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Apparatus and method for protecting a downspout of a gutter

  • US 9,238,916 B2
  • Filed: 01/20/2011
  • Issued: 01/19/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A rain gutter end cap comprising:

  • a U-shaped body having a unitary construction of a semi-rigid material, the U-shaped body comprised of in a relaxed shape;

    (a) a first pair of opposing, parallel and linear portions;

    (b) a second pair of opposing, parallel and linear portions;

    (c) four curved portions, each of the four curved portions formed integrally to one of the first pair of opposing, parallel and linear portions and one of the second pair of opposing, parallel and linear portions;

    a cross-section of the U-shaped body comprising an inner leg, an edge leg and an outer leg, wherein the inner leg, edge leg and outer leg are connected together and have an integral and unitary form of the U-shaped body;

    wherein the inner leg includes an outer surface, an inner surface and an edge surface, the outer surface of the inner leg spaced apart from the inner surface of the inner leg by the edge surface of the inner leg;

    wherein the outer leg includes an outer surface, an inner surface and an edge surface, the outer surface of the outer leg spaced apart from the inner surface of the outer leg by the edge surface of the outer leg;

    wherein the edge leg includes an outer surface and a planar inner surface, the outer surface of the outer leg spaced apart from the outer surface of the inner leg by the outer surface of the edge leg, the inner surface of the outer leg spaced apart from the inner surface of the inner leg by the inner surface of the edge leg;

    a rectangular shaped gap in the relaxed position, the rectangular shaped gap extending inwardly within the first pair of opposing, parallel and linear portions, the second pair of opposing, parallel and linear portions, and the four curved portions, wherein the rectangular shaped gap has an outer side boundaried by the inner surface of the outer leg, an edge side boundaried by the inner surface of the edge leg and an inner side boundaried by the inner surface of the inner leg, and wherein the rectangular shaped gap configured to receive a terminal end of a gutter downspout;

    an interference fit with the terminal end of the gutter downspout wherein the interference fit extends substantially along an entirety of the inner surface of the outer leg and the inner surface of the inner leg when the terminal end of the gutter downspout is received within the rectangular shaped gap and contacts substantially along an entirety of the inner surface of the edge leg; and

    wherein in the relaxed shape a pair of side legs comprising the U-shaped body are spaced apart by a top leg and opposite bottom leg both comprising the U-shaped body, the pair of side legs, the top leg and the bottom leg together form a rectangular shaped end cap body, the pair of side legs and the top leg and the bottom leg are substantially parallel in the relaxed shape.

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