessible position when the handle is twisted. 
     
     
         3 . The case according to  claim 2 , wherein the handle has a longitudinal axis and the weapon holder assembly being moved from the concealed position to the accessible position when the handle is twisted about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         4 . The case according to  claim 1 , further comprising a light source carried by the handle. 
     
     
         5 . The case according to  claim 4 , further comprising a light switch carried by the handle. 
     
     
         6 . The case according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second weapon holder assembly; the weapon holder assemblies having accessible positions disposed on opposite ends of the body of the case. 
     
     
         7 . The case according to  claim 1 , wherein the body defines one of a hard-sided case configuration and a soft-sided case configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The case according to  claim 1 , wherein the body of the case has a front end and a rear end; the accessible position of the weapon holder assembly being at the front end of the body. 
     
     
         9 . The case of according to  claim 8 , wherein weapon holder assembly includes a door panel that defines a portion of the front end of the body of the case when the weapon holder assembly is in the concealed position. 
     
     
         10 . The case according to  claim 8 , wherein the weapon holder assembly includes a portion of the front end of the body of the case with that portion of the front end of the case moving between the concealed and accessible positions. 
     
     
         11 . The case according to  claim 1 , further comprising a weapon container disposed within the body; the weapon being disposed within the weapon container when the weapon holder assembly is in the concealed position. 
     
     
         12 . The case according to  claim 1 , wherein the weapon holder assembly includes a mount for an ammunition magazine. 
     
     
         13 . The case according to  claim 12 , wherein the mount for the ammunition magazine includes a pair of spaced-apart biased clips such that an ammunition magazine may be removed from the mount by rotating the magazine out from under the clips. 
     
     
         14 . The case according to  claim 1  further comprising a biased member that biases the weapon holder assembly from the concealed position toward the accessible position. 
     
     
         15 . The case according to  claim 1  wherein the body includes anti-ballistic materials. 
     
     
         16 . The case according to  claim 1 , wherein the weapon holder pivots from the concealed position to the accessible position. 
     
     
         17 . The case according to  claim 1 , further comprising a latch that engages the weapon holder assembly and an actuator adapted to move the latch to release the weapon holder assembly; the actuator disposed at the normal carrying position of the user's hand such that the user's hand may readily engage the actuator when the user is carrying the case. 
     
     
         18 . The case according to  claim 17 , further comprising a safety that selectively prevents the actuator from releasing the latch. 
     
     
         19 . The case according to  claim 1  wherein the weapon is one of a firearm, a chemical-based defense weapon, a baton, or an electricity-based weapon. 
     
     
         20 . The case according to  claim 1 , wherein the weapon holder slides from the concealed position to the accessible position with a handle of the case. 
     
     
         21 . The case according to  claim 20 , further comprising rails that move with the handle; the weapon carried by the rails. 
     
     
         22 . The case of according to  claim 21 , further comprising a hatch carried by the rails. 
     
     
         23 . The case according to  claim 1 , wherein the weapon holder pivots from the concealed position to the accessible position with a handle of the case. 
     
     
         24 . The case according to  claim 1 , further comprising a strap connected to the weapon with the body of the case falling away from the sides of the weapon when the weapon holder moves from the concealed position to the accessible position. 
     
     
         25 . The case according to  claim 24 , wherein the body defines slots that receive a front and rear of the weapon with the body having a top that is pushed open by the weapon as the body falls away from the weapon. 
     
     
         26 . The case according to  claim 1 , wherein the weapon holder includes a weapon holder pivotably connected to the body; a door panel pivotably connected to the body; a connector disposed between the weapon holder and the door panel; and a spring disposed between the weapon holder and the body urging the weapon holder from the concealed position toward the accessible position. 
     
     
         27 . The case according to  claim 1 , wherein the weapon holder assembly includes a weapon holder and a door panel; the door panel pivoting away from the body through a greater arc than the pivoting movement of the weapon holder. 
     
     
         28 . The case according to  claim 27 , wherein one of the weapon and the weapon holder pushes the door panel from a closed position to an open position. 
     
     
         29 . The case of according to  claim 27 , further comprising a biased member connected to the weapon holder to urge the weapon holder from the concealed position toward the accessible position and a stop to limit the movement of the weapon holder to define the accessible position. 
     
     
         30 . The case according to  claim 29 , wherein the weapon holder is disposed between the door panel and the biased member. 
     
     
         31 . A case having a quick access weapon holder assembly, the case comprising:
 a body defining a storage chamber;   the body including a handle normally used to carry the case; the handle being adapted to deploy a weapon holder assembly;   the weapon holder assembly carrying a weapon in a concealed position within the storage chamber in a manner that allows the holder of the case to obtain quick-access to a weapon in a quick and natural movement when the weapon holder assembly is in an accessible position; and   portions of the body moving away from the weapon holder assembly when the handle is used to deploy the weapon holder assembly.   
     
     
         32 . The case according to  claim 31 , wherein the portions of the body pivot away from the weapon holder assembly.