Laundry Treating Apparatus and Assembly Method of the Same

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/632,942, filed on Apr. 11, 2024, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/193,701, filed on Mar. 5, 2021, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,982,040, which claims the benefit of the Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0028407, filed on Mar. 6, 2020. The disclosures of the prior applications are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus and an assembly method of the same.

A laundry treating apparatus collectively refers to a laundry washing apparatus, a laundry drying apparatus, and a laundry washing and drying apparatus.

A laundry treating apparatus of the related art is provided to include a drying machine for drying laundry, a washing machine for washing laundry, and a rack for providing a space where any one of the drying machine and the washing machine may be positioned on the other one. The laundry treating apparatus in which the drying machine and the washing machine are stacked on the rack up and down has an advantage in that a user may easily move washed laundry from the washing machine to the drying machine.

However, such a laundry treating apparatus of the related art needs a separate rack to position any one of the drying machine and the washing machine on the other one, and in this case, a problem occurs in that a manufacturing cost is increased due to a large volume of the rack.

Also, since the aforementioned rack provides only a space where any one of the washing machine and the drying machine can be positioned on the other one, a problem occurs in that the rack fails to easily carry the washing machine or the drying machine positioned on the top.

Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to a laundry treating apparatus and an assembly method of the same, which substantially obviate one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a laundry treating apparatus comprising a guide panel provided to easily carry one of two treating apparatuses capable of washing and drying laundry on the other one.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a laundry treating apparatus comprising a rear bracket provided to support one of two treating apparatuses, which is provided on the other one, so as not to be detached from the other one.

Other object of the present disclosure is to provide an assembly method of a laundry treating apparatus in which two treating apparatuses capable of washing and drying laundry are stacked in a single body.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the disclosure. The objectives and other advantages of the disclosure may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these objects and other advantages, particular implementations of the present disclosure provide a method for assembling a laundry treating apparatus having a first treating apparatus and a second treating apparatus. The first treating apparatus may include a first front panel, a first rear panel, first side panels, and a first drum. The first drum is located between the first front panel and the first rear panel, configured to rotate, and configured to receive laundry. The second treating apparatus may include a second front panel, a second rear panel, second side panels, and a second drum. The second front panel may include an upper fastening unit extending from an upper surface of the second front panel. The second drum is located between the second front panel and the second rear panel, configured to rotate, and configured to receive laundry. The first front panel, the first rear panel, and the first side panels are positioned to correspond to the second front panel, the second rear panel, and the second side panels, respectively. The method includes positioning the second treating apparatus on a surface, positioning the first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus, coupling the upper fastening unit of the second front panel with a lower portion of the first treating apparatus, and coupling a control panel to a panel seating portion that is defined between a lower surface of the first front panel and the upper surface of the second front panel. The upper fastening unit of the second front panel may be disposed to be higher than the lower surface of the first front panel based on the first treating apparatus being positioned on the second treating apparatus.

In some implementations, the method can optionally include one or more of the following features. The method may include, after positioning the second treating apparatus and prior to positioning the first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus, attaching a guide panel to the second treating apparatus; and after positioning the first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus and prior to coupling the upper fastening unit, detaching the guide panel from the second treating apparatus. The guide panel may include a guide panel body detachably located at the panel seating portion, and a roller located at the guide panel body and configured to, based on the first treating apparatus being positioned on the second treating apparatus, contact the lower surface of the first treating apparatus and roll relative to the lower surface of the first treating apparatus. The guide panel may be configured to, based on the guide panel being attached to the second treating apparatus, be attached to the panel seating portion that is defined between the lower surface of the first front panel and the upper surface of the second front panel. The guide panel may be configured to, based on the guide panel being detached from the second treating apparatus, be detached from the panel seating portion. The second treating apparatus may include a first frame that is positioned at a rear surface of the second front panel and coupled to the second front panel. The first treating apparatus may include a connection member that is positioned at lower portions of the first side panels and configured to be coupled to the first frame. The second front panel may be configured to, based on the first frame being coupled to the upper fastening unit and the connection member as the upper fastening unit of the second front panel is coupled with the lower portion of the first treating apparatus, be coupled to the lower portion of the first treating apparatus. The method may include, prior to positioning the first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus, coupling a rear bracket to the second rear panel, the rear bracket configured to support the first treating apparatus to restrict the first treating apparatus from being detached behind the second treating apparatus. The method may include, after coupling the upper fastening unit of the second front panel with the lower portion of the first treating apparatus, coupling the rear bracket to the first rear panel.

Particular implementations of the present disclosure provide a laundry treating apparatus that includes first and second treating apparatuses, a panel seating portion, a guide panel, and a control panel. The first treating apparatus may include a first front panel, a first rear panel, first side panels, and a first drum. The first drum may be located between the first front panel and the first rear panel, configured to rotate, and configured to receive laundry. The second treating apparatus may be configured to support the first treating apparatus and include a second front panel, a second rear panel, second side panels, and a second drum. The second front panel may include an upper fastening unit extending from an upper surface of the second front panel. The second front panel, the second rear panel, and the second side panels may be positioned to correspond to the first front panel, the first rear panel, and the first side panels, respectively. The second drum may be located between the second front panel and the second rear panel, configured to rotate, and configured to receive laundry. The panel seating portion may be defined between a lower surface of the first front panel and an upper surface of the second front panel. The guide panel may include (i) a guide panel body that is detachably located at the panel seating portion, and (ii) a roller located at the guide panel body and configured to, based on the first treating apparatus being positioned on the second treating apparatus, contact the lower surface of the first treating apparatus and roll relative to the lower surface of the first treating apparatus. The control panel may be configured to be coupled to the panel seating portion based on the guide panel being removed.

In some implementations, the apparatus can optionally include one or more of the following features. The upper fastening unit of the second front panel may be positioned to be higher than the lower surface of the first treating apparatus and coupled to a lower portion of the first treating apparatus. The panel seating portion may include a first panel accommodating portion defined by the upper surface of the second front panel being partially recessed. A lower surface of the guide panel body may include a first protrusion that is partially protruded. The first protrusion and the first panel accommodating portion may be configured to, based on the guide panel being seated on the panel seating portion, face each other. The first protrusion may be configured to, based on the guide panel being seated on the panel seating portion, be inserted into the first panel accommodating portion and coupled to the upper surface of the second front panel. The second treating apparatus may include a first frame positioned at a rear surface of the second front panel and coupled to the second front panel. An upper portion of the first frame may be positioned to be higher than the upper surface of the second front panel. A lower portion of the first frame may be positioned to be lower than the upper surface of the second front panel. The first treating apparatus may include a connection member positioned at lower portions of the first side panels and configured to be coupled to the first frame of the second treating apparatus. The first frame of the second treating apparatus may be configured to be coupled to the lower portions of the first side panels through the connection member based on the first treating apparatus being seated on the second treating apparatus. The first frame of the second treating apparatus may include a second panel accommodating portion defined by the upper portion of the first frame being partially recessed. A first side of the guide panel body may include a second protrusion partially protruded. The second protrusion and the second panel accommodating portion may be configured to face each other based on the guide panel being seated on the panel seating portion. The second protrusion may be configured to be inserted into the second panel accommodating portion and coupled to the upper portion of the first frame based on the guide panel being seated on the panel seating portion. A first side of the guide panel body may be configured to be positioned ahead of the second front panel based on the guide panel being seated on the panel seating portion. The first panel accommodating portion and the first frame together may define a rectangular shape. The first protrusion may have a shape corresponding to the rectangular shape of the first panel accommodating portion and the first frame. The first treating apparatus may include a second frame positioned between the first front panel and the second front panel and coupled to a lower portion of the first treating apparatus. The second frame of the first treating apparatus may include first side extension portions located at opposing lateral sides. The control panel may include second side extension portions located to correspond to the first side extension portions. The first side extension portions and the second side extension portions may be configured to, based on the control panel being coupled to the panel seating portion, overlap with each other and be fastened to each other. The laundry treating apparatus may include a rear bracket configured to be coupled to each of the first rear panel and the second rear panel and support the first treating apparatus to thereby restrict the first treating apparatus from being detached behind the second treating apparatus. The rear bracket may include a handle that defines a space for accommodating a user's hand. An end of the rear bracket may be fixed to the first rear panel and an opposite end of the rear bracket is fixed to the second rear panel. The rear bracket may be configured to partially cover the upper surface of the second rear panel. The first treating apparatus may include a first handle that is defined at each the first side panels and configured to engage with a user's hand to thereby allow a user to lift the first treating apparatus. The first treating apparatus may include a second handle that is defined at the first rear panel and configured to engage with the user's hand to thereby allow the user to lift the first treating apparatus. The first treating apparatus may include a lower panel configured to be supported by the second treating apparatus, and a third handle defined at the lower panel and configured to engage with the user's hand to thereby allow the user to lift the first treating apparatus.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, an assembly method of a laundry treating apparatus according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure comprises a first step of positioning a second treating apparatus in a desired place for assembly; a second step of seating a first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus; a third step of coupling an upper portion of the second treating apparatus to a lower portion of the first treating apparatus; and a fourth step of coupling a control panel onto the second treating apparatus. A second front panel constituting a front surface of the second treating apparatus may be provided to have an upper fastening unit bent from an upper surface and extended to an upper portion, a first side panel located at both sides of a side direction of the first treating apparatus may be provided to have a connection member provided to be coupled with the upper fastening unit, and the upper fastening unit may be coupled to the lower portion of the first treating apparatus through the connection member of the first side panel when the third step is performed.

An assembly method of a laundry treating apparatus according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure comprises a first step of positioning a second treating apparatus in a desired place for assembly, the second treating apparatus including a second front panel forming a front surface, provided with an upper fastening unit bent from an upper surface and extended to an upper portion, a second rear panel forming a rear surface, a second side panel located at both sides of a side direction, and a second drum rotatably provided between the second front panel and the second rear panel, providing a space in which laundry is stored; a second step of seating a first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus, the first treating apparatus including a first front panel positioned in the same direction as that of the second front panel, forming a front surface, a first rear panel positioned in the same direction as that of the second rear panel, forming a rear surface, a first side panel positioned in the same direction as that of the second side panel and located at both sides of the side direction, and a first drum rotatably provided between the first front panel and the first rear panel, providing a space in which laundry is stored; a third step of coupling the upper fastening unit with a lower portion of the first treating apparatus through a connection member of the first side panel; and a fourth step of coupling a control panel onto a panel seating portion provided between a lower surface of the first front panel and the upper surface of the second front panel, wherein the upper fastening unit may be positioned to be higher than the lower surface of the first treating apparatus after the second step is performed, and the first step to the fourth step may sequentially be performed.

The assembly method of the laundry treating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may further comprise a fifth step of attaching a guide panel onto the second treating apparatus before the second step is performed after the first step is performed; and a sixth step of detaching the guide panel from the second treating apparatus before the third step is performed after the second step is performed.

The guide panel may be provided to include a guide panel body detachably provided in the panel seating portion, and a roller provided on the guide panel body, performing a rolling motion in contact with the lower surface of the first treating apparatus when the second step is performed. The guide panel may be attached to the panel seating portion provided between the lower surface of the first front panel and the upper surface of the second front panel when the fifth step is performed, and the guide panel may be detached from the panel seating portion when the sixth step is performed.

The second treating apparatus may further include a first frame provided on the rear surface of the second front panel and coupled to the second front panel, the first treating apparatus may further include a connection member provided at a lower portion of the first side panel and provided to be coupled to the first frame, and the second front panel may be coupled to the lower portion of the first treating apparatus as the first frame is coupled to the upper fastening unit and the connection member respectively when the third step is performed.

The assembly method of the laundry treating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may further comprise a seventh step of coupling a rear bracket to the second rear panel, the rear bracket supporting the first treating apparatus to allow the first treating apparatus not to be detached behind the second treating apparatus; and an eighth step of coupling the rear bracket to the first rear panel, wherein the seventh step may be performed before the second step, and the eighth step may be performed after the third step.

A laundry treating apparatus according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure comprises a second treating apparatus including a second front panel forming a front surface, a second rear panel forming a rear surface, a second upper panel forming an upper surface, and a second drum rotatably provided between the second front panel and the second rear panel, providing a space in which laundry is stored; a panel seating portion provided on an upper surface of the second front panel; a guide panel including a guide panel body detachably provided in the panel seating portion, and a roller provided on the guide panel body, performing a rolling motion; and a control panel provided to be coupled to the panel seating portion when the guide panel is removed. The laundry treating apparatus may further comprise a first treating apparatus, and when the first treating apparatus is seated on the second treating apparatus, the roller of the guide panel may perform a rolling motion in contact with a lower surface of the first treating apparatus. The laundry treating apparatus may further comprise a rear bracket coupled to each of a lower portion of the first treating apparatus and the second rear panel, supporting the first treating apparatus to allow the first treating apparatus not to be detached behind the second rear panel, wherein the rear bracket may partially cover the upper panel.

A laundry treating apparatus according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure comprises a first treating apparatus including a first front panel forming a front surface, a first rear panel forming a rear surface, a first side panel located at both sides of a side direction, and a first drum rotatably provided between the first front panel and the first rear panel, providing a space in which laundry is stored; a second treating apparatus including a second front panel positioned in the same direction as that of the first front panel, forming a front surface, and having an upper fastening unit bent from an upper surface and extended to an upper portion, a second rear panel positioned in the same direction as that of the first rear panel, forming a rear surface, a second side panel positioned in the same direction as that of the first side panel and located at both sides of the side direction, and a second drum rotatably provided between the second front panel and the second rear panel, providing a space in which laundry is stored, and supporting the first treating apparatus a panel seating portion provided between a lower surface of the first front panel and an upper surface of the second front panel; a panel seating portion provided between a lower surface of the first front panel and an upper surface of the second front panel; a guide panel including a guide panel body detachably provided in the panel seating portion, and a roller provided on the guide panel body, performing a rolling motion in contact with the lower surface of the first treating apparatus when the first treating apparatus is seated on the second treating apparatus; and a control panel provided to be coupled to the panel seating portion when the guide panel is removed.

The upper fastening unit may be positioned to be higher than the lower surface of the first treating apparatus and coupled to the lower portion of the first treating apparatus.

The panel seating portion may include a first panel accommodating portion formed as the upper surface of the second front panel is partially recessed, a lower surface of the guide panel body may include a first protrusion partially protruded, the first protrusion and the first panel accommodating portion may be located to face each other when the guide panel is seated on the panel seating portion, and the first protrusion may be inserted into the first panel accommodating portion and coupled to the upper surface of the second front panel when the guide panel is seated on the panel seating portion.

The second treating apparatus may further include a first frame provided on the rear surface of the second front panel and coupled to the second front panel, and an upper portion of the first frame may be positioned to be higher than the upper surface of the second front panel and its lower portion may be positioned to be lower than the upper surface of the second front panel.

The first treating apparatus may further include a connection member provided at a lower portion of the first side panel and provided to be coupled to the first frame, and the first frame may be coupled to the lower portion of the first side panel through the connection member when the first treating apparatus is seated on the second treating apparatus.

The first frame may include a second panel accommodating portion formed as the upper portion of the first frame is partially recessed, one side of the guide panel body may include a second protrusion partially protruded, the second protrusion and the second panel accommodating portion may be located to face each other when the guide panel is seated on the panel seating portion, and the second protrusion may be inserted into the second panel accommodating portion and coupled to the upper portion of the first frame when the guide panel is seated on the panel seating portion.

The other side facing one side of the guide panel body may be positioned ahead of the second front panel when the guide panel is seated on the panel seating portion.

The first panel accommodating portion and the first frame may be formed to have a rectangular shape or a rectangular shape having one or more rounded corners when together viewed from the upper portion, and the first protrusion may be formed to have a shape corresponding to the shape of the first panel accommodating portion and the first frame.

The first treating apparatus may further include a second frame provided between the first front panel and the second front panel and coupled to the lower portion of the first treating apparatus.

The second frame may include a first side extension portion located at both sides of a side direction, the control panel may include a second side extension portion located at position corresponding to the first side extension portion, and the first side extension portion and the second side extension portion may be fastened to be overlapped with each other when the control panel is coupled to the panel seating portion.

The laundry treating apparatus according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may further comprise a rear bracket coupled to each of the first rear panel and the second rear panel, supporting the first treating apparatus to allow the first treating apparatus not to be detached behind the second treating apparatus. The rear bracket may be provided to include a handle forming a space for accommodating a user's hand, and one end of the rear bracket may be fixed to the first rear panel and the other end of the rear bracket may be fixed to the second rear panel.

The rear bracket may partially cover the upper surface of the second rear panel.

The first treating apparatus may further include a first side panel located at both sides of the side direction, and a first handle bent to be inserted into the first side panel and provided to allow a user to lift the first treating apparatus.

The first treating apparatus may further include a second handle bent to be inserted into the first rear panel and provided to allow a user to lift the first treating apparatus.

The first treating apparatus may further include a lower panel supported by the second treating apparatus, and a third handle bent to be inserted into the lower panel and provided to allow a user to lift the first treating apparatus.

The laundry treating apparatus according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise a guide panel detachably provided on one of two treating apparatuses capable of washing and drying laundry, which is positioned on a lower portion, and may easily carry the other one of the two treating apparatuses on the treating apparatus positioned on the lower portion by using the guide panel.

Also, the laundry treating apparatus according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may further comprise a rear bracket coupled to each of the two treating apparatuses, and the treating apparatus of the two treating apparatuses, which is carried to the upper portion, may be supported by the rear bracket so as not to be detached from the treating apparatus positioned on the lower portion.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present disclosure are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the disclosure as claimed.

Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following detailed description is provided to assist full understanding of a method, apparatus and/or system disclosed in the present disclosure. However, this is only exemplary, and the present disclosure is not limited to the following description.

In describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, if detailed description of elements or functions known in respect of the present disclosure is not relevant to the subject matter of the present disclosure, the detailed description will be omitted. The terms which will be described later are selected from generally known and used terms considering their functions in the present disclosure, and may be modified depending on intention of a person skilled in the art, practices, or the like. Accordingly, the terms used herein should be understood not simply by the actual terms used but by the meaning lying within and the description disclosed herein. The terms used herein are intended to describe the embodiments of the present disclosure, and should not be restrictive. It is to be understood that the singular expression used in this specification includes the plural expression unless defined differently on the context. In this description, it is to be understood that the terms such as “include” and “has” are intended to designate that features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts, or their combination, which are disclosed in the specification, exist, and are intended not to previously exclude the presence or optional possibility of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts, or their combinations.

Also, in describing elements of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the terms “first”, “second”, “A”, “B”, “(a)”, “(b)”, etc. may be used. These terms are intended to identify the corresponding elements from the other elements, and basis, order, or number of the corresponding elements are not limited by these terms.

are views illustrating a laundry treating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In detail,is a perspective view illustrating a laundry treating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,is a perspective view illustrating a laundry treating apparatus ofshown from another angle,is a sectional view illustrating an inner structure of a laundry treating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, andis a sectional view illustrating an inner structure of a laundry treating apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, two directions orthogonal to each other among directions parallel with the ground will be defined as X direction and Y direction, respectively, and a direction vertical to the ground will be defined as Z direction.

Referring to, the laundry treating apparatusaccording to one embodiment of the present disclosure may comprise a first treating apparatusand a second treating apparatus. The first treating apparatusand the second treating apparatusmay be provided as various types for treating laundry, such as a washing machine for washing laundry or a drying machine for drying laundry.

In the exemplary embodiments, the first treating apparatuspositioned on the top inis a drying machine for drying laundry and may comprise a first drumtherein, and the second treating apparatuspositioned on the lower portion, supporting the first treating apparatusis a washing machine for washing laundry, and may comprise a second drumand a tubtherein. If the second treating apparatuscorresponds to a washing machine, the second druminside the second treating apparatusmay rotatably be provided inside the tub.

However, the concept of the present disclosure is not limited to the above case, and both the first treating apparatusand the second treating apparatusmay be washing machines or drying machines, or the first treating apparatusmay be a washing machine and the second treating apparatusmay be a drying machine, or the first treating apparatusand/or the second treating apparatusmay be another apparatus for treating other laundry.

The first treating apparatusmay include a first cabinetforming an external appearance, and may be provided with a first front paneland a first rear panelat both sides of the Y direction, wherein the first front panelforms a front surface and the first rear panelforms a rea surface. The first front panelmay be provided with a laundry opening communicated with the first drum, and the laundry opening may be opened or closed by a cabinet door.

Also, a first side panelmay be located at both sides of the X direction of the first cabinet, and a first upper panelforming an upper surface and a first lower panel forming a lower surface may be located at both sides of the Z direction.