Gutter protector

Abstract

A gutter protector for keeping debris and insects out of the interior of a gutter comprises a plurality of flexible elongated gutter protector members formed of a porous open-cell foam, the foam incorporating therein an anti-microbial agent and a UV inhibitor. The members are formed in sections of predetermined length that are shaped to fit in predetermined gutter shapes. Each member has a recessed portion in a lower side that is spaced away from the gutter. The recessed portion is substantially isolated from the exterior of the protector member so as to permit water to flow unobstructed through the gutter without admitting insects to the interior of the recessed portion. For a conventional gutter shape, the gutter protector desirably has a generally right triangular cross section with a flat top and a tapered edge that fits under a front lip of the gutter.

1 . A gutter protector for keeping debris and insects out of the interior of a gutter comprising: 
 a plurality of flexible elongated gutter protector members formed of a porous open-cell foam, the foam incorporating therein an anti-microbial agent and a UV inhibitor, the members being formed in sections of predetermined length, the members being shaped to fit in a predetermined gutter shape, each member having a recessed portion in a lower side thereof that is spaced away from the gutter and allows water to flow unobstructed therethrough, the recessed portion being substantially isolated from the exterior of the protector member so as to permit water to flow unobstructed through the gutter without admitting insects to the interior of the recessed portion.    
   
   
       2 . A gutter protector as in  claim 1  wherein the protector members have generally triangular cross sections.  
   
   
       3 . A gutter protector as in  claim 2  wherein the protector members have right triangular cross sections, with a right angle edge being at an upper rear edge of the gutter.  
   
   
       4 . A gutter protector as in  claim 1  wherein the protector members have half-round lower sides with recesses in the lower sides.  
   
   
       5 . A gutter protector for restricting leaf accumulation in a gutter, wherein the gutter includes an enclosed bottom portion and an open top, the gutter being suspended on a structure by attachment devices that are spaced a predetermined distance apart and extend between front and back upper edges of the gutters and are attached to the structure, the gutter protector comprising a plurality of elongated, flexible, porous, open-cell foam members shaped to fit end-to-end in the interior of the gutter, each member having an upper surface, a lower surface, a rear surface, and a front surface, the lower surface being substantially narrower than the bottom of the gutter so that the lower surface abuts only a portion of a bottom of the gutter, leaving an open portion of the gutter that is at least substantially unobstructed for liquid flow, the lower surface being positioned adjacent a rear side of the gutter, the top surface extending across the top of the gutter between the front and rear sides thereof, the rear side extending downwardly between rear ends of the upper and lower surfaces in abutment with a rear side of the gutter, the front surface of the member extending upwardly and outwardly at an inclined angle from a front edge of the bottom surface to a front edge of the upper surface of the member, the portion of the front surface of the member below the upper front edge being spaced away from a front side of the gutter, providing a rain flow cavity between the member and front side of the gutter, the member being formed of a readily deformable flexible foam material that can be deformed to fit in the gutter and under the support structure therein and to adapt to the shape of the gutter at the upper surface thereof.