Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Except for claims 8–13 and 17–19, this application claims priority from U.S. Ser. No. 60/323,915, filed on Sep. 20, 2001. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to tools for cleaning leaves and other debris from gutters. 
   2. General Background 
   Leaves and other debris often clog gutters, blocking water flow, and preventing the gutter from properly performing. Devices have been developed to help clear debris from gutters, ranging from very simple tools to complex vacuum-operated devices. 
   However, conventional gutter cleaning tools often fail to take into account the gutter strut or nail that attaches the gutter to the building. Conventional gutter tools can adequately pull or drag debris along the length of the gutter. But when they encounter the gutter strut, conventional tools must be lifted out of the gutter and placed on the opposite side of the strut, thus leaving stranded debris under the strut. This stranded debris can block the flow of water through the gutter. 
   Also, many conventional gutter tools are awkward or difficult to operate. For instance, the gutter tool described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,780 to Dilley is designed to address the problem of gutter struts, but is awkward to use because of the shape and orientation of its debris-trapping paddles. Thus, there is a need for a tool that can be easily operated by a person working at, above, or even below the level of the gutter. 
   Relatedly, there is a need for a gutter cleaning tool that fits easily in the gutter. Past gutter tools have been sized to conform exactly to the dimensions of the gutter, making insertion of the tool into the gutter difficult. See Dilley at FIG. 3. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a gutter cleaning tool that can effectively clean under gutter struts, and that is easy to use and operate, even for those working above the gutter on the rooftop. It includes a body having (i) a handle attachment means, (ii) a curved blade for use in sections of the gutters that are unobstructed by a gutter strut, and (iii) a shovel blade for use under gutter struts. When combined with a handle, especially a telescoping pole, the present invention can be used to clean extended sections of a gutter without the need for repositioning. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a gutter cleaning tool according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of an embodiment of a gutter cleaning tool according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of an embodiment of a gutter cleaning tool according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom view of an embodiment of a gutter cleaning tool according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of an embodiment of a gutter cleaning tool according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a back view of an embodiment of a gutter cleaning tool according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is an environmental depiction of a gutter cleaning tool according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a gutter cleaning tool according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a gutter cleaning tool according to the present invention, with a rounded bottom. 
       FIG. 10  is a back view of an alternative embodiment of a gutter cleaning tool according to the present invention, with a rounded bottom. 
       FIG. 11  is a top view of an alternative embodiment of a gutter cleaning tool according to the present invention, with rounded blade edges. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The present invention is a gutter tool comprised of a body  10  having a handle attachment means  40 , a curved blade  20 , and a shovel blade  30 . 
   The handle attachment means can take a number of forms, including a handle receiving boss  40  as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  7 ,  8 , and  11 . The handle receiving boss can have internal threads  42  for receiving a handle. In one embodiment, the threads are of a standard ⅝ inch size. Other conventional means can be used to attach a handle to the tool, including but not limited to brackets, screws, nails, adhesives, etc. 
   The curved blade  20  extends from the handle attachment means to one end of the body, as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  7  and  8 . The curved blade can be crescent-shaped, as shown in these figures, or can be other shapes. The back side of the blade, opposite the handle attachment means, can be rounded, as in  FIG. 10 , or flat, as shown in  FIG. 6 . The curved blade can have a rib  60  or ribs. See  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  7 , and  11 . The end of the blade can be form right angles, as in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 , and  7 , or can be rounded or tapered, as shown in  FIG. 11 . 
   An arm extends from the handle receiving boss  40  to the shovel blade  30 , as shown best in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  8 . The arm may be bent into an upper portion, adjacent to the handle receiving boss  40 , and a lower portion, adjacent to the shovel blade  30 . In one embodiment, the angle formed by this bend is obtuse, as shown in  FIG. 2 , so that the shovel blade can easily descend into the gutter, even if the operator of the tool is standing at or below the level of the gutter. The back side of the arm, opposite the handle attachment means, can be rounded, as in  FIG. 9 , or flat, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
   The shovel blade  30  is used to push debris under the gutter strut, as shown in  FIG. 7 . In one embodiment, the shovel blade is rectangularly shaped, see  FIGS. 1 ,  3 , and  7 , although other shapes can be used. In particular, the two corners of the shovel blade nearest to the arm can be rounded or tapered, as shown in  FIG. 11 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , in one embodiment the shovel blade is planoconcave, although it could take a number of other forms, including but not limited to flat on both sides, or concave on both sides. 
   Sidewalls can be added to the curved blade  70  or to the shovel blade  80 . See  FIG. 8 . When such sidewalls are used, they help trap debris. 
   Ribs  60 ,  62  can also be added to the curved blade and the arm/shovel blade, as shown in  FIG. 2 . These ribs, which are optional, add support. 
   In operation, a user would place the curved blade in a gutter, and pull the tool towards himself, collecting debris as he goes. Upon reaching a gutter strut, the tool is lifted out of the gutter, backed up slightly to provide clearance, and then rotated 180 degrees, thereby placing the shovel blade above the gutter. The shovel blade is then dropped into the gutter, and is used to push the debris under the strut. See  FIG. 7 . After clearing the area under the strut, the operator can continue using the curved blade. 
   In one embodiment, the curved blade and the shovel blade are sized so as to be substantially smaller than the width of a standard gutter. For instance, in one embodiment, the width of the curved blade and the width of the shovel blade are both less than 1.6 inches. By making the blades substantially smaller than the width of the gutter, it is easier for the operator to place the blade in the gutter. Put another way, a blade sized to conform exactly to the width of the gutter would be difficult to insert into the gutter, especially when the blade is on the end of a long pole. Also, by keeping the blade width small, the present invention can be used with non-standard gutter configurations. Except where the claims of this patent expressly so provide, the present invention is not limited to any particular dimensions. 
   The present invention can be made from any number of suitable materials, including plastic, wood, metal, etc. It can be made by a number of methods, including but not limited to injection molding or other conventional methods. 
   One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the preferred embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustration and not of limitation.

Technology Category: 0