Gutter systems and connecting components

Abstract

To provide a rain gutter system that can be easily constructed in a small number of work processes without requiring high construction skills.SOLUTION: A rain gutter system 100 includes a plurality of eaves gutters 10 and connecting members 20 that connect the eaves gutters 10 in a longitudinal direction. The eaves gutters 10 and the connection members 20 are slidably connected.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gutter system and a connecting member. [Background technology]

[0002] The eaves gutters installed in buildings as drainage members are connected longitudinally by connecting members. However, when the eaves gutters expand or contract due to temperature changes around the building, the connection between the connecting members and the eaves gutters may become disconnected. As a countermeasure to this, for example, a structure has been disclosed in which the eaves gutter is expanded and contracted at a curved joint formed in an approximately L-shape (a process that allows for deformation of the eaves gutter at the connection between the eaves gutter and the joint), and a support device is attached to suppress deformation of the curved joint (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-324254 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Building components are required to be easy to install and to reduce the amount of work required. However, conventional eaves gutter connections pose a challenge, requiring high levels of construction skill. For example, the expansion and contraction treatment described above requires high levels of construction skill when cutting the edges of the eaves gutter to match the position of the funnel on the building. Furthermore, adhesives are generally used in areas of the eaves gutter connections where expansion and contraction treatment is not required, but this requires high levels of skill in adjusting the amount of adhesive applied, etc.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a gutter system that does not require high construction skills and can be easily installed with a small number of work steps. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means. The gutter system of the present invention comprises a plurality of eaves gutters and a connecting member that connects the eaves gutters in the longitudinal direction, and the eaves gutters and the connecting member are slidably connected.

[0007] According to this invention, the eaves gutter and the connecting member are slidably connected. As a result, even if the eaves gutter expands or contracts due to temperature or other factors, the deformation can be absorbed by the sliding movement between the eaves gutter and the connecting member. This makes it possible to eliminate the need for expansion and contraction processing of the eaves gutter. Furthermore, because the eaves gutter and the connecting member are slidable, adhesive bonding, which requires advanced skills, is not necessary. This makes it possible to construct a gutter system with an efficient structure with easier work.

[0008] The length of the eaves gutter may be 1.8 m or less.

[0009] According to this invention, by making the length of the eaves gutter 1.8 m or less, it is possible to ensure that deformation of the eaves gutter caused by sliding between the connecting member and the eaves gutter can be absorbed.

[0010] Furthermore, a gasket may be provided at the connection between the eaves gutter and the connecting member to close the gap between the main body of the connecting member and the eaves gutter.

[0011] According to this invention, a packing is provided at the connection between the eaves gutter and the connecting member. This eliminates gaps between the eaves gutter and the connecting member at the connection, preventing rainwater from leaking from the connection. In addition, the frictional force of the packing allows the eaves gutter and the connecting member to be fixed more reliably.

[0012] Furthermore, the connecting member according to the present invention comprises a U-shaped main body portion in which the eaves gutter is disposed, and the main body portion slidably connects the eaves gutter.

[0013] According to this invention, the U-shaped main body, inside which the eaves gutter is placed, slidably connects the eaves gutter, allowing the eaves gutter and the connecting member to slide and absorb deformation.

[0014] In addition, a gripping portion for fixing the eaves gutter may be provided on the edge of the U-shaped opening in the main body, and a gasket for sealing the gap between the main body and the eaves gutter may be provided on the inner surface of the U-shape in the main body.

[0015] According to this invention, a gripping portion for fixing the eaves gutter is provided on the edge of the U-shaped opening. As a result, the eaves gutter connected to the connecting member is held by the gripping portion. Therefore, when connecting the eaves gutter to the connecting member, the eaves gutter can be fixed without adhesive. In addition, a gasket is provided on the U-shaped inner surface of the main body, so the gap between the main body and the eaves gutter is blocked by the gasket. In other words, by not bonding the main body and the eaves gutter, the eaves gutter and the connecting member can slide, while at the same time preventing water leakage from the gap between the main body and the eaves gutter.

[0016] The U-shaped inner surface may also be provided with a gap into which an end of the eaves gutter is inserted, and the gap may grip the eaves gutter so as to press it against the gasket.

[0017] According to this invention, the inner surface of the U-shape is provided with a gap into which the end of the eaves gutter is inserted. By inserting the end of the eaves gutter into the gap, it is possible to prevent the eaves gutter connected to the main body from moving. Furthermore, the gap holds the outer surface and outer bottom surface of the eaves gutter so that they are pressed against the gaskets provided on the inner surface and inner bottom surface of the main body. This allows the connecting member and the eaves gutter to be more securely fixed.

[0018] The width of the U-shaped inner bottom surface of the main body may be wider than the width of the U-shaped opening.

[0019] According to this invention, the width of the U-shaped inner bottom surface of the main body is wider than the width of the U-shaped opening. This allows the eaves gutter to be held by the entire shape of the main body, in addition to being fixed by the gripping portion. Therefore, in addition to being fixed by the gripping portion provided on the U-shaped edge of the main body, it can be fixed more securely. In particular, it is possible to prevent the eaves gutter from coming off the U-shaped opening of the main body when a force is applied to the eaves gutter from the side of the U-shaped inner bottom surface toward the opening due to wind or the like.

[0020] The main body may also be provided with a top fitting for mounting to a building.

[0021] According to this invention, the top-cast metal fittings are provided on the main body. This allows the eaves gutter to be installed without the need for a separate fixing member. In other words, the eaves gutter can be installed simply by connecting it to the connecting member attached to the building with the top-cast metal fittings. This further improves the ease of installation of the eaves gutter. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a gutter system that does not require high construction skills and can be easily constructed with a small number of work steps. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a building to which a gutter system according to the present invention is installed. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing an installation state of a rain gutter system according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams showing a process of connecting the connecting member and the eaves gutter according to the present invention. [Figure 4] 10 is a front view showing a portion where an eaves gutter is connected by a connecting member according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 5] 1 shows a grip portion of a connecting member according to the present invention. [Figure 6] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the eaves gutter is gripped by the gripping portion of the connecting member. FIG. [Figure 7] This is a modified example of the edge of the eaves gutter shown in FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is an overall view of a connecting member according to the present invention; [Figure 9] 10 shows modified cross-sectional shapes of the connecting member and the eaves gutter according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, a rain gutter system 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The gutter system 100 has the role of transporting rainwater that falls on the roof 4 of the building 1 and moving it to a drain or the like. As shown in FIG. 1 , the gutter system 100 is installed horizontally near the roof 4 of the building 1 (for example, under the eaves). The gutter system 100 includes an eaves gutter 10 and a connecting member 20.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 2, the gutter system 100 according to this embodiment is configured by providing a plurality of connecting members 20 at intervals on the building 1, and connecting a plurality of eaves gutters 10 in the longitudinal direction in accordance with the positions of the connecting members 20. In the following, when indicating the direction of each member, the longitudinal direction, height direction, and width direction may be referred to using the eaves gutters 10 and connecting members 20 in a state attached to the building 1 as the reference. Specifically, the direction along the direction in which rainwater flows in the eaves gutters 10 is the longitudinal direction, the vertical direction of the building 1 is the height direction, and the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal and height directions is the width direction.

[0026] The eaves gutter 10 transports rainwater horizontally. The eaves gutter 10 is a long, U-shaped member. As shown in FIG. 3, the eaves gutter 10 in this embodiment has a bead portion 10B at the connection between the bottom and side of the U-shape to ensure strength. The bead portion 10B is formed by providing an appropriate bend at the connection between the bottom and side of the U-shape or by adding a member to the inside of the U-shape. In addition, the edge on the opening side of the U-shape, i.e., the edge of the side of the U-shape that is not connected to the bottom, is provided with an edge portion 10E that ensures structural strength and also serves as a chamfer. The edge portion 10E is formed by bending the side of the U-shape of the eaves gutter 10.

[0027] The longitudinal length of the eaves gutter 10 is preferably, for example, 1800 mm or less, and more preferably 600 mm or less. Furthermore, the height dimension of the U-shape of the eaves gutter 10 shown in FIG. 3 is preferably 150 mm or less. Furthermore, the width dimension of the U-shape is preferably 150 mm or less. Furthermore, the eaves gutter 10 is preferably manufactured by injection molding using a resin material.

[0028] The connecting member 20 connects the eaves gutters 10 in the longitudinal direction. In this way, the connecting member 20 has the role of enabling rainwater to be transported over long distances by the eaves gutters 10 connected in the longitudinal direction. The connecting member 20 includes a main body 21 and a top fitting 22. The main body 21 connects the ends of the eaves gutters 10 together. The main body 21 is a U-shaped member. The inner side and inner bottom surfaces of the U-shape of the main body 21 have shapes that correspond to the outer side and outer bottom surfaces of the eaves gutters 10, as shown in Figure 3. The eaves gutters 10 are inserted from the longitudinal direction into both longitudinal ends of the main body 21, which has such a shape. In this way, the two eaves gutters 10 are connected by the main body 21. In addition to the above-described shape, main body 21 includes mounting portion 21a, grip portion 21b, and packing 21c. Main body 21 is preferably manufactured by injection molding using a resin material, except for packing 21c.

[0029] The mounting portion 21a is a portion where the main body 21 is attached to the top-mounted fitting 22. The mounting portion 21a is provided in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body 21. Both ends of the mounting portion 21a are connected to both inner side surfaces of the U-shaped main body 21. As shown in FIG. 3 , the main body 21 and the top-mounted fitting 22 are preferably attached using, for example, a plurality of bolts B spaced apart. In other words, bolt holes Bh are preferably provided at equal intervals at the locations where the top-mounted fitting 22 and the mounting portion 21a come into contact when they are attached. This shape allows the mounting positions of the mounting portion 21a and the top-mounted fitting 22 to be adjusted. By appropriately shifting the positions of the bolt holes Bh when mounting, the mounting positions of the top-mounted fitting 22 and the mounting portion 21a can be adjusted. As shown in Figure 3, it is preferable that the mounting portion 21a is molded integrally with the main body portion 21, but as long as it is integrated when installed on the building 1, it may also be molded separately and assembled as appropriate.

[0030] The gripping portion 21b secures the eaves gutter 10 connected to the main body 21. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the gripping portion 21b is U-shaped, and both inner side surfaces of the U-shape are provided so as to contact both heightwise sides of the edge 10E of the eaves gutter 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the gripping portion 21b having such a shape is provided on the opening side edges of both side surfaces of the U-shape of the main body 21 at both longitudinal ends of the main body 21. The gripping portion 21b elastically deforms when the eaves gutter 10 is inserted into the main body 21, and grips the edge 10E of the eaves gutter 10 by pressing it down with a reaction force. In this way, the gripping portion 21b secures the main body 21 and the eaves gutter 10 together.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 4, the main body 21 connects the ends of the eaves gutter 10 together in the longitudinal direction. In this case, it is preferable that the insertion allowance of the eaves gutter 10 into the main body 21 is about 5 mm shorter than the insertable amount of the eaves gutter 10 in the main body 21. Here, the insertable amount refers to the maximum amount that the eaves gutter 10 can be inserted into the main body 21. The insertable amount is preferably determined, for example, by providing a protrusion or the like (not shown) on the inner surface or inner bottom surface of the main body 21. In other words, when the eaves gutter 10 is inserted into the main body 21, it is preferable that the insertable amount be restricted by hitting against the protrusion.

[0032] This allows the main body 21 to absorb the amount of deformation when the eaves gutter 10 expands due to a rise in temperature in the building 1. In this embodiment, the eaves gutter 10 connected to the main body 21 is fixed by the reaction force of the gripping portion 21b, and is not fixed by adhesive. This allows the eaves gutter 10 and the connecting member 20 to be slidably connected.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 3, the packing 21c is provided continuously on both inner surfaces and the inner bottom surface of the U-shape of the main body 21 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. More specifically, the packing 21c extends continuously in a straight line from the upper edge of one inner surface of the U-shape, across the inner bottom surface, to the upper edge of the other inner surface. Also, as shown in Fig. 3, the packing 21c is located closer to the center of the main body 21 in the longitudinal direction than the gripping portions 21b provided at both ends of the main body 21.

[0034] When the eaves gutter 10 is inserted into the main body 21, the outer surface and outer bottom surface of the eaves gutter 10 come into contact with the inner surface and inner bottom surface of the main body 21, respectively. The gasket 21c is provided to eliminate any gap that may arise between the main body 21 and the eaves gutter 10 at this time. This prevents water leakage between the main body 21 and the eaves gutter 10 in the gutter system 100, and also serves to more securely fix the main body 21 and the eaves gutter 10 together through friction that arises between the gasket 21c and the eaves gutter 10. For example, rubber is preferably used for the gasket 21c.

[0035] The main body 21 configured as described above supports the eaves gutter 10, particularly by the gripping portion 21b and the packing 21c. In addition, the following configuration may be used to more reliably fix the main body 21 and the eaves gutter 10 together. For example, as shown in Fig. 7, edge 10E of eaves gutter 10 may be bent outward instead of being bent into a ring shape as in Fig. 6. This shape may allow the edge 10E to sandwich the upper side of the U-shaped gripping portion 21b. By using such a shape, edge 10E of eaves gutter 10 and gripping portion 21b of main body 21 may be shaped to interlock with each other, thereby more reliably fixing main body 21 and eaves gutter 10 together.

[0036] Alternatively, if it can be ensured that the main body 21 and the eaves gutter 10 do not fall off after installation, that the main body 21 and the eaves gutter 10 are not glued together, and that the deformation of the eaves gutter 10 due to the reasons mentioned above can be absorbed by the connection between the main body 21 and the eaves gutter 10, then it is not necessary for the main body 21 to be provided with either the gripping portion 21b or the gasket 21c, or both.

[0037] 8, the inner side and inner bottom surfaces of the U-shape of the main body 21 may have gaps 21d into which the ends of the eaves gutter 10 are inserted. The gaps 21d are spaces formed by portions (hereinafter, referred to as claw portions 21e) that are provided on the inner side and inner bottom surfaces of the U-shape of the main body 21 as if they were moved further inward in the U-shape. The claw portions 21e are planar portions that are continuously provided from the inner side and inner bottom surfaces of the U-shape of the main body 21. One claw portion 21e is provided on each of one inner side surface and the other inner side surface of the U-shape of the main body 21. The claw portions 21e extend from the center of the main body 21 in the longitudinal direction toward both end sides. The claw portions 21e are connected to the inner side and inner bottom surfaces of the U-shape of the main body 21 at the center of the main body 21 in the longitudinal direction. Gap 21d is a gap provided between the inner surface and inner bottom surface of main body 21 and a portion of claw 21e that is not connected to main body 21. Inserting eaves gutter 10 into this gap 21d can prevent main body 21 and eaves gutter 10 from shifting when building 1 vibrates or gutter system 100 is exposed to wind after insertion, thereby more reliably fixing main body 21 and eaves gutter 10 together.

[0038] 9, the U-shape of the main body 21 and the eaves gutter 10 may be formed so that the width of the inner bottom surface is wider than the width of the opening of the U-shape. This allows the eaves gutter 10 to be held by the entire main body in addition to being fixed by the gripping portion 21b, thereby making it possible to more reliably fix the main body 21 and the eaves gutter 10 together.

[0039] The top-mounted fitting 22 holds the main body 21 to the building 1. The top-mounted fitting 22 includes a fixing portion 22a, an installation portion 22b, and an intermediate portion 22c. The fixing portion 22a is a portion that comes into contact with the mounting portion 21a of the main body 21. As shown in Fig. 3, the fixing portion 22a has a U-shape. A plurality of holes are provided at intervals on the side surface of the U-shape of the fixing portion 22a to accommodate bolt fastening to the mounting portion 21a.

[0040] The installation portion 22b is the portion of the top-cast fitting 22 that is attached to the building 1. When installing the installation portion 22b of the top-cast fitting 22 to the building 1, it is preferable that it be installed on top of the rafters 2 on the roof 4 of the building 1 or on top of the sheathing board 3, as shown in FIG. The intermediate portion 22c is a portion located between the fixed portion 22a and the construction portion 22b. In other words, the fixed portion 22a and the construction portion 22b are connected by this intermediate portion 22c. When the top-mounted fitting 22 is attached to the building 1, it is preferable that the intermediate portion 22c be perpendicular to the ground. In other words, the angle between the intermediate portion 22c and the construction portion 22b is preferably such that when the construction portion 22b is parallel to the portion where it is attached to the building 1 (the rafters 2 or the sheathing boards 3), the intermediate portion 22c is perpendicular to the ground.

[0041] Furthermore, it is preferable that the fixing portion 22a can grip the mounting portion 21a so that the mounting portion 21a is parallel to the ground when the top-mounting fitting 22 is attached to the building 1. The top-mounted fitting 22 is preferably formed by pressing a metal member to have the above-described configuration, for example.

[0042] As explained above, according to the gutter system 100 of this embodiment, the eaves gutter 10 and the connecting member 20 are slidably connected. As a result, even if the eaves gutter 10 expands or contracts due to temperature or the like, this deformation can be absorbed by the sliding movement between the eaves gutter 10 and the connecting member 20. This makes it possible to eliminate the need for expansion and contraction processing of the eaves gutter 10. Furthermore, because the eaves gutter 10 and the connecting member 20 are slidable, it is possible to eliminate the need for adhesive bonding, which requires advanced skills. As a result, the rain gutter system 100 having an efficient structure can be constructed with easier work.

[0043] Furthermore, by making the length of the eaves gutter 10 1.8 m or less, it is possible to ensure that deformation of the eaves gutter 10 caused by sliding between the connecting member 20 and the eaves gutter 10 can be absorbed.

[0044] In addition, a packing 21c is provided at the connection between the eaves gutter 10 and the connecting member 20. This eliminates any gap between the eaves gutter 10 and the connecting member 20 at the connection, preventing rainwater from leaking from the connection. In addition, the frictional force of the packing 21c allows the eaves gutter 10 and the connecting member 20 to be fixed more reliably.

[0045] Furthermore, the U-shaped main body 21, inside which the eaves gutter 10 is arranged, slidably connects the eaves gutter 10. This allows the eaves gutter 10 and the connecting member 20 to slide, thereby absorbing this deformation.

[0046] In addition, a gripping portion 21b for fixing the eaves gutter 10 is provided on the edge of the U-shaped opening. As a result, the eaves gutter 10 connected to the connecting member 20 is held by the gripping portion 21b. Therefore, when connecting the eaves gutter 10 to the connecting member 20, the eaves gutter 10 can be fixed without adhesive. Furthermore, a packing 21c is provided on the U-shaped inner surface of the main body 21. Therefore, the gap between the main body 21 and the eaves gutter 10 is blocked by the packing 21c. In other words, by not bonding the main body 21 and the eaves gutter 10 together, the eaves gutter 10 and the connecting member 20 can slide, and at the same time, water leakage from the gap between the main body 21 and the eaves gutter 10 can be prevented.

[0047] The U-shaped inner surface also has a gap 21d into which the end of the eaves gutter 10 is inserted. By inserting the end of the eaves gutter 10 into the gap 21d, it is possible to prevent the eaves gutter 10 connected to the main body 21 from moving. Furthermore, the gap 21d holds the outer surface and outer bottom surface of the eaves gutter 10 so that they are pressed against the packing 21c provided on the inner surface and inner bottom surface of the main body 21. This allows the connecting member 20 and the eaves gutter 10 to be fixed more reliably.

[0048] Furthermore, the width of the U-shaped inner bottom surface of the main body 21 is wider than the width of the U-shaped opening. As a result, in addition to fixing the eaves gutter 10 with the gripping portion 21b, the eaves gutter 10 can be held by the entire shape of the main body 21. Therefore, in addition to being fixed by the gripping portion 21b provided on the U-shaped edge of the main body 21, it can be fixed more reliably. In particular, it is possible to prevent the eaves gutter 10 from coming off the U-shaped opening of the main body 21 when a force is applied to the eaves gutter 10 from the side of the U-shaped inner bottom surface toward the opening due to wind or the like.

[0049] Additionally, a top-cast metal fitting 22 is provided on the main body 21. This allows the eaves gutter 10 to be installed without providing a separate fixing member for the eaves gutter 10. In other words, the eaves gutter 10 can be installed simply by connecting it to the connecting member 20 attached to the building 1 by the top-cast metal fitting 22. This further improves the ease of installation of the eaves gutter 10.

[0050] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, a packing 21c may be further provided in the gap between the gap portion 21d and the eaves gutter 10. Furthermore, if the connecting member 20 and the eaves gutter 10 can be fixed together only by the shape of the main body 21, the gripping portion 21b does not need to be provided.

[0051] In addition, within the scope of the spirit of the present invention, the components in the above-described embodiments may be replaced with well-known components as appropriate, and the above-described modifications may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1. Building 10 Gutters 20 Connecting member 21 Main body 21b Grip part 21c Gasket 21d Gap 22 Metal fittings 100 Gutter System

Claims

1. A U-shaped main body portion in which an eaves gutter is arranged; a top fitting provided and connected to the inner surface of the main body, The main body portion is provided in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body portion and has an attachment portion connected to the top fitting and a grip portion for fixing the eaves gutter, The mounting portion has both ends connected to the inner surface of the main body portion, The grip portion protrudes from the inner surface of the main body portion, The attachment portion and the grip portion are provided with a gap therebetween, The main body portion is slidably connected to the eaves gutter. Connecting member.

2. A gasket is provided on the U-shaped inner surface of the main body portion to close the gap between the main body portion and the eaves gutter. The connecting member according to claim 1 .

3. The U-shaped inner surface is provided with a gap into which an end of the eaves gutter is inserted, The gap portion grips the gutter so as to press it against the packing. The connecting member according to claim 2 .

4. The width of the U-shaped inner bottom surface of the main body is wider than the width of the U-shaped opening. The connecting member according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A gutter system in which multiple eaves gutters are connected by a connecting member described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The length of the eaves gutter is 1.8 m or less. The gutter system of claim 5.

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