Patent Application
20180030733
The present invention relates to eavestroughs and more particularly relates to an eavestrough cover or gutter guard.
Eavestroughs or gutters (which are considered to be synonymous) are widely used in many countries. They are primarily employed for directing water from a roof away from the eaves or edge of the roof to a desired location. By doing so, erosion of the soil directly below the edge of the roof is avoided.
Although eavestroughs are most widely used in residential applications, they are also employed in many commercial locations.
One of the inherent problems associated with eavestroughs or gutters is the clogging of the eavestrough by extraneous material. This extraneous material may be small pebbles, leaves, branches, etc. As a result, cleaning of the eavestrough is required from time to time.
In order to prevent this problem, it is well known in the art to utilize an eavestrough cover or what is known as a gutter guard. These covers or guards are designed to prevent the extraneous material from entering into the gutter and thus prevent the clogging and obviate the necessity for cleaning of the same.
There have been many different proposals in the art for various eavestrough covers or gutter guards. The different designs respond to varying needs depending upon locale, ease of access, cost, and other similar factors.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an eavestrough cover which is easily installed and which facilitates the removal of material located thereon by natural means such as the wind.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an eavestrough cover which may be installed in two different manners on the eavestrough or gutter.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an eavestrough cover comprising a substantially planar central portion formed of a woven material, the substantially planar central portion having first and second sides, the central portion having a plurality of longitudinally extending embossments formed therein, a first longitudinally extending portion connected to the first side, the first longitudinally extending portion having an upwardly extending wall, and a second longitudinally extending portion connected to the second side, the second longitudinally extending portion having a lower longitudinally extending segment and a contiguous upper longitudinally extending segment, the lower longitudinally extending segment and the upper longitudinally extending segment retaining the woven material in a crimping relationship, the extending wall being contiguous with the upper longitudinally extending segment.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is also provided in combination an eavestrough, said eavestrough having a rear wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a vertical segment formed at an upper portion of said front wall, a top wall, and a downwardly extending diagonal segment, said vertical segment, said top wall and said downwardly extending diagonal segment defining a recess formed therebetween, and an eavestrough cover comprising a substantially planar central portion formed of a woven material, said substantially planar central portion having first and second sides, said central portion having a plurality of longitudinally extending embossments formed therein, a first longitudinally extending portion connected to said first side, said first longitudinally extending portion having an upwardly extending wall, said upwardly extending wall being located adjacent said rear wall of said eavestrough, and a second longitudinally extending portion connected to said second side, said second longitudinally extending portion having a lower longitudinally extending segment and a contiguous upper longitudinally extending segment, said lower longitudinally extending segment and said upper longitudinally extending segment retaining said woven material in a crimping relationship, an upwardly extending segment being contiguous with said upper longitudinally extending segment, a downwardly extending segment contiguous with said upwardly extending segment, and an end segment extending outwardly from said downwardly extending segment, said end segment engaging with an attaching member.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention, there is also provided in combination an eavestrough, said eavestrough having a rear wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a vertical segment formed at an upper portion of said front wall, a top wall, and a downwardly extending diagonal segment, said vertical segment and said top wall and said downwardly extending diagonal segment defining a recess therebetween, and an eavestrough cover comprising a substantially planar central portion formed of a woven material, said substantially planar central portion having first and second sides, said central portion having a plurality of longitudinally extending embossments formed therein, a first longitudinally extending portion connected to said first side, said first longitudinally extending portion having an upwardly extending wall, said upwardly extending wall fitting within said recess formed adjacent a front wall of an eavestrough, and a second longitudinally extending portion connected to said second side, said second longitudinally extending portion having a lower longitudinally extending segment and a contiguous upper longitudinally extending segment, said lower longitudinally extending segment and said upper longitudinally extending segment retaining said woven material in a crimping relationship, the extending wall being contiguous with said upper longitudinally extending segment.
The eavestrough utilized in the present invention may be any suitable. However, it is particularly applicable to those types of eavestroughs known as a “K Gutter”. Such eavestroughs are widely used in North America and the eavestrough comprises a rear wall, a bottom wall and a front wall. The front wall is typically arcuate in configuration at the lower end thereof and terminates in a vertical segment formed at an upper portion of the front wall. At the upper portion of the front wall, a top wall is contiguous therewith. The top wall extends for a relatively short distance inwardly and terminates in a downwardly extending diagonal segment. Together, the vertical segment, the top wall and the downwardly extending diagonal segment define a recess therebetween.
The eavestrough cover includes a substantially planar central portion which extends between a first longitudinally extending portion and a second longitudinally extending portion. The substantially planar central portion is formed of a woven material, a variety of woven materials being well known in the art. In one embodiment, the invention utilizes a micro mesh material. The micro mesh material may be formed of any suitable material with a preferred material for the practice of the present invention being a metallic micro mesh material.
The woven material will have a plurality of longitudinally extending embossments formed therein. These longitudinally extending embossments provide a certain rigidity to the micro mesh material while at the same time allowing it to “bend” along a longitudinal axis. As will be described hereinbelow, this bending of the micro mesh material facilitates the insertion of the same on the gutter as well as retention of the cover in position.
The longitudinally extending embossments are formed in such a manner that they preferably extend upwardly from the top of the micro mesh material. The number of lines of embossments may vary depending on the particular requirements. Typically, in a normal K gutter arrangement, there would be between 4 and 12 rows of embossments. The height of the embossments may vary depending upon the particular requirements, but again typically the embossments would extend upwardly by a distance of between 1 and 10 mm.
In a first embodiment, conventional hook members are used to secure the eavestrough to the eave of the building. The hook members are in turn secured by means of screws or like attachment members to the eave.
In placing the cover in position, the end segment is placed such that it abuts the rear wall of the gutter. The end segment cannot move upwardly due to the screws which are used to attach the hook. As the cover is placed in an arcuate fashion, the first longitudinally extending portion fits partially within the recess of the front of the gutter. The flexible nature of the central portion causes a pressure to be exerted on both sides and allows the cover to be retained in position.
The first longitudinally extending portion is that which, in a second embodiment, is to be placed towards the front of the gutter (the portion of the gutter which is readily visible by an observer). The first longitudinally extending portion is also preferably formed of a metallic material when the planar central portion is formed of a metallic micro mesh. The first longitudinally extending portion has an upwardly extending wall which, in a first embodiment, is designed to fit within the recess defined by the vertical segment, the top wall, and a downwardly extending diagonal segment of the gutter.
The eavestrough cover will also include a second longitudinally extending portion which, in the first embodiment, extends along the back wall of the eavestrough. The second longitudinally extending portion is made of a material similar to that of the planar central portion and the first longitudinally extending portion. The second longitudinally extending portion has a lower longitudinally extending segment and a contiguous upper longitudinally extending segment. The lower longitudinally extending segment and the contiguous upper longitudinally extending segment are crimped together to retain the woven material of the planar central portion therebetween.
The second longitudinally extending portion may have several different configurations. There may be an arrangement whereby the eavestrough cover sits on an upper edge of the rear wall of the eavestrough. It may be retained thereon by means of a suitable arrangement or attachment or alternatively, it may simply rest thereon.
Having thus generally described the invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment thereof, in which:
Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference characters thereto, as shown in
Eavestrough 10 is what is known as a K type eavestrough and includes a rear wall 14, a bottom wall 16 and a front wall generally designated by reference numeral 18. Front wall 18 has a lower arcuate portion 20 and terminates in an upper vertical wall 22. Contiguous with upper vertical wall 22 is a top wall 24 which then is contiguous with a downwardly diagonally extending wall 26. A recess generally designated by reference numeral 28 is formed between upper vertical wall 22, top wall 24 and diagonally downwardly extending wall 26.
Eavestrough cover 12 is comprised of a central portion 32, a first longitudinally extending portion generally designated by reference numeral 34 and a second longitudinally extending portion generally designated by reference numeral 36.
Central portion 32 is formed of a woven material and more particularly, in the illustrated embodiment, of a metallic micro mesh material. The micro mesh material consists of a plurality of intersecting wires 40. A plurality of longitudinally extending lines of embossments 42 are formed in central portion 32. Although eight lines of embossments are illustrated, there may be more or fewer. Embossments 42 extend upwardly from the upper surface thereof.
First longitudinally extending portion 34 includes a bottom longitudinally extending segment 46 with a top longitudinally extending segment 48 being contiguous therewith and parallel thereto. Formed between bottom longitudinally extending segment 46 and top longitudinally extending segment 48 is a longitudinally extending channel 50 which is designed to receive an edge of central portion 32. First longitudinally extending portion 34 also includes a top longitudinally extending segment 52 contiguous with bottom longitudinally extending segment 48. Subsequently, top longitudinally extending segment 52 merges with a lower diagonally extending segment 54 which in turn merges with an upper diagonally extending segment 56.
As may be best seen in
Second longitudinally extending portion 36 may best be seen in
A top longitudinally extending segment 80 is contiguous with an upwardly extending segment 82 which in turn is contiguous with a downwardly extending segment 84. Upwardly extending segment 82 and downwardly extending segment 84 are slightly spaced apart to provide a slot 86 therebetween.
To terminate, there is provided an end segment 88. A plurality of crimping points 90 are provided as may best be seen in
For installation of the eavestrough cover in a first embodiment, conventional hook members 92 are used to secure the eavestrough to the eave of the building. Hook 92 has a first end portion 94 which fits within recess 28. At the other end, there is provided an inverted U-shaped end 96 which is secured by means of screws 98 to the eave of the building.
As may be seen in
For installation of the eavestrough cover in a second embodiment, first longitudinally extending portion 34 is inserted such that segments 58 and 60 extend upwardly into recess 28 in order that the front portion of the eavestrough cover be retained in position. Subsequently, as may be seen in
It will be understood that the above described embodiments are for purposes of illustration only and that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
