Rain gutter with integral reinforcing member and gutter guard

• US 20120192502A1
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tony Glander
• Original Assignee: Tony Glander
• Inventors: Glander, Tony
• Granted Patent: US 8,695,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/12
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/076 Devices or arrangements for removing snow, ice or debris from gutters or for preventing accumulation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A gutter guard for use with a K-style rain gutter includes a substantially flat center section, a guard rear flange extending from the center section and a guard lip extending from the guard rear flange. Also extending from the center section is an L-shaped guard front flange that includes a first leg joined with the center section and a second leg extending from the first leg. The guard is adapted to fit in the gutter so that a lower outside corner of the guard is nested within a first inside corner of the gutter, an upper outside corner of the guard is nested within a second inside corner of the gutter, the second leg of the guard is nested within a close inside corner of the gutter, and at least a portion of a rear wall of the gutter is nested between the guard lip and the guard rear flange.

Claims

1. An integral gutter reinforcing member and gutter guard apparatus for use with a K-style rain gutter that includes a substantially flat rear wall terminating at a rear upper edge, and a front wall that includes a curved wall portion, a substantially flat upper wall portion substantially parallel to the rear wall, a gutter flange extending substantially normally from the upper wall portion toward the rear wall, and a gutter lip extending from the gutter flange away from the rear wall, wherein a first inside corner is defined at a junction of the upper wall portion and curved wall portion, a second inside corner is defined at a junction of gutter flange and the upper wall portion, and a close inside corner is defined at a junction of the gutter lip and the gutter flange, the guard comprising:

a substantially flat center section having an upper surface, a lower surface, a front edge and a rear edge;

a guard rear flange substantially extending from the upper surface proximate the rear edge;

a guard lip extending from guard rear flange distal from the center section;

an L-shaped guard front flange proximate the front edge, the guard front flange comprising a first leg extending from the upper surface, and a second leg extending from the first leg and substantially toward the guard rear flange, wherein;

a lower outside corner is defined at a junction of the center section and the first leg;

an upper outside corner is defined at a junction of the first leg and the second leg;

the guard is adapted to be installed within the gutter, whereby;

the second leg of the guard is substantially nested within the close corner of the gutter;

the lower outside corner of the guard is substantially nested within the first inside corner of the gutter;

the upper outside corner of the guard is substantially nested within the second inside corner of the gutter; and

the rear upper edge of the gutter is substantially nested between the guard lip and the guard rear flange.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of openings defined in the center section of the guard, the openings adapted to allow rainwater to pass there through while substantially inhibiting the passage of debris.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of louvers defined in the center section of the guard and extending from the lower surface thereof, the louvers adapted to allow rainwater to pass there through while substantially inhibiting the passage of debris.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guard has disposed therein a removable cleanout panel.

11. A gutter assembly comprising:

a K-style gutter; and

an integral gutter reinforcing member and gutter guard apparatus according to claim 1.

5. A method of installing guard in a K-style rain gutter that includes a substantially flat rear wall terminating at a rear upper edge, and a front wall that includes a curved wall portion and a substantially flat upper wall portion substantially parallel to the rear wall, a gutter flange extending from the upper wall portion toward the rear wall, and a gutter lip extending from the gutter flange away from the rear wall, wherein a first inside corner is defined at a junction of the upper wall portion and curved wall portion, and a second inside corner is defined at a junction of the gutter flange and the upper wall portion, and a close inside corner is defined at a junction of the gutter flange and the gutter lip, the method comprising:

positioning the guard between the front wall and the rear wall of the gutter, wherein, the guard has a substantially flat center section having an upper surface, a lower surface, a front side and rear side, a rear guard flange extending from the upper surface proximate the rear side, a first flange leg extending from the upper surface proximate the front edge, a second flange leg extending from the first leg toward the guard rear flange, wherein a lower outside corner is defined at a junction of the center section and the first leg, and wherein an upper outside corner is defined at a junction of the first leg and the second leg, wherein positioning the guard comprises;

positioning the second leg of the guard so as to be substantially nested within the close inside corner of the gutter;

positioning the lower outside corner of the guard so as to be substantially nested within the first inside corner of the gutter;

positioning the upper outside corner of the guard so as to be substantially nested within the second inside corner of the gutter;

positioning the rear upper edge of the gutter so as to be substantially nested between the guard lip and the guard rear flange.

6. The method of claim 5 and wherein the guard has disposed therein a removable clean-out panel.

7. The method of claim 5 and further comprising placing a mesh material over the guard.

8. A method of forming a guard for use with a K-style rain gutter that includes a substantially flat rear wall terminating at a rear upper edge, and a front wall defined by a curved wall portion and a substantially flat upper wall portion substantially parallel to the rear wall, a gutter flange extending from the upper wall portion toward the rear wall, and a lip extending from the gutter flange away from the rear wall, wherein a first inside corner is defined at a junction of the upper wall portion and curved wall portion, and a second inside corner is formed at a junction of the upper wall portion and the gutter flange, and a close inside corner is formed at a junction of the gutter lip and the gutter flange, the method of forming the guard comprising:

proving a substantially flat length of sheet material having a front edge, a rear edge, an upper surface and a lower surface;

forming in the material a guard rear flange that extends from the upper surface proximate the rear edge;

forming in the material a guard lip that extends from the guard rear flange to form a gap there between;

forming in the material proximate the front edge an L-shaped guard front flange comprising a first leg that extends from the upper surface, and a second leg that extends from the first leg and substantially toward the guard rear flange, wherein;

a substantially flat center section is defined between the rear flange and the front flange;

a lower outside corner is defined at a junction of the center section and the first leg;

an upper outside corner is defined at a junction of the first leg and the second leg;

the guard is adapted to be installed within the gutter, whereby;

the second leg of the guard is substantially nested within the close inside corner of the gutter;

the lower outside corner of the guard is substantially nested within the first inside corner of the gutter;

the upper outside corner of the guard is substantially nested within the second inside corner of the gutter;

the rear upper edge of the gutter is substantially nested within the gap defined between the guard rear flange and the guard lip.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising forming a plurality of openings in the center section of the guard, the openings adapted to allow rainwater to pass there through while substantially inhibiting the passage of debris.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising forming a plurality of louvers in the center section of the guard, the louvers extending from the lower surface thereof, and adapted to allow rainwater to pass there through while substantially inhibiting the passage of debris.