EP0561299B1 - Method and device for closing bottles - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to seal bottles, a filled bottle is pulled off a filling valve of a filling device and then a crown cork is placed on it in a sealing device and pressed down around its circumference. In order to permit the airtight sealing of the bottle in a simple fashion and as quickly as possible, the filled bottle is immediately sealed by positioning the crown corks held ready in the sealing device and a sealing tool designed to press down around the circumference of the crown cork, in a positioning phase, between the bottle mouth and the filling valve, after which the crown cork is placed on the bottle mouth without head pressure and the sealing phase is begun. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for carrying out the method for closing bottles, in which a filled bottle is drawn off from a filling valve of a filler and sealed in a capper by fitting and flanging a crown cap.

Such a method and a device for carrying out the method are known from DE-A-40 18 121. Accordingly, a plurality of bottles are filled in a rotary filler and crown corks are flanged at their crown edge by a closing cone in a downstream capper. During the flanging, the crown caps are pressed onto the bottle mouth by a hold-down device with an additional force of approximately 80 kp (head pressure). Between the capper and the rotary filler, a pre-capper is arranged, which is still in the rotary filler, i. H. after removing the bottle from the filling valve, it engages in the space formed between the bottle mouth and the filling valve and a crown cap is placed on the bottle mouth. The crown cork is then pressed onto the bottle mouth with a force of approximately 20 kp and the crown cork is attached to the bottle by deforming the edge of the crown in places.

A disadvantage of the known method is that between the pre-closure and the final closure of the bottles they have to be transported from the rotary filler to the capper. Although the pre-closure of the crown cork largely prevents foam or liquid from escaping from the filler to the capper during this transfer time, degassing of the filled liquid or penetration of air cannot always be prevented. This deteriorates the shelf life or the quality of the filled product.

Another disadvantage is that a relatively high head pressure is generated in the capper, which leads to an unfavorable deformation of the Sealing material in the crown cap can result. A damaged or even destroyed sealing material in turn leads to inadequate closure of the bottle, as a result of which liquid degassing or air entry is possible. The arrangement of the capper has certain advantages due to the quick pre-closure of the bottles, but the construction is more complex and expensive due to the additional component. Accordingly, maintenance is becoming more extensive and complex.

The invention is therefore based on the object of improving a method for closing bottles of the type mentioned at the outset with a view to simplifying and tightly closing the bottles in a shorter time.

This object is achieved in a method with the features of the preamble of claim 1 in that for the immediate closure of the filled bottle, the crown cork held ready in the capper and a closing tool designed for flanging the crown cork are inserted in a positioning phase between the bottle mouth and the filling valve and then the crown cork is placed on the bottle mouth without head pressure and the closure phase is initiated.

As soon as the bottle in the filler is completely filled and pulled off the filling valve, the holding element and the closing tool can be inserted into the space formed between the bottle mouth and the filling valve. While the bottle is still in the filler, the crown cap held by the holding element can be placed on the bottle mouth. There is no additional application of force for pressing the crown cork onto the bottle mouth, so that the crown cork lies practically without head pressure on the bottle mouth. Immediately after the positioning phase, the edge of the crown is flanged by the closing tool and sealed to the bottle. Even with a high bottle throughput, the bottles are completely closed shortly after they leave the filler and can for further processing, e.g. B. for labeling.

Due to the fact that the bottles are closed without a head pressure, a lower overall height of the capper is possible due to the lack of force application devices and also prevents disadvantageous deformation of the sealing material in the crown cap. Because the bottles are no longer pre-closed, the construction of the system for filling and closing bottles is simplified and is more cost-effective. At the same time, the bottles are completely closed in a considerably shorter time and with a significantly lower pressure load on the bottles.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the closing tool for flanging the crown cork is lowered in the direction of the bottle mouth and then raised to release the closed bottle. The capping tool is movably mounted on the capper for height adjustment between the holding element and the bottle mouth. The simple up and down movement enables the crown cap to be deformed quickly and precisely.

In this context, it is also advantageous if the closing tool flanges an edge of the crown cap through a closing cone. The closure cone is positioned when the crown cap holding element and the closure tool are inserted into the space formed between the bottle mouth and the filling valve directly above the bottle mouth. When the closing tool moves up and down, the closing cone with its conical surfaces flaps the edge of the crown and can be easily removed from the bottle mouth after the crown cap has been deformed. The bottle is then completely closed and can be removed.

An assignment of the bottle filled in the filler and the ready-made crown cork or sealing tool is advantageously provided in that the capper is designed as a rotary capper is, the filler and capper are partially overlapping. In this case, the filler is designed as a so-called rotary filler. Filler and capper overlap in a peripheral area, with crown caps and capping tools being positioned above the bottle mouth in this area.

In order to enable the closing tool to move up and down in a simple manner, it is lowered and raised by means of a cam roller guided in a guide curve. The cam roller is rotatably mounted on the capping tool and is guided in the guide cam that is stationary with the capper.

In order to transfer the bottles between the filler and the capper in a simple manner, the bottles in the filler stand on a lifting plate and are gripped by the capper by means of a holding arm on the bottle neck. The holding arm has an essentially U-shaped receiving opening facing the bottle, into which the bottle is inserted in the area of overlap between the filler and the capper. When the closing tool is lowered or raised, the corresponding counterforce for stable positioning of the bottle can be applied by the holding arm, since the counterforce is reduced because the closure takes place without head pressure.

In one embodiment of the invention, the bottle is removed from the lifting plate by the holding arm after the positioning phase. In this case, the deformation phase is carried out by the interaction of the holding arm and the closing tool, without plates supporting the bottom of the bottle.

In the embodiment of the invention, the holding element can be arranged fixed above the closing cone, while in another embodiment the holding element is movably mounted in the closing cone and, after positioning the crown cap on the bottle mouth, is pushed out of the closing cone so that it can act as an ejector .

If the holding element is also intended to serve as an ejector, it is positioned immediately above the crown cap when the closing tool is lifted and remains in this position until the closing tool or the closing cone of the closing tool has added the bottle mouth or the crown cap. To achieve this, it is advantageous if the holding element acting as an ejector is controlled in height independently of the closing tool. With this method variant, at least the following method steps are carried out:
Lowering the closing tool,
Lowering the holding element from a starting position to just above or up to the non-head contact on the crown cap,
Lifting the closing tool after flanging while holding the holding element in the position assumed in the lowering step of the holding element until the crown cap is out of contact with the closing cone of the closing tool and lifting the holding element and the closing tool into the starting position.

When the holding element is positioned in the lowered position, it is not necessary for the holding element to come into direct contact with the crown cap, rather it is sufficient if it is positioned directly above the crown cap. The possible height shift between the holding element and the closing tool is chosen at least so large that the holding element can safely press the crown cork or the bottle mouth closed with the crown cork out of the closing cone of the closing tool.

The height adjustment of the holding element is advantageously carried out as well as the height adjustment of the closing tool by means of a cam roller guided in a guide curve.

In one embodiment of the invention, a holding arm can be assigned to a closing tool. In another embodiment, the capper can have a base plate which has receptacles associated with a capping tool along its circumference. The bottles with their bottlenecks can be inserted into them. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a cover plate is arranged opposite the base plate, which closes the capper at the top. Both the base plate and the cover plate have essentially the same diameter.

Further advantageous design options of the invention emerge from the subclaims.

The solutions proposed according to the invention and advantageous exemplary embodiments thereof are further explained and described below with reference to the figures shown in the drawing.

Fig. 1

eine Draufsicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Verschließers mit einem zugeordneten Füller,

Fig. 2

einen Schnitt entlang der Linie A-B aus Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

eine vergrößerte Darstellung eines Verschließwerkzeuges, und

Fig. 4

eine weitere Ausführungsform eines Halteelementes,

Fig. 5

eine weitere Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Verschließvorrichtung, und

Fig. 6

eine Skizze zur Erläuterung der mit dem Ausführungsbeispiel der Fig. 5 möglichen Verfahrensführung.

Show it:

Fig. 1

2 shows a top view of a capper according to the invention with an associated filler,

Fig. 2

2 shows a section along the line AB from FIG. 1,

Fig. 3

an enlarged view of a closing tool, and

Fig. 4

another embodiment of a holding element,

Fig. 5

a further embodiment of a closing device according to the invention, and

Fig. 6

a sketch to explain the possible procedure with the embodiment of FIG. 5.

In Fig. 1, the reference numeral 1 denotes a filler, which is designed as a rotary filler in the present embodiment. A large number of lifting and lowering lifting plates 13, on which bottles 2 can be set up, are arranged at regular intervals over a circumference of the rotary filler. Filling valves (not shown in FIG. 1) with associated centering bells are arranged above the bottle mouths. The filler 1 is charged with empty bottles 2 via a feed belt 30 and an inlet star 31. During the rotation of the rotary filler 1 about its vertical axis of rotation 17 in the direction of rotation 15, the bottles 2 are filled. At the end of the filling process, a rotary capper 5 partially overlaps the rotary filler 1. In the rotary capper 5, the bottles 2 are closed and after the closure process has been completed, the bottles 2 can be transported further to a discharge belt 32, which conveys the bottles to further processing stations, not shown, such as, for. B. transported away a labeler. The lifting plates 13 arranged between the rotary sealer 5 and the inlet star 31 are empty and can only be loaded with empty bottles 2 through the inlet star 31.

The rotary sealer 5 rotates about its axis of rotation 18 in the direction of rotation 16. The directions of rotation 15 and 16 of the rotary filler 1 and the rotary sealer 5 are directed in opposite directions, the rotary filler 1 being rotatable in the clockwise direction and the rotary sealer 5 in the counterclockwise direction.

To supply the rotary sealer 5 with crown corks, not shown, it is connected at one point on its circumference to a crown cork feeder 33. This leads synchronized to the rotary sealer 5 from a crown cork storage container 36 via a drop channel 37 to the rotary sealer 5.

The bottle 2 is closed in the rotary sealer 5 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 between the section line AB and the discharge belt 32.

The rotary capper 5 has a smaller radius 23 than the rotary filler 1.

2 shows a section along the line A-B.

A bottle 2 is placed on a lifting plate 13. A filling valve 3 with a centering bell 38 is arranged at a distance from the bottle 2 above the filled bottle. In the illustrated embodiment, the lifting plate 13 can be lowered or raised in the direction 40. To fill the bottles, the filling valve 3 is connected to a liquid container 39 of the rotary filler 1.

Part of the rotary sealer 5 is inserted between the centering bell 38 and the bottle 2. Between a holding arm 14 or base plate 22 and a cover plate 21, a closing tool 6 is mounted on a guide pin 24 so that it can be adjusted in height.

The closing tool 6 is shown in detail below.

According to FIG. 3, the closing tool 6 is mounted in a height-adjustable manner in the direction 8 on a guide pin 24. This is fixed with its ends 45 in the cover plate 21 and the base plate 22. The top and bottom plates 21 and 22 are arranged parallel to one another, the bottom plate 22 being offset in its holding end assigned to the bottle 2 by a step-like height jump 26 in the direction of the top plate 21. The holding end 47 has a receiving opening 20 for receiving a bottle neck 19. To hold the bottle 2, it lies with a thickened bottle collar 48 arranged below the bottle mouth 7 on the holding end 47 surrounding the receiving opening 20. The receiving opening 20 is substantially U-shaped in plan view and adapted to the diameter of the bottle neck 19 below the bottle collar 48.

The closing tool 6 is essentially L-shaped, an L-leg being designed as a guide sleeve 25. This runs concentrically to the longitudinal axis 41 of the guide pin 24. To adjust the height of the guide bush 25, this points to that of the bottle 2 opposite side on a cam roller 12, the axis of rotation 42 is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 41 of the guide pin. The cam roller 12 is inserted in a self-contained guide groove 49 of a fixed guide cam 11. The height of the closing tool 6 is adjusted in the direction 8 by moving the cam roller 12 along the guide groove 49.

The guide curve 11 is fixed in relation to the rotary closer 5. Upon rotation of the rotary capper 5 in the direction 16 acc. 1, cover plate 21 and base plate 22 rotate along the guide curve 11 via ball bearings 29 arranged between them. The guide curve 11 is essentially arranged concentrically to the axis of rotation 18 of the rotary sealer from FIG. 1.

The other L-leg of the closing tool 6 is arranged between the cover plate 21 and the bottle mouth 7. This has a closing cone 9 at its end associated with the bottle mouth 7. The closure cone 9 has an essentially cylindrical bore, which has conically widened surfaces 43 at its end facing the bottle mouth 7. A crown cap 4 is held in the area of these surfaces. This ends flush with the sealing cone in the direction of bottle 2. To hold the crown cork in the sealing cone 9, a holding element 10 is fastened to the cover plate 21. This has an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the cylindrical bore of the closing cone. At its end facing the crown cap 4, a magnet 27 is embedded flush in the holding element 10.

Crown cork 4, holding element 10, closing cone 9 and bottle mouth 7 are arranged concentrically with the longitudinal axis 44 of the bottle.

4 shows a further embodiment of a holding element 10. For the sake of simplicity, all other components of the capper 5 and the bottle 2 have been omitted apart from the cover plate 21 and the sealing cone 9.

The holding element 10 is inserted into the cylindrical bore of the closing cone 9. Between the cover plate 21 and the sealing cone 9, the holding element 10 is formed with an edge flange 46 resting on the sealing cone 9. To hold a crown cap (not shown), a magnet 27 is countersunk in the holding element 10, flush with the edge flange 46, in the holding element 10. The holding element 10 extends essentially between the cover plate 21 and the conical surfaces 43. When the closing cone 9 is lowered, the loosely lying holding element 10 can be lowered until the crown cap rests on the bottle mouth. When the closing cone 9 is lowered further, the holding element 10 can be pushed out of the cylindrical bore.

The invention is explained in detail below with reference to the figures.

The bottles 2 introduced into the overlap area of the rotary filler 1 and the capper 5 are already filled, the bottles being removed from the associated filling valves 3 by lowering the lifting plate 13 accordingly. The capper 5 is inserted into the space formed between the bottle mouth and the filling valve, in particular the holding element holding the crown cap and the sealing cone of the closing tool being positioned between the filling valve and the bottle mouth. The positioning phase for positioning a crown cap above the bottle mouth is completed with the bottle, which is arranged on the line A-B from FIG. 1. In addition, the bottle neck 10 has completely run into the receiving opening 20 here.

In Fig. 2, the crown cork is correctly positioned relative to the bottle mouth and is then lowered onto the bottle mouth.

In the embodiment of the holding element 10 shown in FIG. 3, the crown cork 4 is placed on the bottle mouth 7 by lowering the closing cone 9, held by the magnet 27, and flanged over when it is lowered further. After the deformation has ended the crown cap is sealingly attached to the bottle mouth 7. The closing cone is then raised to the position shown in FIG. 3 and the closed bottles are transferred from the rotary sealer 5 to the discharge belt 32. To supply a new crown cork, a new crown cork is fed to the holding element 10 when the rotary capper 5 rotates in the direction 16 from the crown cork feeder 33.

Since the crown cap 4 lies in the embodiment of the holding element according to FIG. 3 as well as in the embodiment according to FIG. 4 essentially without applying force to the bottle mouth 7, the bottles are closed without a head pressure. Only the forces that occur during the deformation of the crown edge act on the bottle mouth and thus on the bottle. Due to the low overall height of the holding element and the sealing cone and the head cap without pressure on the bottle mouth, the crown cap can be deformed to close the bottle immediately after the bottle has been removed from the filling valve and at least partially in the filler.

The closing force generated by the closing cone 9 during the flanging of the crown cap 4 is introduced directly into the holding end 47 via the thickened bottle collar 48, so that the bottle body remains unloaded. In order to enable a particularly uniform introduction of force, the receiving opening 20 is provided with an interchangeable insert 35 made of hard elastic material which is essentially U-shaped in plan view. The height of the bottle neck 19 in the receiving opening 20 also provides the counterforce necessary to pull off the closure cone 9 after the crown cap 4 has been deformed, the holding element 10 acting as an ejector if the bottle 2 is lifted too much.

The holder of the bottle 2 in the receiving opening 20 in the radial direction can, for. B. by clamping or by a recess for the bottle collar 48. Another possibility is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Here the bracket is carried out by one at height of the holding end 47 between the cutting line AB and the discharge belt 32, the guide bend 28 arranged in a stationary manner. The closed bottles 2 are led out of the receiving openings 20 by a likewise stationary guide rail 34. The guide rail 34 begins below the base plate 22 in the area of the discharge belt 32.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the holding element 10 is arranged on the cover plate 21, as in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3, but the cover plate, together with the holding element, can be opened via its own cam guide 50 independently of the closing tool 6, which is also controlled in terms of height - and be moved. Both the closing tool 6 and the cover plate 21 are guided on the guide bolt 24, which can be designed to be secured against rotation, and through openings 51 and 52 in the holding arm 14 and a collar 53 running around the rotor. The control cam block 54, in which the control cam 50 for the holding element 10 and also the control cam for the closing tool 6 run, is arranged in a stationary manner on the rotor via bearings 55.

With this embodiment, the closing process can be carried out, as shown in FIG. 6 in steps a to d. As can be seen from this figure, both the closing tool 6 and the cover plate 21 with the holding element 10 are in a position raised above the bottle in the starting point such that the crown cap can be positioned under the holding element 10. In the next step, the holding element is lowered together with the closing tool, the holding element being stopped in a position in which it lies more or less loosely, ie without exerting a head pressure, on the crown cap or just above the crown cap loosely seated on the mouth is positioned. Now the closing tool is moved into the closing position shown in step b, in which the edge of the crown cap is flanged. In step c, the closing tool is then raised again, so that the crown cap is released from the closing cone. The holding element retains the position assumed in step b. The holding element therefore acts when Raising the capping tool 6 as an ejector and ensures that the bottles are reliably released from the capping cone. In step d, the closing tool and the holding element are then brought back into the raised starting position.

Claims (35)

1. Method for sealing bottles (2), in which a filled bottle is pulled off a filling valve (3) of a filling device (1) and sealed in a sealing device (5) by placing a crown cork (4) on top and flanging it over, characterised in that for immediate sealing of the filled bottle (2), the crown cork (4) which is kept ready in the sealing device (5) and a sealing tool (6) designed for flanging the crown cork over are introduced between bottle mouth (7) and filling valve (3) in a positioning stage, and then the crown cork (4) is placed on the bottle mouth (7) without head pressure and the sealing stage is commenced.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the sealing tool (6) for flanging the crown cork (4) over is lowered in a direction towards the bottle mouth (7) and then lifted for release of the sealed bottle (2).
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the sealing tool (6) flanges over an edge of the crown cork (4) by a sealing cone (9).
4. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the crown cork (4) is kept ready in the sealing device (5) by a holding element (10).
5. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sealing cone (9) entrains the crown cork (4) during lowering, places it on the bottle mouth (7) and then deforms it.
6. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sealing tool is lowered and raised by means of a cam roller (12) guided in a guide curve (11).
7. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the bottle (2) in the filling device (1) stands on a lifting plate (13) and is gripped in the sealing device (5) by a holding arm (14) on the bottle neck (19).
8. Method according to claim 7, characterised in that the bottle (2) after the positioning stage is pulled off the lifting plate (13) by the holding arm (14).
9. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the holding element (10) is mounted movably in the sealing cone (9) and, after positioning of the crown cork (4) on the bottle mouth (7), is pushed out of the sealing cone.
10. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the holding element during lifting of the sealing tool remains positioned to lie directly over the crown cork, so that it acts as an ejector.
11. Method according to claim 10, characterised in that the holding element (10) acting as an ejector is controlled in its vertical position independently of the sealing tool.
12. Method according to claim 11, characterised in that for sealing at least the following steps are performed:

    a) lowering of the sealing tool,

    b) lowering of the holding element from a starting position to immediately above or till it abuts against the crown cork without head pressure,

    c) lifting of the sealing tool after flanging over, at the same time holding the holding element fast in the position assumed in step b), until the crown cork is out of contact with the sealing cone of the sealing tool and

    d) lifting of the holding element and sealing tool to the starting position.
13. Apparatus for carrying out the method according to one or more of the preceding claims with a sealing device (5) which is movable relative to a filling device (1) and which for the sealing of bottles (2) comprises a holding element (10) for a crown cork (4) and a sealing tool (6) mounted movably for flanging the crown cork over, characterised in that when the bottle (2) is pulled off the filling valve (3), at least the holding element (10) and the sealing tool (6) can be introduced between the bottle mouth (7) and the filling valve (3) of the filling device (1) associated therewith, and the crown cork (4) during flanging over can be positioned on the bottle mouth (7) without head pressure by holding elements (10) and sealing tool (6).
14. Apparatus according to claim 13, characterised in that the sealing tool (6) comprises a sealing cone (9).
15. Apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, characterised in that the sealing tool (6) for vertical displacement (8) between holding element (10) and bottle mouth (7) is mounted movably in the sealing device (5).
16. Apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 15, characterised in that the sealing device (5) is constructed as a rotary sealing device, wherein filling device (1) and sealing device (5) are arranged in partially overlapping arrangement.
17. Apparatus according to claim 16, characterised in that the sealing device (5) and filling device (1) are rotatable in opposite directions to each other.
18. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 13 to 17, characterised in that the axis of rotation (18) of the sealing device (5) is parallel to the axis of rotation (17) of the filling device (1).
19. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 13 to 18, characterised in that the sealing device (5) comprises a holding arm (14) which is associated with the sealing tool (6) and at least partially encompasses a bottle neck (19).
20. Apparatus according to claim 19, characterised in that the holding arm (14) is directed radially outwards and at its free end comprises a receiving opening (20) for the bottle neck (19).
21. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 13 to 20, characterised in that the sealing tool (6) is mounted vertically displaceably between the holding arm (14) and a top plate (21) spaced apart in the direction of the axis of rotation.
22. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 13 to 21, characterised in that the holding arm (14) and the top plate (21) are fixed relative to each other and mounted rotatably about the axis of rotation (18).
23. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 13 to 22, characterised in that the receiving openings (20) are formed in a bottom plate (22).
24. Apparatus according to claim 23, characterised in that top plate (21) and bottom plate (22) have essentially the same radius (23).
25. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 13 to 24, characterized in that the sealing tool (9) is mounted vertically displaceably on a guide (24) arranged between top plate (21) and bottom plate (22).
26. Apparatus according to claim 25, characterised in that the guide (24) is constructed as a guide bolt arranged parallel to the axis of rotation (18) of sealing.
27. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 13 to 26, characterised in that the sealing tool (6) for control of vertical displacement comprises a cam roller (12) guided by a guide curve (11).
28. Apparatus according to claim 27, characterised in that the guide curve (11) is arranged stationarily and concentrically with the axis of rotation (18) of sealing.
29. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 13 to 28, characterised in that the holding element (10) at least partially engages in the sealing cone (9) and is arranged on the top plate (21).
30. Apparatus according to claim 13, characterised in that the holding element is mounted vertically displaceably relative to the sealing tool.
31. Apparatus according to claim 30, characterised in that vertical displacement of the holding element takes place by means of a cam roller guided in a guide curve.
32. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 13 to 29, characterised in that the holding element (10) is constructed as a plunger resting on the sealing cone (9) and mounted slidably in the direction of the top plate (21).
33. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 13 to 32, characterized in that the sealing tool (6) includes a guide sleeve (25) movable along the guide bolt (24).
34. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 13 to 33, characterised in that the bottom plate (22) in its edge region comprising the receiving openings (20) comprises a step-like change of height (26) in the direction towards the top plate (21).
35. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 13 to 34, characterised in that the holding element (10) is constructed as a magnet holder.

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