AU2021206883A1

AU2021206883A1 - An apparatus for cleaning a gutter

Info

Publication number: AU2021206883A1
Application number: AU2021206883A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Yuhai Cao
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-07-23
Filing date: 2021-07-22
Publication date: 2022-02-10

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning a gutter. The apparatus comprises a cleaning head comprising a wheel being rotatable about a first axis of the cleaning head, wherein the wheel is configured to move over gutter hangers of the gutter that are installed at substantially regular intervals within the inner space of the gutter. The apparatus further comprises a spray nozzle supported by the cleaning head and configured to direct pressurised fluid onto a surface area, and a support for supporting the cleaning head on a component of the building or on the ground. The apparatus is configured such that when the wheel of the cleaning head is positioned within an inner space of the gutter, rotating of the wheel about the first axis causes the spray nozzle of the cleaning head to traverse along the gutter such that pressurised fluid can be directed onto an inner surface area of the gutter.

Description

An apparatus for cleaning a gutter

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning a gutter of a building. In particular,

the present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning a gutter, including a gutter cleaner and a

debris collector.

Background

[0002] Rain gutters are widely installed along the rooftop eaves as part of a building's water

discharge system. Gutters are important to prevent rain water from dripping or flowing off the roof of

a building in an uncontrolled manner. In addition to rainwater, substantial amounts of debris such as

leaves, tree branches, silt runoff from roof shingles, and the like accumulate in rain gutters over time.

This can eventually constrict or prevent any rainwater from flowing off properly.

[0003] Conventionally, in order to clean a gutter, a person would need to climb upon a ladder and

remove the debris by hand. Manual tools such as scraping devices have been suggested. However,

such tools for cleaning an overhead gutter require that either a person perform the dangerous task of

crawling around the perimeter of the building, or continually return to the ground to shift a ladder to

remove the debris from the gutter.

[0004] These conventional methods are particularly time consuming and may even be dangerous

for the person cleaning the gutter. Another problem arises if the roof of the building is difficult to

reach with a ladder, such as multi-story buildings, or if it is unsafe for a person to move onto the roof.

It would therefore be advantageous if at least an embodiment of the present invention overcame

some of the problems of the prior art tools or at least provided a workable solution for cleaning a

gutter.

[0005] Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which have been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters

form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present

invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.

[0006] Throughout the specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group

of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group

of elements, integers or steps.

Summary

[0007] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus for cleaning a gutter, the

apparatus comprising:

a cleaning head comprising a wheel being rotatable about a first axis of the cleaning head, the wheel being configured to move overgutter hangers of thegutterthat are installed at substantially

regular intervals within the inner space of the gutter;

a spray nozzle supported bythe cleaning head and configured to direct pressurised fluid onto

a surface area; and

a support for supporting the cleaning head on a component of the building or on the ground;

wherein the apparatus is configured such that when the wheel of the cleaning head is

positioned within an inner space of the gutter, rotating of the wheel about the first axis causes the

spray nozzle of the cleaning head to traverse along the gutter such that pressurised fluid can be

directed onto an inner surface area of the gutter.

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention provide significant advantages. In particular,

embodiments of the present invention facilitate the removal of debris from the gutter from the

ground. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may facilitate the continuous cleaning

of the inner space of the gutter.

[0009] In an embodiment, the cleaning head is configured such that the wheel can move over gutter

hangers in a substantially continuous manner. For example, the wheel may comprise a recess for

receiving a gutter hanger.

[0010] In an embodiment, the wheel of the cleaning head comprises at least three blades. In a

specific embodiment, the wheel comprises four blades. In an embodiment, each blade has a length

that is similar or longer than a maximum distance between a gutter hanger and the inner surface area of the gutter. In an embodiment, the wheel is configured such that a gap between adjacent blades is shaped and sized to receive a gutter hanger.

[0011] The support of the apparatus may comprise a cleaning bar connected to the cleaning head,

wherein a length of the cleaning bar being extendable; and a cleaning foot connectable to the

extendable bar and configured to support the cleaning head on the ground. In an alternative

embodiment, the support is configured to attach to a component of the building, such as the roof or

the gutter. In this way, a weight of the apparatus can be supported by the building.

[0012] In one example, the spray nozzle may be configured to direct a pressurised liquid onto a

surface area. The liquid may, for example, be water with or without a cleaning agent. In this regard,

the apparatus may further comprise a tube for connecting the spray nozzle to a water source. For

example, an end portion of the tube may comprise an attachment for connecting the tube to a water

tap.

[0013] In an alternative example, the spray nozzle may be configured to direct pressurised air onto

a surface area. In this regard, the apparatus may further comprise an air pump and a tube connecting

the air pump to the spray nozzle.

[0014] In an embodiment, the cleaning head may comprise a drive for rotating the wheel such that

when the wheel is positioned within the inner space of the gutter, the drive causes the wheel to rotate

thereby causing the spray nozzle to traverse along the gutter. The drive may be an electrical motor,

such as a slow-motion motor.

[0015] In an embodiment, motion of the apparatus along the gutter may be effected by an electric

drive such as the motor, by a person applying a force to the support of the apparatus, or by a

combination of both. For example, providing a drive for rotating the wheel of the apparatus may

reduce the force to be applied to move the apparatus along the gutter.

[0016] In an embodiment, the apparatus may further comprise a power source for providing power

to the drive, such as the motor. The power source may, for example, be a battery. A person skilled in

the art will appreciate that the power source may be provided in any suitable component of the

apparatus, including but not limited to the cleaning head and the cleaning foot.

[0017] The cleaning head may further comprise a camera for capturing an image of the inner space of the gutter. In one example, the camera may be connected to a network interface such that images

captured by the camera can be displayed on a remote computing device, such as a tablet computer, a

smartphone or the like.

[0018] In one embodiment, the support of the apparatus may comprise a securing component for

releasably securing the cleaning head to the gutter such that only when the cleaning head is secured

to the gutter, the wheel can rotate thereby causing the spray nozzle to traverse along the gutter. This

has the advantage that the risk of unintentionally releasing the cleaning head and/or the cleaning

head falling to the ground can be reduced or even eliminated.

[0019] The securing component may comprise a clamp for attaching to the edge of the gutter.

Additionally or alternatively, the securing component may comprise a hook for attaching to the edge

of the gutter. However, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that other securing components are

envisaged.

[0020] In a specific embodiment, the cleaning head is movable between an active configuration and

a passive configuration, wherein when the cleaning head is in the active configuration the cleaning

head is secured to the gutter and the wheel is able to rotate to move the spray nozzle along the central

axis of the gutter, and wherein when the cleaning head is in the passive configuration, the wheel is

stationary. Specifically, the apparatus may be configured such that a force needs to be applied to move

the cleaning head from the passive configuration to the active configuration.

[0021] For example, the cleaning head may comprise a linkage that is configured to move the

cleaning head between the active and passive configurations. In one specific embodiment, the linkage

is a three-bar linkage wherein a first bar comprises a securing component for attaching to the gutter,

a second bar supports the wheel and a third bar is connected to the cleaning bar, wherein when the cleaning head is attached to the gutter and a pulling force is applied to the cleaning bar, the first bar

pivots to lower the wheel into the inner space of the gutter.

[0022] In one embodiment, the linkage is spring loaded so that a force has to be applied to the

linkage to move the cleaning head from the passive configuration to the active configuration.

[0023] In an embodiment, the extendable cleaning bar is releasably attached to the cleaning head.

This has the particular advantage that the components of the apparatus may be dismantled to be

packed in a relatively compact manner, for example for transport purposes.

[0024] The cleaning bar may be attached to the cleaning head so that the blades of the wheel and

the bar enclose an acute angle. In one example, the extendable bar may be attached to the head via

a joint such that the angle can be modified. This may provide a greater degree of flexibility for different

heights and constructions of buildings.

[0025] In an embodiment, the cleaning foot may comprise a plurality of wheels to support the

cleaning foot on the ground. In this way, the cleaning foot may move together with cleaning head. In

one example, the apparatus is configured such that the wheel of the cleaning head and the plurality

of wheels of the cleaning foot only move in the substantially same direction.

[0026] In a specific embodiment, the cleaning foot may further comprise a drive for driving the

cleaning foot.

[0027] In an embodiment, the cleaning bar may comprise a telescopic mount for extending a length

of the bar. In this regard, the cleaning bar may comprise a pin for setting a desired length of the

cleaning bar.

[0028] In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a collector for collecting debris from

the gutter. For example, the collector may be positioned to collect debris that is moved by the

pressurised fluid from the spray nozzle of the cleaning head. In a specific example, the collector may

be separate from the cleaning components. However, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that

the collector may be connected to the cleaning head or other components.

[0029] In one embodiment, the collector may comprise a collecting head, an extendable bar and a

collecting foot. The extendable bar and the collecting foot of the collector may be of similar or same configuration as the cleaning bar and the cleaning foot, respectively.

[0030] The collecting head may comprise a container and a lip projecting from the container. The

lip may be configured to substantially conform to a shape of the inner space of the gutter. In one

specific embodiment, the lip is made of a flexible material to engage with the inner surface area of the gutter. Examples of the flexible material of the lip may include but are not limited to rubber or plastics.

[0031] In an embodiment, the container may comprise a plurality of apertures to allow water to

discharge. For example, the container may be in the form of a net.

[0032] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or

modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments and/or aspects

without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. For example, it will

be apparent that certain features of the invention can be combined to form further embodiments.

The present embodiments and aspects are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative

and not restrictive. Several embodiments are described above with reference to the drawings. These

drawings illustrate certain details of specific embodiments that implement the systems and methods

and programs of the present invention. However, describing the invention with drawings should not

be construed as imposing on the invention any limitations associated with features shown in the

drawings.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0033] Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by example

only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0034] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for cleaning a gutter in accordance

with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the cleaning head of the apparatus of Figure 1;

[0036] Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the extendable bar of the apparatus of Figure 1;

[0037] Figure 4 is a schematic representation of the cleaning foot connected to the extendable bar

of the apparatus of Figure 1; and

[0038] Figure 5 is a schematic representation of the collector of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Description of Embodiments

[0039] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an apparatus for cleaning a gutter

of a building. The apparatus comprises a cleaning head with a wheel. The wheel comprises at least

three blades, and is rotatable about a first axis of the cleaning head. The cleaning head further

comprises a spray nozzle configured to direct pressurised fluid onto a surface area, such as pressurised

water or air. An extendable bar is connected to the cleaning head such that the apparatus can be

operated from the ground. The apparatus further comprises a cleaning foot connectable to the

extendable bar and configured to support the cleaning head on the ground. The apparatus is

configured such that when the wheel of the cleaning head is positioned within an inner space of the

gutter, rotating of the wheel about the first axis causes the spray nozzle to move along the gutter such

that pressurised fluid can be directed onto an inner surface area of the gutter. In this way, debris can

be removed from the gutter and the gutter be cleaned.

[0040] Referring initially to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, there is shown a schematic

representation of an apparatus 100 for cleaning a gutter 102 of a building 104. A gutter is typically

provided along the lower edge of the roof slope to prevent rain from flowing off the roof 106 in an

uncontrolled manner. Rain gutters 102 typically have a trough-like shape to receive any water that is

flowing off the roof 106 and guide the collected water to one or moredownpipes (not shown). Rain

gutters, such as gutter 102, typically comprise a plurality of gutter hangers 108 to secure the gutter

102 to the edge of the roof 106. Gutter hangers 108, also referred to as gutter support straps or gutter

brackets, are installed at regular intervals within the inner space of the gutter 102.

[0041] Due to the positioning of these gutter hangers 106, it is difficult to clean a gutter 102

continuously over an extended length of the gutter. For example, with manual gutter cleaner tools

such as scraping tools, the tool needs to be lifted to move over the gutter hangers 108. Embodiments of the present invention aim to solve this problem and may provide a gutter cleaning apparatus that

allows a gutter to be cleaned in a substantially continuous manner. More advantages of embodiments

of the present invention will become apparent in the detailed description below.

[0042] Referring back to Figure 1, the apparatus 100 comprises a cleaning component 110 and a

separate collecting component 112. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the collecting

component 112 is optional and may be replaced by any other suitable device or method of collecting

debris that is moved by the pressurised fluid of the cleaning component 110.

[0043] The cleaning component 110 comprises a cleaning head 114 with a wheel 116 and a spray

nozzle 118. A more detailed representation of the cleaning head 114 is illustrated in Figure 2 of the

accompanying drawings. In this particular example, the wheel 116 comprises four blades 120 that are

arranged equidistant to one another. The wheel 116 is configured such that when the wheel 116 is

positioned within an inner space of the gutter 102, the wheel 116 can move along the gutter 102 and

over the gutter hangers 108 by rotating about the first axis. In this way, the cleaning head 114 and

thereby the spray nozzle 118 may move along the gutter 102 without needing to stop at each gutter

hanger 108. In this regard, the wheel 116 is configured such that a gap between adjacent blades 120

is sized and shaped to accommodate a gutter hanger 118. For example, a length of each blade 120

may be selected to be longer than a maximum distance between a gutter hanger 108 and an inner

surface area of the gutter 102.

[0044] A person skilled in the art will appreciate that other shaped blades or wheels are envisaged.

For example, the wheel of a cleaning head may comprise three blades or five or more blades. In

general, a shape and size of the blades of the wheel 116 may be selected based on a gutter to be

cleaned. Furthermore, each blade 120 may be removable. In this way, the apparatus 100 may be

provided with a plurality of different wheel blades 120 to provide a greater flexibility for a range of

different rain gutters 102.

[0045] The cleaning head 114 further comprises a spray nozzle 118 for directing a pressurised fluid

onto a surface area, such as the inner surface area of the gutter 102. In this particular example, the

fluid is water and the spray nozzle 118 is attached to a tube 122 to connect the spray nozzle 118 to a

water source, such as a conventional water tap 124. In this regard, the tube 112 may comprise an

attachment for connecting the tube 122 to the water tap 124. In an alternative example (not shown),

the apparatus 100 may be configured to direct pressurised air into the inner space of the gutter to clean off debris. In this regard, the cleaning component 110 of the apparatus 100 may further

comprise an air pump and a tube connecting the air pump to the spray nozzle 118.

[0046] The spray nozzle 118 is supported on a spray arm 126. In this example, the spray arm 126 is

arranged such that the spray nozzle 118 directs pressurised water to the inner surface area of the

gutter 102 at an angle of approximately 45°. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that any suitable

angle is envisaged. Furthermore, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that a position of the spray

arm 126 may be adjustable to adjust an angle of the pressurised water relative to the gutter 102.

[0047] Thus, when the wheel 116 of the cleaning head 114 is positioned within the inner space of

the gutter 102, rotating the wheel 116 about the first axis causes the cleaning head 114 and thereby

the spray nozzle 118 to move along the gutter 102 such that pressurised water can be directed by the

spray nozzle 118 onto debris located within the gutter 102. By directing a pressurised water onto the

debris, the debris may be moved into the collecting component 112 as will be described in further

detail below. This configuration has the advantage that a gutter may be cleaned substantially

continuously over an extended length of the gutter 102, without the need to stop at each gutter

hanger.

[0048] In this example, the cleaning head 114 further comprises a drive 128 for rotating the wheel.

The drive 128 may for example be a motor that is powered by a battery (not shown). A person skilled

in the art will appreciate that the wheel 116 is typically rotated relatively slowly to ensure that most

or even all debris can be removed from the gutter 102. Thus, in this example, motion of the apparatus

100 along the gutter 102 is effected by a combination of the drive 128 and a force applied by a person

to the cleaning bar 132. Thus, by providing the drive 128 a required force may be reduced to move

the cleaning head 114 along the gutter. However, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that

movement of the apparatus 100 may be solely effected by an electric drive, or by a person applying a

force.

[0049] The cleaning head 114 further comprises a camera 130 for capturing an image of the inner

space of the gutter 102 where the pressurised water is directed onto the surface area. In this way, a

user of the apparatus 100 can monitor whether the cleaning component 110 works efficiently. For

example, if the images captured by the 130 indicate that the apparatus 100 is not working effectively,

a user may adjust a speed of wheel rotation of the wheel 116 or a pressure of the water. The camera

130 may be connected to a network interface (not shown) such that images captured by the camera 130 can be communicated to a remote computing device such as a smartphone or a tablet computer.

[0050] Referring back to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, the cleaning component 110

further comprises an extendable cleaning bar 132 connecting the cleaning head 114 and a cleaning

foot 134. The cleaning bar 132 is releasably attached to the cleaning head 114 and the cleaning foot

134. This has the particular advantage that components of the apparatus 100 can be dismantled and

packed in a relatively compact manner, for example for transport purposes.

[0051] The cleaning bar 132 may be made of stainless steel and comprise a telescopic mount 136 to lengthen or shorten the bar 128 as shown in particular in Figure 3. For example, the cleaning bar

132 may comprise a plurality of parts that slide into one another. In one example, the cleaning bar

132 comprises five parts that slide into one another, wherein each part has a length of approximately

2m. In this way, a maximum length of approximately 10m can be achieved which is suitable for multi

level buildings, such as in Europe. However, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that any suitable

number of parts and associated length is envisaged. Thus, there is no length limit for the apparatus

100. For example, the extendable bar 128 may comprise five parts wherein each part has a length of

approximately Im. The bar 128 may comprise one or more pins 138 to fixate a length of the bar 128

by moving the pin 138 into one of a plurality of apertures 129. A person skilled in the art will appreciate

that extendable bars are well known in the art and that any suitable extendable bar is envisaged.

[0052] As shown in Figure 3, the cleaning bar 132 comprise a plurality of pipe attachments 140 for

attaching a water or air pipe, such as tube 122, to the extendable bar 128. Further, a bottom portion

of the extendable bar 128 may comprise a screw connection 142 to fasten the bar 128 to the cleaning

foot 130.

[0053] Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a detailed view of the cleaning foot 134 of the

apparatus 100. The cleaning foot 134 comprises a plurality of wheels 144 to support the cleaning foot

134 on the ground 146. By providing the plurality of wheels 144, the cleaning foot 134 may move

together with the cleaning head 114 in a direction defined by the central axis of the gutter 102.

Specifically, in one example the cleaning foot 134 may be configured such that the plurality of wheels

144 only move in a direction that is substantially similar to a direction of movement of the cleaning

wheel 116. This has the particular advantage that the cleaning foot 134 is hindered from moving away

from the gutter 102. However, in this particular example the plurality of wheels 144 are free to move

in any direction as the cleaning head 114 is secured to the gutter 102 by a securing component 152

that will be described in further detail below.

[0054] The cleaning foot 134 further comprises a screw attachment 148 that can be attached to the

extendable bar 136 via a joint 150. In this example, thejoint 150 is configured to provide a 360° degree

of movement. However, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that otherjoints are envisaged, such

as a knee joint.

[0055] The cleaning foot 134 may further comprise a drive such as a motor (not shown) for driving

the cleaning foot 134 in synchronisation with the cleaning head 114. In a specific example, the motor

128 of the cleaning head 114 may be configured to drive both the wheel 116 and the cleaning foot

134. In this way, handling of the apparatus 100 will further be simplified. A person skilled in the art

will appreciate that the motor 128 may be located at any component of the apparatus 100.

[0056] Referring back to Figure 2, there is shown an exemplary implementation of a securing

component 152 for releasably securing the cleaning head 114 to the gutter 102. In this particular

example, the apparatus 100 is configured such that the cleaning head 114 can only be activated once

the cleaning head 114 is secured to the gutter 102 by the securing component 152.

[0057] In this example, the securing component 152 is configured to hook onto an outer edge of

the gutter 102. The securing component 152 comprises a first arm 154 with a hook 156 at a distal end

that is configured to attach to an outer edge of the gutter 102. The securing component 152 is

configured such that only when the hook 156 of the first arm 154 is attached to the gutter 102, the

cleaning head 114 can be moved from a passive configuration to an active configuration. In this

example, moving the cleaning head 114 from the passive configuration to the active configuration is

achieved by applying a pulling force onto the cleaning bar 132. This configuration has the advantage

that gravity is assisting in applying the pulling force. Specifically, the securing component 152

comprises first, second and third arms 154, 158, 160 that define a three-arm linkage. The first arm 154

comprises the hook 156 for attaching to the gutter 102, the second arm 158 supports the wheel 116

and the spray nozzle and the third arm 160 is attached to the extendable bar 128. Thus, when the

hook 156 is attached to the gutter 102 and a pulling force is applied to the bar 128 and thereby to the

third arm 160, the second arm 158 supporting the wheel 116 and the spray nozzle 118 pivots such

that the wheel 116 lowers into position within the inner space of the gutter 102 where rotation of the

wheel 116 causes the spray nozzle 118 to traverse along the gutter 102.

[0058] In this example, the three-arm linkage is spring-loaded with a spring 161 and the second arm

158 automatically pivots to raise the wheel 116 which defines the passive configuration of the cleaning head 114 (when the pulling force is no longer applied to the third arm 160). The third arm 160 may

further comprise a safety lock 162 for resting against the gutter 102 or wall when the apparatus 100

is in use.

[0059] The extendable bar 128 may be attached to the cleaning head 114 so that the blades 120 of

the wheel 116 and the bar 128 enclose an acute angle. In this particular example as shown in Figure

2, the extendable bar 128 is attached to the cleaning head 114 via a joint 164 such that the angle can

be modified. This may provide a greater degree of flexibility for different heights and constructions of buildings.

[0060] In an alternative example (not shown), the securing component may comprise a pair of

clamping arms that are movable towards each other to clamp to the outer edge of the gutter 102.

Each clamping arm may further comprise an attachment, such as a hook, for improving the clamping

to the gutter 102. One of the clamping arms may be spring-loaded so that a force needs to be applied

to operate the clamping function to secure the cleaning head 114 to the gutter 102.

[0061] Referring back to Figure 1, the apparatus 100 further comprises a collecting component 112

for collecting debris. In use, the collecting component 112 is positioned in relatively close proximity to

the cleaning head 114 in a way such that debris that is moved by the pressurised water from the spray

nozzle 118 can be collected by the collecting component 112. In this particular example, the collecting

component 112 forms a separate component from the cleaning component 110. However, a person

skilled in the art will appreciate that the collecting component 112 may be connected to the cleaning

component 110, such as the cleaning head 114.

[0062] Similar to the cleaning component 110, the collecting component 112 comprises a collecting

head 170 that is connectable to an extendable bar 172 that is of similar or same configuration as the

cleaning bar 132. The collecting component 112 further comprises a collecting foot 174 with wheels

176 that is of similar or same configuration as the cleaning foot 134. Due to the similarity in

configurations, the extendable bar 172 and the cleaning foot 174 of the collecting component 112 will

not be further described and reference is made to the extendable bar 128 and the cleaning foot 134

of the cleaning component 110.

[0063] An example of the collecting head 170 is shown in detail in Figure 5 of the accompanying

drawings. The collecting head 170 comprises a container 176 for collecting debris (not shown) and a

lip 178 projecting from the container 176. In this particular example, the container 176 comprises a

plurality of apertures to form a net. This has the advantage that whilst debris is collected by the container 176, any excessive water can be discharged through the apertures. The lip 178 is made of a

flexible material so as to substantially conform to a shape of the inner space of the gutter 102.

Exemplary material may include rubber or plastics. However, a person skilled in the art will appreciate

that other materials are envisaged.

[0064] The extendable bar 172 of the collecting component 110 comprises a connector 180 for

releasably attaching to the collecting head 170. Any suitable connector is envisaged. In this particular

example, the connector 180 is a female-male connector that connects by virtue of a sliding movement. In this way, releasing of the collecting head 170 can be done in a simple and fast manner. This has the advantage that the collecting head 170 can be easily detached from the extendable bar 172 when the container 176 is full, and re-attached when the container 176 has been emptied. The connector 180 comprises an additional safety element 182 for securing the connecting head 170 to the extendable bar 172. This ensures that the collecting head 170 may not fall to the ground in an uncontrolled manner if the collecting head 170 is unintentionally released from the connector 180.

[0065] In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the collecting component 110 may comprise a

container and an opening connected to the container, wherein the collecting component is configured

to apply suction to the opening such that at least debris can be moved into the container. In this

regard, the collecting container may further comprise an air pump and a connecting hose. In other

words, the collecting component in this embodiment functions in a similar or same manner as a

vacuum cleaner.

[0066] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or

drawings.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning a gutter, the apparatus comprising:

a cleaning head comprising a wheel being rotatable about a first axis of the cleaning head, the wheel being configured to move over gutter hangers of the gutter that are installed at substantially regular intervals within the inner space of the gutter;

a spray nozzle supported by the cleaning head and configured to direct pressurised fluid onto a surface area; and

a support for supporting the cleaning head on a component of the building or the ground;

wherein the apparatus is configured such that when the wheel of the cleaning head is positioned within an inner space of the gutter, rotating of the wheel about the first axis causes the spray nozzle to traverse along the gutter such that a pressurised fluid can be directed onto an inner surface area of the gutter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wheel of the cleaning head comprises at least three blades.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein each blade has a length that is similar or longer than a maximum distance between a gutter hanger and the inner surface area of the gutter.

4. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spray nozzle is configured to direct pressurised water onto a surface area and the apparatus further comprises a tube for connecting the spray nozzle to a water tap.

5. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning head comprises a motor for rotating the wheel such that when the wheel is positioned within the inner space of the gutter, the motor causes the wheel to rotate thereby causing the spray nozzle to traverse along the gutter.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the cleaning component further comprises a battery for providing power to the motor.

7. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning head further

comprise a camera for capturing an image of the inner space of the gutter.

8. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning head comprises a

securing component for releasably securing the cleaning head to the gutter such that only when the

cleaning head is secured to the gutter, the wheel can rotate to cause the spray nozzle to traverse along

the gutter.

9. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus is configured such

that the cleaning head is movable between an active configuration and a passive configuration,

wherein when the cleaning head is in the active configuration the cleaning head is secured to the

gutter and the wheel is able to rotate to move the spray nozzle along the central axis of the gutter,

and wherein when the cleaning head is in the passive configuration, the wheel is stationary.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 being configured such that a force needs to be applied to move the

cleaning head from the passive configuration to the active configuration.

11. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, comprising a three-bar linkage, a first bar

comprising a securing component for attaching to the gutter, a second bar supporting the wheel and

a third bar connecting the cleaning head to the extendable bar, wherein when the cleaning head is

attached to the gutter and a pulling force is applied to the cleaning bar, the first bar pivots to lower

the wheel into the inner space of the gutter.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the linkage is spring-loaded so that a force has to be

applied to the linkage to lower the wheel into the inner space of the gutter.

13. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning bar is releasably

attached to the cleaning head.

14. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning foot comprises a plurality of wheels to support the cleaning foot on the ground.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the cleaning foot further comprises a motor for driving

the cleaning foot.

16. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a collector for

collecting debris from the gutter.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the collector comprises a collecting head, an extendable

bar and a collecting foot, wherein the collecting head comprises a container for collecting debris and

a lip projecting from the container.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the lip of the collecting head is configured to

substantially conform to a shape of the inner space of the gutter.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the lip is made of a flexible material.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, 18 or 19, wherein the container of the collecting head comprises

a plurality of apertures to allow water to discharge.

178 100

120 118

176 106

172 126 108 102 116

104

108 112

132

110

122

124 134 174 176 146

Figure 1

118

130 2021206883

126

128

158 120

161

102

156

160 154 162 164

122

108

132

Figure 2

136 140

128 138

142

Figure 3

136

140

139

138

148 134 150

144

Figure 4

180

174 176

172

182 180

Figure 5