Downspout guard, kit therefor, and method of assembly background

Abstract

A downspout guard having opposed sidewalls and opposed end walls connected to a top wall, all formed from material having openings therethrough, such as perforated metal. Bottom edges of the walls engage a gutter bottom wall to hold the guard in place and forcing water to flow through the guard before entering the downspout. The sidewalls can engage gutter front/back walls, further holding the guard in place. Trapped debris enhances further debris entrapment, even trapping particles smaller than the material openings.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing a downspout guard, the method comprising:
 obtaining a perforated material having openings therethrough with an open area ratio between 60% to 65%   forming a housing consisting of five walls from one single piece of the perforated;   wherein the forming further comprises extending each of the five walls to be uninterrupted from edge to edge of each of the walls:
 wherein the five walls consist of:
 two opposed sidewalls consisting of a front sidewall and a back sidewall; 
 two opposed end walls that provide filtration and drainage; and 
 a top wall connected to the sidewalls and the end walls with each of the sidewalls and the end walls continuously extending perpendicularly from the top wall and that provides drainage while providing filtration; 
 
 wherein the forming further comprises forming a space between the two opposed side walls and the two opposed end walls and extending away from the top wall to be completely open and a configuration so that when installed in a gutter that includes opposed front and back walls connected to a bottom wall, is shaped so bottom surfaces of at least the end walls engage the gutter bottom wall of the gutter, and during operation, at least the two opposed end walls configured with the openings therethrough with the open area ratio between 60% to 65% and the perpendicular extension from the top wall that provide filtration to block passage of debris and smaller particles smaller than any of the openings in the material to form a filter cake. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the front and back sidewalls of the downspout guard are sized to have a friction fit with front and back walls of a gutter when installed. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the openings have a center-to-center distance of no more than 0.25″. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the openings have 60° staggered centers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the openings have a width of no more than 0.2″. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material of at least the opposed end walls includes the openings having a width of no more than 0.2″. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material includes a metal.