US20230203818A1

US20230203818A1 - Rear receiver for use with gutter guard systems

Info

Publication number: US20230203818A1
Application number: US18/178,350
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael Gori; Jason Alan CROWELL
Original assignee: LeafFilter North LLC
Current assignee: LeafFilter North LLC
Priority date: 2018-01-17
Filing date: 2023-03-03
Publication date: 2023-06-29

Abstract

A modular platform for configuring gutter guard systems is disclosed and claimed herein. Such gutter guard systems are designed and arranged to be positioned across the opening of a rain gutter to prevent debris from entering the rain gutter. The modular platform includes a number of interchangeable components. Select interchangeable components can be assembled to form a gutter guard system for use with a specific rain gutter based on the rain gutter's style, size, color and the mechanism used to secure the rain gutter to a structure and/or roofline. In one embodiment, a rear receiver is arranged such that it can accommodate a number of interchangeable component to reduce the number of components needed to accommodate various gutter guard system and provide more versatility to the gutter guard system.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application is a continuation-in-part application of (i) pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/820,714, titled System and Methods for Modular Platform For Gutter Guard Systems with Interchangeable Components” and filed on Aug. 18, 2022, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/328,609, titled “Rear Receiver and Methods for Use with Modular Platform for Gutter Guard Systems with Interchangeable Components” and filed on May 24, 2021, which is a divisional of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/204,140, titled “Rear Receiver and Methods for Use with Modular Platform for Gutter Guard Systems with Interchangeable Components” and filed on Nov. 29, 2018, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/126,487, titled “Main Bodies and Methods for use with Modular Platform for Gutter Guard System with Interchangeable Component” and filed on Sep. 10, 2018, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/049,233, titled Systems and Methods for Modular Platform for Gutter Guards Systems with Interchangeable Components” and filed on Jul. 30, 2018, which claims priority to pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/618,210, titled “Systems and Methods for Modular Platform for Gutter Guards Systems with Interchangeable Components” and filed on Jan. 17, 2018, and (ii) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/051,165, titled “Modular Assembly for Gutter Guard Systems with Customizable Main Bodies and Screens” and filed on Oct. 31, 2022. Each of the forgoing related applications and any subsequent issued patents are expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for preventing debris from entering rain gutters while optimizing water flow and infusion into the rain gutter. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a modular platform for gutter guard systems with interchangeable components for: 1) forming gutter guard systems for positioning onto a variety of rain gutter styles and sizes for a variety of structures and rooflines; 2) preventing debris from entering the rain gutters once the gutter guard system is positioned onto the rain gutter; and 3) managing the flow of water across the gutter guard system such as to optimize the infusion of the water into the rain gutter. In particular, the present disclosure relates to interchangeable rear receiver components that can accommodate a variety of main bodies used for forming gutter guard systems and secure such gutter guard systems to a structure or a rain gutter attached to a structure.

BACKGROUND

Rain gutter systems are commonly used for residential homes, building, and other structures to manage rainwater by collecting the rainwater and channeling that rainwater away from the structure. Such management of rainwater can be critical for the overall maintenance and condition of the structure by reducing or eliminating damage to the structure and its foundation that can be caused by uncontrolled rainwater. Gutter guards are components or systems that are typically attached to or incorporated into rain gutters to prevent leaves, pine needles, branches, soot, and other such debris from entering the rain gutter. Such debris can clog the rain gutter and reduce its effectiveness in channeling rainwater away from a residential home, building, or other structure. In addition, such debris can damage and shorten the service life of a rain gutter system by causing corrosion, pitting, or other deleterious effects on the rain gutter system. Unfortunately, prior art gutter guard systems do not effectively channel water away from a structure. Inefficient water management designs, matting of debris onto the gutter guard system over time, and ill-fitting gutter guard systems cause unnecessary damage to homes and other structures, which reduces property values, increases maintenance costs, and causes dangerous conditions for occupants of structures.
Gutter guards are typically manufactured to fit a specific style and specific size of rain gutter. Such gutter guards are typically manufactured as a single component or assembly of subcomponents, where the subcomponents are irreversibly joined together. Thus, gutter guard manufacturers, distributors, and/or dealers typically choose between making and/or stocking a limited number of products that accommodate a limited segment of the market or making and/or stocking a large number of products to accommodate the substantial number of variations of rain gutter guards.
There are many different sizes and styles of rain gutters on the market in the United States and internationally. The differences in rain gutter sizes and styles are driven by a number of factors including different architectural styles for homes and buildings in different geographical regions and regional homebuilder and contractor trade practices that develop over time. Such different architectural styles can also be driven by differences in climate and weather patterns (for example, annual rain and snow fall), historical influences, availability of building materials, and so on. The different architectural styles often dictate the rooflines of structures, which in large part dictates the style and size of rain gutters and how the rain gutter is attached to the structure/roofline. The term “structure” is used herein generically to mean a residential home, multi-residential buildings, office buildings, warehouses, commercial building, or any other structure for which rain gutter systems are used to channel rainwater away from the structure. The term “roofline” is used herein generically to mean the intersection of the underside of the roof of a structure with the exterior walls of the structure and/or other proximal exterior features such as rafter tails, fascia board, starter strips, flashing, drip edges, and so on. Once a particular style of rain gutter becomes dominant in a region or market, the regional or local homebuilder and contractor trade practices are heavily influenced by the dominant rain gutter style and homebuilders and installation contractors become accustomed to installing that rain gutter style, thus reinforcing the dominance of the rain gutter style in the geographic region. The particular size of this dominant style gutter is variable due to considerations such as the surface area of the roof of a specific structure and regional architectural influences.
As will be appreciated from the following discussion, the number of variations in types of rain gutters, sizes of rain gutters, mechanisms for securing rain gutters to structures and/or rooflines, etc. creates a plethora of potential combinations of rain gutter arrangements. Thus, designing a generic gutter guard product to accommodate such a large number of potential combinations is a challenge that has yet to be met in the marketplace.
With regard to standard rain gutters, there are generally three styles that make up a majority of the market— “K-style” gutters, “half-round gutters,” and “fascia-style” gutters. FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary K-style gutter 10. Typically, K-style gutters have a generally flat back section 12 that engages the structure and a flat bottom section 14 extending away from the structure that is generally perpendicular to the back section 12. A front section 16 extends upward and angles away from the bottom section 14 such that it forms an obtuse angle between the bottom section 14 and front section 16. The front section 16 typically includes a front lip 18 that is curled inward toward the interior of the gutter 10. The back section 12 also includes a rear edge or lip 20 that is slightly bent outward. Sizes for K-style gutters 10 are determined by the approximate distance from the front lip 18 of the front section 16 to the rear lip 20 of the back section 12, and typically come in sizes from about three inches to about six inches.
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrates exemplary half- round gutters 30, 50. As its name implies, a half-round gutter includes a body 32, 52 that is shaped as approximately a half-section of a tube. The half- round gutter 30, 50 is installed such that a back portion 34, 54 of the gutter 30, 50 is typically spaced apart from the structure due to connecting hardware. Such connecting hardware is typically inserted between the structure and the gutter 30, 50 so as to cause a slight relief for structure. However, there are also embodiments where an installed half- round gutter 30, 50 is installed such that the half- round gutter 30, 50 is in contact with the structure. In either embodiment the half round gutter typically has a reinforced rear lip or hem 36, 56 as part of the back portion 34, 54 which is typically positioned just under the roofline of the structure. The reinforced rear lip or hem 36, 56 can be arranged with substantially different heights and thicknesses based on manufacturing processes and design preferences. A front portion 38, 58 of the gutter 30, 50 typically includes a front lip 40, 60. In one example, as illustrated in FIG. 2 , the front lip 40 can be arranged such that it curls inward toward the interior of the gutter 30. In another example, as illustrated in FIG. 3 , the front lip 60 can be arranged such that it curls outward away from the interior of the gutter 50. Half- round gutters 30, 50 can be attached to the roofline or the structure by many different types of hardware or accessories, which are dictated by the arrangement and style of the front lip, the roofline, the regional architectural style, and/or regional or local trade practices. Such variation in attachment hardware and/or accessories, along with the variability in front lip 40, 60 curl and the variability in the dimensions of the reinforced rear lip or hem 36, 56, substantially complicate the task of designing gutter guard systems for half-round gutters.
Examples of exemplary hardware and accessories used to attach half-round gutters to structures and/or rooflines are illustrated in FIGS. 4A through 40 . Common hardware and accessories include a rival hanger 70 (FIG. 4A), a hidden hanger t-strap 71 (FIG. 4B), a hidden hanger rival bar 72 (FIG. 4C), a regal bar hanger 73 (FIG. 4D), and a sickle and shank hanger 74, which is often coupled with a spring clip 75 (FIG. 4E). All these common hardware and accessories, except for the sickle and shank hanger 74, include a portion (for example, bases 71B and 72B) that is positioned within the body of the half-round gutter and a portion extending upward out of the body and away from the half-round gutter such as to attach to the structure and/or roofline. The shank portion of the sickle and shank hanger 74 is secured to the structure and/or roofline. Because the shank portion is relatively thick, in such an arrangement, once the half-round gutter is installed it is spaced farther away from the structure and/or roofline than when other common hardware and accessories are utilized. Additionally, a hook 74B extending from the sickle and shank hanger 74 engages the rear lip or hem of the gutter and the spring clip 75 engages the front lip of the gutter, thus, creating obstructions protruding from the front and rear lips of the gutter.
FIG. 4F illustrates a first bracket 76 which is exclusively used with half-round gutters 30 with a front lip 40 that curls inward toward the body 32 of the half-round gutter 30. FIG. 4G illustrates a t-bracket 77 that may also be used with a half-round gutter 30 when additional structural support is needed when using bracket 76. One end of each bracket 76, 77 is attached to the rear portion of the half-round gutter 30 which allows for relief from the structure. Bracket 76 is attached to the rear portion of half round gutter 30 and the structure by passing a fastener through the rear portion of bracket 76 and the rear portion of gutter 30. Alternatively a shorter fastener may be used to secure bracket 76 only to the rear portion of gutter 30 and then a strap 71A (as illustrated in FIG. 4B, also strap 72A illustrated in FIG. 4C, which is a similar arrangement as strap 71A) may be used as an attachment mechanism to the structure and/or roofline. When a strap such as 71A or 72A is not used, a bracket 77 can be used as a support mechanism for gutter 30 when a fascia board is present as part of the structure and/or roofline, the tail 77B of the bracket may be trimmed to size depending on the angle of the fascia board. The opposite end of the bracket 77 engages with the front lip 40 of the gutter 30. As will be understood the brackets 76, 77 attach the gutter 30 to a structure and/or roofline in a manner that results in the gutter 30 being spaced apart from the structure and/or roofline. FIG. 4H illustrates a first mounting hanger 78, and FIG. 4I illustrates a second mounting hanger 79 for attaching a half-round gutter to a fascia board and/or rafter tail of a roofline. Both hangers 78, 79 provide unique spacing that also results in the half- round gutters 30 or 50 being spaced apart from the structure and/or roofline.
FIGS. 4J-40 illustrate various arrangements of sickle and shank hardware with varying methods of attachment to the structure and/or roofline. FIG. 4J illustrate sickle and shank hardware mounted to a fascia board of the structure just under the roofline. FIG. 4K illustrate sickle and shank hardware mounted to a fascia board of the structure with an extension component allowing for vertical adjustment. FIG. 4L illustrate sickle and shank hardware mounted to a roofline with an extension component allowing for vertical adjustment. FIG. 4M illustrate sickle and shank hardware mounted to a fascia board of the structure just under the roofline, where the fascia board is positioned at an angle. FIG. 4N illustrate sickle and shank hardware mounted to a crown molding board of the structure under the roofline. FIG. 4O illustrate sickle and shank hardware mounted to rafter tails of the roofline. The term “attachment mechanism” is used herein generically to mean hardware and accessories that attach and/or secure a gutter to a structure and/or roofline. Non-limiting examples of attachment mechanisms are illustrated in FIGS. 4A-40 . It will also be understood that some and/or all of the attachment mechanisms described and illustrated herein may be available in similar form for other styles of gutters such as K-style gutters.
It will be appreciated that with such diversity in attachment mechanisms used with a half-round gutter, it is difficult to anticipate the specific requirements and/or challenges for installing a gutter guard system because of the unpredictability of what portions of attachment mechanisms are extending from within and/or around the body of the gutter and/or what obtrusions and/or obstructions are present along the front lip 40, 60 and rear lip 36, 56. Sizes for half- round gutters 30, 50 are determined by the approximate distance from the front lip 40, 60 of the front section to the reinforced rear lip or hem 36, 56 of the back section 34, 54 and typically come in sizes from about four inches to about six inches.
FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary fascia-style gutter 80. Fascia-style gutters 80 are typically secured to rafter tails of the structure or roofline. Typically, fascia-style gutters 80 have a generally flat back section 81 that engages the rater tail or other similar portion of the structure and/or roofline. Optionally, the back section 81 can include an extended edge 82 protruding from the back section 81 (as illustrated in FIG. 5 ), which can be referred to in the industry as a “winged” or “winged-backed” fascia gutter. A bottom section 83 extends generally perpendicular away from the back section 81 and is generally shorter than the bottom section of a K-style gutter. A front section 84 extends upward and angles away from the bottom section 83 such that it forms an obtuse angle between the bottom section 83 and front section 84. This obtuse angle is generally larger than the similarly situated angle in a K-style gutter. The front section 84 typically includes a front lip 85 that is bent inward toward the interior of the gutter 80. As illustrated in FIG. 6 , the extended edge or wing 82 of the fascia-style gutter 80 can be positioned under the roofing material 86 and above the wood sheathing 87 of the structure. Sizes for fascia-style gutters are determined by the approximate distance from the front lip 85 of the front section 84 to the back section 81, and typically come in sizes from about four inches to about six inches.
The extended edge or wing 82 illustrated in FIG. 6 is one example of a rain gutter arrangement that disturbs the roofing material of a structure. Many prior art gutter guard systems similarly intrude upon the structural integrity of the roofing material of a structure. For example, many prior art gutter guard systems include intrusive metal components and/or fasteners that penetrate the roofing material. Not only do such arrangements compromise the structural integrity of the roofing material, which can lead to leakage and other considerable damage to structures but may also void any roofing installation or manufacturing warranties, which is detrimental to the property owner.
Additional types of more ad hoc rain gutters include trough-style and built-in gutter systems. Such systems present unique problems for manufacturers and distributors of gutter guards. Generally, a trough-style gutter system is a rain gutter system that is integrally incorporated into a roof of a house or other structure. Trough-style gutter systems are incorporated into the roof above the roofline and are often formed from flashing and other common roofing materials. FIGS. 7-9 are schematic illustrations of such trough-style gutter systems. As is illustrated in the figures, a trough-style gutter system 88 includes a trough 89 that extends from the edge of the roofing material 90 (in this example, the edge of the asphalt shingles) to the roofline. The trough is formed by the declining surface of the roof and one or more vertical walls 91 extending upward at the roofline. Within the trough 89 there is one or more apertures 92 that are couple to downspouts (not shown) through which rainwater flows to exit the trough 89. As shown in FIGS. 7-9 , the vertical walls 91 can be in part made from flashing material, along with other structural components. The trough 89 can include a lining material such as rubber sheeting or tar paper that assist the rainwater in flowing through the trough 89.
FIG. 10 schematically illustrates an exemplary built-in gutter system 93 in cross-section. Built-in gutter systems 93 are often referred to as box gutter systems. Built-in gutter systems are similar to trough-style gutter systems but includes a separately fabricated “box gutter” that is incorporated into the roof near the roofline. As illustrated is FIG. 10 , a built-in box gutter 94 is positioned in a recession formed in the roof near the roofline just below the edge of the roofing material 95. The box gutter 94 includes a downward extending pipe 96 that forms a pathway for rainwater to flow out of the box gutter 94. The downward extension 96 is coupled to a downspout 97 that channels rainwater away from the structure.
Both the trough-style and built-in gutter systems are prone to issues of debris collection in the trough or box gutter and the clogging issues that result from such debris collection. For trough-style gutters, the lining material (rubber sheeting, tar paper, etc.) discussed above functions to protect the structure from water damage. Debris interacting with this lining material can puncture or otherwise damage the lining material, which can result in water passing through the lining material and damages the structure. Additionally, when the roof is arranged at a steep incline and/or the structure is subject to heavy and sustained rainfall, rainwater can flow rapidly into the trough-style and built-in gutter systems, overwhelming such rain gutter systems resulting in rainwater flowing over the rain gutter system and falling to the ground at the base of the home or structure.
Thus, both the trough-style and built-in gutter systems can greatly benefit from the installation of gutter guard systems. However, as will be appreciated, all trough-style gutter systems are custom built and do not adhere to any general standards of design, size, or dimensions. Additionally, built-in gutter systems also include significant customization in general design that facilitates installation of the system into a roof. Thus, built-in gutter systems also do not adhere to standard sizing and dimensions. It will be appreciated that with such diversity in design, size, and dimensions, it is difficult to anticipate the specific requirements and/or challenges for installing a gutter guard system in trough-style or built-in gutter systems because of the unpredictability of the design, size, and dimensions. Because of the variety of requirements, there are no current gutter guard products that are applicable to trough-style and built-in gutter systems.
Throughout this disclosure rain gutters will be described by reference to the rain gutter “size,” i.e., four inch, five inch, etc. However, it will be understood that such descriptions of size do not indicate that a rain gutter is exactly four inches or five inches in width. Such naming conventions indicate to those in the industry that a rain gutter is approximately four inches in width or five inches in width. Additionally, certain rain gutter styles are described as typically coming in a range of sizes. It will be understood that such styles of rain gutters can come in larger or smaller sizes as well, where size of gutter is typically determined by the volume of rain water that the rain gutter will be expected to handle, which in turn is determined by the surface area of the roof of a structure and the local climate. Such wide variations and approximations in size of rain gutters further complicate the task of designing gutter guard systems for rain gutters.
Because of the variety of sizes and styles of gutters in the marketplace, current business models in the industry are for manufacturers, distributors, and/or dealers to manufacture and/or stock a limited number of gutter guard products that accommodate a limited segment of the market, or to manufacture and/or stock a large number of gutter guard products to accommodate the large number of variations of rain gutters. Such approaches are both limited and inefficient. There is a need for improvement to existing gutter guards, systems, and/or methods for gutter guard protection to accommodate a more efficient and effective business model for manufacturing, distributing, and installing gutter guards to the diverse and disparate national and regional marketplace.

SUMMARY

A modular platform for configuring gutter guard systems is disclosed and claimed herein. Such gutter guard systems are designed and arranged to be positioned across the opening of a rain gutter to prevent debris from entering the rain gutter. The modular platform includes a number of interchangeable components. Select interchangeable components can be assembled to form a gutter guard system for use with a specific rain gutter based on the rain gutter's style, size, color, and the attachment mechanism used to secure the rain gutter to a structure and/or roofline.
In one embodiment, the components of a modular platform for configuring gutter guard systems include a number of main bodies, a front receiver, a number of rear receivers, and a number of screens. Such components are arranged to be interchangeable. This is to say that, for example, components such as a main body can be used with some or all of the front receivers and rear receivers. Such arrangements can result in the components combining to form a substantially large number of combinations for use with a substantially large number of different rain gutters, attachment mechanisms, and accompanying structures and/or rooflines.
In one embodiment of a rear receiver, the rear receiver is arranged to accommodate a number of varying gutter guard systems with various main bodies to facilitates securing the gutter guard system to the rear of a rain gutter or to the structure itself. Such a rear receiver includes a first member running the length of the rear receiver, a second member running the length of the rear receiver parallel to the first member, and a connecting member running the length of the rear receiver that connects the first member and second member. The connecting member is generally perpendicular to the first and second members. A first end of the connecting member terminates at its connection with the first member and a second end of the connecting member extending past the second member and terminating in space. A channel is formed between the first member, second member, and a portion of the connecting member. One or more apertures are formed in the connecting member along the length of the rear receiver. The channel is arranged to accommodate any number of main bodies and/or combinations of main bodies and mesh screens. The apertures are arranged such that the rear receiver, and thus a gutter guard system, can be secured to a rain gutter or directly a structure with a rain gutter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings, structures are illustrated that, together with the detailed description provided below, describe example embodiments of the disclosed systems, methods, and apparatus. Where appropriate, like elements are identified with the same or similar reference numerals. Elements shown as a single component can be replaced with multiple components. Elements shown as multiple components can be replaced with a single component. The drawings may not be to scale. The proportion of certain elements may be exaggerated for the purpose of illustration.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary K-style gutter for use with gutter guard systems disclosed herein.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary half-round gutter for use with gutter guard systems disclosed herein.

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a perspective view of another exemplary half-round gutter for use with gutter guard systems disclosed herein.

FIG. 4A schematically illustrates exemplary hardware and accessories used to attach half-round gutters to structures and/or rooflines.

FIG. 4B schematically illustrates exemplary hardware and accessories used to attach half-round gutters to structures and/or rooflines.

FIG. 4C schematically illustrates exemplary hardware and accessories used to attach half-round gutters to structures and/or rooflines.

FIG. 4D schematically illustrates exemplary hardware and accessories used to attach half-round gutters to structures and/or rooflines.

FIG. 4E schematically illustrates exemplary hardware and accessories used to attach half-round gutters to structures and/or rooflines.

FIG. 4F schematically illustrates exemplary hardware and accessories used to attach half-round gutters to structures and/or rooflines.

FIG. 4G schematically illustrates exemplary hardware and accessories used to attach half-round gutters to structures and/or rooflines.

FIG. 4H schematically illustrates exemplary hardware and accessories used to attach half-round gutters to structures and/or rooflines.

FIG. 4I schematically illustrates exemplary hardware and accessories used to attach half-round gutters to structures and/or rooflines.

FIG. 4J illustrates an exemplary sickle and shank arrangement for securing a gutter to a fascia board.

FIG. 4K illustrates an exemplary sickle and shank arrangement for securing a gutter to a fascia board.

FIG. 4L illustrates an exemplary sickle and shank arrangement for securing a gutter to a roofline.

FIG. 4M illustrates an exemplary sickle and shank arrangement for securing a gutter to a roof.

FIG. 4N illustrates an exemplary sickle and shank arrangement for securing a gutter to a crown molding board.

FIG. 4O illustrates an exemplary sickle and shank arrangement for securing a gutter to rater tails.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary winged-backed fascia-style gutter for use with gutter guard systems disclosed herein.

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a two-dimensional side view of the fascia-style winged-back gutter of FIG. 5 installed on a structure.

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates an exemplary trough-style gutter system.

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates another exemplary trough-style gutter system.

FIG. 9 schematically illustrates yet another exemplary trough-style gutter system.

FIG. 10 schematically illustrates an exemplary built-in gutter system.

FIG. 11 schematically illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary gutter guard system disclosed herein.

FIG. 12 schematically illustrates a perspective view of the gutter guard system of FIG. 11 with the screen removed.

FIG. 13 schematically illustrates a side view of the gutter guard system as illustrated in FIG. 12 .

FIG. 14 schematically illustrates a top, exploded view of the gutter guard system as illustrated in FIG. 12 .

FIG. 15 illustrates a perspective view of the main body of the gutter guard system of FIG. 12 .

FIG. 16 schematically illustrates a top view of the main body of the gutter guard system of FIG. 12 .

FIG. 17 schematically illustrates a top perspective view of the main body of the gutter guard system of FIG. 12 .

FIG. 18 schematically illustrates a bottom perspective view of the main body of the gutter guard system of FIG. 12 .

FIG. 19 schematically illustrates a detailed view of the main body of the gutter guard system of FIG. 12 .

FIG. 20 schematically illustrates another detailed view of the main body of the gutter system of FIG. 12 .

FIG. 21 schematically illustrates a top view of another embodiment of a main body for use in a gutter guard system.

FIG. 22 schematically illustrates a detailed view of the main body of FIG. 21 .

FIG. 23 schematically illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary gutter guard system disclosed herein.

FIG. 24 schematically illustrates a side view of a gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 25 schematically illustrates a perspective view of the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 with portions removed.

FIG. 26 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 27 schematically illustrates a side view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 28 schematically illustrates a top exploded view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 29 schematically illustrates a bottom exploded view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 30 is a detailed view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 31 is another detailed view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 32 is another detailed view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 33 is another detailed view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 34 is another detailed view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 35 is another detailed view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 36 is another detailed view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 37 is another detailed view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 38 is another detailed view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 39 is another detailed view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 23 .

FIG. 40 is a detailed view of a main body trimmed for a gutter corner application.

FIG. 41 is a top view of a gutter guard system installed in an outside corner of a house.

FIG. 42 is a top view of a main body modified to accommodate a down spout.

FIG. 43 is perspective view of the tuck tabs of a main body.

FIG. 44 is another perspective view of the tuck tabs of a main body.

FIG. 45 is perspective view of a screen secured to a main body using tuck tabs.

FIG. 46 is top view of a screen secured to a main body using tuck tabs.

FIG. 47 schematically illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary gutter guard system.

FIG. 48 schematically illustrates an exploded view the gutter guard system of FIG. 47 .

FIG. 49 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a main body and mesh screen assembly as viewed from beneath the assembly for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 47 .

FIG. 50 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a main body for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 47 .

FIG. 51 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a front receiver for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 47 .

FIG. 52 schematically illustrates a side view of the front receiver of FIG. 51 .

FIG. 53 schematically illustrates a perspective view of another front receiver for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 47 .

FIG. 54 schematically illustrates a side view of the front receiver of FIG. 53 .

FIG. 55 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a rear receiver for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 47 .

FIG. 56 schematically illustrates a side view of the rear receiver of FIG. 55 .

FIG. 57 schematically illustrates a perspective view of another rear receiver for use with the gutter guard system of FIG. 47 .

FIG. 58 schematically illustrates another perspective view of the rear receiver of FIG. 57 .

FIG. 59 schematically illustrates a perspective view of one arrangement of the rear receiver of FIG. 57 engaged with a main body subassembly.

FIG. 60 schematically illustrates a side view of the arrangement in FIG. 59 .

FIG. 61 schematically illustrates a perspective view of another arrangement of the rear receiver of FIG. 57 engaged with a main body subassembly.

FIG. 62 schematically illustrates a side view of the arrangement of FIG. 61 .

FIG. 63 schematically illustrates a perspective view of another arrangement of the rear receiver of FIG. 57 engaged with another main body.

FIG. 64 schematically illustrates a side view of the arrangement in FIG. 63 .

FIG. 65 schematically illustrates a perspective view of another arrangement of the rear receiver of FIG. 57 engaged with the main body.

FIG. 66 schematically illustrates a side view of the arrangement of FIG. 65 .

FIG. 67 schematically illustrates a perspective view of yet another arrangement of the rear receiver of FIG. 57 engaged with yet another main body.

FIG. 68 schematically illustrates a side view of the arrangement in FIG. 67 .

FIG. 69 schematically illustrates a perspective view of another arrangement of the rear receiver of FIG. 57 engaged with the main body.

FIG. 70 schematically illustrates a side view of the arrangement of FIG. 69 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The apparatus, systems, arrangements, and methods disclosed in this document are described in detail by way of examples and with reference to the figures. It will be appreciated that modifications to disclosed and described examples, arrangements, configurations, components, elements, apparatus, methods, materials, etc. can be made and may be desired for a specific application. In this disclosure, any identification of specific techniques, arrangements, method, etc. are either related to a specific example presented or are merely a general description of such a technique, arrangement, method, etc. Identifications of specific details or examples are not intended to be and should not be construed as mandatory or limiting unless specifically designated as such. Selected examples of modular platforms that include a number of interchangeable components that can be assembled to form gutter guard systems for use with a variety of rain gutters based on the rain gutters' style, size, and the attachment mechanism used to secure the rain gutters to a structure and/or roofline are hereinafter disclosed and described in detail with reference made to FIGS. 1-62 .
As will be described in detail herein, an exemplary embodiment of a novel gutter guard system includes four major components: a main body, a front receiver, a rear receiver, and a screen. Such components can be assembled to form the gutter guard system and subsequently positioned proximate to the top opening of a rain gutter installed on a structure. Typically the gutter guard system generally spans the top opening of the rain gutter. The gutter guard system includes certain features that are arranged to effectively and efficiently channel rainwater away from the structure and into the rain gutter. The gutter guard system further includes other features arranged to block debris from entering the rain gutter.
Each component of the gutter guard system can be made in a plurality of styles and/or sizes to accommodate various styles, shapes, materials, sizes, and colors of rain gutters. For example, the main body can be made in different widths to accommodate different sizes of rain gutter, such as three inch rain gutters, four inch rain gutters, five inch rain gutters, five and a half inch rain gutters, and six inch rain gutters. The main body can be manufactured from a number of materials, including metal and polymeric material such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), polyolefin (PO), or any other relatively rigid polymer. The main body can be manufactured using a variety of methods including injection molding, additive manufacturing (i.e., 3D printing), machining, metal casting, metal stamping and the like. In some embodiments, more than one manufacturing process can be used. For example, a main body can be machined after it is formed via injection molding or a polymer can be injection molded or 3D printed onto a stamped metal component. When an injection molding process is used, any polymeric material can be used that has acceptable flow characteristics for injection molding that yields a main body with relatively rigid properties.
In another example, the structure of the front and rear receivers relative to the main body can be arranged to accommodate both different style of rain gutters, such as K-style, half-round, fascia style, and even custom designed rain gutters and different structures and rooflines dictated by different architectural styles. One novel feature of the components of a gutter guard system is that the components can be arranged to be interchangeable such that the gutter guard systems can be quickly and easily assembled to accommodate a large variety of styles, shapes, materials, sizes, and color of rain gutters and structures and rooflines of various architectural styles. The components are designed such that the assembly of components into a gutter guard system can be accomplished at the place of manufacture, at a distributor's or dealer's facility prior to shipping to job site, or at the job site itself just prior to installation. The front and rear receivers can be fabricated from any number of materials such as metal or relatively rigid polymeric material such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), and/or polyolefin (PO). The front and rear receivers can be fabricated using a variety of methods including extrusion, injection molding, additive manufacturing (i.e., 3D printing), machining, metal casting, metal stamping and the like. Similar to the main body, in some embodiments, more than one manufacturing process can be used to fabricate the front and rear receivers. As will be further explained herein, coatings and/or films of various colors can be applied to the front and rear receivers to enhance the aesthetic appeal and weather resistance of the front and rear receivers.
Another novel feature of the components is that once the components are assembled into a gutter guard system, the system can be disassembled and the components reused in different arrangements. This is to say, for example, different styles of front and rear receivers can be assembled with the different sizes of main bodies. If a gutter guard system were to be installed in a four inch K-style gutter, front and rear receivers for K-style gutters can be assembled with a three inch main body. Conversely, the same front and rear receivers can be assembled with a four inch main body for a five inch K-style gutter, and the four inch main body can be assembled with front and rear receivers for half round gutters in order to install on a five inch half round gutter. Thus, creating multiple combinations to accommodate multiple size and styles of gutters and different structures and rooflines. Furthermore, an installed gutter guard system can be upgraded after installation. For example, a gutter guard system can be assembled with a certain front receiver and subsequently upgraded by disassembling the front receiver and replacing it with a front receiver that includes a heating element to manage the formation of ice during winter months. In such an arrangement, all the components of the gutter guard system remain the same except for the front receiver. It will be understood that the examples provided herein are exemplary only and that any number of components can be reused or interchanged when configuring a gutter guard system.
Referring to FIGS. 11 through 14 , an exemplary embodiment of a gutter guard system 100 includes a main body 110, a front receiver 120, a rear receiver 130, a screen 140, and an elastomeric strip 150 secured to an edge of the rear receiver 130. As will be further detailed herein, the gutter guard system 100 can be assembled from its components and once assembled, can generally be disassembled as required. Additionally, the components illustrated, such as the front 120 and rear 130 receivers and the main body 110, can be replaced with similar but different components to accommodate a variety of styles, sizes, and color of rain gutters as well as accommodating different structures and rooflines. The gutter guard system 100 can be assembled such that the screen 140 is placed in contact with a top surface of the main body 110, a front receiver 120 is attached to a first or front edge the main body 110, and the rear receiver 130 is attached to a second and opposite edge or rear edge of the main body 110. The front 120 and rear 130 receivers each include a channel, such that the front edge of the main body 110 is slid into the channel of the front receiver 120, and the rear edge of the main body 110 is slid into the channel of the rear receiver 130 to secure the screen 140 to the main body 110 together with the front 120 and rear 130 receivers. The main body 110 and front 120 and rear 130 receivers can be arranged such that the rear receiver 130 can only be assembled with a rear portion of the main body 110 and the front receiver 120 can only be assembled with a front portion of the main body 110. Thus, the arrangement minimizes or eliminates inadvertent errors during assembly of the gutter guard system.
The main body 110 can be manufactured in different widths to accommodate different widths of rain gutter such as, for example, three inch, four inch, and five inch widths for residential use. Such an arrangement provides for structural integrity of the gutter guard system because the components are typically used as designed. It is currently common in the industry to cut or plane a larger main body (such as a six inch width) before assembly to accommodate a rain gutter with a smaller width (such as a four inch width). Such modifications before assembly result in degraded structural integrity and inferior gutter guard systems. The main body 110 of the present disclosure provides sufficient stiffness and strength such that the main body 110, and the gutter guard system 100 remains planar when installed on a rain gutter without the requirement for any ancillary support structures such as hangers and straps. The main body 110 provides the required rigidity despite the main body 110 having a greater percentage of open area than present gutter guard systems currently on the market. Thus, the combination of the main body 110 and the screen 140 result in greater percentage of open area to facilitate water infusion through the screen 140 and main body 110, while providing the rigidity and structural integrity required to efficiently install the gutter guard system 100 without the need for hangers, straps, and the like.
For structures, such as large homes or commercial buildings, with large roof surface areas, larger rain gutters can be utilized to accommodate the greater flow of rain water from the roof and into the rain gutter. For such larger rain gutters, including rain gutters that are six, seven, eight inches in width or more, the main body can be arranged generally as illustrated in FIGS. 11 through 14 , but the thickness of the main body can be increased to provide additional rigidity and structural integrity to accommodate substantially wider rain gutters. Such increased thicknesses can be achieved by modifications to injection molding tooling, but such modifications can maintain the thickness of the edges of the main body such that the front and rear receivers as described herein can continue to be used to accommodate the assembly of gutter guard systems for substantially wider rain gutters. Additionally, a rear receiver can be widened and used with main bodies disclosed herein to span gutter openings greater than six inches in width.
The channels of the front 120 and rear 130 receivers can be arranged such that the main body 110 can move laterally such that the width of the gutter guard system can be adjusted to accommodate for imperfections and different manufacturing tolerances amongst rain gutters. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 13 , the front receiver 120 includes a stop 160 that engages with a first extending leg 180 positioned near the front of the main body 110, and the rear receiver 130 includes a stop 170 that engage a second extending leg 190 near the rear of the main body 110. As will be understood, the engagement of stop 160 of the front receiver 120 with the first extended leg 180 and the engagement of the stop 170 of the rear receiver 130 and the second extended leg 190 secures the front portion of the main body 110 within the front receiver 120 and secures the rear portion of the main body 110 within the rear receiver 130. As is further illustrated in FIG. 13 , the second extended leg 190 of the main body 110 and the stop 170 of the rear receiver 130 are arranged such that there is “play” within the components (i.e., arranged to allow for a degree of lateral movement of the rear receiver 130 relative to the main body 110). Such an arrangement allows for the overall width of the gutter guard system 100 to be adjustable to accommodate rain gutters that are nominally the same width, but have varying widths due to manufacturing tolerances, inconsistencies in raw materials, warping, deformation, and the like. The rear receiver 130 can further include a third extending leg 195. This third extending leg 195 can allow for further flexibility in accommodating additional overall widths when assembling a gutter guard system. Furthermore, when the rear receiver 130 is arranged as illustrated in FIG. 13 , i.e., the second extended leg 190 is positioned to be engageable with the stop 170, the third extending leg 195 engages with the bottom surface of the rear receiver 130 such as to further stabilize and increase the structural integrity of the gutter guard system 100. For example, the engagement of the third extending leg 195 with the bottom surface of the rear receiver 130 prevents or limits rotational movement of the rear receiver 130 with respect to the main body 110, which further constrains unwanted movement between the components of the gutter guard system 100. As will be understood, preventing or limiting rotational movement of the rear receiver 130 with respect to the main body 110 can be advantageous when a force is applied to the top surface of the main body 110 once the gutter guard system 100 is installed onto a rain gutter.
Securing the front 120 and rear 130 receivers and the main body 110 and screen 140 forms a stable assembly that can be unassembled as necessary. In another embodiment, the screen 140 can be secured to the main body 110 via a bonding method such as heat staking. The screen 140 can be placed on the main body 110 and subsequently set in place in a staking machine, where the screen 140 is heat staked to certain features on the top surface of the main body 110. As illustrated in FIG. 15 , the main body 110, includes a first edge 200 (which can also be referred to as a “front edge”) and a second edge 210 (which can also be referred to as a “rear edge”). As will be understood, when the gutter guard system 100 is assembled, the first edge 200 engages with the front receiver 120 and the second edge engages with the rear receiver 130. A first pair of rails 220 and 230 are located proximate to the first edge 200, and a second set of rails 240 and 250 are located proximate to the second edge 210. In one embodiment the first pair of rails 220 and 230 and the second set of rails 240 and 250 are the features on the top surface of the main body 110 that add structural rigidity to the main body in the direction parallel to the rain gutter when the gutter guard system is installed in a rain gutter. Additionally, the first pair of rails 220 and 230 and the second set of rails 240 and 250 can facilitate bonding of the screen 140 to the main body 110. It will be understood that the screen 140 can be bonded to features of the main body 110 other than the rails 220, 230, 240, 250. For example, the screen 140 can be secured to edges extending above the various apertures of the main body. In certain embodiments, select portions of the screen can be heat staked to extending edges, with such heat staking locations arranged to provide the desired properties for the gutter guard system.
For installation of a gutter guard system 100 onto the rain gutter, the rear receiver 130 is designed to engage with the rear lip of the rain gutter (i.e., the lip that is closest to the roofline and/or structure), and the front receiver 120 is designed to engage with the front lip of the rain gutter (i.e., the lip that is spaced away from the roofline and/or structure). As will be subsequently discussed, front receivers and rear receivers can have a number of different designs, often driven by regional architectural styles, rooflines, structures, and contractor trade practices, to accommodate various installations for the gutter guard system 100.
In certain embodiments, the gutter guard system can be secured to the rain gutter, roofline, and/or the structure. For example, the front receiver can be secured to the front lip of the rain gutter with one or more fasteners, and the rear receiver can be secured to the rear lip of the gutter or secured directly to the roofline and/or structure with one or more fasteners. In yet another embodiment, clips or brackets can be used to secure or hold the gutter guard in position. It will also be understood that the gutter guard systems can also be positioned within a rain gutter without any fasteners, brackets, clips, or hangers. In such embodiments, features of the front and rear receivers can engage with the rain gutter to retain the gutter guard system within the rain gutter.
As will be appreciated, the gutter guard systems are installed at a downward angle so that rainwater from the roof of the structure flows away from the structure and/or roofline. The rainwater flows across the screen, where contact points between the screen and the main body encourage the flow of rainwater downward through the screen and main body and into the rain gutter. The main body can include a number of configurations to facilitate the flow of water downward into the rain gutter. Once installed, the elastomeric strip 150 extending from the rear receiver 130 can engage the side of the structure and/or roofline and seal the gutter guard system 100 against the structure and/or roofline to further facilitate the flow of rain water across the gutter guard system 100 and prevent the entrapment of debris between the side of the structure and/or roofline and the gutter guard system and/or rain gutter.
The embodiment of a main body 110 illustrated in FIGS. 11-15 is further discussed in detail with reference to FIGS. 16-20 . FIG. 16 is a top view of the main body 110, FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the top of the main body 110, FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the bottom of the main body 110, FIG. 19 is a detailed view of the main body 110; and FIG. 22 is a detained view of the underside of the main body 110. The main body 110 includes a series of features that manage the flow of water (“water management features”) as it moves across the gutter guard system. For example, the main body 110 can include a plurality of apertures of different shapes and sizes, where each aperture forms a passage through the top surface and bottom surface of the main body 110. In the example of the main body 110 illustrated in FIGS. 16-20 , the majority of the apertures are oval shaped apertures 400, with some apertures near the first edge 200 and second edge 210 of the main body 110 shaped as semi-oval apertures 410 and truncated key-hole shaped apertures 420.
With regard to the arrangement of the apertures (400, 410, and 420) within a main body 110, FIGS. 16-20 illustrates one exemplary arrangement. Oval shaped apertures 400 are arranged such that the long axis of the oval shaped aperture 400 is generally parallel with the first 200 and second 210 edges. The oval shaped apertures 400 are arranged in generally staggered rows that are generally parallel to the first 200 and second 210 edges. This is to say that a first row of oval shaped apertures 400 includes a number of oval shaped apertures 400 that are in-line with each other and spaced apart from each other. A second row or over shaped apertures 400 is positioned proximate to the first row and the oval shaped apertures 400 of the second row are positioned in part in the spaces between the oval shaped apertures 400 of the first row. In such an arrangement, the first row and the second row have the same structure; however, the rows are laterally off-set with respect to each other. In the arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 16-20 , there are nine total rows of oval shaped apertures 400, each is laterally off-set as compared to the rows positioned most proximate to the row to form a series of staggered rows.
It will be appreciated that the positioning, shape, and arrangement of the apertures form a relatively rigid structure for the main body 110. Such rigid structure lessens the need for elements to support the gutter guard system once installed in a rain gutter. In certain embodiments, the main body 110 has sufficient rigidity for the gutter guard system 100 to be installed in a rain gutter without the need for any additional support structures such as hangers or similar hardware.
As will be understood upon reading and understanding this disclosure, the gutter guard system, particularly the main body 110, includes a number of features and combinations of features to manage water flowing across the gutter guard system that result in water flowing downward into the rain gutter. In addition to the large open areas provided by both the screen 140 and apertures in the main body 110, the main body includes extended edges 430 extending upward that contact the screen to encourage wicking of water downward into the rain gutter, extended edges 430 that extend downward from the main body 110 to create additional wicking and eliminate or reduce water walk, and the arrangement of apertures 400, 410, 420 into staggered columns (as illustrated in FIGS. 16 through 18 ) additionally providing paths for even heavy water flow to flow downward into the rain gutter. The arrangement of such staggered columns interrupts and inhibits the sideways flow of water across the main body and encourages the water to wick downward into the rain gutter.
FIGS. 21 and 22 illustrate another embodiment of a main body 500 that includes a series of features that manage the flow of rainwater as it moves across a gutter guard system. In this embodiment, the main body 500 includes a plurality of different shaped apertures. The exemplary main body 500 includes u-shaped apertures 510, key-hole shaped apertures 520, and circular apertures 530. With regard to the arrangement of the apertures (510, 520, and 530) within a main body 500, FIGS. 21 and 22 illustrates one exemplary arrangement. Circular shaped apertures 530 are arranged is a row 540 that is generally parallel with a first edge 550 and a second edge 560. In alterative embodiments, circular apertures 530 can be arranged in multiple rows and can be positioned as staggered rows as described herein.
While apertures as discussed and illustrated herein are described as oval, semi-oval, circular, truncated key-hole shaped and the like, it will be understood that this disclosure encompasses and includes arrangements of apertures in the main body that include a variety of specific shapes, a variety of specific locations, and a variety of mixture of different shaped apertures. It will be appreciated that embodiments of the main bodies and screens as disclosed herein include openings that facilitate and do not inhibit the flow of water through the screens and main bodies into the rain gutter. The proportions and relationship between the open areas of the main body and screen promotes a maximum and optimal infusion of water into the rain gutter. Additionally, the prevalence of wicking features further facilitates the flow of water from the screen and main body into the rain gutter. Additionally, openings in the main bodies and screens promote and maximize airflow through the screen, main body and rain gutter. Thus, providing the gutter guard system with a number of benefits. For example, such airflow provides for the rain gutter, gutter guard system, and any debris resting on the screen to dry quickly and efficiently. The drying of the gutter guard system and rain gutters can extend the longevity and durability of the gutter guard system and rain gutter. When debris resting on the gutter guard system dries quickly and efficiently, biological growth such as moss and mold are reduced or prevented. Also such efficient drying discourages attachment of debris to the screen or main body. The drying of debris makes it much more likely that such debris is carried away by winds or the next flow of water across the screen further reducing the ill effects of debris resting on the screen.
FIGS. 23 through 46 illustrate another exemplary embodiment of a gutter guard system 600 that includes a main body 610, a front receiver 620, a rear receiver 630, and a screen 640. As will be further detailed herein, the gutter guard system 600 can be assembled from its components and once assembled, can generally be disassembled and the components reused. Additionally, the components illustrated, such as the front receiver 620 and rear receiver 630 and the main body 610, can be replaced with similar but different components to accommodate a variety of styles, sizes, and color of rain gutters as well as accommodating different structures and rooflines. For example, the main body 610 illustrated in the figures is a four inch main body designed for use in a five inch gutter. However, the gutter guard system 600 as illustrated could also be assembled using a three inch or five inch main body with the front 620 and rear 630 receivers as shown to accommodate four and six inch gutters. Additionally, different front and rear receivers can be used with the four inch main body 610 illustrated herein to accommodate different styles of gutters and different rooflines. Generally, the gutter guard systems disclosed herein can be mixed and matched to utilize different main bodies and different front and rear receivers to accommodate different sizes and styles of gutters systems and different rooflines.
The gutter guard system 600 can be assembled such that the screen 640 is placed in contact with a top surface of the main body 610, a front receiver 620 is attached to a first or front edge the main body 610, and the rear receiver 630 is attached to a second and opposite edge or rear edge of the main body 610. FIG. 23 illustrates a perspective view of an assembled gutter guard system 600; FIG. 24 is a side view of the assembled gutter guard system 600; and FIG. 25 illustrates another perspective view of the assembled gutter guard system 600 with portions of the front receiver 620, rear receiver 630, and screen 640 removed to illustrate further detail of the gutter guard system 600.
The front 620 and rear 630 receivers each include a channel (as illustrated in FIG. 24 ), such that the front edge of the main body 610 is slid into channel 650 of the front receiver 620, and the rear edge of the main body 610 is slid into channel 660 of the rear receiver 630 to, in part, secure the screen 640 to the main body 610 together with the front 620 and rear 630 receivers. As will be further described, certain features of the main body 610, such as tuck tabs, may be used to further secure the screen 640 within the gutter guard system 600. The main body 610 and front 620 and rear 630 receivers can be arranged such that the rear receiver 630 can only be assembled with a rear portion of the main body 610 and the front receiver 620 can only be assembled with a front portion of the main body 610. Thus, the arrangement minimizes or eliminates inadvertent errors during assembly of the gutter guard system.
Once assembled, the gutter guard system 600 can be placed onto or into a rain gutter to channel water into the rain gutter and stop debris from entering the rain gutter. As illustrated in FIGS. 23 and 25 , one or more apertures 670 can be provided in the front receiver 620 that can be used to secure the front receiver 620 to the rain gutter using a fastener such as a screw or rivet.
In one embodiment, the screen is a 30 mesh metal screen. In one example, the screen can be made of 316L stainless steel wire, more specifically, 316L stainless steel wire that is 0.0085 inches in diameter. The screen can be arranged in a square weave such that there are 30 wires for each linear inch of screen in both the width and length directions. In such an arrangement, the surface area of the screen includes approximately 55% open area. It will be understood with such a large percentage of open area, the screen can facilitate water flowing through the screen toward the water management section and into the rain gutter even when debris such as leaves temporarily come to rest on top of the screen. The 0.0085 inch diameter 316L stainless steel wire arranged as such provides a number of benefits, including resistance to corrosion and rust when exposed to the elements, generally prevents common debris from passing through the screen, enhances self-cleaning of the screen due to debris passing over the screen, and promotes water infusion through the screen as water travels across the screen. Furthermore, in one embodiment, such an arrangement maintains a generally flat surface when exposed to the elements so that the screen maintains its functionality and aesthetic appeal over time. In other embodiments, as will be described herein, the screen includes features and contours that rise above the general plane of the screen to promote rainwater infusion through the screen and to prevent or limit the matting of debris on the top of the screen.
As noted above, the main body 610 can be manufactured in different widths to accommodate different widths of rain gutter such as, for example, three inch, four inch, and five inch widths for residential use. As previously discussed, such an arrangement provides for structural integrity of the gutter guard system because the components are typically used as designed. There is no need to cut or plane a larger main body to accommodate a rain gutter with a smaller width. Additionally, the lattice or diamond pattern (hereinafter the “diamond pattern”) of the structural members of the main body 610 provides sufficient stiffness and strength such that the main body 610 and the gutter guard system 600 remain generally planar when installed on a rain gutter without the requirement for any ancillary support structures such as hangers and straps. The main body 610 provides the required rigidity despite the main body 610 having a greater percentage of open area than traditional gutter guard systems currently on the market. Thus, the combination of the main body 610 and the screen 640 result in greater percentage of open area to facilitate water infusion through the screen 640 and main body 610, while providing the rigidity and structural integrity required to efficiently install the gutter guard system 600 without the need for hangers, straps, and the like.
For structures, such as large homes or commercial buildings, with large roof surface areas, larger rain gutters can be utilized to accommodate the greater flow of rain water from the roof and into the rain gutter. For such larger rain gutters, including rain gutters that are six, seven, eight inches in width or more, the main body can be arranged generally as illustrated in the figures, but the width and thickness of the main body can be increased to accommodate substantially wider rain gutters and provide additional rigidity and structural integrity for the gutter guard system to span such substantially wider rain gutters. Such increased in width and thicknesses can be achieved by modifications to injection molding tooling, but such modifications can maintain the thickness of the edges of the main body such that the front and rear receivers as described herein can continue to be used to accommodate the assembly of gutter guard systems for substantially wider rain gutters. Additionally, a rear receiver can be widened or multiple rear receivers can be used with main bodies disclosed herein to span gutter openings greater than six inches in width.
FIGS. 26 through 39 illustrate features of the main body 610. In one embodiment, the main body 610 is a five foot long main body assembled from two 30-inch subsections—a first main body subsection 680 and a second main body subsection 690. In such an arrangement, the manufacturing process for the 30- inch subsections 680, 690 is relatively straightforward. Once manufactured, the two main body subsections 680, 690 can be permanently joined to form the main body 610 that will be used to form the final gutter guard system 600 installed in rain gutters. FIG. 26 illustrates a perspective view of the assembled main body 610; FIG. 27 illustrates a side view of the assembled main body 610; FIG. 28 illustrates a top view of the first 680 and second 690 main body subsections prior to assembly; and FIG. 29 illustrates a bottom view of the first 680 and second 690 main body subsections prior to assembly.
In one embodiment, a sonic welding manufacturing process is used to join the first 680 and second 690 main body subsections. The first 680 and second 690 main body subsections include mating features that facilitate the sonic welding process. For example, as illustrated in detail views in FIGS. 30 and 31 , the first main body subsection 680 includes a series of recesses 700 on its top surface proximate to an edge 710 of the first main body subsection 680, and as illustrated in detail views in FIGS. 32 and 33 , the second main body subsection 690 includes a series of recesses 720 on its bottom surface proximate to an edge 730 of the second main body subsection 690. The recesses 720 of the second main body subsection 690 include a series of cleats 740, as best illustrated in the detailed side view of FIG. 34 . When the first 680 and second 690 main body subsections are to be joined through the sonic welding manufacturing process, the recesses 700 of the first main body subsection 680 are matched with the recesses 720 of the second main body subsections 690 to create a joint between the two components. The sonic welding manufacturing process is initiated and the cleats 740 act as energy directors focusing the ultrasonic energy to create heat at the joint. The cleats 740 melt and bond the first 680 and second 690 main body subsections at the joint to form the assembled main body 610. FIG. 36 illustrates a side view of the assembled main body 610 and FIG. 37 illustrates a perspective view of the assembled main body 610.
FIGS. 38 through 46 illustrate additional features of the main body 610. FIG. 38 is a detailed view of the diamond pattern of the supporting members of the main body 610. This diamond pattern increases the cross-sectional open space as compared to conventional gutter guards. Such additional open space facilitates greater rainwater flow through the gutter guard system 600 and into the rain gutter and enhances the flow of air through the gutter guard system, which prevents matting of debris on the screen. In testing, a four inch main body with the diamond pattern processed approximately 8.5 gallons of water per linear foot per minute. For the diamond pattered four inch main body, the percentage of open cross-sectional area is 66.83%.
As best illustrated in FIG. 39 , the structural members of the diamond pattern include a number of wicking edges 750. These wicking edges 750 are raised features that are tapered so that a thin edge of the feature contacts and engages with the screen 640 when the gutter guard system 600 is assembled. Such contact and engagement creates a wicking phenomenon that encourages water passing along the top of the screen to wick down through the screen 640, toward the main body 610 and into the rain gutter. As is illustrated in FIG. 39 , the wicking edges 750 are periodically placed and staggered along the main body 610. Such an arrangement enhances water flow down in the rain gutter while maintain ample room for air flow proximate to the screen 640, which discourages matting of debris on the top of the screen 640.
As illustrated in FIGS. 40 through 42 , the diamond pattern assists a user in modifying the main body 610 to account for practical issues that arise during installation of gutter guard systems 600. For example, rain gutters routinely include “inside” and “outside” corners to accommodate the roofline of a home or structure. To accommodate such corners, it is useful to trim the end of the gutter guard system (and specifically the main body) at a 45-degree angle. As illustrated in FIG. 40 , due to the diamond pattern, it is straightforward to trim the main body appropriately with hand tools. As illustrated in FIG. 41 , once the main bodies are trimmed at a 45-degree angle, two segments of a gutter guard system can be formed and installed in an outside corner to fully cover the rain gutter at that outside corner and provide a rib for structural support in the corner. It will be understood that a similar technique can be employed to accommodate an inside corner of a rain gutter.
As illustrated in FIG. 42 , a section of the main body can be removed with hand tools by snipping the intersections of structure members to create an opening in the main body. Such an opening as illustrated in FIG. 42 can be sized to accommodate a downspout passing through a gutter guard system that is installed on the first floor of a multi-story structure.
As illustrated in FIGS. 43-46 , the main body 610 includes a series of tuck tabs 760 along the front and back edges of the main body 610. These tuck tabs 760 are arranged to secure the screen 640 to the main body 610. To assemble the screen 640 with the main body 610, the screen 640 is slid along the top of the main body 610 with the two longitudinal edges of the screen 640 captured by the tuck tabs 760. As best illustrated in FIG. 44 , a recess 770 is formed under each tuck tab 760. This recess allows for ease of installation of the screen 640 and provides for the tuck tab 760 to apply a slight downward pressure on the screen 640 to better secure the screen 760 though a friction fit.
FIGS. 47 through 56 illustrate another exemplary gutter guard systems 800 and its components. As noted with other embodiments and illustrated in FIGS. 47 and 48 , the gutter guard systems 800 includes a main body 810, a mesh screen 820, a front receiver 830, and a rear receiver 840. When the gutter guard systems 800 is assembled, the mesh screen 820 is positioned on top of the main body 810 to form a main body subassembly 850. A front receiver 830 is coupled to the front edge of the main body subassembly 850, and a rear receiver 840 is coupled to the rear edge of the main body subassembly 850.
FIGS. 49 and 50 illustrate the main body subassembly 850 and main body 810, respectively. As illustrated in the figures, the main body subassembly 850 and main body 810 are generally flat and thin components with a width (W) and length (L). In the exemplary embodiment, the main body 810 is a series of thin metal rods welded together to form a lattice structure with the rods evenly spaced apart by approximately one inch along both the length (L) and width (W) of the main body 810. The structure of the main body 810 forms a support structure for the mesh screen 820 (which will be discussed subsequently). While the exemplary embodiment of the main body 810 is described as a series of thin metal rods welded together, it will be understood that other materials and arrangements can be used to achieve the functionality of forming a main body to support the mesh screen.
In the exemplary embodiment, the mesh screen 820 is a series of threads secured together to form a lattice structure with the threads evenly spaced apart along the width (W) and length (L) of the mesh screen 820. In one embodiment, the threads are made of 316L stainless steel wire with a diameter of 0.0085 inches. The wires are secured together through weaving and spaced evenly along the length (L) and width (W) such that there are approximately thirty threads per inch along both the length (L) and width (W) of the mesh screen 820. In such an arrangement, the surface area of the screen includes approximately 55% open area. The mesh screen 820 forms a structure that provides a plurality of openings for rainwater to pass through; however, at the same time creates a barrier that stops unwanted debris from passing through the mesh screen 820. While the exemplary embodiment of the mesh screen 820 is described as a specific metal wire woven together, it will be understood that other materials and arrangements can be used to achieve the functionality of forming a mesh screen that simultaneously allows rainwater to pass through the mesh screen and stops unwanted debris from passing through the mesh screen.
In one embodiment, the mesh screen 820 can be positioned on top of the main body 110 and reply on the engagement of the mesh screen 820 and main body 810 with the front 830 and rear 840 receivers to maintain the position of the mesh screen 820. In another embodiment, the mesh screen 820 can be directly secured to the main body 810 by a spot welding process, adhesives, or other such methods.
FIGS. 51 and 52 schematically illustrate an exemplary front receiver 830. The front receiver 830 includes an extending front edge 860, lower front member 865, a channel 870 running along the length of the front receiver 830 between the extending front edge 860 and the lower front member 865, and a leg 880 extending downward from the extending front edge 860 toward the lower front member 865 and into the channel 870. The front receiver 830 can be coupled to the front edge of the main body subassembly 850 by placing the front edge of the main body subassembly 850 in the channel 870 of the front receiver 830. The front receiver 830 can be optionally secured to the main body subassembly 850 though an adhesive, fastener, or other similar means. Conversely, the front receiver 830 can be reversibly coupled to the main body subassembly 850 by sliding the front edge of the main body subassembly 850 into the channel 870 of the front receiver, where the main body subassembly 850 is secured through a friction fit within the channel 870 and the leg 880. In one embodiment, the width W₁of the channel 870 allows the main body subassembly 850 to be selectively positioned within the channel 870, which provides for variability in the overall width of the gutter guard system 800. Such variability in overall width is often helpful in accounting for inconsistencies in trough-style and built-in style gutter systems. In another embodiment, the channel 870 is sized such that the main body subassembly 850 fits snuggly within the channel 870 and the relative position of the front receiver 830 and the main body subassembly 850 is generally fixed. The front receiver 830 can be used to secure the gutter guard systems 800 to a house or structure. For example, fasteners can be passed through the extending front edge 860 of the front receiver 830 and into vertical walls or other structures extending from the roofline. Such an arrangement will secure the gutter guard systems 800 to the house or structure. The extending front edge 860 of the front receiver 830 is angled downward, which once secured to the house or structure, will encourage rainwater to flow over the extended from edge 860 and away from the roof.
In one embodiment, the front receiver 830 is arranged as follows. The extending front edge 860 is comprised of two sections—a straight section 862 and an angled section 864. The straight section 862 is arranged such that it is generally parallel with the lower front member 865, and parallel to the main body subassembly 850 once the front receiver 830 is assembled with the main body subassembly 850. The angled section 864 is positioned at an angle A that is approximately 16 degrees as compared to the straight section 862. In this embodiment, the width W₁of the channel 870 is approximately 0.226 inches and the height H₁of the channel 870 is approximately 0.200 inches. In this embodiment, the width W₂of the leg 880 is approximately 0.125 inches and the height H₂of the leg 880 is approximately 0.082 inches. It will be understood that such dimensions are exemplary only and can be altered to accommodate any number of varying main body subassemblies.
FIGS. 53 and 54 illustrate another exemplary embodiment of a front receiver 890. Similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 52 , the front receiver 890 includes an extending front edge 200 and a lower front member 910. The extending front edge 900 is comprised of two sections—a straight section 902 and an angled section 904. The straight section 902 is arranged such that it is generally parallel with the lower front member 910, and parallel to the main body subassembly 850 once the front receiver 890 is assembled with the main body subassembly 850. Unlike the front receiver 830 of FIG. 52 , the angled section 904 is longer and positioned at an angle B that is approximately 5 degrees as compared to the straight section 902. In this embodiment, the dimensions of a channel 920 and leg 930 are the same as the front receiver 830 of FIG. 52 . That is the width W₁of the channel 920 is approximately 0.226 inches and the height H₁of the channel 920 is approximately 0.200 inches. In this embodiment, the width W₂of the leg 930 is approximately 0.125 inches and the height H₂of the leg 930 is approximately 0.082 inches. It will be understood that such dimensions are exemplary only and can be altered to accommodate any number of varying main body subassemblies.
FIGS. 55 and 56 schematically illustrate an exemplary rear receiver 840. The rear receiver 840 includes an extending rear edge 940, a lower rear member 945, a connecting member 948 connecting the extending rear edge 940 and the lower rear member 945, a channel 950 running along the length of the rear receiver 840 between the extending rear edge 940, the lower rear member 945, and the connecting member 948, and a leg 960 extending downward from the extending rear edge 940 toward the lower rear member 945 and into the channel 950. The rear receiver 840 can be coupled to the rear edge of the main body subassembly 850 by placing the rear edge of the main body subassembly 850 in the channel 950 of the rear receiver 840. The rear receiver 840 can optionally be secured to the main body subassembly 850 though an adhesive, fastener, or other similar means. Conversely, the rear receiver 840 can be reversibly coupled to the main body subassembly 850 by sliding the rear edge of the main body subassembly 850 into the channel 950 of the rear receiver 840, where the main body subassembly 850 is secured through a friction fit within the channel 950 and the leg 960. Similar to the channel 870 of the front receiver 830 of FIG. 52 , in one embodiment, the width W₃of the channel 950 of the rear receiver 840 allows the main body subassembly 850 to be selectively positioned within the channel 950, which provides for variability in the overall width of the gutter guard system 800. Such variability in overall width is often helpful in accounting for inconsistencies in trough-style and built-in style gutter systems. Furthermore, such selective positioning of the main body subassembly 850 within the channel 950 of the rear receiver 840 allows the main body 850 to be cut along any line running parallel to the rear receive 840 while still providing a friction fit within the channel 950 between the main body subassembly 850 and the leg 960 of the rear receive 840. In another embodiment, the channel 950 is sized such that the main body subassembly 850 fits snuggly within the channel 950 and the relative position of the rear receiver 840 and the main body subassembly 850 is generally fixed. The rear receiver 840 can be used to secure the gutter guard systems 800 to a house or structure. For example, the extending rear edge 940 of the rear receiver 840 can be positioned under the edge of the roofing material 84 to secure the gutter guard systems 800 in place. Additionally, in another embodiment, fasteners can be passed through the extending rear edge 944 of the rear receiver 840 and into the roof. Such arrangements will secure the gutter guard systems 800 to the house or structure. The extending rear edge 944 of the rear receiver 840 is angled downward, which once secured to the house or structure, will encourage rainwater to flow down the roof.
In one embodiment, the rear receiver 840 is arranged as follows. The extending rear edge 940 is comprised of two sections—a straight section 942 and an angled section 944. The straight section 942 is arranged such that it is generally parallel with the lower rear member 945, and parallel to the main body subassembly 850 once the rear receiver 840 is assembled with the main body subassembly 850. The angled section 944 is positioned at an angle C that is approximately 864 degrees as compared to the straight section 942. Additionally, the angle D between the angled section 944 and the connecting member 948 is approximately 117 degrees. In this embodiment, the width W₃of the channel 950 is approximately 0.677 inches and the height H₃of the channel 950 is approximately 0.200 inches. In this embodiment, the width W₄of the leg 960 is approximately 0.163 inches and the height H₄of the leg 260 is approximately 0.082 inches. It will be understood that such dimensions are exemplary only and can be altered to accommodate any number of varying main body subassemblies.
The various embodiments of gutter guard systems disclosed herein have generally been described as having a rear receiver that is designed to accommodate a specific gutter guard system. However, disclosed herein is also a rear receiver that is arranged to accommodate a number of different gutter guard systems. FIGS. 57 and 58 illustrate such an exemplary embodiment of a versatile rear receiver 970. As will be further described, rear receiver 970 can accommodate the gutter guard system 100 illustrated in FIG. 11 , the gutter guard system 600 illustrated in FIG. 23 , and the gutter guard system 800 illustrated in FIG. 47 . In this embodiment, the rear receiver 970 includes a first member 980 running the length of the rear receiver 970, a second member 990 running the length of the rear receiver 970 parallel to the first member 980, and a connecting member 1000 running the length of the rear receiver 970 that connects the first member 980 and second member 990. The connecting member 1000 is generally perpendicular to the first 980 and second 990 members. A first end of the connecting member 1000 terminates at its connection with the first member 980 and a second end of the connecting member 1000 extending past the second member 990 and terminating in space. A channel 1010 is formed between the first member 980, second member 990, and a portion of the connecting member 1000. One or more apertures 1020 are formed in the connecting member 1000 along the length of the rear receiver 970. The illustrations of FIGS. 57 and 58 show a relatively short section of the rear receiver 970. It will be understood that such rear receivers 970 can be made in any length such as five feet, eight feet, or any other length that is convenient to manufacture, ship, and work within the field.
FIGS. 59 through 62 illustrate two potential arrangement for using the rear receiver 970 of FIGS. 57 and 58 to engage with a main body subassembly 850. This is to say, that the rear receiver 970 can replace the rear receiver 840 used with the gutter guard system 800. As illustrated in FIGS. 59 and 60 , a first option is to arrange the rear receiver 970 so that the first member 980 is positioned above the second member 990. The main body subassembly 850 is then positioned in the channel 1010 so that the rear edge of the main body subassembly 850 is engaged with the rear receiver 970 at the intersection of the first member 980 and the connecting member 1100. The main body subassembly 850 is angled downward so that a section of the main body subassembly 850 engages with the free end of the second member 990.
As illustrated in FIGS. 61 and 62 , in a second arrangement, the rear receiver 970 is arranged so that the second member 990 is above the first member 980. The main body subassembly 850 is then positioned so that the rear edge of the main body subassembly 850 is positioned within the channel 1010 and engaged with the rear receiver 970 at the intersection of the second member 990 and the connecting member 1000. The main body subassembly 850 is angled downward so that a section of the main body subassembly 850 engages with the free end of the first member 980.
FIGS. 63 through 66 illustrate two additional potential arrangements for using the rear receiver 970 of FIGS. 57 and 58 with the gutter guard system 100 illustrated in FIG. 11 . FIGS. 63 through 66 illustrate only the main body 110 of the gutter guard system 100 for simplicity and clarity. As illustrated in FIGS. 63 and 64 , a first option is to arrange the rear receiver 970 so that the first member 980 is positioned above the second member 990. The main body 110 is then positioned in the channel 1010 so that the top surface and bottom surface of the main body 110 are generally parallel with the first 980 and second 990 members. Thus, the main body 110 generally extends out of the channel 1010 generally parallel to the first 980 and second 990 members. As illustrated in FIGS. 65 and 66 , in a second arrangement, the rear receiver 970 is arranged so that the second member 990 is above the first member 980. The main body 110 is positioned in the channel 1010 so that the top surface and bottom surface of the main body 110 are generally parallel with the second 990 and first 980 members. Thus, the main body 110 generally extends out of the channel 1010 generally parallel to the second 990 and first 980 members.
FIGS. 67 through 70 illustrate another pair of potential arrangements for using the rear receiver 970 of FIGS. 57 and 58 with the gutter guard system 600 illustrated in FIG. 23 . FIGS. 67 through 70 illustrate only the main body 610 of the gutter guard system 600 for simplicity and clarity. As illustrated in FIGS. 67 and 68 , a first option is to arrange the rear receiver 970 so that the first member 980 is positioned above the second member 990. The main body 610 is then positioned in the channel 1010 so that the top surface and bottom surface of the main body 610 are generally parallel with the first 980 and second 990 members. Thus, the main body 610 generally extends out of the channel 1010 generally parallel to the first 980 and second 990 members. As illustrated in FIGS. 69 and 70 , in a second arrangement, the rear receiver 970 is arranged so that the second member 990 is above the first member 980. The main body 610 is positioned in the channel 1010 so that the top surface and bottom surface of the main body 610 are generally parallel with the second 990 and first 980 members. Thus, the main body 610 generally extends out of the channel 1010 generally parallel to the second 990 and first 980 members.
It will be appreciated from the examples illustrated in FIGS. 59-70 that the rear receiver 970 is very versatile and can be used with components from any number of disparate gutter guard systems. It will further be appreciated that in addition to its compatibility with multiple gutter guard systems, the ability to arrange the rear receiver 970 in multiple orientations (as demonstrated by FIGS. 59 and 60 verses FIGS. 61 and 62 ) provides valuable flexibility to modular gutter guard systems. Such a rear receiver 970 can reduce the number of components required for assembling and installing a gutter guard system and make such installation easier and more efficient.
In the arrangements illustrated in FIGS. 59-70 , the rear receiver 970 (and thus, the assembled gutter guard system) can be secured to a structure by passing fasteners through apertures 1120 and into the facia boards or other structural components of the structure. It will be understood that the two arrangements illustrated in FIGS. 59-70 are provided to demonstrate the flexibility of the rear receiver 970. The rear receiver 970 can be arranged in a manner that best address the constraints of any particular trough-style or box gutter system.
The foregoing description of examples has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to the forms described. Numerous modifications are possible in light of the above teachings. Some of those modifications have been discussed, and others will be understood by those skilled in the art. The examples were chosen and described in order to best illustrate principles of various examples as are suited to particular uses contemplated. The scope is, of course, not limited to the examples set forth herein, but can be employed in any number of applications and equivalent devices by those of ordinary skill in the art.

Claims

We claim:

1. A rear receiver for use with gutter guard systems, the rear receiver comprising:

a first member running the length of the rear receiver;

a second member parallel to the first member running the length of the rear receiver; and

a connecting member running the length of the rear receiver.

2. The rear receiver of claim 1, wherein the connecting member connects the first member and second member.

3. The rear receiver of claim 2, wherein the connecting member is generally perpendicular to the first member and perpendicular to the second member.

4. The rear receiver of claim 3, wherein the connecting member comprises:

a first end; and

a second end;

wherein, the first end of the connecting member terminates at the first member and a second end of the connecting member extends past the second member and terminates in space.

5. The rear receiver of claim 4, wherein the connecting member engages with and is connected to the second member at a position located between the first end of the connecting member and the second end of the connecting member.

6. The rear receiver of claim 5, further comprising a channel formed by the first member, the second member, and a portion of the connecting member between the first end of the connecting member and the position at which the connecting member engages with the second member.

7. The rear receiver of claim 6, wherein the channel of the rear receiver is arranged to accommodate a plurality of main bodies of gutter guard systems.

8. The rear receiver of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of apertures through the connecting member.

9. The rear receiver of claim 8, wherein the plurality of apertures are located between the second end of the connecting member and the position at which the connecting member engages with the second member.

10. The rear receiver of claim 1, wherein the rear receiver is five feet in length.

11. The rear receiver of claim 1, wherein the rear receiver is arranged such that the rear receiver can be trimmed to a custom length.

12. A gutter guard system comprising:

a main body comprising:

a top surface;

a bottom surface;

a first edge; and

a second edge;

a screen positioned in contact with the top surface of the main body;

a front receiver arranged to engage the first edge of the main body; and

rear receiver arranged to engage the second edge of the main body, the rear receiver comprising:

a first member running the length of the rear receiver;

a connecting member running the length of the rear receiver.

13. The gutter guard system of claim 12, wherein the connecting member connects the first member and second member and the connecting member is generally perpendicular to the first member and perpendicular to the second member.

14. The gutter guard system of claim 13, wherein the connecting member comprises:

a first end that terminates at the first member; and

a second end that extends past the second member and terminates in space.

wherein, the connecting member engages with and is connected to the second member at a position located between the first end of the connecting member and the second end of the connecting member.

15. The gutter guard system of claim 14, further comprising a channel arranged to accommodate the main body and formed by the first member, the second member, and a portion of the connecting member between the first end of the connecting member and the position at which the connecting member engages with the second member.

16. The gutter guard system of claim 15, wherein:

the first member includes a first surface and a second surface; and

the second member includes a first surface and a second surface.

17. The gutter guard system of claim 16, wherein the second surface of the first member and the first surface of the second member form a portion of the channel.

18. The gutter guard system of claim 17, wherein when the main body and screen are positioned within the channel, the screen engages the second surface of the first member and the bottom surface of the main body engages the first surface of the second member.

19. The gutter guard system of claim 17, wherein when the main body and screen are positioned within the channel, the screen engages the first surface of the second member and the bottom surface of the main body engages the second surface of the first member.

20. The gutter guard system of claim 17, wherein when the main body and screen are positioned within the channel, the top surface of the main body is at an angle to the second surface of the first member and the first surface of the second member.

21. The gutter guard system of claim 17, wherein when the main body are screen are positioned within the channel, the top surface of the main body is generally parallel to the second surface of the first member and the first surface of the second member.

22. The gutter guard system of claim 12, wherein the rear receiver further comprising a plurality of apertures through the connecting member, located between the second end of the connecting member and the position at which the connecting member engages with the second member.