Patent Publication Number: US-7908797-B2

Title: Gutter cover

Description:
SCOPE OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device for protecting a gutter, and in particular, to a gutter cover which prevents debris from entering into a gutter, while allowing water to enter in. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Gutter covers are known devices that are positioned over top of the open troughs of gutters. Such gutter covers are designed to prevent debris, such as leaves, from entering into the trough of the gutter, while allowing water, such as rain water and melted ice and snow, to enter in. Debris resting on the gutter cover can be blown off by the wind. 
     Examples of gutter covers are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,968,651 to Bergeron and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0201068 to Shane. The present inventor has appreciated that these gutter covers have a disadvantage in that the head of the screw which fastens the gutter cover to front lip of the gutter protrudes above the upper surface of the gutter cover. As a result, debris tends to get caught on the head of the screw. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To at least partially overcome the disadvantages of previously known gutter covers, the present invention provides an improved gutter cover. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an improved gutter cover which can be securely attached to the front lip of a gutter by a fastener, where the front portion is designed such that the fastener does not protrude above the upper surface of the gutter cover and therefore, debris does not get caught on the fastener. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a gutter cover which is attached securely against the fascia so as to prevent the gutter cover from collapsing into the trough of the gutter under the weight of ice and snow, and to prevent animals, such as squirrels and racoons, from pulling the gutter cover off. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a gutter cover having a rear portion which is held tightly against the fascia such that no fastener is required to secure the rear portion to the fascia. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a gutter cover having a central portion which has a structure for directing water into openings in the gutter cover. 
     In one aspect, the present invention provides a gutter cover comprising a sheet having a front portion, a rear portion, and a central portion extending between said front portion and said rear portion; said central portion having a plurality of openings for passage of water therethrough, said front portion comprising an upper wall segment, a bend segment, and a lower wall segment, wherein said upper wall segment extends forwardly from said central portion to said bend segment, said bend segment joins said upper wall segment and said lower wall segment, and said lower wall segment extends rearwardly from said bend segment and underneath said upper wall segment, wherein a space is formed between said upper wall segment and said lower wall segment, wherein a first fastener extends through openings in said upper wall segment and said lower wall segment, and wherein a distance between an upper surface of said upper wall segment and an upper surface of said lower wall segment is greater than or equal to an axial height of a head portion of said first fastener. 
     In another aspect, the present invention provides a gutter system for placement on a fascia at a roof edge, said gutter system comprising: (a) a gutter; and (b) a gutter cover, wherein said gutter comprises a front wall, a rear wall, and a bottom wall extending between said front wall and said rear wall, wherein said front wall, bottom wall and rear wall define a trough having an open top therebetween, wherein said gutter further comprises a gutter lip extending from an upper edge of said front wall, said gutter cover comprising a sheet having a front portion, a rear portion, and a central portion extending between said front portion and said rear portion; said central portion having a plurality of openings for passage of water therethrough, said front portion comprising an upper wall segment, a bend segment, and a lower wall segment, wherein said upper wall segment extends forwardly from said central portion to said bend segment, said bend segment joins said upper wall segment and said lower wall segment, and said lower wall segment extends rearwardly from said bend segment and underneath said upper wall segment, wherein a space is formed between said upper wall segment and said lower wall segment, wherein a lower surface of said lower wall segment abuts against an upper surface of said gutter lip, wherein a first fastener extends through openings in said upper wall segment and said lower wall segment and through said gutter lip, and wherein a distance between an upper surface of said upper wall segment and an upper surface of said lower wall segment is greater than or equal to an axial height of a head portion of said first fastener. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the upper wall segment of the front portion forms an upwardly arching curve, while the lower wall segment of the front portion is planar. 
     Preferably, a second fastener, such as a screw, nail or bolt, extends through openings in the rear portion of the gutter cover and the fascia. 
     The rear portion preferably extends rearwardly and upwardly from the central portion so as to abut against the fascia, and forms an S-shape. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the central portion is substantially planar. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the central portion comprises a raised section to increase water flowing into the openings. The raised section is preferably a ridge. 
     The openings in the central portion are preferably arranged in one or more rows. 
     The gutter cover is preferably made from a metallic material or a plastic material. More preferably, the gutter cover is made from aluminum. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further aspects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a gutter system in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, said gutter system comprising: (a) a gutter; and (b) a gutter cover; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the gutter system shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of the gutter cover shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged side view of the front portion of the gutter cover and the gutter lip of the gutter shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of a gutter system in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Throughout all the drawings in the disclosure, similar parts are indicated by the same reference numerals. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference is made to  FIGS. 1 to 5  which show preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 1 to 4  illustrate a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the gutter cover  10  is positioned over a gutter  100 . The gutter  100  comprises a front wall  102 , a bottom wall  104 , and a rear wall  106 . The bottom wall  104  extends between and merges with the front wall  102  and the rear wall  106 . The front wall  102 , bottom wall  104  and rear wall  106  define a trough  108  having an open top therebetween. The gutter  100  is installed on the fascia  200  at a roof edge  202  of a building structure. Water, specifically rain water and melted snow and ice, runs off the roof  202  of the building structure and into the trough  108  of the gutter  100 . 
     The gutter  100  also has a gutter lip  110  which merges with and extends from an upper edge of the front wall  102 . In the first preferred embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the gutter lip  110  comprises a first segment  112  and a second segment  114 . The first segment  112  extends from the front wall  102  in a generally horizontal and rearward direction. The gutter lip  110  is bent back at  116 , and the second segment  114  extends downwardly and forwardly towards the front wall  102 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the gutter cover  10  has: (i) a central portion  12 ; (ii) a front portion  14 ; and (iii) a rear portion  16 . The front portion  14  merges with and extends forwardly from the central portion  12 . The rear portion  16  merges with and extends rearwardly from the central portion  12 . The gutter cover  10  is made from a sheet of aluminium metal. 
     In  FIG. 3 , the central portion  12  of the gutter cover  10  has a plurality of openings  18  extending therethrough. The openings  18  are of a size so as to prevent debris, such as leaves, from passing through the gutter cover  10  and entering into the trough  108  of the gutter  100 , while allowing water to pass through and enter in. Debris cannot pass through the openings  18 , and will rest on the upper surface of the gutter cover  10 . Eventually, the wind will blow the debris off of the gutter cover  10  and away from the building. The openings  18  are arranged in rows and are circular in shape. 
     The central portion  12  of the gutter cover  10  has a pair of raised ridges  40 . The ridges  40  are parallel to each other and extend laterally along the central portion  12 . The ridges  40  assist in directing water to flow to the openings  18 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the front portion  14  has a first segment  50 , an upper wall segment  20 , a bend segment  22 , and a lower wall segment  24 . At  52 , the first segment  50  merges with the central portion  12  and extends upwardly and forwardly. The first segment  50  extends upwardly and forwardly to form a concave curve. At  54 , the upper wall segment  20  merges with the first segment  50 , and extends forwardly to form an upwardly arching convex curve, as can be seen in  FIG. 4 . 
     The bend segment  22  is a bight-shaped segment joining the upper wall segment  20  and the lower wall segment  24 . The lower wall segment  24  merges with and extends rearwardly from the bend segment  22  and is planar. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the lower wall segment  24  extends underneath the upper wall segment  20 . 
     A space  30  is formed between the lower surface  62  of the upper wall segment  20  and the upper surface  64  of the lower wall segment  24 . The upper wall segment  20  has large opening  32 , while the lower wall segment  24  has a corresponding small opening  34  which is located directly below the large opening  32 . The large opening  32  in the upper wall segment  20  and the small opening  34  in the lower wall segment  24  are co-axially aligned with each other. 
     The central portion  12  merges into the rear portion  16  which extends rearwardly from the central portion  12 . The rear portion  16  extends rearwardly and upwardly from the central portion  12  in an S-shape, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The rear portion  16  comprises: (i) a first concave segment  70  extending from the central portion  12 ; (ii) a second convex segment  72  extending from the first concave segment  70 ; and (iii) a third concave segment  74  extending from the second convex segment  72 , thus forming an S-shape. 
     When the gutter cover  10  is positioned over the gutter  100 , the rear portion  16  extends rearwardly and upwardly so as to abut against the fascia  200 . The S-shape of the rear portion  16  causes the third concave segment  74  of the rear portion  16  to push against the fascia  200  in a spring like action. The rear portion  16  of the gutter cover  10  is therefore held tightly against the fascia  200 , without requiring a fastener to secure the rear portion  16  to the fascia  200 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the gutter cover  10  is positioned over top of the gutter  100  and covers the trough  108 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the lower surface  66  of the lower wall segment  24  abuts against the upper surface  68  of the gutter lip  110 . A first screw  300  is a self-tapping screw which is installed to secure the gutter cover  10  to the gutter  100 . When being installed, the shaft  304  of the self-tapping first screw  300  is positioned into the large opening  32  in the upper wall segment  20  and the small opening  34  in the lower wall segment  24 . The self-tapping first screw  300  is then driven through the gutter lip  110 , thus securing the front portion  14  of the gutter cover  10  to the gutter lip  110 . 
     The large opening  32  in the upper wall segment  24  is large enough so as to allow the entire first screw  300 , including the head  302 , to pass therethrough. The small opening  34  in the lower wall segment  24  is of a size so as to allow the shaft  304  of the first screw  300  to pass through, but not allow the head  302  of the first screw  300  to pass through. When the self-tapping first screw  300  is installed, the head  302  of the first screw  300  does not rise above the upper surface  60  of the upper wall segment  20 . In the preferred embodiment of  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the head  302  of the first screw  300  is located within the space  30  between the upper wall segment  20  and the lower wall segment  24 . 
     Advantageously, when debris is blown off of the surface of the gutter cover  10 , the head  302  of the screw  300  does not catch any of the debris, thus allowing such debris to be easily blown off and away from the building. 
     Also, the use of the first screw  300  holds the gutter cover  10  securely to the gutter  100 , which is of assistance in preventing the gutter cover  10  from collapsing into the trough  108  under the weight of debris, ice and snow, and preventing animals, such as squirrels and racoons, from pulling the gutter cover  10  off of the gutter  100 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the second preferred embodiment, the rear portion  16  has an opening therethrough for receiving a screw. A second screw  400  passes through the opening in the rear portion  16  and into the fascia  200 , thus further assisting in securing the gutter cover  10 . When installed, the second screw  400  holds a portion of the third concave segment  74  flat against the fascia  200 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, nails or bolts are used to secure the front portion of the gutter cover to the gutter lip and to secure the rear portion of the gutter cover to the fascia. 
     The gutter cover can be made from a metallic material or a plastic material. 
     The openings in the central portion of the gutter cover can be arranged in any formation, and can be of any shape. 
     Although this disclosure has described and illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to these particular embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments that are functional or mechanical equivalents of the specific embodiments in features that have been described and illustrated herein. Many modifications and variations will now occur to those skilled in the art. For a definition of the invention, reference is made to the following claims.