Universal Roof Gutter with Adjustable Ribs for Waterproofing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing gutter systems for roofs with skylights and dormer windows are complex and costly due to the need for various gutter profiles to match different roofing elements, leading to challenges in waterproofing and mechanical strength.
Innovation Solution
A universal gutter design featuring a pair of longitudinal plates with longitudinal grooves and inserted ribs, along with upper and lower transverse plates, which can be easily adapted to various roof covering elements by adjusting the height of the ribs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If various gutter profiles are used to match different roofing elements, then waterproofing effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a universal gutter profile that can accommodate multiple types of roofing elements (tiles, slates, metal sheets, etc.) through a single design. The gutter includes an adjustment mechanism with movable support elements that can be positioned at different heights and angles to match various roof slopes and covering element profiles, eliminating the need for multiple specialized gutter types while maintaining effective waterproofing.
Solution Approach 2:
The gutter system employs adjustable parameters including the height and position of support elements, the angle of the gutter body, and the length of adjustment arms. These parameters can be modified to adapt the same gutter profile to different roofing scenarios, allowing one gutter design to perform the function of multiple specialized profiles through parameter variation rather than structural redesign.
2Reliability
If various gutter profiles are used to match different roofing elements, then waterproofing effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By designing a single universal gutter profile that can serve multiple roofing applications through adjustment mechanisms, the patent reduces manufacturing costs. Instead of producing multiple specialized gutter profiles for different roofing elements, manufacturers can produce one standardized product that adapts to various situations, achieving economies of scale and reducing tooling, inventory, and production complexity costs.
3Device complexity
If a universal gutter design is used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different roof covering elements decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The gutter system incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities where support elements can be moved along the gutter body to different positions, and adjustment arms can be extended or repositioned. This dynamic adaptability allows a simple base design to become customized for different roof covering elements during installation, maintaining design simplicity while achieving high versatility through user-configurable parameters.
4Reliability
If multiple gutter types are required for different roofing elements, then construction time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The universal gutter design allows builders to use the same product for all roofing elements, eliminating the need to select, order, and install different gutter types for tiles, slates, metal sheets, or other coverings. This standardization accelerates the construction process while maintaining effective waterproofing through the adjustment mechanism that adapts the single gutter type to each specific application.
Data Source
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AI summary
Universal gutter for the flow of rainwater at the periphery of a roof structure, integrated into an inclined section of a roof, comprising a pair of longitudinal plates (10) which comprise, on at least one face (37), a succession of longitudinal grooves (32) which extend over the entire length of the plates and in which longitudinal ribs (11, 12, 13) are inserted.