Locking Carrying Devices and Related Assemblies and Methods

Abstract

A locking carrying device may include a base member comprising one or more clip receivers. A lock coupled with the base member may be configured to be manually alternated between a locked configuration (preventing a clip from exiting the clip receiver) and an unlocked configuration (allowing the clip to exit the clip receiver).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A locking carrying device, comprising:
 a base member;   a clip receiver coupled with the base member, the clip receiver comprising a cavity and an opening providing access to the cavity, the clip receiver configured for receiving a clip; and   a lock coupled with the base member, the lock configured to alternate between:
 an unlocked configuration allowing the clip to enter and exit the cavity; and 
 a locked configuration preventing the clip from exiting the cavity. 
   
     
     
         2 . The locking carrying device of  claim 1 , wherein the lock is configured to slide within a slot of the base member to alternate between the unlocked configuration and the locked configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The locking carrying device of  claim 2 , wherein the lock comprises a recess and wherein the slot comprises a protrusion configured for mating with the recess for securing the lock in the locked configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The locking carrying device of  claim 2 , further comprising a stop secured to an end of the slot to prevent the lock from exiting the slot. 
     
     
         5 . The locking carrying device of  claim 1 , further comprising a clip at a back of the base member for securing the base member to an item. 
     
     
         6 . The locking carrying device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more through-holes in the base member configured for tightening the base member to a second member to secure the base member to a strap of a backpack. 
     
     
         7 . The locking carrying device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more ridges at a back of the base member. 
     
     
         8 . The locking carrying device of  claim 1 , further comprising a pole receiver coupled with the base member, the pole receiver configured to be tightened around a trekking pole. 
     
     
         9 . The locking carrying device of  claim 8 , wherein the pole receiver is rotatably coupled with the base member. 
     
     
         10 . The locking carrying device of  claim 9 , further comprising ridges coupled with one of the pole receiver and the base member for biasing the pole receiver and the base member against rotation relative to one another, the bias able to be overcome by manual force. 
     
     
         11 . The locking carrying device of  claim 8 , wherein the clip receiver comprises an opening therein and wherein the locking carrying device further comprises a tightener configured to pass through the opening to secure the base member to the pole receiver. 
     
     
         12 . A locking carrying assembly, comprising:
 a coupler having a clip, the coupler configured for coupling with an item to be carried; and   a locking carrying device, comprising:
 a base member; 
 a clip receiver coupled with the base member, the clip receiver comprising a cavity and an opening providing access to the cavity; 
 a slot; 
 a lock secured within the slot, the lock configured to slide between:
 an unlocked configuration allowing the clip to enter and exit the cavity; and 
 a locked configuration preventing the clip from exiting the cavity; 
 
   wherein the clip receiver is configured to receive the clip to secure the item to be carried to the locking carrying device.   
     
     
         13 . The locking carrying assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the lock comprises a recess and wherein the slot comprises a protrusion configured for mating with the recess for securing the lock in the locked configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The locking carrying assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a stop secured to an end of the slot to prevent the lock from exiting the slot. 
     
     
         15 . The locking carrying assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the coupler comprises a gun coupler configured for securing to a gun. 
     
     
         16 . A method of use of a locking carrying device, comprising:
 securing an item to a coupler, the coupler including a clip;   securing the clip within a clip receiver of a base member of a locking carrying device; and   sliding a lock, secured within a slot of the base member, to a locked configuration, the locked configuration preventing the clip from fully exiting the clip receiver.   
     
     
         17 . The method of use of  claim 16 , further comprising sliding the lock to an unlocked configuration, the unlocked configuration allowing the clip to fully exit the clip receiver. 
     
     
         18 . The method of use of  claim 16 , wherein the item comprises a firearm and the coupler comprises a firearm coupler, such that securing the item to the coupler comprises securing the firearm to the firearm coupler. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein sliding the lock to the locked configuration further comprises mating a recess of the lock with a protrusion of the slot. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising securing a pole receiver of the locking carrying device to a trekking pole.