Patent ID: 7425097

Claim:
An inertial measurement unit, comprising: an outer case assembly comprising: an upper gas plenum and a lower gas plenum; an upper support shell surrounded by the upper gas plenum, the upper support shell having a plurality of apertures; and a lower support shell surrounded by the lower gas plenum, the lower support shell having a plurality of apertures; a sensor assembly comprising a sensor shell having an outer surface, the sensor assembly surrounded by the upper and lower support shells; a plurality of gas bearing pads extending through the apertures in the upper and lower support shells, the plurality of gas bearing pads configured to receive a first pressurized gas from the upper and lower gas plenums and inject the first pressurized gas into a gap that separates the gas bearing pads and the sensor shell, thereby producing a first gas bearing that allows the sensor assembly to be freely suspended and rotated in all directions; at least one wireless power transfer transformer comprising: a power transmitting core mounted to the outer case assembly; and a power receiving core mounted in an opening of the sensor shell, the power receiving core configured to be aligned with the power transmitting core for a wireless power transfer; wherein the power transmitting core is configured to inject a second pressurized gas into a gap between the power transmitting core and the power receiving core to produce a second gas bearing that maintains a predetermined separation distance between the power transmitting core and the power receiving core during the wireless power transfer.