JP2006329521A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a refrigerator having a storage chamber function capable of aging meat to fully draw out deliciousness causing no putrefaction by various germs. <P>SOLUTION: An antibacterial device 13 which is an antibacterial means is used in a temperature switching chamber 6 of the refrigerator to inactivate the growing function of microorganisms sticking to a wall surface and a food surface in the temperature switching chamber 6. The inside of the temperature switching chamber 6 is thereby kept in a hygienic state, and while delaying the discoloration, putrefactive smell and stickiness of the food surface caused by the microorganisms of food, the deliciousness of meat is fully increased in an active temperature zone of the activity of protease which is enzyme for accelerating the aging of meat particularly at -1 to -2°C. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a temperature switching chamber.

  In recent years, there has been a demand for a refrigerator having a layout that pursues ease of use for customers (see Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 3 shows a conventional refrigerator described in Patent Document 1. As shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the refrigerator compartment 100 provided in the upper part of the refrigerator main body, the switching chamber 700 provided under the refrigerator compartment 100, and the ice storage provided in parallel with the switching chamber 700 under the refrigerator compartment 100 of the main body. Since the vegetable room 300 is provided between the room 600, the switching room 700 and the ice storage room 600 arranged in parallel, and the freezing room 250 provided at the lower part of the main body, the refrigerator room 100 and the vegetable room 300 are switched. Each of the room 700, the ice storage room 600, and the freezing room 250 is arranged at a position where it can be used easily.

  Thus, in patent document 1, the refrigerator which improved usability was provided by determining the layout of the refrigerator main body by the frequency of use.

  With recent diversification and quality improvement of food culture, various methods have been proposed for preserving food for a longer period.

  Beef eaten at home is aged for 5 to 10 days at a refrigerated temperature of 0 to 2 ° C after slaughter. After mortality, the meat quality is softened by self-digestion, and the taste of amino acids and other ingredients is increased. Has been. When consumers purchase and store beef, they can be stored at refrigeration temperatures of 0 to 5 ° C, semi-freezing temperatures of -1 to -3 ° C, and freezing temperatures of -18 ° C to -23 ° C. Yes.

  As a conventional refrigerator, there is one that can actively ferment far-infrared energy to food stored in a refrigerator, change the chemical composition and the aggregation state of water molecules, and proceed with fermentation and aging (for example, patents) Reference 2).

The above-mentioned conventional feature is that, in the temperature range of 5 ° C to 8 ° C, the far-infrared radiation electromagnetic wave having a wavelength of 5 µm to 15 µm is radiated to activate the molecular motion of water and reduce the molecular population of water. In addition, it strengthens the bond with macromolecules such as proteins and promotes ripening.
JP 2002-13864 A JP-A-2-309169

  In the case of a layout that is easy to use for daily life for customers, like the conventional refrigerator of Patent Document 1, the switching room 6 is arranged in a position that is particularly easy to reach, and further matches the stored food. The optimum storage temperature can be set, so it can be used according to the stored food, and it becomes a storage room that is very frequently used by customers. However, with regard to the conventional temperature switching room, since there is a compressor at the back of the freezer room, the practical amount of the freezer room has become smaller, and the consumption of frozen food at home continues to increase. The freezer capacity was insufficient. For this reason, there are many homes in which the temperature switching room at the most usable position is always set to a refrigeration setting for long-term storage with little door opening and closing, and it has not always been possible to set a frequently used temperature zone. Moreover, since there is little need to set the temperature switching chamber in a temperature zone other than the freezing temperature, a refrigerator having an aging function when setting a temperature other than freezing has not been provided.

  In addition, the conventional method of Patent Document 2 is intended exclusively for the aging of foods, and the deterioration of quality during storage at 5 to 8 ° C. is fast, and if it is not consumed within a few days, there is a problem such as spoilage. There was a problem that it was difficult to taste well.

  Therefore, this kind of function addition has not been considered at all for the problem of maintaining the freshness and providing a ripening function to improve the taste.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and aging progresses while maintaining freshness in the temperature switching room, and the deliciousness of meat increases, and a refrigerator that can easily supply delicious meat at home is provided. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the present invention includes a plurality of storage compartments that are thermally insulated, and the storage compartment is selected by a user from at least a freezing compartment, a refrigerator compartment, and a plurality of preset temperature zones. The temperature switching chamber is controlled to any one of the temperature zones, and the temperature switching chamber is controlled to a temperature zone higher than the freezing temperature.

  As a result, it is possible to realize storage aging that can sufficiently increase the taste of meat in a temperature range in which the activity of enzymes and proteases that promote aging of meat and proteases is suppressed while suppressing meat rot. Moreover, since the temperature switching chamber is not used as a freezing chamber as in the prior art, power consumption can be suppressed.

  The present invention can sufficiently increase the umami of meat in the temperature switching chamber, so that it is possible to realize a refrigerator that is further improved in storage quality and easy to use.

  The invention according to claim 1 includes a plurality of storage compartments that are thermally insulated, and the storage compartment is at least one of a freezer compartment, a refrigerator compartment, and a plurality of preset temperature zones selected by a user. A temperature switching chamber controlled in a temperature zone, the temperature switching chamber being controlled in a temperature zone higher than the freezing temperature, an enzyme that promotes aging of meat while suppressing meat decay, Preservation ripening that can sufficiently increase the taste of meat can be realized in a temperature range where protease activity occurs.

  Moreover, since the temperature switching chamber is not used as a freezing chamber as in the prior art, power consumption can be suppressed.

  Therefore, it is possible to improve the storage quality of the switching room and realize an easy-to-use refrigerator.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the temperature zone of the temperature switching chamber includes a temperature zone that is controlled to -1 ° C or lower and -2 ° C or higher. The umami of meat can be sufficiently increased in a temperature range where the activity of an enzyme that promotes ripening and protease activity occurs.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the temperature zone of the temperature switching chamber includes a temperature zone controlled to a temperature zone in which an enzyme that promotes aging of meat is activated. Thus, it can be preserved while drawing out the deliciousness of the food, and delicious food can be eaten at the right time at home.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the refrigerator main body includes a compressor, a condenser, a decompressor, and an evaporator in order, and a series of refrigerant flow paths. Compared with a refrigerator having a layout in which the compressor, which is conventionally common, is located at the back of the freezer compartment, and the compressor is disposed at a position other than the rear of the freezer compartment. The capacity of the storage room has increased, and it has been possible to store enough frozen foods that could not be contained in the past, and it is no longer necessary to store frozen foods in the temperature switching room. Can be used in

  The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the temperature switching chamber is provided with a light source having an ultraviolet region of 280 to 400 nm as an antibacterial device. Can inactivate the growth function of microorganisms adhering to foods and the surface of food, maintaining hygiene inside the storage room, and delaying discoloration, rot odor caused by microorganisms in foods, and netting on foods It becomes possible.

  Furthermore, some mushrooms and fish contain many vitamin D precursors, which are well known as vitamins that are essential for bone and tooth growth, and their molecules are excited by irradiation with ultraviolet rays. , Converted to vitamin D. Therefore, by providing a light source including ultraviolet light in the storage chamber, it is possible to increase the vitamin D content of a specific food in the storage chamber, for example, shirasuboshi, as compared to before storage.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the temperature switching chamber is provided with an antibacterial device for releasing plant-derived herb antibacterial components. Therefore, it is possible to delay the occurrence of discoloration and rot caused by microorganisms in the storage room, foodstuffs, and netting on the food surface while reducing running costs.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the temperature switching chamber is provided with an antibacterial device for spraying sterilized or antibacterial treated water. It is possible to delay the occurrence of discoloration, rot odor, and food surface netting caused by microorganisms in the storage chamber and food with high accuracy.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the heat insulation structure of the temperature switching chamber is formed of urethane foam material, and corresponds to storage chambers of various shapes. A heat insulation structure can be formed easily.

  The invention according to claim 9 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the heat insulating structure of the temperature switching chamber is provided with a vacuum heat insulating material to improve the heat insulating performance of the storage chamber. In addition, temperature fluctuations in the storage chamber due to fluctuations in the outside air temperature are suppressed, and strict temperature control becomes possible.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the refrigerator in the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, a main body 1 is a heat insulating wall formed by injecting a foam heat insulating material 24 into a space formed by an inner box 22 formed by vacuum-forming a resin body such as ABS and an outer box 23 using a metal material such as a pre-coated steel plate. It has. For example, rigid urethane foam, phenol foam, styrene foam, or the like is used as the foam insulation 24. Use of hydrocarbon-based cyclopentane as the foaming material is better from the viewpoint of preventing global warming.

  Further, a vacuum heat insulating material 25 is adhered and adhered to the space formed by the inner box 22 and the outer box 23 before foaming using an adhesive member (not shown) on the outer box side. Further, the vacuum heat insulating material 25 is required to have a thin planar shape in order to be disposed within the thickness of the main body 1. Further, an adhesive member such as hot melt is applied to the entire surface of the vacuum heat insulating material 25 so that air does not enter the bonded portion. The vacuum heat insulating material 25 is foamed integrally with the foam heat insulating body 24 to constitute the main body 1 and is improved in performance by the vacuum heat insulating material 25 having a heat insulating performance 5 to 20 times that of the foam heat insulating body 24. is there.

  The main body 1 is divided into a plurality of heat-insulating sections, and has a configuration in which the upper part is a revolving door type and the lower part is a drawer type. From the top, there are a refrigerator room 2, a drawer type switching room 6 and an ice making room 5, a drawer type vegetable room 4 and a drawer type freezer room 3 arranged side by side. Each heat insulation section is provided with a heat insulation door via a gasket 31. From the top, they are the refrigerating room rotary door 7, the switching room drawer door 8, the ice making room drawer door 9, the vegetable room drawer door 10, and the freezer compartment drawer door 11.

  The refrigerating compartment rotary door 7 is provided with a door pocket 34 as a storage space, and a plurality of storage shelves 8 are provided in the warehouse. A storage case 35 is provided at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment 2.

  The refrigerator compartment 2 is normally set at 1 to 5 ° C. with a lower limit of the temperature at which it does not freeze for refrigerated storage, but the user can freely switch the temperature setting as described above depending on the stored items. There is also. In addition, in order to preserve wine, root vegetables, etc., the temperature may be set slightly higher, for example, around 10 ° C.

  In addition, the storage case 35 is set at a relatively low temperature, for example, -3 to 1 ° C, for improving the freshness of meat fish, processed meat fish foods, dairy products and the like. The vegetable room 4 is often set to a temperature setting of 2 ° C. to 7 ° C., which is the same as or slightly higher than that of the refrigerator room 2. The lower the temperature, the longer the freshness of the leafy vegetables can be maintained.

  Switching room 6 can change the temperature setting according to the user's setting, for example, the temperature classification is 6 ° C vegetable room temperature, 3 ° C refrigeration temperature, -1 to -2 ° C storage aging temperature, -3 ° C partial The freezing temperature can be switched to a chilled temperature of 0 ° C. That is, the temperature range in which these temperature settings can be changed is generally used by freezing foods (in terms of cellular organization, most free water is frozen) not including the so-called freezing temperature range. It is a concept of a high temperature range, and includes a temperature zone that has a functional meaning in being in a slightly frozen state such as the above-mentioned partial freezing.

  The change between these temperature zones is performed by adjusting the temperature in the switching chamber by operating the switch 14 on the refrigerating room rotary door 7, and the temperature in the switching chamber 6 is detected by the detecting means 17.

  The ice making chamber 5 is an independent ice storage chamber, and includes an automatic ice making device (not shown) to automatically produce and store ice. Although it is a freezing temperature zone for storing ice, since the purpose is storage of ice, it is possible to set a freezing temperature relatively higher than the freezing temperature zone.

  The freezer compartment 3 is normally set at −22 to −18 ° C. for frozen storage, but may be set at a low temperature of −30 or −25 ° C., for example, to improve the frozen storage state.

  The main body 1 is provided with a machine room 12 in which the rear part of the top surface is recessed. A second machine room 36 is provided on the lower back wall surface of the machine room 12.

  Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 2, the machine room 12 including the compressor is located on the back surface of the freezer room 3, which is the lowermost part of the main body 1, and thus the volume of the freezer room 3 is reduced. Thus, by arranging the machine room 12 on the uppermost back surface of the refrigerator compartment 2 that has not been effectively used in a conventional refrigerator, the conventional machine room 12 can be used as a freezing space. Therefore, the effective internal volume of the freezer compartment 3 can be increased without increasing the external dimensions.

  In addition, the switching room 6, which is one of the user-friendly layouts for the user, has been placed at a position that is most easily accessible, and the optimum storage temperature can be set according to the stored food. The layout that can be used properly depending on the user's needs and a storage room that is very frequently used by the user has been proposed, but a machine room with a compressor is located on the back of the freezer room as in the past. For this reason, the practical amount of the freezer has become small, and the capacity of the freezer has been insufficient in the current eating habits where the consumption of frozen food at home continues to increase. For this reason, there are many homes in which the temperature switching room at the most usable position is always set to a refrigeration setting for long-term storage with little door opening and closing, and it has not always been possible to set a frequently used temperature zone. Moreover, since there is little need to set the temperature switching chamber in a temperature zone other than the freezing temperature, a refrigerator having an aging function when setting a temperature other than freezing has not been provided.

  On the other hand, in the refrigerator of this embodiment, since the capacity of the freezer compartment 3 is increased, it is possible to promote utilization at a temperature other than the freezing temperature of the switching chamber 6, and for the user to store food at a wider temperature. Can be done. As a result, the multipurpose use according to the situation which is the merit of the switching room 6 can be promoted. A control board 37 for operating the refrigeration cycle is hermetically disposed in the second machine room 36 with a removable cover. Further, the machine room 12 is also substantially sealed by a back cover 15 so as to be removable.

  The refrigeration cycle includes a refrigerant flow path formed by annularly connecting a compressor 16 disposed in the machine room 12, a condenser (not shown), a capillary as a decompressor, and an evaporator 20. The evaporator 20 performs forced convection heat exchange with a cooling fan 21. The condenser (not shown) may be forcibly air-cooled using a fan, may be a natural air-cooled type that is affixed to the inside of the outer box 23 with good heat transfer, or may be arranged in a partition between the heat insulating doors in each room. A pipe for installing and preventing drip-proofing may be combined.

  In addition, by using a flow path control means such as an electric three-way valve, a plurality of evaporators according to the partition configuration and temperature setting configuration are selectively used, a plurality of capillaries are switched, and gas is cut while the compressor 16 is stopped. May be.

  Moreover, the evaporator 20 which is a component apparatus of a refrigerating cycle is provided in the back part of the vegetable compartment 4 located in a middle stage with the cooling fan 21. FIG. Thereby, it is possible to maximize the internal volume and depth of the freezer compartment 3 which is the lowermost storage room.

  Note that if the middle vegetable room 4 and the lowermost freezer room 3 have the opposite configurations, the internal volume and depth of the vegetable room 4 can be maximized.

  An antibacterial device 13 is installed on the top surface of the switching chamber 6 so as to give an antibacterial action to food stored in the switching chamber 6. As the antibacterial device 13, a light source for irradiating ultraviolet rays of 280 nm to 400 nm is installed. Ultraviolet light has a wavelength in the range of 315 nm to 400 nm, which is a relatively safe ultraviolet A region with a long wavelength. However, when irradiated for a long time, it causes spots and wrinkles and promotes skin aging. In a short time, the degree of influence on the sunburn of the human body is very small. On the other hand, when the skin is irradiated for a long time in the ultraviolet B region of 280 nm to 320 nm, it is dangerous because it may cause skin irritation such as red swelling, but promotes vitamin D synthesis. This is a very useful wavelength for the skin. Further, at a wavelength lower than 280 nm, the skin cells are destroyed and there is a risk of causing skin cancer, and the risk to the human body is extremely high. Therefore, the wavelength in the range of 280 nm to 400 nm is a wavelength that is relatively safe for the human body and at the same time is abundant in sunlight that falls on the ground, thus promoting the production of vitamin D in mushrooms and fish. It includes the wavelengths necessary to do.

  When the light source as the antibacterial device 13 is irradiated, it acts on the microorganism gene floating in the storage chamber or adhering to the wall surface or food surface, and inactivates the growth function of the microorganism. Accordingly, the hygiene of the inside of the storage chamber can be maintained, and the food can be delayed in discoloration caused by microorganisms, rot odor, and netting on the food surface.

  Further, by providing the LED as the light source, the amount of heat generation is small, the temperature rise in the switching chamber can be prevented, and the storage stability of the food can be stabilized. In addition, LED has low running cost, and also has excellent durability. It is very versatile and can be designed compactly, so it is possible to secure the capacity of the switching room. is there.

  The antibacterial device 13 may be a herb cassette derived from a plant. Since this herb component naturally convects in the switching room, only a cassette is installed and no special generating device is required. Therefore, the hygienic properties of the storage room and the storage of food are maintained while reducing running costs. be able to.

  Moreover, the antibacterial device 13 may spray treated water having bactericidal or antibacterial properties. For example, by using a device that changes the treated water into a fine mist of several nanometers as a spray device, mist can easily enter even in places where antibacterial properties are difficult, such as food gaps and door gaps. Thus, the hygienic properties of the inside of the storage room and the storage property of food can be maintained.

  About the refrigerator comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  First, the operation of the refrigeration cycle will be described. The refrigeration cycle is operated by a signal from the control board 37 in accordance with the set temperature in the refrigerator, and the cooling operation is performed. The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged by the operation of the compressor 16 dissipates heat in the condenser and is condensed and liquefied, and is decompressed by the capillary to become a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant and reaches the evaporator 20.

  By the operation of the cooling fan 21, heat is exchanged with the air in the cabinet, and the refrigerant in the evaporator 20 is evaporated. Each room is cooled by distributing low-temperature cold air with a damper (not shown). When a plurality of evaporators or decompressors are used, the refrigerant is supplied to the necessary evaporator 20 by the flow path control means. The refrigerant exiting the evaporator 20 is sucked into the compressor 16. Thus, the inside of the cabinet is cooled by repeating the cycle operation.

  In the present embodiment, by setting the temperature division of the switching chamber 6 from −1 to −2 ° C., preservation and aging of meat for 1 to 2 weeks can be realized.

  (Table 1) shows the results of the beef spoilage conditions when the storage temperature of beef is changed by irradiating the interior with ultraviolet light and stored at temperatures of 0 ° C. to −3 ° C. ○ indicates that the food is not spoiled, Δ indicates that the food can be tasted if cooked at the edible limit, and × indicates that the food is spoiled and cannot be tasted even if heated.

  From the results of (Table 1), the storage temperature of Δ or ○ which is the edible limit of storage on the 14th day is −1 ° C. or lower. Irradiation with ultraviolet light can inactivate the growth function of microorganisms adhering to the wall surface of the storage room or the food surface. As a result, the hygiene of the inside of the storage chamber can be maintained, and the discoloration and rot odor caused by the microorganisms of the food and the occurrence of netting on the food surface can be delayed. However, at a chilled temperature of 0 ° C. or higher, the growth of bacteria is remarkable, and an effect of suppressing the growth of bacteria cannot be expected. As described above, when ultraviolet light is irradiated at a temperature of −1 ° C. or lower, hygienic preservation with improved food preservability can be performed.

  Next, the results of the taste sensory evaluation by placing the beef of (Table 1) on a hot plate at 220 ° C. and heating both sides of each side for 2 minutes are shown in (Table 2). In comparison with the beef before storage, the taste was evaluated as ◎ for very large umami, ◯ for large umami, △ for the same umami, and x for less umami. In Table 1, those that were corrupted with x were omitted (indicated by-) because they were not evaluated.

  From the results of (Table 2), umami increased with ◎ until 7 days when stored at 0 ° C. However, this occurred as shown in (Table 1). At −3 ° C., no increase in umami was observed even with a storage period of 14 days. From the results of Tables 1 and 2, when the storage temperature of beef was between -1 ° C and -2 ° C, the umami increased, and a range where storage was possible within the edible limit for 2 weeks was recognized.

  Next, Table 3 shows the relationship between the storage temperature of beef, the storage period, and the protease activity. Protease is an enzyme that degrades protein and degrades protein to increase free amino acid, which is one of umami components. The more active the protease activity, the more free amino acids are created and the umami taste increases.

  As shown in Table 3, beef preserved at 0 ° C. to −2 ° C. showed protease activity. Therefore, it can be said that the free amino acid increased and the umami taste increased. It can be said that the beef preserve | saved at -3 degreeC has little activity of protease, and the umami | taste has not increased. It can be said that the beef preserved at −3 ° C. was partially frozen, so that protease activity hardly occurred. On the other hand, since the beef is not frozen at -2 ° C or higher, the activity of the protease is activated, leading to an increase in umami. Therefore, it was confirmed by the taste sensory evaluation in Table 2 that the beef preserved at −3 ° C. did not increase in umami compared with that before preservation.

  As mentioned above, the preservation | saturation aging effect for 1 to 2 weeks can be acquired by preserve | saving at the temperature of the temperature switching chamber 6 in this Embodiment 1 at the temperature of -1 degreeC --2 degreeC, antibacterial meat.

  As described above, the present invention can realize a refrigerator capable of sufficiently increasing the deliciousness of meat in a temperature range where the activity of an enzyme or protease that promotes aging of food is suppressed while suppressing the decay of meat. Therefore, it can be used for, for example, a showcase, a cooler box, a heat insulation box, and the like.

The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of this invention The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of this invention Vertical section of a conventional refrigerator

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 2 Refrigerated room 3 Freezer room 4 Vegetable room 6 Switching room 12 Machine room 13 Antibacterial device (light source)

Claims (9)

  A temperature switching chamber that includes a plurality of storage compartments that are insulated and is controlled to at least one of a temperature zone selected by a user from among a plurality of preset temperature zones. And the temperature switching chamber is controlled to a temperature range higher than the freezing temperature.   The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the temperature zone of the temperature switching chamber includes a temperature zone that is controlled to -1 ° C or lower and -2 ° C or higher.   The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the temperature zone of the temperature switching chamber includes a temperature zone controlled by a temperature zone in which an enzyme that promotes aging of meat is activated.   The refrigerator body has a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor, a condenser, a decompressor, and an evaporator are provided in order to form a series of refrigerant flow paths, and the compressor is arranged at a position other than the rear of the freezer compartment. The refrigerator according to any one of 3.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a light source having an ultraviolet region of 280 to 400 nm is provided in the temperature switching chamber.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein an antibacterial device that releases plant-derived herb antibacterial components is provided in the temperature switching chamber.   The refrigerator as described in any one of Claim 1 to 6 which provided the antibacterial apparatus which sprays the treated water which has bactericidal property or antibacterial property in the said temperature switching chamber.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the heat insulation structure of the temperature switching chamber is formed of a urethane foam material.   The refrigerator as described in any one of Claim 1 to 8 provided with the vacuum heat insulating material as the heat insulation structure of the said temperature switching chamber.

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