Patent Abstract:
A gutter guard support attaches to a gutter to support a gutter guard which prevents debris, e.g. leaves, twigs, tree buddings, etc., from entering the gutter. The gutter guard support is received on the transverse support members of the gutter and tautly holds the gutter guard (screen) under tension to prevent the creation of debris collecting valleys in the gutter guard.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an improved gutter guard support and, more particularly, to a gutter guard support which is securable to conventional gutter assemblies and supports a gutter guard so as to prevent debris from accumulating in the gutter assembly and on the surface of the gutter guard. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Gutters are secured to buildings to collect water running off a roof and to divert this runoff water into down spouts. The water is thereafter directed away from the building perimeter, for example into yards or storm drains. While gutters do an excellent job of collecting runoff water, they also undesirably collect foreign matter including leaves, twigs, tree buddings, and other debris. The collection of debris in gutters interferes with its ability to collect the runoff water and direct the same away from the building perimeter. As a result, the gutters must be periodically cleaned to remove the debris therefrom. Many people find this cleaning task unenjoyable, time consuming or too hazardous due to the height of the gutters above the ground. 
     Numerous gutter guards have been developed to prevent the collection of debris in the gutter while allowing the runoff water to be received in the gutter. Examples of prior gutter debris guards can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 608 844; 1,732,058; and 2,636,458. Some prior gutter guards include gutter screens made of woven metal wire which prevents debris from entering the gutter. Metal wire screens are expensive to manufacture and install relative to nonmetal screens, eg. plastic and nylon screens. Metal screens also can be awkward to remove to perform the cleaning task. Further, if the wire does not have a large enough gauge to prevent sagging under its own weight, the weight of water running off the roof onto the screen or the weight of debris that lands on the screen, then valleys are formed in the screen. Debris collects in these valleys and can interfere with the water collection. Thus like the gutters without gutter guards, one must clean the screen so that runoff water readily flows therethrough into the gutter. Some prior gutter guards have rigid peripheral frames enclosing the gutter guard to provide stability to the gutter guard. However, this significantly increases the cost of manufacturing and installing the gutter guard. 
     Nonmetal screens are also used in an attempt to prevent debris from collecting in gutters. However, nonmetal screens introduce a drawback, namely, the tendency of nonmetal screens to sag like the light gauge metal screens discussed above. At a sagging portion of the nonmetal screen, debris builds up and blocks water from passing therethrough into the gutter. Consequently, the gutter does not receive the runoff water and the runoff water flows over the debris and undesirably over the side of the gutter closely adjacent the building. Thus, the purpose of the gutter is defeated. Also, the sagging portion permits debris to build up within the gutter resulting in blockage, water back up and water overflow. Additionally, some previous arched gutter guard supports may act as dams to retain debris on the mesh rather than disburse debris from the top of the mesh/screen. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In recognition of the above disadvantages of the prior gutter guards and in an attempt to provide an improved gutter assembly with gutter guard, there has been developed a gutter guard assembly which secures to known gutter constructions and holds a gutter guard taut so as to prevent valleys from forming in the gutter guard wherein debris can collect. According to the invention, an anchor attaches to a gutter support member and has an anchor post. The anchor post extends into the openings in a gutter guard to hold the same taut across the open top of the gutter. In one embodiment of the invention, a series of anchor posts positioned lengthwise of the gutter tautly hold the gutter guard lengthwise of the gutter. 
     More specifically, in an embodiment of the invention, an anchor base fits onto a conventional ferrule through which a securement nail is fed to secure the gutter to a building upper side wall. An anchor clamp secures to the anchor base and has the anchor post extending therefrom. The anchor clamp is attached to the anchor base by latching structure, which can include teeth or protrusions. In one construction of the invention, a plurality of anchor clamps, each having one anchor post thereon, are attached to one anchor base. In another construction, a single anchor clamp having a plurality of anchor posts is attached to one anchor base. The anchor posts can be linearly aligned with each other or can be offset. Gutter guard openings receive a plurality of anchor posts and the gutter guard is thus held relatively taut by the anchor posts so as to prevent sagging therein when stretched the length of the gutter. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, the anchor base and the anchor clamp are an integral anchor. This anchor also has latching structure for securing the anchor to a conventional support bracket that supports the gutter. The anchor has anchor posts which facilitate a taut securement of the gutter guard to the anchor. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and purposes of the present invention will be apparent to persons familiar with structures of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a gutter with a gutter guard assembly according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the gutter guard assembly of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 3, but of a modified anchor base. 
     FIG. 5 is a exploded view of the FIG. 4 anchor base and ferrule. 
     FIG. 6 is a view of a modification of the FIG. 1 embodiment. 
     FIG. 7 is a view of a modification of the FIG. 6 embodiment. 
     FIG. 8 is a view of a conventional gutter support bracket. 
     FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view of a gutter assembly with a modified gutter guard support for use with the FIG. 8 gutter bracket according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view taken along line  10 — 10  of FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 is a view of a modified embodiment of FIGS.  9 - 10 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “rightwardly” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the gutter and designated parts thereof. Said terms will also refer to the conventional orientation of an installed gutter assembly. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar meaning. 
     Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates therein a conventional gutter assembly  15  which includes an elongate, upwardly open channel  17  defined by upright side walls  18 ,  19  joined by a horizontal bight  21 , an upper portion of the outer side wall  19  having a interiorly open flexion  22  for strengthening the channel  17 , a cylindrical ferrule  23  having a through passage  24  which is received in the gutter channel  17  and in the flexion  22 , and a nail  25  which extends through aligned holes in the side walls  18 ,  19  and ferrule passage  24  to secure the gutter channel  17  to a exterior building upper side wall (not shown) beneath a roof edge (not shown) so as to catch the roof runoff water in the channel  17 . While only a single ferrule  23  and nail  25  are illustrated and described for brevity, it is understood that a plurality of ferrules and nails are transversely positioned periodically along the longitudinal length of the channel  17  to secure same to the building side wall. Therefore, the description of a ferrule  23  and nail  25  applies to each of the ferrule and nail installations used to support a gutter. 
     A gutter guard assembly  26  is illustrated which is adapted to be secured to the gutter assembly  15  and more particularly to the ferrule  23 . The gutter guard assembly  26  includes a gutter guard, here a gutter screen  31 , and a gutter guard support  30 . The gutter guard support  30  comprises an anchor base  27  which is adapted to be secured to the periphery of the ferrule  23  and a plurality of anchor clamps  29  securable to the periphery of the anchor base  27  and adapted to support the gutter screen  31 . 
     The anchor base  27  is elongate and preferably extends the length of the ferrule  23  and thus the width of the gutter channel  17 . The anchor base  27  has a rectangular parallelepiped, solid body  33  with a height at least slightly less than the height of the flexion  22  so that the outer end portion of the anchor base is received under the lip of the flexion  22 . The anchor base  27  has an elongate, outwardly (downwardly in FIGS. 1-7) open recess  35  extending the length of the solid body  33  and having a width and height at least slightly wider and taller than the diameter of the ferrule  23  so that the ferrule can be completely received in the recess and, preferably, the recess snugly fits over the ferrule. The anchor base  27  also has a wall thickness sufficient to significantly reduce, and preferably prevent relative angular rotation or twisting along its length when subject to various angular torques therealong. The various angular torques are applied to the anchor base  27  by the gutter screen  31  being tautly held or stretched on the anchor base  27  and anchor clamp  29  as explained in greater detail below. 
     Each of the plurality of anchor clamps  29  includes upper and lower arms  37 ,  38  cantilevered outwardly from opposite ends of a base  39  so as to define a generally C-shape. The base  39  holds the arms  37 ,  38  spaced apart at a distance only slightly greater than the height of the anchor base  27 . The upper arm  37  extends essentially parallel to the top of the gutter channel  17 . The inside dimension between arms  37 ,  38  is a tight fit for the anchor base  27  and overall length of the arms is more than slightly longer than the width of the anchor base  27 . Downwardly and upwardly projecting teeth  41 ,  42  are respectively cantilevered from the free ends of the arms  37 ,  38 . The teeth  41 ,  42  define an edge of an anchor base receiving opening  40  and the spacing between the teeth has a height slightly less than the height of the anchor base  27 . 
     Each anchor clamp  29  also has an anchor post  43  extending upwardly therefrom. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the anchor post  43  extends upwardly from the upper arm  37 . The anchor post  43  has a stem  45  extending from the upper arm  37  and a screen securement member, here shown as a frustum  47 , secured to the top of the stem (FIG.  3 ). It will be recognized that the stem  45  and frustum  47  can be integral with each other and integral with the anchor clamp  29 . The frustum  47  has a base  49  that is wider than stem  45 . The frustum  47 , as illustrated in FIG. 1, is a truncated top, four sided pyramid having four screen securement ledges  51 . However, it will be recognized that the frustum  47  may have other shapes including frustoconical and conical as long as the base thereof is wider than the stem to create securement surfaces or ledges to hold the gutter screen  31  thereunder. 
     The gutter screen  31  includes relatively closely meshed strands  55  defining openings  57  through which runoff water may flow (FIG.  1 ). The strands  55  are preferably made of an elastic material and have a width slightly less than base  49  and substantially equal to or slightly less in relation to the height of the stem  45 . The screen  31  is elongate and preferably extends the longitudinal length (i.e. leftwardly and rightwardly when facing the gutter) of the gutter channel  17 . The screen  31  has a width so that it is at least as wide as the open top of the gutter channel  17  and preferably extends over both side walls  18 ,  19  and flexion  22 . 
     The gutter guard assembly  26  can be assembled onto the gutter  15  by the recess  35  in the anchor base  27  receiving the ferrule  23  therein (FIG. 2) in a snug relationship. In a new gutter installation, the ferrule  23  and anchor base  27  are then aligned in the gutter channel  17  and flexion  22  to receive the nail  25  therethrough so as to secure the channel  17  to the building upper side wall. In a retrofit installation, the ferrule  23  and nail  25  are already installed securing the gutter  15  to a building. Thus, the anchor base  27  is inserted onto the ferrule  23 . The anchor base  27  being received in the flexion  22  helps prevent the anchor base from pivoting clockwise and/or counter-clockwise on the ferrule  23 . A plurality of anchor clamps  29  are mounted onto the anchor base  27  by forcing the anchor base past the teeth  41  and  42  into the opening  40 . The cantilevered arms  37 ,  38  elastically flex to allow the anchor base  27  to slide past teeth  41 ,  42 . Once the anchor base  27  moves past the teeth  41 ,  42 , the arms  37 ,  38  return to their nonflexed state and the teeth  41 ,  42  extend partly along one side of the anchor base  27  remote the base  39  so as to latch the anchor clamp onto the anchor base. The lower arm  38  extends across the recess  35  so as to hold the ferrule  23  in a snug manner within the recess  35 . The upper surface of the upper arm  37  extends coplanar to the upper surfaces of side wall  18  and flexion  22 . The upper arm  37  is positioned on top of the anchor base  27  so that the anchor post  43  extends upwardly from the upper surface of the upper arm. The screen  31  is thereafter secured across the open top of the gutter channel  17  and, as shown in FIG. 2, extends over both side walls  18 ,  19  and the flexion  22 . The screen openings  57  receive the anchor posts  43  therein so that the frustum  47  and hence the securement ledges extend over the screen strands  55  to secure the screen onto the anchor posts. The screen  31  is initially mounted onto the anchor posts  43  at one end of the gutter channel  17  and then is stretched to the next adjacent set of anchor posts  43 , which are secured to anchor clamps and anchor base on the next adjacent ferrule. Thus, the screen  31  is mounted thereon under tension between adjacent sets of anchor posts  43  and gutter guard supports  30 . As a result, the screen  31  is essentially planar and no valleys are formed in the screen in which debris can build up. 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is illustrated a modified anchor base  53  which is similar to the above described anchor base  27  except that the recess  35  has notches  54 ,  58 ,  59  formed therein. The same reference numbers are used in FIGS. 4 and 5 to designate elements which are the same as above described elements. The notches  54 ,  58 ,  59  are elongate and extend the length of the anchor base  53  and each notch widens into the solid body  33  of the anchor base. Side notches  54 ,  58  are positioned in the side members  61 ,  62  of the solid body and have generally the same dimensions. Top notch  59  is positioned in the top member  63  of the solid body  33  and is wider and shallower than the side notches  54 ,  58  so that the ferrule  23  can contact against the inward wall  56  of the top notch. Moreover, the notches  54 ,  58 ,  59  create four protrusions  65 - 68 . The lower protrusions  65 ,  66  adjacent the open mouth of the recess  35  have flat end surfaces  69 ,  71 . The upward protrusions  67 ,  68  have concave end surfaces  73 ,  74  so that the outer cylindrical surface of the ferrule  23  generally mates thereagainst. This modified anchor base  53  is assembled as described above by replacing the above described anchor base  27 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 6, there is illustrated a gutter assembly  15  including a modified anchor clamp  76 . The remaining elements are the same as those described above and are designated by the same reference numbers. The anchor clamp  76  is elongate but shorter that the anchor base  27  at least by the depth of the flexion  22  and has a unitary, C-shaped body  77  with upper and lower arms  79 ,  81  cantilevered from ends of a base  82 . Downwardly and upwardly projecting teeth  83 ,  84  are respectively cantilevered from the free ends of the arms  79 ,  81 . An outwardly open recess  86  is formed in the upper arm  79  and extends the length of the body  77  and securely receives an anchor post base  88  therein. The anchor post base  88  is a trapezoidal cross section solid with integral, in-line anchor posts  43  extending upwardly therefrom. The anchor clamp  76  is mounted onto the anchor base  27  in the same manner as discussed above with regard to anchor clamps  29 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 7, there is illustrated a modified anchor including anchor base  91  and anchor clamp  92 . Elements that are the same as those described above are designated by the same reference numerals. The anchor base  91  includes a solid rectangular parallelpiped body  93  in which the downwardly open recess  35  is formed in the downward surface  94  for receiving the ferrule  23 . The anchor base  91  also has longitudinally extending side recesses  95 ,  96  formed in the outward sides surfaces  97 , longitudinally extending top recesses  98 ,  99  formed in the top surface  101  inset from the side surfaces  97  and laterally offset from the recess  35 , and longitudinally extending bottom recesses  103 ,  104  formed in the bottom surface  106  inset from the side surfaces  97  and laterally offset from the recess  35 . The top recesses  98 ,  99  are respectively vertically aligned with and are the same size as the bottom recesses  103 ,  104 . The side recesses  95 ,  96  have a larger diameter than the top and bottom recesses  98 ,  99 ,  103 ,  104 . Consequently, the body  93  has legs  106  extending to each longitudinal edge thereof, which legs  106  are defined by the recesses  95 ,  96 ,  98 ,  99 ,  103 ,  104 . The legs  106  can elastically flex toward the larger diameter side recesses  95 ,  96 . Further, the anchor base  91  is symmetrical about a central longitudinal vertical plane. 
     The anchor clamp  92  includes parallel arms  107 ,  108  cantilevered from opposite ends of an anchor clamp base  109  defining a generally C-shaped clamp with an opening  110  therein at least slightly greater than and essentially equal to the height of the anchor base  91 . A recess  86  is formed in the upper surface of upper arm  107  which receives an anchor post base  88  therein. The anchor post base  88  includes a plurality of nonaligned anchor posts  43  securely extending upwardly therefrom (FIG.  7 ). Anchor posts  43  can be aligned as an option. Each arm  107 ,  108  includes an elongate latching protuberance  111 ,  112  extending the length of the respective arm and into the opening  110 . The protuberances  111 ,  112  are parallel to the base  109  and are vertically aligned with one another. The protuberances  111 ,  112  are spaced from the base  109  the same distance as the top and bottom recesses  98 ,  99 ,  103 ,  104  are inset from the outer sides  97 . 
     The anchor clamp  92  snap fits over the anchor base  91  by receiving the anchor base  91  in its opening  110 . The protuberances  111 ,  112  contact the first inserted side surface  97  and force the first inserted legs  106  to flex toward the first inserted side recess, side recess  96  as illustrated in FIG. 7, and away from the protuberances  111 ,  112  during initial insertion. The anchor clamp  92  continues to slide over the anchor base  91  until the protuberances  111 ,  112  are received in the respective top and bottom recesses  99 ,  104  as illustrated in FIG.  7 . In an alternate embodiment, the legs  106  are rigid and the arms  107 ,  108  flex to allow the legs to slide past the protuberances  111 ,  112  so that the recesses  99 ,  104  respectively receive the protuberances. The protuberances  111 ,  112  and recesses  99 ,  104  latchingly secure the anchor base  91  and anchor clamp  92  together (FIG.  7 ). It will be recognized that the anchor clamp  92  can slide over the anchor base  91  from the other side or direction because the anchor base  91  is symmetrical about a central longitudinal vertical plane. Thus, the anchor base  91  can receive the anchor clamp  92  in either direction relative to the pull exerted thereon by installation of the gutter guard thereon. 
     Referring to FIGS. 8-10, there is illustrated an alternate conventional gutter construction and a second embodiment of the gutter guard support of the present invention. Elements that are the same as those described above are designated by the same reference numerals for ease of description. This gutter assembly  15  includes a conventional rigid truss  115  for supporting the channel  17  on an exterior building upper side wall. The truss  115  comprises an elongate intermediate beam  116  which extends the width of the gutter channel  17 , an inverted U-shaped bracket  117  cantilevered from one end of the beam  116 , and a flange  118  cantilevered from the other end of the beam  116 . The beam  116  includes an upraised central portion  119  to strengthen the beam. The bracket  117  includes a free end portion  121  that extends beneath the beam  116 . The bracket  117  opens downwardly so that it can be slid over an upper portion of the rear wall  18  of conventional gutter assembly and includes an aperture  123  through which an attachment nail or rivet  125  is received to secure the truss  115  and the channel  17  to the building upper side wall. The flange  118  bends upwardly and then back over the beam  116  less than the width of the flexion  22  so that the entire flange is mounted within the flexion. All to secure and support weight of channel assembly  15 . 
     The gutter guard assembly  126  comprises a plurality of anchors  127  and a gutter guard screen  31 . The anchors  127  of this embodiment replace the anchor base and anchor clamps in the previous described embodiments. Further, the anchors  127  are identical to each other, therefore, only one will be described for brevity. The anchor  127  has a generally rectangular parallelepiped upper body  131 , which has a laterally extending through bore  133  and a downwardly and laterally extending nub  134  at a lower front edge of the body  131 . The anchor post  43  is secured to and extends upwardly from a top surface of the body  131 . The body  131  has a height so that the anchor post  43  extends above the open top of the channel  17 . The gutter guard screen  31  is held by the anchor post  43  on top of the anchor  127  and top of the flexion  22 . An underwrapped arm  135  is cantilevered from the lower rear edge of the body  131  to define a laterally and frontwardly open slot  136  between the arm  135  and bottom of the body  131 . The slot  136  has a height generally equal to the height of the beam  116  and its center upraised portion  119 . The arm  135  has a length longer than the length of the body  131  and has an enlarged free end  137  forming an upraised retaining shoulder  138 . 
     To assemble this gutter assembly  15  including gutter guard assembly  126 , a plurality of trusses  115  are transversely positioned in the channel  17  with the upper portion of the rear side wall  18  being received in respective brackets  117  and respective flanges  118  being received within the flexion  22 . Nails or rivets  125  extend through respective apertures  123  and the rear wall  18  to secure the gutter  15  to a building upper side wall. A plurality of anchors  127  are spacedly secured to each truss  115 . For each anchor  127 , the slot  136  receives the beam  116  with the upraised central portion  119  in contact with the bottom of the body  131  and the nub  134  contacting a side of the upraised central portion  119  to assist in holding the anchor  127  on the truss  115 . The shoulder  138  acts as a stop against the side of the beam  116  to further assist in holding each anchor  127  on the truss. All anchors  127  should be placed in same direction. Thereafter, the elastic gutter screen  31  receives the anchor posts  43  therethrough and is pulled to the next, and preferably adjacent, truss  115  having the anchors  127 , and hence anchor posts  43 , thereon. The screen  31  receives the next anchor posts  43  so that the screen is under tension between adjacent sets of anchors  43 . Thus, the anchors  127  act as gutter guard supports to tautly hold the gutter guard, here screen  31 , under tension so as to prevent the formation of debris gathering valleys. 
     Referring to FIG. 11, there is illustrated a modification of the FIGS. 8-10 embodiment. Elements which are the same as those described above are designated by the same reference numerals. Essentially, the FIG. 11 modification integrates a plurality of FIGS. 8-10 embodiment anchors  127  into a single elongate anchor  140  for each truss  115 . The anchor  140  includes a generally rectangular parallelpiped horizontal intermediate wall  142 , a generally rectangular parallelpiped vertical front wall  144  connected to a front end of the intermediate wall  142 , a generally rectangular parallelpiped horizontal top wall  146  connected to a top end of the front wall  144 , and a generally rectangular parallelpiped vertical rear wall  148  connected to a rear end of the top wall  144 . Thus, the intermediate wall  142  is cantilevered from the front wall  144 . The top wall  146  includes the recess  86  therein for mounting the anchor post base  88 , from which the anchor posts  43  upwardly extend. At the joint of the intermediate wall  142  and the front wall  144 , a nub  149  extends downwardly below the intermediate wall  142  generally aligned with the front wall  144 . The rear wall  148  is longer than the front wall  144  so that it extends past the intermediate wall  142 . A generally rectangular parallelpiped arm  150  is cantilevered from the end of the rear wall  148 , which end is remote the top wall  146 , and extends generally parallel to the intermediate wall  142 . As a result, a laterally and frontwardly open slot  152  is formed between the intermediate wall  142  and the arm  150 . The height of the slot  152  is generally equal to or slightly greater than the height of the beam  116  and upraised portion  119  so that the beam  116  can be received in the slot. The free end  154  of the arm  150  is vertically enlarged to form a retaining shoulder. The arm  150  has a length between the rear wall  148  and enlarged free end  154  which is essentially equal to the width of the beam  116 . 
     During assembly of the anchor  140  onto the truss  115 , the beam  116  is received in the slot  152 . The arm  150  flexes slightly to allow the beam and upraised portion  119  to be readily slid into the slot  152 . Further, because the intermediate wall  142  is not connected to the rear wall  148 , the rear wall  148  may also slightly flex to relieve the stress on the flexed arm  150 . When assembled, the nub  149  assists in holding the beam  116  in the slot  152  by contacting the front edge of the upraised portion  119 . The enlarged free end  154  extends above longitudinal edge of the beam  116  to retain the beam  116  in the slot  152 . 
     Although particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement and duplication of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4