Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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EAVESTROUGH WITH A GUTTER SHIELD
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an eavestrough or gutter assembly and more
particularly, relates to improvements to such structures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of shields or gutters or eavestroughs is well known in the prior art
and there
have been many proposals for different types of shields. The purpose of the
shield is
essentially to permit passage of rainwater from the roof to the eavestrough
while protecting
the same from extraneous foreign matter such as leaves and the like.
To-date, there have been several different approaches taken. A first approach
is
utilizing a shield or a guard which is apertured and permits the passage of
rainwater while
extensively barring the passage of extraneous material. Moreover, many of
these guards do
not function as desired and access must still be had to the eavestrough for
cleaning purposes.
It has also been proposed in the art to provide relatively complex structures
wherein
eavestroughs are mounted for rotatable movement such that they may be emptied
at desired
intervals.
There have also been proposals in the art for gutters and eavestroughs which
have a
design wherein a cover has an outer edge which curls downwardly and the water
flow
follows a curved portion due to surface tension and thereafter cascades into
the eavestrough.
However, this concept suffers that when the volume of water becomes
sufficiently large, the
surface tension is insufficient to cause all the water to flow into the
gutter.
A known gutter guard is disclosed in United States Patent 6,786,008, the
teachings of
which are hereby incorporated by reference. This gutter guard has a relatively
flat planar
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portion With a plurality of apertures therein to permit drainage of water
therethrough into the
gutter or eavestrough.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a gutter guard similar to
that shown
in United States Patent 6,786,008 and which gutter guard can be made of a
relatively thin
piece of material while having robust physical properties.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gutter
guard
comprising a member having an elongated configuration with a generally planar
central
portion, first and second longitudinally extending opposed sides located on
either side of the
generally planar central portion, and a plurality of apertures extending
through the generally
planar central portion, the first side of the guard member having an upwardly
extending
portion designed to fit within a recess of a gutter, the second side of the
guard member
having an upwardly extending wall, the generally planar central portion having
a plurality of
embossments formed therein to provide a rigidity to the planar central
portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the invention, reference will be made to the
accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment thereof, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially in cut away, illustrating one
embodiment of a
gutter guard according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partially in section, to illustrate a
first embodiment
of a gutter guard and its securement to a gutter;
Figure 3 is a detailed cross sectional view of the guard member portion and
its
securement to the gutter;
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Figure 4 is a side elevational view, partially in cut away, of a second
embodiment of a
gutter guard according to the present invention;
Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed view illustrating the attachment of the guard
on either
side of the gutter;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of an improved version of the gutter guard;
Figure 7 is a further perspective view of a portion of a gutter guard having
embossed
areas thereon;
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the under side of the gutter guard; and
Figure 9 is a perspective view illustrating a portion of the gutter guard
including a
rear wall thereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference characters
thereto, there
is illustrated in Figure 1 a gutter guard according to one embodiment of the
present
invention and which gutter guard is generally designated by reference numeral
10. Gutter
guard 10 is used in conjunction with an eavestrough 12 which lies adjacent the
facia of a
roof 16.
Eavestrough or gutter 12 is of a substantially conventional structure and has
a rear
wall 20, a bottom wall 22, and a front wall generally designated by reference
numeral 24,
the walls defining therebetween a trough to receive rain run off from roof 16.
Front
wall 24 includes a front wall vertical lower section 26, a front wall arcuate
middle
section 28, and a front wall vertical upper section 30. As may be seen in
Figures 2 and 3,
eavestrough 12 also includes a top wall portion 32 extending inwardly from the
upper
marginal edge of front wall vertical upper section 30. In turn, a flange 34
extends from the
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distal end of top wall portion 32 downwardly and inwardly to define a recess
or cavity
between vertical upper section 30, top wall portion 32, and flange 34.
Gutter guard 10 is of a generally elongated configuration having a first side
38 and a
second side 40. Intermediate first side 38 and second side 40 is a generally
planar
portion 42 having a plurality of apertures 44 formed therein.
At first side 38, planar portion 42 tenninates with a first segment 46 which
extends upwardly and rearwardly and forms an acute angle with respect to
planar
portion 42. A second segment 48 extends vertically downwardly from a distal
end of
first segment 46 and in turn a third segment 49 extends horizontally from a
distal end of
second segment 48. A fourth segment 51 extends upwardly from a distal end of
third
segment 49 and terminates in a curved inward portion 50 which then abuts the
point of
joinder of top wall portion 32 and flange 34 as may be best seen in Figure 3.
The
arrangement is such that there is thus provided a double point of contact
between the gutter
and gutter guard to allow for support.
At second side 40, there is provided an inverted U-shaped portion generally
designated by reference numeral 52 and which comprises an upwardly extending
wall segment 54 which reverses through 180 to join a downwardly extending
wall
segment 56. As may be seen in Figures 2 and 3, U-shaped portion 52 fits over
the
upper portion of rear wall 20.
Using this arrangement, the eavestrough or gutter may be secured by driving a
suitable attachment member 55 (nail or screw) through wall 54, wall 20 and
wall 56 into
facia 14. The interlocking arrangement of first and second sides of gutter
guard 10 with the
structure of the eavestrough provides rigidity and support for the front of
the eavestrough to
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prevent s'agging thereof
In the embodiment of Figures 4 and 5, a modified arrangement of that shown in
Figures 1, 2, and 3 is illustrated. As many of the components are in common,
similar
reference numerals in the 100's have been utilized.
The main difference with the embodiment of Figures 4 and 5 is the arrangement
at first side 138 of gutter guard 110. In this respect, there is provided a
first segment 146
similar to that previously described.
However, first segment 146 reverses itself and is connected to a second
segment 166 which lies adjacent to first segment 146. Second segment 166
extends beyond
first segment 146 to abut against vertical upper section 130 of front wall
124.
At the distal end of second segment 166, there is provided an inwardly
extending third
segment 168. Again, support and rigidity are provided to the structure and it
may be
attached in a manner similar to that described with respect to the embodiment
of
Figures 1 to 3.
In the embodiment of Figures 6 to 9, there is shown a gutter guard generally
designated by reference numeral 210. Gutter guard 210 includes a central
portion 212, a
front side generally designated by reference numeral 214 and a rear side
generally
designated by reference numeral 216.
Although not shown, central portion 212 includes a plurality of apertures as
described
in the previous embodiments. At rear side 216, there is provided a rear
upwardly extending
wall 218 and a downwardly extending segment 220 which lies adjacent to
upwardly
extending wall 218.
At first front side 214, there is provided a front upwardly extending wall 226
which
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merges with a diagonally extending wall 228. A reverse segment 230 lies
adjacent to
diagonally extending wall 228.
At first front side 214, there are provided a plurality of embossments 234
which are
formed in both front upwardly extending wall 226 and in central portion 212.
Generally,
front wall embossments 234 are equally spaced apart and one embossment is
provided in
each of the central portion 212 and front upwardly extending wall 226.
At first rear side 216, there are also provided a plurality of rear wall
embossments 236. These embossments are again provided in both the planar
central
portion 212 and upwardly extending wall 218.
The embossments allow the use of thinner material for central portion 212 as
well as
the first front side 214 and first rear side 216. They thus permit the
manufacture of a less
expensive gutter guard compared to the prior art.
It will be understood that the above described embodiments are for purposes of
illustration only and that changes or modifications may be made thereto
without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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