US4687604A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Floor pan for evaporative coolers
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1987-02-18
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Granted: 1987-08-18
•
Expires: 2007-02-18
Abstract
Abstract A floor pan for use in the cabinet of an evaporative cooler is formed with an elevated central platform which is surrounded by an endless upwardly opening trough for containing the operating water supply of the evaporative cooler. The floor pan is configured so that the endless trough is disposed below the wettable pads of the evaporative cooler so as to catch unevaporated water returning from the pads to the water supply, and the trough is sized so as to be as small as possible to facility periodic draining and replacement of the water supply and otherwise reduce water induced damage of the cooler.
Inventors
- 👤 Adam D. Goettl
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 00:23
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24F; F24F6/00; F24F6/02; F24F6/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A floor pan for use in the bottom end of an evaporative cooler cabinet for containing the operational water supply of the evaporative cooler, said floor pan comprising: (a) a platform (means) defining a planar upper surface: (b) an endless upstanding sidewall in spaced surrounding relationship with respect to said platform , said sidewall defining an upper edge; (c) an upwardly open endless trough between said platform and said upstanding sidewall for containment of the operating water supply of the evaporative cooler; and (d) said platform having its upper planar surface elevated relative to the bottom of said trough so as to be approximately level with the upper edge of said sidewall with the upper planar surface of said platform having a surface area which is greater than half of the total area of said floor pan for minimizing the quantity of the operating water supply containable in said trough.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
A floor pan for use in the bottom end of an evaporative cooler cabinet for containing the operational water supply of the evaporative cooler, said floor pan comprising: (a) a platform (means) defining a planar upper surface: (b) an endless upstanding sidewall in spaced surrounding relationship with respect to said platform , said sidewall defining an upper edge; (c) an upwardly open endless trough between said platform and said upstanding sidewall for containment of the operating water supply of the evaporative cooler; and (d) said platform having its upper planar surface elevated relative to the bottom of said trough so as to be approximately level with the upper edge of said sidewall with the upper planar surface of said platform having a surface area which is greater than half of the total area of said floor pan for minimizing the quantity of the operating water supply containable in said trough.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A floor pan structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said platform means, said upstanding sidewall and said endless trough are of unitary one piece construction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A floor pan structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the planar upper surface of said platform means has a single opening formed therethrough for directing evaporatively cooled air through said platform means to a point of use.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A floor pan structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said platform means is configured to provide an enlarged area in said upwardly open endless trough for mounting of cooler operating devices therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A floor pan structure as claimed in claim 4 wherein the enlarged area of said upwardly open endless trough has an outlet opening formed in the bottom thereof in which a water outlet device means is mountable.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
An evaporative cooler comprising in combination: (a) a cooler cabinet having at least one open side; (b) a wettable cooler pad demountably carried in the open side of said cooler cabinet; and
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
An evaporative cooler comprising in combination: (a) a cooler cabinet having at least one open side; (b) a wettable cooler pad demountably carried in the open side of said cooler cabinet; and
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
105 words
(c) a floor pan which forms the bottom of said cooler cabinet and in which an evaporative cooler operating water supply is containable, said floor pan including, i. a central platform defining a planar upper surface, ii. an endless upstanding sidewall in spaced surrounding relationship with said platform iii. an endless trough between said platform and said upstanding sidewall for containment of the operating water supply, said trough being upwardly open with the area of the trough opening being smaller than the surface area of the planar upper surface of said platform for minimizing the quantity of the operating water supply containable in said trough.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
105 words
(c) a floor pan which forms the bottom of said cooler cabinet and in which an evaporative cooler operating water supply is containable, said floor pan including, i. a central platform defining a planar upper surface, ii. an endless upstanding sidewall in spaced surrounding relationship with said platform iii. an endless trough between said platform and said upstanding sidewall for containment of the operating water supply, said trough being upwardly open with the area of the trough opening being smaller than the surface area of the planar upper surface of said platform for minimizing the quantity of the operating water supply containable in said trough.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
An evaporative cooler as claimed in claim 6 wherein the area of the opening of said endless trough is less than one half of the area of the planar upper surface of said platform means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
An evaporative cooler as claimed in claim 6 wherein the area of the opening of said endless trough is less than one third of the area of the planar upper surface of said platform means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
An evaporative cooler as claimed in claim 6 wherein the area of the opening of said endless trough is less than one fourth of the area of the planar upper surface of said platform means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
An evaporative cooler as claimed in claim 6 and further comprising: (a) said endless upstanding sidewall having an endless upper edge; and (b) said platform means being elevated so that the planar upper surface thereof is approximately level with the endless upper edge defined by said endless upstanding sidewall.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
79 words
An evaporative cooler as claimed in claim 6 wherein said endless upstanding sidewall has an endless upper edge at least a portion of which is in engagement with the lower end of said wettable cooler pad, said upper edge of said upstanding sidewall being offset to provide a lip thereon which underlays the exterior surface of said wettable cooler pad for catching water that may fall therefrom and directing that water into said endless trough of said floor pan.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
An evaporative cooler as claimed in claim 6 wherein said floor pan is of four sided configuration to provide said endless trough with four corner areas at least one of which is relatively larger than the others.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
67 words
An evaporative cooler as claimed in claim 12 and further comprises: (a) a pump mounted in the relatively larger corner area of said endless trough; (b) a float controlled water inlet valve mounted in said floor an and having a float which is located in said endless trough of said floor pan; and (c) a water drainage means mounted in said endless trough of said floor pan.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
61 words
An evaporative cooler as claimed in claim 6 and further comprising: (a) blower assembly mounted in said cooler cabinet and having an air outlet end; (b) a single opening formed through the planar upper surface of said platform and in communication with the air outlet end of said blower assembly for directing outlet air from said blower assembly through said platform.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
An evaporative cooler as claimed in claim 6 wherein said floor pan is of unitary one-piece configuration.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR1131085A
Cited
GB887959A
Cited
US3479948A
Cited
US3724233A
Cited
US4419300A
Cited
US4479366A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-08-17 | 1991-02-16 | 1991-08-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-08-17 | 1995-02-16 | 1995-08-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-08-17 | 1999-02-16 | 1999-08-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |