Patent ID: 7181942

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: means for compressing a crimp connector about a body to form a crimp connection; transducer means, ultrasonically coupled to said compressing means, said transducer means comprising at least one transmitting means for transducing electrical signals into acoustic signals for transmission through the crimp connector and at least one receiving means for receiving the acoustic signals sent through the crimp connector and transducing the received acoustic waves into electrical signals; transmitter circuitry, electrically connected to said at least one transmitting means, for supplying electrical signals to said transducer; and receiver circuitry electrically connected to said at least one receiving mean, for processing the electrical signals generated by said at least one receiving means, wherein the processed electrical signals are indicative of the number of points of contact between said body and said crimp connector, said number of points of contact being indicative of the condition of said crimp correction being formed about said body.