TWI820983B - Keyswitch with noise reduction effect - Google Patents

Abstract

A keyswitch includes a cap, a board, a first link, and a circuit membrane. A connection structure of the board defines a first vertical hole, a first abutting block and a first board hole communicated with the first vertical hole. The first link includes a first connection rod with an end being movably inserted into the first vertical hole. The circuit membrane has a carrier portion disposed between the end of the first connection rod and the first board hole. When the cap returns to a non-pressed position, the end of the first connection rod slides on the carrier portion of the membrane circuit, and moves outward along the first vertical hole, until the end of the first connection rod is stopped at a position where the first abutting block is abutting underneath the carrier portion of the circuit membrane.

Description

Buttons with noise reduction effect

The present invention relates to a button, in particular to a button that reduces vibration when pressed.

Keyboards have become a common input peripheral device for data processing devices. Generally, the operating surfaces of keyboard keys are mostly square in shape. However, the operating surface of some keys has a longer side, such as the "ENTER", "SPACE", "SHIFT" keys, etc. These special keys are generally called multiplier keys.

Most multiplier keys are equipped with a balance bar connected between the keycap and the base plate, so that when the user presses one end of the multiplier key, the other end of the multiplier key that is not pressed can also drop accordingly.

However, in order to facilitate assembly, there is a gap at the connection between the balance bar and the bottom plate, so the key structure is prone to shaking during the pressing process.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a key with reduced pressing vibration to solve the above problems.

According to an embodiment, a key according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a keycap, a base plate, a thin film circuit board, and a first balance bar. The base plate has at least one connecting structure defining a first vertical hole, a first plate hole and a first contact block. The first plate hole and the first contact block are juxtaposed to correspond to the first vertical hole. The first The plate hole is connected with the first vertical hole. The thin film circuit board has at least one carrying area corresponding to the first vertical hole, and at least partially overlaps the first board hole and the first contact block. The first balance bar has a first keycap section and at least a first connecting section. The first keycap section is rotatably connected to the keycap, and the end of the first connecting section is movably inserted into the keycap. In the first vertical hole, the carrying area of the thin film circuit board is located between the first board hole and the end of the first connecting section. Among them, when the keycap returns from the pressed position When reaching the unpressed position, the end of the first connecting section slides on the load-bearing area and moves outward along the first vertical hole until the end of the first connecting section is blocked by the first resistance. The top of the connecting block is located below the load-bearing area.

According to another embodiment, a key according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a keycap, a base plate, a thin film circuit board, at least one lifting bracket, at least one reset member, and a first balance bar. The base plate has at least one connecting structure defining a first vertical hole, a first plate hole and a first contact block. The first plate hole and the first contact block are juxtaposed to correspond to the first vertical hole. The first The plate hole is connected with the first vertical hole. The thin film circuit board has at least one carrying area corresponding to the first vertical hole, and at least partially overlaps the first board hole and the first contact block. The lifting bracket is connected between the keycap and the bottom plate; the reset member provides the reset force of the keycap. The first balance bar has a first keycap section and at least a first connecting section. The first keycap section is rotatably connected to the keycap, and the end of the first connecting section is movably inserted into the keycap. In the first vertical hole, the bearing area of the thin film circuit board is located between the first board hole and the end of the first connecting section; wherein, when the keycap returns from the pressed position to the unpressed position, The end of the first connecting section slides on the load-bearing area and moves outward along the first vertical hole until the end of the first connecting section is blocked when the first abutting block abuts against the load-bearing area The position below.

Therefore, the present invention can effectively solve the problem of the key structure shaking when pressing due to the existence of gaps, and can also avoid the balance bar from generating impact noise or resonance noise during the pressing/releasing process by eliminating the gaps, thereby further improving noise reduction. Effect. At the same time, after the design of the present invention is introduced, since the sliding of the balance bar is controlled, the present invention overcomes structural shaking or pressing shake, resonance noise/impact noise, and also realizes the possibility of controlling the height of the keycap with the balance bar.

The advantages and spirit of the present invention can be further understood through the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.

10:Button

12:Keycap

14: Bottom plate

16:Lifting bracket

18:First balance bar

20:Second balance bar

22:Thin film circuit board

220: Bearing area

24:Connection structure

26: Flat part

28: Pars erectus

30: First keycap segment

32: First connection section

34: Second keycap segment

36: The second connecting section

38:Eaves

40:The first vertical wall

42:Second vertical wall

44:The third vertical wall

46:The first vertical hole

48:Second vertical hole

50: First bent end

52: Second bent end

54:First plate hole

56: First contact block

58:Second plate hole

60: Second contact block

S1: first outside

S2: Second outside

L1, L2, L3, L4: Width

Figure 1 is a schematic three-dimensional view of a button according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Picture 2 is an enlarged and exploded diagram of part of the button in Picture 1.

Figure 3A is an enlarged view of part of the button in Figure 1.

Figure 3B is a partially enlarged schematic view of Figure 3A with the film circuit board and lifting bracket removed.

Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the button in Figure 1 along the section line A-A.

Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the key in Figure 4 when the keycap is pressed to the pressed position.

Please refer to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a three-dimensional schematic view of the button 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a partially enlarged exploded schematic view of the button 10 in Figure 1. In order to clearly The internal structural connection relationship of the key 10 is shown, and the key cap 12 is simply shown with a perspective dotted line in Figure 1 . As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the key 10 can preferably be a keyboard key with a balance bar (such as "ENTER", "SPACE", "SHIFT" keys and other multiple keys, but not limited to this) and It includes a keycap 12, a bottom plate 14, at least one lifting bracket 16 (two are shown in Figure 1, but are not limited thereto), a first balance bar 18, a second balance bar 20, and a film circuit board 22. The bottom plate 14 is formed with at least one connecting structure 24 (two are shown in Figure 1, but are not limited thereto) for connecting the balance rods 18/20, and the balance rods 18/20 are inserted into the end of the connecting structure 24 and the connecting structure. Between the abutting blocks 56/60 of 24, a carrying area 220 for the thin film circuit board 22 is provided; the lifting bracket 16 can preferably use a scissor leg bracket (other common button brackets can also be used, such as butterfly brackets) and connected between the keycap 12 and the bottom plate 14 so that the keycap 12 can move up and down relative to the bottom plate 14 between the unpressed position and the pressed position. The thin film circuit board 22 can be disposed on the base plate 14. When the keycap 12 is pressed to the pressing position, the switch (not shown) on the thin film circuit board 22 can be correspondingly triggered by a trigger part (not shown). , so that the button 10 can perform the function desired by the user. As for the related description of the lifting support design and the thin film circuit triggering design of the above-mentioned button 10, they are common in the prior art and will not be described again here. In practical applications, the key 10 may further include a reset member such as various types of elastomers or magnetic return designs (omitted and not shown), and the reset member may be provided on the keycap 12 and the bottom plate 14 to provide a restoring force to the keycap 12 so that the keycap 12 can automatically return from the pressed position to the unpressed position when the external force is released. The aforementioned triggering part may be provided on the reset member, the lifting bracket 16 or the keycap 12 so as to move up and down as the key 10 is pressed.

Regarding the connection design between the bottom plate 14 and the first balance bar 18 and the second balance bar 20, please refer to Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3A, Figure 3B, and Figure 4, Figure 3A is the Figure 1 is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the button 10. Figure 3B is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the membrane circuit board 22 and the lifting bracket 16 in Figure 3A, and Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the button 10 in Figure 1 along the section line A-A. As can be seen from the above figures, the connection structure 24 of the base plate 14 can have a flat portion 26 and an upright portion 28; the first balance bar 18 can have a first keycap section 30 and at least one first connection section 32 (preferably in the first Two are shown in the figure to form a C-shaped bar structure), the second balance bar 20 and the first balance bar 18 are opposite to each other and have a second keycap section 34 and at least one second connecting section 36 (preferably in Figure 1 Two are shown to form a C-shaped rod structure), and the first keycap section 30 and the second keycap section 34 are rotatably connected to the keycap 12 so that they can move up and down accordingly as the keycap 12 moves. Turn. The flat portion 26 and the upright portion 28 are approximately perpendicular to each other, or the angle range between each other is between 90 degrees plus or minus 10 degrees. In order to simplify the description below, only the connection design of one of the connection structures 24 and the connection section corresponding to the first balance bar 18 and the second balance bar 20 will be described. As for the connection design of other connection structures and their corresponding connection sections, The relevant description can be deduced in this way and will not be repeated here.

In this embodiment, the upright portion 28 has a first upright hole 46 and a second upright hole 48 . In detail, the upright part 28 may have an eaves part 38 and a first upright wall 40, a second upright wall 42, and a third upright wall 44 formed by protruding from the flat part 26. The second upright wall 42 and the third upright wall 44 are respectively located on both sides of the first vertical wall 40 (that is, the second vertical wall 42 and the third vertical wall 44 are respectively arranged outward relative to the first vertical wall 40), and the eaves 38 bridge the first vertical wall 40 and the third vertical wall 40. The two vertical walls 42 define the first vertical hole 46. The eaves 38 bridge the first vertical wall 40 and the third vertical wall 44 to define the second vertical hole 48. The first bent end 50 of the first connecting section 32 can The second connecting section 36 is movably inserted into the first vertical hole 46 , and the second bent end 52 of the second connecting section 36 is movably inserted into the second vertical hole 48 .

Correspondingly, the flat plate portion 26 may have a first plate hole 54, a first contact block 56, a second plate hole 58, and the second contact block 60, the first plate hole 54 is connected with the first vertical hole 46 and is approximately perpendicular, the second plate hole 58 is connected with the second vertical hole 48 and is approximately perpendicular, and as shown in Figure 4 As shown, the first contact block 56 is formed inwardly extending from the first outer side S1 of the flat plate portion 26 corresponding to the second vertical wall 42 to the first plate hole 54, so that the width L2 of the first plate hole 54 is smaller than the first vertical hole 46. width L1, and the second contact block 60 is formed by extending inwardly from the second outer side S2 of the flat plate portion 26 corresponding to the third vertical wall 44 to the second plate hole 58, so that the width L4 of the second plate hole 58 is smaller than the second plate hole 58. The vertical hole 48 has a width L3. The abutting blocks 56/60 respectively have two adjacent open sides adjacent to the vertical holes 46/48 and the plate holes 54/58. One of the two open sides of the abutting blocks 56/60 is parallel to the long side of the keycap 12, and the other is parallel to the long side of the keycap 12. One is parallel to the short side of the keycap 12; the open side of the abutting block 56/60 that is parallel to the short side of the keycap 12 is approximately parallel to the outer surfaces of the first vertical wall 40 and the second vertical wall 42.

This is a detailed description of the structural actions of the first balance bar 18 and the second balance bar 20. Please refer to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 5 shows the key 10 in Figure 4 being pressed to the keycap 12. Schematic cross-section of the pressed position. Since the keycap 12 is in a high position when it is not pressed, the first and second bending ends 50 and 52 are away from the first vertical wall 40 and close to the second vertical wall 42/third vertical wall 44 respectively. Therefore, the first outer side Both S1 and the second outer side S2 can be called the high side toward the outside of the button 10 (away from the geometric center of the button 10 is called the outside), and the side facing the first vertical wall 40, that is, toward the inner center of the button 10, is called the low side. At this time, the third side The first and second bending ends 50 and 52 are close to the first vertical wall 40 and away from the second vertical wall 42/third vertical wall 44 respectively, and the keycap 12 is pressed to the lowest pressing position. The diameter of the balance rod 18/20 can be set to be approximately the same as the height of the vertical hole 46/48 (the lower edge of the eaves 38 to the upper surface of the abutment block 56/60). There is also the bearing area 220 of the thin film circuit board 22 in between, and the balance bar 18/20 will not slide outward until its overall structure is pressed directly above the bearing area 220 and the abutment block 56/60.

Specifically, through the above design, when the keycap 12 is pressed from the unpressed position as shown in Figure 4 to the pressed position as shown in Figure 5, the first bent end 50 of the first connecting section 32 is The eaves 38 of the detachable upright portion 28 and the first contact block 56 of the flat portion 26 are clamped up and down, and as the keycap 12 moves downward, it moves inward toward the first upright wall 40 along the first upright hole 46 slide, and the second bent end 52 of the second connecting section 36 is detachable The eaves portion 38 is clamped up and down by the second contact block 60 of the flat portion 26, and slides inward toward the first vertical wall 40 along the second vertical hole 48 as the keycap 12 moves downward. During this process, the thin film circuit board 22 disposed on the base plate 14 to be spaced between the first and second bending ends 50 and 52 and the flat portion 26 can support the first bending end 50 and the second bending end 50 . The folded end 52 slides smoothly thereon, thereby reducing the collision noise of the first folded end 50 and the second folded end 52 sliding in the first vertical hole 46 and the second vertical hole 48 respectively and further improving the stability of the button 10 Press feel.

On the other hand, when the keycap 12 returns from the pressed position as shown in Figure 5 to the unpressed position as shown in Figure 4, the first bent end 50 can move along the first vertical hole 46. The second vertical wall 42 moves outward to a position corresponding to the first contact block 56 , so that the first contact block 56 can clamp the first bent end 50 up and down with the eaves 38 via the film circuit board 22 , similarly As the keycap 12 moves upward, the second bent end 52 can also move outward toward the third vertical wall 44 along the second vertical hole 48 to a position corresponding to the second contact block 60, so that the second contact block 60 can move outward. The connecting block 60 can clamp the second bent end 52 up and down with the eaves 38 through the film circuit board 22, so that the keycap 12 can be more stably maintained in the unpressed position as shown in Figure 4 , so that the user can perform subsequent pressing operations. In addition, because at this time the first bent end 50 is clamped up and down by the eaves 38 and the first contact block 56, and the second bent end 52 is clamped between the eaves 38 and the second abutment block 60. It is clamped up and down so that there is no gap between the first bending end 50 and the second bending end 52 and the connecting structure 24. Therefore, the present invention can effectively solve the problems caused by the connecting sections and slots mentioned in the prior art. The gap between them causes the keys to easily produce impact or resonance noise with the balance bar when the structure shakes or vibrates, thereby further improving the noise reduction effect.

In practical applications, as shown in FIG. 4 , the width of the first contact block 56 can preferably be equal to the radius of the first bent end 50 , so that the first bent end 50 is in contact with the first contact block 38 at the eaves 38 . As shown in Figure 4, the connecting block 56 can abut the second vertical wall 42 when clamped up and down, thereby improving the limiting effect of the connecting structure 24 on the first bent end 50, but the invention is not limited to this. In another embodiment, the width of the first contact block 56 may be greater than the radius of the first bent end 50 , so that the first bent end 50 is clamped up and down by the eaves 38 and the first contact block 56 can be separated from the second vertical wall 42, thereby reliably preventing the first bending end 50 from colliding with the connecting structure 24 when the keycap 12 returns to the unpressed position. As for which design is adopted, it depends on the present invention. It depends on the actual application requirements of the button. The above width design for the first contact block can also be applied to the second contact block. The related description can be deduced from the above embodiments and will not be described again here.

Generally speaking, the first bending end 50 of the first connecting section 32 of the first balance rod 18 does not need to move outward until the first bending end 50 (geometric center or overall structure) is completely located between the load-bearing area 220 and the first bending end 50 . The first bending end 50 can be stopped only when it is above the contact block 56 . The diameter of the first bent end 50 can be greater than the remaining height of the first vertical hole 46 after deducting the thickness of the carrying area 220 of the film circuit board 22 and the thickness of the first contact block 56 , so that the first bent end 50 is directed toward When the outer sliding position is near the corner of the first contact block 56, it is restricted due to the reduction in space, and may finally be blocked by the bearing area 220 of the thin film circuit board 22 located above the corner of the first contact block 56. . In addition, although the above-described embodiment is to restrict the sliding of the first connecting section 32 of the first balance bar 18 in the short-side direction (suppressing the shaking of the keycap 12 in the short-side direction; there may be offset component), in different embodiments, the design of the abutment blocks 56/60 can also be used to limit the offset of the first connecting section 32 of the first balance bar 18 in the longitudinal direction; especially for small length-width ratios For the multiple key button 10, the end of the first connecting section 32 of the first balance bar 18 does not necessarily have the first bent end 50, and the straight end of the first connecting section 32 is offset in the long side direction (for the keycap 12 The shaking in the longitudinal direction) can also be prevented by using the design of the abutment block 56/60.

In Figure 4, the present invention adopts a design in which the first contact block 56 and the second contact block 60 indirectly clamp the first bending end 50 and the second bending end 52 through the carrying area 220 of the film circuit board 22. But not subject to this limitation. The thin film circuit board 22 disclosed in the various embodiments and drawings of the present invention may be a single-layer or three-layer design; and the load-bearing area 220 disclosed in the various embodiments and drawings of the present invention may be located on the single-layer thin film circuit board 22, for example. Or the lower film layer of the three-layer thin film circuit board 22; in another embodiment, the carrying area 220 can also be located in the middle of the thin film circuit board 22 with a spacer layer or an upper film layer.

In summary, the button 10 disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention is a connecting structure 24 of the base plate 14 The first vertical hole 46, the first plate hole 54 and the first contact block 56 are defined. The first plate hole 54 on the horizontal surface of the bottom plate 14 and the first contact block 56 parallel to the first plate hole 54 are juxtaposed and upright. The first vertical hole 46 is provided, and the first plate hole 54 is connected with the first vertical hole 46 . The thin film circuit board 22 has its bearing area 220 corresponding to the first vertical hole 46 , and the bearing area 220 at least partially overlaps the first plate hole 54 and the first contact block 56 . The first connecting section 32 of the first balance bar 18 extends downward from the first keycap section 30 to the connecting structure 24 connected to the base plate 14 , and the end of the first connecting section 32 is movably inserted into the third connecting structure 24 In a vertical hole 46 , the carrying area 220 of the thin film circuit board 22 is positioned between the first board hole 54 and the end of the first connecting section 32 . With the above design, when the keycap 12 returns from the pressed position to the unpressed position and the end of the first connecting section 32 moves outward along the first vertical hole 46, the end of the first connecting section 32 stops at the first The bearing area 220 of the thin film circuit board 22 above the corner of the abutting block 56 is used to reduce the deflection and shaking of the keycap 12 and also reduce the impact noise or resonance noise of the balance bar 18/20.

In addition, for keys with different length-to-width ratios, the structure and number of the balance bars of the present invention are not limited to the double balance bar design of the above embodiment. Buttons with other size ratios can also adopt the configuration of a single balance bar. As for the detailed description of this embodiment and other derivative modified embodiments, reference can be made to the above-mentioned embodiments and will not be described again here.

Finally, the height of the keycap 12 in the unpressed position can be determined by the upward reset force of the reset member on the keycap 12 and the movement restriction design of the lifting bracket 16 between the keycap 12 and the bottom plate 14 , which also makes the keycap 12 in the unpressed position. In the unpressed position at the highest point, the lifting bracket 16 is usually pushed by the reset force to extend to fit tightly between the keycap 12 and the bottom plate 14, but at this time the balance rod 18/20 is usually in a relaxed state due to the excessive gap, which is also One of the reasons for structural shaking or pressing shaking is that such a design uses the reset force and the lifting bracket 16 to control the maximum height of the keycap 12 (unpressed position). After the design of the present invention is introduced, if the width of the abutting block 56/60 is wide enough (meaning that the thin film circuit board 22 has a narrow bearing area 220), the balance bar 18/20 will slide outward for a short distance and be abutted. When the connecting block 56/60 and the load-bearing area 220 are in contact, the balance rod 18/20 may reach a tight fit state. At this time, the keycap 12 has reached the maximum height, but the lifting bracket 16 is still in a relaxed state. This design is a reverse The height of the keycap 12 is controlled by the balance bar 18/20 and the reset force. Ruodang When the balance bar 18/20 is resisted by the abutment block 56/60 and the load-bearing area 220, the lifting bracket 16 and the balance bar 18/20 are close to a tight fit. Then, under the premise that the reset force remains unchanged, they become a balance bar. 18/20 and the lifting bracket 16 can cooperatively control the height of the keycap 12. In other words, the design of the contact block 56/60 of the present invention not only overcomes structural shaking or pressing shaking, resonance noise/impact noise, but also realizes the possibility of using the balance rod 18/20 to participate in controlling the height of the keycap 12.

The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, and all equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the patentable scope of the present invention shall fall within the scope of the present invention.

10:Button

12:Keycap

14: Bottom plate

18:First balance bar

20:Second balance bar

22:Thin film circuit board

220: Bearing area

24:Connection structure

26: Flat part

28: Pars erectus

30: First keycap segment

32: First connection section

34: Second keycap segment

36: The second connecting section

38:Eaves

40:The first vertical wall

42:Second vertical wall

44:The third vertical wall

46:The first vertical hole

48:Second vertical hole

50: First bent end

52: Second bent end

54:First plate hole

56: First contact block

58:Second plate hole

60: Second contact block

S1: first outside

S2: Second outside

L1, L2, L3, L4: Width

Claims (10)

A key, which includes: a keycap; a bottom plate with at least one connecting structure defining a first vertical hole, a first plate hole and a first contact block, the first plate hole and the first contact block Corresponding to the first vertical hole in parallel, the first plate hole is connected with the first vertical hole; a thin film circuit board has at least one bearing area corresponding to the first vertical hole, and at least partially overlaps the first plate hole and the first vertical hole. a first abutting block; and a first balance bar, which has a first keycap section and at least a first connecting section, the first keycap section is rotatably connected to the keycap, and the first connecting section The end of the keycap is movably inserted into the first vertical hole, so that the carrying area of the film circuit board is between the first board hole and the end of the first connecting section; wherein, when the keycap is moved from a pressed position When returning to an unpressed position, the end of the first connecting section slides on the load-bearing area and moves outward along the first vertical hole until the end of the first connecting section is blocked by the first The abutting block is positioned below the bearing area. The key of claim 1, wherein the width of the first contact block is greater than or equal to the radius of the end of the first connecting section. The key of claim 1, wherein the width of the first plate hole is smaller than the width of the first vertical hole. The button according to claim 1, wherein the first contact block is located outside the first plate hole. The key of claim 1, wherein the connection structure of the base plate also defines a second vertical hole, a second plate hole and a second contact block, the second plate hole and the second contact block are juxtaposed Corresponding to the second vertical hole, the second plate hole is connected with the second vertical hole; wherein, the film circuit board also has another bearing area corresponding to the second vertical hole, the other bearing area and at least partially overlapping the The second plate hole and the second contact block; the key also includes a second balance bar, which has a second keycap section and at least a second connecting section, the second keycap section is rotatably connected to the The keycap, and the end of the second connecting section is movably inserted into the second vertical hole, so that the other bearing area of the thin film circuit board is between the second board hole and the end of the second connecting section . The key of claim 1, wherein the diameter of the end of the first connecting section is greater than the height of the first vertical hole after deducting the thickness of the load-bearing area of the thin film circuit board and the thickness of the first contact block. high. The key of claim 1, wherein the key further includes at least one lifting bracket connected between the key cap and the base plate. The key as described in claim 1, wherein the key further includes: a reset member, which is disposed between the key cap and the bottom plate and is used to provide a reset force to the key cap. The key of claim 1, wherein the first contact block has an open side adjacent to the first vertical hole; or, the first contact block has an open side adjacent to the first plate hole. A key, which includes: a keycap; a bottom plate with at least one connecting structure defining a first vertical hole, a first plate hole and a first contact block, the first plate hole and the first contact block Corresponding to the first vertical hole in parallel, the first plate hole is connected with the first vertical hole; a thin film circuit board has at least one bearing area corresponding to the first vertical hole, and at least partially overlaps the first plate hole and the first vertical hole. a first abutting block; at least one lifting bracket connected between the keycap and the bottom plate; at least one return member providing the resetting force of the keycap; and a first balance bar having a first keycap section And at least one first connecting section, the first keycap section is rotatably connected to the keycap, and the end of the first connecting section is movably inserted into the first vertical hole, so that the film circuit board The bearing area is between the first plate hole and the end of the first connecting section; wherein, when the keycap returns from a pressed position to an unpressed position, the end of the first connecting section slides on the bearing area , and move outward along the first vertical hole until the end of the first connecting section is blocked at the position where the first contact block abuts below the load-bearing area.

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