Patent Publication Number: US-7900469-B2

Title: Evaporative cooler having a novel air flow pattern

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an evaporative cooler and methods for operating an evaporative cooler. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Evaporative coolers are commonly used in warm arid climates to cool air in a home, office or other environment. Conventional evaporative coolers operate by drawing hot or ambient, relatively dry air through water-soaked media. The ambient, dry air releases heat to evaporate water entrained in the water-soaked media thereby producing a stream of cooler, humid air. The cooled air is then directed into an area to be cooled. 
     Conventional evaporative coolers typically include an air blower, a media pad, and a water distribution system. The air blower induces the flow of air into the cooler. The ambient air is distributed through the media pad positioned in the air flow path. The air blower distributes the cooler air from the cooler. The water distribution system includes a water pump that draws water from a reservoir and distributes the water to a surface of the media pad. A proportion of the water contained within the media pad is evaporated as air is drawn through the media. The remaining water that is not absorbed by the media pad or evaporated returns to the reservoir. In this manner the water is recirculated. Fresh water is continuously added to replace the water that has been evaporated. 
     Improvements are continually sought to refine the operation, structural integrity, and/or functionality of evaporative coolers, as described herein. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the invention, an evaporative cooler comprises a cooler housing having front, rear and side surfaces together defining an interior region. The front surface of the cooler housing defines an outlet opening positioned for the forward exhaust of cooled air from the interior of the cooler housing. The rear surface of the cooler housing defines an inlet opening positioned for the forward intake of ambient air into the interior of the cooler housing. Media is positioned within the interior of the cooler housing and adjacent the inlet opening defined by the rear surface such that the forward intake of ambient air passes through the media for heat exchange. A blower is mounted within the interior of the cooler housing and is positioned at an elevation above the inlet opening defined in the rear surface of the cooler housing. The blower has an inlet and an outlet and is configured to move air from the inlet to the outlet. The inlet of the blower is oriented to receive ambient air entering the interior of the cooler housing through the inlet opening defined in the rear surface. The outlet of the blower is oriented for the forward exhaust of cooled air from the outlet of the blower and toward the outlet opening defined in the front surface of the cooler housing. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the front surface of the cooler housing also includes an inlet opening spaced from the outlet opening. The additional inlet opening is positioned for the rearward intake of ambient air into the interior of the cooler housing. Media is positioned within the interior of the cooler housing and adjacent the additional inlet opening defined by the front surface. 
     According to yet another aspect of the invention, the cooler housing is configured to be moved along a surface and the outlet of the blower is oriented to exhaust the cooled air at an upward angle with respect to the surface. 
     According to still another aspect of the invention, a method of cooling ambient air is provided. The method comprises the step of introducing or drawing ambient air into an interior region of a cooler housing through an inlet opening positioned on or defined in a front surface of the cooler housing for the rearward intake of ambient air. The method further comprises the step of expelling cooled air from the interior region of the cooler housing through an outlet opening positioned on or defined in the front surface of the cooler housing for the forward exhaust of cooled air. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawing are not necessarily to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. Included in the drawing are the following figures: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an evaporative cooler according to aspects of this invention. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a front elevation view of the evaporative cooler of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  depicts a rear elevation view of the evaporative cooler of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  depicts a right side elevation view of the evaporative cooler of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  depicts an exploded perspective view of the evaporative cooler of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  depicts a cross-sectional side view of the evaporative cooler of  FIG. 2  taken along the lines  6 - 6 . 
         FIG. 7  depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of a frame component of the evaporative cooler of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  depicts a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of an evaporative cooler according to aspects of this invention. 
         FIG. 9  depicts a front elevation view of the evaporative cooler of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  depicts a rear elevation view of the evaporative cooler of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 11  depicts a cross-sectional side view of the evaporative cooler of  FIG. 9  taken along the lines  11 - 11 . 
         FIG. 12  depicts an exploded perspective view of the evaporative cooler of  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein with reference to specific embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the invention. 
     Referring generally to the figures, and according to one aspect of the invention, an embodiment of an evaporative cooler  10  comprises a cooler housing  12  having front, rear and side surfaces together defining an interior region. The front surface of the cooler housing  12  defines an outlet opening  56  positioned for the forward exhaust of cooled air from the interior of the cooler housing  12 . The rear surface of the cooler housing defines an inlet opening  60  positioned for the forward intake of ambient air into the interior of the cooler housing  12 . Media  53  is positioned within the interior of the cooler housing and adjacent the inlet opening  60  defined by the rear surface such that the forward intake of ambient air passes through the media  53  for heat exchange. A blower  50  is mounted within the interior of the cooler housing  12  and is positioned at an elevation above the inlet opening  60  defined in the rear surface of the cooler housing  12 . The blower  50  has an inlet  84  and an outlet  86  and is configured to move air from the inlet  84  to the outlet  86 . The inlet  84  of the blower  50  is oriented to receive ambient air entering the interior of the cooler housing  12  through the inlet opening  60  defined in the rear surface. The outlet  86  of the blower is oriented for the forward exhaust of cooled air from the outlet  86  of the blower and toward the outlet opening  56  defined in the front surface of the cooler housing  12 . 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the front surface of the cooler housing also includes an inlet opening  58  spaced from the outlet opening  56 . The additional inlet opening  58  is positioned for the rearward intake of ambient air into the interior of the cooler housing  12 . Media  51  is positioned within the interior of the cooler housing  12  and adjacent the additional inlet opening  58  defined by the front surface. 
     According to yet another aspect of the invention, the cooler housing  12  is configured to be moved along a surface and the outlet  58  of the blower is oriented to exhaust the cooled air at an upward angle with respect to the surface. 
     According to still another aspect of the invention, a method of cooling ambient air is provided. The method comprises the step of introducing ambient air into an interior region of a cooler housing  12  through an inlet opening  58  positioned on a front surface of the cooler housing  12  for the rearward intake of ambient air. The method further comprises the step of expelling cooled air from the interior region of the cooler housing  12  through an outlet opening  56  positioned on the front surface of the cooler housing  12  for the forward exhaust of cooled air. 
       FIGS. 1-5  depict perspective, front, rear, side and exploded views, respectively, of an exemplary embodiment of an evaporative cooler  10 . According to this exemplary embodiment, the evaporative cooler  10  generally includes a cooler housing  12  having front, top, rear and side panels together defining an interior region. A reservoir  14  configured to contain water is mounted at a bottom of the cooler housing  12  to one or more of the panels of the cooler housing  12 . The reservoir  14  may also be considered to form part of the cooler housing  12 . In use, the reservoir  14  rests near or on a floor surface. 
     The cooler housing  12  includes a front intake panel  16  and a front exhaust panel  18  positioned to at least partially form the front surface of the cooler housing  12 . The front intake panel  16  and the front exhaust panel  18  may be two separate components, as shown, or, alternatively, may be provided as a single, unitary front panel. The front intake panel  16  defines an inlet opening  58  (see  FIG. 5 ) positioned for the rearward intake of ambient air into the interior of the cooler housing  12 , as depicted by the arrows in  FIG. 4 . An intake grille  20  is optionally positioned over the front intake panel  16 . 
     The intake grille  20  optionally include a series of moveable or fixed louvers  21  defined along its height dimension. As an alternative to louvers and although not shown, the intake grille  20  may incorporate a fine mesh or wire material having small apertures sized for the passage of air. 
     The configuration of the intake grille  20  is selected to provide an ornamental appearance. For example, the convex and compound curvature of the intake grille  20 , the shape of the louvers or mesh provided on the intake grille  20  or the openings they provide, and the overall shape and size of the intake grille  20  illustrated in the FIGS. are selected for ornamentation and are optionally varied without compromising the performance of the evaporative cooler  10 . 
     The front exhaust panel  18  is positioned at an elevation above the front intake panel  16 , and defines an outlet opening  56  (see  FIG. 5 ) positioned for the forward exhaust of cooled air from the interior of the cooler housing  12 , as depicted by the arrows in  FIG. 4 . An exhaust grille  22  is optionally positioned over the front exhaust panel  18 . The exhaust grille  22  optionally includes a series of horizontally oriented louvers  23  defined along its height dimension. The louvers  23  are optionally adjustable in the upward and downward directions. Although not shown, a perforated mesh material or a wire material having small apertures sized for the passage of air may be positioned over the exhaust grille  22 . 
     Like that of intake grille  20 , the configuration of the intake grille  22  is selected to provide an ornamental appearance. For example, the optional convex and/or compound curvature of the intake grille  22 , the shape of the louvers or mesh provided on the intake grille  22  or the openings they provide, and the overall shape and size of the intake grille  22  illustrated in the FIGS. are selected for ornamentation and are optionally varied without compromising the performance of the evaporative cooler  10 . 
     As best illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a series of vertically oriented, tiltable louvers  19  are mounted to the interior side of the fixed louvers  23 . A louver oscillation bracket  29  interfaces with one or more of the tiltable louvers  19  for adjustably tilting the louvers  19  in a side-to-side direction. Tilting the louvers  19  adjusts the flow path of the exhaust air. The louvers  19  are optional components of the cooler  10  and may be eliminated. 
     The cooler housing  12  includes a rear intake panel  30  positioned along the rear surface of the cooler housing  12 . The rear intake panel  30  defines an inlet opening  60  positioned for the forward intake of ambient air into the interior of the cooler housing  12 , as depicted by the arrows in  FIG. 4 . A series of fixed louvers  36  are positioned on the rear intake panel  30 , at least partially obscuring the inlet opening  60 . 
     As best shown in  FIG. 4 , the louvers  36  are ornamentally angled with respect to a horizontal plane for aesthetic alignment with the angled top surface of the cooler housing  12 . As an alternative to louvers and although not shown, the rear intake panel  30  may incorporate an ornamental mesh or wire material having small apertures sized for the passage of air. The configuration of the optional louvers  36  illustrated in the FIGS. is selected to provide an ornamental appearance. For example, the grille formed by the louvers  36 , the shape of the louvers or mesh provided on the rear surface of the cooler housing  12 , and the overall shape and size of the intake grille formed by louvers  36  illustrated in the FIGS. are selected for ornamentation and are optionally varied without compromising the performance of the evaporative cooler  10 . 
     Two side panels  28  of the cooler housing  12  are positioned along the sides of the cooler  10  to define side surfaces of the cooler housing  12 . The side panels  28  are substantially closed to air flow to force the flow of air through the inlet openings  58  and  60  that are provided in the front and rear surfaces of the cooler housing  12 . Each side panel  28  optionally includes two ornamental crescent-shaped handles  32  formed on opposing sides thereof, and an ornamental rectangular handle  34  for gripping the top of the cooler  10  and tilting the cooler  12  rearwardly. The handles  32  and  34  are optionally in the form of ornamental depressions formed in the material of each side panel  28 . The cooler  10  may also include a handle (not shown) mounted to the top surface thereof. 
     The top panel  26  is positioned along the top of the cooler  10  to define a top surface of the cooler housing  12 . The top panel  26  may be transversely oriented with respect to a horizontal plane, as shown, for purposes of ornamentation. An intermediate panel  27  is positioned along the rear surface of the cooler housing  12  and coupled to both side panels  28 , the rear panel  30 , the top panel  26 , and the reservoir  14 . The rear intake panel  30  is fastened to the intermediate panel  27  by releasable mechanical fasteners (not shown) or by other fastening mechanisms. The intermediate panel  27  may optionally be integrated with the rear intake panel  30  or they may be two separate components, as shown. 
     An ornamental control mechanism or panel  24  configured for controlling the operation of the evaporative cooler  10  is optionally positioned along the front surface of the cooler housing  12 . The control panel  24  may be integrated with or mounted to the front exhaust panel  18 , as shown, or it may be integrated with or mounted to the front intake panel  16 , or, as another alternative, it may be an entirely separate component altogether. By way of non-limiting example, the control panel  24  may include one or more of the following provisions for controlling and/or observing the operation of the evaporative cooler  10 : exhaust air temperature selection knob, exhaust air velocity selection knob, a timer, a thermostat, a digital display, and/or an analog display. The control panel  24  may incorporate knobs, levers, buttons, or any other mechanisms for adjustably controlling the operation of the cooler  10 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that the control panel  24  may include a number of other provisions for either controlling or observing the operation of the evaporative cooler  10  without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. It should also be recognized that the ornamental configuration of the control panel  24  illustrated in the FIGS. is selected for aesthetic reasons and that the configuration of the control panel  24  can be changed without compromising the control of the cooler  10 . 
     The reservoir  14  includes a hollow interior portion for storing water. The hollow interior of the reservoir  14  may be sized to hold  1  to  15  gallons of water, for example, or any other volume of water. In use, the reservoir  14  is positioned on or adjacent a floor surface. A fitting  40  is coupled to a rear wall of the reservoir  14  to permit the cooler to be filled from a conventional water source, such as a garden hose, for example. The fitting  40  is an optional component of the cooler  10 , and may be omitted. 
     Although not shown, the reservoir  14  may be removably mounted to the cooler housing  12 . In this manner, the reservoir  14  may be at least partially removed, refilled with water, and reinstalled into the cooler housing  12 . Alternatively, an aperture, a removable door, or a moveable door may be provided in one or more of the panels of the cooler housing  12  to permit manual delivery of water into the reservoir  14 . 
     The cooler  10  optionally includes a pair of wheels or casters  42  for rolling the cooler along a surface. The casters  42  are optionally mounted to the side or underside of the reservoir  14  and positioned proximal to the rear surface of the cooler housing  12 . The cooler  10  optionally includes another pair of wheels or casters  44  mounted to the side or underside of the reservoir  14  and positioned proximal to the front surface of the cooler housing  12 . The casters  42  positioned near the rear surface of the cooler  10  may be larger than the casters  44  positioned near the front surface of the cooler  10 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . It should be understood that the casters  42  and  44  are optional components of the cooler  10 . The casters  42  and  44  may be particularly useful for transporting the cooler if the end-user is unable to lift the cooler  10 . 
     According to one exemplary method of assembling the cooler housing  12 , the lower portion of the front intake panel  16  is releasably mounted to the reservoir  14 . The front exhaust panel  18  is releasably mounted to the top portion of the front intake panel  16 . The top panel  26  is releasably mounted to the top portion of the front exhaust panel  18 . Both side panels  28  are releasably mounted to the top panel  26 , the front intake panel  16 , the front exhaust panel  18  and the reservoir  14 . The intermediate panel  27  is mounted to the top panel  26 , the reservoir  14  and the side panels  26 . The rear intake panel  30  is releasably mounted to the intermediate panel  27  and the reservoir  14 . Any of the foregoing components may be releasably mounted by fasteners, or any other means for fastening known in the art. By way of non-limiting example, means for fastening may include fasteners (e.g., screws, bolts, staples), adhesive, clips, clamps, welds, pins, posts, and so forth. Alignment tabs and/or slots for receiving the alignment tabs may be positioned on any of the foregoing components to facilitate assembly of the cooler housing  12 . 
     Ornamental features of the entire cooler housing  12  are illustrated in co-pending U.S. Design patent application Nos. 29/304,140, 29/304,141, 29/304,148, 29/304,150, 29/304,156, 29/304,157, and 29/304,158, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The individual components of the cooler housing  12  can have a wide variety of colors, color combinations, materials, ornamental shapes and configurations, including a variety of proportions, cross-sections, thicknesses, and curvatures. By way of non-limiting example, ornamentation is provided by the arc-shaped profile of the grilles  20  and  22 , the arc-shaped and cylindrical profile of the control panel  24 , the recessed crescent and rectangular handles  32  and  34 , and the optional metallic look and finish of portions of or the entire cooler  10 . 
     Referring now to the internal components of the evaporative cooler  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , components for accomplishing the evaporative cooling process are positioned within the interior of the cooler housing  12 .  FIG. 6  depicts a cross-sectional view of the cooler  10  of  FIG. 2  taken along the lines  6 - 6 . 
     The evaporative cooler  10  includes an air blower  50  for inducing the flow of ambient air through the inlet ports  58  and  60 , drawing air through the media pads  51  and  53  for heat exchange, and exhausting the cooled air through the outlet port  56  defined in the front exhaust panel  18 . As described previously, evaporative coolers operate by drawing hot or ambient, relatively dry air through water-soaked media. The hot or ambient air releases heat to evaporate water entrained in the water-soaked media thereby producing a stream of cooler, humidified air. The cooled air is then directed into an area to be cooled. 
     The air blower  50  defines two inlet ports  84  defined on opposing sides thereof for receiving air, and one outlet port  86  for exhausting air. As best shown in  FIG. 6 , an air channel  87  is defined within the interior of the air blower  50  for providing a passageway for the flow of air between the inlet ports  84  and the outlet port  86 . The air blower  50  further includes a motorized impeller  88 , or other means, for drawing air through the air channel  87 . Although not shown, a wire mesh (having ½″×½″ square apertures, for example) may be positioned over the outlet opening of the blower housing for safety purposes. Further details of the air blower  50  are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,346 to Kucera et al., which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     The outlet port  86  of the blower  50  is aligned with the outlet port  56  of the front exhaust panel  18 . Each inlet port  84  of the air blower  50  is positioned near a side panel  28  of the cooler housing  12 . A longitudinal axis “A” of the blower  50  is oriented substantially parallel to the front and rear panels  16  and  30 , respectively, of the cooler housing  12 , and the inlet ports  84  are positioned substantially perpendicular to longitudinal axis “A”. 
     It has been discovered that the orientation of the blower, the media pad(s), the inlet opening(s) and/or the outlet opening(s) of the cooler can together confer significant benefits in terms of cooler performance and space savings. For example, it has been discovered that a cooler having a reduced “footprint” can be provided according to this invention and that such a reduced footprint can result in significant floor space savings. By positioning the blower at an elevation that is at least partially if not completely above the media pad(s), by substantially preventing or reducing the inlet of air at the sides of the cooler, by moving the side walls inwardly toward the inlet(s) of the blower, and/or by orienting the axis of the blower to be parallel to the front surface of the cooler, a cooler having a smaller footprint can be provided without compromising its cooling performance. Also, by orienting the blower such that its axis is parallel to the faces of the air inlet(s) of the cooler housing and/or by positioning the blower inlet(s) at an elevation above the inlet(s) of the cooler housing or the media pad(s), air can be drawn into the blower with reduced entrainment of water droplets from the media pad(s) in the cooler housing. Such reduced entrainment helps to eliminate or reduce “spitting” of water droplets with cooled air. 
     Adequate space exists between each inlet port  84  and the adjacent side panel  28  to permit the passage of air into each inlet port  84  of the air blower  50 . Accordingly, air flows into cooler  10  through the rear surface of the cooler housing  12  and along the sides of the blower  50  generally along a first direction and then flows into the inlets  84  of the blower generally parallel to axis “A” and substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Similarly, air flows into cooler  10  through the front surface of the cooler housing  12  and along the sides of the blower  50  generally along a third direction substantially opposite to the first direction and then flows into the inlets  84  of the blower generally parallel to axis “A” and substantially perpendicular to the first and third directions. 
     A media pad housing  52 , which includes a media pad  51  contained therewithin, is releasably mounted to the interior side (not shown) of the front intake panel  16  by fasteners or other fastening means. For reference purposes, the term ‘interior side’ refers to the side of a panel that faces the interior of the cooler housing  12 . The media pad housing  52  is positioned adjacent the inlet opening  58  provided in the front intake panel  16  such that the intake of ambient air passes through the media pad  51  for heat exchange. The media pad  51  consumes nearly the entire width of the cooler housing  12 . 
     A second media pad housing  54 , which also includes a media pad  53  contained therewithin, is releasably mounted to the interior side of the intermediate panel  27  by fasteners or other fastening means. The media pad housing  54  is positioned adjacent the inlet opening  60  provided in the rear intake panel  30  such that the intake of ambient air passes through the media pad  53  for heat exchange. 
     As best shown in  FIG. 6 , each media pad housing  52  and  54  includes an inlet channel  57  for channeling water onto a top surface of a respective media pad  51  and  53 . The media pads  51  and  53  may be provided in the form of a sponge, layered expanded paper, layered corrugated paper (rigid media blocks), polyester (woven and/or non-woven), or aspen wood shavings, for example. 
     Although media pad housing  54  is positioned below the blower  50  (thereby permitting a reduction of the depth of the cooler  10  from its front surface to its rear surface), media pad  54  can optionally extend upwardly behind the blower  50 . In fact, it may be preferred according to exemplary embodiments of this invention to provide a media pad that extends to an elevation above the bottom of the blower in order to increase the size of the air inlet opening and/or to increase the surface area of the media through which ambient air is drawn. 
     The evaporative cooler  10  includes a water distribution system configured for continuously wetting the media pads  51  and  53  encapsulated within the media pad housings  52  and  54 , respectively. More particularly, the water distribution system generally includes a submersible water pump  62 , a manifold  64 , and a hollow conduit fluidly coupled between the water pump  62  and the manifold  64 . The water pump  62  is positioned on the floor of the reservoir  14 , i.e., beneath the surface of the water within the reservoir  14 . The water pump  62  is configured to deliver water from the reservoir  14  through an outlet port provided on the pump  62 . The outlet port of the water pump  62  is coupled to one end of a hollow conduit  63  for delivering water into the conduit  63 . Details of the water pump  62  are described in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 7,220,355 to Palmer et al., which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     The opposing end of the conduit  63  is coupled to an inlet port provided on a manifold  64 . The manifold  64  includes two hollow branch portions, each branch defining two nozzles  80  and  82  for distributing water onto a top surface of a media pad  51  and  53 , respectively. The nozzles  80  and  82  are positioned over the inlet channel  57  of the media pad housings  52  and  54 , respectively. Additionally, the nozzles  80  and  82  of the manifold  64  are positioned distal from the inlet ports  84  of the air blower  50  to limit or prevent expelled water from being drawn into the inlet ports  84  of the blower  50 . 
     A drip pan  64  and  65  is mounted to the underside of each media housing  52  and  54 , respectively, by a fastener or other fastening means. The drip pans  64  are provided for collecting excess water expelled from each media pad  51  and  53 . Each drip pan  64  includes an aperture  59  positioned for redirecting the collected water into the reservoir  14 . 
     An optional splash guard  66  is mounted to the reservoir  14  and positioned beneath the drip pan  65 . The splash guard  66  is positioned to limit or prevent water from exiting the reservoir  14  through the rear surface of the cooler housing  12  upon tilting the evaporative cooler  10 . 
     The cooler  10  optionally includes a float operated valve  39  comprising a valve fitting  40 , a float  43 , and a hollow rod  41  fluidly coupled between the valve fitting  40  and the float  43 . More particularly, the fitting  40  is coupled to a rear wall of the reservoir  14  for receiving water via a conventional water source, such as a garden hose, for example. The valve fitting  40  optionally includes a threaded region for receiving the threaded end of a garden hose adapter, for example. The valve fitting  40  is connected to the float  43  by the hollow rod  41  that is composed of a metallic or a plastic material, for example. 
     In use, water is selectively introduced into the interior of the reservoir  14  by the float operated valve  39 . More particularly, the float operated valve  39  is configured to selectively permit the automatic filling of the reservoir  14  by the conventional water source. Once the desired water level is reached within the reservoir  14 , the float operated valve  39  is configured to interrupt the flow of water into the reservoir  14 . As indicated by its name, the float  43  of the float operated valve  39  is configured to float on the surface of the water contained within the reservoir  14 . Further details of the float operated valve  39  are described in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 7,220,355 to Palmer et al. 
     As best shown in  FIG. 6  and according to one exemplary embodiment, the blower  50  is positioned at an elevation above the inlet openings  58  and  60  of the cooler housing  12 . The blower  50  is also positioned at an elevation above the media pads  51  and  53 , given that the media pads  51  and  53  are respectively positioned directly adjacent the inlet openings  58  and  60 . Positioning the blower  50  at an elevation above the media pads  51  and  53  provides for efficient utilization of the available interior space of the cooler housing  12 . Because the cooler  10  is transportable, it is beneficial to minimize the overall size of the cooler  10  for the purpose of convenience and portability. 
     More particularly, the reservoir  14 , the air blower  50  and the media pads  51  and  53  (and their respective housings  52  and  54 ) consume a large proportion of the interior space of the cooler housing  12 . The reservoir  14  is ideally positioned on the bottom end of the cooler housing  12  for the purpose of weight distribution, i.e., to limit or prevent the cooler  10  from inadvertently tipping over on its side. The media is pads  51  and  53  are ideally positioned above and adjacent the reservoir  14  to channel excess water into the reservoir  14  while avoiding inadvertently wetting other components of the cooler  10 . Thus, it follows that the air blower  50  is ideally positioned at an elevation above the media pads  51  and  53  to utilize the remaining interior space within the cooler housing  12  not consumed by the reservoir  14  and the media pads  51  and  53 . Nevertheless, alternative arrangements of the components within the interior of the cooler housing are contemplated as well. Such alternative arrangements may be selected for particular applications or for coolers having different housing shapes, housing sizes, inlet or outlet configurations, and/or other variations. 
       FIG. 7  depicts a perspective view of the frame member  70  of  FIG. 5 . The frame member  70  includes a base portion  72  coupled to the reservoir  14  and two elevated portions  74  extending upwardly from the base portion  72 . The base portion  72  of the frame member  70  includes six thru-holes  73  (four shown) that are positionable into alignment with six threaded holes provided on mounting bosses  76  (three shown) of the reservoir  14 . The mounting bosses  76  extend upwards from the bottom end of the reservoir  14 . To mount the frame member  70  to the reservoir  14 , a fastener (not shown) is positioned through each thru-hole  73  of the frame member  14  and threaded into a corresponding threaded hole of the mounting boss  76  of the reservoir  14 . It should be understood that other ways of mounting the frame member  70  to the reservoir  14  exist. 
     The frame member  70  includes four holes  81  positioned on each side of the elevated portion  74  for receiving four fasteners  83  positioned through or extending from each side panel  28 . It should be understood that other ways of releasably or permanently mounting the side panels  28  to the frame member  70  exist and are contemplated as well. 
     The air blower  50  is mounted to and supported by the elevated portion  74  of the frame member  70 . The elevated portion  74  of the frame member  70  includes six threaded holes  77  that are positionable into alignment with six corresponding thru-holes  78  (three shown) extending from mounting flanges  79  (one shown) positioned on opposing sides of the air blower  50 . To mount the air blower  50  to the frame member  70 , a fastener (not shown) is positioned through each hole  78  of the air blower  50  and threaded into a corresponding threaded hole  77  of the frame member  70 . It should be understood that other ways of permanently or releasably mounting the air blower  50  to the frame member  70  exist and are contemplated as well. 
     The frame member  70  is particularly useful for supporting the weight of the air blower  50  and individual panels of the cooler housing. The frame member  70  provides a direct structural path from the air blower  50  to the reservoir  14  that forms the base of the cooler housing  12 . Alternatively, the air blower could be mounted directly to one or more of the housing panels. Because the panels are typically not designed to support the heavy weight of an air blower, however, the panels could potentially deflect, bend or break under the weight of the air blower. Therefore, it is beneficial according to exemplary embodiments of the invention to provide an internal frame such as frame member  70 . Although not shown, the media pad housings  52  and  54  or the front and rear panels  16  and  30  may also be directly mounted to or supported by the frame member  70 . 
     Additionally, by mounting the air blower  50  to the frame member  70 , as opposed to a housing panel, a housing panel of the evaporative cooler  10  may be more easily removed and replaced with a different housing panel without removing or disassembling the air blower. This may be particularly advantageous if the housing panels are provided in kit form, such that a housing panel may be conveniently removed and replaced with another housing panel having a different color, material or pattern, without removing or disassembling the air blower. Such interchangeability of the panels facilitates panel replacement for repair of damaged panels or for updating colors and color combinations. Therefore, the “endoskeleton” structure provided by the internal frame member  70  of the illustrated embodiment of cooler  10  confers several advantages (e.g., the support of internal components such as the blower, the optional use of removable panels, etc.) as compared to an “exoskeleton” structure in which an external surface of the cooler is used to support internal components, although both configurations are contemplated. 
     The frame member  70  includes four cross members  85 ,  86 ,  87  and  88  extending between the opposing elevated portions  74 . The top cross member  85  is positioned at the top of the frame member  70  for supporting the weight of the air blower  50 . The mounting surface  89  of the top cross member  85  is rounded to accommodate the rounded underside portion of the air blower  50 . The rounded top surface  89  of the top cross member  85  includes a recessed portion  96  to accommodate a flange of the air blower  50  (see  FIG. 5 ). A central cross member  86  is mounted between the opposing elevated portions  74  to limit or prevent buckling of the elevated portions  74 . Two cross members  87  and  88  extend from the top end of one elevated portion  74  to the bottom end of the opposing elevated portion  74  in a criss-cross fashion. The cross members  87  and  88  limit or prevent torsion of the frame member  70 . 
     According to one aspect of the invention, the frame member  70  is an assembly composed of separate components including the opposing elevated portions  74 ; the four cross members  85 ,  86 ,  87  and  88 ; and the base portions  72 . Alternatively, the frame member  70  may be of unitary construction. The frame member  70 , or components thereof, may be formed from any metallic or plastic material sufficient to withstand the weight and stress applied by the blower  50 . 
     Referring now to the operation of the evaporative cooler  10  and according to one exemplary method of operating the evaporative cooler, ambient air is introduced into an interior region of the cooler housing  12  through an inlet opening  58  positioned on a front surface of the cooler housing  12  for the rearward intake of ambient air. The ambient air is delivered through media  51  positioned within the interior of the cooler housing  12  and adjacent the inlet opening  58  defined by the front surface such that the rearward intake of ambient air passes through the media  51  for heat exchange. 
     Ambient air is also introduced into the interior region of the cooler housing through an inlet opening  60  positioned on a rear surface of the cooler housing  12 . The ambient air is delivered through media  53  positioned within the interior of the cooler housing  12  and adjacent the inlet opening  60  defined by the rear surface such that the forward intake of ambient air passes through the media  53  for heat exchange. Providing separate inlet openings  58  and  60  on the front and rear surfaces of the cooler housing  12  is particularly beneficial to maximize heat transfer and to make efficient use of the available interior space within the cooler housing  12 . 
     The steps of introducing air comprise operating a blower  50  that is configured to draw air into the interior region of the cooler housing through the inlet openings  58  and  60  positioned on the cooler housing  12 . Cooled air is expelled from the interior region of the cooler housing  12  through the outlet opening  56  positioned on the front surface of the cooler housing  12  for the forward exhaust of cooled air. The step of expelling air comprises operating the blower  50 , which is configured to exhaust air from the interior region of the cooler housing  12  through the outlet opening  56  positioned on the front surface of the cooler housing  12 . 
       FIGS. 8-12  depict another exemplary embodiment of an evaporative cooler  110 . The evaporative cooler  110  of  FIGS. 8-12  is substantially similar to the evaporative cooler  10  of  FIGS. 1-7  with some notable exceptions, as described hereinafter.  FIGS. 8-10  depict perspective, front elevation and rear elevation views, respectively, of the evaporative cooler  110 .  FIG. 11  depicts a cross-sectional side view of the cooler  110  of  FIG. 9  taken along the lines  11 - 11 .  FIG. 12  depicts an exploded perspective view of the cooler  110 . 
     The evaporative cooler  110  generally includes a cooler housing  112  having front, top, rear and side panels together defining an interior region. A reservoir  114  configured to contain water is mounted beneath the cooler housing  112  to one or more of the panels of the cooler housing  112 . The reservoir  114  may also be considered to form part of the cooler housing  112 . 
     The cooler housing  112  generally includes a front panel  116  and a front exhaust panel  118  positioned along and defining the front surface of the cooler housing  112 . The front panel  116  and the front exhaust panel  118  may be two separate components, as shown, or, alternatively, may be provided as a single, unitary front panel. Unlike the front intake panel  16  of the cooler  10  shown in  FIG. 1 , the front panel  116  of the cooler housing  112  does not includes an inlet opening. The front panel  116  includes a transparent portion  192  to provide a window for observing the water level within the reservoir  114 , such that a user can determine when refilling of the reservoir  114  becomes necessary. 
     Although not shown, the transparent portion  192  (or the front panel  116 ) may include indicia for indicating the fill level of the reservoir  114 . Alternatively, or in combination with the indicia, a water level float  193  may be positioned within the reservoir  114  and moveably coupled to the front panel  116 , such that the float  193  is visible through the transparent portion  192 . In use, a user may more easily gauge the water level within the reservoir  114  by observing the position of the water level float  193  with respect to the indicia. 
     The front exhaust panel  118  is positioned at an elevation above the front panel  116 , and defines an outlet opening  156  (see  FIG. 12 ) positioned for the forward exhaust of cooled air from the interior of the cooler housing  112 , as depicted by the arrows in  FIG. 11 . An exhaust grille  122  is positioned over the front exhaust panel  118 . Additionally, the grille  122  may be integrated with the front exhaust panel  118 , or they may be separate components. The exhaust grille  122  optionally includes a series of fixed louvers  123  defined along its height dimension. The louvers  123  can also be manually adjustable upward or downward in unison to change the expelled direction of the air. The louvers  123  are oriented to exhaust the cooled air at an upward angle with respect to the floor surface. As an alternative to louvers and although not shown, the exhaust grille  122  may incorporate a perforated mesh material or a wire material having small apertures sized for the passage of air. The ornamental shape and appearance of the louvers or other grille components are selected to provide an aesthetic appearance to the cooler  110 . It will be appreciated that a wide variety of louver or grille configurations are optionally selected without compromising the performance of the cooler  110 . 
     A series of vertically oriented, tiltable louvers  119  are mounted to the interior side of the fixed louvers  123 . A louver oscillation bracket  129  interfaces with one or more of the tiltable louvers  119  for adjustably tilting the louvers  119  in a side-to-side direction. Tilting the louvers  119  adjusts the flowpath of the exhaust air. 
     The cooler housing  112  includes a rear intake panel  130  positioned along the rear surface of the cooler housing  112 . The rear intake panel  130  defines an inlet opening  160  positioned for the forward intake of ambient air into the interior of the cooler housing  112 , as depicted by the arrows in  FIG. 11 . The rear intake panel  130  optionally includes a series of fixed louvers  136  defined along its height dimension. As best shown in  FIG. 11 , the louvers  136  are optionally angled with respect to a horizontal plane and are substantially parallel to the sloped top of the cooler  110  for ornamentation. As an alternative to louvers, and although not shown, the rear intake panel  130  may incorporate a mesh or wire material having small apertures sized for the passage of air. 
     Two side panels  128  of the cooler housing  112  are positioned along the side surfaces of the cooler housing  112 . The side panels  128  are substantially closed to air flow to force the flow of air through the inlet opening  160 . As best shown in  FIG. 8 , one side panel  128  includes a removable door  190  for providing manual access to the interior of the reservoir  114 . In use, the door  190  is removed (or moved) for refilling the reservoir  114  with water. The removable door  190  may also be captively mounted to the side panel  128 . 
     According to one aspect of the invention, the door  190  is hingedly coupled to the side panel  128  and pivots about its lower edge or another edge. The door  190  hinges open from the top if hinged to pivot about its lower edge and is accessed by a user at the scalloped portion  132  of the side panel  128  just above the door  190  to allow the user to pour water into the reservoir  114 . 
     A top panel  126  is positioned along the top surface of the cooler housing  112 . The top panel  126  may be transversely oriented with respect to a horizontal plane, as shown, for purposes of ornamentation. An intermediate panel  127  is positioned along the rear surface of the cooler housing  112  and coupled to both side panels  128 , the rear panel  130 , the top panel  126 , and the reservoir  114 . The rear intake panel  130  is fastened to the intermediate panel  127  by fasteners (not shown). The intermediate panel  127  may be integrated with the rear intake panel  130  or they may be two separate components, as shown. 
     An ornamentally designed control panel  124 , similar in function to control panel  24  of  FIG. 1 , is configured for controlling the operation of the evaporative cooler  110  and is optionally positioned along the front surface of the cooler housing  112 . 
       FIGS. 11 and 12  depict the internal components of the evaporative cooler  110 . The internal components of the evaporative cooler  110  are similar to those of the cooler  10 , with a few notable exceptions. The evaporative cooler  110  includes an air blower  150  for inducing the flow of ambient air through the inlet port  160 , drawing air through a media pad  153  for heat exchange, and exhausting the cooled air through the outlet port  156  defined in the front exhaust panel  118 . Because the cooler  110  differs from cooler  10  in that it does not include an internal frame structure, the blower  150  is mounted to the front panels  116  and  118 . 
     The air blower  150  defines one inlet port  184  for receiving air, and one outlet port  186  for exhausting air. As best shown in  FIG. 11 , an air channel  187  is defined within the interior of the air blower  150  for providing a passageway for the flow of air between the inlet port  184  and the outlet port  186  of the blower  150 . Similar to the air blower  50  of  FIG. 6 , the air blower  150  includes a motorized impeller  188 , or other means, for drawing air through the air channel  187 . 
     The outlet port  186  of the blower  150  is aligned with the outlet port  156  of the front exhaust panel  118 . The inlet port  184  of the air blower  150  is positioned adjacent rear panel  130  and media pad  153 . Unlike blower  50 , blower  150  has an axis that is perpendicular to the front and rear surfaces of the cooler housing  112 . Accordingly, the inlet  184  of the blower is oriented toward the rear intake panel  130 . 
     The media pad housing  154 , which includes the media pad  153  contained therewithin, is releasably mounted to the interior side of the rear intake panel  130  by fasteners or other fastening means. The media pad housing  154  is positioned proximate to the inlet opening  160  provided in the rear intake panel  130 . The media pad  153  consumes nearly the entire width of the cooler housing  112 . The media pad housing  154  includes a “V”-shaped inlet channel  157  for channeling water onto a top surface of the media pad  153 . 
     Similar to the cooler  10  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the evaporative cooler  110  includes a water distribution system configured for continuously wetting the media pad  153 . More particularly, the water distribution system generally includes a submersible water pump  162 , a hollow conduit  163 , and two nozzles  180  disposed at the end of the conduit  163 . The water pump  162  is mounted to the floor of the reservoir  114 . The water pump  162  is configured to deliver water from the reservoir  14  and into the conduit  163 . The water is expelled onto the top surface of the media pad  153  through two nozzles  180  provided at the end of the conduit  163 . The nozzles  180  are sufficiently spaced from the inlet port  184  of the air blower  150  to limit or prevent expelled water from being drawn directly into the inlet port  184 . 
     An overflow reservoir  164  is mounted to the underside of the media housing  154  by a fastener or other fastening means. The overflow reservoir  164  is provided for collecting excess water expelled from the media pad  153 . The overflow reservoir  164  includes an aperture  159  positioned for distributing the excess water back into the reservoir  114 . 
     Like cooler  10 , cooler  110  includes wheels or casters that facilitate movement of the cooler  110 . Wheels positioned at the rear surface of the cooler housing  112  permit the tilting of the cooler  110  for movement across a surface. 
     Although this invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments and variations thereof, it will be appreciated that additional variations and modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of this invention. For example, the components of the cooler embodiments described herein can be formed from a wide variety of materials (e.g., metallic and non-metallic materials) and can be formed using a wide variety of forming techniques (e.g., stamping, molding, machining, etc.). Additionally, the ornamental appearance of the cooler embodiments illustrated herein can be changed or modified without compromising the performance and operation of the coolers.