Patent ID: 8402697

Claim:
A gutter protection system for covering a gutter of a structure and for preventing debris from falling into the gutter, the gutter including a gutter hanger comprising a generally horizontal leg extending from adjacent a rearward-projecting flange on a front wall of the gutter to adjacent a back wall of the gutter and a generally vertical leg extending up from the horizontal leg adjacent the back wall of the gutter, and a fastener securing the generally vertical leg of the hanger and the back wall of the gutter to supporting structure at the rear of the gutter, the gutter protection system comprising a resilient gutter cover sized and shaped to cover the gutter, the gutter cover including, as viewed in cross-section when the gutter cover is installed on the gutter: a front section configured for engagement with the rearward-projecting flange of the gutter; a center section covering the gutter; and a rear section configured for engagement with the hanger; the rear section comprising a first forward-opening bend, a second forward-opening bend spaced downward from the first bend, a third rearward-opening bend spaced downward from the second bend, a fourth rearward-opening bend spaced downward from the third bend, a first leg extending from a juncture with the first bend downward to the second bend, a second leg angling downward and forward from the second bend to the third bend to provide clearance for said fastener, a third substantially straight leg extending generally vertically downward from the third bend to form a recess for receiving the fastener, and a fourth leg extending rearward from the fourth bend; the fourth leg having a tail which terminates in a rearward end spaced a substantial rearward distance from said juncture whereby the tail is adapted to engage a corner of the hanger at the intersection of the generally horizontal and generally vertical legs of the hanger in a manner which maintains the gutter cover in an installed position in which said juncture is spaced by a gap forward from the vertical leg of the hanger and in which the tail of the rear section of the gutter cover is in contact with the gutter hanger generally adjacent the corner of the gutter hanger.