Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator which allows a pivoting bar to pivot to seal a gap between a pair of doors regardless of whether the door at which the pivoting bar is not installed between the pair of doors is open or closed. The refrigerator includes a guide device which induces the pivoting bar to pivot. Here, the guide device includes a rack that is moved forward and backward linearly depending on opening and closing of the second door and includes a second magnet built therein, a pinion gear engaged with the rack and pivoting when the rack is moved linearly, and a guide unit which includes a guide groove guiding a guide protrusion and is engaged with the pinion gear to move linearly in a direction opposite to that of the rack to allow the pivoting bar to pivot when the pinion gear pivots.

Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator which allows a pivoting bar to pivot to seal a gap between a pair of doors regardless of whether the door at which the pivoting bar is not installed between the pair of doors is open or closed. The refrigerator includes a guide device which induces the pivoting bar to pivot. Here, the guide device includes a rack that is moved forward and backward linearly depending on opening and closing of the second door and includes a second magnet built therein, a pinion gear engaged with the rack and pivoting when the rack is moved linearly, and a guide unit which includes a guide groove guiding a guide protrusion and is engaged with the pinion gear to move linearly in a direction opposite to that of the rack to allow the pivoting bar to pivot when the pinion gear pivots.

Abstract: A suction nozzle apparatus and a cleaner having the same includes a casing of which a mounting groove is formed in a bottom surface, a drum brush rotatably coupled to the mounting groove of the casing, and a cutting member configured to remove a foreign substance wound around the drum brush. The drum brush includes a drum core in which at least one foreign substance collecting groove that the foreign substance is wound is formed in an outer circumference and a blade formed in a spiral form in the outer circumference of the drum core.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a driving unit and a robot cleaner having the same. The robot cleaner has a configuration in which an elastic member is supported so that an angle formed between the elastic member and a rotation shaft of the driving unit is provided in a predetermined range to offset a decrease in an elastic force generated while the robot cleaner is driving on a surface having steps and a driving wheel protrudes downward from the robot cleaner. Accordingly, there is the effect where a traction force is maintained at a predetermined level for maintaining the driving performance of the robot cleaner even while the robot cleaner is driving and the driving wheel is lowered to decrease the elastic force of the elastic member.

Abstract: A pressure switch configured to be disposed on a path, through which dust passes, to control a dust sensor according to whether a suction pressure is formed in the path, is provided. The pressure switch includes: a body part having a connection tube connected to the path, and an upper surface; first and second terminals configured to be electrically connected to the dust sensor, and at least a portion of which protrudes from the upper surface of the body part; and a flexible cap configured to engage the body part to define a space along with the upper surface of the body part. The flexible cap is deformed in response to a negative pressure being formed in the space, thereby electrically connecting the first and second terminals.

Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator which allows a pivoting bar to pivot to seal a gap between a pair of doors regardless of whether the door at which the pivoting bar is not installed between the pair of doors is open or closed. The refrigerator includes a guide device which induces the pivoting bar to pivot. Here, the guide device includes a rack that is moved forward and backward linearly depending on opening and closing of the second door and includes a second magnet built therein, a pinion gear engaged with the rack and pivoting when the rack is moved linearly, and a guide unit which includes a guide groove guiding a guide protrusion and is engaged with the pinion gear to move linearly in a direction opposite to that of the rack to allow the pivoting bar to pivot when the pinion gear pivots.

Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator which allows a pivoting bar to pivot to seal a gap between a pair of doors regardless of whether the door at which the pivoting bar is not installed between the pair of doors is open or closed. The refrigerator includes a guide device which induces the pivoting bar to pivot. Here, the guide device includes a rack that is moved forward and backward linearly depending on opening and closing of the second door and includes a second magnet built therein, a pinion gear engaged with the rack and pivoting when the rack is moved linearly, and a guide unit which includes a guide groove guiding a guide protrusion and is engaged with the pinion gear to move linearly in a direction opposite to that of the rack to allow the pivoting bar to pivot when the pinion gear pivots.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a refrigerator that has an improved structure to facilitate assembling of a door and a main body which are separable from each other. The refrigerator includes a main body that forms an exterior appearance, a storage compartment that is provided inside the main body, a door that is rotatably coupled to the main body so as to open and close an open front surface of the storage compartment, and a hinge bracket that connects the main body and the door. Here, the hinge bracket includes a first bracket that is coupled to the main body and a second bracket that is coupled to the door and detachably coupled to the first bracket.

Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator which allows a pivoting bar to pivot to seal a gap between a pair of doors regardless of whether the door at which the pivoting bar is not installed between the pair of doors is open or closed. The refrigerator includes a pivoting bar which seals a gap between a first door and a second door and a guide device which induces the pivoting bar to pivot. Here, the guide device includes a rack that is moved forward and backward linearly depending on opening and closing of the second door and includes a second magnet built therein, a pinion gear engaged with the rack and pivoting when the rack is moved linearly, and a guide unit which includes a guide groove guiding a guide protrusion and is engaged with the pinion gear to move linearly in a direction opposite to that of the rack to allow the pivoting bar to pivot when the pinion gear pivots.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a main body, a cleaning tool assembly connected to the main body to be movable in at least one axial direction, a handle part connected to the main body and configured to receive an applied force of a user, a detection part provided in the handle part and configured to detect a magnitude and a direction of the force applied to the handle part, and a control part configured to control the movement direction of the cleaning tool assembly based on the detected direction of the force and to control the movement distance of the cleaning tool assembly based on the detected magnitude of the force. In this way, the steering performance may be improved by reducing a horizontal load felt by a user when the user holds and moves the handle of the cleaner, fatigue felt when performing the cleaning operation may be removed by removing a vertical load applied by the handle, and convenience may be improved.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a driving unit and a robot cleaner having the same. The robot cleaner has a configuration in which an elastic member is supported so that an angle formed between the elastic member and a rotation shaft of the driving unit is provided in a predetermined range to offset a decrease in an elastic force generated while the robot cleaner is driving on a surface having steps and a driving wheel protrudes downward from the robot cleaner. Accordingly, there is the effect where a traction force is maintained at a predetermined level for maintaining the driving performance of the robot cleaner even while the robot cleaner is driving and the driving wheel is lowered to decrease the elastic force of the elastic member.

Abstract: A pressure switch configured to be disposed on a path, through which dust passes, to control a dust sensor according to whether a suction pressure is formed in the path, is provided. The pressure switch includes: a body part having a connection tube connected to the path, and an upper surface; first and second terminals configured to be electrically connected to the dust sensor, and at least a portion of which protrudes from the upper surface of the body part; and a flexible cap configured to engage the body part to define a space along with the upper surface of the body part. The flexible cap is deformed in response to a negative pressure being formed in the space, thereby electrically connecting the first and second terminals.

Abstract: An ice detecting apparatus for an ice maker provided in a refrigerator includes an ice maker, and an ice detecting sensor attached to the ice maker and detecting an amount of ice collected in an ice container. The ice detecting sensor includes at least one optical transmitter or emitter provided on one side of the ice maker and at least one receiver at another side of the ice maker. The optical transmitter and receiver are separated by a prescribed distance and, at least one heater is provided to generate heat to be transferred to at least one of the optical transmitter or receiver.

Abstract: A refrigerator having an improved structure so as to easily assemble a detachable door and a main body. The refrigerator includes a main body that forms an appearance of the refrigerator, a storage chamber that is provided inside the main body, a door that is rotatably coupled to the main body to open and close an opened front surface of the storage chamber, and a hinge bracket that connects the main body and the door. Here, the hinge bracket may include a first hinge that is coupled to the main body and a second hinge that is coupled to the door and detachably coupled to a front side of the first hinge.

Abstract: A door opening unit for automatically opening a door for a dishwasher includes an actuator, a link member that makes a straight motion due to pressurization of the actuator and has a plurality of legs, a plurality of rotation levers that are connected to the plurality of legs of the link member, and a plurality of pressurization members that are connected to the plurality of rotation levers. Since the plurality of pressurization members may pressurize a plurality of points of the door, the door may be more smoothly opened. Also, the door opening unit for automatically opening the door includes a restoring spring that restores positions of the plurality of pressurization members when power to the actuator is turned off.

Abstract: An ice detecting apparatus for a refrigerator the apparatus includes an ice maker, an ice container to collect ice made by the ice maker, and an ice detecting sensor to detect an amount of ice stored in the ice container. The ice detecting sensor has a transmitter module provided on one side of the ice maker and a receiver module provided on another side of the ice maker. The transmitter module is separated by a prescribed distance from the receiver module. At least one of the transmitter module or receiver module includes at least one optical element and at least one heater, and the heater is made of an electroconductive heating material.

Abstract: An apparatus for purifying water comprises: an ice making unit configured to make introduced water into ice cubes, and to store the ice cubes; a cold water unit configured to generate cold water by receiving the ice cubes made by the ice making unit; and a cooling unit configured to supply cold air to the ice making unit. Firstly, since cold water is generated by using ice cubes made by the ice making unit, may be solved the conventional problem that the ice cubes cling to each other due to contact with the cold water. Secondly, the ice making unit, the cold water unit, etc. may be installed so as to be stacked with each other in upper and lower directions, the apparatus for purifying water may have a slim configuration.

Abstract: An ice storage device and a refrigerator and purifier including the ice storage device are disclosed. The ice storage device includes an ice storage box, a plurality of ice outlets provided in the ice storage box and an ice transfer member provided in the ice storage box, to transfer ice to the plurality of the ice outlets selectively. An object of the present invention is to provide an ice storage device capable of discharging ice along various directions, and a refrigerator and purifier including the ice storage device.

Abstract: Disclosed are an ice bin installed in a refrigerator or the like and a refrigerating machine having the same. One auger having spiral transfer wings rotates to transfer ice cubes that are introduced between the transfer wings, which allows a constant amount of ice or an amount of ice selected by a user to be dispensed. In addition, a shutter is disposed at a lower side of the auger to define a dispensing space, which may reduce a length of a casing in a depth direction and, thereby, result in a reduced size of the ice bin.

Abstract: An ice detecting apparatus for a refrigerator having an ice maker includes an ice detecting sensor which determines whether or not an ice storage container which receives and stores ice made by the ice maker is full or nearly full of ice based on pulses transmitted from and received by transmitting and receiving units. The ice detecting sensor includes a transmitting unit to transmit one or more pulses and a receiving unit to detect the pulses transmitted from the transmitting unit. A controller is operably coupled to the transmitting and receiving units to determine whether the storage container is full or nearly full based on pulses detected by the receiving unit among one or more pulses transmitted by the transmitting unit. The controller also determines whether or not external light has been introduced into the ice maker based on the pulses detected by the receiving unit.