Patent Publication Number: US-11035124-B2

Title: Gutter insert

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present device relates to an insert for corner sections of a conventional eavestroughing and more particularly relates to a gutter insert for an inside corner and a gutter insert for an outside corner of conventional gutters or eavestroughing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A gutter or eaves trough for the purpose of this application is a shallow trough fixed at the edge of a roof for carrying off rainwater. Gutter and eaves trough are used interchangeably herein and refer to the same thing. Conventional commonly used gutters or eaves trough are manufactured from roll formed sheet aluminum and are attached to the fascia board of the roof edge of a house using various attachment mechanisms that are commonly available. Inside corners and the outside corners of a conventional eaves trough system is normally simply a mitered corner which either the installer miters on site from the straight sections of formed gutter or eaves trough or may be pre-mitered inside and outside corners pieces which can be purchased are glued and screwed to the straight portions of the gutter at the inside corner junctions and the outside corner junctions of the gutter or eaves trough. The glue is often water poof caulking such as silicone sealant for example. There are millions of conventional gutter or eaves trough installations in place in North America 
     The conventional gutter systems result in sharp edged interior and exterior corner joints of the gutter or eaves trough sections. These sharp corners tend to create a substantial amount of turbulent flow around the sharp inner corner portion and/or outer corner portions of the corner sections. 
     Unfortunately, these sharp edge interior and exterior corner joints due to the creation of turbulence at these joints tends to result in the buildup of leaves and debris at the interior and exterior corners of the corner sections of the eaves trough due to whirlpools, eddies and other non-uniform flow around the sharp edge interior and exterior corner joints. 
     The prior art has identified this deficiency in the conventional gutter or eaves trough systems. One solution proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,466 under the title Rain Gutter Corner Segment Construction filed by Walter Martin and Jeanne Martin which was issued on Jul. 11, 2000. This patent describes rain gutter corner segments having a curved or arcuate form rather than a sharp-edged interior and exterior corner joint. The system described is not designed to be retrofitted to a conventional gutter system and completely changes the exterior look. 
     In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 8,567,130 titled ‘One Piece Corner Fitting’ by John Winston Rhodes which was issued on Oct. 29, 2013 describes an insert for placement into an existing corner section of an eavestrough in order to repair a corroded or failed sharp edged corner joint. This patent explains that sharp edged corner joints tend to fail in part due to the accumulation of leaves and debris at the corner joint creating damming and potential ice damage as a result. The present concept provides retro fit-able solution which could prevent this problem. 
     Unfortunately, none of the prior art describes a gutter inset which can be used easily and without difficulty installed into existing gutter or eaves trough configurations which have sharp edged interior and exterior corner joints without the need for completely renewing the eaves trough installation and without changing the exterior visual appearance of the existing gutter system. There is a need for improving the flow characteristics of the sharp-edged interior and exterior corner joints of conventional gutter systems without expensive complete re-installations or modifications to the sharp edged corners and without changing the existing exterior look of the gutters and gutter corners. 
     It is an object of the present concept to provide a simple and efficient rain gutter corner insert that minimizes turbulent flow around sharp edged corners and the buildup of leaves and debris at the interior and exterior corners of a rain gutter and which will promote both self-flushing of the gutter trough as well as simplify cleaning of gutter corners. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present concept a gutter insert designed to fit within the corner section of an eaves trough, the gutter insert includes
         a) a substantially horizontal bottom wall which includes an arcuate back periphery, and an inner peripheral edge;   b) an upstanding back wall rigidly connected to the horizontal bottom surface at the arcuate back periphery of the horizontal bottom wall, wherein the upstanding back wall together with the horizontal bottom wall includes a first and a second transverse edge, which includes a first and second upstanding edge respectively;   c) the horizontal bottom wall is configured to lie adjacent to a base of the corner section of an eaves trough and extends between the inner sidewall and an outer sidewall of the corner section of an eaves trough at the first and second transverse edges;   d) wherein the inner peripheral edge is configured to lie substantially adjacent an inner sidewall of the corner section of an eaves trough;   e) such that the horizontal bottom wall, the upstanding back wall of the gutter insert, together with an inner side wall of the corner section of an eaves trough form a channel directing the flow of water smoothly around the corner of a corner section of an eaves trough.       

     Preferably wherein the inner peripheral edge is a V shape to follow the contour of the inner corner portion of the corner section of an eaves trough, wherein the inner apex of the corner section of an eaves trough is adjacent to an apex of the V shaped peripheral edge thereby preventing longitudinal movement of the gutter insert in an installed position within the corner section of an eaves trough. 
     Preferably wherein a first arm and a second arm of the V shaped peripheral edge extend substantially perpendicular to each other. 
     Preferably wherein the upstanding back wall is substantially perpendicular to the horizontal bottom wall and contacts the outer side wall of the corner section of an eaves trough, at the first and second upstanding edge. 
     Preferably wherein the upstanding back wall substantially follows the cross sectional contour of and lies adjacent to the outer side wall at the first and second upstanding edge. 
     Preferably wherein a corner section of an eaves trough is an inside corner and the upstanding back wall deflects water around a corner in a smooth arcuate path. 
     Preferably wherein a corner section of an eaves trough is an outside corner and the upstanding back wall deflects water around a corner in a smooth arcuate path. 
     Preferably wherein the vertical height of the upstanding back wall is lower than the vertical height of the outer side wall of a corner section of an eaves trough. 
     Preferably wherein the vertical height of the upstanding back wall is lower than vertical height of the outer side wall top lip of a corner section of an eaves trough such that the back wall is wedged between the base and top lip of a corner section of an eaves trough. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       With the intention of providing demonstration of the characteristics of the device or method, an example or examples are given below, without any restrictive character whatsoever, with reference to the corresponding figures of preferred embodiments of the device and method as follows: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic front top perspective view of a gutter insert for an inside corner. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic back top perspective view of the gutter insert shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic top plan view of the gutter insert shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic left side plan view of the gutter insert shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic right side plan view of the gutter insert shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a top schematic perspective view of an inside gutter insert shown in  FIG. 1  deployed in a conventional sharp edged mitered inside corner section of an eaves trough. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic front top perspective view of a gutter insert for an outside corner. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic back bottom perspective view of the gutter insert shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic top plan view of the gutter insert shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic left side plan view of the gutter insert shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic right side plan view of the gutter insert shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic back top view of an outside gutter insert shown in  FIG. 7  deployed in a conventional sharp edged mitered outside corner section of an eaves trough. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present concept is shown in  FIGS. 1-6  for a gutter insert  100  for an inside corner and  FIGS. 7-12  which is a gutter insert  200  for an outside corner. The inside corner  100  and outside corner  200  have many similarities in that both include a bottom wall  104 ,  204  and a back wall  122 ,  222 . 
     Referring first of all to  FIGS. 1-6  a gutter insert for an inside corner of a gutter or eaves trough is shown generally as  100 . 
     Gutter insert  100  includes the following major components, namely bottom wall  104  which is rigidly connected to an upstanding curved or arcuate back wall  122  at back periphery  106 . 
     Bottom wall  104  includes an inner peripheral edge  132  which includes a first arm  134  and a second arm  136  which meet at apex  130 . Gutter insert for an inside corner  100  further includes a first transverse edge  108  and a second transverse edge  110 . First transverse edge  108  includes a first upstanding edge  114  and second transverse edge  110  includes a second upstanding edge  116 . 
     Gutter insert  100  further includes a top edge  119  which is the top curve or arcuate portion of the back wall  122  and gap  180  which is the space between top edge  119  and outer side walls  120  proximate outer apex  138 . 
     Gutter insert  100  is described with reference to a first longitudinal direction  144  and a second longitudinal direction  145  which generally corresponds to the direction of the longitudinal lengths of gutters or eaves trough that connect to the corner portions. Gutter insert  100  is further described with reference to vertical direction  146  and radial direction  148 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6  which is a top schematic view of gutter insert  100  for an inside corner deployed in an installed position  130  in a conventional sharp cornered mitered inside corner section of an eaves trough shown as  102  where in gutter insert  100  is shown in an installed position  130  with gutter insert  100  housed within an inside corner section of an eaves trough  102  also referred to as an eaves trough corner section. 
     The inside corner section of an eaves trough  102  includes an inner sidewall  118 , a base  112 , an outer sidewall  120 , an inner corner section  126  with an inner apex  128 . Outer sidewalls  120  meet at outer miter  139  at outer apex  138 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 7-12  which depict a gutter insert for an outside corner shown generally as  200  includes the following major components, namely a bottom wall  204  a back wall  222  which is connected to the bottom wall  204  at back periphery  206 . 
     Bottom wall  204  includes a first transverse edge  208  which includes a first upstanding edge  214  and further includes a second transverse edge  210  which includes a second upstanding edge  216 . 
     Bottom wall  204  also includes am inner peripheral edge  232  which a first arm  234  and a second arm  236  which meet at apex  230 . 
     Gutter insert  200  further includes a top edge  219 . Gutter insert  200  is described with reference to the following directions, namely first longitudinal direction  244 , second longitudinal direction  245 , first vertical direction  246 , and radial direction  248 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 12  gutter insert  200  is shown deployed in a conventional sharp cornered mitered outside corner section of an eaves trough  202  also referred to as eaves trough outside corner section. Outside corner section of an eaves trough  202  includes a base  212 , an inner sidewall  218 , an outer sidewall  220 , inner corner portion  226 , inner apex  222 , outer miter  239 , outer apex  238 , top edge  219  and gap  280  which is the space between top edge  219  and outer side walls  220  proximate outer apex  238 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 12  gutter insert  100  and  200  is designed to fit within a corner section of an eavestrough  102 ,  202  where in the gutter insert  100 ,  200  includes a substantially horizontal bottom wall  104 ,  204  which includes an arcuate back periphery  106 ,  206  and an inner peripheral edge  132 ,  232 . 
     Upstanding back wall  122 ,  222  is rigidly connected to the horizontal bottom surface  104 ,  204  at the arcuate back periphery  106 ,  206  of the horizontal bottom wall  104 ,  204  wherein gutter inserts  100 ,  200  include upstanding back wall  122 ,  222  rigidly connected to horizontal bottom wall  104 ,  204  and are bounded by a first and second transverse edge  108 ,  208 , and  110 ,  210 , top edge  119 ,  219  and inner peripheral edge  132 ,  232   
     Gutter inserts  100 ,  200  contact the corner sections of the eaves trough  102 ,  202  at the following contact areas. The horizontal bottom wall  104 ,  204  of gutter insert  100 ,  200  is configured to lay adjacent and contact base  112 ,  212  of the corner sections of the eaves trough  102 ,  202  respectively. The back wall  122 ,  222  of gutter insert  100 ,  200  lays adjacent and contacts the outer side wall  120 ,  220  of the corner section of an eaves trough  102 ,  202  proximate first upstanding edge  114 ,  214  and second upstanding edge  116 ,  216 . Back wall  122 ,  222  of gutter insert  100 ,  200  forms a gap  180 ,  280  between back wall  122 ,  222  and outer side wall  120 ,  220  proximate outer apex  138 ,  238  which located between first upstanding edge  114 ,  214  and second upstanding edge  116 ,  216 . Gutter inserts  100 ,  200  are glued or caulked to base  112 ,  212  and outer side walls  120 ,  220  at the contact areas described above thereby preventing water from entering the gap  180 ,  280 . 
     The horizontal bottom wall  104 ,  204  together with the upstanding back wall  122 ,  222  of the gutter insert  100 ,  200  together with an inner side wall  118 ,  218  of the corner section of the eavestrough  102 ,  202  form a channel  124 ,  224  directing the flow of water smoothly around the corner of a corner section of an eaves trough  102 ,  202 . 
     Gutter insert  100  and gutter insert  200  are designed to fit into corner sections of an existing eaves trough. They are placed into the corner sections of an existing eaves trough and sealed with suitable caulking along the bottom wall  104 ,  204 , first and second transverse edges  108 ,  110 ,  208 ,  210  and first and second upstanding edges  114 , and  116 . This forms a new channel for the  124 ,  224  for the water to flow around the corner sections of an existing eaves trough  102 ,  202 .