Automatically Adjusting Gun Holster

Abstract

A holster for a pistol that automatically adjusts to secure different models of pistols and different combinations of accessories attached to a holstered pistol. The automatic adjustability is accomplished by the holster comprising, among other things, an adjustable slide securing section that is compatible with the pistol and comprises an adjustable magnet. The holster also comprises a fixed magnet, which is proximate to a first lateral surface of a slide of the holstered pistol. The adjustable magnet is able to move in the heightwise direction within the adjustable slide securing section so that the adjustable magnet is proximate to a second lateral surface of the slide of the holstered pistol. The holster also comprise a trigger securing section connecting the fixed slide securing section and the adjustable slide securing section, wherein the trigger securing section covers the entirety of both lateral sides of a trigger guard of the holstered pistol and contacts at least a portion of a lower surface of the trigger guard.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A holster for a pistol, the holster comprising:
 an interior surface, wherein at least a portion of the interior surface contacts a pistol holstered in the holster;   an exterior surface, wherein at least a portion of the exterior surface is a component of, integral with, or configured to affix, directly or indirectly, to a carry-article that is configured to be worn by, secured directly or indirectly to, or held by a user;   a fixed slide securing section having a height (h t ) and a width (w t ) that is compatible with a height and width of a first lateral surface of a slide of the holstered pistol, wherein the fixed slide securing section comprises:
 one or more fixed magnets that exert(s) an total attractive magnetic force at least as great as two times a combined weight of the holstered pistol, all pistol accessories affixed thereto, and the holster; and 
 one or more fixed magnet cavities between the exterior surface and the interior surface that house the one or more fixed magnets, wherein the one or more fixed magnet cavities is/are sized and configured to secure the one or more fixed magnets within the one or more fixed magnet cavities thereby minimizing or preventing movement of the one or more fixed magnets in all directions and rotations within the fixed slide securing section; 
   an adjustable slide securing section having a height (h a ) and a width (w a ) that is compatible with a height and width of a second lateral surface of the slide of the holstered pistol, wherein the adjustable slide securing section comprises:
 one or more adjustable magnets that exert(s) a total magnetic force at least as great as two times the combined weight of the holstered pistol, all pistol accessories affixed thereto, and the holster; and 
 one or more adjustable magnet cavities between the exterior surface and the interior surface that house the one or more adjustable magnets, wherein the one or more adjustable magnet cavities is/are sized and configured to prevent or minimize movement of the one or more adjustable magnets within the adjustable slide securing section in all directions and rotations, except for heightwise adjustability distance(s) (h ad(s) ); and 
   a trigger securing section having a height (h t ) and a width (w t ) and extending between the fixed slide securing section and the adjustable slide securing section, wherein at least a portion of the trigger securing section is flexible along a heightwise direction, and wherein the trigger securing section is sized and configured to at least cover the entirety of both lateral sides of a trigger guard of the holstered pistol;   
       wherein h f , h a , h ad(s) , h t , and w t  are selected to result in the following:
 the one or more fixed magnets being proximate to the first lateral surface of the slide of the holstered pistol, which contributes to the holstered pistol being removably secured within the holster due to the total attractive magnetic force of the one or more fixed magnets exerted on the holstered pistol, which places at least a portion of the first lateral surface of the slide of the holstered pistol in forced contact with at least a portion of the interior surface corresponding to the fixed slide securing section; 
 the one or more adjustable magnets being able to move in the heightwise direction within the adjustable slide securing section so that the one or more adjustable magnets are proximate to the second lateral surface of the slide of the holstered pistol, which contributes to the holstered pistol being removably secured within the holster due to the total attractive magnetic force of the one or more adjustable magnets exerted on the holstered pistol, which places at least a portion of the interior surface corresponding to the adjustable slide securing section in forced contact with at least a portion of the second lateral surface of the slide of the holstered pistol; and 
 the trigger securing section covering the entirety of both lateral sides of a trigger guard of the holstered pistol and contacting at least a portion of a lower surface of the trigger guard, which contributes to the holstered pistol being removably secured within the holster. 
 
     
     
         2 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the height of the fixed slide securing section (h f ) is in a range of about 0.75 inches (about 19 mm) to about 1.5 inches (about 38 mm);   the width of the fixed slide securing section (w f ) is in a range of 3.5 inches (about 90 mm) to about 7.5 inches (about 190 mm);   the height of the adjustable slide securing section (h a ) is in a range of about 1 inch (about 25 mm) to about 2.5 inches (about 64 mm);   the width of the adjustable slide securing section (w a ) is in a range of about 2 inches (about 51 mm) to about 4 inches (about 102 mm);   the heightwise adjustability distance(s) (h ad(s) ) of the one or more adjustable magnets within the adjustable slide securing section is in a range of 0.5 inches (about 13 mm) to about 1.5 inch (about 38 mm);   the height of the trigger securing section (h t ) is in a range of about 2 inches (about 51 mm) to about 6.25 inches (about 159 mm);   the width of the trigger securing section (w t ) is in a range of about 2 inches (about 51 mm) to about 4 inches (about 102 mm);   h f +h a +h t  equals a sum that is in a range of about 6 inches (about 152 mm) to about 8 inches (about 203 mm);   each of the one or more fixed magnets is a neodymium magnet; and   each of the one or more adjustable magnets is a neodymium magnet.   
     
     
         3 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the height of the fixed slide securing section (h f ) is in a range of about 0.75 inches (about 19 mm) to about 1.25 inches (about 32 mm);   the width of the fixed slide securing section (w f ) is in a range of 5 inches (about 127 mm) to about 6 inches (about 152 mm);   there are two fixed magnet cavities and there are two fixed magnets, wherein each fixed magnet is a neodymium magnet and each fixed magnet has a height a range of about 0.375 inches (about 10 mm) to about 0.625 inches (about 16 mm), a width in a range of about 1.5 inches (about 38 mm) to about 2.5 inches (about 64 mm), and a thickness in a range of about 0.125 inches (about 3 mm) to about 0.25 inches (about 6 mm);   the height of the adjustable slide securing section (h a ) is in a range of about 1.5 inches (about 38 mm) to about 2 inches (about 51 mm);   the width of the adjustable slide securing section (w a ) is in a range of about 2.5 inches (about 65 mm) to about 3.5 inches (about 90 mm);   there is a single adjustable magnet cavity and a single adjustable magnet, wherein the heightwise adjustability distance(s) (h ad(s) ) of the adjustable magnet within the adjustable slide securing section is in a range of about 0.5 inches (about 13 mm) to about 1 inch (about 25 mm), and wherein the adjustable magnet is a neodymium magnet having a height in a range of about 0.375 inches (about 10 mm) to about 0.625 inches (about 16 mm), a width in a range of about 1.5 inches (about 38 mm) to about 2.5 inches (about 64 mm), and a thickness in a range of about 0.125 inches (about 3 mm) to about 0.25 inches (about 6 mm);   the height of the trigger securing section (h t ) is in a range of about 3.25 inches (about 83 mm) to about 4.75 inches (about 121 mm);   the width of the trigger securing section (w t ) is in a range of about 2.5 inches (about 65 mm) to about 3.5 inches (about 90 mm); and   h f +h a +h t  equal a sum that is in a range of about 6.5 inches (about 165 mm) to about 7 inches (about 178 mm).   
     
     
         4 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the height of the fixed slide securing section (h f ) is about 1 inch (about 25 mm);   the width of the fixed slide securing section (w f ) is about 5.25 inches (about 133 mm);   there are two fixed magnet cavities and there are two fixed magnets, wherein each fixed magnet is a neodymium magnet having a height of 0.5 inches (about 12 mm), a width of 2 inches (about 51 mm), and a thickness of 0.125 inches (about 3 mm);   the height of the adjustable slide securing section (h a ) is about 1.5 inches (about mm);   the width of the adjustable slide securing section (w a ) is about 3 inches (about 76 mm);   there is a single adjustable magnet cavity and a single adjustable magnet, wherein the heightwise adjustability distance (h ad ) of the adjustable magnet within the adjustable slide securing section is about 0.75 inches (about 19 mm), and wherein the adjustable magnet is a neodymium magnet having a height of 0.5 inches (about 12 mm), a width of 2 inches (about 51 mm), and a thickness of 0.125 inches (about 3 mm);   the height of the trigger securing section (h t ) is about 4.25 inches (about 108 mm);   the width of the trigger securing section (w t ) is about 3 inches (about 76 mm); and   h f +h a +h t  equal a sum that is about 6.75 inches (about 171 mm).   
     
     
         5 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein the interior surface and the exterior surface independently comprise one or more materials selected from the group consisting of nylon fabric, nylon webbing, polyparaphenylene terephthalamide fabric, polyethylene fabric, and leather. 
     
     
         6 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the exterior surface is configured to affix directly to the carry-article via a hook-and-loop fastener and said portion of the exterior surface is hook material of the hook-and-loop fastener, wherein the hook material may be secured to loop material of the carry-article. 
     
     
         7 . The holster of  claim 6 , wherein the hook-and-loop fastener and a contact surface area of the hook-and-loop fastener are selected to withstand a perpendicular pull force in a range of about 18 lbs. (about 8.2 kg) to about 22 lbs. (about 10.0 kg) before separating. 
     
     
         8 . The holster of  claim 7 , wherein the hook-and-loop fastener is mil spec A-A-55126C and the contact surface area of hook-and-loop fastener is in a range of about 11 in 2  (about 280 mm 2 ) to about 12 in 2  (about 305 mm 2 ). 
     
     
         9 . The holster of  claim 6 , wherein the at least a portion of the exterior surface configured to affix directly to the carry-article via hook-and-loop fastener corresponds generally to the fixed slide securing section and a portion of the trigger securing section extending heightwise from fixed slide securing section a distance in a range of about 40% to about 60% of h t  for a width of about w t . 
     
     
         10 . The holster of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface corresponding to the trigger securing section comprises a reinforcement panel that is sized, configured, and located to generally correspond to the lateral side of the trigger guard on the same side of the holstered pistol as the second lateral surface of the slide such that reinforcement panel contributes to the trigger securing section preventing intrusion into the trigger guard space of the holstered pistol. 
     
     
         11 . The holster of  claim 10 , wherein the reinforcement panel is a polyparaphenylene terephthalamide fabric. 
     
     
         12 . A holster system for a user to carry a pistol, the holster system comprising the holster of  claim 1  and a mounting structure to/of which the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the holster is a component of, integral with, or configured to affix, wherein the mounting structure is a component of, integral with, or configured to affix to the carry-article. 
     
     
         13 . The holster system of  claim 12  further comprising the carry-article if the mounting structure is configured to affix to the carry-article. 
     
     
         14 . The holster system of  claim 12 , wherein the mounting structure is affixed to the carry-article via hook-and-loop fastener. 
     
     
         15 . The holster system of  claim 12 , wherein the carry-article is a bag, and the mounting structure is inside the bag. 
     
     
         16 . The holster system of  claim 15 , wherein the bag is selected from the group consisting of a fanny pack, waist pack, hip pack, cross-body bag, messenger bag, backpack, purse, handbag, and briefcase. 
     
     
         17 . The holster system of  claim 12 , wherein the carry-article is a harness, rig, vest, or carrier that is secured to a user's body, either beneath or over clothing. 
     
     
         18 . The holster system of  claim 17 , wherein the carry-article secures the holster relative to the user's body in manner characterized from the group consisting of outside the waistband (OWB), inside the waistband (IWB), below waistband (BWB), shoulder holster, sling holster, belly band holster, pocket holster, small of back holster, groin holster, thigh holster, ankle holster, chest holster, strut holster, pancake holster, and belt holster. 
     
     
         19 . The holster system of  claim 12 , wherein the carry-article is an article of clothing. 
     
     
         20 . The holster system of  claim 19 , wherein the clothing is selected from the group consisting of a jacket, shirt, bra, tank top, hooded and non-hooded sweatshirts with or without one or more pockets, sweatpants, and track pants.