Floor Pan for Evaporative Cooler Structures

Abstract

In one embodiment, a floor pan assembly for use with an evaporative cooler structure includes a base that has a first height and includes a plurality of preformed first members that are located at select locations around a bottom edge of the base. The assembly also has at least one shim member that intimately engages one of the preformed first members to locally increase the height of the base relative to a ground surface. An upper floor pan is disposed above the base and includes a floor and side walls that define an interior space for collecting fluid, the upper floor pan including at least one drain port.

1 . A floor pan assembly for use with an evaporative cooler structure comprising:
 a base that has a first height and includes a plurality of preformed first members that are located at select locations at or proximate a bottom edge of the base;   at least one shim member that intimately engages one of the preformed first members to locally and adjustably increase the height of the base relative to a ground surface; and   an upper floor pan that is disposed above the base and includes a floor and side walls that define an interior space for collecting fluid, the upper floor pan including at least one drain port.   
   
   
       2 . The floor pan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the upper floor pan is separate from the base and rests on a top surface of the base. 
   
   
       3 . The floor pan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each preformed member includes an opening that includes a first fastening means for securely interlocking the shim member to the first member. 
   
   
       4 . The floor pan assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the first fastening means comprises a plurality of teeth that are formed within the opening and the shim member includes a second fastening means that complements and interlockingly engages the first fastening means resulting in the shim member being securely attached to the base. 
   
   
       5 . The floor pan assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the second fastening means comprises at least one flexible flange that is formed along a shaft of the shim member that intimately contacts and interlocks with the teeth located within the opening such that further advancement of the shaft within the opening results in the flange interlocking with a deeper tooth, thereby reducing the added height of the base due to the shim member. 
   
   
       6 . The floor pan assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the shim member engages and locks into one of a plurality of positions that translate into reducing or expanding the height of the shim member. 
   
   
       7 . The floor pan assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the shim member snap-lockingly engages the first member of the base. 
   
   
       8 . The floor pan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the upper floor pan includes a number of raised protrusions that extend upwardly from the floor and define fluid flow channels that communicate with the at least one drain port. 
   
   
       9 . The floor pan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the base and upper pan are formed as an integral unitary structure. 
   
   
       10 . The floor pan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first height is greater than a height of the floor pan. 
   
   
       11 . The floor pan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the floor of the upper floor pan includes a trough that is constructed to channel water to the at least one drain port. 
   
   
       12 . A floor pan for use with an evaportative cooler structure comprising:
 a body having a floor and a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the floor to define an interior space, the body having at least one primary drain port located along one side wall and a secondary drain port formed through the floor and including an open conduit member that extends at one end above the floor and at another end below the floor such that the primary drain port is part of a flow path that has a lower flow threshold compared to a flow path that is associated with the secondary drain port where fluid only flows into if the fluid level exceeds the height of the drain port; and   a device for detecting the presence of a fluid, the device being in fluid communication with the secondary drain port.   
   
   
       13 . The floor pan of  claim 10 , wherein the height of the raised protrusions is greater than a height of the open conduit member which has a height less than a height of the side walls of the upper pan. 
   
   
       14 . The floor pan of  claim 10 , wherein the conduit member comprises a tube. 
   
   
       15 . The floor pan of  claim 10 , further comprising: a lower base that includes an opening that receives the other end of the open conduit member to permit an underside of the floor to seat against a top surface of the lower base. 
   
   
       16 . The floor pan of  claim 10 , wherein the device comprises a flow switch that is in communication with a controller of the evaporative cooler structure. 
   
   
       17 . A base for supporting a floor pan associated with an evaporative cooler structure comprising:
 a body having a top wall and side walls extending downwardly therefrom, the top wall includes a drain port spaced from the side walls, the drain port being in fluid communication with a conduit that is configured for attachment to a device that senses the presence of a fluid at a location offset from the floor pan, the top wall being configured to support the floor pan.   
   
   
       18 . The base of  claim 17 , wherein the floor pan includes a hollow drain conduit member being open at a top end thereof at a location above the top wall and at a lower end thereof at a location below the top wall and between the side walls, the lower end mating with the drain port to fluidly connect an interior space of the floor pan that collects the fluid to the device.