US20120297696A1

US20120297696A1 - Gutter Cover System With Water Dam Channel and Gutter Cleaning System

Info

Publication number: US20120297696A1
Application number: US13/482,921
Authority: US
Inventors: Gregory P. Albracht
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-05-26
Filing date: 2012-05-29
Publication date: 2012-11-29

Abstract

A gutter protection system provides a channel that serves multiple purposes. It encloses a water tube and sprayer device that cleans out the channel and the top of the gutter while flushing the gutter at the same time by moving a water tube that has a sprayer located along or at least one point of the water tube that when moved back and forth will clear the channel of debris and sediment or mud that typically forms inside a gutter.

Description

FIELD/BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices and systems for protecting gutters from accumulating debris and undesirable resulting clogging and overflow, and automatic cleaning of debris from the gutter using a spray of water.
Existing gutter protection systems typically require a long time to install and consist of a cover over the opening of the gutter, allowing water to enter the gutter but preventing larger size debris such as leaves from entering the gutter. Even with such a cover, smaller debris may still enter and get stuck in the gutter channel. Additionally, it is clogged downspouts which usually cause overflowing and not clogged gutter channels per se.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problems with prior art gutter cover systems are eliminated with the present invention. The invention keeps large debris out of the gutter channel, and flushes out small sized debris such as sediment, etc. with an auto clean function. No loop system is needed because the water flow hits the inside front face of the gutter such that water runs down the inside face and flushes the sediment out. A micro screen filter insert also can be used, together with a secondary drain that flows over the water channel and drains downward in between the front of the gutter guard and behind the return lip of the gutter.
The present invention provides a gutter guard that uses at least one U-shaped bar that is inserted into a gutter and an insert fits into the U-shaped bar that has slots, holes or perforation strips that snap into the u-bar. This design also has a hose sprayer device that is provided underneath the insert. This u-Bar has slots, holes or performation on the face to alow water to flow through and to allow the sprayer to flush out the gutter and clean off the top of the gutter guard.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective and cross-sectional view of a gutter protection system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing water flow in a gutter protection channel in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of a gutter protection channel in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is yet another perspective view of a gutter protection channel in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is another a perspective and cross-sectional view of a gutter protection system with a built-in cleaning system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6 and 7 area cross-sectional views of various alternate gutter protection designs in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a built-in gutter channel spray cleaning device in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate functions of the water tube and sprayer cleaning device in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The enclosed gutter protection system of the invention provides a channel that serves multiple purposes. First, it encloses a water tube and sprayer device that cleans out the channel and the top of the gutter while flushing the gutter at the same time by moving a water tube that has a sprayer located along or at least one point of the water tube that when moved back and forth will clear the channel of debris and sediment or mud that typically forms inside a gutter.
The system also provides a heated tube to melt any ice that may form on the gutter guard channel. It provides a backward angle to the water coming off the roof and stops the water flow with a dam that has holes or slots provided on its face that drains water in high flow areas. The face of the channel sits flush with the top of the guard and creates a micro-thin slot through which most of the water will drain. Any heavy flow from the roof that may create valleys with hit this face and the water will be driven down into the channel. The design encloses the water channel to prevent large and small debris from entering into the channel and allows only water to enter into the gutter below.
The built-in cleaning device flushes out all debris such as sediment or mud in the gutter, in the channel where a water tube is inserted and on top of the gutter guard. A sprayer device runs along through the channel that covers the water tube. The tube has a built in sprayer that is hooked up to a hose.
The gutter guard utilizes a water tube and sprayer that is attached to a gutter guard either on top or underneath the gutter and is attached to gutter guard with either channels, clips, or brackets to facilitate cleaning of the gutters via the water hose that runs down the entire length of the gutter guard either pulled from the ground side to side to clean and flush out the water channel that is built into the gutter, cleans and flush out the gutters the gutter protection channel.
FIGS. 1-4 illustrate the channel with slots or holes and the flow of water through the channel. FIG. 5 shows the tube which is adapted to connect to a garden hose to supply water for a sprayer device as shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 shows at least one U-shaped bar inserted into the gutter, having a insert that fits into the bar. The insert has slots, holes or perforation strips that snap into the u-shape bar. FIG. 6 also shows a hose sprayer device that is enclosed underneath the strips, which performs a cleaning function. The slots, holes or perforation strips allow water to flow through into the gutter and also allows the sprayer device to flush out the gutter and clean off the top of the gutter protection channel. As shown in FIG. 6 an alternate embodiment has louvers in the channel that snap onto the bottom of the water channel instead of on top of the channel. Clips and screws can be used to hold the water tube and sprayer in place along the top and/or bottom of the water channel. FIG. 7 shows various drip lip designs
FIG. 8 shows a front elevation of an embodiment of the sprayer and hose device. The spray is pulled through the water channel cover from side to side via a pulley or other mechanism. This flushes the water channel of any small debris that may form in the water channel. The gutter is flushed at the same time via the water flow that comes out of the high flow sprayer and forces the water down the face of the gutters creating a churning action that flushes out mud and any other small debris that may enter the gutter. This debris is then flushed out of the system through the downspouts.
FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate the function of the water tube and sprayer device in flushing out the channels from any debris that may collect in the channel using surface tension. The gutter cover system does not require any fasteners for attachment. This is achieved by placing the gutter cover into the back of the gutter first and then bending it up into a dome until it snaps into the front lip of the gutter. The pressure created by making the gutter guard a tight fit within the gutter and the front lip of the gutter and or the back bracket of the gutter or the insertion underneath the roofing shields is what holds the gutter cover in place. In the alternative the gutter cover can be attached with screws into the gutter bracket at the back of the gutter. This gutter guard has pre-punched nail slots to receive the screws for the attachment into the back of the gutter and or attachment into the gutter bracket

Claims

1. A gutter guard system that has a water channel such that the water coming off the roof will collide into the channel causing a dam like effect and forcing the water through the channel. This will help flush out any debris that may get caught up in the channel, thus reducing the amount of maintenance required.

2. A gutter cover system as claimed in claim 1, which has various types of snap in channels that insert into at least one hem on the said gutter cover system. This channel can further enhance the ability to keep even the smallest debris and roof grit from entering the below gutter system. This insert channel can insert over the entire gutter cover system or only on a portion of the gutter cover system where the water channel is placed.

3. A gutter cover system as claimed in claim 1, which has an insert channel that can be made of micro mesh stainless steel to filter the water coming off the roof.

4. A gutter cover system as claimed in claim 1, which has an insert channel that can be made of foam and perforated vinyl, steel, aluminum, copper, stainless steel or composite materials to filter the water coming off the roof.

5. A gutter cover system that has an insert channel to accept a front channel that snaps over the front lip of any type of gutter including but not limited to K-style, Fascia, half round gutters that has two functions, number one function being that any rain that lands on the top of the gutter will drip off this channel to prevent tiger stripping and staining down the front of the gutter. The number two function is that can be made of foam and perforated vinyl, steel, aluminum, copper, stainless steel or composite materials to filter the water coming off the roof.

6. A gutter cover system as claimed in claim 5, which has an insert channel at the back of the profile that snaps into the gutter guard for a flashing/water channel with perforations and or slots to drain the water coming off the roof. This channel accessory adjusts to the pitch of the roof and gutter automatically.

7. A gutter cover system as claimed in claim 1, which adjusts for all sizes of gutters such as 4 inch, 5 inch, 6 inch and 7 inch gutters. This gutter guard has channels that slide in and out to adjust to the different types and sizes of gutters. There are also scoring marks on these channels that allow the gutter guard to adjust to different sizes by simply scoring along the pre-scored lines and removing the excess material.

8. A gutter guard system as claimed in claim 1, which has a deicing means for melting the ice and snow from the gutters via heat guns that are either attached into the enclosed gutters themselves or in the alternative can be inserted into the downspouts.

9. A gutter cover system as claimed in claim 1, which has a high pressure spray hose attached to the front edge of the gutter and gutter guard where a hose can be attached to this mounted pressure nozzle for fast and easy maintenance cleaning of the top surface and inside the gutter itself to flush any small roof grit that may enter the gutter system. Interior spray design as well with a pulley and rope on a wheel that is attached to a hose that when the hand wheel is turned or by a motor will spray the inside of the gutter and the gutter cover all at one time while cleaning the entire gutter via the rope and pulley invention where this rope and pull drag the sprayer down the gutter to clean it and flush it out.