Patent ID: 7762133

Claim:
An inertial measurement unit, comprising: a mounting plate with an upper surface, a lower surface, and an opening therethrough; a sensor assembly disposed in the opening of the mounting plate; an upper support shell having a shell flange attached to the upper surface of the mounting plate, the upper support shell surrounding an upper portion of the sensor assembly and having a plurality of apertures; a lower support shell having a shell flange attached to the lower surface of the mounting plate, the lower support shell surrounding a lower portion of the sensor assembly and having a plurality of apertures; 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 pressurized gas; an upper gas plenum having a plenum flange attached to the shell flange of the upper support shell, the upper gas plenum surrounding the upper support shell; a first pressure relief valve coupled to the plenum flange of the upper gas plenum; a lower gas plenum having a plenum flange attached to the shell flange of the lower support shell, the lower gas plenum surrounding the lower support shell; and a second pressure relief valve coupled to the plenum flange of the lower gas plenum; wherein the gas bearing pads and the sensor assembly are separated by a gap when pressurized gas is fed into the upper and lower gas plenums, thereby creating a gas bearing that allows the sensor assembly to be freely suspended and rotated in all directions.