Patent Grant
10450756
This invention relates to a special water diverter device for gutters at wall abutments. This invention relates to a gutter assembly for roofs and more particularly to a gutter or eaves trough assembly. The device relates generally to siding placed on a house, and more specifically to diverting rainwater from the juncture of a sloped roof and vertical wall siding. This is related to a two-piece device that encircles the gutter and helps prevent water intrusion behind a wall. It is for use at a juncture between a vertical wall and an edge of a sloped roof, to prevent water from seeping behind siding.
None.
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As far as known, there are no special water diverter devices for gutters at wall abutments or the like. It is believed that this product is unique in its design and technologies utilized to solve gutter leakage at wall abutments.
Heretofore, various types of mountings have been provided for mounting gutters beneath a shingled roof. Hangers for supported gutters are normally cantilevered outwardly from the fascia board and are usually secured to the fascia board by gutter spikes, nails or screws. The nails, screws or gutter spikes oftentimes tend to pull away from the fascia board after extended use, particularly during heavy rain downpours or when downspouts are blocked. Also, at times the fascia board tends to pull away from a rafter or header board to which it is attached under such conditions resulting from the cantilevered weight of the gutters extending outwardly from the fascia board. Of particular concerns are the gutter mountings at wall abutments. The seal with the surrounding siding or masonry is usually surface mounted and offers appoint of water intrusion as the gutters and wall covers settle and age. Siding is often used to protect the outside of the house. Such siding is generally made of aluminum or vinyl material and is attached along the outside face of a house. At the juncture of a sloped roof where it abuts a portion of a vertical wall, there is ordinarily a flashing used to cover the juncture to prevent water from leaking down through the juncture where the vertical wall meets the sloped roof. The flashing generally comprises a wall flange which is mostly hidden from view beneath the siding and a roof flange which is mostly hidden from view by the roof covering. The two flanges, generally made of a single strip of waterproof material and bent along its length at approximately a right angle, are purposely made leak proof to prevent rainwater from getting into the line of abutment between the roof and wall. Often referred to as a step gable or wall flashing, such flashing generally comprises a series of flashing members arranged in stepped manner, each lower member inserted an effective distance beneath the next higher member in the same manner that roofing shingles or tiles are positioned. This provides cascading of the water as it flows from one overlapping portion, in turn, to the next lower, overlapped portion. The overlapping flashing arrangement terminates at the roof edge. Water can flow behind the vertical wall abutting this termination point unless the water is diverted away. At the point where the vertical wall and the edge of the sloped roof coincide, the flashing abuts the siding on the vertical wall. Additional steps are required at this point to prevent water from running off the flashing, seeping behind the siding and causing damage to the underlying structure.
Typically, such flashing is made of a metal material and is comprised of two planar sections. The planar sections are disposed at some angle relative to each other, resulting in an L-shaped flashing. One section is positioned under the siding and affixed to the vertical wall, and the other section is positioned under the shingles and affixed to the sloped roof. This type of flashing is normally placed along the entire seam created by the juncture. At the point where the vertical wall and the edge of the sloped roof coincide, however, the flashing is disposed abutting the siding on the vertical wall. Additional sealing is required at this point to prevent water from running off of the flashing, seeping behind the siding and causing damage to the underlying structure. This sealing is usually roof cement or caulking and is applied to the flashing and the siding. The problem with such a method is that due to shrinkage of the caulk over time, thermal expansion and contraction of the dissimilar materials, and weathering, the seal fails and water seeps behind the siding.
A novelty search was performed which showed no similar prior art that anticipates the special water diverter device for gutters at wall abutments. The search of prior art revealed:
The improvement and problem solved as special water diverter device for gutters at wall abutments should be useful: (1.) The device holds the gutter and provides a seal for the siding. Thus it prevents rainwater from seeping behind siding or under roofing material, yet at the same time does not allow the buildup of debris creating a back-up of water or allow the formation of ice dams to create a back-up of water. (2.) A common problem in the construction business is that of weatherproofing structural junctures, such as that between a vertical wall and a sloped roof. Weatherproofing serves the goal of protecting the underlying structure from the damage associated with water seepage, e.g. rotting of wood, loss of insulation effectiveness and cracking of masonry, and the like. The new device provides a simple and fast way to encircle the gutter while allowing the siding and wall a better seal. (3.) There exists a need in the art for a system that allows a flashing system to have an encircling structure to hold the gutter and yet separate it from the abutting wall. Such a system must be usable in a roof deck to side wall transition area and must be usable with flashing systems made from a variety of materials.
This invention is a special water diverter device, made of durable materials, for gutters at wall abutments. The preferred embodiment of a water diverter device for gutters at wall abutments is comprised of: (a) a base structure including a top, bottom, closed end, open end, and a raised rim section extending from a plate with a gutter side and wall side; (b) a cover section with a top, a bottom, a closed end and an open end; (c) a means to hold cover to rim of base such as spring clips, adhesive, plastic tabs, or the like; and (d) an adhesive or fasteners (screws, nails, rigid drive clips, etc.) to hold wall face plate of base structure to wall abutment wherein the base structure is mounted to the wall abutment and the cove is placed and connected to the base structure which provides a sealed attached device for mounting the gutter to the fascia while also providing a seal for siding and masonry walls at the abutment.
The newly invented special water diverter device for gutters at wall abutments may be manufactured at low volumes by very simple molding systems and in high volume production by more complex and controlled injection molding systems.
There are several objects and advantages of the special water diverter device for gutters at wall abutments. There are currently no known water diverter device for gutters at wall abutments that are effective at providing the objects of this invention.
The special water diverter device for gutters at wall abutments has various advantages and benefits as follows:
Finally, other advantages and additional features of the present special water diverter device for gutters at wall abutments will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the full description of the device. For one skilled in the art of gutter, siding and masonry systems and devices, it is readily understood that the features shown in the examples with this product are readily adapted to other types of gutter installations at wall abutments.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the special water diverter device for gutters at wall abutments that is preferred. The drawings together with the summary description given above and a detailed description given below serve to explain the principles of the special water diverter device for gutters. It is understood, however, that the device is not limited solely to only the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
The following list refers to the drawings:
The present development is a special water diverter device for gutters. This invention relates to a special water diverter device for gutters at wall abutments. This invention relates to a gutter assembly for roofs and more particularly to a gutter or eaves trough assembly. The device relates generally to siding placed on a house, and more specifically to diverting rainwater from the juncture of a sloped roof and vertical wall siding. This is related to a two-piece device that encircles the gutter and helps prevent water intrusion behind a wall. It is for use at a juncture between a vertical wall and an edge of a sloped roof, to prevent water from seeping behind siding.
The advantages for the special water diverter device for gutters e 30 are listed above in the introduction. Succinctly the benefits are that the device:
The preferred embodiment of the water diverter device 30, made of durable materials, is for gutters 55 at wall abutments 30 and is comprised of: A water diverter device for gutters at wall abutments comprised of: (a) a base structure 35 including a top, bottom, closed end, open end, and a raised rim section 56 extending from a plate 42,43 with a gutter side and wall side; (b) a cover section 45 with a top, a bottom, a closed end and an open end; (c) a means 50 to hold cover 45 to rim 56 of base 35 such as spring clips, adhesive, plastic tabs, threaded fasteners, metal fasteners, plastic fasteners, or the like; and (d) an adhesive or fasteners 51 (screws, nails, rigid drive clips, etc.) to hold wall face plate 52,53 of base structure 35 to wall abutment 65 wherein the base structure is mounted to the wall abutment and the cove is placed and connected to the base structure which provides a sealed attached device for mounting the gutter to the fascia while also providing a seal for siding and masonry walls at the abutment.
There is shown in
a special water diverter device 30 for gutters at wall abutments 65; a prototype 31 water diverter 30; a base structure 35 of water diverter 30; a closed end 37 of base structure 35; an open end 38 of base structure 35; a top 39 of base structure 35; a bottom 40 of base structure 35; an end tab 41 of base structure 35; a gutter face plate 42 of base structure 35; a wall face plate 43 of base structure 35; an attachment slot 44 of base structure 35; a cover structure 45 of water diverter 30; a rear channel 47A of top 47; a bottom 48 of cover 45; a rear channel 48A of bottom 48; a closed end 49 of cover 45; a rear channel 49A of the closed end 49; a means to hold 50 for holding the cover 45 to base 35 such as spring clips, adhesive, plastic tabs, screws, threaded fasteners, metal fasteners, plastic fasteners, or the like; and an adhesive or fasteners 51 for holding the wall face of base structure 35 to wall abutment 65, the means such as adhesive or fasteners 51 metal fasteners, plastic fasteners, screws, nails, threaded fasteners, and rigid drive clips (screws, nails, threaded fasteners, rigid drive clips, etc.).
The details mentioned here are exemplary and not limiting. Other specific components and manners specific to describing a special water diverter device 30 for gutters 55 may be added as a person having ordinary skill in the field of the art of gutters, siding and masonry devices for installation and their uses well appreciates.
The water diverter device 30 for gutters 55 at wall abutments 65 has been described in the above embodiment. The manner of how the device operates is described below. One notes well that the description above and the operation described here must be taken together to fully illustrate the concept of the diverter device 30.
A special water diverter device 30 for gutters 55 at wall abutments 65 is simply installed. The prototype 36 of base structure 35 is attached to the wall abutment 65 by the rear face plate 43 and an adhesive or fasteners 51 for holding the wall face of base structure 35 to wall abutment 65, the means 51 adhesive, metal fasteners, plastic fasteners, screws, nails, threaded fasteners, and rigid drive clips, etc.). Next on the raised rim section 56 for the base structure 35, a means 50 for holding the cover 45 to base 35 (such as spring clips, adhesive, plastic tabs, screws, threaded fasteners, metal fasteners, plastic fasteners, or the like) is placed on the raised rim 56 and then the rear channel 47A of top 47; the rear channel 48A of bottom 48; and the rear channel 49A of the closed end 49 is “snapped or popped into place” over the connection means 50. After this, the gutter 55 is placed next to the gutter plate surface 52 of the base structure 35 (and cover 46) and then fastened as normal to the fascia 66 at the edge of the roof deck and shingles 60.
Many uses are anticipated for the water diverter device for gutters at wall abutments. Some examples, and not limitations, are shown in the following Table.
With this description it is to be understood that the water diverter device 30 for gutters 55 at wall abutments 65 is not to be limited to only the disclosed embodiment of product. The features of the device 30 are intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the description.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which these inventions belong. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present inventions, the preferred methods and materials are now described above in the foregoing paragraphs.
Other embodiments of the invention are possible. Although the description above contains much specificity, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. It is also contemplated that various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the inventions. It should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed inventions. Thus, it is intended that the scope of at least some of the present inventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above.
The terms recited in the claims should be given their ordinary and customary meaning as determined by reference to relevant entries (e.g., definition of “plane” as a carpenter's tool would not be relevant to the use of the term “plane” when used to refer to an airplane, etc.) in dictionaries (e.g., widely used general reference dictionaries and/or relevant technical dictionaries), commonly understood meanings by those in the art, etc., with the understanding that the broadest meaning imparted by any one or combination of these sources should be given to the claim terms (e.g., two or more relevant dictionary entries should be combined to provide the broadest meaning of the combination of entries, etc.) subject only to the following exceptions: (a) if a term is used herein in a manner more expansive than its ordinary and customary meaning, the term should be given its ordinary and customary meaning plus the additional expansive meaning, or (b) if a term has been explicitly defined to have a different meaning by reciting the term followed by the phrase “as used herein shall mean” or similar language (e.g., “herein this term means,” “as defined herein,” “for the purposes of this disclosure [the term] shall mean,” etc.). References to specific examples, use of “i.e.,” use of the word “invention,” etc., are not meant to invoke exception (b) or otherwise restrict the scope of the recited claim terms. Other than situations where exception (b) applies, nothing contained herein should be considered a disclaimer or disavowal of claim scope. Accordingly, the subject matter recited in the claims is not coextensive with and should not be interpreted to be coextensive with any particular embodiment, feature, or combination of features shown herein. This is true even if only a single embodiment of the particular feature or combination of features is illustrated and described herein. Thus, the appended claims should be read to be given their broadest interpretation in view of the prior art and the ordinary meaning of the claim terms.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers or expressions, such as those expressing dimensions, physical characteristics, etc. used in the specification (other than the claims) are understood as modified in all instances by the term “approximately.” At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the claims, each numerical parameter recited in the specification or claims which is modified by the term “approximately” should at least be construed in light of the number of recited significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.
The present invention contemplates modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art. While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and the foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only selected embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes, modifications and equivalents that come within the spirit of the disclosures described heretofore and or/defined by the following claims are desired to be protected.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application with Ser. No. 62/552,823 filed Aug. 31, 2017, by Daniel Owens and entitled “Special water diverter device for gutters at wall abutments”.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20190063069 A1 | Feb 2019 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 62552823 | Aug 2017 | US |
