Handle of oral care implement

Abstract

To provide a handle of an oral care implement from which a head for oral care can be detached, the handle reducing work in manufacturing the handle.SOLUTION: A handle 10 of an oral care tool 90 includes a cylindrical exterior body 20 having a mounting part 22 for mounting a head 91 for oral care on one end part in an axial direction, and a moving body 30 arranged movably in the exterior body 20. The exterior body 20 and the moving body 30 are formed of mutually incompatible resin materials by two-color molding in which the moving body 30 is a primary molded article and the exterior body 20 is a secondary molded article. The handle 10 is configured such that the moving body 30 can move inside the exterior body 20 toward the other end side in the axial direction by being pushed into the head 91 when the head 91 is mounted on the mounting part 22. The moving body 30 has an exposed end part 31 as an operation part for moving the moving body 30 to one end side of the exterior body 20 when the head 91 is detached from the mounting part 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a handle of an oral care appliance capable of detaching a head for oral care.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a toothbrush with a detachable head. The toothbrush described in Patent Document 1 has a handle body for attaching the head provided with a slide mechanism. The slide mechanism includes a fitting release portion having a biasing spring. By operating the slide mechanism, the fitting between the head and the handle body can be released. The slide mechanism is configured to function by the biasing force of the biasing spring.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a handle such as that described in Patent Document 1, when manufacturing the handle, it was necessary to assemble a mechanism such as a slide mechanism.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The handle of the oral care device for solving the above problems is a handle of an oral care device capable of attaching and detaching a head for oral care, and includes a cylindrical exterior body having a mounting portion for mounting the head at one axial end, and a moving body movably disposed within the exterior body. The exterior body and the moving body are formed of resin materials that are incompatible with each other by two-color molding in which the moving body is a primary molded product and the exterior body is a secondary molded product. When the head is attached to the mounting portion, the moving body is configured to be movable toward the other axial end within the exterior body by being pushed into the head. The moving body has an operation portion for moving the moving body toward the one end side of the exterior body when the head is detached from the mounting portion.

Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a handle that reduces the work when manufacturing a handle capable of removing the head.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the handle of an oral care device will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the oral care device 90 has a head 91 for oral care and a handle 10. The head 91 is configured to be detachable from the handle 10. The oral care device 90 is used with the head 91 attached to the handle 10.

[0009] FIG. 1 shows a state in which the head 91 is attached to the handle 10. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the head 91 is detached from the handle 10. Hereinafter, the state in which the head 91 is attached to the handle 10 may also be referred to as the attached state. Further, the state in which the head 91 is detached from the handle 10 may also be referred to as the detached state.

[0010] <Head> As shown in FIG. 1, the head 91 includes an oral care part 92 and an insertion part 93. An example of the oral care part 92 is a toothbrush. In addition, examples of the oral care part 92 include, for example, an interdental brush, an interdental pick, a holder for dental floss, a tongue brushing brush, a dental mirror, a stain cleaner, a cotton swab, and the like.

[0011] The insertion part 93 is configured to be attachable to the handle 10. By attaching the insertion part 93 to the handle 10, the head 91 can be fixed to the handle 10. The shape of the insertion part 93 is, for example, a cylindrical shape, but the shape of the insertion part 93 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and a shape that can be attached to the attachment part 22 of the exterior body 20 described later can be appropriately adopted.

[0012] <Handle> The handle 10 is a grip that the user of the oral care device 90 holds. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle 10 includes an exterior body 20 and a moving body 30. The exterior body 20 is cylindrical. The moving body 30 can move inside the exterior body 20 along the axial direction of the exterior body 20.

[0013] The exterior body 20 and the moving body 30 are formed by two-color molding. The moving body 30 is a primary molded product. The exterior body 20 is a secondary molded product. The exterior body 20 and the moving body 30 are formed of resin materials that are incompatible with each other. The exterior body 20 and the moving body 30 are not fused together.

[0014] Two-color molding as used in this specification is a method of obtaining a primary molded product and a secondary molded product as follows. First, a first resin, which is a thermoplastic resin, is injected into a mold for the primary molded product to mold the primary molded product. Next, the primary molded product is set in a mold for the secondary molded product. Subsequently, a second resin, which is a thermoplastic resin, is injected into the mold for the secondary molded product to mold the secondary molded product.

[0015] 〔Exterior body〕 The exterior body 20 is cylindrical. The term "cylindrical" refers to a structure having a circumferential wall with an annular cross-section. The term "annular" may refer to a loop, i.e., any structure that forms a continuous shape without ends. Examples of the "annular" shape include a circular shape, an elliptical shape, and a polygon having sharp or rounded corners. The exterior body 20 is, for example, cylindrical. The exterior body 20 is not limited to a cylindrical shape and may be cylindrical with an annular shape other than circular.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 3, the exterior body 20 has a hollow shape. The interior of the exterior body 20 is referred to as a housing portion 21. Both ends of the exterior body 20 in the axial direction are open. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an insertion portion 93 of a head 91 is inserted into one end side end portion (hereinafter also referred to as “one end portion”) in the axial direction of an exterior body 20, whereby the insertion portion 93 is attached to the exterior body 20. Specifically, the inner diameter of one end portion of the exterior body 20 is configured to be substantially equal to the outer diameter of the insertion portion 93, or is configured to be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the insertion portion 93, whereby the insertion portion 93 is press-fitted into one end portion of the exterior body 20. In this state, the insertion portion 93 is fixed to the exterior body 20. By fixing the insertion portion 93 to the exterior body 20, the head 91 is fixed to the handle 10. One end portion of the exterior body 20 into which the insertion portion 93 can be inserted is referred to as a mounting portion 22. The other end side end portion (hereinafter also referred to as “the other end portion”) in the axial direction of the exterior body 20 is referred to as an opening 24.

[0017] 〔Moving body〕 As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the moving body 30 is, for example, columnar. As an example, the moving body 30 is a solid column. The moving body 30 may be a hollow column.

[0018] The moving body 30 is, for example, cylindrical. The cross-sectional shape of the moving body 30 is not limited to a circle, and may be an ellipse, a polygon having sharp or rounded corners, or the like. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, one end side end portion in the axial direction of the moving body 30 functions as a head receiving portion 32. The head receiving portion 32 is disposed in the accommodating portion 21 of the exterior body 20. The other end side end portion in the axial direction of the moving body 30 functions as an exposed end portion 31 that protrudes from the opening 24 at the other end side end portion of the exterior body 20.

[0019] In the handle 10, the moving body 30 as a primary molded product is disposed so as to be covered with the exterior body 20 as a secondary molded product. The moving body 30 is disposed so as to be movable within the exterior body 20. The exterior body 20 and the moving body 30 are configured such that the moving body 30 can slide in the accommodating portion 21 of the exterior body 20. It is sufficient that the moving body 30 can slide, and there may be a portion in the accommodating portion 21 where the moving body 30 and the exterior body 20 are not in contact.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the handle 10 is configured such that, in the mounted state, the end portion on the other end side in the insertion portion 93 of the head 91 and the head receiving portion 32 are in contact with each other. For example, in the mounted state, the end face of the insertion portion 93 and the end face of the head receiving portion 32 are configured to be in contact with each other. Not limited thereto, for example, the insertion portion 93 and the head receiving portion 32 may have complementary shapes such as a concave portion and a convex portion.

[0021] Here, the position of the moving body 30 when the handle 10 is in the mounted state is referred to as the mounted position. The position of the moving body 30 when the handle 10 is in the detached state is referred to as the detached position. In FIG. 3, the moving body 30 at the detached position is shown by a solid line, and the moving body 30 at the mounted position is shown by a two-dot chain line.

[0022] Also, the direction from the mounting portion 22 to the opening 24 in the exterior body 20 is referred to as the first direction D1. The direction from the opening 24 to the mounting portion 22 in the exterior body 20 is referred to as the second direction D2. The first direction D1 corresponds to one direction among the axial directions, and the second direction D2 corresponds to the direction opposite to the first direction D1 among the axial directions. In FIGS. 1 to 5, arrows indicating the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 are shown.

[0023] The moving body 30 can move between the mounted position and the detached position. The mounted position is the position where the moving body 30 has moved in the second direction D2 compared to the detached position. The detached position is the position where the moving body 30 has moved in the first direction D1 compared to the mounted position.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle 10 is configured such that, when the moving body 30 is in the mounted position, the portion where the exposed end portion 31 is exposed from the exterior body 20 is longer compared to when the moving body 30 is in the detached position. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, in the mounted position, the exposed end portion 31 protrudes from the opening 24 of the exterior body 20. As shown in FIG. 2, in the detached position, the length by which the exposed end portion 31 protrudes from the opening 24 of the exterior body 20 is shorter. Note that, in the detached position, all of the exposed end portion 31 may be housed in the housing portion 21 of the exterior body 20.

[0025] When the moving body 30 is in the detachment position, the length of the handle 10 from the head receiving portion 32 to the end on the mounting portion 22 side of the exterior body 20 is shorter than the insertion portion 93 of the head 91.

[0026] <Retention mechanism> The handle 10 may be provided with a retention mechanism 40 for retaining the moving body 30 in the mounting position and the detachment position. An example of the retention mechanism 40 is formed by the exterior body 20 and the moving body 30 formed by two-color molding. FIGS. 1 to 3 schematically show the retention mechanism 40.

[0027] An example of the retention mechanism 40 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the retention mechanism 40 is composed of an engagement portion 43, a first retention portion 41, and a second retention portion 42.

[0028] The first retention portion 41 and the second retention portion 42 are provided on the moving body 30. The first retention portion 41 and the second retention portion 42 are formed on the surface of the moving body 30. The first retention portion 41 is formed at a position closer to the exposed end portion 31 than the second retention portion 42.

[0029] The engagement portion 43 is provided on the exterior body 20. The engagement portion 43 has a shape that can engage with the first retention portion 41 and the second retention portion 42. The retention mechanism 40 is configured such that the moving body 30 can be retained in the detachment position when the first retention portion 41 and the engagement portion 43 are engaged.

[0030] The retention mechanism 40 is configured such that the moving body 30 can be retained in the mounting position when the second retention portion 42 and the engagement portion 43 are engaged. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example, the first retention portion 41 and the second retention portion 42 are formed as depressions in the moving body 30. In this case, the engagement portion 43 is formed as a convex portion that can fit into the depression on the inner surface of the exterior body 20. The retention mechanism 40 can be adopted without being limited to the above shape as long as it can retain the moving body 30 in the mounting position and the detachment position.

[0031] The above "holding the moving body 30" means that if the magnitude of the force acting on the moving body 30 is smaller than a specified threshold value, even if a force acts on the moving body 30, the engagement between the engaging portion 43 and the first holding portion 41 or the second holding portion 42 will not be released. For example, the specified threshold value can be adjusted according to the shape of the holding mechanism 40. The specified threshold value is preferably set to a value larger than the upper limit of the force that can act when the handle 10 with the head 91 attached is used for oral care.

[0032] <Manufacturing method of the handle> An example of the manufacturing method of the handle 10 will be described. The manufacturing method of the handle 10 includes a primary molding step and a secondary molding step.

[0033] In the primary molding step, a moving body 30 which is a primary molded product made of a first resin is obtained. In the secondary molding step, an exterior body 20 which is a secondary molded product is obtained so as to cover the moving body 30. In the secondary molding step, the engaging portion 43 is molded in a state of being engaged with the first holding portion 41.

[0034] FIG. 6 illustrates a molding apparatus 110 for performing the secondary molding step. The molding apparatus 110 is, for example, an injection molding apparatus. The molding apparatus 110 includes a mold for the exterior body 20. FIG. 6 illustrates a first mold 111 and a second mold 112 as the mold for the exterior body 20. A cavity 113 for molding the exterior body 20 is formed by the first mold 111 and the second mold 112. The mold includes a sprue 114 for supplying a second resin to the cavity 113. The second resin is a resin incompatible with the moving body 30 which is a primary molded product.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 6, the mold for the exterior body 20 has a holding mechanism molding portion 115 that fits into the second holding portion 42 of the moving body 30 which is a primary molded product. The first holding portion 41 is disposed in the cavity 113. According to such a mold, the engaging portion 43 can be molded in a state of being engaged with the first holding portion 41.

[0036] <Operation of this Embodiment> The operation of this embodiment will be described. When the insertion portion 93 of the head 91 is inserted into the mounting portion 22 with respect to the handle 10 in the detached state as shown in FIG. 2, a force that pushes the moving body 30 in the first direction D1 acts on the moving body 30 due to the contact between the insertion portion 93 and the head receiving portion 32. As a result, the moving body 30 moves in the first direction D1. That is, the handle 10 is configured such that when the head 91 is mounted on the mounting portion 22, the moving body 30 is pushed into the head 91 and can move in the axial direction toward the other end side within the exterior body 20. When the moving body 30 moves in the first direction D1, the moving body 30 moves from the detachment position to the mounting position. When the moving body 30 moves to the mounting position, the exposed end portion 31 protrudes from the exterior body 20 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0037] Further, when the moving body 30 moves in the first direction D1 from the detachment position as described above, the engagement between the first holding portion 41 and the engaging portion 43 is released. When the moving body 30 further moves in the first direction D1 and reaches the mounting position, as shown in FIG. 4, the second holding portion 42 and the engaging portion 43 are engaged with each other. As a result, the moving body 30 is held at the mounting position.

[0038] When the engaging portion 43 is located between the first holding portion 41 and the second holding portion 42, the engaging portion 43 is temporarily deformed. Specifically, the engaging portion 43 that is not engaged with the first holding portion 41 or the second holding portion 42 deforms away from the moving body 30 in a direction intersecting the moving direction of the moving body 30. FIG. 4 exemplifies the engaging portion 43 in a deformed state during movement with a two-dot chain line.

[0039] When a force is applied to move the moving body 30 by pushing the exposed end 31 of the handle 10 in the mounted state as shown in FIG. 1 in the second direction D2, a force that pushes the head 91 in the second direction D2 acts on the head 91 due to the contact between the insertion portion 93 and the head receiving portion 32. As a result, the head 91 moves in the second direction D2. When the head 91 moves in the second direction D2, the head 91 can be detached from the mounting portion 22 as shown in FIG. 2. In the handle 10 of the present embodiment, the exposed end 31 of the moving body 30 corresponds to "an operation portion for moving the moving body toward one end side of the exterior body when detaching the head from the mounting portion". That is, the opening 24 is an opening through which the operation portion protrudes at the other end in the axial direction.

[0040] When the head 91 is detached from the mounting portion 22 in this way, the moving body 30 moves from the mounting position to the detachment position. When the moving body 30 moves in the second direction D2 from the mounting position, the engagement between the second holding portion 42 and the engaging portion 43 is released. When the moving body 30 further moves in the second direction D2 and the moving body 30 moves to the detachment position, as shown in FIG. 5, the first holding portion 41 and the engaging portion 43 are engaged. As a result, the moving body 30 is held at the detachment position.

[0041] <Effects of the present embodiment> The effects of the present embodiment will be described. (1) The handle 10 of the present embodiment realizes a mechanism for attaching and detaching the head 91 by a molded product obtained by two-color molding. Specifically, the handle 10 capable of attaching and detaching the head 91 is composed of an exterior body 20 and a moving body 30 formed by two-color molding.

[0042] According to the handle 10 of the present embodiment, which is provided with a mechanism for attaching and detaching the head 91 at the time when the exterior body 20, which is a two-shot molded product, is molded, the work for manufacturing the handle 10 can be reduced as compared with a handle that requires an operation of assembling a mechanism for attaching and detaching the head.

[0043] (2) In the case of a handle that requires an operation of assembling a mechanism for attaching and detaching the above head, it is necessary to consider dimensional variations for each member, and thus there is a situation where high precision is required in design and manufacturing.

[0044] On the other hand, according to the handle 10 of the present embodiment, since the mechanism for attaching and detaching the head 91 is realized by a molded product formed by two-color molding, the precision required in design and manufacturing is less likely to become excessively high. As a result, high manufacturing efficiency can be achieved.

[0045] (3) The holding mechanism 40 for holding the moving body 30 can be made to function by a molded product formed by two-color molding. (4) In the handle 10 of the present embodiment, the exposed end portion 31 and the mounting portion 22 are arranged at one end and the other end in the axial direction of the handle 10. For this reason, the exposed end portion 31 as the operation portion is located at a position away from the head 91. In the handle 10 of the present embodiment, the head 91 can be removed by pushing in the exposed end portion 31. At this time, since the exposed end portion 31 as the operation portion is away from the head 91, the user's hand is less likely to get dirty when removing the head 91. Therefore, the head 91 can be removed hygienically.

[0046] (Modification example) The present embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. The present embodiment and the following modification examples can be implemented in combination with each other within a range where there is no technical contradiction.

[0047] · In the above embodiment, the exterior body 20 with both ends open in the axial direction was exemplified. As the exterior body, the end portion on the side opposite to the mounting portion, that is, the other end portion may not be open. An example of the configuration in this case will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

[0048] FIG. 7 shows a handle 210 of a modification example. The handle 210 includes an exterior body 220 and a moving body 230. For the handle 210, the components common to the handle 10 in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0049] The outer housing 220 is provided with a terminal portion 225 at an end opposite to the mounting portion 22, which restricts the movement of the moving body 230 in the first direction D1. The terminal portion 225 is, for example, a wall that closes the end opposite to the mounting portion 22 in the cylindrical outer housing 220. The outer housing 220 is provided with a window portion 226 through which the exposed end portion 31 protruding from the accommodating portion 21 is exposed between the accommodating portion 21 and the terminal portion 225 in the axial direction.

[0050] FIG. 7 shows a state in which the exposed end portion 31 protrudes from the accommodating portion 21, that is, a state in which the moving body 230 is in the mounted position. In the mounted state, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, the end of the exposed end portion 31 of the moving body 230 is in contact with the terminal portion 225. When the moving body 230 in the mounted position moves in the second direction D2, the end of the exposed end portion 31 of the moving body 230 and the terminal portion 225 are separated. Therefore, in the detached state, the end of the exposed end portion 31 of the moving body 230 and the terminal portion 225 are separated. According to the handle 210 of such a modification, the axial length of the handle 210 does not vary between the detached state and the mounted state.

[0051] The moving body 230 is provided with an operation portion 233. The operation portion 233 is configured to assist a user in applying a force to the moving body 230 when pushing the moving body 230 into the accommodating portion 21 in order to move the moving body 230 in the mounted position to the detached position. The operation portion 233 corresponds to "an operation portion for moving the moving body to the one end side of the outer housing when detaching the head from the mounting portion".

[0052] As shown in FIG. 7, the operation portion 233 is formed at a position where it can be seen through the window portion 226. The operation portion 233 is, for example, a protrusion. The operation portion 233 is not limited to a protrusion, and may have a shape that causes friction with the finger of the user using the handle 210. For example, the operation portion 233 may have a shape such as a recess, a depression, a groove, a texture, or a combination of two or more of the above shapes.

[0053] ·In the above-described modification example described with reference to FIG. 7, an example of the configuration is illustrated in which the end of the exposed end portion 31 of the moving body 230 at the mounting position is in contact with the end portion 225. Alternatively, the end of the exposed end portion 31 of the moving body 230 at the mounting position may be disposed at a position separated from the end portion 225 in the second direction D2. That is, there may be a gap between the exposed end portion 31 of the moving body 230 at the mounting position and the end portion 225. If there is a gap between the exposed end portion 31 of the moving body 230 at the mounting position and the end portion 225, the user of the handle can insert a finger into the gap. As a result, similar to the handle 10 in the above-described embodiment, the exposed end portion 31 can be pushed into the second direction D2. In this case, the operation portion 233 may be omitted. In this case, the exposed end portion 31 corresponds to "an operation portion for moving the moving body to the one end side of the exterior body when detaching the head from the mounting portion".

[0054] ·The handle 10 may include a configuration that defines the relative orientation of the moving body 30 along the circumferential direction of the exterior body 20. An example of the configuration that defines the relative orientation of the moving body 30 along the circumferential direction of the exterior body 20 is a key and a key groove provided in the exterior body 20 and the moving body 30.

[0055] ·The handle 10 may include a configuration that defines the relative orientation of the insertion portion 93 along the circumferential direction of the exterior body 20. By including the configuration that defines the relative orientation of the insertion portion 93 along the circumferential direction of the exterior body 20, the handle 10 can define the relative orientation of the head 91 with respect to the handle 10.

[0056] The configuration is constituted by, for example, the insertion portion 93 and the mounting portion 22. An example of the configuration is a key and a key groove. The configuration may be constituted by, for example, an insertion portion 93 and a head receiving portion 32. An example of the configuration is a handle 10 having a configuration that defines the relative orientation of a moving body 30 along the circumferential direction of an exterior body 20, in which the insertion portion 93 and the head receiving portion 32 have complementary shapes such that the insertion portion 93 is prevented from rotating relative to the exterior body 20. An example of the complementary shapes of the insertion portion 93 and the head receiving portion 32 is a shape in which an end portion of the insertion portion 93 protrudes toward the head receiving portion 32, and a shape in which an end portion of the head receiving portion 32 is recessed so as to fit the shape. Or, a shape in which an end portion of the head receiving portion 32 protrudes toward the insertion portion 93, and a shape in which an end portion of the insertion portion 93 is recessed so as to fit the shape.

[0057] · In the above embodiment, the handle 10 is exemplified in which, in the mounted state, the end portion of the insertion portion 93 of the head 91 is configured to contact the head receiving portion 32. As the handle, it is sufficient that the end portion of the head 91 contacts the head receiving portion 32 when the head 91 is mounted and when the head 91 is detached, and it is not an essential requirement that the end portion of the head 91 contacts the head receiving portion 32 in the mounted state. That is, in the mounted state, a gap may be formed by the end portion of the insertion portion 93 of the head 91 and the head receiving portion 32 being separated.

[0058] · In the above embodiment, the handle 10 provided with the holding mechanism 40 is exemplified. It is not an essential requirement that the handle 10 be provided with the holding mechanism 40. · A mechanism for holding the moving body 30 may be configured by combining a member different from the exterior body 20 and the moving body 30 with the exterior body 20 and the moving body 30.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0059] 10… Handle 20… Exterior body 21… Accommodation portion 22… Mounting portion 24… Opening 30… Moving body 31… Exposed end portion as an operation portion 32… Head receiving portion 40…Retention mechanism 90…Oral care appliance 91…Head

Claims

1. A handle of an oral care device with a detachable head for oral care, comprising a cylindrical outer casing having a mounting portion for mounting the head at one axial end, and a moving body movably disposed within the outer casing, wherein the outer casing and the moving body are formed of resin materials that are incompatible with each other by two-color molding in which the moving body is a primary molded product and the outer casing is a secondary molded product, when the head is mounted on the mounting portion, the moving body is configured to be movable toward the other axial end within the outer casing by being pushed into the head, and the moving body has an operation portion for moving the moving body toward the one end side of the outer casing when the head is detached from the mounting portion A handle of an oral care device.

2. The moving body is configured to be movable between a mounting position when the head is mounted on the mounting portion and a detachment position when the head is not mounted on the mounting portion, and a holding mechanism for holding the moving body at the mounting position and the detachment position is constituted by the outer casing and the moving body formed by two-color molding The handle of an oral care device according to Claim 1.

3. The outer casing has both ends open in the axial direction, has the mounting portion at the one axial end, and has an opening at the other axial end where the operation portion projects The handle of an oral care device according to Claim 1 or 2.

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