Foam insert for rain gutter

• US 7,740,755 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC (Owens Corning)
• Original Assignee: Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC (Owens Corning)
• Inventors: Rasor, Aaron Robert, Wilson, Geoffrey Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner; Brian E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buckle, Jr.; James J
• Application Number:
  US12/062,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20090249704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 52/11, 52/12, 52/16, 523/094, 523/096, 210/162, 210/163, 210/164, 210/170.03, 210/473, 210/474, 210/483, 210/496, 210/510.1, 428156-160
• US Class Current: 210/162
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/076 Devices or arrangements for removing snow, ice or debris from gutters or for preventing accumulation thereof

Abstract

A foam insert for a rain gutter for a residential dwelling is provided. The foam insert prevents debris such as leaves, pine needles, gravel, and dirt from entering the rain gutter and permits water to pass through the foam and into the gutter. The foam insert has a channel in the outer side to receive the inwardly projecting lip of a gutter when the foam insert is placed into the gutter. As the foam inserts are installed in the gutter, the lip of the gutter is positioned within the channel. The foam is flexible, which permits the foam insert to be bent and maneuvered into position within the gutter. The foam inserts are formed with a pore size of 14 ppi or below. The foam inserts are inexpensive and may be quickly and easily installed or removed from the gutter by a single individual.

Claims

1. A foam insert for a longitudinally extending rain gutter having a rear wall, a front wall and a bottom wall interconnecting said rear wall and said bottom wall with said front wall including an inwardly extending upper lip, said foam insert comprising:

an elongated foam body having an outer side and an angular side, the angular side extending downwardly and rearwardly from the outer side, the angular side defining a void between said angular side and said front and bottom walls of said rain gutter, the foam body having an upper side that is positioned above said front wall of said rain gutter, said outer side of said foam body being formed with a longitudinally extending channel to receive said upper lip of said rain gutter and to hold said foam body within said rain gutter,

wherein an upper portion of said foam body along said outer side of said foam body is above said channel and a lower portion of said foam body along said outer side is below said channel such that said upper lip of said rain gutter is located within said channel between said upper and lower portions, and

wherein said foam body allows the passage of water through said foam insert, said foam body restricting debris from entering into said rain gutter and from being trapped between said foam body and said upper lip of said rain gutter.

2. The foam insert according to claim 1, wherein said foam body further includes an inner side positioned against said rear wall when said foam insert is installed in said rain gutter, said inner side extending from said bottom wall of said rain gutter to said upper side of said foam body.

3. The foam insert according to claim 1, wherein said channel has a length and a width substantially equivalent to said upper lip of said rain gutter.

4. A foam insert for an elongated rain gutter having a front wall, a rear wall, a bottom wall, and an upper lip, said foam insert comprising:

an elongated foam body formed of an open cell foam material having a horizontal upper side, an inner side orthogonal to said upper side, an outer side parallel to and opposing said inner side, and an angular side extending diagonally from said inner side to said outer side,

wherein said outer side contains a longitudinally extending channel for receiving said upper lip of said rain gutter and for holding said foam body within said rain gutter, said channel dividing said outer side into an upper portion extending above said upper lip and a lower portion extending below said upper lip, said upper lip being positioned within said channel.

5. The foam insert of claim 4, further comprising an opposing bottom side parallel to said upper side, said angular side extending diagonally from said bottom side to said outer side.

6. The foam insert of claim 5, wherein said angular side extends downwardly and rearwardly from said outer side to said bottom side to define a void between said angular side and said front wall and said bottom wall of said rain gutter.

7. The foam insert of claim 5, wherein said channel has a length and a width substantially equivalent to said upper lip of said gutter.

8. A combination of a rain gutter and a foam insert therefore comprising:

a rain gutter having a rear wall, a bottom wall, and a front wall, said front wall having an inwardly projecting upper lip, and

an elongated foam body having an angular side extending downwardly and rearwardly from an outer side that defines a void between said angular side and said front and bottom walls of said rain gutter and a top side that is positioned above said front wall of said rain gutter, said outer side of said foam body being formed with a channel to receive said upper lip of said rain gutter and to hold said foam body within said rain gutter,

wherein a portion of said foam body along said outer side of said foam body being above and a portion below said upper lip of said rain gutter, and

wherein said foam body permits the passage of water and prevents the passage of leaves and debris into said rain gutter and from being trapped between said foam body and said upper lip of said rain gutter.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein said foam body further includes an inner side positioned against said rear wall when said foam insert is installed in said rain gutter, said inner side extending from said bottom wall of said rain gutter to said upper side of said foam body.

10. The combination of claim 9, wherein said foam insert is positioned in said rain gutter such that said bottom side of said foam insert rests on said bottom wall of said rain gutter adjacent to said rear wall of said rain gutter, said angular side defining a space within said rain gutter between said front wall and said foam insert for the flow of water along said bottom wall.

11. The combination of claim 10, wherein said foam body further includes a lower side that is located against said bottom wall of said rain gutter when said foam insert is installed therein, said bottom side extending forwardly of said inner side such that said angular side extends from said outer side to said bottom side.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein said bottom side covers less than half of said bottom wall.

13. The combination of claim 12, wherein said channel has a length and a width substantially equivalent to said upper lip of said gutter.

14. The combination of claim 9, wherein said top side of said foam body is elevated above said front wall of said rain gutter to expose debris thereon to the atmosphere to facilitate drying and removal of said debris.

15. The combination of claim 14, wherein said outer side of said foam body extends downwardly from said upper lip for a distance corresponding to less than half of said front wall of said rain gutter.