EP0154755A1 - Key with a movable bit, cylinder and lock therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

The key (1) comprises a key body (3) provided with at least one translatable push button (p) suitable for moving in a housing provided in the key, the push button (p) being intended to cooperate with a positioning provided in the housing of a rotor, so as to protrude from its housing (18) and to push a movable rotor pin into a position allowing rotation of the barrel rotor relative to the stator. The key (1) comprises, at the head, a narrowed zone (B), and the housing (18) of the movable pusher (p) is provided in this narrowed zone.

Description

The invention relates to a key for a safety barrel, usable in particular for the operation of a lock or a bolt, a key of the kind of those in which the key body which is intended to penetrate inside a housing of the barrel rotor is provided with at least one translatable movable pusher capable of moving, in a movement of limited amplitude, in a housing provided in the key, the pusher being intended to cooperate with a positioning member provided in the rotor housing, so as to protrude from its housing and to push a movable rotor pin into a position allowing rotation of the barrel rotor relative to the stator.

The patent application FR-A-2 521 201 shows a key of this kind in which the housing of the movable pusher is practiced in the mean plane of the key body and opens onto at least one of the two longitudinal edges of the key body. A groove, necessary for the passage of the fixed rotor pin which projects inside the key housing, is provided on the longitudinal edges of the key body. This solution is interesting and gives satisfaction. However, it requires the presence of the grooves, mentioned above, for the passage of the fixed pin, which somewhat complicates the manufacture of the key, and limits the possibilities of using these edges. In addition, the movable pusher can project transversely, relative to the maximum transverse dimension of the key; this results in a risk of the mobile pusher catching on the walls limiting the housing of the rotor, when the key enters this housing; practically, it is necessary to provide a frustoconical surface, at this entry, this surface constituting in a way a ramp sliding the movable pusher in its housing in the case where this pusher exceeds the housing. Such a frustoconical surface, provided on the barrel, at the entrance of the key, takes place in the axial direction, and is also visible from the outside so that it can be deduced that the key intended to actuate the barrel is a key comprising a movable plunger, which constitutes a drawback.

European patent application EP-A-0029 498 shows a lock comprising a key provided with a movable plunger formed by a rolling member such as a ball, which is housed in the thickness of the key so that the diameter of this ball will necessarily be small. This results in difficulties in producing the housings and limit stops which must be dimensioned precisely. In addition, to allow the passage of the fixed rotor pin, which projects inside the key housing, it is necessary to provide a rectilinear groove which, in this case, will be made on one of the two large faces plates of the key body, groove in which the housing of the movable plunger will be practiced. This groove reduces the possibilities of setting up keyways between the rotor and the barrel stator.

The object of the invention is, above all, to provide a key of the kind defined above which better meets the various requirements of the practice than hitherto and which no longer has, or to a lesser degree, the drawbacks mentioned above. In particular, it is desired that the manufacture of the key be relatively simple, and that it is not necessary to provide a conical surface at the entrance to the housing of the key, due to the presence of a movable pusher on that key. It will be recalled that the presence of such a movable plunger considerably complicates the duplication of the key which is equipped with it, which constitutes greater security for the user of a key of this type.

According to the invention, a key for a safety barrel which can be used in particular for the operation of a lock or a bolt, of the type defined above, is characterized in that it comprises, at the head, a narrowed zone and that the mobile pusher is provided in this narrowed area.

Preferably, the transverse dimensions of this narrowed zone, and the arrangement of the movable pusher and its housing, are such that, when the pusher has extended as far as possible from its housing, said pusher does not protrude transversely with respect to the contour of the cross section of the rest of the key.

Thus, the risks of catching at the entry of the key into the barrel are reduced or eliminated so that it is not necessary to provide a conical surface at the entry of the key.

The key may have an elongated flat shape; in this case, the narrowed area of the key has the same thickness as the rest of the key, but is reduced in width, the axis of the housing of the movable pusher extending transversely relative to the longitudinal direction of the key, and being substantially parallel to the mean plane of the key body. Generally the mobile pusher housing opens at both ends, on the edges of the narrowed area.

According to a variant, the key can have a cylindrical shape; in this case, the narrowed area also has a cylindrical shape, the diameter of this narrowed area being less than that of the rest of the key; preferably, the cylindrical narrowed area is co-axial with the rest of the key. Advantageously, the housing of the movable member has its axis oriented along a diameter of the narrowed cylindrical zone.

The movable rotor pins, intended to establish a plurality of keyways, and capable of cooperating with recesses in the recesses provided on the key, are advantageously placed in housings oriented radially, the axes of which intersect the longitudinal axis of the rotor.

In the case of a cylindrical key, the key housing is a bore concentric with the rotor and there is practically no forbidden zone for the housing of the movable pins of the rotor which gives numerous possible combinations for the installation of the pin housings.

The invention also relates to a security barrel, intended in particular for a lock or a bolt, said barrel being arranged to be operated by a movable push key as defined above.

Such a safety barrel comprises a stator and a rotor, the rotor comprising, towards its end remote from the entrance to the housing of the rotor, a positioning member for moving the movable plunger of the key out of its housing, and a movable pin rotor on which the movable plunger can act, this movable rotor pin being adapted to cooperate with a stator pin elastically biased towards the rotor.

The invention also relates to a lock or a bolt fitted with a barrel, suitable for being operated by a key as defined above.

• La figure 1, de ces dessins, est une vue en plan, avec parties arrachées, d'une clé plate conforme à l'invention.
• La figure 2 est une coupe axiale, simplifiée, du barillet destiné à coopérer avec la clé de la figure 1.
• La figure 3 est une coupe, à plus grande échelle, suivant III-III figure 2, la clé étant introduite dans le barillet.
• La figure 4 est une coupe, semblable à la figure 3, mais selon IV-IV figure 2.
• La figure 5 est une vue en plan, avec parties arrachées, d'une clé de forme cylindrique ou clé ronde selon l'invention.
• La figure 6 est une coupe axiale, simplifiée, du barillet destiné à coopérer avec la clé de la figure 5.
• La figure 7 est une coupe, à plus grande échelle, suivant VII-VII figure 6, du barillet, la clé étant introduite dans ce barillet.
• La figure 8, enfin, est une coupe selon VIII-VIII figure 6, à plus grande échelle, du barillet dans lequel la clé a été introduite.

The invention consists, apart from the arrangements set out above, of certain other arrangements which will be more explicitly discussed below in connection with particular embodiments described with reference to the attached drawings, but which are in no way limiting. .

• Figure 1 of these drawings is a plan view, with parts broken away, of a flat key according to the invention.
• FIG. 2 is a simplified axial section of the barrel intended to cooperate with the key of FIG. 1.
• Figure 3 is a section, on a larger scale, along III-III Figure 2, the key being inserted into the barrel.
• Figure 4 is a section, similar to Figure 3, but according to IV-IV Figure 2.
• Figure 5 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of a cylindrical key or round key according to the invention.
• FIG. 6 is a simplified axial section of the barrel intended to cooperate with the key of FIG. 5.
• Figure 7 is a section, on a larger scale, along VII-VII Figure 6, of the barrel, the key being inserted into this barrel.
• Figure 8, finally, is a section along VIII-VIII Figure 6, on a larger scale, of the barrel in which the key has been inserted.

Referring to the drawings, in particular to FIG. 1, one can see a key designated by 1 as a whole which conventionally comprises an operating plate 2, intended to be taken in hand by a user, and a key body 3 whose general shape is flat. In other words, the cross section of the key body 3 is substantially rectangular, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3, this body having two large flat faces, 3a, 3b. Where appropriate, the small faces 3c, 3d (FIG. 1) ensuring the connection between the large faces can be slightly curved, in particular convex towards the outside, and be projecting as visible in FIG. 1.

The key 1 is intended to cooperate with a barrel 4 (Figures 2 to 4) usable, in particular, for a lock or a bolt (not shown). The barrel 4 comprises a stator casing 5, a cylindrical stator 6 with a cross section in the form of a circular crown and a rotor 7 in the form of a cylinder of revolution mounted in the cylindrical bore of the stator 6 with the possibility of rotation about the axis. common geometry 8. The rotor 7 has a housing 9 whose cross section is rectangular, as visible in FIG. 3 and is larger than that of the key body 3 so that the key body can penetrate inside this housing 9. This housing is formed by a longitudinal groove formed in the barrel 7 and opening through a peripheral opening 10 on the cylindrical outer surface of the barrel 7. The wall of the housing 9 opposite this opening 10 constitutes the bottom 11 housing.

Several keyways are provided between the rotor 7 and the stator 6 so as to form a combination which will only allow rotation of the rotor 7 when the appropriate key 1 has been introduced into the housing 9. These keyways are provided by movable pins of rotor such as 12 (Figure 3) associated with a movable pin of stator 13 corresponding. The movable rotor pin 12 is slidably mounted in a housing 14 formed in the rotor 7, this housing comprising two sections of different diameters delimiting between them an annular shoulder 15. The housing 14 opens, by its section of smaller diameter, at the inside the housing 9, and, by its section of larger diameter, on the cylindrical outer surface of the rotor 7. The pin 12 has two parts of different diameters, corresponding to those of the two sections of the housing 14, namely a part forming rod 12a and a part forming a head 12b. This head 12b is in abutment against the stator pin 13 formed by a kind of hollow cap, slidably mounted in a housing 16 of the stator and pushed elastically by a spring 17 against the head 12b. For a determined angular position of the rotor 7 relative to the stator 6, position shown in FIG. 3, the housings 14 and 16 have their axes aligned. Advantageously, the axes of the housings 14 as well as the axes of the housings 16 intersect the longitudinal axis 8 of the rotor 7.

When the key body 3 is not introduced into the housing 9, the head 12b of each movable rotor pin is pushed by the stator pin 13, against the shoulder 15. The depth of the large diameter section of the housing 14 is greater than the thickness of the head 12b so that the stator pin 13 enters the section of large diameter of the housing 14, the diameter of the housing 16 being the same as that of this section. As a result, any rotation of the barrel 7 relative to the stator 6 is prevented by the stator pin 13.

When the key body is inserted into the housing 9, the movable rotor pins 12 are pushed back, against the springs 17, and, if they do not cooperate with the recess c (fig. 1 and 3) specially designed for be associated with the pin 12 in question, the head 12b of said pin will protrude into the housing 16 of the stator and will prevent the relative rotation of the rotor 7 and the stator 6.

It is only when the key 1 occupies the appropriate position and that all the pins 12 cooperate with the associated recesses c (FIG. 1), that the bearing surface between the heads 12b and the stator pins 13 will be located on the cylindrical surface of the rotor 7; it will then be possible to rotate the rotor 7 relative to the stator 6 by acting on the plate 2. It should be noted that, as shown in FIG. 3, the movable rotor pins 12 can cooperate not only with recesses c provided on the large faces 3a, 3b, of the key 3, but also with recesses provided on the 3d edge of the key 1, even though the key body 3 is provided with a movable pusher p (FIGS. 1 and 4) translatable, or on the edges of the key.

This is possible because the key 1 comprises, at the head, that is to say towards its end furthest from the plate 2, a narrowed zone B and a housing 18 for the movable pusher p is provided in this zone B. This pest pest intended to cooperate with a positioning member D formed, in Figures 2 and 4, by a plate 19, embedded in a recess provided in the opening 10 of the housing 9, and projecting radially inwardly by a rib 20. The outer surface of the plate 19 follows the cylindrical surface of the rotor 7 so as not to hinder the rotation of the rotor relative to the stator. The plate 19 is fixed by any appropriate means to the rotor 7, in particular by force-fitting into the recess of this rotor. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the axial locking of the rotor 7 relative to the stator 6 is ensured, on the one hand, by a flange 21, provided at one end of the rotor and cooperating with the stator, and, on the other hand, by a split elastic ring 22, anchored in a groove provided on the external surface of the rotor 6 towards its end remote from the flange 21, this ring 22 cooperating with the other end of the stator 6.

As visible by comparing Figures 3 and 4, the narrowed area B of the key has the same thickness e (Figure 4) as the rest of the key (Figure 3) but the width 1 (Figure 4) of this narrowed area is reduced relative to the width L of the rest of the key. The axis of the housing 18 extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the key, and is substantially parallel to the mean plane of the key body 3. Preferably, the axis of the housing 18 is located in the mean plane of the body key, and is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the key. The housing 18 opens, at its two ends, on the edges of the narrowed zone B.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, the pusher _P may comprise a rod 23 comprising at each end a head 24, 25, of larger diameter; a cavity 26 can be made in one of the faces, for example the face 3b of the key body so that a projecting part is formed, in the housing 18, between the heads 24, 25 to limit the amplitude of the sliding of the pusher _Q and to prevent this pusher from escaping from its housing 18. Each head 24, 25 comprises a cylindrical part ending in a rounded, substantially hemispherical part.

The axial length h of the pusher p is preferably greater than the width 1 of the narrowed zone B by a value i which will be specified below. The length h is less than the width L of the key body; in addition, the shape of the pusher p as well as the shape of the imprint 26 and the dimensions of this imprint, which limits the sliding movements of the pusher p in the housing 18, are chosen so that when the pusher _Q is out maximum of its housing 18 it does not protrusion, transversely, relative to the contour of the cross section of the rest of the key. In other words, according to the representation of FIG. 1, the pusher p, when it has extended as far as possible from its housing 18, remains entirely comprised between the two straight lines 27, 28 resting on the contour of the cross section of the body of key 3.

Preferably, the positioning member D comes flush with the narrowed area B when the key is inserted into the rotor housing. When the head 24 (FIG. 4) of the pusher p is in abutment against the rib 20, the head 25 projects from the distance j out of the housing 18, on the opposite side, so as to push a movable rotor pin 29 into a position allowing the rotation of the barrel rotor 7 relative to the stator 6. The value of the distance i is chosen so as to be sufficient to ensure correct control of the movement of the pin 29. This pin is mounted to slide radially in a housing 30 provided in the rotor 7, diametrically opposite the plate 19. The pin 29 comprises, on the side of the head 25 of the pusher p a protuberance 29a adapted to cooperate with this head and, on the other side, a cylindrical cap 29b, suitable for cooperate with a stator pin 31, pushed by a spring 32. As in the case of the pins 12 described above, the height of the pin 29 is less than that of the housing 30 so that, when the pusher p does not act on the go Upille 29, the stator pin 31 protrudes into the housing 30 and prevents rotation of the rotor 7 relative to the stator 6.

It should be noted that instead of providing for a outcrop of the rib 20 with the associated edge of the zone B, one could provide for the entry of the rib 20 into the housing 18 by virtue of a fraction of longitudinal groove provided only at the level Zone B; in this case, the length h of the pusher p could be equal to or even less than the width 1 of the narrowed area.

Preferably, the key 1 is symmetrical with respect to to a longitudinal axis A (Figure 1) so that the key can be inserted into the rotor 3 either in the position shown in Figure 1, or in a position deduced from that of Figure 1 by rotation of 180 ° around axis A, that is to say that there will be no particular direction of insertion of the key into the barrel. One can also provide an asymmetry with a keying system requiring the entry of the key 1 in the rotor 7 in a predetermined position.

That said, the operation of a lock equipped with a barrel intended to be controlled by a key as described above is as follows.

When the key body 3 is removed from the housing 9 of the rotor 7, the latter is immobilized in rotation, about its axis, relative to the stator, because the stator pins 13, as explained above, partially protrude in the associated rotor pin housings. The interior ends of these rotor pins, preferably frustoconical, as visible in FIG. 3, protrude inside the housing 9.

The introduction of the key body 3 into the housing 9, in order to rotate the rotor 7 and actuate the lock, will cause the rotor pins 12 to retreat into their housing.

Shortly before the end of introduction of the key body 3 into the housing 9, end of introduction which is determined by the abutment of a shoulder such as g (FIG. 1) of the key against a corresponding shoulder k of the rotor , the movable pusher p will come into contact, through its end 24 or 25, with the rib 20 forming a ramp, of the plate 19 (Figures 2 and 4). The pusher p will then take the position shown in Figure 4 and its head 25 or 24 will protrude from the housing 18 by pushing the movable rotor pin 29 by a distance just sufficient for the bearing surface between the pin stator 31 and the rounded head of the rotor pin 29 is at the interface of the rotor 7 and of the stator 6. Simultaneously, for this position for the end of insertion of the key, all the other rotor pins 12 will cooperate with the associated fingerprints c of the key body 2 and will occupy positions such as those shown on the Figure 3. It will then be possible, by exerting a torque on the plate 2 of key to rotate the rotor 7 relative to the stator 6, and thus actuate the lock.

It should be noted that during the introduction of the key into the housing 9, owing to the fact that the pusher p does not protrude beyond the lines 27, 28 (FIG. 1), there is practically no risk of hooking of this pusher in the entry of the housing 9, entry which does not need to have a flared shape provided with surfaces serving as ramps.

Referring to Figures 5 to 8, we can see an alternative embodiment according to which the key 101 has a cylindrical shape, that is to say that the key body 103 is formed by a cylindrical rod of revolution. The elements of the key and the barrel of Figures 5 to 8 identical or playing roles similar to elements already described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 are designated by a numerical reference corresponding to the sum of the number 100 and the reference designating said element in Figures 1 to 4. The description of these elements will not be repeated or will be repeated only very succinctly.

The narrowed zone B of the round key 101 of FIG. 5 has a cylindrical shape of revolution coaxial with the rod body 103 and having a diameter less than that of this body 103. The housing 118 of the movable member preferably has its axis oriented along a diameter of the cylindrical narrowed zone B. As explained above, the pusher pa a limited displacement, out of its housing, so that it remains between the lines 127, 128 extending the two diametrically opposite generatrices of the body 103, located in the plane passing through the common axis A and the axis of the housing 118.

As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the key Logemrnt 109, provided in the rotor 107 is formed by a bore concentric with the rotor. There is therefore no opening, comparable to the opening 10 in FIG. 3, of the bore 109 in the interface between the rotor 107 and the stator 106. This results in the advantage, in the case of the round key compared to the flat key, that there is no prohibited area to have, angularly, a rotor pin. The cylindrical key body 103 does not have an edge also limiting the arrangement of the pins.

Therefore, with a cylindrical body key 103, the possibilities for the placement of the pins are increased, and therefore the possible variations of key combinations are therefore increased.

As shown in FIG. 6, the positioning member D, intended to cooperate with the movable pusher p is formed by a pin 119 mounted in a radial bore 33 provided in the wall of the rotor 107, and diametrically opposite to the movable pin of rotor 129. This bore 33 is provided towards the end of the rotor 107 remote from the inlet of the housing 109.

The movable pusher p is formed by a rod 123, provided with two heads 124, 125, quite similar to the rod 23 and to the heads 24, 25 of FIG. 4. The limitation of the transverse movement of the rod 123 is ensured by a pin 126, housed in a radial bore 34 (Figure 8) provided in the area B of smaller diameter. The axis of the bore 34 is orthogonal to the axis of the bore 118, and intersects this axis. The bore 34 opens at the surface of the area B. The pin 126 does not protrude from the outer surface of this area B.

Provided that the diameter of the narrowed area B is designated by 1 and the diameter of the body 103 by L, the explanations given above with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 relative to the dimensions h (length of the pusher p), i, L and 1 remain valid.

Under these conditions, the movable pusher p, even when it projects to the maximum, is flush with the cylindrical surface enveloping the body 103, and does not risk hooking the entrance to the housing of the rotor.

The key 101 comprises, at the junction of the body 103 and the plate 102, two diametrically opposite flats such as 35 intended to cooperate with two other flats such as 36 (Figure 6) provided at the entrance to the housing 109 of the rotor. This cooperation of the flats ensures the correct angular position of the key 101 relative to the rotor, which allows the total introduction of the key into the rotor, and the cooperation of the rotor pins 112 with the associated imprints c provided on the key body. 103.

The operation and operation of the barrel and the lock using the round key 101 are similar to those described above for the flat key 1.

It will be noted that the introduction of the round key 101 into the housing 109 can be carried out without adjusting the angle of introduction. The key body 103 is pressed in until the flats 35 arrive at the flats 36. It suffices then to give the key 101 the correct orientation so that the flats 35 can be introduced between the flats 36, which allows the key body 103 to be inserted into the housing 109.

The final phase of the insertion of the key body 103, in the appropriate angular position, causes the cooperation of the pin 119 and the movable pusher p (FIG. 8) which pushes the movable rotor pin 129. Simultaneously, the other movable pins of rotor cooperate with the associated imprints of the body 103. It is then possible to rotate the rotor to actuate the lock.

It should be noted that for the manufacture of a round key according to the invention and of the corresponding rotor, the same drilling material is used as that used for the flat key.

It follows from the foregoing explanations that the invention avoids the presence of a groove over the entire length of the key body, and increases the number of possible implantation areas of the rotor pins. The risks of catching the mobile pusher at the entrance to the rotor housing, being practically eliminated, it is not necessary to provide, at this entrance, a frustoconical or flared surface intended to serve as a ramp for the pusher.

The picking of a lock equipped with such a barrel according to the invention is made very difficult because of the numerous pins in all directions and of the mobile system at the end of the barrel.

The recesses c, or pointing, can be provided in a multitude of positions both in the longitudinal and angular directions, and with varying depths.

Claims (12)

1. Key for safety barrel, usable in particular for the operation of a lock or bolt, and in which the key body which is intended to penetrate inside a housing of the barrel rotor is provided with '' at least one translatable movable pusher capable of moving, in a movement of limited amplitude, in a housing provided in the key, the pusher being intended to cooperate with a positioning member provided in the housing of the rotor, so as to make protruding from its housing, and pushing a movable rotor pin into a position allowing the rotation of the barrel rotor relative to the stator characterized in that it comprises, at the head, a narrowed zone (B) and that the housing (18, 118) of the movable pusher (p) is provided in this narrowed area (B). 2. Key according to claim 1 characterized in that the transverse dimensions of the narrowed area (B) and the arrangement of the movable pusher (p) and its housing (18, 118) are such that, when the pusher (p ) has come out of its housing as much as possible, said pusher (p) does not protrude transversely relative to the contour of the cross section of the remainder (3, 103) of the key. 3. Key according to claim 1 or 2, having an elongated flat shape, characterized in that the narrowed zone (B) of the key has the same thickness (e) as the rest (3) of the key, but is reduced in width (1), the axis of the housing (18) of the movable pusher (p) extending transversely relative to the longitudinal direction of the key, and being substantially parallel to the mean plane of the key body, this housing (18) generally opening at both ends on the edges of the narrowed area (B). 4. Key according to claim 1 or 2, of cylindrical shape, characterized in that the narrowed area (B) also has a cylindrical shape, the diameter of this narrowed area being less than that of the rest of the key (103), the narrowed cylindrical zone (B) preferably being co-axial with the rest (103) of the key. 5. Key according to claim 4 characterized in that the housing (118) of the movable member has its axis oriented along a diameter of the cylindrical narrowed area (B). 6. The key as claimed in claim 4 or 5, in which the movable plunger is formed by a rod provided with two heads, characterized in that the limitation of the transverse movement of the rod (123) is ensured by a pin (126), housed in a radial bore (34) provided in the area (B) of smaller diameter. 7- Key according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the axial length (h) of the movable plunger (p) is greater than the width (1) of the narrowed area (B) by a value (i) , this length (h) being less than the width (L) of the key body (3, 103). 8. Safety barrel comprising a stator and a rotor, the rotor comprising a housing intended to receive a key, this barrel being arranged to be operated by a movable push key according to any one of the preceding claims, said barrel comprising a member positioning device for moving the movable key plunger out of its housing, and a movable rotor pin on which the movable plunger can act, characterized in that said positioning member (D) is located towards the end of the housing ( 9, 109) of rotor distant from the entry of this housing. 9. Barrel according to claim 8 characterized in that the positioning member (D) comes flush with the narrowed area (B) of the key, when the latter is introduced into the housing (9, 109) of the rotor. 10. Barrel according to claim 9 characterized in that the positioning member (D) is formed by a plate (19) embedded in a recess provided in the opening (10) of the housing (9) of the rotor, in the case of a flat key (1), or by a pin (119) mounted in a radial bore (33) provided in the wall of the rotor (107) in the case of a cylindrical key (101). 11. Barrel according to any one of claims 8 to 10 characterized in that the movable pins (12, 112) of the rotor are placed in housings (14, 114) oriented radially, the axes of which intersect the longitudinal axis of the rotor. 12. Lock or bolt fitted with such a barrel according to any one of claims 8 to 11, suitable for being operated by a key according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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