CA3134303A1 - Gutter cover - Google Patents

Abstract

A cover for a gutter is disclosed. The gutter may have a front section, a rear section, a gutter channel formed between the front section and the rear section, an intermediate flange portion extending from the front section, and an inner flange portion extending from the intemediate flange portion. The cover may include: a main body configured to cover the gutter channel when the cover is secured to the gutter; and a front flange may include: an upper flange portion that extends from the main body and is configured to interlock with the intermediate flange portion to secure the cover to the gutter; a connecting portion that extends from the upper flange portion; and a lower flange portion that extends from the connecting portion and has a free end extending towards the upper flange portion.

Description

CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002

2 CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

3 100011 The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Design Application

4 No. 29/747,232, filed August 20, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

7 100021 Gutters that capture and direct water away from roofs may be susceptible to 8 clogging from debris, such as leaves, sticks, and shingles. If the debris is not washed out 9 naturally by rainfall, it can accumulate and prevent water from draining out of the gutter system. That, in turn, can cause excessive rainfall to overflow the gutter and spill down 11 the side of the structure on which the gutter is attached, which may cause water damage 12 to the structure or the ground surrounding it.
13 100031 The accumulation of debris in gutters can be addressed by actively 14 removing the debris from the gutters, but doing so may be difficult with gutters installed high on the structure. Also, even if the gutters can readily be cleaned, they may be 16 susceptible to becoming clogged again soon after. This may require regular attention that 17 is not convenient.
18 100041 The accumulation of debris in gutters can also be addressed by preventing 19 debris from entering the gutter in the first place. A cover may be installed on the gutter that prevents the debris from entering the gutter, and may also facilitate the debris being 21 washed away, while allowing water to drain through the debris and the cover and into the 22 gutter to be directed away from the structure.
23 100051 Covers for gutters, however, have been difficult to install, for example, by 24 requiring a multitude of complex fasteners to secure the cover to the gutter. Thus, installation can be complicated, time consuming, and costly. Even once fastened to the CPST Doc: 383602.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002 1 gutter, complex fastening arrangements may not adequately secure the cover. Wind, 2 heavy rain, snow, hail, etc., might dislodge and/or damage the cover, rendering it 3 ineffective. Covers have also been complex, and therefore costly, to produce, for 4 example, having multiple components and being made of different materials in an attempt to be secure and sturdy once installed.
6 [0006] The present technology, as described below, seeks to overcome these 7 deficiencies.

9 100071 One aspect of the present technology is directed to a cover for a gutter. The cover may include a main body; and a front flange that includes an upper flange portion 11 that extends from the main body and a lower flange portion that has a free end.
12 [0008] Another aspect of the present technology is directed to a cover for a gutter.
13 The cover may include a main body; and a front flange that includes an upper flange 14 portion that extends from the main body and a lower flange portion that has a free end extending towards the upper flange portion.
16 [0009] Another aspect of the present technology is directed to a cover for a gutter, 17 the gutter having a front section, a rear section, a gutter channel formed between the front 18 section and the rear section, an intermediate flange portion extending from the front 19 section, and an inner flange portion extending from the intermediate flange portion. The cover may include: a main body configured to cover the gutter channel when the cover is 21 secured to the gutter; and a front flange comprising: an upper flange portion that extends 22 from the main body and is configured to contact the intermediate flange portion to secure 23 the cover to the gutter; a connecting portion that extends from the upper flange portion;
24 and a lower flange portion that extends from the connecting portion and has a free end extending towards the upper flange portion, the free end being configured to contact and 26 slide past the inner flange portion to secure the cover to the gutter.
CPST Doc: 383602.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002 1 [0010] Another aspect of the present technology is directed to a gutter and cover 2 system including a gutter and a cover. The gutter may include: a front section; a rear 3 section; a gutter channel formed between the front section and the rear section; an 4 intermediate flange portion extending from the front section; and an inner flange portion extending from the intermediate flange portion. The cover may include: a main body 6 configured to cover the gutter channel when the cover is secured to the gutter; and a front 7 flange comprising: an upper flange portion that extends from the main body and is 8 configured to contact the intermediate flange portion to secure the cover to the gutter; a 9 connecting portion that extends from the upper flange portion; and a lower flange portion that extends from the connecting portion and has a free end extending towards the upper 11 flange portion, the free end being configured to contact and slide past the inner flange 12 portion to secure the cover to the gutter.
13 [0011] Another aspect of the present technology is directed to a method of 14 manufacturing a cover for a gutter. The method may include: forming a main body; and forming a front flange comprising: forming an upper flange portion that extends from the 16 main body; forming a connecting portion that extends from the upper flange portion; and 17 forming a lower flange portion that extends from the connecting portion and has a free 18 end extending towards the upper flange portion.
19 100121 Another aspect of the present technology is directed to a method of installing a cover onto a gutter. The method may include: engaging a front flange of the 21 cover to the gutter; engaging an upper flange portion of the cover to an intermediate 22 flange portion of the gutter; and engaging a lower flange portion of the cover to an inner 23 flange portion of the gutter.
24 100131 In examples of any of the preceding aspects: (a) the upper flange portion and the free end of the lower flange portion may be configured to sandwich the 26 intermediate flange portion and the inner flange portion until the open end of the lower 27 flange portion is slid past the open end of the inner flange portion allowing the lower CPST Doc: 383602.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002 1 flange portion to spring upward toward the intermediate flange portion to secure the 2 cover to the gutter, (b) the front flange may be shaped such that the upper flange portion 3 is positioned above the lower flange portion when the cover is secured to the gutter, (c) 4 the upper flange portion may include a flat section that is configured to contact a flat section of the intermediate flange portion, (d) the upper flange portion may be configured 6 to be positioned externally of the gutter channel when the cover is secured to the gutter, 7 (e) the upper flange portion may be configured to contact the intermediate flange portion, 8 (f) the free end may be configured to contact surface of the inner flange portion facing 9 away from the intermediate flange portion, (g) the front flange may be configured to be secured to the gutter without fasteners, (h) the front flange may be configured to be 11 secured to the gutter by a snap fit, a press fit, or an interlocking fit, (i) the main body and 12 the front flange may comprise a single, continuous, and homogeneous piece of material, 13 (j) the upper flange portion may include a leading edge, and the leading edge and the free 14 end of the lower flange portion may extend to at least an approximately equal distance away from the main body, (k) the leading edge may extend farther from the main body 16 than the free end of the lower flange portion, (1) the main body may include a plurality of 17 drainage holes, (m) the main body may include a wavy section, (n) the main body may 18 include a flap and a retaining portion that joins the flap to the main body, the flap and the 19 retaining portion being formed by a cut in the main body, (o) the retaining portion may be deformable to allow the flap to be displaced from the main body to form an access hole 21 through the main body for a tool, (p) the cover may include a rear flange extending from 22 the main body opposite the front flange and configured to contact the rear section of the 23 gutter, the rear flange including a fastening hole configured to receive a fastener to secure 24 the rear flange of the cover to the rear section of the gutter and to secure the gutter and the cover to a structure, and/or (q) the cover may include a rear flange extending from the 26 main body opposite the front flange and configured to contact the rear section of the 27 gutter.
CPST Doc: 383602.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002 1 [0014] Of course, portions of the aspects may form sub-aspects of the present 2 technology. Also, various ones of the sub-aspects and/or aspects may be combined in 3 various manners and also constitute additional aspects or sub-aspects of the present 4 technology.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
6 100151 FIG. lA is a perspective view of a gutter cover, according to an example of 7 the present technology, installed on a gutter.
8 100161 FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a gutter cover, according to an example of 9 the present technology, in an intermediate installation position on a gutter.
100171 FIG. 2 is a detailed view of FIG. lA showing the gutter cover installed on 11 the gutter.
12 [0018] FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a gutter cover according to an example 13 of the present technology.
14 [0019] FIG. 4 is an elevation view of a gutter cover according to an example of the present technology.
16 [0020] FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a gutter cover according to an 17 example of the present technology.
18 [0021] FIG. 6 is another bottom perspective view of a gutter cover according to an 19 example of the present technology.
100221 FIG. 7A is a perspective view of a gutter cover, according to another 21 example of the present technology, installed on a gutter.
22 100231 FIG. 7B is a perspective view of a gutter cover, according to another 23 example of the present technology, installed on a gutter with a flap displaced.
24 100241 FIG. 7C is an elevation view of a gutter cover, according to another example of the present technology, installed on a gutter with a flap displaced to allow 26 insertion of a tool.
CPST Doc: 383602.1

5 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002 1 [0025] FIG. 8 is a top view of a gutter cover according to another example of the 2 present technology.
3 100261 FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of a gutter cover according to another 4 example of the present technology.
100271 FIG. 10 is a bottom view of a gutter cover according to another example of

6 the present technology.

7 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE TECHNOLOGY

8 100281 Before the present technology is described in further detail, it is to be

9 understood that the technology is not limited to the particular examples described herein, which may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in this disclosure is 11 for the purpose of describing only the particular examples discussed herein, and is not 12 intended to be limiting.
13 100291 The following description is provided in relation to various examples which 14 may share one or more common characteristics and/or features. It is to be understood that one or more features of any one example may be combinable with one or more 16 features of another example or other examples. In addition, any single feature or 17 combination of features in any of the examples may constitute a further example.
18 [0030] The present technology includes a cover 1 that may be installed on a gutter 19 100 to block debris from entering a gutter channel 106 through a gutter opening 105 formed between a rear section 101 and a front section 102 of the gutter 100.
Fig. lA
21 shows the cover 1, according to an example of the present technology, installed on the 22 gutter 100, and Fig. 1B shows an intermediate installation position of the cover 1 on the 23 gutter 100 in which a front flange 10 of the cover 1 is partially engaged with an 24 intermediate flange portion 108 and an inner flange portion 104 of the gutter 100.
100311 The cover 1 may include a main body 2 that covers the gutter opening 26 to prevent debris from entering the gutter channel 106, while allowing water to drain CPST Doc: 383602.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002 1 through drainage holes 3 in the main body 2 and into the gutter channel 106 to be 2 directed away by the gutter 100. The main body 2 may also include a wavy section 4 in 3 which the main body 2 undulates to suspend debris above the drainage holes 3 to prevent 4 debris from accumulating on top of the cover 1 and occluding the drainage holes 3.
100321 The cover 1 may also include a front flange 10 that extends from the main 6 body 2. In examples where the wavy section 4 is included, the front flange 10 may extend 7 from the wavy section 4. The front flange 10 may include a leading edge 6, shown in the 8 form of a fold in the depicted examples.
9 [0033] An upper flange portion 7 may extend from the leading edge 6. The upper flange portion 7, in the examples shown in Figs. 1A-2 and 7A-7C, may be positioned 11 adjacent to or contact an upper surface 103 of the intermediate flange portion 108 to 12 support the cover 1 on top of the gutter 100 at the front side, i.e., away from the structure.
13 The upper flange portion 7 may be positioned externally over the gutter channel 106 14 when the cover 1 is installed on the gutter 100. In these depicted examples, the upper flange portion 7 and the intermediate flange portion 108 each form an at least partly flat 16 surface overlapping each other. In further examples, the entire upper flange portion 7 and 17 the entire intermediate flange portion 108 may be flat. In still further examples, at least a 18 portion of the upper flange portion 7 may overlap the entire intermediate flange portion 19 108 or at least a portion of the intermediate flange portion 108 may overlap the entire upper flange portion 7. In still further examples, the entire upper flange portion 7 may 21 overlap the entire intermediate flange portion 108.
22 100341 A connecting portion 9 may extend from the upper flange portion 7 in a 23 downward direction, i.e., away from the main body 2. When the cover 1 is installed on 24 the gutter 100, the connecting portion 9 may extend into the gutter channel 106, as shown in Figs. 1A-2 and 7A-7C. The connecting portion 9 may be oriented perpendicular, or at 26 least approximately perpendicular, to one or both of the upper flange portion 7 and the 27 main body 2.
CPST Doc: 383602.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002 1 [0035] A lower flange portion 8, which can be seen, for example, in Fig. 2, may 2 extend from the connecting portion 9 to a free end. The lower flange portion 8, and/or its 3 free end, may be positioned adjacent to or in contact with an interior-facing surface 107 4 of the inner flange portion 104. In an example, such as what Fig. 4 shows, the lower flange portion 8 may extend in a direction that approximately to the leading edge 6. Fig.
6 4, for example, also shows the lower flange portion 8 extending in a direction that leads 7 away from the connecting portion 9 and at angle that is between perpendicular to the 8 connecting portion 9 and parallel to the connecting portion 9. In further examples, the 9 lower flange portion 8 may be oriented at angle of approximately 300-450 relative to the connecting portion 9.
11 [0036] Fig. 4 shows that the leading edge 6 extends farther in a forward direction, 12 i.e., away from the structure when the cover 1 is installed on the gutter 100, than the 13 lower flange portion 8. This arrangement may ensure that a sufficient portion of the upper 14 flange portion 7 overlaps the intermediate flange portion 108 to support the cover 1 on top of the gutter 100.
16 [0037] During the installation of the cover 1 to the gutter 100 the cover 1 may be 17 moved forward, or away from the structure. The free end of the lower flange 8 will move 18 downward away from the upper flange 7 as the free end of the inner flange 104 is in a 19 fixed position at a downward angle of approximately 30 from the upper flange 7 and intermediate flange 108.
21 [0038] As the cover 1 is moved forward, or away from the structure during 22 installation the connecting portion 9 will bow as lower flange 8 moves downward and 23 slides along the bottom face of the inner flange 104.
24 100391 As the cover 1 is moved forward, or away from the structure during installation, the open end of the lower flange 8 will pass the open end of the inner flange 26 104 allowing the lower flange 8 to spring upward toward the intermediate flange 108 and CPST Doc: 383602.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002 1 to its resting position, hence locking the cover 1 to the gutter 100 without the use of 2 mechanical fasteners.
3 100401 The cover 1 may also include a rear flange 5 that extends from the main 4 body 2 at an opposite side from the front flange 10. The rear flange 5 may be positioned between the rear section of the gutter 100 and the structure when the cover 1 is installed 6 on the structure. The rear flange 5 may be positioned outside of the gutter channel 106 7 when the cover 1 is installed on the gutter 100. The rear flange 5 may also include 8 fastening holes 12 that allow fasteners, such as screws or nails, to be driven therethrough 9 to secure the cover 1 to the gutter 100 and to secure the gutter 100 to the structure. The rear flange 5 may be omitted in some examples as well, and in that case the main body 2 11 will simply sit on top of the rear section 101 of the gutter 100. In further examples, with 12 or without the rear flange 5, the cover 1 may be secured to the gutter 100 without 13 fasteners. Additionally, the front flange 10 of the cover 1 may be secured to the gutter 14 100 by a snap fit, a press fit, or an interlocking fit.
100411 Figs. 7A-10 show a further example of the cover 1 in which a flap 20 is 16 formed in the main body 2 of the cover 1 by making a cut 22 through a portion of the 17 main body 2 leaving only a portion of the main body 2 material uncut to form a retaining 18 portion 24. This arrangement allows the flap 20 to be displaced from the main body 2, 19 e.g., by bending or deforming the retaining portion 24, upwards or downwards to open an access hole 26 through the main body 2. The installer can then insert a tool 200 and a 21 fastener through the access hole to secure the rear flange 5 of the cover 1 to the gutter 100 22 to secure gutter 100 to the structure. Once the fastener is secured, the tool 200 is removed 23 and the retaining portion 24 is bent again to position the flap 20 back into the access hole 24 26 to close off the access hole 26.
100421 The cover 1 may include a series of flaps 20 positioned along the main 26 body 2 in a longitudinal direction. Each flap 20, and therefore each access hole 26, may 27 be aligned with a corresponding fastening hole 12. Each flap 20, and therefore each CPST Doc: 383602.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002 1 .. access hole 26, may be positioned, sized, and shaped to allow the installer to access 2 .. multiple fastening holes 12 through a single access hole 26.
3 100431 The flaps 20 may be formed on the wavy section 4 in some examples. Each 4 .. flap 20 may also include one or more drainage holes 3 or may include no drainage holes .. 3. Although the flap 20, and therefore the access hole 26, is shown with a circular shape 6 .. in the depicted examples, it should be understood that other shapes are possible, such as 7 .. square, rectangular, triangular, oval, and elliptical.
8 100441 The cover 1 may be constructed from single piece of homogeneous 9 .. material. The material may be metal, e.g., corrosion-resistant alloys such as stainless steel .. or an aluminum alloy, or a polymer, such as plastic. The cover 1 may also be constructed 11 .. from multiple different materials. For example, the main body 2 may include a mesh 12 .. screen affixed thereto. The mesh screen may be made from stainless steel or a polymer, 13 .. and it may be affixed to the cover 1 by welding or cementing. The cover 1 may have a 14 .. uniform thickness. The cover 1 may vary in thickness, alternatively. As can be seen in the .. depicted examples, the wavy section 4, the front flange 10, and the rear flange 5 of the 16 .. cover 1 are formed by folding or bending the material, and the material may have an 17 .. increased or decreased thickness at the folds or bends.
18 [0045] The cover 1 may be formed by a roll-forming process whereby flat sheet 19 .. stock is fed into a roll-forming machine that incrementally adds bends to the cover 1 to .. form features such as the wavy section 4, the front flange 10, and the rear flange 5. This 21 .. process may be used to manufacture the cover 1 in sections of predetermined length.
22 .. Alternatively, for custom installations the roll-forming machine and the sheet stock may 23 .. be brought to the structure and roll-formed on-site to desired lengths for each piece of 24 .. cover 1 to be installed on each corresponding section of gutter 100.
100461 To install the cover 1 on the gutter 100, the upper flange portion 7 may first 26 .. be engaged with the intermediate flange portion 108 such that the main body 2 is tilted 27 .. relative to the gutter 100, e.g., as shown in Fig. 1B. In this position, the rear flange 5, if CPST Doc: 383602.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002 1 included, may not yet be engaged with the rear section 101 of the gutter 100. Next, the 2 main body 2 of the cover 1 may be tilted downwards so that the lower flange portion 8 3 engages the inner flange portion 104, and the rear flange 5 may also be engaged with the 4 rear section 101 of the gutter 100, as shown in Fig. 1A. As the cover is tilted into position, the front flange 10 may snap onto the intermediate flange portion 108 and the 6 inner flange portion 104 by engagement of the lower flange portion 8 to the inner flange 7 portion 104 to press the intermediate flange portion 108 against the upper flange portion 8 7. The example of the cover 1 shown in Figs. 7A-10 may be installed similarly, except 9 that after the cover 1 is attached to the gutter 100, the cover 1 may be further secured by fasteners when a new gutter 100 and cover 1 system is installed on the structure, as 11 described above.
12 100471 Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise and where a range of values is 13 provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower 14 limit, between the upper and lower limit of that range, and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range is encompassed within the technology. The upper and lower 16 limits of these intervening ranges, which may be independently included in the 17 intervening ranges, are also encompassed within the technology, subject to any 18 specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or 19 both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the technology.
21 [0048] Furthermore, where a value or values are stated herein as being 22 implemented as part of the technology, it is understood that such values may be 23 approximated, unless otherwise stated, and such values may be utilized to any suitable 24 significant digit to the extent that a practical technical implementation may permit or require it.
26 100491 Although the technology herein has been described with reference to 27 particular examples, it is to be understood that these examples are merely illustrative of CPST Doc: 383602.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002 1 the principles and applications of the technology. In some instances, the terminology and 2 symbols may imply specific details that are not required to practice the technology. For 3 example, although the terms "first" and "second" may be used, unless otherwise 4 specified, they are not intended to indicate any order but may be utilized to distinguish between distinct elements. Furthermore, although process steps in the methodologies may 6 be described or illustrated in an order, such an ordering is not required. Those skilled in 7 the art will recognize that such ordering may be modified and/or aspects thereof may be 8 conducted concurrently or even synchronously.
9 [0050] It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative examples and that other arrangements may be devised without departing 11 from the spirit and scope of the technology.

CPST Doc: 383602.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002 gutter cover 1 main body 2 drainage hole 3 wavy section 4 rear flange 5 leading edge 6 upper flange portion 7 lower flange portion 8 connecting portion 9 front flange 10 front flange channel 11 fastening hole 12 flap 20 cut 22 retaining portion 24 access hole 26 gutter 100 rear section 101 front section 102 upper surface 103 inner flange portion 104 gutter opening 105 gutter channel 106 interior-facing surface 107 intermediate flange portion 108 tool 200 CPST Doc: 383602.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14

Claims (20)

CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002

1. A cover for a gutter, the gutter having a front section, a rear section, a gutter channel formed between the front section and the rear section, an intermediate flange portion extending from the front section, and an inner flange portion extending from the intermediate flange portion, the cover comprising:
a main body configured to cover the gutter channel when the cover is secured to the gutter; and a front flange comprising:
an upper flange portion that extends from the main body and is configured to contact the intermediate flange portion to secure the cover to the gutter;
a connecting portion that extends from the upper flange portion; and a lower flange portion that extends from the connecting portion and has a free end extending towards the upper flange portion, the free end being configured to contact the inner flange portion to secure the cover to the gutter.

2. The cover of claim 1, wherein the upper flange portion and the free end of the lower flange portion are configured to sandwich the intermediate flange portion and the inner flange portion until the open end of the lower flange portion is slid past the open end of the inner flange portion allowing the lower flange portion to spring upward toward the intermediate flange portion to secure the cover to the gutter.

3. The cover of claim 1, wherein the front flange is shaped such that the upper flange portion is positioned above the lower flange portion when the cover is secured to the gutter.

4. The cover of claim 1, wherein the upper flange portion includes a flat section that is configured to contact a flat section of the intermediate flange portion.
CPST Doc: 383604.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002

5. The cover of claim 1, wherein the upper flange portion is configured to be positioned externally of the gutter channel when the cover is secured to the gutter.

6. The cover of claim 1, wherein the upper flange portion is configured to contact the intermediate flange portion.

7. The cover of claim 1, wherein the free end is configured to contact surface of the inner flange portion facing away from the intermediate flange portion.

8. The cover of claim 1, wherein the front flange is configured to be secured to the gutter without fasteners.

9. The cover of claim 1, wherein the front flange is configured to be secured to the gutter by a snap fit, a press fit, or an interlocking fit.

10. The cover of claim 1, wherein the main body and the front flange comprise a single, continuous, and homogeneous piece of material.

11. The cover of claim 1, wherein the upper flange portion includes a leading edge, and wherein the leading edge and the free end of the lower flange portion extend to at least an approximately equal distance away from the main body.

12. The cover of claim 11, wherein the leading edge extends farther from the main body than the free end of the lower flange portion.
CPST Doc: 383604.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002

13. The cover of claim 1, wherein the main body includes a plurality of drainage holes.

14. The cover of claim 1, wherein the main body includes a wavy section.

15. The cover of claim 1, wherein the main body includes a flap and a retaining portion that joins the flap to the main body, the flap and the retaining portion being formed by a cut in the main body.

16. The cover of claim 15, wherein the retaining portion is deformable to allow the flap to be displaced from the main body to form an access hole through the main body for a tool.

17. The cover of claim 16, wherein the cover includes a rear flange extending from the main body opposite the front flange and configured to contact the rear section of the gutter, the rear flange including a fastening hole configured to receive a fastener to secure the rear flange of the cover to the rear section of the gutter and to secure the gutter and the cover to a structure.

18. The cover of claim 1, wherein the cover includes a rear flange extending from the main body opposite the front flange and configured to contact the rear section of the gutter.

19. A gutter and cover system comprising:
a gutter comprising:
a front section;
a rear section;
CPST Doc: 383604.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002 a gutter channel formed between the front section and the rear section;
an intermediate flange portion extending from the front section; and an inner flange portion extending from the intermediate flange portion; and a cover comprising:
a main body configured to cover the gutter channel when the cover is secured to the gutter; and a front flange comprising:
an upper flange portion that extends from the main body and is configured to contact the intermediate flange portion to secure the cover to the gutter;
a connecting portion that extends from the upper flange portion; and a lower flange portion that extends from the connecting portion and has a free end extending towards the upper flange portion, the free end being configured to contact and slide past the inner flange portion to secure the cover to the gutter.

20.
A method of manufacturing a cover for a gutter, the gutter having a front section, a rear section, a gutter channel formed between the front section and the rear section, an intermediate flange portion extending from the front section, and an inner flange portion extending from the intermediate flange portion, the method comprising:
forming a main body configured to cover the gutter channel when the cover is secured to the gutter; and forming a front flange comprising:
forming an upper flange portion that extends from the main body and is configured to contact the intermediate flange portion to secure the cover to the gutter;
forming a connecting portion that extends from the upper flange portion;
and forming a lower flange portion that extends from the connecting portion and has a free end extending towards the upper flange portion, the free end being CPST Doc: 383604.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14 CA Application CPST Ref: 40269/00002 configured to contact and slide past the inner flange portion to secure the cover to the gutter.
CPST Doc: 383604.1 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-10-14