U.S. patent application number 11/660001 was filed with the patent office on 2008-11-27 for one piece gutter with intergrated screen.
Invention is credited to Guy Brochu.
Application Number | 20080289263 11/660001 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35839091 |
Filed Date | 2008-11-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080289263 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Brochu; Guy |
November 27, 2008 |
One Piece Gutter with Intergrated Screen
Abstract
An eavestrough (10) formed from a single piece of material and
incorporating a gutter guard (38) extending across the top of the
trough to prevent leaves and other extraneous matter from entering
the trough, the eavestrough being secured bu mechanical fasteners
(60).
Inventors: |
Brochu; Guy; (Quebec,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Eric Fincham
316 Knowlton Road
Lac Brome Quebec
JOE 1VO
CA
|
Family ID: |
35839091 |
Appl. No.: |
11/660001 |
Filed: |
August 11, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
August 11, 2004 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CA04/01490 |
371 Date: |
May 15, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/12 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04D 13/076
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/12 |
International
Class: |
E04D 13/064 20060101
E04D013/064 |
Claims
1. An eavestrough (10) formed from a single piece of material, said
eavestrough comprising a rear wall (16), a front wall (26), and a
bottom wall (12), said rear, front and bottom walls defining a
trough therebetween; a top wall (38) extending between said front
wall (26) and said rear wall (16) to cover said trough, said top
wall comprising; a first top wall section (34) extending inwardly
from an upper end of said front wall (26); a second top wall
section (36) extending downwardly from said first top wall section
(34); a third top wall section (38) extending across said trough,
said third top wall section having a plurality of apertures (40)
therein to permit water drainage therethrough; a fourth top wall
section (42, 44) extending upwardly alongside an upper portion of
said gutter rear wall; a locking section (48) extending downwardly
from said fourth top wall section rearwardly of said rear wall and
engaging said rear wall (16) in a locking relationship.
2. The eavestrough of claim 1 wherein said first top wall section
(34) slopes downwardly from said gutter front wall (26) to said
second top wall section (36).
3. The eavestrough of claim 2 wherein said first top wall section
(34) slopes downwardly at an angle of between 2 and 10.degree. with
respect to the horizontal.
4. The eavestrough of claim 2 wherein said first top wall section
(34) slopes downwardly at an angle of between 4 and 6.degree. with
respect to the horizontal.
5. The eavestrough of claim 1 wherein said third top wall section
(38) slopes downwardly from said second top wall section to said
fourth top wall section.
6. The eavestrough of claim 1 wherein said apertures (40) are
circular.
7. The eavestrough of claim 1 wherein said first top wall section
(34) slopes downwardly from an upper end of said gutter front wall
(26) to said second top wall section (36) and said third top wall
section (38) slopes downwardly with respect to the horizontal from
said second top wall section (36) and said fourth top wall section
(42).
8. The eavestrough of claim 1 wherein said rear wall has a recess
(20) formed therein, said locking section (48) engaging within said
recess (20) to thereby provide said locking relationship.
9. In a building having an eavestrough (10) for draining rainwater
from a roof and wherein said eavestrough is attached to a fascia of
the building, the improvement wherein said eavestrough is formed
from a single piece of material secured to said fascia, said
eavestrough comprising a rear wall (16), a front wall (26), and a
bottom wall (12), said rear, front and bottom walls defining a
trough therebetween; a top wall (38) extending between said front
wall (26) and said rear wall (16) to cover said trough, said top
wall comprising; a first top wall section (34) extending inwardly
from an upper end of said front wall (26); a second top wall
section (36) extending downwardly from said first top wall section
(34); a third top wall section (38) extending across said trough,
said third top wall section having a plurality of apertures (46)
therein to permit water drainage therethrough; a fourth top wall
section (42, 44) extending upwardly along side and upper portion of
said gutter rear wall; a locking section (48) extending downwardly
from said fourth top wall section rearwardly of said and engaging
said rear wall (16) in a locking relationship.
10. The improvement of claim 8 wherein said eavestrough is secured
to said fascia by mechanical fastening members (60) extending
through said fourth top wall section (42) and said gutter rear wall
(16) into said fascia.
11. The improvement of claim 10 wherein said mechanical fastening
members (60) comprise screws.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to eavestrough or rain gutter,
and more particularly, relates to improvement in such
structures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Various types of gutters or eavestroughs are well known in
the art as is the use of shields or cover members therewith. The
purpose of the shield is essentially to permit passage of rainwater
from the roof to the eavestrough while protecting the same from
extraneous foreign matter such as leaves and the like.
[0003] There have been many different approaches taken to the
design of eavestroughs which incorporate such shields. Indeed, a
commercially available eavestrough utilizes a cover which has an
outer edge which curls downwardly and the water flow follows the
curved portion due to surface tension and thereafter cascades into
the eavestrough. Leaves and other extraneous matter are supposed to
fall exteriorly of the eavestrough. However, when a large volume of
water flows, the surface tension is generally insufficient to cause
all the water to flow into the eavestrough.
[0004] The art is also replete with examples of various shields or
guards which are apertured and permit the passage of rainwater
while supposedly barring the passage of extraneous material.
However, many of these guards do not function as desired and access
must often be had to the eavestrough for cleaning purposes.
[0005] A further problem associated with such shields or guards is
the connection of the same to the eavestrough. To this end, many
complex arrangements have been proposed in the art.
[0006] In order to overcome the above disadvantages, there have
also been proposals in the art for one piece eavestrough which are
secured to clips which are fastened under roof shingles. One
integrated eavestrough with a cover member is shown in U.S. Pat.
No. 4,727,689 to Bosler. However, in many situations, the design of
the roof and fascia is such that one could not attach the clips and
subsequently fit the eavestrough therein. In other words, one
requires a certain amount of space between any overhang and the
clip. In many situations, the gutter must be secured proximate to
the roof overhang at one end of the eavestrough and this would be
very difficult to achieve with the prior art structure.
[0007] A further problem with such clip and eavestrough
arrangements is the snow loads which occur in Northern climates.
Thus, the snow load could cause the gutter to fall from its
mounting arrangement with the clip.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide an
integrated eavestrough and shield or guard therefor, and which
integrated eavestrough overcomes the disadvantages of the prior
art.
[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an eavestrough formed from a single piece of material, the
eavestrough comprising a rear wall, a front wall, and a bottom
wall, said rear, front and bottom walls defining a trough
therebetween, a top wall extending between the front wall and the
rear wall to cover the trough, the top wall comprising, a first top
wall section extending inwardly form an upper end of the front
wall, a second top wall section extending downwardly from the first
top wall section, a third top wall section extending across the
trough, the third top wall section having a plurality of apertures
therein to permit water drainage therethrough, a fourth top wall
section extending upwardly alongside an upper portion of the gutter
rear wall, a locking section extending downwardly from the fourth
top wall section rearwardly of the rear wall and engaging the rear
wall in a locking relationship.
[0010] In a further aspect of the present invention, in a building
having an eavestrough for draining rainwater from a roof and
wherein the eavestrough is attached to a fascia of the building,
there is provided the improvement wherein the eavestrough is formed
from a single piece of material secured to the fascia, the
eavestrough comprising a rear wall, a font wall, and a bottom wall,
the rear, front and bottom walls defining a trough therebetween, a
top wall extending between the front wall and the rear wall to
cover the trough, the top wall comprising, a first top wall section
extending inwardly from an upper end of the front wall, a second
top wall section extending downwardly from the first top wall
section, a third top wall section extending across the trough, the
third top wall section having a plurality of apertures therein to
permit water drainage therethrough, a fourth top wall section
extending upwardly along side and upper portion of gutter rear
wall, a locking section extending downwardly from the fourth top
wall section rearwardly of the ______ and engaging the rear wall in
a locking relationship.
[0011] The one piece eavestrough of the present invention may be
formed from any suitable material with a preferred material being
aluminum. The eavestrough may be manufactured using a roll forming
technique.
[0012] As previously mentioned, the device of the present invention
prevents foreign matter from entering into the eavestrough. In
order to do so, there are provided a plurality of apertures to
permit the passage of rainwater and to prevent extraneous matter
from entering the gutter or eavestrough. In general, it is
desirable that the apertures be sized large enough to permit the
passage of rainwater while preventing the entry of extraneous
matter into the trough. Generally, apertures in the range of
between 3 and 4 mm may be utilized.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] Having thus generally described the invention, reference
will be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating an
embodiment thereof, in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an eavestrough
according to the present invention attached to a structure;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of an eavestrough in an
assembled condition according to the present invention; and
[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of an unassembled
eavestrough of the present invention.
[0017] Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference
characters thereto, the eavestrough of the present invention is
designated generally by reference numeral 10.
[0018] Eavestrough 10 includes a bottom wall 12 which has a
plurality of longitudinally extending ribs 14 formed therein.
Extending upwardly from bottom wall 12 at one edge thereof is a
rear wall generally designated by reference numeral 16. Rear wall
16 includes a lower vertical portion 18 and an inwardly extending
recess 20 formed proximate the upper end of rear wall 16. At its
upper end, recess 20 is defined by an outwardly extending wall
portion 22 which continues on to terminate in a vertical portion
24.
[0019] A front wall of the eavestrough 10 is generally designated
by reference numeral 26 and includes a lower vertical section 28
and a main arcuate section 30. Arcuate section 30 terminates in a
top vertical section 32 which merges with a top wall 34 and a
downwardly extending vertical wall section 36. Sections 32, 34 and
36 together define an inverted generally U-shaped configuration. In
this regard, it will be noted that top wall 34 slopes downwardly
from its outer edge where it merges with top vertical section 32 to
the point where it merges with downwardly extending vertical
section 36. Preferably, the slope is between 2 and 10.degree. and
more preferably, between 4 and 6.degree. from the horizontal.
[0020] A top wall 38 extends inwardly and includes a plurality of
apertures 40 to permit drainage of rainwater therethrough.
[0021] At the opposite side of top wall 38, there is provided a
rear vertical section 42 which merges with a rearwardly angled
section 44. At its distal end, rearwardly angled section 44 merges
with a downwardly extending vertical section 46 which terminates in
an inwardly extending hook portion 48. Inwardly extending hook
portion 48 is designed to engage outwardly extending wall portion
22 of recess 20 such that the structure forms an integrated one
piece eavestrough.
[0022] It will be noted that top wall 38 slopes slightly downwardly
from wall section 36 to rear vertical section 42. Preferably, the
slope ranges between 3/16'' an 3/8''. In operation wall sections 36
and 42 are designed to act as barriers to retain the water on the
eavestrough during any heavy rain fall to thereby permit time for
the rainwater to pass through apertures 40. Preferably wall section
36 will have a height of at least 75 mm with wall section 42 having
a height of at least 150 mm.
[0023] The eavestrough is secured to the building B through
vertical section 42 by suitable attachment members such as screws
60 or the like. This permits the eavestrough 10 to withstand snow
loads in Northern climates. Furthermore, the use of screws with
automated equipment makes installation of the gutter a relatively
simple operation.
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