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US-12618653-B2 - Magazine retention systems

US12618653B2US 12618653 B2US12618653 B2US 12618653B2US-12618653-B2

Abstract

Magazine retention systems including a pouch, an anchor, an elastic cord, and a tension adjuster. The pouch defines a pouch interior and is configured to receive an ammunition magazine. The pouch includes sidewalls and a floor. The sidewalls define a pouch opening through which the ammunition magazine may be selectively placed within the pouch interior. The floor is coupled to the sidewalls opposite the pouch opening and cooperates with the sidewalls to define the pouch interior. The anchor is coupled to the pouch. The elastic cord is secured to the anchor and extends around the sidewalls. The tension adjuster is mounted to the elastic cord. The tension adjuster maintains the elastic cord under a selected tension. The tension adjuster and the elastic cord cooperate to selectively compress the sidewalls to secure the ammunition magazine inside the pouch interior.

Inventors

  • Greggory Charles Kramer

Assignees

  • Greggory Charles Kramer

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20240806

Claims (18)

  1. 1 . A magazine retention system, comprising: a pouch defining a pouch interior and configured to receive an ammunition magazine in the pouch interior, the pouch including: sidewalls defining a pouch opening through which the ammunition magazine may be selectively placed within the pouch interior; and a floor coupled to the sidewalls opposite the pouch opening and cooperating with the sidewalls to define the pouch interior; a first anchor coupled to the pouch; a first elastic cord retained by the anchor and extending around the sidewalls; a first tension adjuster mounted to the first elastic cord and configured to maintain a stretched portion of the first elastic cord under a selected tension by selectively restricting the first elastic cord from moving relative to the first tension adjuster; a second anchor coupled to the pouch in a position spaced across the pouch opening from the first anchor and defining an eyelet; a second elastic cord retained by the first anchor and extending over the pouch opening between the first anchor and the second anchor, the second elastic cord extending though the eyelet; and a second tension adjuster mounted to the second elastic cord on a side of the second anchor distal the first anchor; wherein: the first tension adjuster and the first elastic cord cooperate to selectively compress the sidewalls to secure the ammunition magazine in the pouch interior; the second elastic cord overlies the ammunition magazine when the ammunition magazine is disposed in the pouch interior to restrict the ammunition magazine from exiting the pouch; the second tension adjuster is configured to maintain a portion of the second elastic cord extending over the pouch opening under a selected tension by selectively restricting the second elastic cord from moving relative to the second tension adjuster; and the eyelet is smaller than the second tension adjuster to restrict the second tension adjuster from passing through the eyelet.
  2. 2 . The magazine retention system of claim 1 , wherein the first anchor is disposed proximate the pouch opening.
  3. 3 . The magazine retention system of claim 2 , wherein the first tension adjustor is disposed proximate the floor of the pouch.
  4. 4 . The magazine retention system of claim 3 , wherein: the pouch has a pouch length extending from the pouch opening to the floor; and the first elastic cord extends along a majority of the pouch length when extending from the first anchor to the first tension adjuster.
  5. 5 . The magazine retention system of claim 4 , wherein the first elastic cord extends around opposite lateral sides of the pouch when extending from the first anchor to the first tension adjuster.
  6. 6 . The magazine retention system of claim 5 , wherein the first anchor defines a channel through which the first elastic cord extends at a medial portion of the first elastic cord.
  7. 7 . The magazine retention system of claim 6 , wherein the first tension adjuster receives two portions of the first elastic cord proximate terminal ends of the first elastic cord.
  8. 8 . The magazine retention system of claim 1 , wherein the stretched portion of the first elastic cord is disposed between the first anchor and the first tension adjuster.
  9. 9 . The magazine retention system of claim 1 , wherein the first tension adjuster is a cord cleat.
  10. 10 . The magazine retention system of claim 1 , wherein the first anchor is sewn to the pouch.
  11. 11 . The magazine retention system of claim 1 , wherein: the magazine retention system further comprises a cord router mounted to the second elastic cord above the pouch opening; the cord router defines a first channel and a second channel beside the first channel; the first channel and the second channel extend in parallel; a first portion of the second elastic cord passes through the first channel; and a second portion of the second elastic cord passes through the second channel.
  12. 12 . The magazine retention system of claim 11 , wherein: the cord router includes a pull tab extending transverse from the first channel and the second channel; the second elastic cord extending through the first channel and the second channel is disposed between the pull tab and the pouch opening; and pulling the pull tab away from the pouch opening spaces the second elastic cord from the ammunition magazine disposed in the pouch to allow the ammunition magazine to be selectively removed from the pouch.
  13. 13 . The magazine retention system of claim 1 , further comprising a coupler mounted to the pouch and configured to selectively mount the magazine retention system to an object.
  14. 14 . The magazine retention system of claim 13 , wherein the coupler includes: a panel defining spaced slits and having a first end; and a strap coupled to the panel at the first end and complementarily configured with the spaced slits to selectively insert into a selected slit to define a coupler loop with a loop size defined by the space between the first end and the selected slit.
  15. 15 . The magazine retention system of claim 14 , wherein: the strap includes a head distal the first end; the head is complementarily configured with the spaced slits to selectively insert into the selected slit; and the head has a head width wider than a corresponding slit width of the selected slit when the head is oriented flat to restrict the head from pulling through the slit unless the head is selectively bent to reduce the head width to be narrower than the slit width.
  16. 16 . The magazine retention system of claim 10 , wherein the first anchor is sewn to the pouch with a stich that bisects the first anchor into two channels, each channel configured to receive one of the first elastic cord and the second elastic cord.
  17. 17 . The magazine retention system of claim 16 , wherein the first anchor includes: a bottom channel through which the first elastic cord extends; and a top channel through which the second elastic cord extends.
  18. 18 . A magazine retention system, comprising: a pouch defining a pouch interior and configured to receive an ammunition magazine in the pouch interior, the pouch including: sidewalls defining a pouch opening through which the ammunition magazine may be selectively placed within the pouch interior; and a floor coupled to the sidewalls opposite the pouch opening and cooperating with the sidewalls to define the pouch interior; an anchor coupled to the pouch; an elastic cord retained by the anchor and extending around the sidewalls; and a tension adjuster mounted to the elastic cord and configured to maintain a stretched portion of the elastic cord under a selected tension by selectively restricting the elastic cord from moving relative to the tension adjuster; a coupler mounted to the pouch and configured to selectively mount the magazine retention system to an object, the coupler including: a panel defining spaced slits and having a first end; and a strap coupled to the panel at the first end and complementarily configured with the spaced slits to selectively insert into a selected slit to define a coupler loop with a loop size defined by the space between the first end and the selected slit; wherein: the tension adjuster and the elastic cord cooperate to selectively compress the sidewalls to secure the ammunition magazine in the pouch interior; the strap includes a head distal the first end; the head is complementarily configured with the spaced slits to selectively insert into the selected slit; the head has a head width wider than a corresponding slit width of the selected slit when the head is oriented flat to restrict the head from pulling through the slit unless the head is selectively bent to reduce the head width to be narrower than the slit width; the elastic cord extends through one of the spaced slits away from the first end between the panel and the sidewalls until an extension portion of the elastic cord extends beyond the panel and the pouch; and the tension adjuster is mounted to the extension portion of the elastic cord extending beyond the panel and the pouch.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to copending U.S. application, Ser. No. 63/537,112, filed on Sep. 7, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates generally to retention systems. In particular, ammunition magazine retention systems are described. Systems to retain items are important when carrying or traveling with items. Securely retaining an item is especially important when moving is likely to subject the items to jostling or inversion. Jostling or inverting an unsecured item creates a risk of damaging or losing the item. Soldiers or firearm owners carrying ammunition magazines in pouches is an example where securing an item is important. An ammunition magazine disposed within a pouch without a retainer of some kind is prone to falling out of the pouch. The risk of losing an ammunition magazine increases when a soldier is running between positions or crawling through foliage. A soldier losing an ammunition magazine can subject the solider to mortal harm and/or jeopardize a mission. Conventional systems to retain ammunition magazines in pouches have various shortcomings. For example, systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,759,536B2, 9,394,080B2, and US20230080751A1 provide limited retention capabilities and are insufficiently adjustable. In particular, conventional magazine retainer systems lack means to adjustably and circumferentially retain magazines independent of means to retain magazines from the top of the magazines. For example, each of the listed patent filings above disclose magazine retainer systems that rely on a single elastic cord routed over and around a magazine within a pouch. The tension in the elastic cord can be adjusted, but the tension is universal above and around the magazine in the pouch. In the conventional magazine retainer systems, it is not possible to independently adjust the tension of a cord extending circumferentially around the magazine separate from the tension of a cord extending over the top of the magazine. Thus, there exists a need for magazine retainer systems that improve upon and advance the design of known magazine retainer systems. Examples of new and useful magazine retainer systems relevant to the needs existing in the field are discussed below. Disclosure relevant to magazine retainer systems is included in the following U.S. Patent References: U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,759,536B2, 9,394,080B2, and US20230080751A1. The complete disclosures of the above patents and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference for all purposes. SUMMARY The present disclosure is directed to magazine retention systems including a pouch, an anchor, an elastic cord, and a tension adjuster. The pouch defines a pouch interior and is configured to receive an ammunition magazine in the pouch interior. The pouch includes sidewalls and a floor. The sidewalls define a pouch opening through which the ammunition magazine may be selectively placed within the pouch interior. The floor is coupled to the sidewalls opposite the pouch opening and cooperates with the sidewalls to define the pouch interior. The anchor is coupled to the pouch. The elastic cord is secured to the anchor and extends around the sidewalls. The tension adjuster is mounted to the elastic cord along the length of the elastic cord. The tension adjuster is configured to maintain a stretched portion of the elastic cord under a selected tension by selectively restricting the elastic cord from moving relative to the tension adjuster. The tension adjuster and the elastic cord cooperate to selectively compress the sidewalls to secure the ammunition magazine inside the pouch interior. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a magazine retention system. FIG. 2 is a side view of the magazine retention system shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a rear view of the magazine retention system shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a front view of a second embodiment of a magazine retention system. FIG. 5 is a side view of the magazine retention system shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a rear view of the magazine retention system shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is a front view of a set of three magazine retention systems configured as shown in FIG. 4 sewn together and retaining three different magazines. FIG. 8 is a rear view of the set of magazine retention systems shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a front view of a plurality of magazine retention systems retaining different magazines and coupled together on a pack. FIG. 10 is a close-up view of magazine retention systems coupled to a pack. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The disclosed magazine retention systems will become better understood through review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the figures. The detailed description and figures provide merely examples of the various inventions described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclose