Agent dispersing method

Abstract

The method includes dispersing copper or other material ions through the water receiving area of a gutter guard for the prevention of moss or mold growth. The method includes the utilization of thread(s) sewn into or embroidered onto or otherwised affixed to or immediately preceding the water receiving areas of a gutter guard, such thread(s) being comprised of moss killing materials. The thread(s) comprise only a portion of the water receiving area, so if corrosive elements form and wash over the water receiving area, they will be in sufficient amounts to kill moss but not in so great an amount as to clog any water receiving apertures. The method includes the utilization of staples or other objects comprised of copper or other moss killing materials fastened to or adhered or welded to the body or water receiving areas of a gutter guard or areas immediately preceding such.

Claims

1. A gutter guard for filtering water that enters a rain gutter on a building, the gutter guard comprising: a lower structure configured to be positioned above a lowest portion of the rain gutter, the lower structure having a protruding member protruding from the lower structure, a barrier member positioned above the protruding member and having a plurality of openings through which the water can penetrate the barrier member and enter the rain gutter, the barrier member having first members that extend along a first direction; and second members that extend along a second direction that is non-parallel to the first direction, the first members and the second members forming the plurality of openings as a plurality of uniformly formed passages that are uninterrupted from a top side of the barrier member to a bottom side of the barrier member; and an ion-dispersing material interwoven into the barrier member, the ion-dispersing material having a length over which it is interwoven into the barrier member, the ion-dispersing material being uncovered for a portion of the length over which it is interwoven into the barrier member, wherein the first members are a first material and the second members are the first material, and the first material is a non-ion-dispersing material.

2. The gutter guard of claim 1, wherein the ion-dispersing material is copper or zinc.

3. The gutter guard of claim 1, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction.

4. A filtration device, comprising: a lower structure having a protruding member that protrudes from the lower structure, a barrier member positioned above the protruding member and having a plurality of openings through which a fluid can penetrate the barrier member, the barrier member having first members that extend along a first direction; and second members that extend along a second direction that is non-parallel to the first direction, the first members and the second members forming the plurality of openings as a plurality of uniformly formed passages that are uninterrupted from a top side of the barrier member to a bottom side of the barrier member; and an ion-dispersing material interwoven into the barrier member, the ion-dispersing material having a length over which it is interwoven into the barrier member, the ion-dispersing material being uncovered for a portion of the length over which it is interwoven into the barrier member, wherein the first members are a first material and the second members are the first material, and the first material is a non-ion-dispersing material.

5. The filtration device of claim 4, wherein the ion-dispersing material is copper or zinc.

6. The filtration device of claim 4, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction.

7. A filtration device, comprising: a barrier member having a plurality of openings through which a fluid can penetrate the barrier member, the barrier member having first members that extend along a first direction; and second members that extend along a second direction that is non-parallel to the first direction, the first members and the second members forming the plurality of openings as a plurality of uniformly formed passages that are uninterrupted from a top side of the barrier member to a bottom side of the barrier member; and an ion-dispersing material that penetrates the barrier member and is located remotely from two opposing edges of the barrier member, the ion-dispersing material having a length over which it is in contact with the barrier member and being uncovered for a portion of the length over which it is in contact with the barrier member, wherein the ion-dispersing material is a thread that is sewn onto the barrier member such that a first portion of the thread is above the barrier member and a second portion of the thread is below the barrier member.

8. The filtration device of claim 7, wherein the barrier member is a mesh made of the first members and second members.

9. A filtration device, comprising: a barrier member having a plurality of openings through which a fluid can penetrate the barrier member, the barrier member having first members that extend along a first direction; and second members that extend along a second direction that is non-parallel to the first direction, the first members and the second members forming the plurality of openings as a plurality of uniformly formed passages that are uninterrupted from a top side of the barrier member to a bottom side of the barrier member; and an ion-dispersing material sewn through the barrier member, the ion-dispersing material having a length over which it is sewn through the barrier member, the ion-dispersing material being uncovered for a portion of the length over which it is sewn through the barrier member, wherein the ion-dispersing material is a thread that is sewn onto the barrier member such that a first portion of the thread is above the barrier member and a second portion of the thread is below the barrier member.

10. The filtration device of claim 9, wherein the first members are a first material and the second members are the first material.

11. The filtration device of claim 10, wherein the first material is a non-ion-dispersing material.

12. The filtration device of claim 9, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction.

13. The filtration device of claim 9, wherein the first members are a non-ion-dispersing material, and the second members are a non-ion-dispersing material.

14. The filtration device of claim 9, wherein the barrier member is a single-layer mesh made of the first members and second members.

15. The filtration device of claim 7, wherein the first members are a first material and the second members are the first material.

16. The filtration device of claim 15, wherein the first material is a non-ion-dispersing material.

17. The filtration device of claim 7, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction.

18. The filtration device of claim 7, wherein the barrier member is a single-layer mesh made of the first members and second members.

19. The gutter guard of claim 1, wherein the barrier member is non-cylindrical.

20. The filtration device of claim 4, wherein the barrier member is non-cylindrical.

21. The filtration device of claim 7, wherein the barrier member is non-cylindrical.

22. The filtration device of claim 9, wherein the ion-dispersing material is a thread that is embroidered onto the barrier member.

23. The filtration device of claim 7, wherein the ion-dispersing material is a thread that is embroidered onto the barrier member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1. A top view of a screened gutter guard with heat cable receiving clips installed on the underside of the screen

(2) FIG. 2. A view of a screened gutter guard, with heat cable receiving clips installed on the underside of the screen, installed in a rain gutter

(3) FIG. 3. A view of the rear section of a corrugated screened gutter guard with a heat receiving clip installed on the underside of the corrugated and views of three types of clips

(4) FIG. 4. A view of the rear section of a corrugated screened gutter guard with copper threads interwoven through the screen

(5) FIG. 5. A view of a clip whose rear tab is inserted through and installed within the openings of an expanded metal section of a gutter guard.

(6) FIG. 6. A view of a clip whose side tabs are inserted through and installed within the openings of an expanded metal section of a gutter guard.

(7) FIG. 7. A view of a gutter guard comprising a fine mesh screen overlying an expanded metal support skeletal structure illustrating a clip being inserted into expanded metal openings And a view of a clip with a multi-level rear tab that extends rearward from the upper plane of the clip.

(8) FIG. 8. A view of a gutter guard comprising a fine mesh screen overlying an expanded metal support skeletal structure illustrating a clip fully inserted into expanded metal openings and illustrating a grommet with cover present in the top plane of a screened gutter guard.

(9) FIG. 9. A view of a gutter guard comprising a fine mesh screen overlying an expanded metal support skeletal structure illustrating the rear tab of clips inserted in zig-zag pattern into and through expanded metal openings existent on the lower expanded metal plane of the gutter guard.

(10) FIG. 10. A view of a solid body gutter guard with overlying screen mesh such gutter guard body having clips pop-riveted to the underside of its lowermost plane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

(11) Referring to (FIG. 1) there is illustrated a gutter guard 1 with a screened main body and water receiving area 2. Also illustrated are clips 3 secured beneath the screened body 2 by adhesion, pop rivet, tab, or any common fastening method. The open end of the clips 3A face forward and serve to receive and secure a heating cable or other element.

(12) Referring to (FIG. 2) there is illustrated a gutter guard 1 whose rear lateral edge 1A is inserted and sandwiched between a roof underlayment 6 and roof covering 5. As illustrated, the gutter guard 1 has clips 3 attached to its underside. The placement of the clips 3 immediately beneath the surface 2 of the gutter guard and near the gutter guard's front lateral edge 1B and facing forward allows for easy installation of a heating cable or other element during installation of the gutter guard in that the gutter guard only need be lifted slightly up from the gutter creating just enough open air space 4B to allow for the insertion of a heating cable into the clips 3. Once the cable is inserted the gutter guard 1 may be pulled forward and downward and secured to the front top lip 4A of the gutter 4.

(13) Referring to (FIG. 3) there is illustrated a cut-a-way rear section 1C of a gutter guard with a fastening clip 3B and a fastening clip 3D attached to the gutter guard's corrugated screened main body and water receiving area 2A. 3C is a piercing tab that extends upward from the clip enabling the clip to pierce the corrugated screen of the gutter guard. The tab 3C is then pressed downward securing the clip 3B to the under surface of the corrugated screened body 2A of the gutter guard 1C: it is understood that this is an illustration of a simple and single method representative of multiple methods (not shown but known in prior art) that may be utilized for securing a clip to the underside of a gutter guard's body; other methods may include adhesives, weld joints, etc. Referring to (FIGS. 5 and 6) another means of securing clips by means of perforations or openings present in a gutter guard is illustrated: Referring specifically to (FIG. 7) a gutter guard 1 is illustrated comprising a front lateral edge 1B, an intermediate body portion 2B said intermediate body portion being comprised of screen 2 over expanded metal 7, and a rear lateral edge 1A. The clip 3F exhibits a rear tab 3G comprised of a lower plane 3H extending from the main body of the clip, an intermediate and upward extending connecting plane 3i, and a rear ward extending an upper plane 3J. Plane 3J may be inserted up and through expanded metal openings 8, the clip then pushed rearward until, referring now to (FIGS. 5,8) plane 3J rests on top of the expanded metal 7 and beneath an overlying filtering screen 2. Referring specifically to (FIG. 5), it is shown that plane 3J may insert up and through an opening or perforation, rest on top of the plane, and then distend downward through an adjacent opening. Referring specifically to (FIG. 6) it is shown that planes 3K and 3L may extend sideways from an upper plane 3M of a clip and similarly secure the clip by lodging within the openings 8.

(14) Referring again to (FIG. 3) a clip 3O is illustrated comprised of screen mesh or other water permeable material. Such porous material may be desirable to prevent the forward tracking of water along the top surface of a clip by allowing for water to travel down and through the porous surface into an underlying rain gutter.

(15) Referring to (FIG. 9), it is illustrated that the clips 3F may be positioned in a staggered fashion allowing a heating cable 9 to provide patterns of heat radiation on the underplane or underside of a gutter guard 1 rather than distributing the heat in a single linear plane as would occur in (FIG. 1).

(16) Referring to (FIG. 10), there is illustrated a gutter guard 10 with a solid, extruded or roll formed, body 10A that comprises a perforated plane 10B from which rises upward extending planes 10C which are overlain by a screen of filtering membrane 13.

(17) Referring to (FIG. 3), there is illustrated a copper, or zinc, or other material clip 3D or staple that may be stapled or inserted through a top member or plane or corrugated screen 2A and serve as a copper-ion or other material dispersing medium to aid in the prevention or elimination of moss or mold or mildew buildup on the water receiving areas of a gutter guard 2A. Although simply stapling copper or zinc or other material clips or staples is easily achieved, it is not found and has not been proposed in prior art. Stapling copper into the body of many thin-bodied or screened gutter guards is easily accomplished during manufacture or as retrofit on already installed gutter guard products. During prototype, I simply used a desk-top stapler to fasten staples into the screened water-receiving area of a product sold as Master Shield®. In the Popular Mechanics® publication “500 Simple Home Repair Solutions” the following excerpt is found on page 19: “According to the Washington State Cooperative extension, copper or galvanized ridges on the roof are often effective in keeping moss under control for about 10 feet down from the ridge. If a copper wire is stretched horizontally across a roof, the corrosive leeching of the copper should also provide moss control for about 46 feet down. You can control moss by stretching their copper wire horizontally about every 5 feet along the butts of the shingles. Also stretch a copper wire along the ridge. Rain and snow melt will carry the leaches from the copper wire down the roof. Copper leachate is corrosive to metal, so protect the inside a steel gutters with gutter paint. Not only is moss on a roof ugly, but it can grow so vigorously that it raises and loosens shingles, making the roof vulnerable to water penetration during a driving rain or snow melt.” In view of the Popular Mechanics findings: a simple thread or strand of copper wire woven into a screener water receiving mesh of a gutter guard or adhered to a gutter guard body or any area and immediately preceding the water receiving area of the gutter guard will serve to prevent moss or mold or mildew growth. The methods I teach for achieving this in a gutter guard as retrofit or during manufacture of other than solid copper gutter guards is not taught in prior art or present in the field. When combining copper with other metals a ratio must be kept in mind to prevent over corroding and clogging of the remainder of the gutter guard, especially its water receiving areas. I teach not to exceed an amount of copper that comprises more than 30% of the top surface areas of the gutter guard. However, as noted in popular mechanics, a simple single thread of copper should suffice for killing Moss mold or mildew on a gutter guard.

(18) Referring to (FIG. 4) 14: another means of achieving copper-ion dispersal is by inter weaving or embroidering copper thread or threads in screen or micro-mesh material. Utilizing an all copper screen leads to the screens eventual failure to receive water due to corrosion but, when the copper is limited and made a lesser part of another screening cloth, much of the oxidation and corrosion itself is washed over the remainder of the screen that is not copper and down through its openings, washing away both the corrosion and moss and mold spores that have been killed by the copper thereby disallowing them from “taking root” in the screen or gutter guard body.

(19) Referring again to (FIG. 8) there is illustrated a hole or grommet 15 present in the water receiving area 2 of the gutter guard through which a heating or other cable may be drawn or through which elements or agents may be inserted or dispersed down into an underlying gutter. Also illustrated is a cap or cover 16 for the hole or grommet that may remain inserted into the hole or grommet until such time as the opening is needed. The cover or covering method 16 may also be intrinsic to the grommet in a manner similar to garbage disposal rubber stops that are slit and existent in the drain opening: normally remaining closed but able to separate at the slits and allow for debris to be pushed through, then reclosing. The grommet is preferred to a simple hole or other protrusions even if inserted into a solid surface since it prevents rough edges from adversely affecting any cable pulled through.

(20) The scope of this invention is not limited to the positioning of the clips: “open face forward” or to the types of clips illustrated. Hundreds of clip configurations and dozens of securing methods as well as clip locations are possible; many found in disclosed and patented prior art. What is presented in this application as “new art” is the utilization of clips fastened to the underside of gutter guard devices or drip edges to allow for the installation of heating cables or other elements. No instance of clip usage in a gutter guard or a drip edge in this manner is known to the applicant in prior art or currently being employed in the field.

(21) The scope of this invention is not limited to the utilization of copper threads sewn or attached or adhered into filtering cloth or screens or embroidered into, or on top of, filtering cloth or screens or to copper or zinc staples being stapled into a filtering cloth or screen or thin solid body of a gutter guard: the utilization of copper in limited amounts throughout the water receiving area of a gutter guard is being presented as unique for the reasons disclosed in this application.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(22) 1. Gutter Guard with a screened main body and water receiving area 1A. Rear lateral edge of a gutter guard 1B. Front lateral edge of a gutter guard 1C. Cut-a-way rear section of a gutter guard 2. Screen serving as the main body and water receiving area of a gutter guard 2A. Corrugated screen serving as the main body and water receiving area of a gutter guard 2B. Screen over expanded metal serving as the main body and water receiving area of a gutter guard 3. Clip or clips 3A. Open end of a clip 3B. Clip with an upward extending and piercing tab 3C. Upward extending and piercing tab 3D. Clip with downward extending and piercing side members 3E. Downward extending side members 3F. Clip with a dual-level tab 3G. Dual level tab component of a clip 3H. Lower plane of dual level tab component of a clip 3I. Upward extending plane of dual level tab component of a clip 3J. Upper plane of dual level tab component of a clip 3K. Laterally extending plane of a clip 3L. Laterally extending plane of a clip 3M. Upper plane of a clip 3N. Perforation in upper plane of a dual level tab component of a clip 3O. Clip made of screen or other water permeable material 4. Rain Gutter 4A. Front Top Lip of rain gutter 4B. Open air space that exists during installation between front top lip of rain gutter and bottom surface of the front lateral edge of a gutter guard. 5. Shingles or Roof covering 6. Roof underlayment 7. Expanded metal 8. Expanded metal opening or perforation in a gutter guard 9. Heating cable 10. Solid body gutter guard 10A. Extruded or roll formed body 10B. Perforated plane 10C. Upward extending planes 11. Pop-rivet 12. Perforation to accommodate insertion of pop rivet sleeve 13. Filtering screen or membrane 14. Copper or zinc thread(s)