IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0296533
(2001-05-23)
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국제출원번호 |
PCT/US01/16894
(2002-11-23)
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§371/§102 date |
20021123
(20021123)
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국제공개번호 |
WO01/95276
(2001-12-13)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
19 인용 특허 :
0 |
초록
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An article handling apparatus embodied, for example, as a vending machine, includes a controllably positioned hose-type dispenser for retrieving articles from an article storage area. A first end of the hose receives article securing energy (e.g., suction), and a second end is adapted to secure to a
An article handling apparatus embodied, for example, as a vending machine, includes a controllably positioned hose-type dispenser for retrieving articles from an article storage area. A first end of the hose receives article securing energy (e.g., suction), and a second end is adapted to secure to and extract a selected article from the storage area. A hose positioning mechanism controllably positions the second end of the hose for retrieving articles from the article storage area. In order to maximize the height of the article storage volume, as well as provide other advantages, the following aspects of the invention are provided: 1) the hose positioning mechanism maintains a constant height during hose positioning, 2) a hose drive means drives the hose in the article extraction direction by passing “THROUGH” the hose positioning mechanism, 3) the hose is constrained for movement between a hose storage area and the hose positioning mechanism so as to move in the same space in which the hose positioning mechanism moves, 4) the hose positioning mechanism carries therein the hose drive means, 5) the hose positioning mechanism may comprise an X-Y, R-Theta, or Scissors arrangement.
대표청구항
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1. An article retrieving apparatus, comprising:a storage volume for storing articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes; an article extracting device having a free end for selectively extracting an article from the article storage volume; a positioning mechanism coupled to the article extracting
1. An article retrieving apparatus, comprising:a storage volume for storing articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes; an article extracting device having a free end for selectively extracting an article from the article storage volume; a positioning mechanism coupled to the article extracting device and responsive to control signals for moving the free end of the article extracting device to be in alignment with a selected one of the longitudinal axes; a drive mechanism coupled to the article extracting device for moving the free end of the article extracting device in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axes in the article storage volume; and control apparatus coupled to the positioning mechanism and the drive mechanism for causing controlled movement of the article extracting device so that a selected article is extracted from the article storage volume and moved to a predetermined area of the retrieving apparatus, wherein; said article extracting device is formed of a continuous flexible member which has a substantially fixed length from its free end to a point inside a supply volume where additional length of said flexible member is stored; and movement of the positioning mechanism causes movement of the flexible member to be substantially within the same plane as movement of the positioning mechanism. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plane in which movement of the flexible member is constrained to be is within a fixed volume which is adjacent to the supply volume and substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the stored articles.3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said article retrieving apparatus is part of an article dispensing apparatus, and includes:user interface and control apparatus for allowing a user of the dispensing apparatus to initiate an article dispensing operation, and to cause controlled movement of the article extracting device and the positioning mechanism so that a selected article is dispensed by the dispensing apparatus. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible member of the article extracting device comprises a vacuum hose, which is coupled to a source of suction.5. The apparatus of claim 1 or 4, wherein the drive means is carried by said positioning mechanism, and comprises a controllably driven mechanism for frictionally engaging the flexible member so as to cause controlled extension of the free end thereof into and out of the article storage area.6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said hose includes corrugations, and wherein the controllably driven mechanism comprises a set of opposed contoured and toothed rollers, positioned so as to engage the hose corrugations.7. The apparatus of claim 4 or 5, wherein said hose is guided by at least 2 sets of redirecting rollers, one set positioned at an exit for the hose from the flexible member supply volume, and the other set carried by said positioning mechanism at an entrance to the drive means.8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each set of said redirecting rollers comprises at least one pair of orthogonally positioned rollers on one side of said flexible member, and at least one other roller for keeping said flexible member in contact with said orthogonally positioned rollers.9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the article extracting device is constrained to move in the storage volume in the plane of the positioning mechanism up to a point where the redirecting rollers direct the free end of the extracting device into alignment with a selected one of the longitudinal axes in the storage volume.10. The apparatus of claim 1 or 3, wherein the article extracting device comprises a hollow tube and uses vacuum pressure for grasping article.11. The apparatus of claim 1 or 4, wherein the article extracting device comprises a solid member, having an article grasping mechanism at it's end.12. The apparatus of claim 1 or 3, wherein the positioning mechanism travels in a plane using rectangular (x/y) movement.13. The apparatus of claim 1 or 3, wherein the positioning mechanism travels in a plane using one of radial (R, theta) movement or curvilinear movement.14. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein article dispensing apparatus includes a cabinet having an interior wall parallel to a side wall thereof which parallel walls form a space adjacent to the article storage area, which space forms said supply volume.15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a set of redirecting rollers which engage said flexible member are attached to said interior side wall at a point where said flexible member exits the supply volume.16. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein an end of said flexible member which is opposite said free end is coupled to a source of suction.17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said source of suction comprises a source of relatively high air flow and relatively low suction.18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said source of suction comprises a source of relatively lower air flow and relatively higher suction.19. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the flexible member supply volume is positioned in a plane of the cabinet so as to not be intersected by the longitudinal axis of the article storage area.20. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said continuous length of flexible member is constrained to move in a gravity induced loop formed within the flexible member supply volume.21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the gravity induced loop is formed by a rolling deadweight positioned between two parallel walls, which walls define a lateral dimension of the flexible member supply volume.22. The apparatus of claim 6, including a rotating coupling at the free end of said flexible member, to allow for rotation of the flexible member with respect to the free end.23. An article handling device for moving an article, the article handling device comprising:a head (224) adapted to engage and secure to an article (223); a substantially non-compressible tube (220) connecting the head to a stationary source of article securing energy (229,226); a feeder (508, 506, 510) displacing the tube so as to move the head along a first axis; a first positioning device (218; 233, 633, 228,230,232) moving the feeder along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and a second positioning device (230, 234, 236, 238) moving the first positioning device along a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axes. 24. The article handling device of claim 23, wherein movement of the head with respect to the first, second and third axes corresponds to movement in a Cartesian (X, Y, Z) coordinate system.25. An article handling device for moving an article, the article handling device comprising:a movable head (224) adapted to engage and secure to an article (223); a substantially non-compressible tube (220) connecting the movable head to a stationary source of article securing energy (229,226); a feeder (508, 506, 510) displacing the tube so as to move the head along a first axis; a first positioning device (218; 233, 633, 228,230,232) moving the feeder along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and a second positioning device (described r, θ mechanism) moving the first positioning device about a third axis parallel to the first axis. 26. The article handling device of claim 25, wherein movement of the head with respect to the first, second and third axes corresponds to movement in a Polar (r, θ) coordinate system.27. The article handling device of claim 23 or 25, wherein said tube comprises an air hose, said source of article securing energy comprises a source of vacuum pressure, and said article securing energy comprises vacuum pressure.28. The article handling device of claim 23 or 25, wherein:the tube (220) is comprises a predetermined length of tube from inside a tube supply area (222) where the tube is connected to said source (229, 226), to said head (224); the length is divided into adjoining first and second variable length segments, the first segment extending between the source (229, 226) and the feeder (508, 506, 510), and the second segment extending between the feeder and the head; and wherein feeder displacement of the tube changes the relative lengths of the first and second segments. 29. The article handling device of claim 23 or 25, wherein:the tube is comprises a predetermined length of tube from inside a tube supply area (222) where the tube is connected to said source (229, 226), to said head (224); a portion of that length is divided into adjoining first and second variable length segments, the first segment extending between an exit point of the tube from the tube supply area (222) and the feeder (508, 506, 510), and the second segment extending between the feeder and the head; and wherein movement of the feeder caused by at least one of the first and second positioning devices, changes the relative lengths of the first and second segments. 30. The article handling device of claim 23 or 25, wherein the first positioning device includes a first portion (218; 233, 633 and part of 228) which is displaceable along the second axis with respect to a second portion (part of 228, 230,232) of the first positioning device which is not displaceable along the second axis.31. The article handling device of claim 30, whereinthe first portion of the first positioning device comprises a carriage (218) which carries the feeder, and the second portion of the first positioning device comprises a beam (230) which carries a rack (232), wherein the carriage includes a motor (233) which engages the rack so that the carriage is displaceable in a direction along the beam (230). 32. The article handling device of claim 23 or 25, wherein the second positioning device comprises a first portion (230, part of 234, 236, 243) that is displaceable along the third axis with respect to a second portion (part of 234, 238) of the second positioning device which is not displaceable along the third axis.33. The article handling device of claim 32, whereinthe first portion of the second positioning device comprises a first beam (230) having a longitudinal axis parallel to the second axis, the second portion of the second positioning device comprises a second beam (236 or 255 of FIG. 8) and a rack (238), both having a longitudinal axis parallel to the third axis, a slide mechanism (234 of FIG. 3 or 256a, 256b, 258 and 260 of FIG. 8) slidably attaching the first beam (230) to the second beam (236 or 255 of FIG. 8), and a motor (243) carried by the first beam (230), engages the rack (238) so that the carriage is displaceable along the third axis. 34. The apparatus of claim 23 or 25, wherein said article retrieving apparatus is part of an article dispensing apparatus, and includes:a cabinet; an article storage volume included in the cabinet for storing articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes parallel to the first axis; a dispensing port included in said cabinet through which stored articles retrieved by the article retrieving apparatus are dispensed to a user of the apparatus; and user interface and control apparatus for allowing a user of the dispensing apparatus to initiate an article dispensing operation, and to cause controlled movement of the article extracting device and the positioning mechanism so that a selected article is dispensed by the dispensing apparatus. 35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein movement in said first axis corresponds to up/down directional movements in said cabinet, and movement in said second and third axes each correspond to one of either front/back or left/right directional movements, respectively, in said cabinet.36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein movement in said first axis corresponds to one of either front/back or left/right directional movements in said cabinet, and movement in said second and third axes each correspond to one of either front/back or up/down directional movements, respectively, in said cabinet.37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the head is separately movable through each one of a plurality of openings that define a grid in the article storage volume.38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:a plurality of article storing bins extending parallel to the first axis, each of the plurality of bins defining a corresponding one of the plurality of openings. 39. An article dispensing apparatus, comprising:a storage volume adapted for storing articles to be dispensed, the storage volume contained within front, back, top, bottom, left and right planes; an article dispensing area positioned on a side of said front plane which is opposite said article storage volume; an article gripping mechanism including a free end for being controllably positioned within the storage volume for selectively gripping an article stored therein; a positioning mechanism coupled to the article gripping mechanism and responsive to control signals for controllably positioning the gripping device within the storage volume and between the storage volume and the article dispensing area; a carriage mechanism coupled to the article gripping device; and user interface and control apparatus for allowing a user of the article dispensing apparatus to initiate an article dispensing operation, and to cause controlled movement of the article gripping device and the positioning mechanism so that a selected article is repositioned from the storage volume to the dispensing area; wherein said positioning mechanism comprises a movable support beam having a longitudinal axis which traverses the storage volume in a direction towards said front plane and moveable in a direction perpendicular thereto so as to be positionable between said left and right planes; and wherein said carriage mechanism is coupled to said support beam in a manner so that said carriage is selectively positionable along the longitudinal axis of said support beam and can extend past a front end thereof, thereby allowing the selected article to be repositioned to the article dispensing area on said opposite side of said front plane. 40. An article dispensing apparatus, comprising a cabinet including:a storage area for storing articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes; an article extracting device including a free end for selectively extracting an article from the storage volume; a positioning mechanism coupled to the article extracting device and responsive to control signals for positioning the free end of the device in alignment with a selected one of the longitudinal axes; a drive mechanism coupled to the article extracting device for moving the free end thereof in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axes in the storage area; user interface and control apparatus for allowing a user of the dispensing apparatus to initiate an article dispensing operation, and to cause controlled movement of the article extracting device and the positioning mechanism so that a selected article is extracted from the article storage area and moved to a dispensing area of the dispensing apparatus; and a vertical or horizontal shelf or wall, for dividing the interior space in the cabinet into multiple, vertically or horizontally orientated, article storage volumes; wherein each article storage volume includes its own article extracting device and positioning mechanism. 41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the positioning mechanism in one of said storage volumes operates in 3 coordinate axes (x, y, z), and a positioning mechanism in a different storage volume operates in less than 3 axes (x or y, and z; or z only).42. An article dispensing apparatus, comprising a cabinet including:a storage area for storing articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes; an article extracting device including a free end for selectively extracting an article from the storage volume; a positioning mechanism coupled to the article extracting device and responsive to control signals for positioning the free end of the device in alignment with a selected one of the longitudinal axes; a drive mechanism coupled to the article extracting device for moving the free end thereof in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axes in the storage area; user interface and control apparatus for allowing a user of the dispensing apparatus to initiate an article dispensing operation, and to cause controlled movement of the article extracting device and the positioning mechanism so that a selected article is extracted from the article storage area and moved to a dispensing area of the dispensing apparatus; and a vertical or horizontal shelf or wall, for dividing the interior space in the cabinet into multiple, vertically or horizontally aligned, article storage volumes; wherein each one of the multiple article storage volumes uses a common article extracting device and positioning mechanism. 43. An article dispensing apparatus, comprising a cabinet including:a storage area for storing articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes; an article extracting device including a suction hose having a free end for selectively extracting an article from the storage volume; a positioning mechanism coupled to the article extracting device and responsive to control signals for positioning the free end of the device in alignment with a selected one of the longitudinal axes; a drive mechanism coupled to the article extracting device for moving the free end thereof in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axes in the storage area; user interface and control apparatus for allowing a user of the dispensing apparatus to initiate an article dispensing operation, and to cause controlled movement of the article extracting device and the positioning mechanism so that a selected article is extracted from the article storage area and moved to a dispensing area of the dispensing apparatus; a vertical or horizontal shelf or wall, for dividing the interior space in the cabinet into multiple, vertically or horizontally aligned, article storage volumes, each article storage volume including its own article extracting device; and two suction sources, one having high suction and low flow, and one having low suction and high flow; wherein a respective one of said two suction sources supplies suction to the hose of a respective one of the article extracting devices. 44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein said dispensing area of the dispensing apparatus includes multiple customer retrieval boxes, each accessed by a different one of the article extracting device.45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein each customer retrieval box is for a certain class of articles to be dispensed.46. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the multiple article storage volumes divide the interior space in the cabinet into at least two volumes, each volume having a predetermined interior environmental condition.47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein one volume has a cooled interior environment and one volume has an ambient interior environment.48. An article retrieving apparatus, including:a storage area for storing articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes; at least two article extracting devices, each including a suction hose having a free end for selectively extracting an article from the storage volume; at least two positioning mechanisms, each coupled to a corresponding one of the article extracting devices and responsive to control signals for positioning the free end of the corresponding article extracting device to be in alignment with a selected one of the longitudinal axes; a drive mechanism coupled to each the article extracting devices for moving the free end thereof in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axes in the storage area; control apparatus for allowing a user of the retrieving apparatus to initiate an article retrieving operation, and to cause controlled movement of a corresponding pair of article extracting device and positioning mechanism so that a selected article is extracted from the article storage area and moved to a retrieving area; and two suction sources, one having high suction and low flow, and one having low suction and high flow; wherein a respective one of said two suction sources supplies suction to the hose of a respective one of said article extracting devices. 49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the retrieving area of the retrieving apparatus includes an article basket and conveyor system for moving among a plurality of different locations in the retrieving apparatus and the retrieving area, and where during said movement among different locations in the retrieving apparatus, articles from the storage area are placed into the basket by the article extracting devices.50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the retrieving area is located in a drive-through island at a gas station or a parking lot.51. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the article storage area, article extracting devices, and positioning mechanisms are all co-located, and the control apparatus for allowing a user of the retrieving apparatus to initiate an article retrieving operation, is located remotely therefrom.52. An article retrieving apparatus, comprising:a storage volume for storing articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes; an article extracting device having a free end for selectively extracting an article from the article storage volume; a positioning mechanism coupled to the article extracting device and responsive to control signals for moving the free end of the article extracting device to be in alignment with a selected one of the longitudinal axes; a drive mechanism coupled to the article extracting device for moving the free end of the article extracting device in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axes in the article storage volume; and control apparatus coupled to the positioning mechanism and the drive mechanism for causing controlled movement of the article extracting device so that a selected article is extracted from the article storage volume and moved to a predetermined area of the retrieving apparatus, wherein; said article extracting device is formed of a continuous flexible member; and movement of the positioning mechanism causes movement of the flexible member to be substantially within the same plane as movement of the positioning mechanism. 53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said movement of the flexible member is constrained to be within a fixed volume which is adjacent to a flexible member supply volume and substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the stored articles.54. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said article retrieving apparatus is part of an article dispensing apparatus, and includes:user interface and control apparatus for allowing a user of the dispensing apparatus to initiate an article dispensing operation, and to cause controlled movement of the article extracting device and the positioning mechanism so that a selected article is dispensed by the dispensing apparatus. 55. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the flexible member of the article extracting device comprises a vacuum hose, which is coupled to a source of suction.56. The apparatus of claim 52 or 55, wherein the drive means is carried by said positioning mechanism, and comprises a controllably driven mechanism for frictionally engaging the flexible member so as to cause controlled extension of the free end thereof into and out of the article storage area.57. An article handling device for moving an article, the article handling device comprising:a head (224) adapted to engage and secure to an article (223); a substantially non-compressible tube (220) connecting the head to a source of article securing energy (229,226), the tube (220) comprising a predetermined length of flexible tube, extending from inside a stationary tube supply area (222) where the tube is connected to said source (229, 226), to said head (224); a feeder (508, 506, 510) displacing the tube so as to move the head along a first axis (Z); a first positioning device (218; 233, 633, 228,230,232) moving the feeder along a second axis (Y) perpendicular to the first axis; and a second positioning device (230, 234, 236, 238) moving the first positioning device along a third axis (X) perpendicular to the first and second axes. 58. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein:said tube includes corrugations, and the feeder comprises a set of opposed rollers positioned so as to frictionally engage the tube. 59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein:at least one of the opposed rollers is contoured and has teeth adapted to engage the tube corrugations. 60. A vending machine, comprising:a cabinet; a article storage area located in the interior volume of the cabinet; a substantially continuous non-compressible suction hose having a free end adapted for extracting articles from said storage area and a stationary end coupled to a source of suction; a hose positioning mechanism coupled to said suction hose between said free and said stationary end, for controllably positioning said free end so as to be aligned with a longitudinal axis along which a given article is stored in said storage area; and hose drive means co-located with said hose positioning mechanism for controllably driving said hose in a direction aligned with said longitudinal axis so said free end can extract a article from said storage area; wherein said hose drive mechanism is carried by said hose positioning mechanism, and comprises a controllably driven mechanism for frictionally engaging the suction hose so as to cause controlled extension of the free end thereof into and out of the article storage area”. 61. An article handling device for moving an article, the article handling device comprising:a head (224) adapted to engage and secure to an article (223); a substantially non-compressible tube (220) connecting the head to a source of article securing energy (229,226); a feeder (508, 506, 510) displacing the tube so as to move the head along a first axis (Z); a first positioning device (218; 233, 633, 228,230,232) moving the feeder along a second axis (Y) perpendicular to the first axis; and a second positioning device (230, 234, 236, 238) moving the first positioning device along a third axis (X) perpendicular to the first and second axes; wherein the tube has a predetermined fixed length comprising concatenated first and second variable length segments, the first segment extending between the source of article securing energy (229, 226) and the feeder (508, 506, 510), and the second segment extending between the feeder and the head; and wherein feeder displacement of the tube changes the relative lengths of the first and second segments. 62. An article handling device for moving an article, the article handling device comprising:a head (224) adapted to engage and secure to an article (223); a substantially non-compressible tube (220) connecting the head to a source of article securing energy (229,226); a feeder (508, 506, 510) displacing the tube so as to move the head along a first axis (Z); a first positioning device (218; 233, 633, 228,230,232) moving the feeder along a second axis (Y) perpendicular to the first axis; and a second positioning device (230, 234, 236, 238) moving the first positioning device along a third axis (X) perpendicular to the first and second axes; wherein the tube has a predetermined fixed length comprising concatenated first, second and third variable length tube segments, the first segment extending between the head and the feeder, the second segment extending between the feeder and a tube supply area (222) where the tube is connected to said source of article securing energy (229, 226), and the third segment extending between the entrance point of the tube supply volume and the source of article securing energy (229, 226); and wherein feeder displacement of the tube changes the relative lengths of the first, second and third segments. 63. An article retrieving apparatus, comprising:a storage volume for storing articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes; an article extracting device having a free end for selectively extracting an article from the article storage volume; a positioning mechanism coupled to the article extracting device and responsive to control signals for moving the free end of the article extracting device to be in alignment with a selected one of the longitudinal axes; a drive mechanism coupled to the article extracting device for moving the free end of the article extracting device in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axes in the article storage volume; and control apparatus coupled to the positioning mechanism and the drive mechanism for causing controlled movement of the article extracting device so that a selected article is extracted from the article storage volume and moved to a predetermined area of the retrieving apparatus, wherein; said article extracting device is formed of a continuous flexible member which has a substantially fixed length from its free end to a point inside a supply volume where additional length of said flexible member is stored; and said control signals cause a planar movement of the positioning mechanism, which planar movement causes movement of a portion of the flexible member that is between the supply volume and the positioning mechanism to be substantially within the same plane as the planer movement of the positioning mechanism. 64. An article retrieving apparatus, comprising:a storage volume for storing articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes; an article extracting device having a free end for selectively extracting an article from the article storage volume; a positioning mechanism coupled to the article extracting device and responsive to control signals for moving the free end of the article extracting device to be in alignment with a selected one of the longitudinal axes; a drive mechanism coupled to the article extracting device for moving the free end of the article extracting device in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axes in the article storage volume; and control apparatus coupled to the positioning mechanism and the drive mechanism for causing controlled movement of the article extracting device so that a selected article is extracted from the article storage volume and moved to a predetermined area of the retrieving apparatus, wherein; said article extracting device is formed of a continuous flexible member which has a substantially fixed length from its free end to a point inside a supply volume where additional length of said flexible member is stored; and wherein; movement of the positioning mechanism causes a corresponding movement of the flexible member into and/or out of the supply volume.
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