Patent ID: 7104012

Claim:
A gutter guard comprising: a first inclined section of water impervious material having a rear end adapted for insertion below shingles of a roof of a building; a second inclined section of water impervious material; a securing section for securing a front end of the gutter guard to a gutter of the building; a first drainage section which connects a front end of the first inclined section to a rear end of the second inclined section and which, when the rear end of the first inclined section is inserted below the shingles and the securing section is secured to the gutter, is positioned above an open end of the gutter for draining water thereinto, said first drainage section including an S-shaped bend including an upper forwardly facing convex surface over which water travels and a lower forwardly facing concave surface connected directly to the upper forwardly facing convex surface and having at least one opening at a position below said forwardly facing convex surface through which water traveling around the forwardly facing convex surface exits into the gutter, and said at least one opening extends from a bottom of said lower forwardly facing concave surface to a height which is at least equal to one-half the height of said lower forwardly facing concave surface; and a second drainage section which connects a front end of the second inclined section with the securing section, and which, when the rear end of the first inclined section is inserted below the shingles and the securing section is secured to the gutter, is positioned above the open end of the gutter for draining water thereinto; a heating device positioned in said first drainage section on an upper surface of said gutter guard for heating said gutter guard to melt any snow and ice thereon.