US Patent 8,082,806

Systems and methods for passively determining when a threshold force has been exceeded. An example apparatus includes a housing and a substrate that is attached at one end to an interior portion of the housing. The substrate includes at least one conductive trace, each having two ends. The substrate is configured to fail when the threshold force has been experienced. The metal trace ends are electrically accessible from an exterior side of the housing. Prior to delivery, the housing is connected to a package that includes one or more force sensitive devices. Upon arrival of the package, the at least one conductive trace is electrically tested to determined if the substrate has failed. If the substrate has failed the package has experienced a force greater than the threshold force.

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