Locking holster for handguns with non-traditional form factors

Abstract

A holster for receiving an integrally suppressed handgun having a trigger guard and a complementary interlocking feature located forward of a forward-most end of the trigger guard. The holster comprising a holster body having a forward end, a rearward end, and a holster wall extending therebetween. The holster wall defining a cavity extending along a handgun receiving and withdrawal axis. The holster including a retention mechanism comprising a lever pivotally supported by the wall of the holster body with the lever being pivotable about a pivot axis. A blocking member of the lever being dimensioned and adapted to be received in the complementary interlocking feature of the handgun. The lever being positioned so that the blocking member extends through an aperture and into the forward portion of the cavity at least when the lever is in the blocking position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A combination of a holster for receiving a handgun and a handgun, the handgun comprising a frame having a handgrip portion, a barrel supported by the frame, the barrel having a breech end, a muzzle end, and a barrel wall, the barrel wall extending along a barrel axis in a forward direction from the breech end to the muzzle end, a trigger guard located forward of the handgrip portion, the trigger guard being supported by the frame, the handgun comprising a forward suppressor unit located forward of the trigger guard, the forward suppressor unit being supported by the frame, the forward suppressor unit comprising a complementary interlocking feature located forward of a forward-most surface of the trigger guard, the complementary interlocking feature comprising a rearwardly facing stop surface, the forward suppressor unit comprising a sound suppressing assembly located forward of the muzzle end of the barrel;
 the holster comprising a holster body having a forward end and a rearward end, the holster body comprising a holster wall defining a cavity extending along a handgun receiving and withdrawal axis extending forwardly and rearwardly; the holster body further defining the cavity as having a rearward portion, a trigger guard portion forward of the rearward portion, and a forward portion forward of the trigger guard receiving portion, the holster wall defining an aperture opening into the forward portion of the cavity; a retention mechanism comprising a lever pivotally supported by the holster wall, the lever being pivotable about a pivot axis, the lever having a finger engaging portion disposed on a first side of the pivot axis and a blocking member disposed on a second side of the pivot axis, the lever being positioned so that the blocking member extends through the aperture and into the forward portion of the cavity at least when the lever is in the blocking position, the blocking member of the lever being dimensioned and adapted to be positioned at the complementary interlocking feature of the handgun when the handgun is holstered; the lever being selectively pivotable between a blocking position in which the blocking member of the lever is positioned at the complementary interlocking feature of the handgun and a non-blocking position in which the blocking member of the lever is displaced away from the complementary interlocking feature of the handgun.   
     
     
         2 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the complementary interlocking feature defines a notch. 
     
     
         3 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the complementary interlocking feature comprises a surface perpendicular or oblique to the barrel axis of the handgun. 
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the finger engaging portion of the lever is adapted and positioned for actuation via contact with a first phalanx of an index finger of a holster user while a grip portion of the handgun is disposed between the index finger and a thumb of the holster user. 
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 1  further including a spring member applying a torque to the lever, the torque having a torque direction such that the lever is biased to pivot toward the blocking position. 
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein:
 the cavity has a height dimension and a width dimension; and 
 an aspect ratio of the height dimension to the width dimension is greater than about two. 
 
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein:
 the lever comprises a first arm, a second arm and a corner portion disposed between the first arm and the second arm, the first arm extending rearward from the corner portion, and the second arm extending forward and downward from the corner portion; 
 the second arm includes a first side surface facing generally away from the holster cavity and a second side surface facing generally toward the holster cavity; 
 the blocking member comprises a protrusion extending beyond the second side surface of the engagement member in a direction toward the holster cavity. 
 
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 7  wherein the protrusion comprises a forwardly facing surface for engaging a rearwardly facing surface of the complementary interlocking feature. 
     
     
         9 . The combination of  claim 7  wherein the protrusion comprises a forwardly facing surface for engaging the complementary interlocking feature. 
     
     
         10 . The combination of  claim 7  wherein the forward facing surface comprises a convex surface. 
     
     
         11 . The combination of  claim 7  wherein the forward facing surface comprises a planar surface, the planar surface having a skewed orientation relative to the handgun insertion and withdrawal axis such that the planar surface extends rearward as the planar surface extends upward. 
     
     
         12 . The combination of  claim 7  wherein the complementary interlocking feature comprises a concave surface. 
     
     
         13 . The combination of  claim 7  wherein the first arm extends rearward to a point rearward of the forward end of the trigger guard when the handgun is received in the cavity. 
     
     
         14 . The combination of  claim 7  wherein the first arm extends rearward to a point forward of the rearward end of the trigger guard when the handgun is received in the cavity. 
     
     
         15 . The combination of  claim 7  wherein a rearward end of the first arm is located rearward of the forward end of the trigger guard when the handgun is received in the cavity. 
     
     
         16 . The combination of  claim 7  wherein a rearward end of the first arm is located forward of the rearward end of the trigger guard when the handgun is received in the cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the sound suppressing assembly comprises a plurality of starboard wall portions, a plurality of opposing port wall portions, and a plurality of baffle wall portions extending between the starboard wall portions and the port wall portions, the wall portions defining a plurality of expansion chambers, each baffle wall portion defining a bullet passageway, the baffle wall portions being arranged along the barrel axis with the barrel axis intersecting the bullet passageway defined by each baffle wall portion. 
     
     
         18 . A combination of a holster for receiving a handgun and a handgun:
 the handgun comprising a trigger guard and a forward suppressor unit having a complementary interlocking feature defining a rearward and laterally outward facing notch located forward of a forward-most end of the trigger guard;   the holster comprising a holster body having a forward end, a rearward end, and a holster wall, the holster wall defining a cavity extending along a handgun receiving and withdrawal axis, the handgun receiving and withdrawal axis extending forwardly and rearwardly;   the holster body further defining the cavity as having a rearward portion, a trigger guard portion forward of the rearward portion, and a forward portion forward of the trigger guard receiving portion, the trigger guard receiving portion being disposed between the forward portion and the rearward portion, the holster wall defining an aperture opening into the forward portion of the cavity;   a retention mechanism comprising a lever pivotally supported by the holster wall, the lever being pivotable about a pivot axis, the lever having a finger engaging portion disposed on a first side of the pivot axis and a blocking member disposed on a second side of the pivot axis, the blocking member of the lever being dimensioned and adapted to be received in the notch defined by the complementary interlocking feature of the forward suppressor unit;   the lever being positioned so that the blocking member extends through the aperture and into the forward portion of the cavity at least when the lever is in the blocking position;   the lever being selectively pivotable between a blocking position in which the blocking member of the lever is positioned in the notch of the complementary interlocking feature of the handgun and a non-blocking position in which the blocking member of the lever is displaced away from the notch of the complementary interlocking feature of the forward suppressor unit.   
     
     
         19 . A combination of a holster for receiving a handgun and a handgun, the combination comprising:
 the holster and the handgun, the handgun comprising a frame having a handgrip portion supporting a pair of grips, the handgun further comprising a trigger guard located forward of the handgrip, the trigger guard being supported by the frame, the handgun comprising a forward suppressor unit located forward of the trigger guard, the forward suppressor unit being supported by the frame, the forward suppressor unit comprising a complementary interlocking feature located forward of a forward-most surface of the trigger guard, the complementary interlocking feature having a rearwardly facing surface;   the handgun further comprising a barrel supported by the frame, the barrel having a breech end, a muzzle end, and a barrel wall, the barrel wall extending along a barrel axis in a forward direction from the breech end to the muzzle end;   the forward suppressor unit comprising a sound suppressing assembly located forward of the muzzle end of the barrel, comprising a plurality of starboard wall portions, a plurality of opposing port wall portions, and a plurality of baffle wall portions extending between the starboard wall portions and the port wall portions, the wall portions defining a plurality of expansion chambers, each baffle wall portion defining a bullet passageway, the baffle wall portions being arranged along the barrel axis with the barrel axis intersecting the bullet passageway of each baffle wall portion;   the holster comprising a holster body having a forward end, a rearward end, and a holster wall, the holster wall defining a cavity extending along a handgun receiving and withdrawal axis, the handgun receiving and withdrawal axis extending forwardly and rearwardly;   the holster body further defining the cavity as having a rearward portion, a trigger guard portion forward of the rearward portion, and a forward portion forward of the trigger guard receiving portion, the trigger guard receiving portion being disposed between the forward portion and the rearward portion, the holster wall defining an aperture opening into the forward portion of the cavity;   a retention mechanism comprising a lever pivotally supported by the holster wall, the lever being pivotable about a pivot axis, the lever having a finger engaging portion disposed on a first side of the pivot axis and a blocking member disposed on a second side of the pivot axis, the blocking member of the lever being dimensioned and adapted to confront the rearwardly facing surface of the complementary interlocking feature of the forward suppressor unit;   the lever being positioned so that the blocking member extends through the aperture and into the forward portion of the cavity at least when the lever is in the blocking position;   the lever being selectively pivotable between a blocking position in which the blocking member of the lever is positioned to confront the rearwardly facing surface of the complementary interlocking feature of the handgun and a non-blocking position in which the blocking member of the lever is displaced away from the complementary interlocking feature of the forward suppressor unit.