Patent ID: 7979945

Claim:
A gutter-cleaning device, comprising: a housing containing an impeller drive facility including a motor rotationally operable at more than 400 rpm, the housing having a height of not more than 2.75 inches and the housing configured to fit into an open residential gutter; an impeller having an axis disposed at an end of the housing and connected to an output of the impeller drive facility, the impeller having a plurality of impeller vanes coupled to the axis including at least one flexible paddle and at least one stiff bristle brush, each one of the plurality of impeller vanes sufficiently flexible to facilitate deflection under a cross brace of the open residential gutter, wherein the axis is oriented parallel to a direction of travel of the device when placed for use in the open residential gutter; a transport drive including tractor/tread wheels and tracks adapted to transport the device along an interior surface of the open residential gutter; a wireless communication facility mounted within the housing and operable to receive control signals from a remote control for controlling at least one of the transport drive and the impeller drive facility; an antenna electrically connected to the wireless communication facility and disposed flush against the housing; at least one nickel cadmium battery within the housing to provide power to at least one of the impeller drive facility, the transport drive, and the wireless communication facility; and a placement facility with a removable and replaceable attachment point to assist a user in placement of the gutter-cleaning device in the open residential gutter.