Patent ID: 7248142

Claim:
A deflectable resistor comprising: a substrate formed of a deflectable electrical insulating material having a top surface, a first end, a second end, a width and a length between said first end and said second end, said substrate being bendable in at least a first direction; a first layer of conductive material having a first end proximate said first end of said substrate, a second end proximate said second end of said substrate, a width and a length between said first end and said second end, said first layer of conductive material disposed on said top surface of said substrate, said first layer of conductive material having a resistance, measured between said first end and said second end of said first layer of conductive material, that changes predictably when bent, said change of resistance of said first layer of conductive material reflects the amount of deflection in said first direction; a second layer of conductive material formed of an electrically conductive material disposed on said substrate, said second layer of conductive material being electrically connected to said second end of said first layer of conductive material; a first layer of dielectric material disposed on said top surface of said substrate and over said first layer of conductive material and said second layer of conductive material, said first layer of dielectric material configured for providing an electrical insulating barrier between said first layer of conductive material and a conductive material disposed on said first layer of dielectric material; and a third layer of layer of conductive material formed of an electrically conductive material disposed on said layer of dielectric material, said third layer of conductive material being electrically connected to said first end of said first layer of conductive material.