IMPROVEMENT APPLIED TO A PARTICULATE MATERIAL PRECIPITATION CONTAINMENT DEVICE APPLIED ON GUTTERS AND ITS ASSEMBLY PROCESS AND ASSEMBLY OF THIS IMPROVED DEVICE APPLIED TO THE GUTTER

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Brazilian Application Serial No. BR 10 2024 025396 5, filed Dec. 5, 2024, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TERMINOLOGY

For the purpose of better understanding the matter disclosed and claimed under this patent, the meaning of certain terms and acronyms richly cited in the body of these specifications is presented below:

• • Gutter: is a type of channel used in constructions to collect and direct rainwater to the correct drainage, either to drains of the plumbing installation or to water reservoirs, such as cisterns.

They are generally installed on the eave of the roof, to protect the construction from problems such as infiltration and damage to wall paint, but gutters can also be used in flashings, walls and joints.

• • Particulate material: all sorts of solid material that somehow precipitates in the gutter channel of building eaves, for example, leaves, branches, insects, birds, animals, stones, mosquitoes and other debris.
  • Extruded aluminum profile: is an aluminum rod that undergoes a transformation process called extrusion, which gives it various shapes.
  • Stainless steel: or stainless steel, is a metallic alloy composed of iron, carbon, chromium and other elements, which is resistant to corrosion and oxidation;
  • Stainless steel 304: is an austenitic steel alloy, composed of iron, chromium and nickel, which stands out for its resistance to corrosion and oxidation. It is a very versatile material, used in various industries and applications, resistant to corrosion in indoor and dry environments, easy to clean and maintain, non-magnetic which makes it ideal for outdoor locations and 100% recyclable.
  • Stainless steel 316: is a high alloy stainless steel, composed of 16% chromium, 10% nickel and 2% molybdenum, which stands out for its resistance to corrosion, mainly in environments with chlorides. It is widely used in various industries, such as pharmaceutical, petroleum, chemical and food, and in maritime applications, being a material of outstanding corrosion resistance in aggressive environments, such as marine or with exposure to chemicals, durability, resisting chloride corrosion, such as seawater, its use being recommended in structures exposed to the outdoors, in locations with high salinity or chemicals.
  • Stainless steel screen: is used in filtration, separation, classification and sieving processes in the mining, chemical, petrochemical, food, beverage and agricultural industries.
  • Skilled person: according to the understanding of the treatise writers CHAVANNE, Albert & BURST, Jean-Jacques, in their work Droit de La Propriété Industrielle. Paris: Dalloz, 1993, p. 53-55, as referenced, is the person skilled in the art who possesses the normal and average knowledge of the technique that will be the subject of analysis, which for the purpose of the present invention is the professional specialist in gutter systems applied in buildings.
  • IPC: International patent classification.

The list of terms, technologies and technical concepts presented in this preliminary topic must be considered for the correct understanding of the present invention, providing the necessary descriptive sufficiency to the body of this descriptive report, and must also be used as a reference for studies in comparative analyses, whether with hypothetical pertinent prior art solutions, that is, prior to the invention and not cited in this document or for products of the same nature and same international patent classification (IPC), disclosed and or commercialized by third parties other than the holder of this patent.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

To complement the present description in order to obtain a better understanding of the state of the art, identification of the problem to be solved and the distinctive characteristics of the present invention, a set of drawings is attached to the description, where:

FIG. 1a is an illustrative representation in perspective view drawing of a gutter installation without a particulate material containment device;

FIG. 1b is an illustrative representation in enlarged orthogonal cross-section view drawing of a gutter installation without a particulate material containment device;

FIG. 2a is an illustrative representation in orthogonal cross-section view drawing of a roof eave installation with a gutter provided with a particulate material containment device presented in patent application BR 10 2024 002569 5, showing its constructive concept (prior art);

FIG. 2b is an illustrative representation in elevation view drawing of a roof eave installation with a gutter provided with a particulate material containment device presented in patent application BR 10 2024 002569 5, showing its constructive concept (prior art);

FIG. 3a is an illustrative representation in orthogonal cross-section view drawing of a roof eave installation with a gutter provided with an improved particulate material containment device, showing its constructive concept;

FIG. 3b is an illustrative representation in elevation view drawing of a roof eave installation with a gutter provided with an improved particulate material containment device, showing its constructive concept;

FIG. 4a is an illustrative representation in orthogonal cross-section view drawing of the extruded structural peripheral rods, showing its constructive concept;

FIG. 4b is an illustrative representation in enlarged detail photographic report of the particulate material containment screen, showing the constructive arrangement of its meshes;

FIG. 5a is an illustrative representation in longitudinal cross-section view drawing of the particulate material containment screen of FIG. 4b, in an embodiment with a typically flat surface;

FIG. 5b is an illustrative representation in longitudinal cross-section view drawing of the particulate material containment screen of FIG. 4b, in an embodiment with a corrugated surface;

FIG. 6a is an illustrative representation in elevation view drawing of the first assembly stage of the improved particulate material containment device, with the parallel alignment of the pair of extruded structural peripheral rods and alignment of the particulate material containment screen (whether in the flat version or in the corrugated version);

FIG. 6b is an illustrative representation in orthogonal cross-section view drawing of the second assembly stage of the improved particulate material containment device, with the assembly of the particulate material containment screen (whether in the flat version or in the corrugated version) together with the pair of extruded structural peripheral rods;

FIG. 6c is an illustrative representation in orthogonal elevation view drawing of the second assembly stage of the improved particulate material containment device, with the assembly of the particulate material containment screen (whether in the flat version or in the corrugated version) together with the pair of extruded structural peripheral rods;

FIG. 7a is an illustrative representation in elevation view drawing of the first assembly stage of the improved particulate material containment device on the gutter previously mounted on the roof eave of a building, where the improved device is positioned on said gutter;

FIG. 7b and FIG. 7c are illustrative representations in Orthogonal cross-section and elevation view drawings respectively of the first assembly stage of the improved particulate material containment device on the gutter previously mounted on the roof eave of a building, where the improved device is aligned on said gutter;

FIG. 7d and FIG. 7e are illustrative representations in orthogonal cross-section and elevation view drawings respectively of the second assembly stage of the improved particulate material containment device on the gutter previously mounted on the roof eave of a building, where the improved device is released and rests on said gutter;

FIG. 8a is an illustrative representation in orthogonal cross-section view drawing of the third fixing stage of the improved particulate material containment device on said gutter, in a position immediately prior to fixing; and

FIG. 8b is an illustrative representation in orthogonal cross-section view drawing of the third fixing stage of the improved particulate material containment device on said gutter, in a position immediately after fixing.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION PATENT

The present invention patent, whose title is mentioned in the heading and subject of description and claim in this document, deals with an innovative solution with great applicability in the civil construction sector.

In particular, it has utility in the roofing segment, being designed for application in gutters installed along eaves and recessed roofs over the masonry of buildings, as evidenced in FIGS. 1a and 1b, where a gutter (Cl) is revealed, provided with a channel (a1) with flattened edges (a2) that are mounted on, for example, an eave (Sp) and rafter (Ca) of the roof structure.

In addition, this invention patent reveals particular relevance (although not limiting) when installed on gutters of buildings located both in common urban areas and in regions with high chemical or saline content, such as chemical and coastal zones, since in these environments, the structures are exposed to sea spray and its effects, especially the corrosion of metallic materials.

Finally, the invention patent finds application in industrial facilities that handle bulk materials, preventing chemical or organic products from entering drainage channels.

DEMAND FOR THE INVENTION PATENT

a. Introduction

The applicant conceived the present invention patent based on its technical and professional expertise, capitalized by years of practical experience in the handling and manufacturing of gutters, converging in a privileged vision of the characteristics and limitations that this product reveals during its use and exposure to external environments with high degrees of salinity and acidity.

Skilled persons are unanimous in noting that the commercial segment of gutters and gutter protection in Brazil, for many years, has been carried out in an artisanal manner, without standardization, which is due to the economic reality of the country.

Small companies meet local demand with outdated and small-scale equipment, which limits production and transportation capacity, in addition to generating continuous and sequential joints, resulting in deformations in the gutters.

In turn, in Brazil, especially in large cities, drainage pipes for water drained from gutters are buried, directing rainwater to the curbs. These pipes are often clogged by organic and construction materials, compromising the urban drainage system.

b. Demand for the Invention

b.1 From the Product Efficacy Standpoint

• • Need to provide retention and ease of removal of particulate materials precipitated in the gutter channel, ensuring efficiency in containing leaves, branches, insects, birds, animals, stones, mosquitoes and other debris.
  • Need to preserve the continuous flow of rainwater in the gutters, eliminating system clogging and ensuring its full functionality.
  • need to facilitate both the retention and removal of accumulated waste, mitigating the need for cleaning;
  • need to prevent problems such as leaks and infiltration both in the masonry structure and in the roof timber where the gutter is mounted;
  • need to provide a more efficient, durable and practical drainage system without maintenance; and
  • need to mitigate pest proliferation.

b.2 From the Product Industrial Cost Standpoint

• • need to combine lightness and corrosion resistance using noble materials such as aluminum and stainless steel (304 or 316), ensuring exceptional performance at an affordable cost.

b.3 From a Product Lifecycle Standpoint

• • need to increase the useful life of the particulate material precipitation containment device, mitigating the risks of structural failures and ensuring consistent performance.
  • need to be a robust device, which offers guaranteed durability for more than 30 years, without the need for intensive maintenance.

REQUIREMENTS OF THE INVENTION PATENT

In accordance with the demand for the invention, the applicant conceived the “IMPROVEMENT APPLIED TO A PARTICULATE MATERIAL PRECIPITATION CONTAINMENT DEVICE APPLIED ON GUTTERS AND ITS ASSEMBLY PROCESS AND ASSEMBLY OF THIS IMPROVED DEVICE APPLIED TO THE GUTTER” provided with novelty associated with inventive activity, as it does not result in an obvious or evident manner from other techniques anticipated by the state of the art, conferring advantages from industrial, technical and commercial points of view, as will be demonstrated in a subsequent topic of this document.

In addition, the “inventions” of this industrial patent are provided with industrial application, being economically viable and, therefore, meeting the rigor of patentability requirements, as they have aggregated industrial application, novelty and inventive activity.

TECHNICAL FUNDAMENTALS

In order to provide veracity and consolidate the context explained in the topics of the introductory framework, an explanation will be presented on the state of the art for particulate material precipitation containment devices applied on gutters, where after critical analysis of these, once evaluated by skilled persons, they may identify their limiting aspects, thus consolidating the identification of the list of previously listed demands.

a. Prior art

a.1 For Gutters Applied to Roof Eaves

Research in patent databases reveals that the product “gutter” is the subject of significant patent filings worldwide, and it is pertinent to cite a small sample of these, where:

• • D1 is a Chinese patent document, identified by CN115977328, entitled “Roof Gutter”, published on Apr. 18, 2023.

a.2 For Particulate Material Containment Devices in the Drainage Pipe for Water Precipitated in the Gutter

As for devices aimed at preventing gutter clogging, research on its state of the art reveals that very little has been spent to date to mitigate this condition so frequently observed.

In this vein, only for the purpose of acculturation, the following patent documents are cited here:

• • D2 is a Chinese patent document, identified by CN218028532, entitled “Drainage structures for green building roofs”, published on Dec. 13, 2022; and
  • D3 is a Chinese patent document, identified by U.S. Pat. No. 7,544,288, entitled “Gutter filtering device”, published on Jun. 9, 2009.

These patent documents accordingly reveal devices aimed at preventing particulate material precipitated on the channel of a gutter from precipitating into the interior of the drainage pipe for the flow of water of rainwater origin.

a.3 For Particulate Material Containment Devices in the Gutter Channel

In general, obstacles are known in the form of aluminum, PVC and foam screens, whose holes are larger than half a square centimeter, and which allow the passage of particles and favor clogging. These screens are more fragile and do not guarantee total protection, and their use time should still be considered and reduced.

• • D4 is a Brazilian patent application document, identified by BR 102024002569-5, entitled “Debris filter for gutters”, published on Sep. 3, 2024.

This patent application, it should be said of the same applicant as the present patent application, was conceived in the form of an obstacle that covers the entire opening of the gutter channel.

This is represented here through FIGS. 2a and 2b respectively, where a gutter (a) with body (a1) has its flattened edges (a2) resting on structures (Sp) defined in the eave of the roof, and on the upper ends of the side walls of the body (a1) of this gutter, support structures (b1) are fixed, for example with an “L” profile, this fixation being consolidated by the application of fastening elements (b2).

In turn, on the horizontal section of these support structures (b1) a first electro-welded screen is superimposed which in turn receives the superimposition of a second steel mesh screen.

b. Development Paradigm of the Invention Patent

For the purpose of the present invention patent, it is clarified that BR 102024002569-5, despite presenting all the characteristics in the sense of a particulate material containment device on gutters, the applicant envisioned that it still lacks some restrictive aspects that are now discussed

c. Identification of Problems and/or Restrictions

c.1. In Light of the Micro Particulate Material Retention Capacity

In the device of D4 BR 102024002569-5, the use of electro-welded stainless steel screen (b3) combined with stainless steel screen (b4), see FIGS. 2a and 2b, although it is an innovative solution offering a flexible structure screen (b3) superimposed on a rigid structure screen (b4), which can be molded, bent and adjusted to any type of surface or span, provides efficiency in blocking debris without compromising water flow, but has limited application to spans (in the screens) greater than seven inches

In Light of the Device's Useful Life.

Related to the use of electro-welded stainless steel screen (3), in addition to creating points of fragility in the device, it compromises its corrosion resistance and significantly reduces the useful life of the structure, a factor that is intensified when the technical field involves environments strongly subjected to the effect of sea spray.

PROPOSED INVENTION

a. Purpose

It is an object of the present invention to solve the problems and limitations listed for the solution of D4 BR 102024002569-5, namely:

• • the improved device must be able to meet spans smaller than seven inches,
  • the improved device must be simplified, especially with the limitation of only one filter screen.
  • the improved device must avoid clogging by macro and/or micro particulate matter, both in homes and public networks, ensuring that rainwater is drained efficiently.
  • the improved device should contribute to environmental preservation by mitigating the need to cut trees and facilitate leaf collection on properties.
  • the improved device must mitigate the risk of serious accidents related to the fall of workers during gutter cleaning.
  • the improved device, in addition to residential use, can be applied in industries that handle bulk materials, preventing chemical or organic products from entering drainage channels, ensuring the protection of industrial drainage systems and the preservation of the environment.
  • the improved device must contribute to the sustainability and well-being of communities.
  • the improved device also acts in the prevention of epidemics, promoting a safer and healthier environment for communities.

In addition to the benefits already mentioned, the improved device plays a crucial role in preventing the proliferation of the dengue mosquito. With the stainless steel micro membrane, only water can pass through and it prevents the entry of leaves, branches, insects and other debris in the gutters and conductors, which helps to avoid the accumulation of stagnant water, which is a favorable environment for the reproduction of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. This mosquito is the main transmitter of dengue, zika and chikungunya, and the water accumulated in gutters and drainage systems is one of the most common places for the development of larvae.

In this regard, rainwater is efficiently directed to the drainage system without accumulating debris or creating mosquito breeding sites, contributing directly to the control of these diseases.

This additional benefit, especially in urban areas, is of great importance for public health, helping to reduce cases of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases, in addition to contributing to the cleanliness and efficiency of drainage systems.

b. Distinctive Features

To make the objectives of the invention patent feasible, an improvement applied to a particulate material precipitation containment device applied on gutters was designed, which has a constructive concept based on the combination of a stainless steel micro screen with a corrugated profile, providing a robust solution that ensures efficient filtering in reduced spaces and reduction of manufacturing cost.

In addition, this stainless steel screen with corrugated profile is fitted through its lateral ends, together with extruded structural peripheral rods (with extruded aluminum profile), rods which are positioned on the flattened edges of the upper part of the gutter.

The extruded structural peripheral rods, in aluminum, ensure the uniformity, alignment, rigidity and fixation of the stainless steel screen with corrugated profile, ensuring that the piece becomes a cohesive and stable unit.

This exclusive design ensures the integrity of the structure of the improved device and its stability over time, without the screen becoming displaced or worn easily.

Finally, the lightness of aluminum provides excellent workability, facilitating the handling and installation of the profile, without sacrificing structural strength.

In turn, the screen is made of stainless steel mesh 304 or 316, recognized for its superior corrosion resistance, and is especially effective in environments with high chemical and saline content, such as in coastal or industrial areas.

Still regarding the screen, the corrugation of the screen offers a combination of flexibility and robustness, providing a highly efficient and durable filtering material.

In addition, the improved device is designed to ensure that it is slightly inclined forward, allowing particulate material that precipitates on the screen to be easily expelled out of the screen with the simple touch of wind or the action of self-cleaning by itself. This offers a highly efficient solution, eliminating the need for maintenance for manual removal in the gutter channel, since the device prevents this precipitation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description must be read and interpreted with reference to the drawings presented, representing a preferred embodiment for the inventions of the present invention patent, not being intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is limited only to what is explained in the claims.

a. Constructive Concept of the Inventive Device

As evidenced in FIGS. 3a and 3b, the improved device (Di) is formed by:

A pair of extruded structural peripheral rods (10), whose extruded profile has a defined flattened upper edge (10a), with the function of providing support for the improved device (Di) on the flattened edges (a2) defined at the upper end of the channel (a1) of the gutter (Cl), and from this edge (10a) the coupling profile (10b) is developed, with the function of receiving the lateral ends of the corrugated screen (11) or flattened screen (20), this profile being revealed in FIG. 4a.

• • a smooth stainless steel mesh screen (20), with specification 304 or 316, surgical grade steel, see FIG. 4b in association with FIG. 5a.

Alternatively, the stainless steel mesh screen is corrugated (21), also with specification 304 or 316, surgical grade steel, see FIG. 4b in association with FIG. 5b.

b. Improved Device Assembly Procedure

Obeys the Sequential Steps:

• • Step 1 Parallel alignment of the pair of extruded structural peripheral rods (10) and alignment of the stainless steel mesh screen (20/(21); see FIG. 6a; and
  • Step 2 Assembly of the stainless steel mesh screen (20/(21) to the respective coupling profiles (10b) of the extruded structural peripheral rods (10), see FIGS. 6b and 6c;

c. Assembly Procedure of the Improved Device to the Gutter

Obeys the Sequential Steps:

• • Step .1 The improved device (Di) is positioned and aligned on the gutter (Cl); Step .2 The improved device (Di) has the flattened upper edges (10a) of the respective extruded structural peripheral rods (10) aligned with the respective flattened edges (a2) of the gutter (Cl), see FIGS. 7b and 7c.
  • Step .3 The improved device (Di) has the flattened upper edges (10a) of the respective extruded structural peripheral rods (10) positioned at the respective flattened edges (a2) of the gutter (Cl), see FIGS. 7d and 7e.
  • Step 4 The fastening elements (Fx) are fixed through the flattened upper edges (10a) of the extruded structural peripheral rods (10) and respective flattened edges (a2) of the gutter (Cl), and fixed to the respective structures (Sp) defined in the eave of the roof, see FIGS. 8a and .8b.

The choice of the preferred embodiment of the inventions of the present industrial patent, subject of claim in this document, described in this detail section is provided by way of example only. Alterations, modifications and variations may be made to any other embodiments of the improved device (Di), alterations that may be devised by those skilled in the art without, however, diverging from the objective disclosed in the claim of this patent, which is exclusively defined by the attached claims.