Roof gutter guard

A gutter screen for preventing the accumulation of debris within a gutter is disclosed. The gutter screen has a plurality of ribs positioned to run transversely across the gutter. Each rib has a rounded first top section, the first top section having a top surface emanating circumferentially about the first top section, a V-shaped first bottom section, a first end, and a second end. The gutter screen also has a plurality of bars positioned to ran above and generally parallel to the gutter. The bars have a rounded second top section and a V-shaped second bottom section. The second top section of each bar is attached to and interconnects the first bottom sections of each rib, the ribs and the bars defining a plurality of gutter screen apertures. A roof flange for attaching the gutter screen underneath a roof shingle extends from the first end of each rib. The roof flange has a roof flange surface which is flush with the top surface of the rib. A L-shaped gutter flange for engaging a gutter edge extends transversely and interconnectingly across each rib just below the first top section at the second end of each rib.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a screening device for preventing the 
accumulation of leaves and debris from rain gutters. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Gutter screens have been used previously in order to prevent the 
accumulation of leaves and debris in a gutter while allowing for the flow 
of rainwater into the gutter. There are a variety of gutter screens in the 
prior art. The prior art has been largely ineffective due to their 
inability to prevent the accumulation of debris in the gutter screen 
itself, or their inability to prevent a large amount of water from flowing 
over the gutter, or their inability to do both functions. In the prior 
art, the gutter screen openings where the focus on which innovation was 
based. As a result, gutter screens have come with a variety of different 
screen openings. 
Generally, gutter screens with larger gutter screen openings allow more 
water to flow into the gutter and gutter screens with smaller gutter 
screen openings generally tend to do a better job of preventing leaves and 
debris from being ensnared on the gutter screen. 
The gutter screens with the larger gutter screen openings tend to have a 
problem with leaves and debris becoming ensnared on the gutter screen. The 
leaves and debris which become ensnared on the gutter screens block the 
gutter screen openings preventing the passage of water into the gutter. 
Consequently, gutter screens with larger screen openings tend to require 
periodic cleaning more frequently. 
Gutter screens with the smaller gutter screen openings generally allow too 
much water to bypass the gutter and flow over the edge of the gutter. 
During heavy rainfall, the smaller gutter screen openings are either not 
able to divert enough water into the gutter or are not able to handle the 
heavy flow of water entering into the gutter screen openings. 
Consequently, water flows over the gutter screen and onto the side of the 
building defeating the purpose of the gutter. 
Wherein the prior art has focused on the design of the gutter screen 
openings in order find overall improvement in gutter screen efficacy, 
there has been generally little innovation on the design of the structural 
components such as the bars or ribs which comprise the gutter screen. 
Consequently, improvement in the efficacy of gutter screens can be 
achieved through the development of improvements in the design of the 
structural components that comprise the gutter screen. 
Accordingly, there is a need for an inexpensive gutter screen which can 
minimize the accumulation of leaves and debris in the gutter and on the 
screen. 
Accordingly, there is also a need for an inexpensive gutter screen that can 
maximize the amount of water that enter the gutter even during a heavy 
rainfall. 
The present invention is a gutter screen with a unique structure which 
guides water into the gutter while minimizing the amount of leaves and 
debris which can be entrapped onto the screen. As will be described in 
greater detail hereinafter, the present invention solves the 
aforementioned and employs a number of novel features that render it 
highly advantageous over the prior art. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a gutter screen 
that will minimize the amount of debris which enter the gutter or gets 
entrapped on the gutter screen. 
It is a further object of this invention to provide a gutter screen that 
will maximize the amount of water that enter the gutter. 
Also, a further object of this invention is to provide a gutter screen that 
is inexpensive to manufacture and package. 
To achieve this objective, and in accordance with the purposes of the 
present invention a gutter screen for preventing the accumulation of 
debris within a gutter is proposed. 
The gutter screen has a plurality of ribs positioned to run transversely 
across the gutter. Each rib has a rounded first top section, the first top 
section having a top surface emanating circumferentially about the first 
top section, a V-shaped first bottom section, a first end, and a second 
end. 
The gutter screen also has a plurality of bars positioned to run above and 
generally parallel to the gutter. The bars have a rounded second top 
section and a V-shaped second bottom section. The second top section of 
each bar is attached to and interconnects the first bottom sections of 
each rib, the ribs and the bars defining a plurality of gutter screen 
apertures. 
A roof flange for attaching the gutter screen underneath a roof shingle 
extends laterally from the first end of each rib, interconnecting each 
rib. The roof flange has a roof flange surface which is connected flush 
with the top surface of each rib. 
A L-shaped gutter flange for engaging a gutter edge extends transversely 
and interconnectingly across each rib just below the first top section at 
the second end of each rib. The gutter flange provides a means for 
attaching the gutter screen to the gutter, and serves to direct the flow 
of water on the underside of the ribs towards the gutter and away from the 
gutter edge. 
A gutter flange opening is bored through the second end of the rib and 
through the gutter flange, the gutter flange opening being axially aligned 
to a gutter hole. A nylon press stud is inserted through the gutter flange 
opening and through the gutter hole securing the gutter screen to the 
gutter edge. 
The unique shape of the bars and ribs minimize the surface area of the 
underside of the screen thereby reducing the ability of leaves and twigs 
to become ensnared with the underside of the gutter screen. The shape of 
the bars and ribs also decreases the water tension on the underside of the 
gutter screen decreasing the ability of water to accumulate on the 
underside of the gutter screen and promoting a siphoning action which 
pulls water into the gutter. 
Furthermore, the unique shape of the ribs allow a small trickle of water to 
flow unimpeded over the ribs and over the edge of the gutter. This flow of 
water aids in pushing any leaves or debris lying on the gutter screen over 
the edge of the gutter. 
The gutter screen is made of a synthetic plastic through a molded single 
piece construction. The plastic construction enables the gutter screens to 
be relatively lightweight allowing for easier handling during installation 
and reducing manufacturing and packaging costs. 
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more 
readily apparent upon reference to the following description when taken in 
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The present invention relates to a gutter screen used to minimize the 
amount of debris which enter the gutter or gets entrapped on the gutter 
screen while maximizing the amount of water that enter the gutter. In the 
following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to 
provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a gutter screen is comprised of a plurality of 
ribs 12 and a plurality of bars 13 arranged in a reticular fashion. In a 
typical gutter structure, a gutter 11 is mounted along the side of a 
building just below an overhanging shingle 19 on a roof. A gutter screen 
generally referred to by the numeral 10, attaches to a roof underneath a 
shingle 19 transversely crosses a gutter 11 and then attaches to a gutter 
edge 11 a. The gutter screen 10 has a slope that is roughly parallel to 
the slope of the roof. The ribs are arranged to run transversely across 
the gutter 11. The bars 13 are positioned to run generally above and 
parallel to the gutter 11. 
FIG. 3 shows a cross section of a rib 12 or bar 13. In the preferred 
embodiment, the ribs and the bars both have identical structure and 
dimensions with the height h of each rib or each bar being at least 7.5 
mm, the width w of each bar or rib being at least 5.0 mm. A rounded first 
top section 14 on each rib or a rounded second top section 14a on each bar 
is preferably semicircular with a diameter d of roughly 5 mm. The first 
top section has a top surface 14b which extends circumferentially around 
the first top section. 
A V-shaped first bottom section 15 and a V-shaped second bottom section 15a 
extends downwardly from the respective first top section and second top 
section. The first bottom section and the second bottom section both 
tapering as it projects downward. 
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 the bars 13 are connected to and 
interconnect the first bottom sections of each rib. The bars are 
preferably spaced 30.0 mm apart from each other. The ribs are preferably 
spaced 2.0 mm apart from each other. As a result, in the preferred 
embodiment, the ribs and the bars define a plurality of gutter screen 
apertures 26 having a length L of 30.0 mm and a width W2 of 2.0 mm. 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 the ribs each have a first end 15 and a second 
end 16. A roof flange 18 for attaching the gutter screen underneath a roof 
shingle extends from the first end of each rib interconnecting each rib. A 
gutter flange 21 for attaching the gutter screen 10 to a gutter edge 11a 
extends transversely and interconnectingly across each rib just below the 
first top section at the second end of each rib 12. 
The roof flange 18 is a thin elongated strip that is inserted between the 
roof and the shingle 19 in order to secure the gutter screen 10 to the 
roof. The unique shape of the roof flange compensates for any 
inconsistencies in the positioning between the shingle 19 and the gutter 
11 allowing water to flow into the gutter 11 even if the gutter is not 
appropriately positioned under the shingle 19. In the preferred 
embodiment, the roof flange has a roof flange surface 20 which is 
connected flush with the top surface 14b of each rib at the first end 15, 
the roof flange extending laterally roughly 8 cm from the first end 15 of 
each rib 12. Due to the slope of the gutter screen 10, water landing unto 
the roof flange surface 20 roll unimpeded from the roof flange onto a rib 
12 or into the gutter 11. 
The gutter flange 21 provides a means for attaching the gutter screen to 
the gutter edge 11a. In the preferred embodiment, the gutter flange 21 is 
L-shaped with an upper tongue 21a and a lower tongue 21b. The upper tongue 
21a runs parallel to and overlays the gutter edge, the upper tongue 21a 
connecting to the second end 16 of each rib 12 just below the first top 
section. The lower tongue 21b extends downwardly from the upper tongue 21 
and running generally perpendicular to the gutter edge. 
Since the gutter flange is located below the first top section of each rib, 
the gutter flange 21 does not impede the trickle of water flowing along 
the first top section 14 of each rib 12. The gutter flange 21 also serves 
to direct the flow of water on the underside of the ribs towards the 
gutter 11 and away from the gutter edge 11a, the lower tongue 21b 
preventing the flow of water along the underside of the rib 12. 
There are a variety of ways to secure the gutter flange 21 to the gutter 
edge 11a. In the preferred embodiment, a gutter flange opening 24 is bore 
through the second end 16 and through the gutter flange 21, the gutter 
flange opening 24 being axially aligned to a gutter hole 25. A nylon press 
stud 23 is inserted through the gutter flange opening 24 and through the 
gutter hole 25, the nylon press stud securing the gutter screen 10 to the 
gutter edge 11a. 
In the preferred embodiment of the gutter screen, a smooth, unimpeded, 
continuous surface is formed from the roof flange 18 at the first end of 
the rib to the second end of the rib. The rounded shape of the first top 
section 14 diverts most of the water which land on the rib 12 or flow onto 
the rib from the roof flange 12 into the gutter 11, but allows a small 
trickle of water to flow unimpeded over the ribs and over the gutter edge 
11a. Leaves or debris lying on the ribs are pushed by this trickle of 
water over the gutter edge. The overall design of the gutter screen allow 
the wind, the slope of the gutter screen 10, and the small trickle of 
water flowing above the first top section to work in conjunction to push 
any leaves or debris over the edge of the gutter 11 thereby reducing the 
need to clean the gutter screen. 
The V-shape of the first bottom section 15 and the second bottom section 
15asignificantly reduce the surface area on the underside of the gutter 
screen 10 thereby making it more difficult for leaves and twigs to ensnare 
themselves onto underside of the gutter screen 10. Furthermore, the 
V-shape decreases the water tension on the underside of the gutter screen 
decreasing the ability of water to accumulate on the underside of the 
gutter screen and promoting a siphoning action which pulls water into the 
gutter 11. ` 
The gutter screen is preferably made of a flexible synthetic plastic 
material, but a metallic material such as aluminum can also be used. The 
use of a synthetic plastic material enables the gutter screen to be 
manufactured relatively inexpensively through a one piece plastic 
injection molding process, and it also enables the gutter screen to be 
relatively lightweight allowing for easier handling and installation of 
the gutter screens. Furthermore, the lightweight plastic material reduces 
the shipping as well as packaging costs. 
In the preferred embodiment, the gutter screens are 4 feet long and roughly 
9 inches wide; however, it is not intended that the present invention be 
limited thereby. Different dimensions can be used in order to accommodate 
packaging, manufacturing, or application constraints. 
The invention described above is the preferred embodiment of the gutter 
screen. It is not intended that the novel device be limited thereby. The 
preferred embodiment may be susceptible to modifications and variations 
that are within the scope and fair meaning of the accompanying claims and 
drawings.