JP2014044165A - Article inspection device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article inspection device for inspecting quality while an LED element is heated, the article inspection device being able to avoid overheat and damage of an electronic component in case of abnormal stop of an index table.SOLUTION: The LED element 2 in a pocket P is intermittently carried on a fixed table 4 as the index table 5 intermittently rotates, and is heated by the heater 11 in a rapid heating area H1. After the heated LED element 2 is carried to an inspection place A, not shown, which is located downstream, it is subjected to the inspection of the emission or non-emission of light by inspection means 3. If the index table 5 is stopped due to abnormality during this quality inspection, the heater 11 is lowered and separated from the fixed table 4. Additionally, air with room temperature is jetted to a carrying section 4F from a plurality of cooling nozzles 16, and the LED element 2 in the pocket P is cooled. Thus, the LED element 2 is prevented from being overheated and damaged by the heater 11 during the abnormal stop of the index table 5.

Description

  The present invention relates to an article inspection apparatus, and more particularly to an article inspection apparatus in which a quality inspection is performed in a state where, for example, an LED element is heated.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an article inspection apparatus in which a normal temperature region and a high temperature region are sequentially provided on an electronic component transport path, and quality inspection is performed in each of the regions while the electronic component is transported by a transport unit (for example, patents). Reference 1). Further, by arranging two divided heaters in the heating region and setting the heating temperature of the divided heater on the inlet side in the heating region to be higher than the target temperature, the tact time when heating the article is shortened. An apparatus has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 2). Furthermore, when the lead frame is abnormally stopped during transportation, the heater disposed below the transportation path of the lead frame is lowered when the semiconductor element is adhered to the lead frame with a conductive adhesive. Thus, an apparatus for preventing overheating of the lead frame has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 3).

Japanese Patent No. 4513943 JP-A-62-211572 Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 4-76499

By the way, in the article inspection apparatus of Patent Document 1 described above, an index table as a transport unit may be stopped abnormally for some reason, and transport of electronic components may be stopped. Here, in the case of adopting a configuration that shortens the tact time by setting the heating temperature of the upstream divided heater to be higher than the target temperature, which is disclosed in Patent Document 2 in the apparatus of Patent Document 1 In the region where the temperature is higher than the target temperature, the stopped article is overheated and damaged.
In this case, it is possible to employ a heater that can be raised and lowered as disclosed in Patent Document 3, and to lower the heater when the index table stops abnormally. However, even if such a configuration is adopted, since the fixed table of Patent Document 1 has heat storage properties, the electronic components may be overheated and damaged by the heat stored in the fixed table.

In view of the circumstances described above, the present invention described in claim 1 includes a fixed table, a conveying unit that is provided on the fixed table and that holds articles in a plurality of pockets and intermittently conveys the fixed table, and the conveying unit. Inspection means for inspecting the quality of the article at an inspection position on the conveyance path of the article conveyed by the apparatus, and heating means for raising the temperature of the article conveyed by the conveyance means to a predetermined inspection temperature, In the article inspection apparatus in which the article having the inspection temperature is subjected to quality inspection by the inspection means by conveying the article by the conveyance means and passing the heating region where the article is heated by the heating means.
The heating means includes a rapid heating means for heating the article at a temperature higher than the inspection temperature in at least a part of the heating area, and further includes a rapid heating area in which the article is heated by the rapid heating means when necessary. Cooling means for injecting a cooling fluid is provided on the fixed table, and the article stopped in the rapid heating region is cooled via the fixed table by injecting the cooling fluid from the cooling means when the conveying means stops abnormally. It is characterized by doing.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, on the premise of the first aspect of the present invention, the conveying means includes a rotating body having a pocket provided on an outer peripheral portion, and the rotating body is rotated by a driving means. Thus, the articles held in the respective pockets are conveyed while being brought into sliding contact with the upper surface of the fixed table, and the fixed table in the rapid heating region includes a base portion on the rotating shaft side of the rotating body, A cooling unit that is formed to be thinner than the base and is in sliding contact with an article supported on the outer peripheral side of the rotating shaft from the base; It has a cooling nozzle.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, on the premise of the invention of the second aspect, the rapid heating means contacts the lower surface of the base portion of the fixed table to heat the fixed table, and The fixed table can be moved up and down to a lowered position that is separated from the lower surface of the base portion of the fixed table and retracted downward, and when the rapid heating means is in contact with the base portion at the raised position, The cooling nozzle is configured to be opposed to the rapid heating means at a predetermined interval, and the cooling nozzle is fixed between the transport portion of the fixed table and the rapid heating means at the raised position. When the means abnormally stops, the rapid heating means is lowered from the raised position to the lowered position.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the conveying means stops abnormally for some reason, the cooling fluid is ejected from the cooling means, thereby reducing the possibility that the article stopped in the rapid heating region is damaged by overheating. be able to.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the conveying portion of the fixed table is thinner than the base portion, the time required for cooling the article can be shortened.
Furthermore, according to the third aspect of the invention, the rapid heating means is lowered when the conveying means is abnormally stopped, and the cooling nozzle is fixed between the conveying portion and the rapid heating means, thereby cooling the article. Time can be shortened.

The top view which shows one Example of this invention. The figure which shows the arrangement | positioning states, such as a conduit | pipe and a cooling nozzle, in the article inspection apparatus of FIG. Sectional drawing of the principal part which follows the III-III line | wire of FIG.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the illustrated embodiments. In FIGS. 1 to 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a rotary article inspection apparatus. The article inspection apparatus 1 intermittently conveys an LED element 2 to be inspected. The LED element 2 heated to a predetermined inspection temperature is heated to the inspection temperature, and the quality inspection is performed at the inspection position A on the transport path.
The LED element 2 to be inspected by the article inspection apparatus 1 is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape, and two terminals (not shown) are exposed on the upper surface thereof. Whether or not the LED element 2 to be inspected emits light by energizing the terminal of each LED element 2 from the inspection means 3 when each LED element 2 heated to the inspection temperature is carried into the inspection position A. Quality inspection is being conducted.

  The article inspection apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is formed in a substantially disk shape and is supported on a fixed table 4 supported so that the upper surface 4A is horizontal, and is rotatably mounted on the upper surface 4A of the fixed table 4. An index table 5 having pockets P for holding the LED elements 2 at an equal pitch on the outer periphery, supply means 6 for sequentially supplying the LED elements 2 to the pockets P of the index table 5 at the supply position B, and the index table 5 And an inspection means 3 for inspecting the quality of each LED element 2 provided at an inspection position A on the transport path of the LED elements 2.

  The fixed table 4 is made of a metal having good heat conductivity, and the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface 4A and its adjacent portion are annular step portions 4B that are continuous in the circumferential direction (see FIG. 3). An index table 5 as a rotating body is placed on the upper surface 4A that is radially inward of the annular step 4B. On the outer periphery of the index table 5, pockets P formed by notches are formed at equal pitches in the circumferential direction, and the center of the index table 5 is connected to the upper end of the rotating shaft 7 that penetrates the fixed table 4. Has been. The rotating shaft 7 is linked to a servo motor (not shown) as a driving means through a plurality of gears (not shown), and the control means 8 intermittently causes the index table 5 to be turned counterclockwise by one pitch via the servo motor. It is designed to rotate. At that time, one LED element 2 is sequentially supplied into each pocket P by the supply means 6 at the supply position B, and the LED elements 2 held in each pocket P are sequentially moved to the downstream inspection position A. It comes to be brought in.

  The inner peripheral surface 4C of the annular step 4B serves as a stopper that prevents the LED element 2 from jumping out radially outward from the pocket P, and the LED element 2 in each pocket P is intermittently conveyed. It is a guide part when Therefore, the LED element 2 is supplied into the pocket P at the supply position B, and then the index table 5 is intermittently rotated counterclockwise by one pitch, whereby the LED element 2 in each pocket P has an inner peripheral surface 4C. Is intermittently conveyed toward the downstream side on the conveyance path along the line. When transported in such a manner, the lower surface of the LED element 2 in each pocket P is supported by the upper surface 4A of the fixed table 4 and is in sliding contact therewith, and the outer side surface of the LED element 2 is annular. It comes in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface 4C of the stepped portion 4B (see FIG. 3).

  In the present embodiment, three regions are set along the conveyance path when the LED element 2 is intermittently conveyed by each pocket P of the index table 5. That is, the rapid heating region H1, the inspection region H2, and the cooling region C1 are set sequentially from the supply position B to the discharge position C counterclockwise (see FIG. 2). And the arc-shaped heater 11 is provided in the downward side of the fixed table 4 used as the rapid heating area | region H1 so that raising / lowering is possible. The heater 11 serves as a rapid heating means for rapidly heating the LED element 2. When the fixed table 4 is heated by the heater 11 at 220 ° C. which is equal to or higher than the inspection temperature, the LED element 2 supported by the fixed table 4 while the LED element 2 passes through the rapid heating region H1 is at the inspection temperature (200 ° C.) It is heated to a near temperature. Further, a ceramic heater 12 is embedded in the fixed table 4 serving as the inspection region H2, and further, a Peltier element 13 serving as a cooling unit is embedded in the fixed table 4 serving as the cooling region C1.

The heater 11 can freely move up and down to an ascending position that contacts the lower surface 4D of the fixed table 4 by an elevating mechanism (not shown) and a descending end position that is separated from the lower surface 4D and lowered by a predetermined amount. The operation of the elevating mechanism and the operation of the heater 11 are controlled by the control means 8, and when the quality inspection of each LED element 2 is performed by the inspection means 3, the control means 8 is controlled by the elevating mechanism. Is positioned at the rising end in advance, and the heater 11 is operated. Therefore, since the upper surface 11A of the heater 11 is in contact with the lower surface 4D of the fixed table 4, the fixed table 4 in the rapid heating region H1 is heated by the heater 11.
In this state, as the index table 5 is intermittently rotated, the LED elements 2 are supplied to the respective pockets P at the supply position B as described above, and thereafter, the LED elements 2 in the pockets P are sequentially abruptly turned. The inside of the heating area H1 is intermittently conveyed to the downstream side. Accordingly, since the LED element 2 slides on the upper surface 4A of the fixed table 4 heated to a high temperature by the heater 11, the LED element 2 is heated by the heat transfer from the heater 11, and the inspection temperature (200 ° C.) The temperature is raised to a temperature close to that. That is, the LED element 2 intermittently conveyed in the rapid heating region H1 by the index table 5 is heated to the inspection temperature (200 ° C.) by the heater 11, and the LED element heated to the inspection temperature. 2 is carried into the next inspection area H2 where the inspection position A is located.

A location near the downstream end in the inspection region H2 is the inspection position A, and a conventionally known inspection means 3 is disposed at the inspection position A. In addition, temperature measuring means 14 for measuring the temperature of the LED element 2 in the pocket P is disposed at the boundary between the inspection region H2 and the rapid heating region H1. Each LED element 2 held in the pocket P of the index table 5 and intermittently transported is measured for temperature when passing through the lower part of the temperature measuring means 14, and the LED measured by the temperature measuring means 14 is measured. The temperature of the element 2 is sequentially transmitted to the control means 8.
Based on the temperature measurement result by the temperature measuring means 14, the control means 8 can recognize the temperature of the LED element 2 carried into the inspection area H2. The control means 8 operates the ceramic heater 12 in the inspection region H2 when the heater 11 is operated during the quality inspection. Therefore, during the quality inspection of the LED element 2, the temperature of the ceramic heater 12 is maintained at 200 ° C. Therefore, the fixed table 4 in the inspection area H2 is maintained at 200 ° C. which is the inspection temperature. Therefore, the LED element 2 carried into the inspection region H2 from the rapid heating region H1 is inspected to check whether or not the inspection means 3 emits light at the inspection position A while being maintained at the inspection temperature of 200 ° C. It has become. The result of the quality inspection by the inspection means 3 of each LED element 2 at the inspection position A is transmitted from the inspection means 3 to the control means 8.

Each LED element 2 that has undergone quality inspection by the inspection means 3 at the inspection position A is carried into the cooling region C1 from the inspection region H2 with the intermittent conveyance of the index table 5. When the quality inspection of the LED element 2 is performed, since the control unit 8 is energized also to the Peltier element 13 in the cooling region C1, the fixed table 4 that becomes the cooling region C1 is maintained at about 10 ° C. Therefore, each LED element 2 that has been 200 ° C. in the inspection region H2 is rapidly cooled and reduced in temperature to approximately room temperature when it is carried into the cooling region C1 from the inspection region H2. Then, the LED element 2 is discharged from the pocket P by the discharge means 15 at the discharge position C in such a state that the temperature is lowered to room temperature.
At that time, the control means 8 distributes the discharge destination when the discharge means 15 discharges the LED elements 2 according to the quality of the quality inspection result by the inspection means 3 and the grade. More specifically, as the discharge destination by the discharge means 15, a plurality of classification bins (not shown) corresponding to the quality grade are arranged. And the discharge means 15 distributes the LED element 2 to a required classification bin according to the grade determined from the quality inspection result. One of the classification bins is a defective product collection bin, and the defective LED element 2 is distributed to the defective product collection bin.

  As described above, the article inspection apparatus 1 raises the LED element 2 to the inspection temperature in the rapid heating region H1 and the inspection region H2 while holding the LED element 2 in each pocket P of the index table 5 and intermittently transporting it. After that, the quality inspection is performed by the inspection means 3. By the way, during the quality inspection of the LED element 2 by the article inspection apparatus 1, the index table 5 may be abnormally stopped for some reason. Thus, when the index table 5 is abnormally stopped during the quality inspection, each LED element 2 stopped in the rapid heating region H1 may be damaged by the heat of the heater 11 being heated at 220 ° C. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the index table 5 is abnormally stopped, the stopped LED element 2 in the rapid heating region H1 is prevented from being overheated and damaged by the heater 11. It is.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the annular step portion 4B and the adjacent inner side portion of the fixed table 4 in the rapid heating region H1 are space portions 4E that open in the lower surface 4D side and extend in the circumferential direction. . Thereby, the location of the upper surface 4A in sliding contact with the LED element 2 in the fixed table 4 in the rapid heating region H1 and the inner peripheral surface 4C of the annular step portion 4B is a conveyance portion 4F having a small thickness. A portion on the rotating shaft 7 side that is radially inward of the space 4E is a thick base 4G. In other words, the fixed table 4 in the rapid heating region H1 includes a thick base portion 4G on the rotation center side of the index table 5, and a transport portion 4F that is thinner than the base portion 4G on the adjacent outer peripheral side thereof. . The lower surface of the base 4G is the lower surface 4D of the fixed table 4, and the upper surfaces of the base 4G and the transport unit 4F are the upper surface 4A of the fixed table 4.
Therefore, when the heater 11 described above is positioned at the raised position, the heater 11 comes into contact with the lower surface of the base portion 4G which is the lower surface 4D of the fixed table 4. At that time, the transport section 4F is separated from the upper surface 11A of the heater 11 at a position opposite to the transport section 4F, and the lower opening of the space 4E is closed by the upper surface of the heater 11. .

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 3, in this embodiment, cooling nozzles 16 are arranged at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction within the space 4 </ b> E toward the transport unit 4 </ b> F. Each cooling nozzle 16 is fixed in an inclined state on the outer peripheral portion of the fixed table 4, whereby the tip of each cooling nozzle 16 is supported at a position close to the lower surface of the transport section 4 </ b> F. On the other hand, the base of each cooling nozzle 16 is connected to a conduit 21, and when air is supplied to the conduit 21, the air is blown from each cooling nozzle 16 to the transport unit 4 </ b> F.
The upstream end 21A of the conduit 21 is connected to a pump 22 that supplies air at room temperature, while the downstream end 21B of the conduit 21 is opened radially outward at the supply position B. The conduit 21 on the downstream side of the pump 22 is provided with cooling air generating means 23 made of a corder.
The conduit 21 on the downstream side of the cooling air generating means 23 is arranged so as to be folded back and forth once along the transport path in the fixed table 4 in the cooling region C1, and the folded region serves as a preliminary cooling unit 21C. Yes. The preliminary cooling unit 21 </ b> C is cooled together with the fixed table 4 by the Peltier element 13 during the quality inspection of the LED element 2. Therefore, the air intervening in the preliminary cooling unit 21C is cooled in advance to about 10 ° C. during the quality inspection. Further, the conduit 21 on the downstream side of the preliminary cooling part 21C is arranged along the outer peripheral part of the fixed table 4 after projecting outward from the outer peripheral part of the fixed table 4 in the cooling region C1. It is fixed to the fixed table 4. As described above, the bases of the plurality of cooling nozzles 16 are connected to the conduit 21 in the rapid heating region H1.
The operation of the pump 22 and the cooling air generating means 23 is controlled by the control means 8, and when the index table 5 is normally intermittently operated during the above-described quality inspection, the pump 22 and the cooling air are generated. The means 23 are not activated.

  When the quality inspection of the LED element 2 is started by the article inspection apparatus 1, the control means 8 raises the heater 11 to the rising end position and activates the heater 11 by an elevator mechanism (not shown). On the other hand, the pump 22 and the cooling air generating means 23 are not operated. Therefore, the upper surface 11A of the heater 11 is in contact with the lower surface 4D (the lower surface of the base portion 4G) of the fixed table 4, and the lower opening of the space portion 4E is closed by the upper surface 11A of the heater 11. In addition, since the pump 22 and the cooling air generating means 23 are not operated, air is not ejected from the cooling nozzle 16. In this state, as described above, the LED elements 2 are intermittently conveyed by the respective pockets P of the index table 5, so that the LED elements 2 are heated up to the inspection temperature in the rapid heating region H <b> 1 and then carried into the inspection position A. Thus, quality inspection by the inspection means 3 is performed.

On the other hand, when the index table 5 is abnormally stopped for some reason during the quality inspection of the LED element 2, the control means 8 operates the pump 22 and the cooling air generation means 23, and the heater 11 via the lifting mechanism. Is lowered to the position of the lowering end, and the heater 11 is separated from the fixed table 4.
Since the heater 11 is thus separated from the fixed table 4, the heat of the heater 11 is not transferred to the fixed table 4. In addition, when the pump 22 is operated, the air fed from the pump 22 through the conduit 21 is jetted from the respective cooling nozzles 16 toward the transport unit 4F in the space 4E. Here, during the quality inspection, the air in the preliminary cooling unit 21C is cooled in advance by the Peltier element 13 in the cooling region C1. Therefore, when the pump 22 is operated, air of about 10 ° C. cooled in the preliminary cooling unit 21C is immediately injected from the cooling nozzle 16 to the transport unit 4F, and thereafter generated by the cooling air generating means 23. The cooled air is continuously ejected from the cooling nozzle 16. Therefore, the transport unit 4F in the rapid heating region H1 is rapidly cooled, and the plurality of LED elements 2 supported on the transport unit 4F are rapidly cooled. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently suppress the LED element 2 that is stopped in the rapid heating region H <b> 1 from being damaged by the heat of the heater 11.
As is apparent from the above description, in the present embodiment, the LED elements 2 in the rapid heating region H1 are cooled when necessary by the plurality of cooling nozzles 16, the conduit 21, the pump 22, and the cooling air generating means 23. A cooling means is configured.

  As described above, in this embodiment, when the index table 5 abnormally stops during the quality inspection of the LED element 2, the heater 11 is lowered and separated from the fixed table 4, and the cooling nozzles 16 are cooled. The air for use is jetted toward the transport unit 4F. Thereby, the conveyance part 4F can be cooled rapidly and the LED element 2 stopped in the rapid heating area | region H1 can be rapidly cooled to the temperature of 200 degrees C or less of test | inspection temperature. Therefore, even when the index table 5 abnormally stops for some reason during the quality inspection in which the LED element 2 is heated by the heater 11, each LED element 2 stopped in the rapid heating region H1 is overheated by the heater 11. The possibility that each LED element 2 is damaged can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the heater 11 can be moved up and down by the lifting mechanism so that the heater 11 is raised and brought into contact with the fixed table 4 during quality inspection, and the heater 11 is lowered when the index table 5 is abnormally stopped. Although configured, the heater 11 may be a non-contact type. That is, as the heater 11, a heater using radiant heat such as infrared rays can be employed. In this case, the heater 11 may be simply stopped when the index table 5 is abnormally stopped.
Moreover, you may arrange | position the pipe which distribute | circulates the water for cooling in the fixed table 4 instead of the cooling nozzle 16 in the said Example. However, in this case, since it takes time until the cooling water circulates in the pipe, the above-described configuration in which the above-described room temperature air is injected into the space 4E is superior.
Further, in the embodiment described above, a plurality of pockets P formed of notches are formed on the outer peripheral portion of the index table 5, but a bottom surface for supporting the LED element 2 is provided in each pocket P. The LED element 2 in a state of being supported by the heater 11 may be heated by the heater 11. Further, the pocket P of the index table 5 may have any configuration as long as the LED element 2 can be held and heat from the heater 11 can be transferred to the LED element 2.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the inspection region H2 is provided on the downstream side adjacent to the rapid heating region H1 and the inspection position A is provided in the inspection region H2. However, the downstream side (inspection region H2 adjacent to the inspection region H2). The inspection position A may be provided on the outside). Further, the above-described inspection region H2 may be omitted, and the inspection position A may be set at a location on the adjacent downstream side of the rapid heating region H1. The inspection position A may be at the downstream end of the rapid heating region H1, as long as the inspection temperature is reached at the time of inspection. Even with such a configuration, the quality inspection can be performed at the inspection position A in a state where the LED element 2 is heated to the inspection temperature, and when the index table 5 is abnormally stopped, Similar effects can be obtained. In addition, if the configuration in which the inspection area H2 is omitted and the inspection position A is set at a location on the adjacent downstream side of the rapid heating area H1 is adopted, the entire article inspection apparatus 1 can be reduced in size by the amount of the inspection area H2. Is possible.

1. Product inspection device 2. LED element (article)
3 ... Inspection means 4 ... Fixed table 5 ... Index table (conveyance means) P ... Pocket 11 ... Heater (rapid heating means) 16 ... Cooling nozzle (cooling means)
A ... Inspection position H1 ... Rapid heating area

Claims (3)

A fixed table; a conveying means that is provided on the fixed table and holds the article in a plurality of pockets and intermittently conveys; and an inspection position on the conveyance path of the article conveyed by the conveying means. Inspection means for performing quality inspection, and heating means for raising the temperature of the article conveyed by the conveying means to a predetermined inspection temperature. The article is conveyed by the conveying means, and the article is heated by the heating means. In an article inspection apparatus in which a quality inspection is performed by the inspection means on an article that has reached the inspection temperature by passing through a heating region.
The heating means includes a rapid heating means for heating the article at a temperature higher than the inspection temperature in at least a part of the heating area, and further includes a rapid heating area in which the article is heated by the rapid heating means when necessary. Cooling means for injecting a cooling fluid is provided on the fixed table, and the article stopped in the rapid heating region is cooled via the fixed table by injecting the cooling fluid from the cooling means when the conveying means stops abnormally. An article inspection apparatus.   The conveying means includes a rotating body having a pocket provided on the outer peripheral portion, and conveys an article held in each pocket by sliding the rotating body by a driving means while being in sliding contact with the upper surface of the fixed table. The fixed table for the rapid heating region is formed on the base on the rotating shaft side of the rotating body, and on the outer peripheral side of the rotating shaft with respect to the base. The article inspection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a conveyance unit that is in sliding contact with the supported article, wherein the cooling unit includes a cooling nozzle that injects a cooling gas onto a lower surface of the conveyance unit.   The rapid heating means can be moved up and down to a raised position where the fixed table comes into contact with the lower surface of the base of the fixed table to heat the fixed table and a lowered position which is separated from the lower surface of the base of the fixed table and retreats downward. The fixed table is configured such that, in a state in which the rapid heating means is in contact with the base at the ascending position, the transport unit is opposed to the rapid heating means at a predetermined interval, and the cooling nozzle is The fixed table is fixed between the conveying section of the fixed table and the rapid heating means at the raised position. When the conveying means stops abnormally, the rapid heating means is lowered from the raised position to the lowered position. The article inspection apparatus according to claim 2.

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