Thumb latch holster

Abstract

A holster having an interference member which entraps a handgun there within. The interference member is flexibly fixed to the holster, and is movable between an engaged position and a released position. The interference member interferes with a rear facing surface of the slide or rear sight of the handgun. The interference member presents an interfering surface to a rear facing surface of the handgun when the latter is fully inserted in the holster and the interference member is in the engaged position. The interference member is resiliently urged into the engaged position, and may be moved to the released position by thumb contact by the user when the user grips the handgun in a conventional manner.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A holster for a handgun including a barrel, a muzzle to the front of the handgun, a slide including a rear portion opposite the front which includes a rear sight that includes a rear facing surface at the rear portion, the holster comprising a receptacle for receiving the handgun, the receptacle including:
 a distal end and a proximal end, the receptacle configured to receive the handgun in close cooperation therewith such that when the handgun is fully inserted into the receptacle, the muzzle proximate to the distal end; and   an interference member flexibly fixed to receptacle and resiliently biased toward the engaged position in a manner which, with the handgun fully inserted in the receptacle, enables the interference member to deflect between an engaged position wherein the interference member presents an interference surface to the rear facing surface of the rear sight of the handgun and obstructs withdrawal of the handgun in a direction parallel to the barrel, and a released position wherein the interference member does not obstruct withdrawal of the handgun in the direction parallel to the barrel.   
     
     
         2 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein the interference member comprises an opening through which the rear sight projects in close cooperation therewith when the handgun is fully inserted in the receptacle and the interference member is in the engaged position. 
     
     
         3 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein the interference member covers the rear sight from above the handgun and presents an interfering surface to the rear of the rear sight when the interference member is in the engaged position and the handgun is fully inserted in the receptacle. 
     
     
         4 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein the interference member comprises a latch which presents an interfering surface to the rear of the rear sight when the interference member is in the engaged position and the handgun is fully inserted in the receptacle. 
     
     
         5 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein the interference member is unitary with the holster. 
     
     
         6 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein the interference member is made from a material dissimilar to that of the receptacle. 
     
     
         7 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein the interference member is made from a material similar to that of the receptacle. 
     
     
         8 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein the interference member extends beyond the slide of the handgun, thereby providing an exposed surface which may be pressed by the thumb of the user of the holster to move the interference member to the released position when the user grips the handle of the handgun in a conventional manner. 
     
     
         9 . A holster for a handgun including a barrel, a muzzle to the front of the handgun, a slide including a rear portion opposite the front, and a rear facing surface at the rear portion, the holster comprising a receptacle for receiving the handgun, the receptacle including:
 a distal end and a proximal end, the receptacle configured to receive the handgun in close cooperation therewith such that when the handgun is fully inserted into the receptacle, the muzzle proximate to the distal end; and   an interference member flexibly fixed to receptacle and resiliently biased toward the engaged position in a manner which, with the handgun fully inserted in the receptacle, enables the interference member to deflect between an engaged position wherein the interference member presents an interference surface to the rear facing surface of the handgun and obstructs withdrawal of the handgun in a direction parallel to the barrel, and a released position wherein the interference member does not obstruct withdrawal of the handgun in the direction parallel to the barrel, wherein the interference member comprises a latch which presents an interfering surface to the rear of the slide of the handgun when the interference member is in the engaged position and the handgun is fully inserted in the receptacle.   
     
     
         10 . The holster of  claim 9 , wherein the interference member is unitary with the holster. 
     
     
         11 . The holster of  claim 9 , wherein the interference member is made from a material dissimilar to that of the receptacle. 
     
     
         12 . The holster of  claim 9 , wherein the interference member is made from a material similar to that of the receptacle. 
     
     
         13 . The holster of  claim 9 , wherein the interference member extends beyond the slide of the handgun, thereby providing an exposed surface which may be pressed by the thumb of the user of the holster to move the interference member to the released position when the user grips the handle of the handgun in a conventional manner.