ES2728950T3 - Rainwater gutter - Google Patents

Abstract

A rainwater gutter including at least two channels (3) connected end to end in a first direction (2) of the gutter, each channel (3) having a lower support face (4) by which, in use, mounting the channel (3) on a support surface, each channel (3) being internally delimited by a bottom wall (7) defining a bed of rainwater flow, and being longitudinally delimited by two opposite end walls (11 ) substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the first direction (2); and further including a connection means (14) for connecting the two adjacent channels (3) in a fluid tight manner, the connection means (14) including a first sleeve (12) protruding into one of the channels (3 ) of the respective end wall (11), a second sleeve (13) protruding out of the other channel (3) of its respective end wall (11) and inserted into the first sleeve (12), and a first joint annular seal (15) interposed between said first and second sleeves (12, 13); the spout being characterized in that the connection means (14) further includes a second annular seal (16) mounted between the adjacent end walls (11) of the two adjacent channels (3); and fastening means for fastening the two adjacent end walls (11) of the two channels (3) to each other with the interposition of the second annular seal (16).

Description

DESCRIPTION

Rainwater gutter

The present invention relates to a rainwater gutter.

In the construction industry, rainwater gutters are used that include several elongated channels connected end to end.

Each channel extends in a given direction, has a lower support face by which to mount the channel on a support surface, is internally bounded by a lower wall that defines a bed of rainwater flow, and is longitudinally delimited by two end faces substantially parallel perpendicular to said direction.

Each channel is normally connected to each adjacent channel with several screws mounted through the corresponding end faces.

Known rainwater gutters of the type described above have several drawbacks, mainly because the way in which adjacent channels are connected does not provide any type of sealing, and thus allow rainwater to seep between the end faces. of adjacent canals, thus damaging the construction located under the gutter.

Rainwater gutters for end-to-end connection are described, for example, in DE202006012625U, US 2009 / 0097921A and EP0928850A, where in particular document DE describes a use of sleeves for water-tight connection of adjacent gutters.

An object of the present invention is to provide a rainwater gutter designed to eliminate the above inconveniences, and which is cheap and easy to produce.

According to the present invention, a rainwater gutter is provided as claimed in the appended claims.

A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 depicts a schematic perspective view, with parts removed for clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the gutter according to the present invention.

Figure 2 represents an exploded perspective view of the gutter of Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents a schematic side view, with parts removed for clarity, of the gutter of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 represents a schematic longitudinal section, with parts removed for clarity, of the gutter of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 5 represents a schematic perspective view of a top cover grid of the gutter of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 6 represents a schematic perspective view of a collector for draining the rainwater fed along the gutter of Figures 1 and 2.

The number 1 in Figures 1 and 2 together indicates a rainwater gutter, which extends in one direction 2 and includes a number of elongated channels 3 (of which two are shown in Figure 1) connected end to end in the direction 2.

Each channel 3 extends in the direction 2, is made of plastic material, and is delimited by a lower support face 4, whereby the channel 3 is mounted on a support surface (not shown), and by an upper face 5 substantially parallel to face 4.

The distance between the faces 4 and 5 and, therefore, the height of the channel 3, are therefore substantially constant along the entire length of the channel 3, thus allowing quick and easy installation of the gutter 1.

The channel 3 has a substantially U-shaped cross-section, is delimited by two longitudinal projections 6 parallel to each other and to the direction 2, and is internally delimited by a bottom wall 7 defining a bed of rainwater flow.

As shown in Fig. 3, the wall 7 of each channel 3 extends in a direction 8 that tilts towards the face 4 at an angle other than 0 ° and 180 ° with respect to the direction 2, so that the channel 3 tilts as necessary for rainwater to run along gutter 1.

In connection with the foregoing, it should be noted that the wall 7 of each channel 3 has the same slope as the walls 7 of the other channels 3, and is substantially coplanar with the wall 7 of each adjacent channel 3, in order to ensure the necessary continuity of gutter 1.

With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 4, each projection 6 has a number of substantially L-shaped support brackets 9 spaced along the upper edge of the projection 6, in the direction 2, and each one looks at a bracket corresponding 9 on the other ledge 6.

The brackets 9 on the two projections 6 cooperate to support a grid 10 that closes the upper part of the channel 3 and located at a given distance from the upper edge of each projection 6 so that the rainwater can fall into the channel 3, between the projections 6 and the grid 10.

Each channel 3 is longitudinally delimited by two opposite end walls 11 substantially perpendicular to the direction 2, and includes two sleeves 12, 13, of which the sleeve 12 protrudes to the channel 3 from one of the walls 11, and the sleeve 13 protrudes out of channel 3 from the other wall 11.

As shown in FIG. 4, each channel 3 is connected in a sealed manner to the fluids to each adjacent channel 3 by a connection device 14 including the sleeve 12 of one channel 3 and the sleeve 13 of the other channel 3.

The sleeve 13 is inserted into the sleeve 12, and is tightly connected to the fluids to the sleeve 12 by a first annular seal 15 interposed between the sleeves 12, 13 of the two channels 3.

The device 14 also includes a second annular seal 16, in the form of a closed ring and extending around the sleeve 13.

The seal 16 is mounted between adjacent walls 11 of the two channels 3, and is substantially the same shape and size as the walls 11.

The device 14 also includes two flat reinforcing brackets, substantially U-shaped (not shown) made of metal and located on opposite sides of the two adjacent faces 11 in the direction 2. Finally, the device 14 includes a number of screws ( not shown) mounted parallel to direction 2 and extending through the seal 16 and through respective holes 17 formed in the walls 11 and the reinforcement brackets (not shown).

With reference to Figure 6, the rainwater flowing along the gutter 1 is drained to a parallelepiped shaped manifold 18 located between two gutters 1 and delimited by two opposite end faces 19, each of which is fluid tightly connected to the wall 11 of the relative gutter 1, in the same way as the walls 11 of two adjacent channels 3.

The manifold 18 includes two inlet sleeves 20, each of which protrudes into the manifold 18 of a relative face 19, is substantially coaxial with the other sleeve 20, and is fluid tightly connected to the sleeve 13 of the relative gutter 1 in the same way as sleeves 12, 13 of two adjacent channels 3.

The manifold 18 also includes an outlet sleeve 21, which protrudes outward from the manifold 18, extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sleeves 20, and drains from the manifold 18 the rainwater fed to the manifold 18 by the two gutters 1.

Gutter 1 has several advantages, mainly due to the fact that:

the channels 3 are relatively easy and quick to install, without the need for additional equipment, because of the constant height of each channel 3, and the slope of the lower wall 7 of each channel 3 with respect to the relative lower face 4;

the connection between the sleeves 12, 13 and the end walls 11 of each two adjacent channels 3 ensures an appropriate fluid tight connection of the channels 3; Y

By having the seal 16 in the form of a closed ring and the same shape and size as the walls 11, the gutter 1 prevents rainwater from seeping under the support surface of the gutter 1.

Claims (11)

1. A rainwater gutter including at least two channels (3) connected end to end in a first direction (2) of the gutter, each channel (3) having a lower support face (4) by which, in the use, mount the channel (3) on a support surface, each channel (3) being internally delimited by a bottom wall (7) defining a bed of rainwater flow, and being longitudinally delimited by two opposite end walls (11) substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the first direction (2); and further including a connection means (14) for connecting the two adjacent channels (3) in a fluid tight manner, the connection means (14) including a first sleeve (12) protruding into one of the channels (3 ) of the respective end wall (11), a second sleeve (13) protruding out of the other channel (3) of its respective end wall (11) and inserted into the first sleeve (12), and a first joint annular seal (15) interposed between said first and second sleeves (12, 13); the spout being characterized in that the connection means (14) further includes a second annular seal (16) mounted between the adjacent end walls (11) of the two adjacent channels (3); and fastening means for fastening the two adjacent end walls (11) of the two channels (3) to each other with the interposition of the second annular seal (16). 2. A gutter according to claim 1, wherein the connection means (14) also includes two reinforcement brackets located on opposite sides of the end walls (11) of the two channels (3) in the first direction (2), and fixed to the respective channels (3) and to each other by said fastening means. 3. A gutter according to claim 2, wherein each reinforcing bracket is substantially U-shaped and made of metal. 4. A gutter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom face (4) of each channel (3) extends parallel to the first direction (2), and the bottom wall (7) of each channel (3) extends in a second direction (8) that tilts at an angle other than 0 ° and 180 ° with respect to the first direction (2). 5. A gutter according to claim 4, wherein said second direction (8) is inclined towards said lower face (4). 6. A gutter according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the bottom wall (7) of each channel (3) is substantially coplanar with the bottom wall (7) of each adjacent channel (3). 7. A gutter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the channel (3) has an upper face (5) substantially parallel to the lower face (4); the distance between said upper face (5) and said lower face (4), and therefore the height of the channel (3), substantially constant along the entire length of the channel (3). 8. A gutter according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the channel (3) is made of plastic. 9. A gutter according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second annular seal (16) is in the form of a closed ring, and extends around said second sleeve (13). 10. A gutter according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fastening means extend through the second annular seal (16). 11. A gutter according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second annular seal (16) has substantially the same shape and size as the end walls (11).