GB2500870A - Screen for eaves trough or gutter - Google Patents

Abstract

Many homes or buildings include eaves troughs, rain gutters or guttering. These troughs commonly get clogged up, in particular where moss or falling leaves are present. Where a user fails to clear the troughs on a regular basis the clogged troughs prevent rainwater falling on the building's roof exiting the trough through downpipes and tend therefore to lead to problems with damp on the building or elsewhere. The present invention provides a screen or filter for an elongate eaves trough, said trough having an uppermost collection mouth in use, the screen comprises an elastic, resiliently deformable tubular length which is fitted around the eaves trough or gutter like a sleeve in use. The tubular material may be flexible so that it can be stored rolled or concertinaed in an applicator device.

Description

A SCREEN

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a screen, more particularly a screen for guttering or similar.

Background

Increasing levels of pressure and stress placed on many by todays society means there is often less time available for accomplishing everyday and routine maintenance tasks around a home or building.

In this way the typical home or building often requires work to maintain it in good fashion. This work may be fundamental to maintaining a property in ood order. In particular to miss the work out may easily exacerbate issues with a property.

For example many homes or buildings include eaves troughs, rain gutters or guttering. These troughs commonly get clogged up, in particular where moss or falling leaves are present.

Where a user fails to clear the troughs on a regular basis the clogged troughs prevent rainwater falling on the building's roof exiting the trough through clownpipes and tend therefore to lead to problems with damp on the building or elsewhere.

However climbing ladders and the physical exertion commonly necessary for accomplishing this task often dissuade many.

Prior Art

Accordingly a number of patent applications have been filed in an attempt to resolve the problem or similar, including the following: Granted United States patent US 7 310 912 (LENNEY et al), which discloses a rain gutter debris barrier, comprising in combination: a channel adapted to overlie at least a portion of a rain gutter; a screen, said screen having fenestrations therein adapted to allow water to flow therethrough, but to preclude debris larger than said fenestrations from passing therethrough, said screen located over said channel: said channel including a floor with apertures therein; and said channel including a plurality of ribs extending up from said floor into contact with said screen.

European patent application EP 1 449 980 (BROCHU) discloses a device for protecting a gutter wherein the gutter has a rear wall, a front wall, a bottom wail, said walls defining a trough therebetween, said device comprising: a mounting member, means for securing said mounting member to said gutter; a guard member having an elongated configuration with first and second longitudinally extending post sides; a first side of said guard member being engageable with a first side of said mounting member to prevent substantial vertical movement of said guard member; said mounting member having a flexible sealing portion extending outwardly in a direction away from said first side of said mounting member for sealing engagement with an adjacent structure; and said guard member having a substantially planar portion between said first and second sides, said substantially planar portion having a plurality of apertures extending therethrouglt United States patent application US 6 314 685 (SULLIVAN) discloses a gutter enhancing device comprising: a) a covering being sufficiently flexible to be applied to and cover the exterior configuration of an existing gutter trough, said covering having an exposed surface and an un-exposed surface: b) an adhesive material being applied to said un-expose surface; and c) a screen being secured to said covering, said screen having being configured, dimensioned and positioned to cover the top portion or opening of said gutter trough.

United States patent application US 5 956 904 (GENTRY) discloses a gutter screen, comprising: a first screen having mesh openings, top and bottom surfaces, first and second opposing edges, two opposing ends and an elongated axis extending between the opposing ends; and a second screen having mesh openings, top and bottom surfaces, first and second opposing edges and two opposing ends, the bottom surface of the first screen being positioned adjacent the top surface of the second screen, the first opposing edge of the first screen extending around the first opposing edge of the second screen to grip the bottom surface of the second screen and form a first edge portion, the second opposing edge of the first screen extending around the second opposing edge of the second screen to grip the bottom surface of the second screen and form a second edge portion, and the first and second screens being elastically deformable to permit a user to apply hand pressure to the gutter screen and compress the first and second edge portions toward one another from an uncompressed state in order to provide a force which holds the gutter screen in place over a gutter.

United States patent application US 5 107 635 (CARPENTER) discloses an apparatus for insertion in a rain gutter for preventing leaves and other debris from clogging the gutter comprising: a flexible inner contoured surface element adapted to be positioned inside a gutter and downspout and including means for forming water channels within the gutter; and a flexible outer covering material with a multitude of openings therein, said flexible outer dovering material at least partially surrounding said inner element so that leaves and other debris will be restrained by the covering material and rain water can flow through the openings in the covering material and into and along the channels formed by the inner contoured surface element.

In contrast the present invention provides a simple to understand and operate and effective means to filter water falling into guttering, preferably packaged in a manner that allows ease of use.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a screen for an elongate eaves trough, said trough having an uppermost collection mouth in use: and said screen comprised of an elastic, resiliently deformable tubular length.

In preferred embodiments therefore the trough may be of a variety of different available cross-sections, such as semi-circular or angled, and the screen is equally able to cover the trough mouth, being disposed to deform around all profiles.

According to a second aspect of the present invention the tube is formed of a resilient material that is unlikely to hole or damage, even when in contact with sharp objects, being such as nylon or other manmade fibre; and even when holes are formed in the material the material will not tear wherein said hole will not be disposed to spread.

In some embodiments tube is formed of a plurality of materials, for example including strengthening material or fibres which are joined together by thinner or less robust web. In such embodiments the strengthening is liable to have a different disposition to the web.

Other embodiments may use reinforced stitching in some parts.

In some such embodiments therefore the fibres run in use along the trough and the web connects them. The fibres are ideally larger in cross-sectional diameter than the web and consequently stand proud in use to provide a ridged uppermost face or ribbing. The web is ideally closely textured or finely meshed, in order that water passes through easily, and larger objects are caught on the ribbing.

According to a third aspect of the invention the tube is formed with perforations, netting or mesh, wherein larger objects are prevented from falling into the trough, whereas fluids will drop into the mouth as normal. This means that leaves and moss will accumulate on the tube in use. Such objects are inclined to be blown off in strong winds through the year and will not in any event clog the trough or guttering system.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention a system of installation on troughs is provided, including a mechanism for unrolling or stretching the tube along the trough.

This mechanism may be envisaged to be provided by supply of the tube, wherein for example the tube is supplied concertinaed or otherwise compressed onto a ring, wherein said ring is passed along the trough in use and the tube unravelled behind it.

Such ring ideally includes a handle and may include apparatus by which to cut or sever the tube as appropriate.

Where the trough is fastened to a structure the fastenings are or may be ideally temporarily displaced in order that the tube may cover the trough and the fastening may be replaced.

For example the trough may be displaced from the fastenings at each position where the trough is fastened, in order to pass the ring and tube past this position. Typically such fastenings are resiliently deformable wherein the trough is resiliently deformable in addition, and the trough may be clipped into the restraining fastening.

In some embodiments, due to relative difficulty commonly encountered in achieving this displacement the screen provides a device for achieving the displacement, or an aid for improving its ease.

For example the ring or handle may include a detachable or additional device or aid, which may be put into use as required to displace the trough and/or fastening.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realised that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows an exploded isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the screen; Figures 2 show two reverse isometric views of the embodiment; Figures 3 show side views of the embodiment; and Figure 4 shows view of the embodiment from in front.

Detailed Description of Figures

The pictured and preferred embodiment of the screen is a stretch fabric tube similar to tights, that in use stretches over guttering, thus keeping it clear from blockages, but allowing water to pass through, being pervious to water.

The embodiment is likely to come in two sizes or in two lengths: standard and small, wherein standard is for dwellings eg. houses of all types and small is for outbuildings and conservatories using smaller bore guttering.

The pictured embodiment ideally uses material with high stretchability, such as made from a LYCRA (Trade Mark) or stretch nylon fabric of maximum 30 denier.

In preferred embodiments the tube material comes in predominantly four colours: black, white, grey and brown in order that aesthetic impact will be minimised as existing guttering can be accommodated.

Easy and understandable installation instructions can be found inside the packaging.

The user will then ready the trough or guttering by cleaning it out.

The housing is then passed over the guttering, which catches the nylon fabric of the tube, at the guttering end cap either from a seal, or a knot after previous use. The housing is then passed along the guttering and the tube is then propelled along the guttering quickly and effectively.

When reaching the other end, typically according to the preferred embodiment the user ties a knot securing the tube in place. In some embodiments the guttering end cap or other bracket or existing apparatus may be used to trap the tube or tuck it in.

When the guttering has been covered and is being installed back into the fascia brackets, it uses a thin polypropylene strip or other surrounding flexible member to ease it back in without being torn.

Some embodiments may include reinforced seams where necessary, for example where the guttering lips are in use.

In the pictured embodiment the user detaches a polypropylene strip surround from the housing prior to use of the screen to feed the tube along the guttering. The surround can be used as an aid to help attach the gutter to the fascia brackets, preventing snagging or tearing of the tube.

Claims (5)

1. Claims 1. A screen for an elongate eaves trough, said trough having an uppermost collection mouth in use; and said screen comprised of an elastic, resiliently deformable tubular length.
2. 2. A screen according to claim 1 wherein the tube is formed of a resilient elastic material.
3. 3. A screen according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the tube is perforated.
4. 4. A screen according to claims 1 to 3 wherein a system of installation of the tube on troughs is provided, including a mechanism for unrolling or stretching the tube along the trough.
5. 5. A screen according to claims 1 to 4 wherein a system of displacement of troughs from brackets is provided.Amendment to the claims have been filed as follows Claims 1. A screen for an elongate eaves trough, said trough having an uppermost collection mouth in use; and said screen comprised of an elastic, resiliently deformable tubular length, wherein the tubular length is installed around the trough in use.2. A screen according to claim 1 wherein the tubular length is formed of a resilient elastic material.3. A screen according to claim I or 2 wherein the tubular length is perforated.4. A screen according to claims I to 3 wherein a system of installation of the tubular length on troughs is provided, including a mechanism for unrolling or stretching the tubular length along the trough. * St o. * .S * S * S * *5 * * S ** * S. S * * *5* *S S..." S a