Supports, rain gutter systems, buildings, and methods for installing supports.

Abstract

The present invention provides a support, a rain gutter system, a building, and a method for constructing the support that can accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of valley gutters. [Solution] The support 2 is a support that supports the valley gutter 10 when it is placed on the receiving 4. The support 2 comprises a receiving 4 fixed at multiple points, a first ear retainer 5, and a second ear retainer 6. The first ear retainer 5 holds down the first ear portion 36 of the valley gutter 10 placed on the receiving 4. The second ear retainer 6 holds down the second ear portion 37 of the valley gutter 10 placed on the receiving 4.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a support, a rain gutter system, a building, and a method for constructing a support.

Background Art

[0002] For example, among gutter supports, there is known a type that supports a gutter on a roof by placing the gutter in a U-shaped receiver and fixing the gutter to the receiver with screws or bolts (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in conventional gutter supports, the gutter is fixed to the receiver with screws or bolts. Therefore, due to the thermal expansion and contraction of the gutter, there is a risk of deformation, cracking, etc. occurring in the gutter. In particular, when the gutter is made of resin, there is a significant risk of deformation, cracking, etc. occurring in the gutter. Also, it is necessary to drill through-holes in the gutter in order to pass screws or bolts through the gutter. Therefore, a water-stop treatment such as caulking is required for the through-holes. Furthermore, there is a risk of forgetting to perform the water-stop treatment for the through-holes or of the caulking deteriorating over time. Also, when the gutter is made of metal, there is a risk of rust occurring in the gutter from the through-holes due to drilling the through-holes. These problems similarly occur when fixing a valley gutter to a receiver.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a support, a rain gutter system, a building, and a method for constructing a support that can tolerate the thermal expansion and contraction of a valley gutter.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A support according to one aspect of the present invention is a support for supporting a valley gutter, comprising a receiver fixed at a plurality of locations, and an ear restrainer positioned on the receiver to restrain the ear portion of the valley gutter. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a support, a rain gutter system, a building, and a method for constructing the support that can accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of valley gutters. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view showing the valley gutter system of the first embodiment of the present invention fixed to a building. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view showing a valley gutter system according to a second embodiment of the present invention, fixed to a building. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view showing a valley gutter system according to a third embodiment of the present invention, fixed to a building. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the second drain and the second water return in the third embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the third embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view showing a valley gutter system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, fixed to a building. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view showing a valley gutter system according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, fixed to a building. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view showing a valley gutter system according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention, fixed to a building. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view showing a valley gutter system according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, fixed to a building. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view showing a valley gutter system according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention, fixed to a building. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view showing a valley gutter system according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention, fixed to a building. [Figure 12] This is a cross-sectional view showing a valley gutter system according to the 10th embodiment of the present invention, fixed to a building. [Figure 13]This is a cross-sectional view showing a modified valley gutter system of the first embodiment of the present invention, fixed to a building. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following describes, with reference to the drawings, a valley gutter support (support), a valley gutter system (rain gutter system), a building, and a method for installing the valley gutter support (method for installing the support) according to one embodiment of the present invention. The following describes an example in which the receiver, edge retainer, flashing, and water return components of the valley gutter support are fixed with bolts, but is not limited to this. As another example, each component may be fixed with screws, adhesive, etc. Furthermore, an example will be described in which a pair of ear restraints are provided on the valley gutter support, but it is sufficient to provide at least one ear restraint on the valley gutter support.

[0010] (First Embodiment) The first embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. As shown in Figure 1, the valley gutter system 1 is included, for example, in building 100. Building 100 includes two buildings: a first building 102 and a second building 103. The first building 102 includes, for example, a corrugated metal roof 105. The corrugated metal roof 105 is formed on the upper end of the wall portion (not shown) of the first building 102 and has a structure in which peaks 107 and valleys 108 made of metal plates are alternately formed in a corrugated pattern. The corrugated metal roof 105 has a roof slope that slopes slightly downward from the top (not shown) toward the eaves 105A. The eaves 105A of the corrugated metal roof 105 extends in the direction of the front and back of the paper. A fascia 109 is provided on the eaves 105A so as to extend in the direction of the front and back of the paper.

[0011] The second building 103 is, for example, located to the left of the first building 102, with a gap between them. The second building 103 includes a wall section 112. The wall section 112 extends downward from, for example, the roof (not shown) of the second building 103. A valley gutter system 1 is provided between the first building 102 and the second building 103. Hereafter, the side of the first building 102 will be referred to as the "right side," and the side of the second building 103 will be referred to as the "left side."

[0012] The valley gutter system 1 is arranged on the folded-plate roof 105 of the first building 102 and the wall portion 112 of the second building 103. The valley gutter system 1 includes a plurality of valley gutter supports 2 and a valley gutter 10. The plurality of valley gutter supports 2 are arranged at intervals in the front-back direction of the paper surface between the two buildings of the first building 102 and the second building 103. The valley gutter support 2 includes a receiver 4, a pair of ear suppressors 5 and 6, and a pair of water diverters 7 and 8. The valley gutter support 2 is fixed at two locations (a plurality of locations) between the first building 102 and the second building 103. The valley gutter support 2 supports the valley gutter 10 described later.

[0013] The receiver 4 is fixed between the two buildings of the first building 102 and the second building 103. As the material of the receiver 4, for example, it can be arbitrarily selected from a single resin, a composite material, a metal, etc. The receiver 4 is generally formed in a U shape by a support piece extending in a band shape. Specifically, the receiver 4 has a first upper piece 12, a first vertical piece 13, a first horizontal piece 14, a second vertical piece 15, a second horizontal piece 16, and a second upper piece 17.

[0014] The first upper piece 12 is arranged along the metal plate constituting the ridge portion 107 of the eaves tip 105A. The first upper piece 12 is fixed to the ridge portion 107 by bolts 18. The first vertical piece 13 extends downward from the left end of the first upper piece 12. The first horizontal piece 14 extends horizontally to the left from the lower end of the first vertical piece 13. The second vertical piece 15 extends upward from the left end of the first horizontal piece 14. The second horizontal piece 16 extends horizontally to the left from the upper end of the second vertical piece 15. The second upper piece 17 extends upward from the left end of the second horizontal piece 16. The second upper piece 17 is arranged along the wall portion 112 of the second building 103. The second upper piece 17 is fixed to the wall portion 112 by bolts 19. That is, the receiver 4 is fixed at two locations between the first building 102 and the second building 103.

[0015] A pair of ear retainers 5 and 6 are integrally provided on the first vertical piece 13 and the second vertical piece 15 of the receiving device 4. Here, "integrally provided" includes, for example, integrally provided by injection molding, integrally provided by bolts, integrally provided by adhesive, joining, etc. The pair of ear retainers 5 and 6 are provided, for example, on receiving devices 4 that are spaced apart by one in the front-to-back direction of the paper in a plurality of installed receiving devices 4. In other words, a pair of ear retainers 5 and 6 are not required to be provided on all of the installed receiving devices 4. The material of the pair of ear rests 5 and 6 can be arbitrarily selected from a single resin, composite material, or metal, for example, similar to the receiving device 4. Hereinafter, the right ear rest will be referred to as the "first ear rest 5" and the left ear rest as the "second ear rest 6".

[0016] The first ear retainer 5 is, for example, a first locking piece integrally provided on the inner surface of the first vertical piece 13. By being provided on the inner surface of the first vertical piece 13, the first locking piece is used as the first ear retainer 5 that holds down the first ear portion 36 (described later) of the valley gutter 10. The first ear retainer 5 is, for example, formed in a downward V shape so that it can be locked onto the first ear portion 36 (described later) of the valley gutter 10 from above. The shape of the first ear retainer 5 can be arbitrarily selected. By locking onto the first ear portion 36, the first ear retainer 5 can hold down the first ear portion 36 from above.

[0017] The second ear retainer 6 is, for example, a second locking piece integrally provided on the inner surface of the second vertical piece 15. By being provided on the inner surface of the second vertical piece 15, the second locking piece is used as the second ear retainer 6 that holds down the second ear portion 37 (described later) of the valley gutter 10. The second ear retainer 6 is, for example, formed in a downward V shape so that it can be locked onto the second ear portion 37 (described later) of the valley gutter 10 from above. The shape of the second ear retainer 6 can be arbitrarily selected. By locking onto the second ear portion 37, the second ear retainer 6 can hold down the second ear portion 37 from above.

[0018] A pair of drip edges 7 and 8 are installed in the first building 102 and the second building 103. The pair of drip edges 7 and 8 extend continuously in the direction of the front and back of the paper. The material of the pair of drip edges 7 and 8 can be arbitrarily selected from a single resin, composite material, or metal, for example, similar to the support 4. Hereinafter, the drip edge on the right of the pair of drip edges 7 and 8 may be referred to as the "first drip edge 7," and the drip edge on the left as the "second drip edge 8."

[0019] The first flashing 7 has an upper piece 21, a vertical piece 22, and a folded piece 23. The upper piece 21 is positioned along the valley 108 of the eaves 105A of the first building 102. The upper piece 21 is fixed to the valley 108 by a number of bolts 24. The vertical piece 22 extends downward from the right end of the upper piece 21. The folded piece 23 is folded back from the lower end of the vertical piece 22 with an upward slope toward the first ear retainer 5. The first flashing 7 is positioned inside the valley gutter 10, which will be described later. The first flashing 7 guides rainwater flowing from the eaves 105A of the first building 102 into the valley gutter 10.

[0020] The second flashing 8 has an upper piece 25, an inclined horizontal piece 26, a vertical piece 27, and a folded piece 28. The upper piece 25 is fixed, for example, to the wall portion 112 of the second building 103 by a plurality of bolts 29. The inclined horizontal piece 26 extends downward to the right from the lower end of the upper piece 25. The right side portion 26a of the inclined horizontal piece 26 is located inside the valley gutter 10, which will be described later. The vertical piece 27 extends downward from the right end of the inclined horizontal piece 26. The folded piece 28 is folded back from the lower end of the vertical piece 27 toward the second ear retainer 6 with an upward slope. The right side portion 26a of the inclined horizontal piece 26, the vertical piece 27, and the folded piece 28 are located inside the valley gutter 10, which will be described later. The second flashing 8 guides rainwater flowing from the wall portion 112 of the second building 103 into the valley gutter 10.

[0021] The valley gutter 10 is positioned inside a plurality of support members 4. The plurality of support members 4 are spaced apart in the direction of the front and back of the paper. The valley gutter 10 extends continuously in the direction of the front and back of the paper. The valley gutter 10 has a bottom plate 31, a first side plate 32, a second side plate 33, a first protrusion 34, a second protrusion 35, a first ear portion (ear portion) 36, and a second ear portion (ear portion) 37. The shape of the valley gutter 10 is not limited to a square gutter. As an example, the shape of the valley gutter 10 can be a semi-circular shape, a U-shape, or various other shapes as long as they do not hinder rainwater drainage. The shape of the valley gutter support member 2 can also be changed as appropriate to match the shape of the valley gutter 10.

[0022] The bottom plate 31 is placed inside the support 4 along the first horizontal piece 14. The first side plate 32 extends upward from the right edge of the bottom plate 31 along the first vertical piece 13. The second side plate 33 extends upward from the left edge of the bottom plate 31 along the second vertical piece 15. The side plates 32 and 33 on both sides are formed integrally with the bottom plate 31. In a cross-sectional view, the valley gutter 10 is formed in a roughly U-shape with the side plates 32 and 33 on both sides opening upward at their upper ends. The valley gutter 10 used in this embodiment may be a large rain gutter with an inner width of 200 mm or more of the bottom plate 31. For example, the inner width of the bottom plate 31 may be 200 mm, 300 mm, 400 mm, 500 mm, etc. The first protrusion 34 is provided at the intersection of the bottom plate 31 and the first side plate 32. The second protrusion 35 is provided at the intersection of the bottom plate 31 and the second side plate 33. The first lug 36 is provided on the upper edge of the first side plate 32. The first lug 36 is provided at the upper end of the first side plate 32 so as to protrude outward on the opposite side from the second side plate 33. The second lug 37 is provided on the upper edge of the second side plate 33. The second lug 37 is provided at the upper end of the second side plate 33 so as to protrude outward on the opposite side from the first side plate 32.

[0023] The first lug portion 36 has a rectangular cross-section and includes a flat top portion 36a extending substantially horizontally from the upper end of the first side plate 32 in the opposite direction to the second side plate 33, a flat side portion 36b extending downward from the tip of the top portion 36a spaced apart from the first side plate 32, and a flat bottom portion 36c extending substantially horizontally from the lower end of the side portion 36b in the direction of the side surface of the first side plate 32. The first lug portion 36 is formed along the entire length of the valley gutter 10, and the top portion 36a, side portion 36b, and bottom portion 36c are all formed along the upper end of the first side plate 32 and extend along the entire length of the first side plate 32, forming a strip-like shape.

[0024] The second lug portion 37 has a rectangular cross-section and includes a flat top portion 37a extending substantially horizontally from the upper end of the second side plate 33 in the opposite direction to the first side plate 32, a flat side portion 37b extending downward from the tip of the top portion 37a at a distance from the second side plate 33, and a flat bottom portion 37c extending substantially horizontally from the lower end of the side portion 37b in the direction of the side surface of the second side plate 33. The second lug portion 37 is formed along the entire length of the valley gutter 10, and the top portion 37a, side portion 37b, and bottom portion 37c are all formed along the upper end of the second side plate 33 and extend along the entire length of the second side plate 33, forming a strip-like shape.

[0025] The valley gutter 10 has a first protrusion 34, a second protrusion 35, a first lug 36, and a second lug 37, which ensures the longitudinal rigidity of the valley gutter 10. However, as shown in the modified valley gutter system 1A in Figure 13, the first protrusion 34, the second protrusion 35, the first lug 36, and the second lug 37 may be omitted.

[0026] The valley gutter 10, as shown in Figure 1, is made of metal or synthetic resin, etc. The material of the valley gutter 10 can be arbitrarily selected from, for example, a single resin, a composite (multilayer) resin, a single metal, or a composite material in which metal is coated with resin. In the first embodiment, the material of the valley gutter 10 will be described as an extruded product formed from a resin material such as rigid polyvinyl chloride resin, ABS, or AES. Furthermore, when forming the valley gutter 10 with synthetic resin, the coefficient of linear expansion should be 2.0 × 10 to prevent thermal expansion and contraction. -5It is preferable that the temperature is below / ℃. Furthermore, it is preferable to reduce the coefficient of linear expansion by inserting a low-stretch sheet, such as a PET resin sheet or an iron sheet stretched to the center in the thickness direction of the valley gutter 10, or by incorporating low-stretch additives such as wollastonite or carbon fiber into the synthetic resin that makes up the valley gutter 10 itself. Alternatively, the valley gutter 10 may be formed from an acid-resistant coated steel sheet, in which a hot-dip galvanized layer is formed on both surfaces in the thickness direction of a steel sheet with a thickness of 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm, etc. A special adhesive layer is formed on both surfaces in the thickness direction of these hot-dip galvanized layers and on the continuous side surfaces of the steel sheet and the hot-dip galvanized layers on both sides. One surface of this special adhesive layer in the thickness direction and the half of the side surface on this surface are coated with a first special polymer resin coating layer with a thickness of 0.4 mm, and the other surface of this special adhesive layer in the thickness direction and the remaining half of the side surface on this surface are coated with a second special polymer resin coating layer with a thickness of 0.4 mm.

[0027] The first ear portion 36 of the valley gutter 10 is held down from above by being locked by the first ear retainer 5 of the support 4. The second ear portion 37 of the valley gutter 10 is held down from above by being locked by the second ear retainer 6 of the support 4. The valley gutter 10 is supported inside the support 4 with its bottom plate 31 resting on the first horizontal piece 14 of the support 4 and opening upwards. In other words, the valley gutter 10 is supported by the valley gutter support 2. The valley gutter 10 can receive rainwater flowing down from the eaves 105A of the first building 102 and the wall portion 112 of the second building 103.

[0028] Next, the process of fixing the valley gutter system 1 to the first building 102 and the second building 103 using the installation method of the valley gutter support 2 will be explained. First, the multiple support brackets 4 of the valley gutter support 2 are fixed at two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103. Specifically, the first upper piece 12 of the support bracket 4 is fixed to the eaves 105A of the first building 102. The second upper piece 17 of the support bracket 4 is fixed to the wall portion 112 of the second building 103. After fixing the support brackets 4 at two locations, the valley gutter 10 is placed inside the multiple support brackets 4.

[0029] After placing the valley gutter 10 inside the multiple support members 4, the first ear portion 36 of the valley gutter 10 is placed below the multiple first ear retainers 5. The first ear portion 36 is held down from above by the multiple first ear retainers 5. The second ear portion 37 of the valley gutter 10 is placed below the multiple second ear retainers 6. The second ear portion 37 is held down from above by the multiple second ear retainers 6. By holding down the first ear portion 36 with the multiple first ear retainers 5 and the second ear portion 37 with the multiple second ear retainers 6, the valley gutter 10 is supported by the multiple support members 4.

[0030] After supporting the valley gutter 10 with multiple support brackets 4, the upper piece 21 of the first flashing 7 is fixed to the eaves 105A of the first building 102. The upper piece 25 of the second flashing 8 is fixed to the wall 112 of the second building 103. This completes the process of fixing the valley gutter system 1 to two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103.

[0031] According to the first embodiment of the valley gutter support 2 described above, the support 4 can be fixed in a stable state by fixing it at two points. Furthermore, the first ear portion 36 of the valley gutter 10 placed on the support 4 is held down by the first ear retainer 5, and the second ear portion 37 is held down by the second ear retainer 6. By fixing the support 4 in a stable state, the first ear portion 36 can be properly held down by the first ear retainer 5, and the second ear portion 37 can be properly held down by the second ear retainer 6. As a result, the valley gutter 10 can be supported in a stable state on the support 4.

[0032] Furthermore, by holding the first ear portion 36 with the first ear retainer 5, the first ear portion 36 can be slid (moved) relative to the first ear retainer 5 when the valley gutter 10 undergoes thermal expansion, for example. By holding the second ear portion 37 with the second ear retainer 6, the second ear portion 37 can be slid (moved) relative to the second ear retainer 6 when the valley gutter 10 undergoes thermal expansion, for example. This allows the valley gutter support 2 to tolerate the thermal expansion and contraction of the valley gutter 10. Therefore, when the valley gutter 10 undergoes thermal expansion, deformation, cracking, etc., of the valley gutter 10 can be suppressed. In particular, when the valley gutter 10 is made of resin, the amount of thermal expansion and contraction is large. Even when the valley gutter 10 is made of resin, deformation, cracking, etc., of the valley gutter 10 can be appropriately suppressed.

[0033] Furthermore, by securing the first ear portion 36 with the first ear retainer 5 and the second ear portion 37 with the second ear retainer 6, the valley gutter 10 can be supported by the support 4 without using screws or bolts. Therefore, there is no need to drill through holes in the valley gutter 10 to insert screws or bolts. As a result, there is no need to apply waterproofing treatment such as caulking to the through holes. In addition, there is no risk of forgetting to waterproof the through-holes or of the sealant deteriorating over time. Furthermore, it prevents rust from forming on the valley gutter 10 through the through-holes.

[0034] In this case, when installing the valley gutter support 2 on-site, the support bracket 4 may be fabricated on-site using, for example, a flat bar. In this case, it is difficult to ensure consistent quality of the support bracket 4. In contrast, in the first embodiment, the support bracket 4 can be prepared in advance when installing the valley gutter support 2 on-site. Therefore, the quality of the support bracket 4 can be ensured. This allows the valley gutter 10 to be properly supported by multiple support brackets 4.

[0035] Furthermore, a first locking piece is provided on the support 4, and the first locking piece is used as the first ear retainer 5. Also, a second locking piece is provided on the support 4, and the second locking piece is used as the second ear retainer 6. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the first ear retainer 5 and the second ear retainer 6 separately. This simplifies the valley gutter support 2.

[0036] According to the first embodiment of the valley gutter system 1 described above, the support 4 can be supported in a stable state by appropriately holding down the first ear portion 36 of the valley gutter 10 with the first ear retainer 5 and appropriately holding down the second ear portion 37 with the second ear retainer 6. Furthermore, when the valley gutter 10 undergoes thermal expansion, the first ear portion 36 can slide against the first ear retainer 5 and the second ear portion 37 can slide against the second ear retainer 6. This allows the valley gutter support 2 to tolerate the thermal expansion and contraction of the valley gutter 10.

[0037] According to the building 100 of the first embodiment described above, the valley gutter 10 can be stably supported on the first building 102 and the second building 103 by a plurality of valley gutter supports 2. Furthermore, for example, when the valley gutter 10 undergoes thermal expansion, the first lug portion 36 can slide against the first lug retainer 5, and the second lug portion 37 can slide against the second lug retainer 6. This allows the valley gutter supports 2 to tolerate the thermal expansion and contraction of the valley gutter 10 installed between the first building 102 and the second building 103.

[0038] According to the installation method of the valley gutter support 2 of the first embodiment described above, the valley gutter 10 can be supported by the valley gutter support 2 without using screws or bolts by securing the first ear portion 36 of the valley gutter 10 with the first ear retainer 5 and the second ear portion 37 with the second ear retainer 6. Therefore, it is not necessary to drill through holes in the valley gutter 10 in order to pass screws or bolts through. This eliminates the need for waterproofing treatment such as caulking at the through holes. Furthermore, when installing the valley gutter support 2 on-site, the support bracket 4 can be prepared in advance. Therefore, when installing the valley gutter support 2 on-site, the effort of processing the support bracket 4 on-site using, for example, a flat bar can be eliminated. This simplifies the installation process for the valley gutter support 2.

[0039] Furthermore, by installing the valley gutter support 2 using the installation method for the valley gutter support 2, when the valley gutter 10 undergoes thermal expansion, the first lug portion 36 can slide against the first lug retainer 5, and the second lug portion 37 can slide against the second lug retainer 6. This allows the valley gutter support 2 to accommodate the thermal expansion and contraction of the valley gutter 10.

[0040] Next, the second to tenth embodiments will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 12. In the second to tenth embodiments, components that are the same as or similar to those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0041] (Second Embodiment) A second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2. As shown in Figure 2, the valley gutter system 40 comprises a plurality of valley gutter supports 41 and a valley gutter 10. The valley gutter support 41 is the same as the support 4 of the first embodiment, but with the first ear retainer 5 and the second ear retainer 6 removed, and the first flashing 7 and the second flashing 8 replaced with a first flashing 43 and a second flashing 44. The other components of the valley gutter support 41 are the same as those of the valley gutter support 2 of the first embodiment. That is, the valley gutter support 41 comprises a support 4 and a pair of flashings 43 and 44.

[0042] The first flashing 43 has the same shape as the first flashing 7 of the first embodiment. The upper piece 43a of the first flashing 43 is fixed to the valley 108 of the first building 102 with bolts 24. The first flashing 43 has a folded piece 43b. The folded piece 43b is folded back from the lower end of the vertical piece 43c toward the first ear portion 36 with an upward slope. The folded piece 43b can be locked onto the first ear portion 36 of the valley gutter 10, thereby holding down the first ear portion 36. In other words, the first flashing 43 has the function of flashing as well as the function of holding down the first ear portion 36.

[0043] The second flashing 44 has the same shape as the second flashing 8 of the first embodiment. The upper piece 44a of the second flashing 44 is fixed to the wall portion 112 of the second building 103 with bolts 29. The second flashing 44 has a folded piece 44b. The folded piece 44b is folded back from the lower end of the vertical piece 44c toward the second ear portion 37 with an upward slope. The folded piece 44b can be secured to the second ear portion 37 of the valley gutter 10, thereby holding down the second ear portion 37. In other words, the second flashing 44 has the function of flashing as well as the function of holding down the second ear portion 37.

[0044] Next, the process of fixing the valley gutter system 40 to the first building 102 and the second building 103 using the installation method of the valley gutter support 41 will be explained. First, the multiple support brackets 4 of the valley gutter support 41 are fixed at two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103. Specifically, the first upper piece 12 of the support bracket 4 is fixed to the eaves 105A of the first building 102. The second upper piece 17 of the support bracket 4 is fixed to the wall portion 112 of the second building 103. After fixing the multiple support brackets 4 at two locations, the valley gutter 10 is placed inside the multiple support brackets 4.

[0045] After positioning the valley gutter 10 inside the multiple support members 4, the upper piece 43a of the first flashing 43 is fixed to the eaves 105A of the first building 102. The folded piece 43b of the first flashing 43 is locked to the first ear portion 36 of the valley gutter 10, thereby holding down the first ear portion 36. The upper piece 44a of the second flashing 44 is fixed to the wall portion 112 of the second building 103. The folded piece 44b of the second flashing 44 is locked to the second ear portion 37 of the valley gutter 10, thereby holding down the second ear portion 37. Thus, the valley gutter 10 is supported by the multiple support members 4. This completes the process of fixing the valley gutter system 40 to two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103.

[0046] According to the valley gutter support 41 of the second embodiment described above, the first flashing 43 is also used as an ear retainer, and the first flashing 43 is used to hold down the first ear portion 36. In addition, the second flashing 44 is also used as an ear retainer, and the second flashing 44 is used to hold down the second ear portion 37. Therefore, unlike the first embodiment, it is not necessary to provide the first ear retainer 5 and the second ear retainer 6 on the support 4. This simplifies the shape of the support 4. Furthermore, according to the valley gutter support 41, valley gutter system 40, building 100, and construction method of the valley gutter support 41 as described above, the same functions and effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0047] (Third embodiment) A third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. As shown in Figure 3, the valley gutter system 45 comprises a plurality of valley gutter supports 46 and a valley gutter 10. The valley gutter supports 46 are the same as those of the valley gutter supports 2 of the first embodiment, further comprising a pair of water deflectors 47, 48. The other components of the valley gutter supports 46 are the same as those of the valley gutter supports 2 of the first embodiment. That is, the valley gutter supports 46 comprises a receiver 4, a pair of ear retainers 5, 6, a pair of drip cutters 7, 8, and a pair of water deflectors 47, 48.

[0048] A pair of water deflectors 47 and 48 are provided on the first building 102 and the second building 103. The pair of water deflectors 47 and 48 extend continuously in the direction of the front and back of the paper. The material of the pair of water deflectors 47 and 48 can be arbitrarily selected from a single resin, composite material, or metal, for example, similar to the pair of water drains 7 and 8. Hereinafter, in the pair of water deflectors 47 and 48, the water deflector on the right may be referred to as the "first water deflector 47," and the water deflector on the left may be referred to as the "second water deflector 48."

[0049] The first water deflector 47 has an upper piece 51, a horizontal piece 52, and an inclined piece 53. The upper piece 51 is positioned below the eaves 105A of the first building 102, along the first vertical piece 13 of the support 4. The upper piece 51 is fixed to the first vertical piece 13 by bolts 54. The horizontal piece 52 extends to the left from the lower end of the upper piece 51. The inclined piece 53 extends downward from the left end of the horizontal piece 52 toward the folded piece 23 of the first flashing 7. The inclined piece 53 of the first water deflector 47 is positioned inside the valley gutter 10.

[0050] The second water deflector 48 has an upper piece 55, a horizontal piece 56, and an inclined piece 57. The upper piece 55 is positioned along the second vertical piece 15 of the support 4 on the wall portion 112 side of the second building 103. The upper piece 55 is fixed to the second vertical piece 15 by bolts 58. The horizontal piece 56 extends to the right from the lower end of the upper piece 55. The inclined piece 57 extends downward from the right end of the horizontal piece 56 toward the folded piece 28 of the second flashing 8. The inclined piece 57 of the second water deflector 48 is positioned inside the valley gutter 10.

[0051] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the second water deflector 48 is positioned on the second side plate 33 side of the valley gutter 10 relative to the second flashing 8. The tip 48a of the second water deflector 48 is positioned below the folded tip 8a of the second flashing 8. Therefore, the second water deflector 48 can prevent rainwater guided into the valley gutter 10 by the second flashing 8 from flowing out of the valley gutter 10 by bouncing back inside the valley gutter 10.

[0052] Returning to Figure 3, the first water deflector 47 is positioned relative to the first flashing 7, similar to the second water deflector 48. That is, the first water deflector 47 is positioned relative to the first side plate 32 of the valley gutter 10 relative to the first flashing 7. The tip 47a of the first water deflector 47 is positioned below the folded tip 7a of the first flashing 7. Therefore, the first water deflector 47 can prevent rainwater guided into the valley gutter 10 by the first flashing 7 from flowing out of the valley gutter 10 by bouncing back inside the valley gutter 10.

[0053] Next, the process of fixing the valley gutter system 45 to the first building 102 and the second building 103 using the installation method of the valley gutter support 46 will be explained. First, the multiple support brackets 4 of the valley gutter support 46 are fixed at two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103. Specifically, the first upper piece 12 of the support bracket 4 is fixed to the eaves 105A of the first building 102. The second upper piece 17 of the support bracket 4 is fixed to the wall portion 112 of the second building 103. After fixing the multiple support brackets 4 at two locations, the valley gutter 10 is placed inside the multiple support brackets 4.

[0054] After placing the valley gutter 10 inside the multiple support members 4, the first ear portion 36 of the valley gutter 10 is placed below the multiple first ear retainers 5. The first ear portion 36 is held down from above by the multiple first ear retainers 5. The second ear portion 37 of the valley gutter 10 is placed below the multiple second ear retainers 6. The second ear portion 37 is held down from above by the multiple second ear retainers 6. By holding down the first ear portion 36 with the multiple first ear retainers 5 and the second ear portion 37 with the multiple second ear retainers 6, the valley gutter 10 is supported by the multiple support members 4.

[0055] After supporting the valley gutter 10 with multiple support brackets 4, the upper piece 51 of the first water return 47 is fixed to the first vertical piece 13 of the support bracket 4. The upper piece 55 of the second water return 48 is fixed to the second vertical piece 15 of the support bracket 4. After fixing the first water deflector 47 and the second water deflector 48, the upper piece 21 of the first flashing 7 is fixed to the eaves 105A of the first building 102. The upper piece 25 of the second flashing 8 is fixed to the wall 112 of the second building 103. This completes the process of fixing the valley gutter system 45 to two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103.

[0056] According to the valley gutter support 46 of the third embodiment described above, the first water return 47 is positioned on the first side plate 32 side of the valley gutter 10 relative to the first flashing 7. The tip 47a of the first water return 47 is positioned below the folded tip 7a of the first flashing 7. In addition, the second water return 48 is positioned on the second side plate 33 side of the valley gutter 10 relative to the second flashing 8. The tip 48a of the second water return 48 is positioned below the folded tip 8a of the second flashing 8. As a result, the first water return 47 and the second water return 48 can appropriately prevent rainwater guided into the valley gutter 10 by the first flashing 7 and the second flashing 8 from flowing out of the valley gutter 10 to the outside.

[0057] Furthermore, by providing the valley gutter support 46 with a first water return 47 and a second water return 48, a regular gutter can be used as a valley gutter.

[0058] Furthermore, according to the valley gutter support 46, valley gutter system 45, building 100, and construction method of the valley gutter support 46 as described above, the same functions and effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0059] (modified version) A modified example of the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 5. As shown in Figure 5, the second flashing 61 is a component that replaces the second flashing 8 of the third embodiment. The second flashing 61 has a flashing section 62 and a water-repellent section 63. The flashing section 62 is the second flashing 8 of the third embodiment with the folded-back piece 28 removed. Similar to the second flashing 8 of the third embodiment, for example, the upper piece 25 of the flashing section 62 is fixed to the wall section 112 of the second building 103. The flashing section 62 guides rainwater flowing from the wall section 112 of the second building 103 into the valley gutter 10. Similar to the second flashing 8 of the third embodiment, the flashing section 62 has a flashing function.

[0060] The water-returning section 63 is integrally provided with the tip 62a of the water-draining section 62. The water-returning section 63 is formed in the same way as the second water-returning section 48 in the third embodiment. The water-returning section 63 is positioned on the second side plate 33 side of the valley gutter 10 relative to the water-draining section 62. The tip 63a of the water-returning section 63 is integrally provided with the tip 62a of the water-draining section 62. Therefore, the water-returning section 63 is positioned below the water-draining section 62. As a result, the water-returning section 63 can prevent rainwater guided into the valley gutter 10 by the water-draining section 62 from flowing out of the valley gutter 10 by bouncing back inside the valley gutter 10. The water-returning section 63 has a water-draining function, similar to the second water-returning section 48 in the third embodiment. In other words, the second water-draining section 61 serves both the function of water-draining and the function of water-returning. To put it another way, the second water-draining section 61 is equipped with both water-draining and water-returning functions.

[0061] Next, the process of fixing the valley gutter system to the first building 102 and the second building 103 using the valley gutter support installation method will be explained. According to the modified method for constructing the valley gutter support, the steps of fixing the upper piece 51 of the first water return 47 to the first vertical piece 13 of the plurality of support members 4 and fixing the upper piece 55 of the second water return 48 to the second vertical piece 15 of the plurality of support members 4 can be omitted from the method of constructing the third embodiment.

[0062] According to the modified version of the third embodiment described above, the second flashing 61 serves both the function of flashing and the function of returning water. As a result, the water-returning section 63 can appropriately prevent rainwater guided to the valley gutter 10 by the flashing section 62 from flowing out of the valley gutter 10 to the outside. Furthermore, by combining the functions of water drainage and water return in the second water drain 61, there is no need to provide a separate water return. This simplifies the structure of the valley gutter support. In addition, the step of fixing the water return during the installation of the valley gutter support can be omitted. Furthermore, according to the modified version of the third embodiment described above, the same functions and effects as those of the valley gutter support 46, valley gutter system 45, building 100, and construction method of the valley gutter support 46 of the third embodiment can be obtained.

[0063] (Fourth Embodiment) A fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 6. As shown in Figure 6, the valley gutter system 65 comprises a plurality of valley gutter supports 66 and a valley gutter 10. The valley gutter supports 66 are the same as those of the third embodiment, but with the first ear retainer 5 and the second ear retainer 6 removed. The other components of the valley gutter supports 66 are the same as those of the valley gutter supports 46 in the third embodiment. That is, the valley gutter supports 66 comprises a receiver 4, a pair of flashings 7, 8 and a pair of water deflectors 47, 48.

[0064] The first water deflector 47 has a horizontal piece 52. The horizontal piece 52 of the first water deflector 47 can be locked onto the first lug portion 36 of the valley gutter 10 from above, thereby holding down the first lug portion 36. In other words, the first water deflector 47 serves not only as a water deflector but also as a lug holder that holds down the first lug portion 36. The second water deflector 48 has a horizontal piece 56. The horizontal piece 56 of the second water deflector 48 can be locked onto the second ear portion 37 of the valley gutter 10 from above, thereby holding down the second ear portion 37. In other words, the second water deflector 48 serves not only as a water deflector but also as an ear holder that holds down the second ear portion 37.

[0065] Next, the process of fixing the valley gutter system 65 to the first building 102 and the second building 103 using the installation method of the valley gutter support 66 will be explained. First, the multiple support brackets 4 of the valley gutter support 46 are fixed at two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103. Specifically, the first upper piece 12 of the support bracket 4 is fixed to the eaves 105A of the first building 102. The second upper piece 17 of the support bracket 4 is fixed to the wall portion 112 of the second building 103. After fixing the multiple support brackets 4 at two locations, the valley gutter 10 is placed inside the multiple support brackets 4.

[0066] After the valley gutter 10 is placed inside the multiple support members 4, the upper piece 51 of the first water return 47 is fixed to the first vertical piece 13 of the support member 4. The horizontal piece 52 of the first water return 47 is engaged with the first ear portion 36 of the valley gutter 10, and the first ear portion 36 is held down from above by the horizontal piece 52. The upper piece 55 of the second water return 48 is fixed to the second vertical piece 15 of the support 4. The horizontal piece 56 of the second water return 48 is engaged with the second ear portion 37 of the valley gutter 10, and the second ear portion 37 is held down from above by the horizontal piece 56. The valley gutter 10 is supported by multiple support 4 by holding down the first ear portion 36 with the horizontal piece 52 of the first water return 47 and holding down the second ear portion 37 with the horizontal piece 56 of the second water return 48.

[0067] After supporting the valley gutter 10 with multiple support brackets 4, the upper piece 21 of the first flashing 7 is fixed to the eaves 105A of the first building 102. The upper piece 25 of the second flashing 8 is fixed to the wall 112 of the second building 103. This completes the process of fixing the valley gutter system 65 to two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103.

[0068] According to the valley gutter support 66 of the fourth embodiment described above, the first water return 47 is also used as an ear retainer, and the first ear portion 36 is held down by the first water return 47. In addition, the second water return 48 is also used as an ear retainer, and the second ear portion 37 is held down by the second water return 48. Therefore, unlike the third embodiment, it is not necessary to provide the first ear retainer 5 and the second ear retainer 6 on the receiving device 4. This simplifies the shape of the receiving device 4. Furthermore, according to the valley gutter support 66, valley gutter system 65, building 100, and construction method of the valley gutter support 66 as described above, the same functions and effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0069] (Fifth embodiment) A fifth embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 7. As shown in Figure 7, the first building 102 has a corrugated metal roof 105 from which the wall section 106 extends downward. The second building 103 has, for example, a corrugated metal roof 115 at the upper end of the wall section 112. The corrugated metal roof 115, like the corrugated metal roof 105 of the first building 102, has a structure in which peaks 117 and valleys 118 made of metal sheets are alternately formed in a corrugated pattern. The corrugated metal roof 115 has a roof slope that slopes slightly downward from the top (not shown) toward the eaves 115A. The eaves 115A of the corrugated metal roof 115 extends in the direction of the front and back of the paper. A gutter 119 is provided on the eaves 115A so as to extend in the direction of the front and back of the paper. A valley gutter system 70 is provided between the first building 102 and the second building 103.

[0070] The valley gutter system 70 comprises a plurality of valley gutter supports 71 and a valley gutter 10. The valley gutter support 71 replaces the receiver 4 of the third embodiment with the receiver 72, and replaces the second drip edge 8 of the pair of drip edges 7, 8 with the second drip edge 73. The other components of the valley gutter support 71 are the same as those of the valley gutter support 46 of the third embodiment. That is, the valley gutter support 71 comprises a receiver 72, a pair of ear retainers 5, 6, a pair of drip edges 7, 73, and a pair of water deflectors 47, 48.

[0071] The support member 72 is modified in which the second vertical piece 15, second horizontal piece 16, and second upper piece 17 of the support member 4 in the third embodiment are replaced with a second vertical piece 74 and a second upper piece 75. That is, the support member 72 has a first upper piece 12, a first vertical piece 13, a first horizontal piece 14, a second vertical piece 74, and a second upper piece 75. The first upper piece 12 is fixed to the ridge portion 107 of the corrugated metal roof 105 of the first building 102 by bolts 18. The second vertical piece 74 extends upward from the left end of the first horizontal piece 14. The second upper piece 75 extends horizontally to the left from the upper end of the second vertical piece 74. The second upper piece 75 is fixed to the ridge 117 of the corrugated metal roof 115 of the second building 103 by bolts 76. In other words, the support 72 is fixed in two places, to the first building 102 and the second building 103.

[0072] The second flashing 73 has an upper piece 81, a vertical piece 82, and a folded piece 83. The upper piece 81 is positioned along the valley 118 of the eaves 115A of the second building 103. The upper piece 81 is fixed to the valley 118 by a number of bolts 84. The vertical piece 82 extends downward from the left end of the upper piece 81. The folded piece 83 is folded back at an upward slope from the lower end of the vertical piece 82 along the inclined piece 57 of the second flashing 48. The folded piece 83 is positioned above the inclined piece 57. The second flashing 73 is positioned inside the valley gutter 10. The second flashing 73 guides rainwater flowing from the eaves 115A of the second building 103 into the inside of the valley gutter 10.

[0073] Next, the process of fixing the valley gutter system 70 to the first building 102 and the second building 103 using the installation method of the valley gutter support 71 will be described. First, the multiple support brackets 72 of the valley gutter support 71 are fixed at two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103. Specifically, the first upper piece 12 of the support bracket 72 is fixed to the eaves 105A of the first building 102. The second upper piece 75 of the support bracket 72 is fixed to the eaves 115A of the second building 103. After fixing the multiple support brackets 72 at two locations, the valley gutter 10 is placed inside the multiple support brackets 72.

[0074] After placing the valley gutter 10 inside the multiple support members 72, the first ear portion 36 of the valley gutter 10 is placed below the multiple first ear retainers 5. The first ear portion 36 is held down from above by the multiple first ear retainers 5. The second ear portion 37 of the valley gutter 10 is placed below the multiple second ear retainers 6. The second ear portion 37 is held down from above by the multiple second ear retainers 6. By holding down the first ear portion 36 with the multiple first ear retainers 5 and the second ear portion 37 with the multiple second ear retainers 6, the valley gutter 10 is supported by the multiple support members 72.

[0075] After supporting the valley gutter 10 with multiple support fixtures 72, the upper piece 51 of the first water return 47 is fixed to the first vertical piece 13 of the support fixture 72. The upper piece 55 of the second water return 48 is fixed to the second vertical piece 74 of the support fixture 72. After fixing the first water deflector 47 and the second water deflector 48, the upper piece 21 of the first flashing 7 is fixed to the eaves 105A of the first building 102. The upper piece 81 of the second flashing 73 is fixed to the eaves 115A of the second building 103. This completes the process of fixing the valley gutter system 70 to two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103.

[0076] According to the valley gutter support 71, valley gutter system 70, building 100, and construction method of the valley gutter support 71 as described above, the same functions and effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0077] (Sixth Embodiment) A sixth embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 8. As shown in Figure 8, the building 200 is the building 100 of the fifth embodiment with an exterior wall 121, and the other configurations are the same as the building 100 of the fifth embodiment. The exterior wall 121 is horizontally positioned between the wall portion 106 of the first building 102 and the wall portion 112 of the second building 103. The right end of the exterior wall 121 is provided on the wall portion 106. The left end of the exterior wall 121 is also provided on the wall portion 106. A recess is formed between the first building 102 and the second building 103 by the wall portion 106, the wall portion 112, and the exterior wall 121. Below the exterior wall 121, for example, the interior 122 of the building 200 is formed. Furthermore, the building 200 may comprise the first building 102 and the second building 103 as a single building, and the single building may have recessed sections provided in the wall section 106, the wall section 112, and the exterior wall 121.

[0078] The valley gutter system 70 has the same configuration as the valley gutter system of the fifth embodiment. The valley gutter system 70 is installed between the first building 102 and the second building 103. Similar to the fifth embodiment, the valley gutter system 70 comprises a plurality of valley gutter supports 71 and a valley gutter 10. The valley gutter supports 71 comprise a receiver 72, a pair of ear retainers 5, 6, a pair of flashings 7, 73, and a pair of water deflectors 47, 48. The plurality of receivers 72 are, for example, placed on the exterior wall 121. The plurality of receivers 72 may also be positioned, for example, floating above the exterior wall 121. The valley gutter 10 is supported inside the receivers 72.

[0079] Next, the process of fixing the valley gutter system 70 to the building 200 using the installation method of the valley gutter support 71 will be explained. First, the multiple support members 72 of the valley gutter support 71 are fixed at two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103. Specifically, the first upper piece 12 of the support member 72 is fixed to the eaves 105A of the first building 102. The second upper piece 75 of the support member 72 is fixed to the eaves 115A of the second building 103. The support member 72 is then placed, for example, on the exterior wall 121 of building 200. After the multiple support members 72 are fixed at two locations and placed on the exterior wall 121, the valley gutter 10 is positioned inside the multiple support members 72.

[0080] After the valley gutter 10 is placed inside the multiple support fixtures 72, the valley gutter system 70 is fixed to the building 200 in the same process as in the fifth embodiment.

[0081] According to the building 200 of the sixth embodiment described above, for example, the exterior wall 121 can prevent rainwater from flowing into the interior 122 of the building 200. Furthermore, according to the valley gutter support 71, valley gutter system 70, building 200, and construction method of the valley gutter support 71 according to the sixth embodiment described above, the same functions and effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0082] (Seventh Embodiment) A seventh embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 9. As shown in Figure 9, the valley gutter system 85 comprises a plurality of valley gutter supports 86 and a valley gutter 10. The valley gutter supports 86 replace the support 4 of the third embodiment with a support 87. The other components of the valley gutter supports 86 are the same as those of the valley gutter supports 46 of the third embodiment. That is, the valley gutter supports 86 comprises a support 87, a pair of ear retainers 5, 6, a pair of drip edges 7, 8, and a pair of water deflectors 47, 48.

[0083] The support member 87 is modified in which the second vertical piece 15, the second horizontal piece 16, and the second upper piece 17 of the support member 4 in the third embodiment are replaced with a second vertical piece 88. That is, the support member 87 has a first upper piece 12, a first vertical piece 13, a first horizontal piece 14, and a second vertical piece 88. The first upper piece 12 is fixed to the ridge portion 107 of the corrugated metal roof 105 of the first building 102 by bolts 18. The second vertical piece 88 extends upward from the left end of the first horizontal piece 14. The second vertical piece 88 is fixed to the wall portion 112 of the second building 103 by bolts 89. In other words, the support 87 is fixed in two places, to the first building 102 and the second building 103.

[0084] Next, the process of fixing the valley gutter system 85 to the first building 102 and the second building 103 using the installation method of the valley gutter support 86 will be explained. First, the multiple support members 87 of the valley gutter support 86 are fixed at two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103. Specifically, the first upper piece 12 of the support member 87 is fixed to the eaves 105A of the first building 102. The second vertical piece 88 of the support member 87 is fixed to the wall portion 112 of the second building 103. After fixing the multiple support members 87 at two locations, the valley gutter 10 is placed inside the multiple support members 87.

[0085] After the valley gutter 10 is placed inside the multiple support fixtures 87, the valley gutter system 85 is fixed to the building 100 using the same process as in the third embodiment.

[0086] According to the valley gutter support 86, valley gutter system 85, building 100, and construction method of the valley gutter support 86 as described above, the same functions and effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0087] (Eighth embodiment) The eighth embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 10. As shown in Figure 10, the valley gutter system 90 comprises a plurality of valley gutter supports 91 and a valley gutter 10. The valley gutter supports 91 are a replacement of the support 72 of the fifth embodiment with the support 92. The other components of the valley gutter supports 91 are the same as those of the valley gutter supports 71 of the fifth embodiment. That is, the valley gutter supports 91 comprises a support 92, a pair of ear retainers 5, 6, a pair of drip edges 7, 73, and a pair of water deflectors 47, 48.

[0088] The support bracket 92 is modified in the fifth embodiment by replacing the first upper piece 12 and the first vertical piece 13 with the first vertical piece 94, and replacing the second vertical piece 74 and the second upper piece 75 with the second vertical piece 95. That is, the support bracket 92 has the first vertical piece 94, the first horizontal piece 14, and the second vertical piece 95. The first vertical piece 94 is fixed to the wall portion 106 of the first building 102 by bolts 97. The first horizontal piece 14 extends horizontally to the left from the lower end of the first vertical piece 94. The second vertical piece 95 extends upward from the left end of the first horizontal piece 14. The second vertical piece 95 is fixed to the wall portion 112 of the second building 103 by bolts 98. In other words, the support 92 is fixed at two locations, to the first building 102 and the second building 103.

[0089] Next, the process of fixing the valley gutter system 90 to the first building 102 and the second building 103 using the installation method of the valley gutter support 91 will be described. First, the multiple support members 92 of the valley gutter support 91 are fixed at two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103. Specifically, the first vertical piece 94 of the support member 92 is fixed to the wall portion 106 of the first building 102. The second vertical piece 95 of the support member 92 is fixed to the wall portion 112 of the second building 103. After fixing the multiple support members 92 at two locations, the valley gutter 10 is placed inside the multiple support members 92.

[0090] After the valley gutter 10 is placed inside the multiple support fixtures 92, the valley gutter system 90 is fixed to the building 100 using the same process as in the fifth embodiment.

[0091] According to the valley gutter support 91, valley gutter system 90, building 100, and construction method of the valley gutter support 91 as described above, the same functions and effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0092] (Ninth Embodiment) The ninth embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 11. As shown in Figure 11, the valley gutter system 300 comprises a plurality of valley gutter supports 301 and a valley gutter 10. The valley gutter support 301 replaces the receiver 4, a pair of ear retainers 5, 6, and a pair of water deflectors 47, 48 of the third embodiment with a receiver 302, a pair of ear retainers 303, 304, and a pair of water deflectors 306, 307. The other components of the valley gutter support 301 are the same as those of the valley gutter support 46 of the third embodiment. That is, the valley gutter support 301 comprises a receiver (hanging device) 302, a pair of ear retainers 303, 304, a pair of water deflectors 7, 8, and a pair of water deflectors 306, 307.

[0093] The support 302 comprises a suspension bolt 311, a nut 312, and a support member 313. The suspension bolt 311 is, for example, a metal rod-shaped body with a male threaded portion 311a formed on its outer circumference. The suspension bolt 311 is, for example, fixed at its upper end 311H to the ridge portion 107 of the corrugated metal roof 105 (specifically, the eaves 105A) with a nut 312. The suspension bolt 311 is, for example, fixed at its lower end 311L to the support member 313 with a nut 312. The support member 313 is arranged in a direction that intersects (orthogonal in the embodiment) the longitudinal direction of the valley gutter 10 in a plan view. The support member 313 is, for example, formed from a strip-shaped plate member. The material of the support member 313 can be arbitrarily selected from, for example, a single resin, a composite material, or metal.

[0094] The pair of ear restraints 303 and 304 are provided, for example, as a pair at both ends of the support member 313. The material of the pair of ear restraints 303 and 304 can be arbitrarily selected from, for example, a single resin, a composite material, or metal, similar to the support member 313. In the pair of ear restraints 303 and 304, the right ear restraint is sometimes referred to as the "first ear restraint 303," and the left ear restraint as the "second ear restraint 304."

[0095] The first ear retainer 303 is a pair of first locking pieces provided at the right end of the support member 313. The first locking pieces are used as the first ear retainer 303 for holding down the first ear portion 36 of the valley gutter 10. The first ear retainer 303 is bent, for example, at the right end of the support member 313 so as to wrap around the first ear portion 36. The shape of the first ear retainer 303 can be arbitrarily selected. The first ear retainer 303 supports (locks) the first ear portion 36 while it is housed inside. By locking the first ear retainer 303 onto the first ear portion 36, the first ear retainer 303 can hold down the first ear portion 36.

[0096] The second ear retainer 304 is a pair of second locking pieces provided at the left end of the support member 313. The second locking pieces are used as the second ear retainer 304 for holding down the second ear portion 37 of the valley gutter 10. The second ear retainer 304 is bent, for example, at the left end of the support member 313 so as to wrap around the second ear portion 37. The shape of the second ear retainer 304 can be arbitrarily selected. The second ear retainer 304 supports (locks) the second ear portion 37 while it is housed inside. By locking onto the second ear portion 37, the second ear retainer 304 can hold down the second ear portion 37.

[0097] A pair of water-repellent strips 306 and 307 are provided on the first edge retainer 303 and the second edge retainer 304, etc. The pair of water-repellent strips 306 and 307 extend continuously in the direction of the front and back of the paper. The material of the pair of water-repellent strips 306 and 307 can be arbitrarily selected from a single resin, composite material, or metal, etc. Hereinafter, in the pair of water-repellent strips 306 and 307, the right water-repellent strip may be referred to as the "first water-repellent strip 306," and the left water-repellent strip may be referred to as the "second water-repellent strip 307."

[0098] The first water deflector 306 has an upper piece 315 and an inclined piece 316. The upper piece 315 is fixed to the first ear retainer 303 by bolts 317. The inclined piece 316 extends downward from the left end of the upper piece 315 along the folded piece 23 of the first water deflector 7. The inclined piece 316 of the first water deflector 306 is positioned on the inside of the valley gutter 10.

[0099] The second water deflector 307 has an upper piece 321, a horizontal piece 322, and an inclined piece 323. The upper piece 321 is positioned along the wall portion 112 of the second building 103. The upper piece 321 is fixed to the wall portion 112 by a number of bolts 324. The horizontal piece 322 extends horizontally to the right from the lower end of the upper piece 321. The horizontal piece 322 is fixed to the second ear retainer 304 by bolts 325. The inclined piece 323 extends downward from the right end of the horizontal piece 322 along the folded piece 28 of the second flashing 8. The inclined piece 323 of the second water deflector 307 is positioned inside the valley gutter 10.

[0100] The upper piece 321 of the second water deflector 307 is fixed to the wall 112. The horizontal piece 322 of the second water deflector 307 is fixed to the second ear retainer 304. Thus, the second ear retainer 304 is fixed to the wall 112 of the second building 103 via the second water deflector 307. In addition, the suspension bolt 311 is fixed, for example, to the eaves 105A of the first building 102. As a result, the valley gutter support 301 is fixed at two locations, on the first building 102 and the second building 103.

[0101] The second water deflector 307 is positioned on the second side plate 33 side of the valley gutter 10 relative to the second flashing 8. The tip 307a of the second water deflector 307 is positioned below the folded tip 8a of the second flashing 8. Therefore, the second water deflector 307 can prevent rainwater guided into the valley gutter 10 by the second flashing 8 from flowing out of the valley gutter 10 by bouncing back inside the valley gutter 10.

[0102] The first water deflector 306, like the second water deflector 307, is positioned on the first side plate 32 side of the valley gutter 10 relative to the first flashing 7. That is, the first water deflector 306 is positioned on the first side plate 32 side of the valley gutter 10 relative to the first flashing 7. The tip 306a of the first water deflector 306 is positioned below the folded tip 7a of the first flashing 7. Therefore, the first water deflector 306 can prevent rainwater guided into the valley gutter 10 by the first flashing 7 from flowing out of the valley gutter 10 by bouncing back inside the valley gutter 10.

[0103] Next, the process of fixing the valley gutter system 300 to the first building 102 and the second building 103 using the installation method of the valley gutter support 301 will be explained. First, multiple support members 302 of the valley gutter support 301 are fixed to the first building 102. Specifically, the upper end 311H of the suspension bolt 311 is fixed to the eaves 105A of the corrugated metal roof 105. After fixing the upper end 311H of the suspension bolt 311 to the eaves 105A, the support member 313 is fixed to the lower end 311L of the suspension bolt 311. This fixes the multiple support members 302 to the eaves 105A of the first building 102.

[0104] After fixing multiple support brackets 302 to the first building 102, the upper piece 315 of the first water barrier 306 is fixed to the first ear retainer 303. The upper piece 321 of the second water barrier 307 is fixed to the wall portion 112 of the second building 103. The horizontal piece 322 of the second water barrier 307 is fixed to the second ear retainer 304. After fixing the first water deflector 306 and the second water deflector 307, the upper piece 21 of the first flashing 7 is fixed to the eaves 105A (specifically, the valley 108) of the first building 102. The upper piece 25 of the second flashing 8 is fixed to the wall 112 of the second building 103.

[0105] After fixing the first flashing 7 and the second flashing 8, the first ear portion 36 of the valley gutter 10 is supported by multiple first ear retainers 303. The second ear portion 37 of the valley gutter 10 is supported by multiple second ear retainers 304. By supporting the first ear portion 36 and the second ear portion 37 of the valley gutter 10, the valley gutter 10 is supported by multiple support fixtures 302. This completes the process of fixing the valley gutter system 300 to two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103.

[0106] According to the valley gutter support 301, valley gutter system 300, building 100, and construction method of the valley gutter support 301 as described above, the same functions and effects as those of the third embodiment can be obtained.

[0107] (Tenth embodiment) The tenth embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 12. As shown in Figure 12, the valley gutter system 350 comprises a plurality of valley gutter supports 351 and a valley gutter 10. The valley gutter supports 351 replace the second flashing 8 and second water return 307 of the ninth embodiment with a second flashing 353 and a second water return 354. The other components of the valley gutter supports 351 are the same as those of the valley gutter supports 301 of the ninth embodiment. That is, the valley gutter supports 351 comprises a receiver 302, a pair of ear retainers 303, 304, a pair of flashings 7, 353, and a pair of water returns 306, 354.

[0108] In a pair of flashings 7,353, the flashing on the left is sometimes referred to as the "second flashing 353". The second flashing 353 has an upper piece 356, a vertical piece 357, and a folded piece 358. The upper piece 356 is positioned along the valley 118 of the eaves 115A of the second building 103. The upper piece 356 is fixed to the valley 118 by a number of bolts 359. The vertical piece 357 extends downward from the left end of the upper piece 356. The folded piece 358 is folded back at an upward slope from the lower end of the vertical piece 357. The folded piece 358 is positioned above the second flashing 354. The second flashing 353 is positioned inside the valley gutter 10. The second flashing 353 guides rainwater flowing from the eaves 115A of the second building 103 into the valley gutter 10.

[0109] In the pair of water deflectors 306, 354, the left water deflector is sometimes referred to as the "second water deflector 354". The second water deflector 354 has an upper piece 362 and an inclined piece 363. The upper piece 362 is fixed to the second ear retainer 304 by bolts 364. The inclined piece 363 extends downward from the right end of the upper piece 362. The inclined piece 363 of the second water deflector 354 is positioned on the inside of the valley gutter 10.

[0110] The second water deflector 354 is positioned on the second side plate 33 side of the valley gutter 10 relative to the second flashing 353. The tip 354a of the second water deflector 354 is positioned below the folded tip 353a of the second flashing 353. Therefore, the second water deflector 354 can prevent rainwater guided into the valley gutter 10 by the second flashing 353 from flowing out of the valley gutter 10 by bouncing back inside the valley gutter 10.

[0111] Next, the process of fixing the valley gutter system 350 to the first building 102 and the second building 103 using the installation method of the valley gutter support 351 will be explained. First, multiple support members 302 of the valley gutter support 351 are fixed to the first building 102. Specifically, the upper end 311H of the suspension bolt 311 is fixed to the eaves 105A of the corrugated metal roof 105. After fixing the upper end 311H of the suspension bolt 311 to the eaves 105A, the support member 313 is fixed to the lower end 311L of the suspension bolt 311. This fixes the multiple support members 302 to the eaves 105A of the first building 102.

[0112] After fixing multiple support brackets 302 to the first building 102, the upper piece 315 of the first water barrier 306 is fixed to the first ear retainer 303. The upper piece 362 of the second water barrier 354 is fixed to the second ear retainer 304. After fixing the first water deflector 306 and the second water deflector 354, the upper piece 21 of the first flashing 7 is fixed to the eaves 105A (specifically, the valley 108) of the first building 102. The upper piece 356 of the second flashing 353 is fixed to the eaves 115A (specifically, the valley 118) of the second building 103.

[0113] After fixing the first flashing 7 and the second flashing 353, the first ear portion 36 of the valley gutter 10 is supported by a plurality of first ear retainers 303. The second ear portion 37 of the valley gutter 10 is supported by a plurality of second ear retainers 304. By supporting the first ear portion 36 and the second ear portion 37 of the valley gutter 10, the valley gutter 10 is supported by a plurality of support fixtures 302. This completes the process of fixing the valley gutter system 350 to two locations on the first building 102 and the second building 103.

[0114] According to the valley gutter support 351, valley gutter system 350, building 100, and construction method of the valley gutter support 351 as described above, the same functions and effects as those of the ninth embodiment can be obtained.

[0115] It should be noted that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0116] For example, the corrugated metal roof 105 is not necessary.

[0117] Furthermore, it is possible to replace the components in this embodiment with well-known components as appropriate, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0118] (Note) The above embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows:

[0119] <1> A support according to one aspect of the present invention is a support for supporting a valley gutter, comprising a receiver fixed at a plurality of locations, and an ear restrainer positioned on the receiver to restrain the ear portion of the valley gutter.

[0120] With this support system, the support can be fixed in a stable position by securing it at multiple points. Furthermore, the ears of the valley gutter, positioned on the support, are held in place by ear retainers. By fixing the support in a stable position, the ears of the valley gutter can be properly held in place by the ear retainers. This allows the valley gutter to be supported stably by the support.

[0121] Furthermore, by securing the edges of the valley gutter with an edge retainer, the edges of the valley gutter can be allowed to slide (move) relative to the retainer when the valley gutter undergoes thermal expansion. This allows the support to accommodate the thermal expansion and contraction of the valley gutter. Therefore, deformation and cracking of the valley gutter can be suppressed when it undergoes thermal expansion. In particular, the amount of thermal expansion is large when the valley gutter is made of resin. Even when the valley gutter is made of resin, deformation and cracking of the valley gutter can be appropriately suppressed.

[0122] Furthermore, by securing the edges of the valley gutter with an edge retainer, the valley gutter can be supported by the bracket without using screws or bolts. Therefore, there is no need to drill through holes in the valley gutter to insert screws or bolts. This eliminates the need to seal the through holes with caulking or other waterproofing treatments. In addition, there is no risk of forgetting to waterproof the through-holes or of the sealant deteriorating over time. Furthermore, it prevents rust from forming in the valley gutter through the through-holes.

[0123] <2> the above <1> In the support device relating to this, the ear restraint may be provided integrally with the receiving device.

[0124] In this support device, a locking piece is integrally provided with the receiving device, and the locking piece is used as an ear stopper. Therefore, there is no need to provide locking pieces individually. This simplifies the support device.

[0125] <3> the above <1> The support device further includes a drain, and the drain may also serve as the ear cover.

[0126] According to the support, the drain also serves as a retainer for the ears, with the drain holding the ears in place. Therefore, there is no need to provide ear retainers on the support bracket. This simplifies the shape of the support bracket.

[0127] <4> the above <1> The support device may further include a water-repellent feature, and the water-repellent feature may also serve as the ear-retaining feature.

[0128] According to the support, the water deflector also serves as a retainer, and the water deflector is used to hold down the ear portion. Therefore, there is no need to provide an ear retainer on the receiving device. This allows for a simplification of the shape of the receiving device. Furthermore, by equipping the support with a water-repellent feature, a standard gutter can be repurposed as a valley gutter.

[0129] <5> the above <1> The support device further comprises a water drain and a water return, the water return being positioned on the valley gutter side relative to the water drain, and the tip of the water return being positioned below the folded tip of the water drain.

[0130] According to the support structure, the water deflector is positioned on the valley gutter side relative to the flashing. The tip of the water deflector is positioned below the folded tip of the flashing. This allows the water deflector to effectively prevent rainwater guided into the valley gutter by the flashing from flowing out of the gutter to the outside.

[0131] <6> the above <1> The support device further includes a drain and a water return, and the drain may also serve as the water return.

[0132] According to the support device, by using the flashing as both a flashing and a water return, rainwater guided into the valley gutter by the flashing can be effectively prevented from flowing out of the valley gutter to the outside by the water return. Furthermore, by using the drainage system as a water deflector, there is no need to provide a separate water deflector. This simplifies the structure of the support. In addition, the step of fixing the water deflector during the installation of the support can be omitted.

[0133] <7> A rain gutter system according to one aspect of the present invention is described above. <1> A rain gutter system comprising the support device described above, wherein the valley gutter is supported by the support device.

[0134] According to the rain gutter system, the valley gutter can be supported in a stable state by properly securing the edges of the valley gutter with edge retainers. Furthermore, for example, when the valley gutter undergoes thermal expansion, the support can accommodate the thermal expansion of the valley gutter by allowing the edges of the valley gutter to slide (move) against the edge retainers.

[0135] <8> A building according to one aspect of the present invention is the above <1> Includes the support device described above.

[0136] Depending on the building, the valley gutter can be supported in a stable state on the building using a support device. Furthermore, for example, when the valley gutter undergoes thermal expansion, the support device can accommodate the thermal expansion and contraction of the valley gutter installed on the building by allowing the ear portion of the valley gutter to slide (move) against the ear retainer.

[0137] <9> A method for installing a support according to one aspect of the present invention is as described above. <1> A method for installing the support described above, wherein the receiving member is fixed at the multiple locations, the valley gutter is placed on the receiving member, and the ear portion of the valley gutter is held in place by the ear retainer.

[0138] According to the installation method of the support device, the valley gutter can be supported by the support device without using screws or bolts by securing the edges of the valley gutter with edge retainers. Therefore, there is no need to drill through holes in the valley gutter to insert screws or bolts. This eliminates the need for waterproofing treatment such as caulking at the through holes. Consequently, the installation process of the support device can be simplified.

[0139] Furthermore, by installing the support using a specific method, when the valley gutter undergoes thermal expansion, the first lug can slide against the first lug retainer, and the second lug can slide against the second lug retainer. This allows the support to accommodate the thermal expansion and contraction of the valley gutter. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0140] 1, 1A, 40, 45, 65, 70, 85, 90, 300, 350... Valley gutter system (rain gutter system) 2,41,46,66,71,86,91,301.351… Valley gutter support (support) 4, 72, 87, 92, 302… Receiving device 5,303...1st ear cover (ear cover) 6,304...Second ear cover (ear cover) 7,43...First draining step (draining) 7a...Folded tip of the first drain 8,44, 61,73,353 Second drainer (drainer) 8a,353a...Folded tip of the second drain 10…Tanihi 36...First ear part (ear part) 37...Second ear part (ear part) 47,306... First water return (water return) 47a, 306a... Tip of the first water deflector 48,307,354... Second water return (water return) 48a, 307a, 354a... the tip of the second water deflector 100,200…Buildings

Claims

1. A support device for supporting a valley gutter, A mounting bracket that is fixed in multiple places, The receiving device is equipped with an ear retainer that holds down the ear portion of the valley gutter, Support.

2. The ear restraint is a locking piece integrally provided with the receiving device. The support device according to claim 1.

3. It also has a drainer, The drainer also serves as the ear holder. The support device according to claim 1.

4. Furthermore, equipped with a water-repellent feature, The aforementioned water-repellent also serves as the ear cover. The support device according to claim 1.

5. It also features drainage and water return functions, The aforementioned water deflector is positioned on the valley gutter side relative to the water drain, The tip of the water deflector is positioned below the folded tip of the drainer. The support device according to claim 1.

6. It also features drainage and water return functions, The drainer also serves as the water return. The support device according to claim 1.

7. A rain gutter system comprising the support device described in claim 1, The valley gutter was supported by the aforementioned support. Rain gutter system.

8. A building including the support device described in claim 1.

9. A method for installing a support according to claim 1, The aforementioned receiving device is fixed at the aforementioned multiple locations, The valley gutter is placed on the aforementioned support, The ear portion of the valley gutter is held in place by the ear retainer. Installation method for support devices.

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