Patent ID: 7296785

Claim:
An evaporative cooler comprising: a housing having an upper surface and at least one vertical wall defining a chamber within the housing, the upper surface including at least one opening in communication with the chamber; at least one drain slit assembly configured to distribute a fluid; at least one screen defining at least a portion of the at least one substantially vertical wall, the at least one screen having an interior surface and an exterior surface relative to the chamber, the at least one screen being disposed relative to the at least one drain slit assembly such that the at least one drain slit assembly distributes the fluid over the screen, the at least one screen being configured such that the fluid forms a surface fluid layer over the interior and exterior surfaces of the screen such that at least a portion of the fluid layer is flowing on an outside surface of the substantially vertical wall and external to the evaporative cooler and configured to provide an aesthetic view of the fluid external to the cooler; and an air conveyor disposed within the housing between an inlet and the vertical wall and configured to draw air through the opening and into the chamber without passing through the fluid layer such that the air is then conveyed through the screen and the fluid layer directly to ambient air external to the cooler.