Laundry Treating Apparatus

The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus, and more specifically, to a laundry treating apparatus including a first treating apparatus at a lower side and a second treating apparatus at an upper side.

A laundry treating apparatus is an apparatus that performs necessary treatment on laundry, such as removal of contaminants on the laundry or drying, by putting the laundry such as clothing or bedding into a drum.

When the laundry treating apparatus is designed to remove the contaminants from the laundry, the laundry treating apparatus may perform processes such as washing, rinsing, dehydration, and drying, and the laundry treating apparatus may be categorized into a top loading type and a front loading type based on a scheme of putting the laundry into the drum.

The laundry treating apparatus may include a cabinet forming an outer appearance, a tub accommodated inside the cabinet, the drum rotatably mounted inside the tub and into which the laundry is put, and a detergent supply apparatus that supplies detergent into the drum.

When the drum rotates by a motor while washing water is supplied to the laundry accommodated in the drum, dirt on the laundry may be removed by friction between the drum and washing water.

The detergent supply apparatus has a detergent supply function to enhance a washing effect. In this regard, the detergent refers to a substance that enhances the washing effect, such as a fabric detergent, a fabric softener, and a fabric bleach. As the detergent, a powder-type detergent or a liquid-type detergent may be used.

In one example, when the laundry treating apparatus is designed to dry the laundry, the laundry treating apparatus may provide dry air to the laundry to remove moisture from the laundry.

The laundry treating apparatus may include the cabinet, the drum that is rotatably disposed inside the cabinet, a heating means that heats or dries air provided to the laundry, and the like.

By supplying dry air to the laundry accommodated in the drum, moisture present in the laundry may be evaporated and removed by the dry air, and water from the laundry may be removed.

In one example, related document KR 10-2008-0021921 A1 illustrates a laundry treating apparatus equipped with a plurality of treating apparatuses. The laundry treating apparatus has a first treating apparatus at a lower side and a second treating apparatus at an upper side.

In the laundry treating apparatus, the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus may have great loads, and during a manufacturing process or an installation process in a use space, the second treating apparatus may be seated on top of the first treating apparatus and supported by the first treating apparatus.

In one example, the first treating apparatus may include various internal components such as a driver, a drum, a tub, and a detergent supply, so that it is important to efficiently secure an installation space for the various internal components.

However, the first treating apparatus on which the second treating apparatus is stacked may have limitations in increasing a product height considering usability or the like of the second treating apparatus, and further, there may be limitations in determining a shape or a location of a top panel supporting the second treating apparatus.

Therefore, efficiently securing the space for installing the internal components in the first treating apparatus and further implementing a stable stack structure of the second treating apparatus are important tasks in the relevant technical field.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are to provide a laundry treating apparatus that may provide convenience of laundry treatment to a user via a plurality of treating apparatuses.

In addition, the embodiments of the present disclosure are to provide a laundry treating apparatus in which a plurality of treating apparatuses may have a stable stacked structure.

In addition, the embodiments of the present disclosure are to provide a laundry treating apparatus in which an internal space of one of a plurality of treating apparatuses may be effectively expanded.

In addition, the embodiments of the present disclosure are to provide a laundry treating apparatus in which internal components of one of a plurality of treating apparatuses may be efficiently arranged.

In addition, the embodiments of the present disclosure are to provide a laundry treating apparatus including a top panel or a base that may efficiently implement a stacked structure of a plurality of treating apparatuses and effectively secure an internal space for one of the plurality of treating apparatuses.

A laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first treating apparatus, and the first treating apparatus may include various internal components therein. In addition, a portion of a top panel of the first treating apparatus may be raised upward to form a raised portion.

The raised portion may include a raised space that is opened inward of the first cabinet. At least a portion of the internal component may be accommodated in the raised space. Accordingly, an increase in a height of the first treating apparatus may be minimized and an internal space of the first cabinet may be effectively expanded.

The internal component may include a protruding portion located within the raised space and a non-protruding portion located outside the raised space. Because the internal component has the protruding portion and the non-protruding portion distinguished from each other, the raised space may be effectively utilized.

The internal component located below the raised portion may be a detergent supply located at an upper side of the first treating apparatus. In addition, the various internal components such as the detergent supply as well as a detergent pump and a water supply valve may be disposed below the raised portion.

Furthermore, a base of a second treating apparatus may have an accommodation space in which the raised portion may be accommodated. The base may have a portion of a bottom surface facing the top panel recessed upward to define the accommodation space.

Such a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first treating apparatus including a first cabinet and a first drum disposed inside the first cabinet to accommodate laundry therein.

The first cabinet includes a top panel defining a top surface of the first treating apparatus. The top panel includes a raised portion raised upward to define therein a raised space in communication with interior of the first cabinet.

The first treating apparatus includes an internal component disposed inside the first cabinet and at least partially positioned in the raised space.

The raised portion may include a raised surface positioned at a top of the raised space, and a remaining portion excluding the raised surface of the top panel may be positioned lower than the raised surface.

The first treating apparatus may further include a tub disposed inside the first cabinet, having the first drum disposed therein, and accommodating water therein, and the internal component may correspond to a detergent supply that stores detergent therein and supplies the detergent into the tub.

The detergent supply may include a protruding portion protruding toward the raised portion and positioned within the raised space. The detergent supply may further include a non-protruding portion located outside the raised space.

The first cabinet may include a front panel defining a front surface of the first treating apparatus, the raised portion may be spaced rearwardly apart from the front panel, and at least a portion of the non-protruding portion may be positioned in front of the protruding portion and disposed between the front panel and the raised portion.

The detergent supply may include a detergent storage where the detergent is stored, a detergent case accommodating the detergent storage therein, and a water supply unit that is positioned on the detergent case and supplies water into the detergent case. At least a portion of the water supply unit may be positioned in the raised space.

The detergent supply may further include a detergent pump that is coupled to the detergent case from outside the detergent case, and pumps the detergent of the detergent storage, and the detergent pump may be located below a raised surface of the raised portion.

The water supply unit may include a protruding portion protruding upward from the water supply unit and positioned within the raised space, wherein a flow channel of water is formed within the protruding portion.

The first cabinet may include a front panel defining a front surface of the first treating apparatus, the raised portion may be spaced rearwardly apart from the front panel, and the water supply unit may include a non-protruding portion positioned in front of the protruding portion and disposed outside the raised space.

The detergent supply may further include a detergent hose that is connected to the water supply unit and delivers the detergent in the detergent storage to the protruding portion, and a hose insertion groove may be defined to be recessed in a top surface of the protruding portion, wherein the detergent hose is inserted and extended into the hose insertion groove.

The protruding portion may further include a hose connector connected to the detergent hose, and the hose connector may extend in a direction parallel to a raised surface of the raised portion within the hose insertion groove and be connected to the detergent hose.

The first treating apparatus may further include a water supply hose that delivers water supplied from an external water supply source to the detergent supply, and a water supply valve that is connected to the water supply hose and regulates the flow of water, and the water supply valve may be positioned below the raised surface of the raised portion.

The first cabinet may include a first side panel defining a first side surface of the first treating apparatus and a second side panel defining a second side surface of the first treating apparatus, and the raised portion and the detergent supply may be positioned closer to the first side panel than to the second side panel.

The laundry treating apparatus may further include a second treating apparatus including a second cabinet disposed on top of the first cabinet, and a second drum disposed inside the second cabinet to accommodate the laundry therein.

The second treating apparatus may include a leg protruding toward the top panel and supported by the top panel, the top panel may include a leg seating portion where the leg is seated, the first cabinet may include a front panel defining a front surface of the first treating apparatus, the raised portion may be spaced rearwardly apart from the front panel, and the leg seating portion may be positioned between the raised portion and the front panel.

The second treating apparatus may include a leg protruding toward the top panel and supported by the top panel, the top panel may include a leg seating portion where the leg is seated, the first cabinet may include a rear panel defining a rear surface of the first treating apparatus and a first side panel defining a first side surface of the first treating apparatus, and the rear panel may be positioned at the rear of the leg seating portion, the first side panel may be positioned on a first side of the leg seating portion, and the raised portion may be positioned in front of and on a second side of the leg seating portion.

At least a portion of a remaining portion of the top panel excluding the raised portion may include a guide surface having a lower vertical level than a raised surface of the raised portion, and a first guide rib protruding toward the second cabinet and extending along a first direction to suppress movement of the second cabinet may be disposed on the guide surface.

In one example, a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first treating apparatus including a first cabinet and a first drum disposed inside the first cabinet to accommodate laundry therein, and a second treating apparatus including a second cabinet disposed on top of the first cabinet, and a second drum disposed inside the second cabinet to accommodate the laundry therein.

A portion of a top surface of the first cabinet may be raised higher than a remaining portion so that an internal component of the first treating apparatus may be positioned therein, and a portion of a bottom surface of the second cabinet may define a space where the raised portion of the top surface of the first cabinet is accommodated.

The embodiments of the present disclosure may provide the laundry treating apparatus that may provide the convenience of the laundry treatment to the user via the plurality of treating apparatuses.

In addition, the embodiments of the present disclosure may provide the laundry treating apparatus in which the plurality of treating apparatuses may have the stable stacked structure.

In addition, the embodiments of the present disclosure may provide the laundry treating apparatus in which the internal space of one of the plurality of treating apparatuses may be effectively expanded.

In addition, the embodiments of the present disclosure may provide the laundry treating apparatus in which the internal components of one of the plurality of treating apparatuses may be efficiently arranged.

In addition, the embodiments of the present disclosure may provide the laundry treating apparatus including the top panel or the base that may efficiently implement the stacked structure of the plurality of treating apparatuses and effectively secure the internal space for one of the plurality of treating apparatuses.