Porous Cover Mat Especially Suited for Use with K-Style Gutters

• US 20140223837A1
• Filed: 02/14/2013
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hibco Plastics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hibco Plastics, Inc.
• Inventors: Pavlansky, Mark, Pavlansky, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 9,234,353 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: E04D 13/0765 Cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/0767 Strainers at connection between gutter and down pipe

Abstract

A cover mat suitable for use in preventing debris from entering a rain gutter does not require support when positioned in the gutter other than by portions of the rain gutter engaging the cover mat. The cover mat is formed of a nonwoven polyester fiber material that is coated with a stiffening agent, such as a styrene monomer that will add stiffness without significantly affecting the flow of fluids through the porous or liquid permeable fiber mat.

Claims

1. A gutter cover mountable on a rain gutter, the gutter cover comprising:

a porous fiber mat comprising randomly disposed fibers held together by a binding agent;

a coating separate from the binding agent, and overlying and disposed between at least a portion of the fibers within the mat, the coating including a stiffening agent adding rigidity to the porous fiber mat so that the porous fiber mat can be disposed along the top of the rain gutter and spaced from a lower surface of the rain gutter, without a supporting structure joined to the porous fiber mat, the stiffening agent adding sufficient rigidity to the porous fiber mat so that the porous fiber mat can be supported primarily adjacent opposite edges of the porous fiber mat and not primarily along a lower surface of the porous fiber mat between the opposite edges;

the porous fiber mat remaining sufficiently porous despite the presence of the stiffening agent within the fiber mat to allow passage of rainwater therethrough into the rain gutter, but preventing passage of solid debris into the rain gutter.

2. The gutter cover of claim 1 wherein the coating comprises a styrene material.

3. The gutter cover of claim 2 wherein the binding agent comprises a latex material.

4. The gutter cover of claim 2 wherein the coating includes a PVC material to resist oxidation and UV degradation, and to withstand wet/dry cycles

5. The gutter cover of claim 4 wherein the coating comprises a flame retardant.

6. The gutter cover of claim 5 wherein the flame retardant comprises a combination of hydrated aluminum and a phosphorous salt compound.

7. The gutter cover of claim 2 wherein the styrene material comprises a styrene monomer.

8. The gutter cover of claim 1 wherein the porous fiber mat comprises a nonwoven polyester fiber mat having randomly dispersed fiber bonded by the binding agent.

9. The gutter cover of claim 1 wherein the porous fiber mat comprises a compressible, resilient member exhibiting recovery after compression.

10. The gutter cover of claim 1 wherein the coating overlies the binding agent.

11. A rain gutter cover for use with a rain gutter having a generally, the rain gutter cover comprising:

a fiber mat further comprising;

a plurality of randomly oriented and nonwoven fibers;

a first material having sufficient tackiness to adhere to the fibers and to bind the fibers together when dried to form the fiber mat so that the fiber mat is sufficiently porous to allow passage of rain water therethrough into the rain gutter when mounted on the rain gutter;

a second material disposed at least partially over and disposed between the randomly oriented fibers and within the fiber mat, the second material, when dried, imparting a greater bending resistance to the fiber mat than the first material while the fiber mat remains porous;

whereby the gutter cover can be disposed on the rain gutter without support other than by portions of the rain gutter to which the fiber mat engages.

12. The gutter cover of claim 11 wherein the fibers comprise polyester fibers.

13. The gutter cover of claim 12 wherein the second material comprises a styrene material.

14. An assembly comprising a rain gutter having an inwardly facing slot extending along an outer edge with hangers extending over the rain gutter at spaced locations, the assembly being characterized by:

a rain gutter cover having an front edge insertable into the slot on the rain gutter and lying on the hangers, the gutter cover further comprising;

a fiber mat comprising randomly disposed and nonwoven fibers held together by a binding agent;

a coating, within the fiber mat, and separate from first binding agent, the coating including a stiffening agent overlying and disposed between fibers forming the fiber mat and adding rigidity to the porous fiber mat while the fiber mat remains porous so that the porous fiber mat remains elevated in the rain gutter without the use of supporting members attached to the porous fiber mat.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein an adhesive is disposed between a rear edge of the fiber mat and adjacent to the inner edge of the rain gutter.

16. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the fiber mat has a thickness greater than the height of the slot, the fiber mat being compressible to allow insertion of the fiber mat into the slot.

17. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the fiber mat has a beveled front edge so that the thickness of the fiber mat is greater along the rear edge than along the front edge.

18. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the rain gutter cover comprises a series of fiber mats disposed end to end along the rain gutter.

19. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the stiffening agent comprise a styrene material and the fiber mat is formed of a nonwoven polyester fiber mat with fibers randomly dispersed therein and held together by a latex binding agent.

20. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the rain gutter comprises a K-style gutter.