Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 3,134,303
CPST Ref: 40269/00002
1 GUT l'ER COVER
2 CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
3 [0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of
U.S. Design Application
4 No. 29/747,232, filed August 20, 2020.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT TECHNOLOGY
6 [0002] Gutters that capture and direct water away from roofs
may be susceptible to
7 clogging from debris, such as leaves, sticks, and shingles. If the debris
is not washed out
8 naturally by rainfall, it can accumulate and prevent water from draining
out of the gutter
9 system. That, in turn, can cause excessive rainfall to overflow the
gutter and spill down
the side of the structure on which the gutter is attached, which may cause
water damage
11 to the structure or the ground surrounding it.
12 [0003] The accumulation of debris in gutters can be addressed
by actively
13 removing the debris from the gutters, but doing so may be difficult with
gutters installed
14 high on the structure. Also, even if the gutters can readily be cleaned,
they may be
.. susceptible to becoming clogged again soon after. This may require regular
attention that
16 is not convenient.
17 [0004] The accumulation of debris in gutters can also be
addressed by preventing
18 debris from entering the gutter in the first place. A cover may be
installed on the gutter
19 that prevents the debris from entering the gutter, and may also
facilitate the debris being
washed away, while allowing water to drain through the debris and the cover
and into the
21 gutter to be directed away from the structure.
22 [0005] Covers for gutters, however, have been difficult to
install, for example, by
23 requiring a multitude of complex fasteners to secure the cover to the
gutter. Thus,
24 installation can be complicated, time consuming, and costly. Even once
fastened to the
gutter, complex fastening arrangements may not adequately secure the cover.
Wind,
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1 heavy rain, snow, hail, etc., might dislodge and/or damage the cover,
rendering it
2 ineffective. Covers have also been complex, and therefore costly, to
produce, for
3 example, having multiple components and being made of different materials
in an
4 .. attempt to be secure and sturdy once installed.
100061 The present technology, as described below, seeks to overcome these
6 deficiencies.
7 SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT TECHNOLOGY
8 100071 One aspect of the present technology is directed to a
cover for a gutter. The
9 cover may include a main body; and a front flange that includes an upper
flange portion
.. that extends from the main body and a lower flange portion that has a free
end.
11 100081 Another aspect of the present technology is directed to
a cover for a gutter.
12 The cover may include a main body; and a front flange that includes an
upper flange
13 portion that extends from the main body and a lower flange portion that
has a free end
14 extending towards the upper flange portion.
100091 Another aspect of the present technology is directed to a cover for
a gutter,
16 the gutter having a front section, a rear section, a gutter channel
formed between the front
17 section and the rear section, an intermediate flange portion extending
from the front
18 section, and an inner flange portion extending from the intermediate
flange portion. The
19 cover may include: a main body configured to cover the gutter channel
when the cover is
secured to the gutter; and a front flange comprising: an upper flange portion
that extends
21 from the main body and is configured to contact the intermediate flange
portion to secure
22 the cover to the gutter; a connecting portion that extends from the
upper flange portion;
23 and a lower flange portion that extends from the connecting portion and
has a free end
24 extending towards the upper flange portion, the free end being
configured to contact and
slide past the inner flange portion to secure the cover to the gutter.
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1 100101 Another aspect of the present technology is directed to
a gutter and cover
2 system including a gutter and a cover. The gutter may include: a front
section; a rear
3 section; a gutter channel formed between the front section and the rear
section; an
4 intemiediate flange portion extending from the front section; and an
inner flange portion
extending from the intermediate flange portion. The cover may include: a main
body
6 configured to cover the gutter channel when the cover is secured to the
gutter; and a front
7 flange comprising: an upper flange portion that extends from the main
body and is
8 configured to contact the intermediate flange portion to secure the cover
to the gutter; a
9 connecting portion that extends from the upper flange portion; and a
lower flange portion
that extends from the connecting portion and has a free end extending towards
the upper
11 flange portion, the free end being configured to contact and slide past
the inner flange
12 portion to secure the cover to the gutter.
13 [0011] Another aspect of the present technology is directed to
a method of
14 manufacturing a cover for a gutter. The method may include: forming a
main body; and
forming a front flange comprising: forming an upper flange portion that
extends from the
16 main body; folining a connecting portion that extends from the upper
flange portion; and
17 forming a lower flange portion that extends from the connecting portion
and has a free
18 end extending towards the upper flange portion.
19 [0012] Another aspect of the present technology is directed to
a method of
installing a cover onto a gutter. The method may include: engaging a front
flange of the
21 cover to the gutter; engaging an upper flange portion of the cover to an
intermediate
22 flange portion of the gutter; and engaging a lower flange portion of the
cover to an inner
23 flange portion of the gutter.
24 [0013] In examples of any of the preceding aspects: (a) the
upper flange portion
and the free end of the lower flange portion may be configured to sandwich the
26 intermediate flange portion and the inner flange portion until the open
end of the lower
27 flange portion is slid past the open end of the inner flange portion
allowing the lower
28 flange portion to spring upward toward the intermediate flange portion
to secure the
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1 cover to the gutter, (b) the front flange may be shaped such that the
upper flange portion
2 is positioned above the lower flange portion when the cover is secured to
the gutter, (c)
3 the upper flange portion may include a flat section that is configured to
contact a flat
4 section of the intermediate flange portion, (d) the upper flange portion
may be configured
to be positioned externally of the gutter channel when the cover is secured to
the gutter,
6 (e) the upper flange portion may be configured to contact the
intermediate flange portion,
7 (f) the free end may be configured to contact surface of the inner flange
portion facing
8 away from the intermediate flange portion, (g) the front flange may be
configured to be
9 secured to the gutter without fasteners, (h) the front flange may be
configured to be
secured to the gutter by a snap fit, a press fit, or an interlocking fit, (i)
the main body and
11 the front flange may comprise a single, continuous, and homogeneous
piece of material,
12 (j) the upper flange portion may include a leading edge, and the leading
edge and the free
13 end of the lower flange portion may extend to at least an approximately
equal distance
14 away from the main body, (k) the leading edge may extend farther from
the main body
than the free end of the lower flange portion, (1) the main body may include a
plurality of
16 drainage holes, (m) the main body may include a wavy section, (n) the
main body may
17 include a flap and a retaining portion that joins the flap to the main
body, the flap and the
18 retaining portion being formed by a cut in the main body, (o) the
retaining portion may be
19 deformable to allow the flap to be displaced from the main body to form
an access hole
through the main body for a tool, (p) the cover may include a rear flange
extending from
21 the main body opposite the front flange and configured to contact the
rear section of the
22 gutter, the rear flange including a fastening hole configured to receive
a fastener to secure
23 the rear flange of the cover to the rear section of the gutter and to
secure the gutter and
24 the cover to a structure, and/or (q) the cover may include a rear flange
extending from the
main body opposite the front flange and configured to contact the rear section
of the
26 gutter.
27 [0014] Of course, portions of the aspects may form sub-aspects
of the present
28 technology. Also, various ones of the sub-aspects and/or aspects may be
combined in
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1 various manners and also constitute additional aspects or sub-aspects of
the present
2 technology.
3 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
4 [0015] FIG. lA is a perspective view of a gutter cover,
according to an example of
the present technology, installed on a gutter.
6 [0016] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a gutter cover,
according to an example of
7 the present technology, in an intermediate installation position on a
gutter.
8 [0017] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of FIG. lA showing the gutter
cover installed on
9 the gutter.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a gutter cover according to an
example
11 of the present technology.
12 [0019] FIG. 4 is an elevation view of a gutter cover according
to an example of the
13 present technology.
14 [0020] FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a gutter cover
according to an
example of the present technology.
16 [0021] FIG. 6 is another bottom perspective view of a gutter
cover according to an
17 example of the present technology.
18 [0022] FIG. 7A is a perspective view of a gutter cover,
according to another
19 example of the present technology, installed on a gutter.
[0023] FIG. 7B is a perspective view of a gutter cover, according to
another
21 example of the present technology, installed on a gutter with a flap
displaced.
22 [0024] FIG. 7C is an elevation view of a gutter cover,
according to another
23 example of the present technology, installed on a gutter with a flap
displaced to allow
24 insertion of a tool.
[0025] FIG. 8 is a top view of a gutter cover according to another example
of the
26 present technology.
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1 [0026] FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of a gutter cover
according to another
2 example of the present technology.
3 [0027] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of a gutter cover according to
another example of
4 the present technology.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE TECHNOLOGY
6 [0028] Before the present technology is described in further
detail, it is to be
7 understood that the technology is not limited to the particular examples
described herein,
8 which may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in
this disclosure is
9 for the purpose of describing only the particular examples discussed
herein, and is not
intended to be limiting.
11 [0029] The following description is provided in relation to
various examples which
12 may share one or more common characteristics and/or features. It is to
be understood
13 that one or more features of any one example may be combinable with one
or more
14 features of another example or other examples. In addition, any single
feature or
combination of features in any of the examples may constitute a further
example.
16 [0030] The present technology includes a cover 1 that may be
installed on a gutter
17 100 to block debris from entering a gutter channel 106 through a gutter
opening 105
18 formed between a rear section 101 and a front section 102 of the gutter
100. Fig. lA
19 shows the cover 1, according to an example of the present technology,
installed on the
gutter 100, and Fig. 1B shows an intermediate installation position of the
cover 1 on the
21 gutter 100 in which a front flange 10 of the cover 1 is partially
engaged with an
22 intermediate flange portion 108 and an inner flange portion 104 of the
gutter 100.
23 [0031] The cover 1 may include a main body 2 that covers the
gutter opening 105
24 to prevent debris from entering the gutter channel 106, while allowing
water to drain
through drainage holes 3 in the main body 2 and into the gutter channel 106 to
be
26 directed away by the gutter 100. The main body 2 may also include a wavy
section 4 in
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1 which the main body 2 undulates to suspend debris above the drainage
holes 3 to prevent
2 debris from accumulating on top of the cover 1 and occluding the drainage
holes 3.
3 [0032] The cover 1 may also include a front flange 10 that
extends from the main
4 body 2. In examples where the wavy section 4 is included, the front
flange 10 may extend
from the wavy section 4. The front flange 10 may include a leading edge 6,
shown in the
6 form of a fold in the depicted examples.
7 100331 An upper flange portion 7 may extend from the leading
edge 6. The upper
8 flange portion 7, in the examples shown in Figs. 1A-2 and 7A-7C, may be
positioned
9 adjacent to or contact an upper surface 103 of the intermediate flange
portion 108 to
support the cover 1 on top of the gutter 100 at the front side, i.e., away
from the structure.
11 The upper flange portion 7 may be positioned externally over the gutter
channel 106
12 when the cover 1 is installed on the gutter 100. In these depicted
examples, the upper
13 flange portion 7 and the intermediate flange portion 108 each follii an
at least partly flat
14 surface overlapping each other. In further examples, the entire upper
flange portion 7 and
the entire intermediate flange portion 108 may be flat. In still further
examples, at least a
16 portion of the upper flange portion 7 may overlap the entire
intermediate flange portion
17 108 or at least a portion of the intermediate flange portion 108 may
overlap the entire
18 upper flange portion 7. In still further examples, the entire upper
flange portion 7 may
19 overlap the entire intermediate flange portion 108.
[0034] A connecting portion 9 may extend from the upper flange portion 7 in
a
21 downward direction, i.e., away from the main body 2. When the cover 1 is
installed on
22 the gutter 100, the connecting portion 9 may extend into the gutter
channel 106, as shown
23 in Figs. 1A-2 and 7A-7C. The connecting portion 9 may be oriented
perpendicular, or at
24 least approximately perpendicular, to one or both of the upper flange
portion 7 and the
main body 2.
26 [0035] A lower flange portion 8, which can be seen, for
example, in Fig. 2, may
27 extend from the connecting portion 9 to a free end. The lower flange
portion 8, and/or its
28 free end, may be positioned adjacent to or in contact with an interior-
facing surface 107
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1 of the inner flange portion 104. In an example, such as what Fig. 4
shows, the lower
2 flange portion 8 may extend in a direction that approximately to the
leading edge 6. Fig.
3 4, for example, also shows the lower flange portion 8 extending in a
direction that leads
4 away from the connecting portion 9 and at angle that is between
perpendicular to the
connecting portion 9 and parallel to the connecting portion 9. In further
examples, the
6 lower flange portion 8 may be oriented at angle of approximately 30 -45
relative to the
7 connecting portion 9.
8 [0036] Fig. 4 shows that the leading edge 6 extends farther in
a forward direction,
9 i.e., away from the structure when the cover 1 is installed on the gutter
100, than the
lower flange portion 8. This arrangement may ensure that a sufficient portion
of the upper
11 flange portion 7 overlaps the intermediate flange portion 108 to support
the cover 1 on
12 top of the gutter 100.
13 [0037] During the installation of the cover 1 to the gutter 100
the cover 1 may be
14 moved forward, or away from the structure. The free end of the lower
flange 8 will move
downward away from the upper flange 7 as the free end of the inner flange 104
is in a
16 fixed position at a downward angle of approximately 30 from the upper
flange 7 and
17 intermediate flange 108.
18 [0038] As the cover 1 is moved forward, or away from the
structure during
19 installation the connecting portion 9 will bow as lower flange 8 moves
downward and
slides along the bottom face of the inner flange 104.
21 [0039] As the cover 1 is moved forward, or away from the
structure during
22 installation, the open end of the lower flange 8 will pass the open end
of the inner flange
23 104 allowing the lower flange 8 to spring upward toward the intermediate
flange 108 and
24 to its resting position, hence locking the cover 1 to the gutter 100
without the use of
mechanical fasteners.
26 [0040] The cover 1 may also include a rear flange 5 that
extends from the main
27 body 2 at an opposite side from the front flange 10. The rear flange 5
may be positioned
28 between the rear section of the gutter 100 and the structure when the
cover 1 is installed
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1 on the structure. The rear flange 5 may be positioned outside of the
gutter channel 106
2 when the cover 1 is installed on the gutter 100. The rear flange 5 may
also include
3 fastening holes 12 that allow fasteners, such as screws or nails, to be
driven therethrough
4 to secure the cover 1 to the gutter 100 and to secure the gutter 100 to
the structure. The
rear flange 5 may be omitted in some examples as well, and in that case the
main body 2
6 will simply sit on top of the rear section 101 of the gutter 100. In
further examples, with
7 or without the rear flange 5, the cover 1 may be secured to the gutter
100 without
8 fasteners. Additionally, the front flange 10 of the cover 1 may be
secured to the gutter
9 100 by a snap fit, a press fit, or an interlocking fit.
[0041] Figs. 7A-10 show a further example of the cover 1 in which a flap 20
is
11 formed in the main body 2 of the cover 1 by making a cut 22 through a
portion of the
12 main body 2 leaving only a portion of the main body 2 material uncut to
form a retaining
13 portion 24. This arrangement allows the flap 20 to be displaced from the
main body 2,
14 e.g., by bending or deforming the retaining portion 24, upwards or
downwards to open an
access hole 26 through the main body 2. The installer can then insert a tool
200 and a
16 fastener through the access hole to secure the rear flange 5 of the
cover 1 to the gutter 100
17 to secure gutter 100 to the structure. Once the fastener is secured, the
tool 200 is removed
18 and the retaining portion 24 is bent again to position the flap 20 back
into the access hole
19 26 to close off the access hole 26.
[0042] The cover 1 may include a series of flaps 20 positioned along the
main
21 body 2 in a longitudinal direction. Each flap 20, and therefore each
access hole 26, may
22 be aligned with a corresponding fastening hole 12. Each flap 20, and
therefore each
23 access hole 26, may be positioned, sized, and shaped to allow the
installer to access
24 multiple fastening holes 12 through a single access hole 26.
[0043] The flaps 20 may be fonned on the wavy section 4 in some examples.
Each
26 flap 20 may also include one or more drainage holes 3 or may include no
drainage holes
27 3. Although the flap 20, and therefore the access hole 26, is shown with
a circular shape
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1 in the depicted examples, it should be understood that other shapes are
possible, such as
2 square, rectangular, triangular, oval, and elliptical.
3 [0044] The cover 1 may be constructed from single piece of
homogeneous
4 material. The material may be metal, e.g., corrosion-resistant alloys
such as stainless steel
or an aluminum alloy, or a polymer, such as plastic. The cover 1 may also be
constructed
6 from multiple different materials. For example, the main body 2 may
include a mesh
7 screen affixed thereto. The mesh screen may be made from stainless steel
or a polymer,
8 and it may be affixed to the cover 1 by welding or cementing. The cover 1
may have a
9 uniform thickness. The cover 1 may vary in thickness, alternatively. As
can be seen in the
depicted examples, the wavy section 4, the front flange 10, and the rear
flange 5 of the
11 cover 1 are formed by folding or bending the material, and the material
may have an
12 increased or decreased thickness at the folds or bends.
13 [0045] The cover 1 may be fonned by a roll-forming process
whereby flat sheet
14 stock is fed into a roll-forming machine that incrementally adds bends
to the cover 1 to
form features such as the wavy section 4, the front flange 10, and the rear
flange 5. This
16 process may be used to manufacture the cover 1 in sections of
predeteimined length.
17 Alternatively, for custom installations the roll-forming machine and the
sheet stock may
18 be brought to the structure and roll-formed on-site to desired lengths
for each piece of
19 cover 1 to be installed on each corresponding section of gutter 100.
[0046] To install the cover 1 on the gutter 100, the upper flange portion 7
may first
21 be engaged with the intermediate flange portion 108 such that the main
body 2 is tilted
22 relative to the gutter 100, e.g., as shown in Fig. 1B. In this position,
the rear flange 5, if
23 included, may not yet be engaged with the rear section 101 of the gutter
100. Next, the
24 main body 2 of the cover 1 may be tilted downwards so that the lower
flange portion 8
engages the inner flange portion 104, and the rear flange 5 may also be
engaged with the
26 rear section 101 of the gutter 100, as shown in Fig. 1A. As the cover is
tilted into
27 position, the front flange 10 may snap onto the intermediate flange
portion 108 and the
28 inner flange portion 104 by engagement of the lower flange portion 8 to
the inner flange
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1 portion 104 to press the intermediate flange portion 108 against the
upper flange portion
2 7. The example of the cover 1 shown in Figs. 7A-10 may be installed
similarly, except
3 that after the cover 1 is attached to the gutter 100, the cover 1 may be
further secured by
4 fasteners when a new gutter 100 and cover 1 system is installed on the
structure, as
described above.
6 [0047] Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise and where
a range of values is
7 provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of
the unit of the lower
8 limit, between the upper and lower limit of that range, and any other
stated or intervening
9 value in that stated range is encompassed within the technology. The
upper and lower
limits of these intervening ranges, which may be independently included in the
11 intervening ranges, are also encompassed within the technology, subject
to any
12 specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range
includes one or
13 both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included
limits are also
14 included in the technology.
[0048] Furthennore, where a value or values are stated herein as being
16 implemented as part of the technology, it is understood that such values
may be
17 approximated, unless otherwise stated, and such values may be utilized
to any suitable
18 significant digit to the extent that a practical technical
implementation may permit or
19 require it.
[0049] Although the technology herein has been described with reference to
21 particular examples, it is to be understood that these examples are
merely illustrative of
22 the principles and applications of the technology. In some instances,
the terminology and
23 symbols may imply specific details that are not required to practice the
technology. For
24 example, although the terms "first" and "second" may be used, unless
otherwise
specified, they are not intended to indicate any order but may be utilized to
distinguish
26 between distinct elements. Furthermore, although process steps in the
methodologies may
27 be described or illustrated in an order, such an ordering is not
required. Those skilled in
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1 the art will recognize that such ordering may be modified and/or aspects
thereof may be
2 conducted concurrently or even synchronously.
3 100501 It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications
may be made
4 to the illustrative examples and that other arrangements may be devised
without departing
from the spirit and scope of the technology.
6
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1 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
gutter cover 1
main body 2
drainage hole 3
wavy section 4
rear flange 5
leading edge 6
upper flange portion 7
lower flange portion 8
connecting portion 9
front flange 10
front flange channel 11
fastening hole 12
flap 20
cut 22
retaining portion 24
access hole 26
gutter 100
rear section 101
front section 102
upper surface 103
inner flange portion 104
gutter opening 105
gutter channel 106
interior-facing surface 107
intermediate flange portion 108
tool 200
2
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