Patent Publication Number: US-11377853-B2

Title: Debris shield system for water runoff gutters and water collection systems

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/047,721, filed 2 Jul. 2020 and titled “Debris Shield System for Gutters,” the full disclosure of which is herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The technology described herein relates to a debris shield for a gutter or other water runoff collection system installed on or proximal to a roof or other location on a building such as a home, office building, and the like. 
     BACKGROUND 
     It is common for buildings to have gutter and water runoff mitigation systems extending around the perimeter of the roof to capture and redirect rain water to a location where the water can be properly drained away from the property and to prevent runoff onto walkways and entryways. However, in addition to rainwater, debris may collect on the roof and be blown into or carried by the rainwater into the gutter system. Debris may include leaves, branches, twigs, dirt, pinecones, and the like. Since gutter systems are primarily designed to carry and redirect water, debris may build up causing the gutter system to become blocked. 
     To help alleviate this problem, devices have been developed which are designed to cover the opening of the gutter and allow water to pass through the cover and into the gutter while keeping larger debris out. However, the better a cover is at keeping debris out, the worse it is at allowing water to infiltrate through the cover and into the gutter. This can result in water running over the edge of the gutter and onto the ground, causing potential safety hazards such as slick walkways or ice buildup, and defeating the purpose of the gutter system. Conversely, if a cover is developed which allows water to infiltrate easily, it can also inadvertently allow debris to enter the gutter system, causing clogs and other blockages over time. Accordingly, a system is needed which allows water reliably to infiltrate the gutter cover while preventing debris from entering the gutter system and preventing water from simply “tracking” over the gutter cover and off the edge of the roof and gutter system. 
     The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not regarded subject matter by which the scope of the invention as defined in the claims is to be bound. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure has been developed to remedy the deficiencies of existing debris shield systems. 
     A debris shield system of the present disclosure is designed for use with gutters and other water runoff collection systems. The debris shield system provides universal fit to various gutter systems and enables easier assembly on-site and simplifies manufacturing. The debris shield system includes various water adhesion and water capture features, which function to slow the flow of water, break surface tension of the water, and encourage the water flow into a gutter or other water runoff system. 
     In one example, the present disclosure is directed to a debris shield system for preventing debris buildup in a gutter, comprising: a gutter cap having a body with a first dimension extending along the first direction of the gutter cap and a second dimension, orthogonal to the first dimension, extending along a second direction of the gutter cap, comprising: one or more ridges formed integrally with the body and provided on a first side, the one or more ridges extending along the second direction and configured to impede a fluid flow occurring substantially along the first dimension; one or more ribs provided on a second side opposite the first side and formed integrally with the body; a plurality of apertures formed through the body and extending between the first side and the second side; a coupling portion configured to cooperate with an interface of a roof coupler; wherein the roof coupler further comprises a channel formed by the interface and configured to receive the coupling portion and to removably and securely couple the roof coupler to the body; and wherein the plurality of apertures are configured to permit the fluid flow to pass therethrough. 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. A more extensive presentation of features, details, utilities, and advantages of the present invention as defined in the claims is provided in the following written description of various embodiments of the invention and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the debris shield system for gutters installed on an exemplary section of a gutter. 
         FIG. 2  is a side cross-sectional view of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the debris shield system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the debris shield system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D  illustrate alternate examples of interface configurations between roof coupler components and gutter caps. 
         FIG. 6A  is an isolated perspective view of the heat cable cover of the system of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 6B  is an isolated bottom view of the heat cable cover of the system in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     General Overview 
     As discussed above in the background section, debris shield systems are designed to cooperate with building gutter systems to prevent debris and detritus from entering the gutter or other water runoff collection system while allowing water to pass through the debris shield into the gutter. The debris shield system of the present disclosure includes several novel features designed to capture more water runoff into the runoff collection system while keeping debris from building up on the debris shield itself, or entering the runoff collection system itself. 
     In particular, several water adhesion features are provided in the debris shield system which are designed to slow down the flow of water down so that it can be better captured by the gutter system, while preventing debris from passing through the debris shield or accumulating on top of the shield. The debris shield system includes three main components: a gutter cap, a screen overlaying the gutter cap, and a roof coupler. Additional components, like a deicer cap and a heat cable, may optionally provided. The gutter cap and roof coupler may be provided as individual pieces to allow easier, customized installation while also simplifying manufacturing by allowing components to be individually molded, extruded, or formed by different materials while also allowing for future changes to be easily made to one piece without affecting the manufacture of the other. To aid in the slow-down of the runoff water flow, and encourage collection of water into the gutter or other runoff collection system, the gutter cap and roof coupler may be provided with one or more water adhesion features. 
     The gutter cap may have a several apertures extending through the cap which allow water to pass through to the gutter. A screen, such as a micromesh, a finely-woven stainless steel micro-filter, and the like, may optionally be inserted into a portion of the gutter cap and overlay. The screen may designed to allow water to pass therethrough while keeping debris from entering through the gutter cap apertures into the water runoff or gutter system. Further, the screen may also encourage the debris to be directed off the edge of the gutter system. 
     The roof coupler may include several ridges and a coupler interface designed to slow the water flow from the rooftop or other section of a building (e.g., a deck). The roof coupler ridges, which may be shaped like a sawtooth or a shark&#39;s dorsal fin, also function to prevent water from infiltrating under the shingles of the roof while helping to retain the roof coupler under the shingles. These ridges may also be referred to as anti-wicking ridges. The roof coupler interface, which receives a portion of the gutter cap when assembled, is designed with a curved shape selected such that the surface tension of water allows the water to “adhere” to the roof coupler interface, slowing the flow of water down and directing it onto the gutter cap. It is noted that “adhere” is used with respect to the present disclosure to describe a situation where the surface tension or other cohesive forces of water has become dominant and the water flows substantially on the surface of the component. That is, the water will substantially follow curves and angles of the surface as if it were adhesively coupled to said surface. Optionally, a deicer cable cover may be provided which has a similarly curved shape as the roof coupler interface, and may include adhesion features, to capture the water flow and encourage the water to pass through the gutter cap. 
     The gutter cap may have several ridges on the top side which extend along the length of the gutter cap (i.e., wherein the length is the longer dimension extending along the side of the roof and the building, generally orthogonal to the width or smaller dimension of the gutter itself). The gutter cap ridges, similar to the curved shape of the roof coupler interface, are designed to slow down and capture the water flow, encouraging it to flow into and pass through the gutter cap apertures. On an under side of the gutter cap, several ribs are provided which extend along the length of the gutter cap, extending in the same general direction as the gutter cap ridges. These ribs are provided both as a structural support to increase longevity of the gutter cap and to make installation easier, but the ribs also perform as water adhesion features. In particular, as water passes through the apertures of the gutter cap, it may “track” or adhere to an underside of the cap. In addition to providing structural rigidity for the gutter cap, the ribs are designed to prevent this water from tracking the entire underside of the gutter cap in instead impacts the ribs which force it down into the gutter. Furthermore, the ribs may enable the gutter cap to be installed at a greater angle (that is, a more inclined angle relative to horizontal) which further reduces buildup of debris on the top of the gutter cap. 
     The third main component of the debris shield system is a screen which generally overlays the top of the gutter cap. The screen may be a micromesh screen, finely woven stainless steel microfilters, or other screen provided with holes small enough to keep debris out while allowing water to pass through. The screen is designed to be substantially the same width as the gutter cap and extend along the length of the gutter cap. The screen is formed so that it is in contact with the ridges formed on the upper surface of the gutter cap, as illustrated in the Figures. This is desirable because in some situations, such as heavy water flow, some water may not be able to immediately enter through the small holes in the screen and may “track” over the top of the screen. By forming the screen and gutter cap ridges so that the screen contacts the ridges and other portions of the gutter cap, the amount of water which is captured by the debris shield system is significantly improved. For example, water may impact the portion of the screen overlaying and in contact with the first, second, or third ridge (or additional ridges if provided), slow down from this impact, and fall through the screen and the gutter cap where it can then enter the gutter for normal disposal by the gutter system. 
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Figures illustrating examples of the present disclosure will now be discussed. Reference numbers amongst the various figures depict common features and components between the various views. 
     The term “adhere” is used with respect to the present disclosure to describe a situation where the surface tension, adhesion, or cohesion of water has become dominant and the water flows substantially on the surface of the component such that the water substantially follows curves, contours, shapes, and angles of the component as if it were adhesively coupled to or “stuck” to said surface. In some examples when the water is “adhered” to the surface in this manner it may exhibit a capillary action. In some examples this process may be conceptualized or described as the water “sticking” to the surface of the components of the present disclosure. Similarly, the term “tracking” may be used to describe the flow of water when it is adhered to a surface or a component or a feature. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of the debris shield system (DSS)  100  according to the present disclosure is illustrated in partial cross-section with a pre-existing gutter  202  on a building  204  having a roof  206  and shingles  208 . The gutter  202  may be any type of water runoff collection system, but for the purpose of this discussion will be referred to simply as a gutter  202 . The DSS  100  comprises a gutter cap  102  configured to be coupled to and partially recessed in the gutter  202 . The cap  102  may be secured to the gutter  202  by a fastener such as a screw, nail, and the like (not shown) extending through the apertures  107  and into a portion of the gutter  202 . When installed on a gutter  202 , a screen  112  may optionally overlays the top of the cap  102 . The screen  112 , such as a micromesh or finely woven stainless steel microfilter, may cover all or only a portion of the cap  102  in either the length or width directions. During installation, some sections of the cap  102  may not be provided with a screen, such as in high-flow areas such as sections of a gutter system which collect significant water runoff like roof corners and the like. 
     A roof coupler  140  may include an interface  142  forming a channel  146  which cooperates with a male coupling portion  106  provided on a proximal side of the cap  102 , such that the channel  146  mates with the proximal portion of the cap  102 . This two-piece design may allow for easier installation, while also allowing multiple sizes and shapes of roof couplers  140  to be used with multiple sizes and shapes of caps  102 , which in turn provides a more adaptable fit for a variety of water runoff systems. A portion of the roof coupler  140  may extend under the shingles  208  (or similar roof covering) of the roof  206 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Flex point  149  may also allow the roof coupler  140  to easily bend to accommodate various widths of gutters as well as enable attachment of the roof coupler  140  to fascia board of the building  204 . An optional electric deicing heat cable  136  and deicer cover  130  may be provided at a proximal end of the cap  102 . By providing the deicer cover  130  at the proximal end of the cap  102 , as opposed to the distal end nearby the flange  104 , debris buildup caused by the deicer cover  130  can be prevented. Deicer cover may also promote increased contact between the screen  112  and the cap  102 , if a screen is provided. Heat cable  136  may be substantially any conventional configuration that is compatible with the size and shape of the deicer cover  130 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , a side cross-sectional view of the debris shield system  100  is illustrated. As discussed above, the debris shield system  100  has several water adhesion features which provide a significant improvement over other solutions to gutter clogged by debris build-up. The adhesion features, such as the cap ridges  110 , cap ribs  108 , curved edge  144  of the roof coupler interface  142 , roof coupler ridges  148 , and/or the curved edge  132  of the (optional) heat cable cover  130 , may operate to slow the flow Z (illustrated in dashed line in the Figures) of water down such that the water may adhere (as discussed above) to the respective components of the debris shield system  100 . By this adhesion or capillary action, a significant portion of the water flow Z may be encouraged into the gutter  202 . 
     The gutter cap  102 , also referred to as cap  102 , maybe formed from a metal or plastic material, and may preferably be formed of a light weight, rigid metal such as aluminum. A flange  104  having one or more through-holes or apertures  107  extending therethrough is provided at the distal end of the cap  102 . The apertures  107  may allow a fastener such as a nail or screw (not shown) to secure the flange  104  to a gutter  202 , thereby coupling the gutter cap  102  to the gutter  202  and securing it in place. 
     Also at the distal end of the cap  102 , a screen retention finger  105  may be provided. The screen  112  (if provided) may fit under this retention finger  105  which is configured to assist in retaining the screen  112  (if provided) in contact with portions of the cap  102 . In some examples, the distal end of the screen may also include a retention member  113 , which may be a folded-back portion of the screen  112  or may alternatively be a separate component coupled to or integrally formed with the screen  112 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the cap  102  may be formed with a slight curve in it such that a proximal end (i.e., where the coupling portion  106  is provided) is elevated above the distal end (i.e., where the fastening flange  104  is provided), as shown in  FIG. 2 . This curved, geodesic, or parabolic shape encourages debris and water flow Z to flow substantially down and away from the roof  206  and shingles  208 . A plurality of apertures  114  (see also  FIGS. 3-5 ), are provided extending through the surface of the cap  102 . These apertures  114  allow water to pass through the cap  102  and to flow into the gutter  202 . As shown in  FIGS. 3-4 , the aperture  114  may be formed in a hexagonal shape with one of the vertices or corners of the hexagon confronting the flow of water Z. This specific design and layout, with a corner of the hexagon substantially confronting the direction Z of flow of water runoff functions to break the surface tension of the water flow and encourages water to be drawn into the apertures  114  and into the gutter  202 . Furthermore, the apertures  114  may be provided in rows which are offset in a length direction (e.g., orthogonal to the water flow Z illustrated in  FIG. 3 ). That is, one row of apertures  114  may be offset from the previous row such that water flow Z which “misses” or skips over one aperture  114  may be captured by the following row of apertures  114 . 
     One or more ridges  110  may be provided on an upper surface of the cap  102 . These ridges  110  extend along the length of the cap  102  as shown in  FIG. 3 , and protrude above the surface of the cap  102  to form curved “bump” shaped surface, akin to a speed bump on a road. These ridges  110  operate to slow the water flow Z down, which assists with adhering the water to the surface of the cap  102  and encouraging water to fall through the apertures  114  as discussed above. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , when assembled on the cap  102 , the screen  112  (if provided) may have several contact points with the ridges  110 . Since the screen is provided with small openings to allow water to flow through while blocking debris such as leaves, trimmings, branches, and the like, these openings in the screen  112 , due to their small size, may also allow the water to “track” or flow over the top surface and/or track under the bottom surface the screen  112 . By ensuring that portions of the screen  112  contact the ridges  110  during installation, these contact points (denoted by small “x” in  FIG. 2 ) provide paths for the water flow Z to impact the cap  102 , drop through the screen and flow through apertures  114  into the gutter  202 . 
     On an under side of the cap  102  one or more ribs  108  may be provided. The ribs  108  may in some examples be substantially planar or rectangular in shape, extending downward into the interior volume of the gutter  202  (see  FIG. 2 ). However, these ribs  108  may take on various other shapes other than rectangular or planar, and may have a tapered, chamfered, triangular, or other geometrical shape. Ribs  108  may provide improved rigidity to the cap  202 , making it easier to install and handle while retaining the shape as designed and depicted. In addition to structural rigidity, which is also improved by the formation of the ridges  110  on the upper surface, the ribs  108  also function as water adhesion features. As water enters through the apertures  114  of the cap  102  as discussed above, instead of the water flow Z passing into the gutter  202  in some instances a portion of the water flow may adhere or track on an under surface of the cap  102 . In this instance, the ribs  108  function to impede water flow from extending the whole width of the cap  102 , and instead any tracking water is forced to drop into the gutter  202 . Furthermore, ribs  108  may enable the gutter cap  102  to be installed at a greater angle on the gutter  202 , which further reduces buildup of debris on the top of the gutter cap. That is, a more inclined angle relative to horizontal such that the proximal end with coupling portion  106  of the cap  102  is elevated above the distal end with the flange  104  of the cap  102  (i.e., more elevated than illustrated in  FIG. 2 ). The ribs  108 , in such an increasingly inclined implementation, function to capture any water flow which tracks the under side of the cap  102  and force the water into the gutter  202 . 
     At a proximal end of the cap  102  a coupling portion  106  is provided formed to securely couple the cap  102  with a roof coupler  140 . In some examples, the coupling portion  106  may be formed in a substantially “T” shape with flanges extending in directions distal and proximal (i.e., substantially orthogonal to the length direction of the cap  102 ) from the roof coupler  140 . This coupling portion  106  may cooperate with the channel  146  a roof coupler  140  interface  142 . The interface  142  of the roof coupler  140  may have fingers  143  formed with a shape which creates a channel  146  for receiving the T-shape of the coupling portion  106  of the cap  102 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . It is noted that although discussed as having a substantially T-shape, the coupling portion  106  of the cap  102  may be formed with other configurations which allow reversibly coupling the cap  102  and roof coupler  140 , such as an “L” shape interface with a flange extending only to one side and a matching channel in the coupler  140 , a snap-fit connection, a tongue-in-groove interface, and the like, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     In the present example, when assembling the debris shield system  100 , the T-shaped coupling portion  106  may be slid into the channel  146  of the roof coupler  140 . This two-piece design simplifies the manufacturing and installation of the debris shield system  100 , while enabling the use of a roof coupler  140  with different sizes, shapes, materials, and designs, while retaining compatibility with the gutter cap  102 . This increased compatibility may also allow for variously sized caps  102  to be used such that compatibility with various gutter sizes, roof designs, and the like, may be accommodated. This adaptability enables a more universal fit for the wide variety of gutter systems, other water runoff systems, and various structural designs of buildings and roofs. 
     The roof coupler  140 , in addition to being compatible with various types of roofing designs and gutter sizes, is also designed to encourage water to enter the gutter  202 . For example, the roof coupler  140  interface  142  may include a curved edge  144  which is designed with a radius of curvature which promotes water adhesion on the distal end of the roof coupler  140  interface  142 , thereby ensuring more water falls onto the screen  112  (if provided) and cap  102 . In this way, the curved edge  144  may operate as an additional adhesion feature as discussed above. 
     The roof coupler  140  may also include plural ridges  148  on an upper surface of the roof coupler  140 . These ridges  148 , similar to ridges  110  provided on the cap  102 , operate to slow the water flow Z down, which is important for promoting adhesion. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , in some examples not all ridges  148  will be under a shingle  208 , and as water flows from the rooftop it will impact one or more of the ridges  148 . As discussed above, the ridges  148  may also prevent water from seeping “upward” (e.g., seeping in a proximal direction toward the end of the roof coupler  140  provided under the shingles  208 ). Additionally, ridges  148  also function to keep the roof coupler  140  positioned under the shingles  208  or other roof covering by providing a ridged or ribbed surface which increases the frictional fit of the roof coupler  140  under the shingle  208 . 
     Roof coupler  140  may also be provided with flex points  149  on a side opposite the ridges  148 . The flex points  149  allow the roof coupler  140  to bend and flex to fit the contours of the shape and angle of the roof  206  and/or shingles  208 . Further, the flex points  149  allow the roof coupler  140  to be “folded” back onto itself in the direction indicated by arrow F in  FIG. 2 , and as discussed above. Flex points  149 , by virtue of their thinner construction relative to the other parts of the heat coupler  140 , may also allow portions of the heat coupler  140  to be removed (e.g., by cutting, slicing, or ripping) to further improve compatibility with a variety of gutter systems. In some implementations of the debris shield system  100 , the width of the gutter  202 , the shape and size of the roof  206 , and/or design of the shingles  208  may necessitate portions of the roof coupler  140  to have a smaller overall size so that the debris shield system  100  may better fit together with the gutter  202  or roof  206 . For example, if a gutter has a width greater than the width of the cap  102 , the roof coupler may be folded back in a L-shape or U-shape as needed to allow the overall width of the debris shield system  100  to be increased beyond the width of the cap  102 . In such an example, the proximal (e.g., folded) portion roof coupler  140  may be coupled to a portion of the gutter or to a portion of the building as needed. 
     The deicer cover  130 , if provided, is designed to integrate with the debris shield system  100 , as illustrated best in  FIGS. 1, 2, and 6 . The deicer over  130  may slide underneath the distal finger  143  of the roof coupler  104  interface  140 . The lower lip of the distal curve  132  of the deicer cover  130  may impact the top of the cap  102  or the screen  112 , thereby encouraging the screen  112  (if provided) to contact the ridges  110  of the cap  102  and thereby provide points for water flow Z to adhere to the cap  102  and drop into the gutter, as discussed above. In addition to securing the deicer cover  130  to the debris shield system  100  by a frictional fit, the proximal surface  134  of the deicer cover  130  may be sloped to encourage any water flow which seeps in between the deicer cover  130  and the curved section  144  of the interface  140  to flow distally on the proximal surface  134  and into one or more slots  137  (see  FIGS. 4 and 6 ) provided on the proximal surface  134 . In this manner, water buildup on the surface  134  is reduced and additional water flows onto the cap  102  and into the gutter via apertures  114 . Deicer cover  130  may also increase the contact area between the heat cable  136  and the metal screen  112  and gutter cap  102 , improving the heating of these elements and melting any ice that is built up on the cap  102 , screen  112 , and roof coupler  140 . In implementations where the cap  102  is made of metal, such as aluminum, the heat generated by the heat cable  136  may conduct through the width and length of the cap  102  to improve deicing. 
       FIGS. 5A-5D  illustrate alternative designs of the roof coupler  140 , interface  142 , channel  146 , and coupling portion  106 . In the example of  FIGS. 5A-5C , a deicer cable cover has been integrated with the roof coupler  140 . In  FIG. 5D , additional ridges have been provided on a top surface of the roof coupler interface  142  which may function to slow water flow down, break surface tension, and encourage collection of the water into the gutter as discussed above. 
     All directional references (e.g., proximal, distal, upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, lateral, longitudinal, front, back, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, radial, axial, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader&#39;s understanding of the present invention, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of the invention. Connection references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and joined) may include intermediate members between a collection of elements and relative movement between elements unless otherwise indicated. As such, connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other. The exemplary drawings are for purposes of illustration only and the dimensions, positions, order, and relative sizes reflected in the drawings attached hereto may vary. 
     The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplary embodiments of the invention as defined in the claims. Although various embodiments of the claimed invention have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, or with reference to one or more individual embodiments, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention. Other embodiments are therefore contemplated. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only of particular embodiments and not limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the basic elements of the invention as defined in the following claims.