Patent ID: 7963831

Claim:
An acoustically improved cooling system for an energy storage system including a battery and a carpeted vehicle compartment comprising: a carpet portion sufficiently spaced from a floor panel of a vehicle to at least partially define a cavity; an air inlet opening integrally formed in said carpet portion, wherein air from said compartment may be drawn into said cavity through said air inlet opening; a frame in contact with said carpet portion and mounted above said floor panel of said compartment for supporting said carpet portion; wherein the frame includes a planar surface, first side wall, second side wall and third side wall; wherein said air from said compartment enters into said cavity through respective openings in each of said planar surface, said first side wall, said second side wall and said third side wall; a fan for circulating air from said cavity into heat exchange relationship with said battery for cooling said battery, wherein the fan and the battery are located below the floor panel of the vehicle; and a vent opening integrally formed in the floor panel of the vehicle, the vent opening connecting said cavity and said fan in air flow communication said frame further comprising a front wall and a curved portion extending forward from said front wall, the curved portion being substantially above the vent opening.