System and method for providing a simple and reliable inertia measurement unit (imu)

Abstract

An inertia measure unit (IMU) includes a housing assembly, a weight block assembly, a circuit board, and a signal line. The housing assembly includes a cavity and a first opening in communication with the cavity. The weight block assembly is arranged in the cavity of the housing assembly. The weight block assembly includes a weight block forming an inner chamber and a second opening in communication with the inner chamber. An opening direction of the second opening is opposite to an opening direction of the first opening. The circuit board is disposed in the inner chamber. The signal line is coupled to an edge of the circuit board and sequentially extends out from the second opening and the first opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inertia measure unit (IMU) comprising:
 a housing assembly including a cavity and a first opening in communication with the cavity;   a weight block assembly arranged in the cavity of the housing assembly, the weight block assembly including:
 a weight block forming an inner chamber; and 
 a second opening in communication with the inner chamber, an opening direction of the second opening being opposite to an opening direction of the first opening; 
   a circuit board disposed in the inner chamber; and   a signal line coupled to an edge of the circuit board and sequentially extending out from the second opening and the first opening.   
     
     
         2 . The IMU of  claim 1 , wherein the signal line extends out of the second opening along a first direction and bends over an outer surface of the weight block along a second direction opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         3 . The IMU of  claim 1 , wherein the signal line is stabilized on an outer surface of the weight block to avoid unwanted shift or disturbance. 
     
     
         4 . The IMU of  claim 1 , wherein the circuit board includes one or more sensors that are sensitive to vibration. 
     
     
         5 . The IMU of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is an inertia sensor that includes at least one of one or more velocity measurement instruments, one or more acceleration measurement instruments, one or more gyroscopes, or one or more gravity gradiometers. 
     
     
         6 . The IMU of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a thermal interface material configured to fill in a gap in the inner chamber, wherein the thermal interface material is configured to conduct heat away from at least one of the circuit board or the signal line, and to prevent the at least one of the circuit board or the signal line from moving inside the inner chamber.   
     
     
         7 . The IMU of  claim 6 , wherein the thermal interface material includes at least one of silica gel, thermal gel, epoxy, a phase change material, polyimide, graphite, an aluminum tape, or a silicone-coated fabric. 
     
     
         8 . The IMU of  claim 1 , wherein the weight block assembly is stabilized in the cavity of the housing assembly by at least one of a foam layer or an adhesive layer to reduce vibration of the weight block assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The IMU of  claim 1 , wherein the housing assembly includes a first housing member and a second housing member that are locked together to jointly forming the cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The IMU of  claim 9 , wherein:
 a first surface of the weight block assembly abuts against a first inner surface of the cavity via an adhesive layer; and   a second surface of the weight block assembly abuts against a second inner surface of the cavity via a foam layer.   
     
     
         11 . The IMU of  claim 1 , wherein the weight block includes a first weight block and a second weight block jointly forming the inner chamber. 
     
     
         12 . An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
 a body; and   an inertia measurement unit (IMU) disposed at the body and configured to determine a spatial disposition for the UAV, the IMU including:
 a housing assembly including a cavity and a first opening in communication with the cavity; 
 a weight block assembly arranged in the cavity of the housing assembly, the weight block assembly including:
 a weight block forming an inner chamber; and 
 a second opening in communication with the inner chamber, an opening direction of the second opening being opposite to an opening direction of the first opening; 
 
 a circuit board disposed in the inner chamber; and 
 a signal line coupled to an edge of the circuit board and sequentially extending out from the second opening and the first opening. 
   
     
     
         13 . The UAV of  claim 12 , wherein the signal line extends out of the second opening along a first direction and bends over an outer surface of the weight block along a second direction opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         14 . The UAV of  claim 12 , wherein the signal line is stabilized on an outer surface of the weight block to avoid unwanted shift or disturbance. 
     
     
         15 . The UAV of  claim 12 , wherein the circuit board includes one or more sensors that are sensitive to vibration. 
     
     
         16 . The UAV of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is an inertia sensor that includes at least one of one or more velocity measurement instruments, one or more acceleration measurement instruments, one or more gyroscopes, or one or more gravity gradiometers. 
     
     
         17 . The UAV of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a thermal interface material configured to fill in a gap in the inner chamber, wherein the thermal interface material is configured to conduct heat away from at least one of the circuit board or the signal line, and to prevent the at least one of the circuit board or the signal line from moving inside the inner chamber.   
     
     
         18 . The UAV of  claim 12 , wherein the weight block assembly is stabilized in the cavity of the housing assembly by at least one of a foam layer or an adhesive layer to reduce vibration of the weight block assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The UAV of  claim 12 , wherein the weight block assembly has a mass that keeps an inherent frequency of the IMU away from an operation frequency of the UAV. 
     
     
         20 . The UAV of  claim 19 , wherein the mass keeps the inherent frequency of the IMU outside a range from 50 Hz to 200 Hz.