FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10; Rule 13)
TITLE
“FULLY CLOSABLE AIR OUTLET FOR AIR COOLER”
APPLICANT
Symphony Limited,
Symphony House, FP 12, TP 50,
Off. S.G. Highway, Bodakdev,
Ahmedabad - 380 054,
Gujarat, India.
The following specification describes the invention
FULLY CLOSABLE AIR OUTLET FOR AIR COOLER
FIELD OF INVENTION:
The present invention generally relates to an evaporative air cooler, characterized in at least one fully closable air outlet(s), wherein said fully closable air outlet(s)can be guided multi-directionally through the movement of horizontal and vertical louvers. The invention further relates to an evaporative air cooler whereinsaid air outlet(s) can get automatically closed while switching Off the cooler and similarly wherein said air outlet(s) can also get automatically opened while switching ON the cooler.
Background of the invention:
The principles of evaporative air cooling have been exploited for several decades by people of many countries to obtain relief from uncomfortably warm environments. Air coolers are more effective in dry, hot and tropical locations. Present day air coolers typically comprise of a body, a water tank, fibre pads of different possible materials, air moving device (axial or centrifugal or cross flow fans) and water circulation system. A motorized air moving device mounted within the body of the air cooler — with fibre pads mounted on at least one of the sides of the air cooler — blows the cool air from the air outlet, usually at front or top of the air cooler. The loosely woven fibres of the fibre pads are preferably made of hay or cellulose. In case when fibre pads are made of hay, hay wool is filled in the cotton net of the fibre pad and in the case when fibre pads are made of cellulose, the fibre pad consist of paper and special adhesive with multiple layer of corrugated paper arranged in honeycomb manner. The fibres of the pads are kept wetted using a water distribution system.
Air outlet is often guided by louvers placed in vertical or horizontal orientation, or both. Often, either horizontal or vertical guides (called louvers) are motorized. These louvers help to guide the air delivery to different directions as required by the user from time to time.
PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRIOR ART:
Conventionally, air outlet grills of the evaporative air coolers are always kept open, in order to allow for air to be delivered from the air cooler. Such an air outlet has to be kept open during air delivery. One can’t place any air filter at the air outlet, since the air velocities are usually very high and any filter would block the air delivery and substantially reduce the air pressure and will substantially affect the efficiency of the air cooler. As a result, the air outlets are kept open in all the evaporative air coolers of the prior art.
When the air cooler is not in use, dust and/or insects can easily enter the air cooler from such outlet grills. Ingress of dust and other particles into the air cooler lead to unpleasant smell issues over a period of time.
Further, the insides of the air cooler (tank, pad) are often wet for some time after the air cooler is switched off. Hence, ingress of microbial particles and insects into the air cooler lead to further breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Many household users cover the air cooler using a cloth or suitable cover while not in use. This is cumbersome and also often does not properly close the air outlet grill.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:
Prime object of the present invention is to propose an evaporative air cooler with at least one fully closable air outlet, preferably automatically closable air outlet,when air delivery is stopped by switching Off the air cooler.
Another object of the present invention is to propose an arrangement where such an air outlet is automatically closed when the air cooler is switched OFF/not in use and, wherein such air outlet can be automatically opened when the air cooler is switched ON again.
Further another object of the invention is to propose optional provision that either horizontal louvers or vertical louvers of the evaporative air cooler are fully closable; wherein such fully closable horizontal or vertical louvers are programmed to close automatically when the fan (axial or centrifugal or cross-flow fan) is switched OFF.
Further another object of the invention is to propose that such fully closable horizontal or vertical louvers are programmed to open automatically when the fan (axial or centrifugal or cross-flow fan) is switched ON.
Further another object of the invention is to propose such fully closable louvers, operated using mechanism which can allow oscillation/swing of the louvers and at the same time which can precisely control the angular position of such louvers, mainly the closing position.
Further another object of the invention is to propose such an evaporative air cooler which prevents entry of dust and/or insects/mosquitoes inside its body and microbial breeding therein, specifically due to automatic On/Off provisions of fully closable air outlet(s).
Another object of the invention is to propose such an evaporative air cooler which substantially eliminates/alleviates the disadvantages in the prior known air coolers as mentioned hereinabove.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention relates to an improved evaporative air cooler construction having a cooler body (front and side panels, top panel and bottom panel), a cooler pad assembly (adjacent to at least one of the side panels), a motorized air moving device (axial or centrifugal or cross-flow fan), a water circulation system and a water storage tank. The air delivery in the present invention cooler is guided by a set of horizontal and vertical louvers (air guides). Both horizontal as well as vertical louvers can oscillate. Further, either horizontal louvers or vertical louvers are fully closable.
Such fully closable horizontal or vertical louvers are programmed to close automatically when the fan(axial or centrifugal or cross-flow fan) is switched OFF. Further, such fully closable horizontal or vertical louvers are programmed to open automatically when the fan (axial or centrifugal or cross-flow fan) is switched ON.
Such fully closable louvers are operated using mechanism which can allow oscillation/swing of the louvers and at the same time which can precisely control the angular position of such louvers, mainly the closing position.
With this arrangement, we can achieve an evaporative air cooler with much improved aesthetics and which deliver dust free, healthy and smell free air at all the times.
The air cooler of the present invention is designed to be used for the convenient cooling of any room or similarly enclosed or open space such as house, office, shop, warehouse, manufacturing location, process industry, assembly hall, restaurant etc.
This invention mainly offers the following advantages:
1) Fully closable air outlet grills, when cooler is not in use
2) Automatic closing of the air outlet grills when fan (axial or centrifugal or cross-flow fan), is switched OFF
3) Automatic opening of the air outlet grills when the fan (axial or centrifugal or cross-flow fan), is switched ON
4) No ingress of dust, mosquitoes etc. when cooler is not in use
5) Dust free, smell free and healthy air delivery at all times
6) Improved aesthetics.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein numerals are used to denote major structural components of the proposed evaporative air cooler and the mechanism of its novel fully closable air outlet. However, it is made clear that the description and the drawings only illustrate the invention and in no way limit the same.
FIG. 1 is a schematic complete view of the proposed evaporative air cooler in its assembled form,
FIG. 2 is an exploded schematic view of the proposed evaporative air cooler illustrating the main components thereof,
In one most preferred embodiment, an evaporative aircooler 10 comprises an evaporative cooler body 11 which itself comprises front panel 12, back panel 13, control panel 14, base tank 17 and optional electronic PCB 18. Adjacent the front panel 12, a louver box assembly 28 is located, comprising a horizontal louver 15, vertical
louver 29, optional louver box 16, horizontal movement link 19, optional motor 20 and optional drive mechanism pinion 21; wherein components of said louver box assembly 28 is so arranged to provide closed type horizontal movement. Along the back panel 13, pad assembly 22 and outer grill 23, are assembled in known manner as shown in FIG. 2.
The preferred embodiment as illustrated in drawings 1 and 2 comprises the arrangement of louver box assembly 28 and its controlling mechanism in such a manner that it’s horizontal louvers 15 corresponds to the proposed ‘fully closable function of the louvers (air outlets)’. Similar arrangement can optionally be done in case of closable vertical louvers too.
The figures show the position of the air inlet at back and the position of the air outlet at front only as one reference. Typically, the air cooler could have one or many air inlets as well as one or many air outlets.
Further these figures show optional louver box 16, horizontal louver 15, swing mechanism and an optional motor 20.One possible swing/oscillation mechanism is shown here only as a reference and as described below. It may be noted that variety of optional swing/oscillating mechanisms would be possible in the air cooler of the present invention.
Referring to the figures for understanding the swing mechanism, a pip 25 embedded in the inside of the hole in the optional louver box 16, that is, each louver 15 rotated about the pip 25. This optional swing mechanism includes horizontal movement link 19, pinion 21, horizontal movement link 19 flexed on the horizontal lover 15. The horizontal movement link 19 on the creation of a horizontal louver 15 locking pip 26 corresponding to the jack of each horizontal louver 15 locking pip 26 is movably inserted into the socket 24.When two louvers, getting hinged with the horizontal movement link 19, it is noted that the locking pip 26 can set the louver 15 in the left side, but also it can set up in the right hand side and it does not affect its function. The horizontal movement link 19 is provided with horizontal movement link grooves 27, formed on the side wall. Horizontal movement link 19 and pinion 21 are attached to the inside of the optional louver box 16.Said pinion 21 is fixed on the optional motor
shaft. The optional motor 20 is shown mounted on the optional lover box 16 which itself is mounted on the front panel 12.
By starting the optional motor 20, the shaft of motor 20 rotates, thereby driving the rotating pinion 21 and consequently, during the rotation it comes into contact with horizontal movement link groove 27,thus promoting the horizontal movement link 19 swings up & down. As horizontal lover 15 and horizontal movement link 19 are hinged together, bobbing up and down even when the horizontal movement link 19 drives horizontal louver 15 to get rotated about the pip 25. The horizontal louver 15 gets completely closed at 0 degree. The distance between locking pip 26 should ensure that the motor 20 can be driven even when the horizontal movement link 19 drives the horizontal louver 15 to get rotated upto maximum angle, not greater than the extent required for oscillation.
As described above, when the cooler is not working the optional motor 20 rotates the drive mechanism 21 around the hinge, thereby rotating the horizontal lover 15 until said horizontal lover 15 gets closed.
A brief consideration of the above embodiment will indicate that the invention is extremely simple. The invention provides an evaporative aircooler the efficiency of which is much higher than that of prior art units.
In addition to the above mentioned embodiments, it is to be understood that various modifications and alterations with regard to the types of the materials used, their method of joining together, and the attachments, and, the shape of the air cooler, the structure of the air cooler, the shapes / dimensions / orientations of the components as describes, the absence of certain optional components as described, and/or function may be made to the disclosed embodiments by one skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined by the claims. Accordingly, the above disclosure is not to be considered as limiting and the appended claims are to be interpreted as encompassing the entire spirit and scope of the invention.
N. Mahabir,
IN/PA-430 Patent Agent of Applicant
WE CLAIM
1) An evaporative air cooler 10 with fully closable air outlet; wherein said evaporative air cooler 10 comprises:
• an evaporativecooler body 11 which itself comprises front panel 12, back panel 13, pad assembly 22 and outer grill 23, control panel 14, optional electronic PCB 18, water storage base tank 17, an evaporative cooling media, a pump to circulate water from said water storage chamber to the said evaporative cooling media, means to blow out air from within the said cooler body 11;and
• a louver box assembly 28 locatedaround front panel 12, comprising a horizontal louver (or air outlet) 15, vertical louver (or air outlet) 29, optional louver box 16, horizontal movement link 19, optional motor 20 with its shaft, an optional drive mechanism pinion 21; wherein components of said louver box assembly 28 are so arranged to provide closed type horizontal or vertical movement to horizontal louver (or air outlet) 15, vertical louver (or air outlet) 29 respectively;

and wherein said evaporative air cooler 10 is characterized in automatically closable air outlet 15 or 29, when air delivery is stopped by switching Off the said air cooler10 and vice-versa.
2. An evaporative air cooler with fully closable air outlet, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preferred embodiment of said fully closable air outletis either fully closable horizontal louver (or air outlet) 15 or fully closable vertical louver (or air outlet) 29; wherein further said fully closable air outlet is characterized in an arrangement where such an air outlet is automatically closed when the air cooler is switched OFF/not in use and, wherein such air outlet can be automatically opened when the air cooler is switched ON again.
3. An evaporative air cooler with fully closable air outlet, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fully closable louvers, either 15 or 29, operates using mechanism which can allow oscillation/swing of the louvers and at the same time which can precisely control the angular position of such louvers, mainly the closing position.
4. An evaporative air cooler with fully closable air outlet, as claimed in claim 1, wherein either horizontal louvers 15 or vertical louvers 29 can be brought to a complete close position
5. An evaporative air cooler with fully closable air outlet, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the louvers (either horizontal louvers 15 or vertical louvers 29) can be automatically closed when fan motor is switched OFF.
6. An evaporative air cooler with fully closable air outlet, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the louvers (either horizontal louvers 15 or vertical louvers 29) can be automatically opened when the fan motor is switched ON.
7. An evaporative air cooler with fully closable air outlet, as claimed in claim 1, wherein such oscillations of either horizontal louvers 15 or vertical louvers 29 or both the louvers15 and 29 can be attained optionally through an electric motor and associated drive mechanism; and preferably when the cooler 10 is not working, the optional motor 20 rotates the drive mechanism 21 around the hinge, thereby rotating the louver 15 (or optionally louver 29) until said louver 15 (or 29) gets closed.
8. An evaporative air cooler with fully closable air outlet, as claimed in claim 1, wherein such complete close position of the horizontal louvers 15 or the complete position of vertical louvers 29 can be optionally attained through a specialized motor and associated drive mechanism.
9. The swing mechanism for one preferred embodiment of the fully closable horizontal air outlet 15 in an evaporative air cooler 10, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said swing mechanism includes horizontal louver 15 hinged with horizontal movement link 19(provided withhorizontal movement link grooves 27), a drive mechanism pinion 21 and the motor 20 with its shaft; wherein the horizontal movement link 19 on the creation of a horizontal louver 15 locking pip 26 corresponding to the jack of each horizontal louver 15 locking pip 26 is movably inserted into the socket 24 and consequently the locking pip 26 guides the louver 15 in the left side andin another tern in the right side.
10. The swing mechanism for one preferred embodiment of the fully closable horizontal air outlet 15, as claimed in 8, wherein by starting the optional motor
20, the shaft of motor 20 rotates, thereby driving the rotating pinion 21 and consequently, during the rotation it comes into contact with horizontal movement link groove 27, promoting the horizontal movement link 19 which drives horizontal louver 15 to get rotated about the pip 25 to getcompletely closed at 0 degree.