Patent Abstract:
A gutter lip mount clip for coupling a gutter deflector to a rain gutter is provided. In one embodiment, the gutter lip mount clip includes an upper portion and a lower portion having a first end connected to the upper portion and a second end. The upper portion is adapted for coupling the clip to an underside of a deflector and includes a plurality of apertures. The apertures are adapted for accepting a fastener for coupling the clip to the deflector. The lower portion is adapted to couple the clip to a gutter lip. In another embodiment, the lower portion includes a hook shaped member that engages the clip to the gutter lip.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/465,509, filed Apr. 25, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to a covering and deflector for existing rain gutters and roof-lines and, more particularly, to an improved deflector assembly for channeling rain water into a rain gutter.  
           [0004]    2. Background of the Related Art  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,404,775 and 4,796,390 (which are hereby incorporated by reference), issued to Demartini, describe a deflector assembly which consists of a flat main portion and a curved or arcuate portion located between the main portion and a lower edge. The assembly is positioned above a rain gutter such that the lower edge is located between a front edge and a rear wall of the gutter, and the curved portion is of sufficiently large radius as to extend beyond a trough portion of the gutter and cause water traversing the main portion to be caused, by surface tension, to follow around the curved portion and leave the curved portion at the lower edge. The main portion is held in place with a clip having a substantially straight upper section and a reverse-curved, downwardly oriented lower section, including upward facing tabs in the upper section and downward facing tabs in the lower section to receive the upper edge of an associated rain gutter.  
           [0006]    In principle, water coming from the roof flows onto the main portion of the deflector assembly following its path to the arcuate surface where, through principles of surface adhesion, water will adhere to the surface and be delivered into the gutter as the debris carried by the water is jettisoned off of the arcuate surface. However, difficulties ensue because of how the arcuate portion of the deflector device is attached to the gutter and held in place. Typically, clips such as those described in the prior art, e.g., in the U.S. Pat. No. &#39;390 Demartini patent, are used to hold the deflector assembly in position above the gutter. The clip consists of a lower portion which is curved in a reversed direction to the curve of an upper portion. The lower portion is designed to rest on an upper edge of the outside wall of the gutter and is affixed via tabs to an inside lip of the gutter. The clips are often secured to the gutter by bending the clip down the outside wall of the gutter thus pulling the tab tight to the inside lip of the gutter. The difficulty with clips of this type is that they are not fully stationary at the gutter-clip juncture. Consequently, to facilitate a stable deflector assembly, the top edge of the flat portion of the deflector assembly must be made stationary to the roof via a combination of adhesive strips and by placing nails through the main portion into the roof. Such attachment to the roof prevents horizontal and/or vertical movement from wind and storms which could cause the deflector assembly to be blown off the gutter. The drawbacks of this arrangement are that the adhesive strip increases the cost and time required for installation. Additionally, the nail that is required to make the panel stationary simply introduces one more location on each panel, typically in 3- to 5-foot lengths, wherein water can enter through the shingles into the roof and potentially cause in-wall leaks and destruction of the roof itself. The other limitations of these types of assemblies are that the tabs used to affix the flat portion of the deflector to the clip are made of aluminum and easily break off. Thus, whenever the flat main portion of the assembly must be removed for maintenance purposes, the clips must be replaced. Another limitation is that these deflector assemblies have to be installed by trained technicians and often require two installers to align and attach the assembly to the roof.  
           [0007]    Additionally, whenever the deflector assembly has to be removed from the gutter and roof for maintenance or replacement because of fallen tree limbs and the like, any fasteners or nails having been used to affix the flat portion of the covering to the roof must be removed, and replacing them during reinstallation further increases chances of causing a water pathway through the shingles and into the structure itself. Additionally, seal strips often used in the installation of this type of deflector often remove the grit from the shingles when the deflectors are removed. If deflectors are not replaced, an unsightly tell-tale blemish is left on the roofing where the seal strip was removed.  
           [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional clip coupling a rain gutter and a deflector and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  2 -- 2  in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, an existing rain gutter  6  of the usual type is attached to a building adjacent to a roof ( 50 ). This gutter  6  usually has an open top as shown in the left-hand portion of FIG. 1.  
           [0009]    A covering and deflector (e.g., a deflector assembly) for the open rain gutter is shown generally at numeral  8 . This deflector has a closed top portion  1  and an arcuate front portion  26 . The arcuate front portion  26  interfits and affixes to an arcuate portion  7  of either a gutter lip mounting clip  10  or the rear mount clip  30 .  
           [0010]    The gutter lip mounting clip  10  connects to a bottom of a front lip  3  of the rain gutter  6 . FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the gutter lip mounting clip  10  consisting of a lower portion  4  in which there is a slot  5  used to receive a fastener, e.g., a screw, rivet and the like. To attach the clip  10  to the rain gutter, the fastener is installed through the front lip  3  of the rain gutter  6  and into slot  5  of deflector gutter lip clip  10 , which is hidden from view within the gutter. The deflector is attached to and supported by an upper portion  21  which contains a slot  22  that accepts fasteners. The upper portion  21  and lower portion  4  are connected to one another by an intermediate portion  34  having a generally arcuate form. When installed, the arcuate intermediate portion  34  interfits the inner diameter of the arcuate portion of the deflector. Importantly, to ease installation, the slot  5  of the deflector gutter lip clip  10  is positioned in a extension member  51  that offsets the slot  5  from a centerline of the clip, i.e., slot  22  is laterally offset from slot  5 . As such, an installer has sufficient access to the slot  5  even though the intermediate portion  34  of the clip may extend over the lower portion  4 . Thus, the complex assembly is relatively difficult to install.  
           [0011]    [0011]FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view of the conventional rear mount clip  30 . Rear mount clip  30  is used to mount against rear wall of gutter  6 . The clip is generally triangular in shape and contains a mounting plate  28 , a bracing member  31  and a deflector support member  27 . The clip is typically constructed from a single piece of aluminum or steel. To facilitate mounting the clip to the rear wall of the gutter, upper stops or ears  36  extend from the mounting plate  28  and behind the top edge of the rear wall of gutter  6 . Alternatively, using screws or other fasteners, the mounting plate can be fastened directly to the fascia boards of the building structure. Also, for added stability, both the ears and direct fastening can be used.  
           [0012]    Receiving slots  29  in mounting plate  28  allow for adjustments in height of the arcuate portion  7  of the clip and are fastened with tab  32  at one end of the bracing member  31 . The bracing member contains stops  33  that make the bracing member stationary with respect to the mounting plate  28  Tab  32  of bracing member  31  extends through and beyond receiving slots  29  of mounting plate  28  by ¼ or more. The excess portion of the tab is bent down or twisted at time of installation to keep tab  32  from slipping or being knocked out of receiving slot  29 . The deflector is attached to the deflector support member using fasteners through the deflector and into the slot  22 . When attached, the arcuate portion  7  generally interfits the inner diameter of the arcuate portion of the deflector.  
           [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 shows a top view of the deflector assembly containing two deflectors  19  and  20 . A top portion  16  of deflector  20  contains attachment apertures  27 ,  9 , and  11  and top portion  17  of the deflector  19  contains attachment apertures  13 ,  14 , and  15 . To form a continuous covering over rain gutter, the top portion  16  of deflector  20  is joined with the top portion  17  of deflector  19  such that the top portions overlap as generally shown at  18  in FIG. 4.  
           [0014]    As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, the right deflector  19  is initially fastened with fastener  23  through attachment aperture  13  and through slot  22  of top portion  21  of gutter lip mounting clip  10 . At the overlap juncture, left deflector  20  is laid over right deflector  19  and fastener  24  is installed through aperture  9  of deflector  20 , aperture  14  of right deflector and through slot  22  of top portion  21  of gutter lip mounting clip  10 . Lastly, fastener  25  is positioned through apertures  16  and  18  of right deflector  20  and left deflector  19  respectively. Alternatively, a rear mount clip could be used in lieu of the gutter lip mounting clip.  
           [0015]    Once the foregoing process is complete, the right  19  and left  20  deflectors are securely fastened to the gutter lip mounting clip  10  by tightening the fasteners. If a rear mount clip is used, slot  22  and arcuate portion  7  of rear mount clip  30  (FIG. 6) are respectively analogous to slot  22  and arcuate portion  7  of gutter lip mounting clip (FIG. 5). As such, once the clips are installed, i.e., to the gutter lip for the gutter lip mounting clip or the rear gutter wall for the rear mount clip, the process for attaching the deflectors to either clip is identical.  
           [0016]    The clips referenced above have several drawbacks when it comes to installation. The clip shown in FIG. 6 is often difficult to install in situations where roof shingles hang down into the gutter and the clip shown in FIG. 5, although ideal in principal, is difficult to install since member  51  of FIG. 5 slides under gutter lip  3  shown in FIG. 2 making it difficult for the installer who desires to self install to run a self tapping screw through lip of FIG. 2 into slot  5  of FIG. 5. Without perfect alignment of the screw with the slot  5 , the screw pushes the clip away from the gutter, preventing the screw from securing the clip to the gutter. Holding the clip to the gutter with a clamp or hand tool, makes installation more difficult as the screw and driving device may additionally clear the clip holding device during installation. Holding the clip to the gutter by hand is dangerous as the screw may easily pierce the hand during installation.  
           [0017]    Therefore, there is a substantial need in the art for an improved clip within a deflector assembly that does not require nailing or gluing the deflector assembly to the roof.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0018]    A gutter lip mount clip for coupling a gutter deflector to a rain gutter is provided. In one embodiment, the gutter lip mount clip includes an upper portion and a lower portion having a first end connected to the upper portion and a second end. The upper portion is adapted for coupling the clip to an underside of a deflector and includes a plurality of apertures. The apertures are adapted for accepting a fastener for coupling the clip to the deflector. The lower portion is adapted to couple the clip to a gutter lip. In another embodiment, the lower portion includes a hook shaped member that engages the clip to the gutter lip.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]    So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention are attained and can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a conventional clip securing a deflector to a rain gutter;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one embodiment of the deflector and rain gutter, coupled by a conventional clip taken along the line  2 -- 2  of FIG. 1;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the rain gutter, deflector and clip taken along the line  3 -- 3  of FIG. 1;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 is a top view of the deflector assembly of FIG. 1;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a conventional gutter lip mounting clip shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a conventional rear mount clip shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIGS. 7A-7C are various views of one embodiment of a clip of the present invention;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7D is a partial sectional view of a clip coupling a deflector to a gutter end cap;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIGS. 8A-8B are side and plan views of another embodiment of a clip of the present invention;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIGS. 9A-9B are top views of alternative embodiments of a clip of the present invention;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 9C is a side view of another embodiment of a clip coupling a deflector to a rain gutter; and  
         [0031]    [0031]FIGS. 10-11 respectively illustrate the clips of FIG. 7A and FIG. 8A coupling a deflector to a gutter.  
     
    
       [0032]    It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0033]    As noted in the aforementioned patents, the problems and annoyances involved in keeping rain gutters clean and free-flowing are common knowledge. However, the prior art solutions of screens, mesh, and deflectors for covering a gutter present other problems which in some ways are more burdensome and costly to install than simply periodically cleaning the gutters by hand. Not only do the screens and mesh materials themselves become clogged and blocked, but debris still collects within the gutter, necessitating removal of the screen or mesh before being able to reach the interior of the gutter for cleaning.  
         [0034]    The present invention provides a deflector assembly having a deflector and gutter mount clip. The deflector assembly covers the gutter and prevents it from becoming clogged with leaves and other debris as well as to protect the roof-line from ice and snow damage. The deflector assembly of this invention is designed as two integral units so that leaves, for example, and other debris which may clog the gutter, can neither enter the gutter nor the opening in the deflector that permits rain water to pass into the gutter. The deflector assembly can be easily installed by the average unskilled person without using fasteners or glue strips to attach the assembly to the roof. The gutter mount clips of the deflector assembly to improve the ease with which deflector clips are fastened to the gutter.  
         [0035]    One embodiment of the present invention is an improved clip  710  that can be mounted and affixed to the top of gutter lip  3  as shown in FIGS.  7 A-C and FIG. 10 of the accompanying drawings to attach one or more deflectors to the gutter  6 . The clip  710  has an upper portion  718 , an intermediate portion  720 , and a lower portion  712 . The upper portion  718  is designed to connect with the two deflectors  19  and  20  of the deflector assembly and is coupled to one end of the intermediate portion  720 . The lower portion  712  has a first end  722 , which is coupled to the other end of the intermediate portion  720 , and a second end  724  that terminates at the lower portion&#39;s distal end  708 . The lower portion  712  of the clip  710  shown in FIG. 7A is configured to extend above a substantially horizontal top of gutter lip  3  and then horizontally across the top of gutter lip as seen in FIG. 10. An extending member  714  of the lower portion  712  may be angled away from the upper portion  718  to a trough  716  with the intermediate portion  720  (as shown in the clip  910  of FIG. 9C). The trough  716  extends into the gutter below the lip  3  to prevent water entering the gutter from collecting on the lower portion  4  of the clip  10  and subsequently flow back out of the gutter over the gutter lip  3 . An orifice  700 , as shown in FIG. 7B, is formed through the lower portion  712  of the clip  710  through which a fastener  770  can be used to affix the clip  710  to the top of the gutter lip  3 , thereby facilitating assembly of the clip  710  to the gutter  6  by an installer of minimal skill.  
         [0036]    Specifically, FIG. 7B shows the clip  710  prior to forming. The clip  710  is approximately 5 inches long and 1½ inches wide. The orifice  700  has a diameter of approximately ⅛ inch and in one embodiment is located within about ½ of the lower portion&#39;s distal end  708 . The orifice  700  may alternatively be a longitudinally oriented slot  780  as seen in FIG. 7C. This clip  710  may be made from aluminum or other malleable material with a thickness ranging from 0.027 inches and 0.032 inches. It is contemplated that the clip may be fabricated to other dimensions.  
         [0037]    In addition, at least two laterally spaced apertures, shown as three laterally spaced sets of apertures  702 ,  704 ,  706  in FIG. 7B can be positioned on the upper portion  718  to join together the gutter deflector assembly as shown in FIG. 7C identified as  19  and  20 . These apertures typically have a diameter of about {fraction (1/16)} inch.  
         [0038]    The three sets of apertures  702 ,  704 ,  706  may each comprise one or more holes (two are shown for each set) generally align with the length of the clip  710  and are provided to accomplish the joining depending on whether the apertures are used to join two deflectors  19  and  20  together (as depicted in FIG. 7C) or whether the apertures  702 ,  704 ,  706  are used for installation of the first deflector in a gutter run either from the right or left side. If starting the installation of a deflector from the right, the apertures  706  on the right most edge of the clip  710  are used so that the leftmost edge of the deflector  19  abuts the edge of the end cap  790  leaving no space over the gutter uncovered and completely covers the clip  710 . The gutter&#39;s end cap  790  has a small horizontal flange  794  which overlaps the deflector  19  so that the apertures on the leftmost edge of the deflector  19 , the apertures  706  on the rightmost edge of the clip  710 , and the apertures on the end cap&#39;s flange align to accommodate a fastener (as depicted in FIG. 7D). If beginning installation of the gutter deflector from the left end of the gutter, the apertures  702  on the leftmost edge of the clip  710  are used so that the right edge of the deflector  19  abuts the edge of the end cap leaving no space uncovered and completely covers the clip  710 .  
         [0039]    Alternatively, instead of apertures, the upper portion  718  may include one or more slots  902  (shown in FIG. 9A), approximately {fraction (1/16)} inch by 1 inch, positioned on the central axis of the clip  710 . This slot  902  would be positioned behind the arcuate portion  7  of the clip  710 . In another embodiment, a slot  904  may be laterally orientated along the upper portion  718 . Moreover, it is contemplated that a plurality of slots, spaced apart in an orientation substantially perpendicular to the lateral direction, may be positioned on the upper portion  718  of the clip  710  as shown in FIG. 9B.  
         [0040]    In another embodiment, the upper portion  821  may include a plurality of grooves  863 , as shown in FIGS.  8 A-B. These grooves  863  extend across the width of the clip  810  to facilitate breaking off excess portions of the upper portion  821 . In one embodiment, the grooves  863  are spaced approximately every ½ from each other with the first groove being placed approximately 2 inches from the arcuate portion  87  of the clip  810 .  
         [0041]    Referring to the clip  810  shown in FIG. 8A of the accompanying drawings, a lower portion  84  of the clip  810  is modified such that no fasteners such as screws, rivets, and so on need to be used to affix the clip  810  to the gutter  6  (as shown in FIG. 11). To the lower portion  84 , a first leg  862  and a second leg  861 , as shown in FIG. 8A of attached drawings, are added resulting in a U-shaped (from the horizontal) hook member  864 . The open end of the hook member  864  faces the intermediate portion  834  of the clip  810 . This hook member  864  interleaves with the horizontal pre-formed U-shaped edge of the gutter lip  3 , with an open end facing back toward the intermediate portion  834 , as shown in FIG. 11. The hook member  864  may be slid laterally to engage with the U-shaped edge of the gutter lip  3 , or alternatively the hook member  864  and the U-shaped edge of the gutter lip  3  may be dimensioned to allow the engagement of the clip  810  with the lip  3  at the middle of the gutter  6 . This clip  810  may have a slot  22  formed through the upper portion  821  to facilitate coupling to the deflector, or may include two or more apertures, such as the apertures  702 ,  704 ,  706  in the upper portion  821  as described above. In addition, the clip  810  may include grooves  863  to allow unused portions of the upper portion  821  of the clip  810  to be broken away, thereby allowing one size clip to be used with deflectors of different sizes as shown in FIG. 8A-B.  
         [0042]    In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 8A, the second leg  861  is coupled with about a ⅛ inch radius bend to the first leg  862 . Similarly, the first leg  862  is coupled with about a ⅛ inch radius bend to the lower portion  84 , which in turn is coupled with about a ⅛ inch radius bend to the intermediate portion  834 . The upper portion  821  has a thickness of approximately 0.063 inches and is coupled to the intermediate portion  834  with about a ¼ inch radius bend. The intermediate portion  834  makes approximately a 57 degree angle with the lower portion  84  and approximately a 96 degree angle with the upper portion  821 .  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 8B illustrates the clip  810  prior to forming. As shown, about ¼ inch would be allotted for the second leg  861 , about ¾ inch for the first leg  862 , about 1 inch for the lower portion  84 , about 1½ inches for the intermediate portion  834 , about ¼ inch for the arcuate portion  87 , and at least 2½ inches for the upper portion  821  before the first groove is placed. Thereafter, the upper portion  821  consists of grooves  863  separated by approximately ½ inch increments.  
         [0044]    Although various embodiments which incorporate the teachings of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings.  
         [0045]    While the foregoing is directed to several alternative embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4