Abstract:
A gutter protection system is disclosed. The system includes a gutter cover having, as viewed in cross-section when the gutter cover is installed, a front section configured for engagement with the rearward-projecting flange of the gutter, a center section covering the gutter, and a rear section configured for engagement with the hanger. The rear section has a novel compound bend configuration.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to generally to rain gutters and more particularly to a gutter protection system or cover for preventing debris from falling into such gutters. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Background information regarding existing gutter covers and screens may be found in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,907,381, 5,893,240 and 6,151,837, and 7,891,142, incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. Since leaves and other debris frequently clog up rain gutters, some kind of cover which prevents debris from falling into the gutter is desirable. Ideally, a gutter cover directs water into the gutter, prevents debris from entering the gutter, does not itself become clogged with debris, does not collapse into the gutter under loads (such as snow or debris loads), and is securely attached to the gutter. The ideal gutter protection requires no maintenance after installation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a gutter protection system for covering a gutter of a structure and for preventing debris from falling into the gutter. The gutter includes a gutter hanger comprising a generally horizontal leg extending from adjacent a rearward-projecting flange on a front wall of the gutter to adjacent a back wall of the gutter and a generally vertical leg extending up from the horizontal leg adjacent the back wall of the gutter, and a fastener securing the generally vertical leg of the hanger and the back wall of the gutter to the structure at the rear of the gutter. The gutter protection system comprises a gutter cover sized and shaped to cover the gutter. The gutter cover comprises, as viewed in cross-section when the gutter cover is installed, a front section configured for engagement with the rearward-projecting flange of the gutter, a center section covering the gutter, and a rear section configured for engagement with the hanger. The rear section comprises a first forward-opening bend, a second forward-opening bend spaced downward from the first bend, a third rearward-opening bend spaced downward from the second bend, a fourth rearward-opening bend spaced downward from the third bend, a first leg extending substantially vertically downward from the first bend to the second bend, a second leg angling downward and forward from the second bend to the third bend to provide clearance for said fastener, a third substantially straight leg extending generally vertically downward from the third bend to form a recess for receiving the fastener, and a fourth leg extending rearward from the fourth bend. The fourth leg has a tail which terminates in a rearward end spaced a substantial distance rearward from the first leg whereby the tail is adapted to engage a corner of the hanger at the intersection of the generally horizontal and generally vertical legs of the hanger in a manner which maintains the gutter cover in an installed position. In this position, the first bend is spaced by a gap forward from the vertical leg of the hanger and the tail of the rear section of the gutter cover is in contact with the gutter hanger generally adjacent the corner of the gutter hanger. 
     Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a transverse cross-sectional view of a gutter cover of a prior design installed on a gutter; 
         FIG. 2  is a transverse cross-sectional view of a gutter cover of this invention, as installed on a gutter; and 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged fragment of  FIG. 2  illustrating the rear compound bend of the gutter cover. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a gutter cover, generally designated  10 , having a design described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,891,142 (see FIG. 16 of that patent). The gutter cover  10  is particularly adapted for covering a conventional rain gutter  12  and preventing debris from falling into the gutter. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the gutter  12  has a front wall  14 , a back wall  16  and a bottom wall  18 , which combine to form a channel for drainage of rainwater. A conventional flange  22  projects rearward (i.e., toward the building) from the upper edge of the front wall  14 . The gutter  12  is suitably attached to a supporting structure such as fascia  24  of the building by gutter hangers  26 , only one of which is shown in  FIG. 1 , extending from the front flange  22  of the gutter to the back wall  16  of the gutter. The gutter  12  collects rainwater flowing off an eave  28  of the building (as formed by shingles, for example) that typically slopes downward and overhangs the fascia  24 , as will understood by those skilled in this field. The gutter cover  10  receives water from the roof  28  and directs the water into the gutter  12 . 
     The gutter cover  10  comprises an elongate sheet  34  of resilient material having a longitudinal axis transverse to the direction F 1  of water flow down the roof. The sheet  34  includes a front section  36  adjacent the front of the gutter, a center section  38  extending rearward from the front section to cover the gutter, and a rear section  40  adjacent the back of the gutter. The front section  36  is configured to engage the front flange  22  of the gutter, and the rear section is configured to engage the gutter hangers  26 , as described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 7,891,142 (see  FIG. 16 ). 
     The rear section  40  is formed as a compound bend, generally designated  50 , comprising an upper (first) bend  52 , an inward (second) bend  54 , and two (third and fourth) outward bends  56  and  58 . The bends together form a recess  60  for receiving the head  62  of a fastener  64  fastening the gutter hanger  26  to the fascia  24  or surrounding structure. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the bends  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58  are connected by a first upper portion or leg  70  extending generally vertically downward from the first bend to the second bend, a second intermediate portion or leg  72  angling downward and forward from the second bend  54  to the third bend  56 , a third substantially straight intermediate portion or leg  74  extending generally vertically downward from the third bend  56  to the fourth bend  58 , and a fourth lower portion or leg  76  angling downward and rearward from the fourth bend  58 . The recess  60  is formed by legs  72 ,  74 , and  76  connected by bends  56  and  58 . The lower leg  76  is generally received in a space between the fastener head  62  and a rearward bend or corner  80  of the hanger  26  at the intersection of a generally horizontal leg  90  of the hanger and a generally vertical leg  92  of the hanger. The lower leg  76  of the rear section  40  terminates at a rearward end  94  that is in generally vertical alignment (i.e., generally co-planar) with the upper bend  52  and is intended to be received in the corner  80  of the gutter hanger  26  to hold the gutter cover  10  in place. 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate a gutter cover of the present invention, generally designated  100 , as installed on the gutter  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The gutter cover  100  comprises an elongate sheet of resilient material having a longitudinal axis transverse to the direction F 1  of water flow down the roof. By way of example but not limitation, the gutter cover may be made of a solid sheet material, or expanded metal, or wire screen. The material may be either metal or plastic. 
     The gutter cover  100  is similar to cover  10  in that it comprises a front section  136  adjacent the front of the gutter  12 , a center section  138  extending rearward from the front section to cover the gutter, and a rear section generally designated  140  adjacent the back of the gutter. The front section  136  is configured to engage the front flange  22  of the gutter, and the rear section  140  is configured to engage the gutter hangers  26 . By way of example only, the front section  136  may have a configuration as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,381. The front section may also have other configurations, such as those described in my U.S. Pat. No. 7,650,720. 
     As best illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the rear section  140  of the gutter cover  100  is formed as a compound bend, generally designated  150 , comprising an upper (first) bend  152 , an inward (second) bend  154 , and two (third and fourth) outward bends  156  and  158 . The bends together form a recess  160  for receiving the head  62  of the fastener  60  fastening the gutter hanger  26  to the fascia  24  or surrounding structure. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the bends  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  are connected by a first substantially straight upper portion or leg  170  extending generally vertically downward in a first plane P 1  from the first bend  152  to the second bend  154 , a second substantially straight intermediate portion or leg  172  angling downward and forward from the second bend  154  to the third bend  156 , a third substantially straight intermediate portion or leg  174  extending generally vertically downward in a plane P 2  from the third bend  156  to the fourth bend  158 , and a fourth substantially straight lower portion or leg  176  angling downward and rearward from the fourth bend  158 . The recess  160  is formed by legs  172 ,  174 , and  176  connected by bends  156  and  158 . The lower leg  176  is generally received in a space between the fastener head  62  and the corner  80  of the hanger  26 . In the illustrated embodiment, plane P 2  is spaced a suitable forward distance D 1  (e.g., 0.25 in.) forward from the plane P 1  of the upper leg  170 . 
     The lower leg  176  of the rear section  140  of the gutter cover  100  has an extension or tail  200  (not present in the design of  FIG. 1 ) which terminates in a rearward end  204  spaced a substantial rearward distance D 2  rearward from a juncture  153  between the upper bend  152  and the plane P 1  of the upper leg  170 . By way of example, this distance D 2  may be in the range of 0.0625-0.50 inch or more. In one embodiment, D 2  is greater than D 1 , but D 2  can be equal to or less than D 1 . The additional length provided by the tail  200  insures that the lower leg  176  will engage the gutter hanger at the corner  80  to maintain the gutter cover in a properly installed position in which the juncture  153  between the upper bend  152  and the upper leg  170  is spaced by a gap  210  forward from the vertical leg  90  of the gutter hanger  26  and in which the gutter cover is held resiliently flexed in a tensioned configuration. In this tensioned configuration, the gutter cover  100  extends over the gutter with the front section  136  of the gutter cover  100  in pressure contact with the flange  22  of the gutter and/or the front portion of the hanger  26 , with the tail  200  of the rear section in pressure engagement with the gutter hanger  26  generally adjacent the corner  80  of the hanger, and with the center section  138  of the gutter cover resiliently arched from its otherwise substantially flat condition (when uninstalled). As a result, the gutter cover  100  is held securely attached to the gutter  22 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . (The amount of arch in the gutter cover illustrated in  FIG. 2  is very small and thus not apparent. The amount of arch may be larger.) Moreover, the rear section  140  of the gutter cover  100  is held against unintentional upward lift away from the horizontal leg  90  of the gutter hanger  26  by engagement of the tail  200  with the head  62  of the fastener  60 . As a result, the gutter cover  100  is maintained in the correct vertical and horizontal position relative to the gutter  22  and the gutter hanger  26 . In this regard, it is desirable that the gap  210  between the juncture  153  of the upper bend  152  and upper leg  170  of the gutter cover and the vertical leg  92  of the gutter hanger  26  be greater than 0.00 in and desirably at least 0.0625-0.50 in. Absent such a gap, the gutter cover will not stay properly engaged below the fastener  64 , and there is a risk the gutter cover will raise up from its properly installed position. 
     In view of the foregoing, it will be observed that the configuration of the rear section  136  of the gutter  100  provides important advantages. The configuration provides both the recess  160  which receives the head of the fastener attaching the gutter and hanger to the fascia  24  and the relatively long tail  200  which holds the gutter in its resiliently flexed arched configuration securely attached to the gutter. Without the tail  200  extending a distance (D 2 ) rearward from the plane P 1  of the upper leg, the upper bend  152  of the rear section  140  would have a tendency to contact the vertical leg  92  of the hanger  26  before the lower leg  176  engaged the rear bend of the hanger  26  at the corner  80 , thus preventing the proper installation of the gutter cover. The tail insures that the lower leg  176  will engage the rear bend of the hanger  26  (or the vertical leg  92  of the hanger) before the upper bend  152  and/or upper leg  170  of the gutter cover engages the vertical leg  92  of the hanger  26 , so that the gutter cover can be properly installed in the position described above in which it is maintained in a resiliently flexed configuration arching over the gutter. 
     In other embodiments, the gutter cover is held in its installed position on the gutter  12  without being resiliently flexed over the gutter. By way of example, the gutter cover may have a configuration essentially identical to the gutter cover shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , except that the cover is dimensioned such that it is not in a resiliently flexed condition after it has been installed (e.g., the gutter cover may be resiliently flexed during the installation process, after which it assumes a non-flexed configuration.) If the gutter cover is not resiliently flexed after installation, one or more fasteners may be used to secure the front section of the gutter cover to the gutter flange  22  (or to a gutter hanger  26 ) in a position in which the tail (e.g., 200) of the rear section of the gutter cover is in contact with the gutter hanger  26  adjacent the corner  80  of the hanger (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 3 ) to prevent unintentional lift of the rear section of the gutter cover away from its installed position. 
     Having described the invention in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. 
     When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiments(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. 
     In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained. 
     As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.