Abstract: Three printed boards are stored in a case, and a relay connector for connecting the three printed boards is mounted on the second printed board at the middle position. The relay connector is provided with a first terminal storing part, which is long in a vertical direction, and a short second terminal storing part. The relay connector connects a terminal pin of the first printed board at an upper position with a terminal pin of the third printed board at a lower position, via a long first relay terminal stored in the first terminal storing part, while connecting a terminal pin of the first printed board and/or the terminal pin of the third printed board with a conductor of the second printed board, via a short second relay terminal stored in the second terminal storing part.

Abstract: Three printed boards are stored in a case, and a relay connector for connecting the three printed boards is mounted on the second printed board at the middle position. The relay connector is provided with a first terminal storing part, which is long in a vertical direction, and a short second terminal storing part. The relay connector connects a terminal pin of the first printed board at an upper position with a terminal pin of the third printed board at a lower position, via a long first relay terminal stored in the first terminal storing part, while connecting a terminal pin of the first printed board and/or the terminal pin of the third printed board with a conductor of the second printed board, via a short second relay terminal stored in the second terminal storing part.

Abstract: In a case, a branch circuit unit, a multifunction relay unit and a relay unit are stored, being subsequently arranged in parallel. The branch circuit unit is composed of a laminated body of a bus bar and an insulating board, and a first printed board provided with a conductor on the both front and rear planes. The multifunction relay unit is provided with a second printed board whereupon an electric component is mounted, and a relay connector which connects the conductors of the first to the third printed boards. An external connecting terminal is protruded from the conductor of the second printed board and is protruded into a connector fitting part provided on the case. The relay unit is mounted with a plurality of relays on the third printed board.

Abstract: An electrical junction box includes at least three printed boards that constitute an internal circuit. Conductors on the printed boards can be easily connected to one another through a relay connector. The printed boards are contained in a casing assembly so that they are spaced away from one another. A shorter relay connector is mounted on the second printed board disposed at an intermediate position. A longer relay connector is mounted on the third printed board. The longer relay connector projects toward the first printed board through a groove provided in a peripheral edge of the second printed board. Terminals conducted to conductors on the first and third printed boards are connected to each other through a longer relay terminal in the longer relay connector. A terminal conducted to a conductor on either first or third printed board is connected to a shorter relay terminal conducted to the conductor on the second printed board.

Abstract: Printed boards are arranged vertically such that the outer circumferential part of an upper printed board projects outward beyond the outer circumferential part of a lower printed board, and the projected outer circumferential part is contained in a printed board holding case while being arranged on the horizontal step part thereof. The press fit electric contact part at the second vertical part of a press fit terminal is brought into press fit contact with a conductor terminal hole at the circumferential edge of the lower printed board. On the other hand, the first vertical part is extended along the vertical outer surface of the printed board holding case and a press fit electric contact part is brought into press fit contact with a conductor terminal hole at the circumferential edge of the upper printed board.

Abstract: An electrical junction box includes at least three printed boards that constitute an internal circuit. Conductors on the printed boards can be easily connected to one another through a relay connector. The printed boards are contained in a casing assembly so that they are spaced away from one another. A shorter relay connector is mounted on the second printed board disposed at an intermediate position. A longer relay connector is mounted on the third printed board. The longer relay connector projects toward the first printed board through a groove provided in a peripheral edge of the second printed board. Terminals conducted to conductors on the first and third printed boards are connected to each other through a longer relay terminal in the longer relay connector. A terminal conducted to a conductor on either first or third printed board is connected to a shorter relay terminal conducted to the conductor on the second printed board.

Abstract: A terminal through-hole in which a given clearance exists between an inner surface of a terminal through-hole in an insulation plate and a whole peripheral surface of a terminal. The terminal through-hole includes protrusions for correction of alignment. The terminal includes bulged portions that engage the protrusions in the terminal through-hole when an end of the terminal is inserted into a terminal hole in a printed board. Before soldering the end of the terminal to a conductor on the printed board, the insulation plate is moved toward the other end of the terminal and the bulged portions of the terminal no longer engage the protrusions in the terminal through-hole. By thus releasing correction of alignment of the terminal after insertion, the possibility of cracks in the soldered part is reduced.

Abstract: In printed boards arranged in a vertical relationship, outer peripheral portions of an upper printed board are projected outward from outer peripheral portions of a lower printed board. Conductive bodies with terminal holes are arranged side by side on the upper and the lower printed boards along peripheral edges of the boards. Press-fit terminals are arranged in row arrangement along the outer peripheral portions of the printed boards. Each of the press-fit terminals is pressed from below into terminal holes of the two upper and lower printed boards with a long first vertical portion outside and a short second vertical portion inside.

Abstract: In printed boards arranged in a vertical relationship, outer peripheral portions of an upper printed board are projected outward from outer peripheral portions of a lower printed board. Conductive bodies with terminal holes are arranged side by side on the upper and the lower printed boards along peripheral edges of the boards. Press-fit terminals are arranged in row arrangement along the outer peripheral portions of the printed boards. Each of the press-fit terminals is pressed from below into terminal holes of the two upper and lower printed boards with a long first vertical portion outside and a short second vertical portion inside.

Abstract: Printed boards are arranged vertically such that the outer circumferential part of an upper printed board projects outward beyond the outer circumferential part of a lower printed board, and the projected outer circumferential part is contained in a printed board holding case while being arranged on the horizontal step part thereof. The press fit electric contact part at the second vertical part of a press fit terminal is brought into press fit contact with a conductor terminal hole at the circumferential edge of the lower printed board. On the other hand, the first vertical part is extended along the vertical outer surface of the printed board holding case and a press fit electric contact part is brought into press fit contact with a conductor terminal hole at the circumferential edge of the upper printed board.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical connector housing having a first casing, a second casing and a sidewall, and including a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board superposed with a given space. The first printed circuit board includes at least a first conductor and the second printed circuit board includes at least a second conductor. The electrical connector housing further includes a connector-receiving portion projecting from the sidewall and placed at a position between the first and second printed circuit boards. The first conductor on the first printed circuit board is connected to a first terminal device, while the second conductor on the second printed circuit board is connected to a second terminal device, and the first and second terminal devices protrude at the connector-receiving portion, so that they are adapted to connect to a terminal of an outside connector to be inserted into the connector-receiving portion.

Abstract: An engine control system has a self-diagnosis function of an exhaust system. The self-diagnosis function includes a first mode for detecting a failure or abnormality of the exhaust system as a whole, and a second mode for determining and locating a specific failed component in the exhaust system. The first mode is executed during the engine is operated under a normal condition. Therefore it is possible to detect the failure of the exhaust system without lowering a drive performance or increasing emissions. In case of detecting any failure in the first mode, the second mode is activated in response to a command signal that can be entered via a service tool. In the second mode, the engine is operated in order to determine the failed component. In the second mode, determining the failed component takes priority over keeping the drive performance or reducing emissions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a terminal piece for making connections between a first conductor element and a second conductor element superposed with a given distance. The terminal piece is formed by stamping out a substantially U-shaped piece from a conductive metal sheet and includes a first leg portion with a first contact section, a shoulder portion and a second leg portion with a second contact section, the first leg portion being longer than the second leg portion. The first conductor element includes a terminal path hole and a terminal-fixing hole. The first leg portion is passed through the terminal path hole and the first contact section is connected to the second conductor element by a first fixing device, and the second contact section is connected to the first conductor element by a second fixing device.

Abstract: An emission control system has a catalyst and a sensor responding to a component of exhaust gas. In order to speed warming up the catalyst, the emission control system increases the amount of heat dissipated by exhaust gas. A diagnosis of the emission control system is carried out by determining whether the amount of heat dissipated by exhaust gas is sufficient or insufficient. The amount of heat dissipated by exhaust gas is represented by the length of time to an activated state of the sensor. In the diagnosis, the amount of heat generated by a heater provided in the sensor is taken into consideration.

Abstract: An electrical connection box allows an electrical component mounted in a mounting housing in a rear row to be removed easily from a front side thereof. A plurality of mounting housings are arranged in rows in a central part of a mounting surface of an upper case, with a first plurality of mounting housings provided in a front row and a second plurality of mounting housings provided in a rear row. The mounting housings in the front row are arranged in a lateral direction, with a predetermined interval provided between the adjacent mounting housings. Thus a gap is formed between the adjacent mounting housings arranged in the front row. Through the gap, the tip of a jig may be inserted between the mounting housings in the rear row.

Abstract: The invention relates to a terminal piece for making connections between a first conductor element and a second conductor element superposed with a given distance. The terminal piece is formed by stamping out a substantially U-shaped piece from a conductive metal sheet and includes a first leg portion with a first contact section, a shoulder portion and a second leg portion with a second contact section, the first leg portion being longer than the second leg portion. The first conductor element includes a terminal path hole and a terminal-fixing hole. The first leg portion is passed through the terminal path hole and the first contact section is connected to the second conductor element by a first fixing device, and the second contact section is connected to the first conductor element by a second fixing device.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical connector housing having a first casing, a second casing and a sidewall, and including a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board superposed with a given space. The first printed circuit board includes at least a first conductor and the second printed circuit board includes at least a second conductor. The electrical connector housing further includes a connector-receiving portion projecting from the sidewall and placed at a position between the first and second printed circuit boards. The first conductor on the first printed circuit board is connected to a first terminal device, while the second conductor on the second printed circuit board is connected to a second terminal device, and the first and second terminal devices protrude at the connector-receiving portion, so that they are adapted to connect to a terminal of an outside connector to be inserted into the connector-receiving portion.

Abstract: An electrical connector housing includes a first shell mountable on a second shell. The first shell is provided with connector mounts to be fit with connectors, fuse mounts to be fit with fuses and relay mounts to be fit with relays. The electrical connector housing contains a busbar stack which includes a connector circuitry module containing connector-connecting circuits, a fuse circuitry module containing fuse-connecting circuits, and a relay circuitry module containing relay-connecting circuits. In this manner, only the busbars contained in the fuse-connecting circuits and those contained in the relay-connecting circuits can be formed of a copper alloy which is harder than pure copper. As a result, the busbar terminals of the fuse-and relay-connecting circuits can be connected directly to the fuse and the relays, respectively. The electrical connector housing thus configured has a simple structure, and can be constructed without increasing costs.

Abstract: A malfunction of a thermostat in a coolant circulating path is detected from an engine side coolant temperature in consideration of the following behavior of the coolant temperature. When an open-malfunction occurs, the coolant temperature becomes different considerably from that in the normal time in the temperature range in which the thermostat is to be normally closed. When a closure-malfunction occurs, the coolant temperature becomes different considerably from that during the normal time in the temperature range in which the thermostat is to be normally opened. Alternatively, the malfunction may be detected from a difference between the engine side coolant temperature and a radiator side coolant temperature.

Abstract: A malfunction of a thermostat in a coolant circulating path is detected from an engine side coolant temperature in consideration of the following behavior of the coolant temperature. When an open-malfunction occurs, the coolant temperature becomes different considerably from that in the normal time in the temperature range in which the thermostat is to be normally closed. When a closure-malfunction occurs, the coolant temperature becomes different considerably from that during the normal time in the temperature range in which the thermostat is to be normally opened. Alternatively, the malfunction may be detected from a difference between the engine side coolant temperature and a radiator side coolant temperature.