Abstract:
A gutter cleaner having a head and a handle. The head is tubular and has a bend and a nozzle. The bend curves in two perpendicular directions, through one angle of 135° to 195° and another angle of 15° to 60°. The nozzle has an egress with one dimension being narrower than the other. The head and handle slidably fitting together and are secured to fix their relative positions. The lower end of the handle is adapted to attach to a vacuum source. The handle has a textured surface for gripping and eyelets for removably attaching a shoulder strap. Optionally, the handle has two sections that are slidably fitted together and that can be secured relative to each other.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to gutter cleaners, more particularly, to a vacuum attachment for cleaning building gutters while the user remains on the ground.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Gutters around the roofs of building become obstructed with leaves and other debris, eventually clogged to the point where they no longer function properly. Consequently, it is good practice to occasionally clean the gutters of debris. The most common method for cleaning gutters is to either reach the gutter from the roof or from a ladder and manually remove the debris. The danger involved is obvious.  
           [0005]    A number of devices have been conceived for cleaning gutters while remaining in relative safety on the ground. Some operate by blowing the debris from the gutter, but some of the debris is blown onto the roof, where the next rain will most likely wash it back into the gutter. Other devices operate on vacuum, suctioning the debris from the gutter. U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,098, issued to Davis, discloses one such device. A U-shaped nozzle at the end of a flexible hose is carried on an adjustable-length pole. The problem with the device of Davis is that it is awkward to manipulate and control, particularly when the gutter is relatively high. U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,782, issued to Hall, discloses a similar device with a flexible hose controlled by an adjustable-length pole, and has the same manipulation and control problems as Davis.  
           [0006]    The control problems are somewhat ameliorated by the rigid pipes of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,056,187, issued to Higgins, and 5,195,209, issued to Watkins. Both patents disclose rigid pipes that are adjusted in length by connecting the appropriate number of rigid sections together. Consequently, adjustability of the pipe length is constrained to discrete steps of the available lengths of pipe sections.  
           [0007]    The prior art gutter cleaners disclose a suction nozzle that must be pivoted back and forth to reach all areas of the gutter. This pivoting motion can be awkward, particularly with those cleaners that are controlled by a pole. Additionally, the ingress of the prior art nozzles is round, which may be the easiest to manufacture, but may not be the most efficient shape for cleaning gutters. The gutter cleaner of Higgins discloses the ability to fit attachments to the nozzle, but there is no discussion of the most efficient shape for cleaning gutters.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    An object of the present invention is to provide a gutter cleaner that has a rigid pipe with a length that is infinitely adjustable for comfort and control during use.  
           [0009]    Another object is to provide a gutter cleaner with a head that is curved to more easily reach all areas of the gutter.  
           [0010]    Yet another object is to provide a gutter cleaner with a nozzle designed to more efficiently suction debris from gutters.  
           [0011]    A further object is to provide a gutter cleaner that attaches to readily available wet/dry vacuum cleaners.  
           [0012]    Briefly, the gutter cleaner of the present invention includes a head and a handle. The head is tubular and has a bend and a nozzle. The bend curves in two perpendicular directions, through one angle of 135° to 195° and another angle of 15° to 60°. The nozzle has an egress with one dimension being narrower than the other. The head and handle slidably fitting together and are secured to fix their relative positions. The lower end of the handle is adapted to attach to a vacuum source.  
           [0013]    The gutter cleaner of the present invention is an adjustable-length hollow tube with a specially-designed suction head. The gutter cleaner connects to a vacuum cleaner for suctioning debris from gutters and other similar articles. The gutter cleaner has a head and a handle that reciprocate relative to each other. Optionally, the handle includes a grip and an extension that reciprocate relative to each other. The head has a bend that curves in two directions, unlike the gutter cleaners of the prior art that curve in only one direction. In one direction, the bend extends through a fixed angle of from 135° to 195° and, in the other, perpendicular direction, the bend extends through a fixed angle of from 15° to 60°. The advantage to the two-direction bend is that reaching into crevices, corners, under the spacing brackets is easier.  
           [0014]    The nozzle ingress has an oval shape. The ingress is significantly narrower in the same direction as the large bend direction than it is the perpendicular direction. An oval ingress allows the nozzle to more easily reach into narrow gutters and crevices, has less chance of getting snagged.  
           [0015]    The head slides within the handle and can be secured to fix the length of the gutter cleaner. Optionally, the handle has an extension section that slide within a grip section, and that can be secured to fix the length of the gutter cleaner.  
           [0016]    The outer surface of the handle is textured to provide a non-slip grasping surface The outer surface also has a series of eyelets for anchoring a strap that can fit over the user&#39;s shoulder to support the weight of the gutter cleaner. The lower end of the handle has an attachment for a vacuum source, typically a wet/dry vacuum cleaner.  
           [0017]    Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the following drawings and detailed description of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    For a fuller understanding of the nature and object of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the gutter cleaner of the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the gutter cleaner of FIG. 1 in use;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 is an end view of the head of FIG. 1;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 is a side view of the head of FIG. 1;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the head of FIG. 1;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the securement of the present invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the securement of the present invention; and  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the strap attachment.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]    The gutter cleaner of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is, in essence, an adjustable-length hollow tube with a curved head that connects to a wet/dry vacuum cleaner for suctioning debris from gutters and other similar articles. The inventive aspect lays, in part, in characteristics of the head and the adjustable-length nature of the body.  
         [0028]    The gutter cleaner of the present invention includes a head  12  and a handle  14 . Optionally, the handle  14  includes a grip  16  and an extension  18 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The head  12  has a straight hollow tube portion  20 , bend  28 , and a nozzle  24 . As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the bend  28  curves in two directions (three dimensions). In the gutter cleaners of the prior art, the bend curves in only one direction (two dimensions), that is, the bend curves such that the head remains planar with the rest of the cleaner. The bend  28  of the present invention curves in two perpendicular directions so that the nozzle  24  is not planar with the tube portion  20 . In a first direction, the bend  28  extends through a fixed angle  30  in the range of from about 135° to about 195°, as in FIG. 3. The amount of angle is such that when that user is holding the gutter cleaner  10  up to the gutter  2  in a comfortable manner, the nozzle  24  will be approximately vertical within the gutter when viewed as in FIG. 3. In a second and perpendicular direction, the bend  28  extends through a fixed angle  32  in the range of from about 15° to about 60°, as in FIG. 4. When the user holds the gutter cleaner  10  perpendicular to the gutter  2 , the nozzle  24  will be at an angle, not perpendicular, to the gutter floor  22  when viewed as in FIG. 4.  
         [0029]    This three-dimensional bend  28  has an advantage over the gutter cleaners of the prior art in that the gutter cleaner  10  does not need to be tilted or rocked to clean in crevices, in corners, or under the spacing brackets  4  that are used to support and maintain the shape of the gutter  2 .  
         [0030]    Also unlike gutter cleaners of the prior art, the nozzle ingress  26  is not round, but has an approximately oval shape, as shown in FIG. 5. The nozzle ingress  26  extends in two directions approximately parallel to the two bend directions. The nozzle ingress  26  is significantly narrower in approximately the same direction as the first bend direction than it is the perpendicular direction. The present invention contemplates that the ingress does not have to be an oval, but may be any similar shape, such as a rectangle or rectangle with rounded corners.  
         [0031]    There are several advantages to an oval nozzle ingress. The narrow parameter allows the nozzle  24  to more easily reach deep into narrow gutters and crevices. It also reduces the chances of the nozzle  24  getting snagged on items within the gutter  2 . The compensate for the narrow parameter, the wide parameter gives the nozzle ingress  26  enough surface area so that large leaves and debris do not get jammed in the ingress  26 .  
         [0032]    The lower end  36  of the head  12  has an outside diameter that is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the upper end  38  of the handle  14  so that the head  12  fits into the handle  14  and can slide relative to each other. The head  12  and handle  14  are secured in the desired position by a securement  40 , shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The implemented securement  40  includes a compression ring  42  and a collar  44 . The compression ring  42  fits on the head lower end  36 . The collar  44  has internal threads  46  that mate with external threads  48  on the outer surface  50  of the handle  14 . The compression ring  42  fits in a space  52  between the head  12  and the collar  44 . As the collar  44  is threaded onto the handle  14 , a beveled surface  54  on the collar  44  presses the compression ring  42  against the head  12 . Friction between the compression ring  42  and the head  12  secures the head  12  so that it cannot slide relative to the handle  14 . Optionally, a gap  56  in the compression ring  42  provides for contraction of the compression ring  42  during tightening. The compression ring  42  is preferably composed of a material that can be compressed as needed and that will slide on the surface of the head  12 , for example, nylon. The present invention also contemplates that any securement that provides the same result at that of the securement  40  described above may be used.  
         [0033]    Optionally, the handle  14  has two sections, a grip  16  and an extension  18 . The extension  18  slidably fits within the grip  16  in the same manner that the head  12  slidably fits in the extension  18  (the upper part of the handle  14 ). The grip  16  and extension  18  are secured relative to each other using the same securement mechanism as described above. Optionally, there may be more than one extension  18 .  
         [0034]    The outer surface  62  of the handle  16  is preferably textured in some way to provide a relatively non-slip surface for grasping by the user. The present invention contemplates that any number of methods known in the art can be used to texture the surface, including knurling, pebbling, tacky coating, or being composed of a tacky material. The current implementation of the present invention textures the surface  62  using a large number of low rounded protrusions  64  in bands around the outer surface  62 . The protrusions  64  may be of various sizes.  
         [0035]    Also extending from the outer surface  62  of the handle  16  are a series of eyelets  66 . The purpose of the eyelets  66  is as an anchor for a strap  70  that can fit over the user&#39;s shoulder to support the weight of the gutter cleaner  10 . As shown in FIG. 8, the strap  70  includes a clip  72  that permits the strap  70  to be detached from an eyelet  66  and moved to another in order to adjust the strap  70  for different people and/or gutter height. The strap  70  can be made with a length that is fixed or adjustable.  
         [0036]    The lower end  76  of the handle  16  has an attachment for a vacuum source  6 , typically a wet/dry vacuum cleaner. The typical vacuum cleaner hose attachment uses a friction fit whereby the attachment has a constant-diameter tubular end and the hose has a slightly conical end. The hose end is pushed into the attachment until friction holds them together. Similarly, the handle lower end  76  has a constant diameter in order to attach to the vacuum cleaner hose  8  as just another attachment. The present invention also contemplates that any type of attachment that is used by a vacuum cleaner may be implemented. For example, the hose and handle may both have constant diameters that are designed to mate by a friction fit. The gutter cleaner may be secured to the hose by a clip or other latching mechanism.  
         [0037]    The gutter cleaner of the present invention is composed of a material that can support its own weight without significant deformation when held vertically. It is also preferred that the material be relatively light weight in order to facilitate control during use and to keep operator fatigue down. The preferred materials are plastics, such as ABS or PVC.  
         [0038]    Thus it has been shown and described a gutter cleaner which satisfies the objects set forth above.  
         [0039]    Since certain changes may be made in the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present invention, it is intended that all matter described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.