Gutter protection system

Abstract

A gutter protection system for diverting debris and collecting water in a trough of a gutter connected to a building structure is disclosed. The gutter protection system can include a cap that can be positionally fixed in place at a predetermined angle of inclination above the gutter by a support member or bracket. The bracket can be supported by and connected to a hanger that connects the gutter to the building structure. The cap can be spaced apart from the building structure, including a roof of the building structure.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A gutter protection system for diverting debris from and collecting water in a gutter having a trough extending along the length of the gutter and the gutter connected with the roofline of a building structure by a gutter hanger connected to a front lip of the gutter and extending transversely across the width of the trough to the structure, the gutter protection system comprising: 
 a bracket having a seat adapted to be positioned on the hanger and at least one arm extending from the seat, a cap connected on the at least one arm of the bracket and extending along the arm in a first direction defining the width of the cap and laterally away from the arm on opposite sides in a second direction defining the length of the cap; and    affixing means for affixing the bracket to the hanger, wherein the bracket is adapted to positionally fix the cap above the trough at a predetermined angle of inclination from the gutter such that the cap extends in its first direction above the substantial width of the trough and the cap is spaced apart from the structure.    
     
     
         2 . A gutter protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one arm further comprises a plurality of spaced apart arms.  
     
     
         3 . A gutter protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein said cap is positionally fixed at a predetermined angle approximating the angle of the roofline of the structure.  
     
     
         4 . A gutter protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one arm extends from said seat such that said bracket is adapted to be affixed to the hanger with the distal end of the arm spaced apart from the building structure.  
     
     
         5 . A gutter protection system according to  claim 1 , further comprising said arm extending from said seat at a predetermined angle, and wherein said cap is juxtaposed above and coextensively along the length of the at least one arm such that the cap and the arm extend from the base at approximately the same angle of inclination.  
     
     
         6 . A gutter protection system according to  claim 1 , the bracket further comprises at least two later wings extending downwardly on opposite sides of said seat, wherein the bracket is adapted to be positioned on the hanger such that said wings contact opposite sides of the hanger to secure said bracket in a fixed position with respect to the bracket.  
     
     
         7 . A gutter protection system according to  claim 1 , where the bracket further comprises an arcuate body portion between said arms and said seat and the cap further comprises an arcuate lip portion at a forward end of its width, the arcuate lip portion coextensively enveloping the arcuate body portion of the bracket, the arcuate lip portion being configured to utilize the surface tension of rainwater to direct the rainwater along the lip into the trough.  
     
     
         8 . A gutter protection system according to  claim 1  wherein the bracket and cap are integrally formed in a single piece.  
     
     
         9 . A method for retrofitting a gutter protection system for diverting debris from and collecting water into an existing gutter trough, the gutter being connected with the building structure at a roofline with a hanger connected to the front wall of the gutter and extending transversally across the width of the trough and connected through the gutter to the structure, the method comprising: 
 providing a bracket having a seat and at least one least one arm extending from the seat,    connecting a cap to the arm of the bracket such that the cap extends along the arm in a first direction defining the width of the cap and laterally away from the arm on opposite sides in a second direction defining the length of the cap, and    affixing the bracket on the hanger with affixing means to positionally fix the cap above the trough at a predetermined angle of inclination such that the cap extends in its first direction above the substantial width of the trough and the cap is spaced apart from the roofline of the structure.    
     
     
         10 . A method for retrofitting a gutter system according to  claim 9 , wherein the affixing step further comprises positionally fixing the cap at predetermined angle of inclination approximating the angle of the roofline.  
     
     
         11 . A method for retrofitting a gutter system according to  claim 9 , wherein the affixing step replaces the existing hanger with a bracket-hanger device wherein the hanger and bracket are integrally formed in a device of a unitary construction.  
     
     
         12 . A method for attaching a gutter system including a gutter protection system for diverting debris from and collecting water to a structure comprising: 
 providing a gutter having a trough, extending along the length of the gutter;    connecting a hanger to the gutter and extending transversely across the trough;    fastening the hanger to the gutter and the building structure with fastening means,    providing a bracket having a seat and at least one least one arm extending from the seat at an angle from the seat,    connecting a cap to an arm of the bracket such that the cap extends along the arm in a first direction defining the width of the cap and laterally away from the arm on opposite sides in a second direction defining the length of the cap, and    affixing the bracket on the hanger with affixing means to positionally fix the cap above the trough such that the cap extends in its first direction above the substantial width of the trough and the cap is spaced apart from the roofline of the structure.    
     
     
         13 . A method for attaching a gutter system according to  claim 12 , the affixing step further comprising affixing the bracket such that the cap is positionally fixed at an angle approximating the angle of the roofline.  
     
     
         14 . A gutter protection system for diverting debris from and collecting water in a gutter having a trough extending along the length of the gutter and the gutter adapted to be connected with the roofline of a building structure by the gutter protection system the gutter protection system comprising: 
 a bracket having a seat adapted to be positioned on the hanger and at least one arm extending from the seat,    a cap connected on the at least one arm of the bracket and extending along the arm in a first direction defining the width of the cap and laterally away from the arm on opposite sides in a second direction defining the length of the cap,    a gutter hanger adapted to be connected to a front lip of the gutter and extending transversely across the width of the trough to the structure, wherein the bracket is adapted to positionally fix the cap above the trough at a predetermined angle of inclination such that the cap extends in its first direction above the substantial width of the trough and the cap is spaced apart from the roofline of the structure.    
     
     
         15 . A gutter protection system  10  according to  claim 14  wherein the bracket and hanger are integrally formed in a single construction as a bracket hanger device.  
     
     
         16 . A building- and gutter-separated, hanger-mounted, gutter cap.  
     
     
         17 . A gutter protection system comprising a gutter cap that, in an operative configuration, is supported solely by a gutter hanger that supports a gutter from a building.  
     
     
         18 . A gutter cap that, in an operative configuration, is supported by a gutter hanger that supports a gutter from a building, said gutter cap, in said operative configuration, separated from the gutter and the building.  
     
     
         19 . The gutter cap of  claim 18 , wherein said gutter cap is supported at a predetermined position above the gutter.  
     
     
         20 . The gutter cap of  claim 18 , wherein a top of said gutter cap is supported at a predetermined angle with respect to a width of the gutter.  
     
     
         21 . The gutter cap of  claim 18 , wherein a top of said gutter cap is supported at an adjustable angle with respect to a width of the gutter.  
     
     
         22 . The gutter cap of  claim 18 , wherein said gutter cap is adapted to be attached to the gutter hanger by a bracket.  
     
     
         23 . The gutter cap of  claim 18 , wherein said gutter cap is separated from the gutter by a first predetermined gap.  
     
     
         24 . The gutter cap of  claim 18 , wherein said gutter cap is separated from the building by a second predetermined gap.  
     
     
         25 . The gutter cap of  claim 18 , wherein said gutter cap is adapted to substantially cover a trough defined by the gutter.  
     
     
         26 . The gutter cap of  claim 18 , wherein said gutter cap is constructed of aluminum.  
     
     
         27 . The gutter cap of  claim 18 , wherein said gutter cap is constructed of copper.  
     
     
         28 . The gutter cap of  claim 18 , wherein said gutter cap is constructed of galvanized steel.  
     
     
         29 . The gutter cap of  claim 18 , wherein said gutter cap is constructed of a plastic.  
     
     
         30 . A method for installing a gutter cap to a gutter system, comprising: 
 aligning a gutter cap with a gutter hanger that attaches a gutter to a building; and    attaching the gutter cap to the gutter hanger, wherein said gutter cap is separated from the gutter and the building.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the gutter cap is attached to the gutter hanger via a bracket.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising attaching the gutter cap to a bracket.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising attaching the gutter cap to a bracket and attaching the bracket to the gutter hanger.