Handcuff case with movable lock catch

Abstract

The invention is a handcuff case comprising a body (10); a top cover (40) placed on said body (10) in a way to at least partially support a handcuff (1) from the inside; a trigger (30) provided on said top cover (40); and a catch (42) positioned on two sides of said trigger. The catch (42) comprises a lock bolt (422), which extends outward from the periphery of the main body (10) in a locking position, and a lever arm (424), which drives a movement enabling said lock bolt (422) to remain within said periphery of said main body (10) in a free position, said free position being switched into upon pressing the trigger (30).

Description

[0001] HANDCUFF CASE WITH MOVABLE LOCK CATCH

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The invention relates to a handcuff case attached to a belt of a security staff member.

[0004] STATE OF THE ART

[0005] The handcuffs, which are available in three main types, namely chain, plate, and plastic, play a critical role especially in enabling the police and the security staff to restrict the freedom of movement of the suspects. Among these handcuff types, the chain handcuffs, which are usually carried around the waist, on a police belt, or inside special cases appended to a belt, are the most preferred. In practice, however, the handcuffs attached directly to a belt may swing and make noise, which leads to inconvenience from the operational perspective as well as causing disadvantage in cases where said handcuffs are required not to draw attention. The use of a handcuff case partially reduces the noise and the swing; however, it may become difficult to rapidly pull out the handcuffs as the protrusions of said handcuffs may get caught in a case made from fabric material, and besides, the loss of time during a quick response may result from the necessity to open the top fixing mechanisms like a cover or button. Moreover, although the multi-function police belts are designed to allow many accessories like pistol holster, radio holder, baton holder, pepper spray case, and water bottle to be attached simultaneously, it is not necessary to carry all the time all of the equipment intended for different mission profiles, and thus, it will be time consuming to remove from the belt the holders and cases that will not be used in a particular situation. More particularly, the cases or the storage bags in the currently available designs are fixed to a belt via the ring-shaped connectors and the attachment and detachment of these parts most of the time necessitate a complete unbelting action, thereby causing an undesirable delay in cases of urgent reassignment and in the instances where frequent intervention is required in the equipment configuration. Furthermore, the conventional designs offer a limited ability in terms of quickly locking the handcuffs or taking the same out of the case thereof in one blow; hence, it is important to perform the improvements that are intended for both rapid and safe use and that would enable the handcuffs to be easily fixed, enable the handcuffs to be accessible with a single hand when necessary, and ensure that the ability of the handcuffs to move independently of the equipment is not restricted. As such, the new mechanisms, which reduce the noise and the swing as well as saving time by simplifying the attachment-detachment action, come to the forefront. The need for the ability to attach and detach the cases without having to unbelt, for the use of the rigid or semi-rigid structures that would preclude the material jams, and for the optimal positioning of the accessories like cover, lock, or clip, etc. becomes increasingly important in order to enhance the operational speed and safety. Consequently, it has become a significant necessity to develop novel types of case and belt systems that feature both functional and ergonomic designs with a view to enable the law enforcement officers to carry all their equipment, particularly the handcuffs, in a practical and tidy manner as well as enabling them to access said equipment rapidly in any emergency.

[0006] In addition, the patent document no. CN216240185U provides a similar solution. However, according to said document, when the handcuffs are positioned in the main body and the lock piece is slid, the catch moves out to block the handcuffs and to thereby prevent the same from falling. When the lock piece reaches the end of the sliding channel and when the catch is pulled up, said lock piece rotates by 90 degrees, and thus, the handcuffs become released. The handcuffs may be released only when the sliding block is aligned with the rotating hole. Since the above-mentioned features of the invention in said document require more than one move to release the handcuffs, they may result in problems in terms of time and convenience. As a result, the designs, which are easy to attach and detach and which require less moves, are of great importance.

[0007] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] An object of the invention is to enable the handcuffs to be carried in a safe manner and to allow quick access to said handcuffs. The invention provides a self-cocking design that fixes the handcuffs against falling, while also enabling the security staff to use said handcuffs quickly when needed.

[0009] In order to achieve the aforesaid object, the invention provides a handcuff case comprising a body; a top cover placed on said body in a way to at least partially support a handcuff from the inside; a trigger provided on said top cover; and a catch positioned on two sides of said trigger. The catch comprises a lock bolt, which extends outward from the periphery of the main body in a locking position, and a lever arm, which drives a radial movement enabling said lock bolt to remain within said periphery of said main body in a free position, said free position being switched into upon pressing the trigger. In this way, the lock-release action may be realized in a quick and safe manner via a simple trigger movement.In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a spring with one end positioned in the body and the other end positioned in the trigger is provided. In this case, the requirement to exert an extra force to enable the trigger to return to the locking position from the released position is eliminated.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the trigger comprises a pressing tab that presses on the lever arm. In this way, the locking position and the free position of the handcuff case may be adjusted via the trigger mechanism.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pin is positioned in the body. In this way, the area necessary for hinging the wings is provided on the body.

[0012] A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a wing, which has a hinge seat hinged to the pin and is arranged in a way to support, via its outer part, the handcuff from the inside. In this way, the wings abut via their outer faces against the inner face of the handcuff to keep said handcuff in place in a state attached to the body.

[0013] A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an auxiliary wing, which is hinged at one end to the body, is arranged with a mirror symmetry of the wing, and is arranged in a way to support from the inside the handcuff in an opposite direction. In this way, the wing pair abut via their outer faces against the inner face of the handcuff to keep said handcuff fixed in a state attached to the body.

[0014] A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an abutment portion, which is positioned in the body and against which a free end of the wing abuts. In this way, a structure that restricts the inward movement of the wings from the body is provided.

[0015] A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an inner wing, which presses on the lever arm in a manner opposite to the pressing tab. In this way, the mechanical movement, which is necessary for enabling the pressing tab to switch the case into the free position and the locking position, is enabled to be performed owing to a pressure applied on the center of the lever arm.

[0016] A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a bridge member, which covers the free ends of the wings that face one another. In this way, a structure that restricts the outward movement of the wings from the body is provided.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the spring extends along the central axis of the body. In this way, the transfer of force is enabled to occur in a controlled manner.In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the body and the top cover are manufactured from plastic material. In this way, they may be readily manufactured via plastic injection.

[0018] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0019] Figure 1 is an exploded view of the handcuff case according to the invention.

[0020] Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the handcuff case according to the invention in a locked position.

[0021] Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the handcuff case according to the invention in a free position.

[0022] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] In this detailed description, the improvement according to the invention is illustrated in a nonlimiting manner and with reference to the examples, simply for providing a better understanding of the subject matter.

[0024] Figure 1 shows a flat body (10) with a disk structure having an inner wall (16) and an outer wall (18). The outer wall (18) of the body (10) is arranged in a flat manner so that it can be attached to a belt of a security staff member. A fulcrum (15), which extends in the form of a protrusion outwards from the geometric center of the body (10), is formed on the inner wall (16) of said body (10). There is present an abutment portion (14), which is in the form of a plurality of cylindrical pins placed on the inner wall (16) of the body (10) and which has abutment areas on the lateral surface thereof, said abutment areas being arranged to be positioned opposite to one another. A plurality of pins (12) in cylindrical form extend outward from the inner wall (16) of the body (10) in a way to correspond to the abutment portions (14). There is present a wing (20), which has a hinge seat (26) with round form to be placed in the pins (12) and a free end (21) integral with said hinge seats (26) and arranged to correspond to the abutment portions (14), said wing (20) having an outwardly curved structure to support a handcuff (1) shown in Figure 2 from the inside. An inner wing (22), which has an inwardly curved structure in a way to extend to the center of the body (10), is present at the interior of the wing (20). The wing (20) plays an important role both in the operation of the lock system and in the automatic cocking of said lock system. There is present a spring (24), one end of which is positioned at the fulcrum (15) present at the center of the body (10) and is aligned along the central axis of said fulcrum. There is present a trigger (30) comprising a slot (36) where the free end of the spring (24) fits, a skirt (34) in an inverted U form bent outwardsfrom the sides, and a pressing tab (32) bent from the end portions of said skirts (34). There is present a catch (42) in L form, which comprises a lock bolt (422) to be positioned on two sides of the trigger (30), said lock bolt (422) being positioned in a way to face outwards from the body (10) and to move towards the radial exterior and the radial interior of said body. The long leg of the L-form catch (42) is a lever arm (424) extending to the body. There is present a top cover (40) where the trigger (30) and the catch (42) are placed. In order to join the top cover (40) with the body (10), there are present the connection holes, which are disposed on said top cover (40), and a connector (44), which connects to said body (10) by passing through said connection holes. A bridge member (46), which limits the outward movement of the wings (20) from the body (10), is present on the top cover (40). Figure 2 shows the state where a handcuff is fitted in the handcuff case and said handcuff case is in the locked position. When the trigger (30) is pressed and the spring (24) is pushed towards the body (10) along the central axis, the pressing tab (32) connected to said trigger (30) presses on a distal end (426) in the lever arm (424) of the catch (42) that is distant from the lock bolt (422), thereby driving the inward radial movement of said lock bolt (422) towards the interior of said body (10). Upon this movement of the trigger (30), the wings (20) apply outward pressure and abut the handcuff (1) in a way to support said handcuff (1), and in this way, said handcuff (1) remains in a free position until it is taken out. Figure 3 shows the handcuff case in the free position while the handcuff (1) is being removed from said handcuff case. While the handcuff (1) is being removed from the case, the force generated by said handcuff (1) as a reaction force against the pressing force caused by the wings (20) is eliminated and the tension force generated by the trigger (30) on the spring (24) is transferred by said spring (24) back to said trigger (30) to thereby direct said trigger to the state in the locked position. While the spring (24) is pushing the trigger (30) towards the top cover (40), the skirt (34) and the pressing tab (32), which are the parts of said trigger (30), move together with said trigger (30) towards said top cover (40) along the central axis of the body (10). The pressing tab (32) presses on a proximal end (425) in the lever arm (424) of the catch (42) that is near the lock bolt (422), thereby driving the outward radial movement of said lock bolt (422) towards the exterior of the body (10). In this way, the case is automatically cocked to assume the locked position again.

[0025] The handcuff (1) enables the trigger (30) to be locked by applying pressure on the wings (20) from the outside and this enables the case to maintain its free position until said handcuff (1) is taken out of said case. The pressing tab (32) is placed in its natural upper position as a result of the pushing action of the spring (24); however, when the wing (20) is pressed by the handcuff (1) and pushed inwards, said pressing tab (32) forms a support point for the catch (42), enabling said catch (42) to be positioned as a barrier so that the trigger (30) will notescape in the downward direction. When the trigger (30) is pressed down by a force greater than the resistance generated jointly by the catch (42) and the wing (20), said trigger (30) that gets past the barrier upon the springing action of the skirt (34) pushes said catch (42), which is supported by the pressing tab (32) and said wing (20), below the support point of said pressing tab (32) and said wing (20), thereby enabling the radial movement of the lock bolt (422) towards the interior of the periphery of the body that corresponds to a free position. The free position provides constant preservation until the force on the wing (20) is removed, i.e., until the handcuff (1) is taken out of the case. Since the catch (42) becomes released and the resistance on the spring (24) and the trigger (30) is removed upon the removal of the force on the wing (20), i.e., upon the handcuff (1) being taken out of the case, said trigger (30) returns to the cocked position and makes the case ready.

[0026] REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0027] 1 Handcuff 28 Outer wall

[0028] 10 Body 30 Trigger

[0029] 12 Pin 32 Pressing tab

[0030] 14 Abutment portion 34 Skirt

[0031] 15 Fulcrum 36 Slot

[0032] 16 Inner wall 38 Hub

[0033] 18 Outer wall 40 Top cover

[0034] 20 Wing 42 Catch

[0035] 21 Free end 422 Lock bolt

[0036] 22 Inner wing 424 Lever arm

[0037] 23 Auxiliary wing 425 Proximal end

[0038] 24 Spring 426 Distal end

[0039] 26 Hinge seat 44 Connector

[0040] 46 Bridge member

Claims

CLAIMS1- A handcuff case comprising a body (10); a top cover (40) placed on said body (10) in a way to at least partially support a handcuff (1) from the inside; a trigger (30) provided on said top cover (40); and a catch (42) positioned on two sides of said trigger characterized in that said catch (42) comprises a lock bolt (422), which extends outward from the periphery of said main body (10) in a locking position, and a lever arm (424), which drives a radial movement enabling said lock bolt (422) to remain within said periphery of said main body (10) in a free position, said free position being switched into upon pressing said trigger (30).2- A handcuff case according to Claim 1 characterized in that said handcuff case comprises a spring (24) with one end positioned in the body (10) and the other end positioned in the trigger (30).3- A handcuff case according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the trigger (30) comprises a pressing tab (32) that presses on the lever arm (424).4- A handcuff case according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said handcuff case comprises a pin (12) positioned in the body (10).5- A handcuff case according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said handcuff case comprises a wing (20), which has a hinge seat (26) hinged to the pin (12) and is arranged in a way to support, via its outer part, the handcuff (1) from the inside.6- A handcuff case according to Claim 5 characterized in that said handcuff case comprises an auxiliary wing (23), which is hinged at one end to the body (10), is arranged with a mirror symmetry of the wing (20), and is arranged in a way to support from the inside the handcuff (1) in an opposite direction.7- A handcuff case according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said handcuff case comprises an abutment portion (14), which is positioned in the body (10) and against which a free end (21) of the wing (20) abuts.8- A handcuff case according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the wing (20) comprises an inner wing (22), which presses on the lever arm (424) in a manner opposite to the pressing tab (32).9- A handcuff case according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said handcuff case comprises a bridge member (46), which covers the free ends (21) of the wings (20) that face one another.10-A handcuff case according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the spring (24) extends along the central axis of the body (10).11-A handcuff case according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the body (10) and the top cover (40) are manufactured from plastic material.

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