An air-conditioning apparatus includes an outdoor unit and an indoor unit between which refrigerant is circulated. The indoor unit includes a body casing that forms an outer shell, a heat exchanger provided in the body casing, a drain pan provided below the heat exchanger, a water-level detecting unit that detects the level of condensate water that has flowed into the drain pan, and a refrigerant-gas detecting unit that is provided in the drain pan and at a higher level than the water-level detecting unit, and detects refrigerant gas that has leaked from the heat exchanger. The air-conditioning apparatus includes a controller that performs control to stop a cooling operation when the water-level detecting unit detects the condensate water that collects in the drain pan.

An automated cryogenic storage system includes a freezer and an automation system to provide automated transfer of samples to and from the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to a rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor. The automation module includes a rack puller that is automatically positioned above an access port of the freezer. The rack puller engages with a sample rack within the freezer, and elevates the rack into an insulating sleeve external to the freezer. From the insulating sleeve, samples can be added to and removed from the sample rack before it is returned to the freezer.

An automated cryogenic storage system includes a freezer and an automation system to provide automated transfer of samples to and from the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to a rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor. The automation module includes a rack puller that is automatically positioned above an access port of the freezer. The rack puller engages with a sample rack within the freezer, and elevates the rack into an insulating sleeve external to the freezer. From the insulating sleeve, samples can be added to and removed from the sample rack before it is returned to the freezer.

A ventilation door device for a refrigerator comprises: a frame, having an end plate provided with an opening portion, and having a blocking plate assembly rotatably mounted on the end plate, wherein the blocking plate assembly can rotate between a closed position in which the opening portion is completely closed and an open position in which the opening portion is completely open; a housing, engaging with the frame, wherein a driving chamber is formed between the housing and the frame; and a driving module, wherein the driving module is at least partially held in the driving chamber, and drives the blocking plate assembly to rotate. The frame has a housing engagement portion located on a side edge of the end plate and extending substantially perpendicular to the end plate. The housing is connected to the housing engagement portion of the frame. The blocking plate assembly comprises a blocking plate mounted on the end plate and an elastic component provided on the blocking plate. When the blocking plate assembly is in the closed position, the elastic component abuts the frame and deforms elastically to seal the opening portion. The end plate of the frame has a sealing portion arranged around the opening portion and protruding from the end plate. When the blocking plate assembly is in the closed position, the elastic component abuts the sealing portion of the frame.

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator. The refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: an evaporator; a defrosting heater; a temperature sensor; and a controller to control the defrosting heater. The controller is configured to: in response to a defrosting operation starting time arriving, perform a defrosting operation mode including a pre-defrosting cooling mode, a heater operation mode and a post-defrosting cooling mode; perform a continuous operation mode, in which the defrosting heater is continuously on; and when a temperature change rate sequentially increases, decreases and increases again, perform a pulse operation mode, in which the defrosting heater is repeatedly turned on and off. Accordingly, defrosting efficiency may be improved, and power consumption may be reduced.

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator. The refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: an evaporator; a defrosting heater; a temperature sensor; and a controller to control the defrosting heater. The controller is configured to: in response to a defrosting operation starting time arriving, perform a defrosting operation mode including a pre-defrosting cooling mode, a heater operation mode and a post-defrosting cooling mode; perform a continuous operation mode, in which the defrosting heater is continuously on; and when a temperature change rate sequentially increases, decreases and increases again, perform a pulse operation mode, in which the defrosting heater is repeatedly turned on and off. Accordingly, defrosting efficiency may be improved, and power consumption may be reduced.

A first heat exchanger, a desiccant block, and a second heat exchanger are arranged in series. In a dehumidification operation, a first operation mode in which the first heat exchanger acts as a condenser or a radiator and the second heat exchanger acts as an evaporator and a second operation mode in which the first heat exchanger acts as an evaporator and the second heat exchanger acts as a condenser or a radiator are alternately repeated.

A first heat exchanger, a desiccant block, and a second heat exchanger are arranged in series. In a dehumidification operation, a first operation mode in which the first heat exchanger acts as a condenser or a radiator and the second heat exchanger acts as an evaporator and a second operation mode in which the first heat exchanger acts as an evaporator and the second heat exchanger acts as a condenser or a radiator are alternately repeated.

Provided is an air-conditioning apparatus including a plurality of indoor units for an outdoor unit, which is capable of determining whether there is occurrence of frost formation on the outdoor unit during a heating operation so as to enable a transition to a defrosting operation at an appropriate timing. Each of the indoor units is configured to transmit an operating-state notification for notifying a self-operating state to the outdoor unit. The outdoor unit is configured to determine the number of indoor units performing the heating operation among the plurality of indoor units based on the operating-state notifications, and determine the occurrence of the frost formation after elapse of a preset time period from a time at which the number of the indoor units performing the heating operation changes.

Provided is a driving device for an automatic ice-making machine, the driving device including: a cam gear that rotates a tray; and an operating lever that organically operates along a cam plane for an ice-cube quantity detecting arm formed at the cam gear and allows the ice-cube quantity detecting arm to rotate downward into an ice-cube storage bin, wherein a cam groove for the ice-cube quantity detecting arm is formed in the cam plane for the ice-cube quantity detecting arm of the cam gear and allows the operating level to descend so that the ice-cube quantity detecting arm rotates downward into the ice-cube storage bin, and a protrusion is formed between the cam plane for the ice-cube quantity detecting arm and the cam groove for the ice-cube quantity detecting arm and allows the operating lever to ascend so that the ice-cube quantity detecting arm that rotates downward into the ice-cube storage bin rotates upward.