CONCEALED GUN BELT, HOLSTER AND MAGAZINE HOLDERS

Abstract

Holster systems useable with pants including a plurality of outer belt loops and a plurality of inner belt openings around a waist portion of the pants are described. The inner belt openings may be disposed at a first spacing around the waist portion. A holster or holder may also be provided including an opening configured to at least partially receive a firearm, preferably a handgun, and a plurality of slots configured to receive a strap of webbing or similar material therethrough. The slots may be spaced apart from one other at approximately the same distance as the first spacing.

Claims

1. Pants, comprising: a plurality of outer belt loops around a waist portion of the pants; a plurality of front pockets; a plurality of back pockets; and at least one of: a plurality of inner belt openings around the waist portion of the pants, the inner belt openings providing access to a concealed belt slot that runs at least partially around the waist portion of the pants; an inner pocket within at least one of the front pockets, the inner pocket having a width of approximately 3-4 inches and a depth of approximately 4-6 inches; and at least one hidden pocket that has an opening along a seam disposed between at least some of the outer belt loops and the openings of front and/or back pockets, wherein the hidden pocket has a width of approximately 2-5 inches and a depth of approximately 5-8 inches.

2. The pants of claim 1, wherein the inner belt openings are spaced approximately equally around the waist portion of the pants.

3. The pants of claim 1, wherein the inner belt openings are arranged in pairs that are disposed around the waist portion of the pants.

4. The pants of claim 1, wherein the inner belt openings are at least one of cut in a piece of material that extends at least partially around the waist portion, or formed between pieces of fabric that extend at least partially around the waist portion.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each inner pocket has a top opening that starts about 1 inch below the opening of the front pocket.

6. The pants of claim 1, wherein each inner pocket has a width of approximately 3 inches, and a depth of approximately 5.5 inches.

7. The pants of claim 1, the opening of the hidden pocket is between one or more bar tacks, or other reinforced attachments, of the seam.

8. The pants of claim 1, wherein the hidden pocket includes a stiffening or friction-enhancing material therein.

9. The pants of claim 1, further comprising a securing mechanism disposed in the belt slot, including at least two unlike materials inside of the belt slot that provide a non-slip surface, increasing a surface tension along the length of a retaining strap inserted therein.

10. The pants of claim 1, further comprising a retaining strap woven through at least some of the belt openings and at least partially disposed in the belt slot.

11. A method of manufacturing pants, comprising: attaching a plurality of outer belt loops around a waist portion of the pants; providing a plurality of front pockets; providing a plurality of back pockets; and at least one of: providing a plurality of inner belt openings around the waist portion of the pants, the inner belt openings providing access to a concealed belt slot that runs at least partially around the waist portion of the pants; providing an inner pocket within at least one of the front pockets, the inner pocket having a width of approximately 3-4 inches and a depth of approximately 4-6 inches; and providing at least one hidden pocket that has an opening along a seam disposed between at least some of the outer belt loops and the openings of front and/or back pockets, wherein the hidden pocket has a width of approximately 2-5 inches and a depth of approximately 5-8 inches.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising inserting a retaining strap through at least some of the inner openings and into at least part of the belt slot.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the retaining strap comprises a short length of select materials that prevent slipping and enhance holster stabilization, such as BioThane, nylon, etc.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the retaining strap comprises a pair of opposing extensions that are configured to engage with the interior belt openings to assist in securing the retaining strap.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the retaining strap comprises a pair of strap portions that are configured to be inserted in the belt slot, and a middle portion attached to each of the strap portions and configured to engage with a holster, the middle portion being attached to the strap portions at positions such that each of the strap portions extend beyond the attachment positions.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising disposing a belt retention mechanism in the belt slot, the belt retention mechanism including sewn-in hooking material and/or reinforcements and/or injection molded hooking features.

17-22. (canceled)

23. A gear retention system, comprising: a holder with an opening configured to at least partially receive a piece of equipment and a plurality of slots configured to receive a strap of webbing or similar material therethrough, and a retaining strap having a length of approximately 8-12 inches, and including a pair of strap portions that are configured to be inserted in a belt slot, and a middle portion attached to each of the strap portions and configured to engage with the holder via the slots, the middle portion attached to the strap portions at positions such that each of the strap portions, or a stiffener attached to the strap portions, extend beyond the attachment positions.

24. The gear retention system of claim 23, wherein the piece of equipment is at least one of a firearm, a pistol magazine, a rifle magazine, a radio, a flashlight, a mace or pepper spray, or a knife.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the detailed description serve to explain the principles of the related technology. No attempt is made to show structural details of technology in more detail than may be necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention and various ways in which it may be practiced. In the drawings:

[0034] FIG. 1 is a partial front view of an exemplary pair of pants according to aspects of the invention.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a partial rear view of an exemplary pair of pants according to aspects of the invention.

[0036] FIGS. 3A-3C depict various inner belt opening arrangements according to aspects of the invention.

[0037] FIG. 4 is a partial front view of an exemplary pair of pants according to aspects of the invention.

[0038] FIG. 5 is a partial front view of an exemplary pair of pants including a partial inner belt holding a handgun according to aspects of the invention.

[0039] FIG. 6 is a partial front view of an exemplary pair of pants including a partial inner belt holding a handgun holster according to aspects of the invention.

[0040] FIG. 7 is a partial rear view of an exemplary pair of pants including hidden pockets according to aspects of the invention.

[0041] FIG. 8 is a partial front view of an exemplary pair of pants including hidden pockets according to aspects of the invention.

[0042] FIGS. 9A-9C depict an exemplary holder according to aspects of the invention.

[0043] FIGS. 10A-10B depict exemplary retaining straps according to aspects of the invention.

[0044] FIG. 11 is a side view of an exemplary holster and retaining strap according to aspects of the invention.

[0045] FIG. 12 is a side view of an exemplary holster and retaining strap according to aspects of the invention.

[0046] FIGS. 13 and 14 depict aspects of an exemplary retaining strap being inserted into retaining slots according to aspects of the invention.

[0047] FIGS. 15A-15B are partial front views of an exemplary pair of pants including a partial inner belt holding a handgun holster in different orientations according to aspects of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0048] It is understood that the invention is not limited to the particular methodology, protocols, etc., described herein, as these may vary as the skilled artisan will recognize. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It also is to be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms a, an, and the include the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to a belt loop is a reference to one or more belt loops and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art.

[0049] Unless defined otherwise, all technical terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. The embodiments of the invention and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments and examples that are described and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and features of one embodiment may be employed with other embodiments as the skilled artisan would recognize, even if not explicitly stated herein. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques may be omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments of the invention. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the invention may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the examples and embodiments herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined solely by the appended claims and applicable law.

[0050] FIGS. 1 and 2 show front and rear views (respectively) of an exemplary waist area of pants 100 (trousers, shorts, etc.) according to aspects of the invention. Pants 100 include outer belt loops 112, front pockets 110, back pockets 130, inner belt openings 120, inner pockets 114, 116 within the front pockets 110; and hidden pockets 140. However, various other embodiments of the invention need not include all of these features.

[0051] Inner belt openings 120 may allow access to a concealed belt slot (e.g. not open to the outside of the pants) between the inner and outer fabric of the waistband. Inner belt openings 120 may be spaced substantially equally apart, such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3A, or they may be arranged in pairs (with a larger gap between each pair), such as shown in FIG. 3B.

[0052] In embodiments, a belt, retaining strap or other elongated member may be disposed at least partially in the concealed belt slot, and may comprise a length of select materials that prevent slipping and enhance holster stabilization, such as BioThane@, nylon, etc.

[0053] In embodiments, the concealed belt slot may run substantially throughout, or only partly around the waistband of the pants.

[0054] In some embodiments, the inner belt openings 120 may be cut in a piece of material that extends at least partially around the waist portion. In some examples, the openings may be formed between, or reinforced by, pieces of fabric that extend at least partially around the waist portion, such as elements 124 shown in FIG. 3C.

[0055] In some embodiments, a securing mechanism may be disposed in the belt slot (as generally indicated by the dashed line 202 in FIG. 4), including a stiffener, sewn-in hooking material, reinforcements, and/or injection molded hooking features, etc. The securing mechanism may be configured to prevent a belt or retaining strap disposed in the belt slot from pulling out, e.g. when a holster is secured to the belt.

[0056] With a belt, retaining strap or other elongated member 210 threaded through the concealed belt slot and the openings, a firearm, such as handgun 300, may be directly secured in the waistband of the pants (e.g. as shown in FIG. 5), or a low-profile holster 220 may be secured by routing the belt/webbing over and/or through attachment points on the holster (such as shown in FIG. 6). It is noted that, although FIG. 6 shows webbing running substantially behind the holster, an alternative arrangement may be to run the webbing substantially over the holster, and back into the concealed belt slot (as described further in FIG. 12).

[0057] Returning to FIG. 2, hidden pockets 140 have openings (approximately the width of direction C) along the seam 150, which is disposed between the outer belt loops 112 and the openings of back pockets 130. Placing the opening for the hidden pockets 140 along the seam 150 allows the pockets to be unobtrusive during normal wear, and can allow things like cash or credit cards to be placed in a pocket that is not apparent to casual observation. Hidden pockets 140 may also be sized and configured to hold firearm magazines 310 or the like (such as shown in FIG. 7), and may have width C and depth B sized accordingly. For example, for a 30 round M4 magazine, the width may be about 4 inches and the depth may be about 7 inches. Pockets for handgun magazines may be smaller, e.g. around 2 inches3-5 inches. Multiple hidden pockets may be positioned adjacent to each other, or spaced apart, more or less than shown in FIG. 2. In some examples, the hidden pockets can be sized (larger or smaller) to conceal/store rifle or pistol magazine for quick access. Additionally, the hidden pockets can be sized to retain a full size pistol 300 without the need for a holster (e.g. with the width between 3-6 inches and depth between 6-8 inches).

[0058] In embodiments, the opening of the hidden pocket may be between one or more bar tacks 142, 144, or other reinforced attachments, of the seam.

[0059] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, inner pockets 114, 116, 414 and/or 416 may be sized and configured to hold at least one of a smart phone 402, a folding knife 404 (e.g. with a blade length over 3 inches), or other accessories. In embodiments, each inner pocket may have a top opening that starts about 1 inch below the opening of the front pocket, as shown in FIG. 1. In other examples, the opening may be closer to the actual pocket opening, like inner pocket 414 in FIG. 8. In some examples, the inner pocket may have a different orientation than that of the pocket 110, e.g. the seams and/or opening of the inner pocket may be aligned at different angles than that of the pocket 110, such as generally shown in FIG. 8, inner pocket 416. This can assist, for example, in helping to prevent items in the inner pockets from falling out. In embodiments, each inner pocket may have a width of approximately 2-4 inches, preferably about 3 inches, and a depth of approximately 4-6 inches, preferably about 5.5 inches.

[0060] According to further aspects of the invention, methods of manufacturing pants may include assembly of parts such as those described above using techniques as understood by those of skill in the art, and which are not described in unnecessary detail herein.

[0061] According to further aspects of the invention, a holster system may include a holder 500 like shown in FIGS. 9A-9C. FIG. 9A is a side view, FIG. 9B is a top-down view, and FIG. 9C is a rear view. As best seen in FIG. 9A, holder 500 may include a plurality of slots 511-513 configured to allow a retaining strap or similar material to pass through. As best seen in FIG. 9B, the holder 500 may also include an opening 502 configured to at least partially receive a firearm, preferably a handgun (see also FIG. 6). The holder 500 may be a substantially monolithic piece of thermoplastic elastomer or similar material that is at least one of molded, machined, cast, or 3-D patterned. In embodiments, the outer surface 504 of the holder 500 may be substantially symmetrical about the middle axis (e.g. axis A looking down on the holster as shown in FIG. 9B, looking from head on, and/or from behind as shown in FIG. 9C). The holder 500 can be substantially rigid and maintain the matching contours of the opposing surfaces. This can allow the holster to be flipped and used ambidextrously, without changing the surface contour of the holster. In embodiments, the outer surface of the holder 500 may be relatively smooth, and devoid of attachment mechanisms such as loops, hooks, etc. In some instances, the slots 511-513 can be replaced, or supplemented, with surface contours that allow the holster to be secured between the belt and the pants without threading the belt through the pants.

[0062] As also shown in FIGS. 9A, 15A and 15B, the plurality of slots may include a front slot 511 that is forward of the opening 502, a back slot 512 that is rearward of the opening 502, and at least one tilt slot 513 that extends at least partially below and/or above, and at a different angle than, at least one of the front slot 511 or the back slot 512. This allows the holster to be mounted at a different angle with respect to the belt, as shown in FIGS. 15A-15B. In some examples, the holster system may include hooks or other attachment means that allow the holster to be secured in alternative ways.

[0063] In embodiments, the front slot 511 and the back slot 512 may be spaced apart a first distance that is approximately the same as a spacing between inner belt openings on a pair of pants, such as those described herein.

[0064] Although described in the context of a firearm holster, holders as described herein may be configured to hold various different items, such as pistol magazines, rifle magazines, radios, flashlights, Tasers, mace or pepper spray, folding or fixed blade knives, or any other piece of equipment that a user may want to secure to their person. In some examples, a holster system may include a holder that is configured to hold a firearm, and one or more other holders configured to hold one or more magazines for the firearm, each of the holders configured (e.g. with appropriately spaced slots) to be secured to similar belt openings using retaining straps that are appropriately sized for the individual holder.

[0065] Returning to FIG. 6, a holster system may include pants 100 with a plurality of outer belt loops 110 and a plurality of inner belt openings 120 around a waist portion of the pants, the inner belt openings 120 disposed at a first spacing around the waist portion, and a holster 220 including an opening configured to at least partially receive a firearm, such as handgun 300, and a plurality of slots (such as shown in FIG. 9A) configured to receive a retaining strap 210 therethrough. The slots on the holder 220 may be spaced apart from one other at approximately the same distance as the first spacing, or at a multiple of the first spacing. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the slots of the holder 220 are spaced apart at a distance that is approximately 4 times the distance between each of the inner belt openings 120, allowing fine adjustment of the location of holder 220 around the waistband. In embodiments, a plurality of different holders 220 may be provided, each of which may be configured to receive a differently sized handgun but have the same slot spacing.

[0066] FIGS. 10A and 10B show additional details of exemplary retaining straps. As shown in FIG. 10A, a retaining strap 601 may include a strap portion 610, and retaining elements 612. In some examples, the strap portion and the retaining elements may be made from different materials, may have different thicknesses, or may be configured to have different flexibility. For example, the retaining elements 612 may be made from plastic, and the strap portion 610 may be made from nylon webbing. In the example retaining strap 601 shown in FIG. 10A, the retaining elements 612 have free ends that are biased toward the ends of the retaining strap 601. This may be achieved, for example, by attaching one or more pieces of retaining element material to the strap portion 610. In the example retaining strap 602 shown in FIG. 10B, the retaining elements 614 have free ends that are biased toward the middle of the retaining strap 602.

[0067] As further shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, a retaining strap 600 may be relatively small compared to a complete waist belt, e.g. about 1.5-3 the length of the holder 500, or 8-12 inches long. The retaining strap 600 may include a short length of different material (e.g. at 620 or other part of the strap portion 610 or retaining elements 612, 614) that prevents slipping and enhance holster stabilization, such as BioThane, nylon, etc. The retaining strap can be routed substantially behind (as in FIG. 11) or in front (as in FIG. 12) of the holder 200, and can allow the holder 200 to be secured to the waist belt in either left or right orientation.

[0068] As further shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a retaining strap 600 may be inserted into inner belt openings 120 (see FIG. 13) and prevented from pulling back out via retaining elements 616. FIG. 14 shows one side of an example in which a strap portion 630 extends away from retaining element 616 and the junction of retaining element 616 and strap portion 630 engages with the inner waistband fabric (or other reinforcing material) 650 to prevent the retaining strap from withdrawing from the concealed belt slot. In this example, the strap portion could extend around a holder (like 500), and enter another inner belt opening 120 (not shown) with a similar engagement mechanism, which would position the holder 500 along the waistband without allowing the retaining strap 600 to pull out of the concealed belt slot while the pants are worn via tension in direction X. With the pants removed, tension on the retaining strap 600 may be released, and the retaining strap 600 extracted from the concealed belt slot by pushing the retaining element 616 opposite direction X until the junction is no longer engaged with the fabric 650.

[0069] In some examples, the retaining strap shown in FIGS. 11-14 may include a pair of strap portions that are configured to be inserted in the belt slot, and a middle portion attached to each of the strap portions and configured to engage with a holster. The middle portion may be attached to the strap portions at positions such that each of the strap portions, or a stiffener attached to the strap portions, extend beyond the attachment positions.

[0070] FIGS. 15A and 15B show how a holder 500 may be positioned at different angles by routing the retaining strap 600 through different slots. In FIG. 15A, the retaining strap 600 is routed through a back slot 512, resulting in a flat angle with the opening 502 substantially parallel with the waistband of the pants. In FIG. 15B, the retaining strap 600 is routed through another slot 513, resulting in the opening 502 being non-parallel with the waistband of the pants.

[0071] Although described in the context of a concealed belt slot, the retaining strap and holder configurations described herein may also be applied in various other contexts, such as attaching the holder to other tactical equipment or clothing with similar openings that the retaining strap may engage with.

[0072] While various embodiments have been described above, it is to be understood that the examples and embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art, and are to be included within the spirit and purview of this application and scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the above description should not be understood as limiting the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.