Residential or commercial integrated see-through eaves and downspout gutter system

Abstract

The present invention is a gutter system comprising at least a gutter section and one or more downspout sections. It may further incorporate one or more elbow sections. Each of the gutter, downspout and elbow sections may incorporate at least one see-through section. Such see-through sections allow for the monitoring of the rainwater flow and debris in the gutter system. This monitoring facilitates detection of the exact spot of where debris collects in the gutter system, so that blockages in the gutter system can be predicted and prevented, debris build-up in the gutter system can be cleaned, and the gutter system can be repaired. Rainwater runoff can flow through the gutter system, and unnecessary cleaning of the gutter system, and the cost thereof, can be avoided. The elbow sections may incorporate an access port for access to the interior of the elbow, to permit the removal of debris therefrom.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A downspout elbow section comprising:
 an inner-bend wall, an outer-bend wall, and two opposed spaced apart side walls connected to each of the inner-bend wall and outer-bend wall,   an access port provided in at least one of the inner-bend wall, the outer-bend wall, and the side walls, the access port having a peripheral wall portion defining an opening therein,   an access port cover configured for removable placement over said access port, to selectively prevent or permit access to an interior of said elbow section via said opening.   
     
     
         2 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said spaced apart side walls and said outer-bend wall includes an opaque section, and a see-through transparent or a translucent strip integrated with the opaque section, and which is selected to allow a buildup of debris within the elbow section interior to be visible. 
     
     
         3 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the inner-bend wall, the outer-bend wall, the side walls and the access port cover each selected to permit the substantially unimpeded flow of liquid and debris within the elbow section when the access port cover is positioned over said access port. 
     
     
         4 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the access port is disposed in said inner-bend wall. 
     
     
         5 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the access port is disposed in said outer-bend wall. 
     
     
         6 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said access port is disposed in one of said side walls. 
     
     
         7 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said access port cover is engageable with the peripheral wall portion of said access port in a friction-fit arrangement, and preferably being formed of a transparent material or translucent material selected to allow a buildup of debris within the elbow section interior to be visible therethrough. 
     
     
         8 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the friction-fit arrangement is selected to form a substantially fluid tight seal between said access port cover and said access port and said access port cover to impede the flow of liquid therebetween. 
     
     
         9 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said access port cover is positionable over said access port by way of mechanical fasteners. 
     
     
         10 . A gutter system downspout elbow section comprising:
 an inner-bend wall, an outer-bend wall, and two opposed spaced apart side walls connected to each of the inner-bend wall and outer-bend wall, at least one of the inner-bend wall, the outer-bend wall and the side walls incorporating an opaque section and at least one longitudinal see-through section integrated with the opaque section and selected to facilitate viewing of an interior of the elbow section,   an access port provided in at least one of the inner-bend wall, the outer-bend wall, and the side walls, the access port having a peripheral wall portion defining an opening therein,   an access port cover configured for removable securement over said access port, to selectively prevent or permit access to the interior of said elbow section via said opening, the inner-bend wall, the outer-bend wall, the side walls and the access port cover each selected to permit the substantially unimpeded flow of liquid and debris within interior of the elbow section, when the access port cover is secured over said access port.   
     
     
         11 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the access port is disposed in said inner-bend wall, and the at least one longitudinal see-through section is formed in at least one of the side walls positioned to extend from a first end of the elbow section to the second other end. 
     
     
         12 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the access port is disposed in said outer-bend wall,
 each of the outer-bend wall and access port cover being formed of an opaque material.   
     
     
         13 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said access port is disposed in one of said side walls. 
     
     
         14 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said access port cover is engageable with the peripheral wall portion of said access port in a friction-fit arrangement. 
     
     
         15 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said see-through section is selected from the group consisting of a transparent strip and a translucent strip extending from a first end of the elbow section to the second other end of the elbow section. 
     
     
         16 . A downspout elbow section comprising:
 an inner-bend wall, an outer-bend wall, and two opposed spaced apart side walls connected to each of the inner-bend wall and outer-bend wall,   an access port provided in at least one of the inner-bend wall, the outer-bend wall, and the side walls, the access port having a peripheral wall portion defining an opening therein,   a removable access port cover adapted for selective removable placement over said access port in a friction-fit arrangement with at least part of said peripheral wall portion, to prevent or permit access to an interior of said elbow section via said opening, said friction-fit arrangement being selected to form a seal between said access port cover and said access port to substantially impede the flow of liquid therebetween,   wherein the inner-bend wall, the outer-bend wall, the side walls and the access port cover each selected to permit the substantially unimpeded flow of liquid and debris along the elbow section interior when the access port cover is positioned over said access port.   
     
     
         17 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the access port is disposed centrally in said inner-bend wall. 
     
     
         18 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein at least one of said spaced apart side walls and said outer-bend wall includes a see-through transparent or a translucent strip selected to allow a buildup of debris within the elbow section interior to be visible. 
     
     
         19 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the access port is disposed centrally in said outer-bend wall. 
     
     
         20 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein at least one of said spaced apart side walls and said outer-bend wall includes an opaque section and a see-through transparent or a translucent strip selected to allow a buildup of debris within the elbow section interior to be visible. 
     
     
         21 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said access port is disposed centrally in one of said side walls, the access port cover being selected from a transparent access port cover and a translucent access port cover. 
     
     
         22 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said access port cover is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), rubber, acrylic and polyethylene. 
     
     
         23 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein at least one of said side walls and said outer-bend wall includes an elongate see-through section and an opaque section, the see-through section selected to allow a buildup of debris within the elbow section interior to be visible therethrough. 
     
     
         24 . The downspout elbow section as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the access port cover is formed of a transparent or translucent material selected to allow a buildup of debris within the elbow section interior to be visible therethrough.