Image analysis – Applications – Personnel identification
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-22
2001-11-20
Bella, Matthew C. (Department: 2621)
Image analysis
Applications
Personnel identification
C382S115000, C382S126000, C224S193000, C224S243000, C224S244000, C224S587000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06320975
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to lockable firearm holsters, and more particularly to lockable firearm holsters with fingerprint identification means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of weapon holsters is known in the prior art. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,728 to Wilson discloses a weapon holster which employs solenoids. U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,281 to Nichols discloses a holster with trigger guard gripping device. U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,200 to Blanchard discloses a storage holster for locking a handgun in place and preventing access to the handgun by unauthorized persons. U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,380 to Wu discloses a safety holster for receiving the barrel and receiver portion of a handgun. U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,155 to Gallagher discloses a holster lock for simultaneously contacting the trigger guard and muzzle of a handgun in a holster. U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,471 to French discloses a gun holster having a main frame formed from two flattened C-shaped pieces. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,114 to Owens discloses a safety device for a firearm having a first signal means for generating a first status signal reflecting the status of the receptacle as to whether the firearm is engaged or disengaged within the receptacle.
In this respect, the firearm holster lock with fingerprint identification means according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of insuring that only authorized individuals have access to a firearm.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved firearm holster lock with fingerprint identification means which can be used for insuring that only authorized individuals have access to a firearm. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of weapon holsters now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new and improved firearm holster lock with fingerprint identification means.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a retaining device for lockingly receiving a firearm, wherein the firearm has a barrel, barrel sight, grip, hammer and trigger guard, the retaining device includes a holster having a closed forward portion and an open rearward portion, a guide channel positioned within the holster for accepting the barrel and trigger guard of the firearm; a first solenoid-activated plunger secured upon an internal surface of the holster proximate the closed forward portion, a plunger having a first engaged orientation and a second disengaged orientation; a second solenoid-activated plunger secured upon the internal surface of the holster proximate to the opened rearward portion, the plunger having a first engaged orientation and a second disengaged orientation; a steel-reinforced hammer strap adapted to be secured about the hammer of the firearm, the strap having a proximate end secured to the opened rearward portion of the holster and a distal end, a first lock secured to the distal end of the strap and adapted to be mechanically coupled to a second lock positioned upon an external surface of the holster adjacent the opened end; a fingerprint identification means having a fingerprint input device positioned upon the external surface of the holster at an intermediate extent, a comparison means for comparing an inputted fingerprint with a stored fingerprint image, and a signal generating means for generating a first signal when an inputted fingerprint matches a stored fingerprint and a second signal when an inputted fingerprint fails to match a stored fingerprint, a signal generating means being in electrical communication with the first and second solenoid-activated plungers as well as the first and second locks.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system which securely retains a firearm within a holster.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a holster which can retain a firearm in an inoperable orientation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a holster which allows only authorized users to have working access to the firearm.
Even still another object of the present invention is to create a system whereby the physical characteristics of a person desiring to use a firearm retained in the holster are verified against a stored data table to insure that only authorized users can withdraw the weapon.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a gun holster which can be used by law enforcement personnel and security guards and which can be stored upon such individuals in a completely secure manner.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5501380 (1996-03-01), Wu
patent: 5503157 (1996-04-01), Sramek
patent: 5611471 (1997-03-01), French
patent: 5719950 (1998-02-01), Osten et al.
patent: 5779114 (1998-07-01), Owens
patent: 5812252 (1998-09-01), Bowker et al.
Bella Matthew C.
Chawan Sheela
Colitz, III Michael J.
Colitz, Jr. Michael J.
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