JP6722542B2 - Cooker - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a heating cooker. In particular, the present invention relates to a heating cooker suitable for cooking using low heat such as stew cooking.

In a heating cooker such as a gas stove, a thermal power control mechanism such as a thermal power control lever and a thermal power control knob for manually changing the thermal power is provided on the operation panel as a thermal power control mechanism for the burner, and a flow rate control valve is provided in the gas passage to control the thermal power. A user operates the operating element to adjust the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve and change the heating power of the burner.

In this kind of heating cooker, when the thermal power is suddenly reduced by the thermal power operator, the supply amount of fuel gas to the burner may be sharply reduced and the burner may misfire. Therefore, the minimum thermal power position of the thermal power operator is set so that the burner is supplied with fuel gas that does not cause a misfire even when such a rapid thermal power change is performed.

By the way, the cooking done in the heating cooker is not limited to those that require high heat as in stir-fry cooking, but it also requires a certain amount of high heat in the early stages of cooking, such as oden, meat and potatoes, and stewed beef tendon. On the other hand, there is also simmering cooking that requires a low heat level of low heat to prevent burning, while slowly heating the food at the end of cooking. When cooking with such a low heat power, it is desirable to reduce the heat power of the burner as much as possible. There is a problem in that a low-heat power of a low level cannot be used in a heating cooker set to a high level. From the above viewpoint, in addition to the thermal power operator, an operating switch for setting a low thermal power lower than the minimum thermal power is provided, and a heating cooker provided with an electromagnetic valve and a bypass circuit is provided upstream of the flow rate adjusting valve in the gas passage. It has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1). According to this heating cooker, when the user operates the operation switch during cooking, the solenoid valve is closed and the gas passage is throttled so that the fuel gas is supplied only from the bypass circuit, and then the further use A person adjusts the heat power of the heat power operator to a desired low heat power, thereby enabling a lower input than usual.

JP, 2015-212591, A

However, in order to set a low heating power lower than the minimum heating power in the heating cooker of Patent Document 1, the user must operate not only the operation switch but also the heating power operator during heating and cooking. Is inferior in workability. In addition, it is difficult for the user to determine the change in the heat power, because the user must also determine the timing of setting the low heat power and the weak heat power to be set. Furthermore, if the input is lower than the minimum thermal power set by the operation of the thermal power operator, the combustion flame formed in the burner becomes smaller and the combustion flame tends to fluctuate due to disturbance, so it is possible to use a combustion safety device such as a thermocouple. In the heating cooker in which the point extinguishing of the burner is determined, there is a problem that misfire is erroneously detected and cooking is interrupted.

The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide excellent usability in the case of cooking that requires a low heat power such as a simmering heat, such as stewed cooking, and the finish of cooking the cooked food. To provide a superior cooking device.

According to the invention,
A burner that heats the food to be cooked,
A thermal power operator that manually changes the thermal power of the burner,
An electric flow rate adjusting valve that is provided in the gas passage and increases or decreases the supply amount of fuel gas to the burner,
A heating cooker comprising: a heating control unit that adjusts the opening of a flow rate adjusting valve to control the heating power of a burner;
The heating control means has a heating state determination means for determining whether the heating state of the food to be cooked or the burner satisfies a predetermined lower limit thermal power change condition,
When the thermal power of the burner is changed by the thermal power operator, so that the burner burns in a range from the predetermined minimum thermal power to the maximum thermal power, the opening of the flow rate control valve is adjusted to increase or decrease the supply amount of fuel gas.
When the heating power of the burner is set to the minimum thermal power position by the thermal power operator after the heating state of at least one of the cooked object and the burner satisfies the lower limit thermal power change condition, the thermal power of the burner is set by the thermal power operator. There is provided a heating cooker having a control configuration that adjusts the opening degree of a flow rate adjusting valve to reduce a supply amount of fuel gas to a burner so as to have a predetermined lower limit thermal power lower than a minimum thermal power.

According to the above heating cooker, when the thermal power of the burner is manually changed by the thermal power operator, the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve is adjusted so that the burner burns in a range from the predetermined minimum thermal power to the maximum thermal power. However, during heating and cooking, if the predetermined lower limit thermal power change condition is satisfied, the opening degree of the electric flow rate adjusting valve is adjusted so that the predetermined lower limit thermal power lower than the minimum thermal power is set. It is possible to continue cooking with the heat power of an input lower than the minimum heat power, without the user operating the heat power operator and without the user determining the timing of the heat power change or the heat power after the change. In addition, the minimum thermal power that can be changed by manually operating the thermal power operator is set higher than the minimum thermal power, so even if the thermal power is suddenly reduced to the minimum thermal position during cooking, the burner will misfire. Nothing.

In the above heating cooker, preferably,
The heating state determination means includes at least one of a cooked object temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of a cooked object, a combustion time measuring means for measuring a burner combustion time, and a burner temperature detecting means for detecting a burner temperature. ,
Whether the temperature of the cooking object detected by the cooking object temperature detecting means reaches the equilibrium temperature, the combustion time of the burner measured by the combustion time measuring means reaches a predetermined lower limit thermal power change time, or the burner temperature detecting means It is determined whether or not the temperature of the burner detected by the above-mentioned condition reaches at least one lower limit thermal power change condition of reaching a predetermined lower limit thermal power change temperature.

At the initial stage of ignition, the heat generated by the combustion flame is removed to raise the temperature of the burner, so that a small combustion flame is likely to be formed. Therefore, if it is possible to change from the initial stage of ignition to a lower limit thermal power that is lower than the minimum thermal power, misfire tends to occur as the supply amount of fuel gas to the burner decreases. However, when the temperature of the cooked object has reached the equilibrium temperature, when the burner combustion time has reached the specified lower limit thermal power change time, or when the burner temperature has reached the specified lower limit thermal power change temperature. Since the burner is burned for a certain period of time or longer, the combustion flame does not become excessively small even if the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve is reduced, and misfire is less likely to occur.
Also, when the temperature of the cooked object has reached the equilibrium temperature, when the burner combustion time has reached the specified lower limit thermal power change time, or when the burner temperature has reached the specified lower limit thermal power change temperature. It can be determined that the food to be cooked is heated to some extent.
Therefore, if at least one of the lower limit thermal power changing conditions is satisfied and the thermal power operator is set to the minimum thermal power position, the cooked object is heated to some extent and then set to the minimum thermal power, so that the user You can determine that you want to cook with the minimum heat. As a result, by lowering the heating power of the burner to the lower limit heating power in a state where the burner is unlikely to misfire, it is possible to carefully heat the food material while suppressing burning.

In the above heating cooker, preferably,
The heating state determination means further comprises combustion flame detection means for detecting the combustion state of the burner,
The heating control means sets the burner thermal power to the lower limit thermal power lower than the minimum thermal power, and then the output value of the combustion flame detection means falls below a predetermined stable reference value or the output of the combustion flame detection means within a predetermined time. When the fluctuation of the value becomes equal to or more than a predetermined stable fluctuation value and at least one of the stable thermal power change conditions is satisfied, the flow control valve is opened so that the thermal power of the burner becomes a predetermined stable thermal power higher than the lower limit thermal power. The fuel gas supply rate to increase.

If the lower limit thermal power lower than the minimum thermal power set by the thermal power controller is used, the input will be reduced, so if the combustion flame fluctuates due to external disturbance, the combustion flame cannot be detected by the combustion flame detection means and misfire is erroneously detected. there is a possibility.
However, according to the above-mentioned heating cooker, the output value of the combustion flame detection means decreases to a predetermined stable reference value or less after the heat power of the burner is reduced to the lower limit heat power, or the combustion flame detection means within a predetermined time period. If the fluctuation of the output value of the above becomes equal to or more than a predetermined stable fluctuation value and at least one of the stable thermal power change conditions is satisfied, the flow control valve is opened so that the thermal power of the burner becomes a stable thermal power higher than the lower limit thermal power. Since the fuel gas supply amount is increased by adjusting the degree, the erroneous detection of misfire due to the change to the lower limit thermal power lower than the minimum thermal power can be avoided. As a result, unnecessary interruption of cooking can be prevented and the object to be cooked can be continuously heated. By setting the stability reference value higher than the misfire reference value, it is possible to ensure safety in the event of misfire.

As described above, according to the present invention, if the predetermined lower limit thermal power change condition is satisfied, only by setting the thermal power operator to the minimum thermal power position, the cooked object is stably heated at the lower thermal power lower than the minimum thermal power. it can. Therefore, it is not necessary for the user to change the thermal power operator to change the thermal power to the lower limit thermal power. Further, the user does not need to judge the timing of changing the heat power or the heat power after the change. In addition, since the food to be cooked can be heated with the lower limit heat power lower than the minimum heat power, it is possible to prevent burning and carefully heat the food to be cooked in simmering cooking where it is desired to heat with a low heat power such as melting heat. it can. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a heating cooker that is excellent in usability and excellent in the finish of cooking the cooked object.

FIG. 1 is a gas circuit diagram of a heating cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the control operation in the heating cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the heating cooker according to the present embodiment will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a gas circuit diagram showing an example of the heating cooker according to the present embodiment applied to a gas stove. As shown in FIG. 1, the gas stove includes a stove burner 2 and a controller 5 that controls the stove burner 2.

At the center of the stove burner 2, there is provided a pan bottom temperature sensor 7 (a cooking object temperature detecting means) for detecting the temperature of the cooking container. The pan bottom temperature sensor 7 contacts the bottom of the pan 9 when the pan 9 (cooking container) is placed on the Gotoku 8, and the controller 5 outputs a signal indicating the temperature detected at the bottom of the pan 9 heated by the stove burner 2. Output to.

The fire extinguisher button 10 that can be pushed and rotated can be used to extinguish the fire and change the heating power of the stove burner 2. Specifically, by pressing the point fire extinguisher button 10, the stove burner 2 is ignited or extinguished. Further, by rotating the point fire extinguisher button 10, the heating power level of the stove burner 2 is adjusted (the amount of fuel gas supplied to the stove burner 2 is adjusted). In the stove burner 2 of the present embodiment, when the point fire extinguisher button 10 is rotated, the fire power level is set to be adjustable in nine steps from the minimum fire power to the maximum fire power.

Fuel gas is supplied to the stove burner 2 through a gas supply pipe 11 that constitutes a gas passage. An ignition electrode 14 for igniting the stove burner 2 and a thermocouple (combustion flame detection means) 15 for detecting the combustion state of the stove burner 2 are provided near the stove burner 2. The electromotive force generated when the thermocouple 15 is heated by the combustion flame is output to the controller 5. The gas supply pipe 11 is provided with a source electromagnetic valve 12 that opens and closes the gas supply pipe 11 and a flow rate adjustment valve 13 that adjusts the flow rate of the fuel gas flowing through the gas supply pipe 11 in order from the upstream side.

The flow rate adjustment valve 13 is an electric valve that changes the gas flow rate of the gas supply pipe 11 by changing the opening degree via an electric actuator such as the stepping motor 30. The controller 5 switches the thermal power level of the stove burner 2 by changing the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve 13 via the stepping motor 30.

Specifically, when the fire extinguisher button 10 is operated, a signal indicating the rotation angle is input to the controller 5, and the controller 5 changes the supply amount of the fuel gas flowing through the gas supply pipe 11 according to the rotation angle. As described above, the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve 13 is changed by the stepping motor 30. In the present embodiment, the fire power of the stove burner 2 when the point fire extinguishing button 10 is set to the minimum fire power position is the misfire of the stove burner 2 even when the point fire extinguishing button 10 is suddenly moved from the maximum fire power position to the minimum fire power position. It is set to a firepower that does not occur. For example, when the thermal power at the maximum thermal power position is set to 2500 kcal/h, the thermal power at the minimum thermal power position is set to 300 kcal/h.

Further, when the point extinguishing button 10 is set to the minimum thermal power position after the lower limit thermal power changing condition described later is satisfied, the controller 5 causes the stepping motor 30 to set a predetermined lower limit thermal power lower than the minimum thermal power. The opening of the flow rate adjusting valve 13 is changed to an opening smaller than the opening corresponding to the minimum thermal power. For example, the lower limit thermal power is set to 180 kcal/h.

The controller 5 is an electronic circuit unit including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a timer, and the like, and controls the operation of the gas stove by executing a predetermined control program. Moreover, the controller 5 is provided with the point extinguishing control part 50, the thermal power control part 51, and the heating state determination part 52 as the function, as shown in FIG.

The fire extinguisher control unit 50 controls the fire extinguishing of the stove burner 2 based on the operation signal of the fire extinguisher button 10 and the output value of the thermocouple 15. When the electromotive force of the thermocouple 15 becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined reference value for misfire, the point extinction control unit 50 closes the original solenoid valve 12 to extinguish the stove burner 2. The thermal power control unit 51 executes the cooking operation by adjusting the thermal power of the stove burner 2 based on the operation signal of the fire extinguisher button 10 and the output signal from the heating state determination unit 52.

The heating state determination unit 52 monitors the temperature detected by the pan bottom temperature sensor 7 and determines the equilibrium state determination unit 53 that determines whether the detected temperature has reached the equilibrium temperature and the combustion time after the ignition of the stove burner 2. A combustion time determination unit 54 that counts and determines whether or not the combustion time has reached a predetermined lower limit thermal power change time. Furthermore, the heating state determination unit 52 is an electromotive force determination unit 55 that determines whether or not the electromotive force of the thermocouple 15 becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined stability reference value after the thermal power of the stove burner 2 is changed to the lower limit thermal power. An electromotive force fluctuation determination unit 56 that determines whether the fluctuation of the electromotive force within a predetermined time is equal to or greater than a predetermined stable fluctuation value. Therefore, in the present embodiment, each of the detection means 7 and 15 and the timer and the corresponding determination parts 53 to 56 constitute a heating state determination means.

The memory 57 stores a data table including a control program, a determination reference value for determining the equilibrium temperature under the lower limit thermal power change condition, each determination time, each reference value of the electromotive force under the stable thermal power change condition, and the like. ..

Next, the control operation of the gas stove according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, when the user turns on the power switch (not shown) and then operates the fire extinguisher button 10, the ignition electrode 14 is spark-discharged to ignite the stove burner 2 (step ST1). Then, the combustion timer is started to measure the combustion time, and the acquisition of the detected temperature detected by the pan bottom temperature sensor 7 is started (steps ST2 to ST3).

When the stove burner 2 is ignited and heating cooking is started, it is determined whether the combustion time of the stove burner 2 has reached a predetermined lower limit thermal power change time (for example, 5 minutes) (step ST4). This makes it possible to confirm that the food to be cooked is in the heated state for a certain period of time or longer. Further, in the initial stage of ignition, the heat generated by the combustion flame is taken away to raise the temperature of the burner head portion (not shown) of the stove burner 2, so the combustion flame tends to become smaller. Therefore, if it is possible to change from the initial stage of ignition to a lower limit thermal power lower than the minimum thermal power, the electromotive force of the thermocouple 15 decreases below the misfire reference value as the supply amount of the fuel gas to the stove burner 2 decreases, and a misfire occurs. Is likely to occur. However, if the combustion time continues until the temperature of the burner head section rises above a certain temperature, misfiring will occur even if the opening of the flow rate control valve 13 is reduced so that the lower limit thermal power is lower than the minimum thermal power. Can be prevented. A temperature sensor such as a thermistor that can directly detect the temperature of the burner head is installed to determine whether the burner head is sufficiently heated. It may be determined whether or not the temperature of the part reaches a predetermined lower limit thermal power change temperature.

When the combustion time of the stove burner 2 is within the lower limit thermal power change time (No in step ST4), it is further determined whether or not the temperature detected by the pan bottom temperature sensor 7 has reached a predetermined equilibrium temperature (step ST5). ). That is, in the case of cooking with a large amount of water such as oden or curry, the equilibrium temperature (the equilibrium temperature at which the detection temperature is kept substantially constant) is detected during heating. If such an equilibrium temperature is detected, it can be determined that the cooking is being cooked and the cooking target has been cooked to some extent. The equilibrium temperature is obtained, for example, by measuring the tendency of change in the detected temperature for each predetermined time.

As described above, when the combustion time of the stove burner 2 has passed the lower limit thermal power change time or when the equilibrium temperature is detected (Yes in step ST4 or ST5), the current thermal power setting position of the fire extinguisher button 10 is set. Is confirmed to be the minimum thermal power position (step ST6). When the present heating power of the stove burner 2 is the minimum heating power (Yes in step ST6), the food to be cooked has been heated for a certain period of time and cooking has advanced to some extent, and the lower limit heating power lower than the minimum heating power is input. It is considered that misfire is unlikely to occur even if the power is lowered. Therefore, the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve 13 is further narrowed down from the minimum thermal power to reduce the thermal power of the stove burner 2 to the lower limit thermal power (step ST7). As a result, it is possible to heat the food to be cooked with a low heating power that is lower than the minimum heating power and is about low heat.

When the thermal power of the stove burner 2 is changed to the lower limit thermal power, the electromotive force of the thermocouple 15 is higher than the misfire reference value within a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds), but the number of times is equal to or less than a predetermined stable reference value is predetermined. Whether or not it is detected more than the number of fluctuations (for example, twice) and the electromotive force of the thermocouple 15 is higher than the reference value for misfire, but drops below a predetermined stable reference value for a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) or longer. It is determined whether or not to do so (steps ST8 and ST9).

When the fluctuation of the electromotive force of the thermocouple 15 is the number of fluctuations or more, or when the electromotive force of the thermocouple 15 is reduced to the stable reference value or less (Yes in step ST8 or ST9), the combustion flame fluctuates due to disturbance. , It is considered that the food to be cooked cannot be sufficiently heated with the lower limit thermal power. Therefore, the opening degree of the flow rate adjustment valve 13 is increased so that the thermal power of the stove burner 2 becomes the minimum thermal power that is a stable thermal power from the lower limit thermal power (step ST10). As a result, it is possible to prevent the cooking from being interrupted due to erroneous detection of misfire and continue the cooking. The stable thermal power may be set lower or higher than the minimum thermal power as long as it is higher than the lower limit thermal power.

Although not shown, if the combustion flame is detected by the electromotive force of the thermocouple 15 after changing the thermal power of the stove burner 2 to a stable thermal power, the thermal power of the stove burner 2 is again set to the lower limit thermal power after a predetermined time has elapsed. Lower.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, by manually operating the fire extinguisher button 10, the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve 13 is changed and the supply amount of the fuel gas supplied to the stove burner 2 is changed. The stove burner 2 is burned by increasing and decreasing within a range from a preset minimum thermal power to a maximum thermal power, but when the temperature detected by the pan bottom temperature sensor 7 reaches an equilibrium temperature during cooking, When the combustion time of the burner 2 reaches the predetermined lower limit thermal power change time, if the user sets the point fire extinguishing button 10 to the minimum thermal power position, the preset lower limit thermal power lower than the minimum thermal power is set. Then, the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve 13 is adjusted. Therefore, if the user sets the point extinguisher button 10 to the minimum thermal power position after heating the object to be cooked for a certain time or more from the initial stage of ignition, the user can operate the point extinguishment button 10 without further operation and use. It is possible for a person to continue cooking with a low heat power with an input lower than the minimum heat power without having to judge the timing of the heat power change or the heat power after the change. Therefore, it is not necessary for the user to confirm the state of the cooked object after setting the fire extinguisher button 10 to the minimum heat power position. Since the minimum firepower that can be changed by manually operating the point fire extinguishing button 10 is set higher than the lower limit firepower, even if the firepower is suddenly lowered to the minimum fire power position during cooking, the burner 2 Will not be misfired.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the object to be cooked can be heated with the lower limit thermal power lower than the minimum thermal power, for example, in stewing cooking or the like in which heating with a low thermal power of about melting heat is desired, preventing burning. You can carefully heat the food.

Further, according to the present embodiment, when changing to the lower limit thermal power, it is determined whether the detected temperature of the cooked object has reached the equilibrium temperature or the burner combustion time has reached the predetermined lower limit thermal power change time. , It is possible to prevent misfire by changing to the lower limit thermal power.

Further, according to the present embodiment, after the thermal power of the stove burner 2 is changed to the lower limit thermal power, if the detection failure of the combustion flame by the thermocouple 15 occurs, the stable thermal power is restored, and thus the lower limit thermal power is changed. It is possible to prevent the interruption of cooking due to external disturbance.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a heating cooker that is excellent in usability and excellent in the finish of cooking the cooked object.

(Other embodiments)
(1) In the above embodiment, the case where the cooking is performed using the stove burner has been described, but the present invention can be applied to the case where the cooking is performed using the grill burner. In this case, an in-compartment temperature sensor capable of detecting the temperature in the grill may be used as the cooking target temperature determining means for determining the heating state of the cooking target.
(2) In the above-described embodiment, the cooking is started only by the point fire extinguishing and the ignition operation of the thermal power operator, and the lower limit thermal power is changed if the predetermined lower limit thermal power change condition is satisfied. The cooking selection switch may be provided, and only when the cooking selection switch is operated before cooking, if the lower limit thermal power change condition is satisfied, the lower limit thermal power may be changed.
(3) In the above embodiment, if the thermal power operator is set to the minimum thermal power position, the thermal power of the burner is reduced to the lower limit thermal power, but after a lapse of a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) after being changed to the minimum thermal power position. It may be lowered to the lower limit fire power later.

2 Stove burner 7 Pan bottom temperature sensor (Cooking object temperature detection means)
10-point fire extinguishing button (fire power operator)
15 Thermocouple (combustion flame detection means)
5 controller

Claims (3)

A burner that heats the food to be cooked,
A thermal power operator that manually changes the thermal power of the burner,
An electric flow rate adjusting valve that is provided in the gas passage and increases or decreases the supply amount of fuel gas to the burner,
A heating cooker comprising: a heating control unit that adjusts the opening of a flow rate adjusting valve to control the heating power of a burner;
The heating control means has a heating state determination means for determining whether the heating state of the food to be cooked or the burner satisfies a predetermined lower limit thermal power change condition,
When the thermal power of the burner is changed by the thermal power operator, so that the burner burns in a range from the predetermined minimum thermal power to the maximum thermal power, the opening of the flow rate control valve is adjusted to increase or decrease the supply amount of fuel gas.
When the heating power of the burner is set to the minimum thermal power position by the thermal power operator after the heating state of at least one of the cooked object and the burner satisfies the lower limit thermal power change condition, the thermal power of the burner is set by the thermal power operator. A heating cooker having a control configuration that adjusts the opening of a flow rate adjusting valve to reduce a supply amount of fuel gas to a burner so that a predetermined lower limit thermal power lower than a minimum thermal power is obtained. The heating cooker according to claim 1,
The heating state determination means includes at least one of a cooking object temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the cooking object, a combustion time measuring means for measuring the burner combustion time, and a burner temperature detecting means for detecting the burner temperature. ,
Whether the temperature of the cooking object detected by the cooking object temperature detecting means reaches the equilibrium temperature, the combustion time of the burner measured by the combustion time measuring means reaches a predetermined lower limit thermal power change time, or the burner temperature detecting means A cooker that determines whether or not the temperature of the burner detected by the temperature reaches a predetermined lower limit thermal power change temperature or at least one lower limit thermal power change condition is satisfied. The heating cooker according to claim 1 or 2,
The heating state determination means further comprises combustion flame detection means for detecting the combustion state of the burner,
The heating control means sets the burner thermal power to the lower limit thermal power lower than the minimum thermal power, and then the output value of the combustion flame detection means falls below a predetermined stable reference value or the output of the combustion flame detection means within a predetermined time. When the fluctuation of the value becomes equal to or more than a predetermined stable fluctuation value and at least one of the stable thermal power change conditions is satisfied, the flow control valve is opened so that the thermal power of the burner becomes a predetermined stable thermal power higher than the lower limit thermal power. A cooker that adjusts the degree to increase the supply of fuel gas.

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