The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 27, 2010
Filed:
Jul. 17, 2007
Charles D. Chappell, Treasure Island, FL (US);
David A. Bowen, Seminole, FL (US);
Charles D. Chappell, Treasure Island, FL (US);
David A. Bowen, Seminole, FL (US);
Honeywell International Inc., Morristown, NJ (US);
Abstract
An inertial measurement unit comprises a mounting plate with an opening therethrough, and a sensor assembly disposed in the opening of the mounting plate. Upper and lower support shells having shell flanges are attached to upper and lower surfaces of the mounting plate. The upper and lower support shells surround the sensor assembly. A plurality of gas bearing pads each extends through apertures in the upper and lower support shells. Upper and lower gas plenums have plenum flanges attached to the shell flanges of the upper and lower support shells, with the upper and lower gas plenums surrounding the upper and lower support shells. Pressure relief valves are coupled to the plenum flanges of the upper and lower gas plenums. 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.