Balancer and washing machine having the same

A balancer of a washing machine to offset unbalanced load present in a drum of the washing machine, the balancer comprising:

• a balancer housing mounted to at least one selected from a front surface and a rear surface of the drum, the balancer housing having a channel extending in a circumferential direction of the drum;
• a plurality of masses movably disposed in the channel;
• a magnet formed at an inner surface of the balancer housing to restrain the masses when the number of rotations per minute of the drum is within a predetermined range;
• and
• a magnet case to receive the magnet.

A balancer mounted to a drum of a washing machine to offset unbalanced load generated in the drum during rotation of the drum, the balancer comprising:

• a balancer housing coupled to the drum, the balancer housing having an annular channel defined therein;
• at least one mass movably disposed in the channel;
• at least one magnet to restrain movement of the mass along the channel when rotational speed of the drum is within a predetermined range;
• and
• at least one magnet case to receive and fix the magnet, the magnet case being coupled to an outside of the balancer housing,
• wherein the magnet case comprises
• a magnet receiving part to receive the magnet;
• and
• at least one magnet fixing hook to fix the magnet received in the magnet receiving part.

A washing machine comprising:

• a rotatable drum;
• and
• a balancer mounted to the drum to offset unbalanced load generated in the drum during rotation of the drum,
• wherein the balancer comprises
• a balancer housing coupled to the drum;
• at least one mass disposed in the balancer housing;
• at least one magnet to restrain the mass when rotational speed of the drum is within a predetermined range;
• and
• at least one magnet case to receive and fix the magnet, the magnet case being coupled to a rear surface of the balancer housing, wherein the magnet case comprises:
• a first support part to support one major surface of the magnet;
• a second support part to support a side surface of the magnet;
• and
• at least one magnet fixing hook extending from the second support part at an angle to a direction in which the magnet case is coupled to the balancer housing to fix the magnet.