Rain Gutter System For Mounting Atop a Roof

Abstract

A new rain gutter system includes a set of interlocked segments that are placed about perpendicular to the roof atop the roof. The segments create a channel that is angled from one edge of the roof to the other. The segments also create a non-permeable barrier at the intersection of the segments with the roof which causes the rain runoff running down the slope of the roof to be redirected into the channel and passed to one edge of the roof where it is deposited into a drain. The non-permeable barrier is established by laying a skirt that extends from the bottom of each segment upwards against the slope of the roof. The skirt can be inserted underneath the shingles, sealed with a sealant, or the end of the skirt can be thin enough to rest bare atop the roof and still provide a sufficient barrier.

1 .- 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A gutter system comprising:
 a plurality of concave shaped non-permeable sections, each non-permeable section comprising a female coupler from a male-female coupling mechanism disposed at either lateral end of the non-permeable section; and   a plurality of connecting segments, each particular connecting segment comprising:
 (i) an frame comprising a front leg and a back leg in an inverted “V” shape configured to support the entirety of the particular connecting segment about perpendicularly atop a roof; 
 (ii) at least one male coupler from the male-female coupling mechanism, the at least one male coupler interlocking any two non-permeable sections to the particular connecting segment when coupled to the female coupler of the two non-permeable sections, and wherein the male coupler is disposed on an outward face of the front leg. 
   
     
     
         12 . The gutter system of  claim 11 , wherein each non-permeable section further comprises a skirt that extends a specified distance below the frame of a connecting segment when coupled to the connecting segment. 
     
     
         13 . The gutter system of  claim 11 , wherein the female coupler at one lateral end of a non-permeable section interlocks with the male coupler of a first connecting segment and an opposite lateral end of the non-permeable section interlocks with the male coupler of a second connecting segment. 
     
     
         14 . The gutter system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of non-permeable sections form a non-permeable channel in combination with a roof surface by dispersing the plurality of connecting segments laterally across the roof at a slight angle, interlocking the plurality of non-permeable sections to the plurality of connecting segments using the male-female coupling mechanism, and wherein the non-permeable channel prevents rain runoff flowing vertically over the roof shingles from passing underneath and behind the plurality of non-permeable sections at a position where the plurality of non-permeable sections intersect the roof surface. 
     
     
         15 . The gutter system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the plurality of connecting segments comprises an anchor block about the back leg, the anchor block comprising a first receptacle and a second receptacle, wherein each receptacle comprises a column with a central cavity into which a nail or screw is driven through. 
     
     
         16 . A rain gutter system with a two-sided channel that leverages a roof surface as one-side of the two-sided channel, the rain gutter system comprising:
 a plurality of connecting segments dispersed laterally across and atop the roof surface with at least one foot of distance separating each connecting segment from another, wherein each connecting segment comprises a first coupler of a male-female coupling mechanism, and wherein at least two of the plurality of connecting segments comprise an anchor block with a vertical cavity into which a screw or nail is driven to secure the connecting segment atop the roof surface; and   a plurality of non-permeable concave sections, each non-permeable concave section comprising first and second lateral ends with a second coupler of the male-female coupling mechanism that couples to the first coupler of a connecting segment, wherein the plurality of non-permeable concave sections form a continuous non-permeable second side of the two-sided channel when the second coupler on the first and second lateral ends of each non-permeable concave section is coupled to the male coupler of two adjacent connecting segments, and wherein the two-sided channel is formed at the intersection of the plurality of non-permeable concave sections and the roof surface.   
     
     
         17 . The rain gutter system of  claim 16 , wherein the two-sided channel redirects rain runoff flowing vertically over the roof shingles into and horizontally across the plurality of non-permeable concave sections at a position where the plurality of non-permeable concave sections intersect the roof surface. 
     
     
         18 . The rain gutter system of  claim 16 , wherein the second coupler couples to the first coupler by sliding the second coupler into a groove of the first coupler. 
     
     
         19 . The rain gutter system of  claim 16 , wherein the second coupler comprises an opening and the first coupler comprises a protruding nub, and wherein the second coupler couples to the first coupler by inserting the nub of the first coupler into the hole of the second coupler. 
     
     
         20 . A gutter system comprising:
 a plurality of non-permeable sections, each non-permeable section having a width greater than two feet, a height greater than one inch, a concave rigid upper body, and a flexible skirt extending from a bottom of said upper body; and   a plurality of anchor segments, each anchor segment comprising a first leg and a second leg joined at a top end and separated at an opposite bottom end by a distance, each anchor segment further comprising at least one receptacle extending from either the first leg or the second leg, the receptacle comprising a cavity into which a nail or screw is driven through to secure a position of the anchor segment atop a roof surface, and   wherein each anchor segment couples first and second non-permeable sections with the first and second non-permeable sections abutting one another such that fluid flowing onto and over the skirt of the first non-permeable section continues its flow seamlessly across the first and second non-permeable sections.   
     
     
         21 . The gutter system of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of anchor segments and the plurality of non-permeable sections form a two-sided channel with the roof surface with one side of the two-sided channel comprising the plurality of non-permeable sections and the other side of the two-sided channel comprising the roof surface. 
     
     
         22 . The gutter system of  claim 21 , wherein the two-sided channel is formed by securing the plurality of anchor segments with at least one foot of distance separating each anchor segment from a neighboring segment about horizontally across the roof surface and by coupling a first end of each non-permeable section to one anchor segment and a second opposite end of each non-permeable section coupling to an adjacent anchor segment with the skirts of the non-permeable section flexing about perpendicular to legs of the plurality of anchor segments and about parallel with the roof surface. 
     
     
         23 . The gutter system of  claim 20  further comprising a non-permeable drain section comprising a funnel with a vertical spout and a non-permeable extension protruding from one end of the funnel in a shape of a non-permeable section, the non-permeable extension for coupling the drain section to one of the plurality of anchor segments. 
     
     
         24 . The gutter system of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of anchor segments are configured to stand atop shingles of the roof surface while coupling together the plurality of non-permeable membrane sections with the skirts of the plurality of non-permeable membrane sections about parallel with the shingles. 
     
     
         25 . The gutter system of  claim 24 , wherein coupling the plurality of non-permeable membrane sections to the plurality of anchor segments across the roof surface forms a continuous channel that redirects rain runoff flowing vertically over the shingles onto the skirt and horizontally across the non-permeable channel rather than underneath and behind the plurality of anchor segments. 
     
     
         26 . The gutter system of  claim 20 , wherein the skirt is adapted for insertion underneath a roof shingle, and wherein insertion of the skirt underneath the roof shingle creates a seal that redirects water flowing vertically over the shingle onto and horizontally across a width of the non-permeable membrane section rather than underneath and behind the non-permeable membrane section. 
     
     
         27 . The gutter system of  claim 20 , wherein each non-permeable section is essentially “C” or “L” shaped. 
     
     
         28 . The gutter system of  claim 20 , wherein each non-permeable section couples to an anchor segment by snapping onto the anchor segment. 
     
     
         29 . The gutter system of  claim 20 , wherein each non-permeable section comprises at least one hole and each anchor segment comprises a nub, and wherein each non-permeable section couples to an anchor segment by inserting the hole of the non-permeable section through the nub of the anchor segment.