Patent ID: 6988335

Claim:
A gutter member for collecting and channelling rainwater run-off at a periphery of a roof structure, the gutter member including: a channel portion receiving the rainwater run-off from the roof structure and for carrying away the rainwater run-off from the roof structure, the channel portion having a free inner edge which defines an inward opening to the channel portion, the channel portion being resiliently flexible downwardly to facilitate release through the opening of material which may accumulate therein; and a cover portion extending forwardly and downwardly from an upper bearing surface and turning outwardly and upwardly to an outer edge region, the cover portion extending above and covering the channel portion and the free inner edge, said cover portion being adapted to support sliding travel of solid or semi-solid material from the roof structure over the channel portion of the gutter member, and the free inner edge opening away from the outer edge region, the cover portion including a dip or trough between the upper bearing surface and the outer edge region, the dip or trough and the upper bearing surface forming a substantial continuous surface, the dip or trough extending longitudinally with respect to the gutter member and defining an upwardly facing concave section of the cover portion, a base of dip or trough including a plurality of apertures therethrough providing fluid communication with the channel portion; wherein the gutter member is resiliently flexible to facilitate the sliding travel of the solid or semi-solid material over the channel portion.