Circuitry for measuring mechanical stress impressed on a printed circuit board

Abstract

A circuit for measuring mechanical stress impressed on a printed circuit board includes a number of electrically conductive pads formed on at least one outer surface of the printed circuit board, and a resistive material applied in a pattern to the printed circuit board and defining a resistor between first and second ones of the number of electrically conductive pads. The resistive material exhibits an electrical resistance that varies as the resistive material is deformed so that the resistor exhibits an electrical resistance value that varies as a function of mechanical stress impressed on the printed circuit board sufficient to deform the resistive material defining the resistor. Any number of such resistors may be formed on or within the printed circuit board, and any such resistor may form part of an external resistor bridge network configured to monitor changes in its resistance value.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.