Laundry treating apparatus

Abstract

A laundry treating apparatus a first treating apparatus and a second treating apparatus that is disposed vertically below the first treating apparatus and supports the first treating apparatus. The first treating apparatus includes a first front panel disposed at a front side of the first treating apparatus, and a first drum configured to accommodate laundry therein, and the second treating apparatus includes a second front panel disposed at a front side of the second treating apparatus, and a second drum configured to accommodate laundry therein. The laundry treating apparatus includes a control panel that is disposed between the first front panel and the second front panel and operationally connected to the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus. The control panel includes an upper portion coupled to a lower portion of the first front panel, and a lower portion coupled to an upper portion of the second front panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stacked laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a first treating apparatus comprising:
 a first cabinet including a first side panel, 
 a first front panel disposed at a front face of the first cabinet, 
 a first drum disposed in the first cabinet and configured to accommodate laundry therein, and 
 an insulating connection member that is made of an insulation material and disposed at a lower portion of the front face the first cabinet; 
   a second treating apparatus that is configured to be disposed vertically below the first treating apparatus and to support the first treating apparatus, the second treating apparatus comprising:
 a second cabinet including a second side panel, 
 a second front panel disposed at a front face of the second cabinet, and 
 a second drum configured to accommodate laundry therein; 
   an upper frame including a lower part that is coupled to a top portion of the front face of the second cabinet and an upper part that is coupled to the insulating connection member, the upper frame being configured to fasten the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus to each other based on the first treating apparatus being stacked on the second treating apparatus; and   a control panel configured to be operationally connected to the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus,   wherein the control panel is inserted between the first front panel and the second front panel in a state in which the front face of the first cabinet and the front face of the second cabinet are fastened by the upper frame.   
     
     
         2 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a lower frame configured to be disposed beneath the first front panel, the lower frame being configured to be disposed at a rear side of the control panel and configured to couple to the control panel, and
 wherein the lower frame comprises a main frame face that is positioned behind the control panel and that divides the control panel and an interior of the stacked laundry treating apparatus from each other.   
     
     
         3 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a signal connection line that is connected to electrical components disposed inside the stacked laundry treating apparatus,
 wherein the control panel includes electric parts arranged in a rear portion of the control panel and connected to the electrical components through the signal connection line,   wherein the lower frame defines a connection hole in the main frame face, the signal connection line extends from the interior of the stacked laundry treating apparatus and passing through the connection hole, and   wherein one end of the signal connection line passed out through the connection hole includes a connection jack configured to be connected to the electrical parts of the control panel, the control panel being configured to be installed between the first front panel and the second front panel after the connection jack is connected to the electrical parts.   
     
     
         4 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the main frame face extends along a left-right direction and includes a convex portion that is curved, and
 wherein a front face of the convex portion is convex, and a rear face of the convex portion is concave to thereby define a space at a rear side of the lower frame.   
     
     
         5 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein a length of a top face of the control panel extending rearward from the front face of the control panel is less than a length of a bottom face of the control panel extending rearward from the front face. 
     
     
         6 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the upper frame is configured to be positioned behind the control panel based on the control panel being inserted between the first front panel and the second front panel. 
     
     
         7 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the second front panel in a vertical direction is greater than a length of the first front panel in the vertical direction, and
 wherein the control panel is configured to be located in front of the lower portion of the first side panel.   
     
     
         8 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein a lower end of the first front panel is located vertically higher than lower ends of the first side panels based on the first front panel being disposed to the front face of the first cabinet. 
     
     
         9 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein an upper portion of the second front panel is positioned at a vertical level higher than an upper end of the second side panel based on a state that the second front panel is disposed on the front face of the second cabinet, and
 wherein the upper end of the second front panel is positioned at the front face of the first cabinet based on the first treating apparatus being stacked on the second treating apparatus so that the upper end of the second front panel is configured to support the first treating apparatus at a front when the first treating apparatus is stacked on the second treating apparatus.   
     
     
         10 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the upper frame is configured to be electrically insulated from the first side panel through the insulating connection member. 
     
     
         11 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an upper end of the upper frame is fixed to the insulating connection member, and the insulating connection member is fixed to the first side panel. 
     
     
         12 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an upper portion of the upper frame and a portion of the insulating connection member are overlapped with each other in a front and rear direction when the upper frame couples the first treating apparatus to the second treating apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the upper portion of the upper frame, the portion of the insulating connection member, and a portion of the first side panel are coupled to one another in order when the upper frame coupled the first treating apparatus to the second treating apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . A stacked laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a first treating apparatus comprising:
 a first cabinet including a first side panel, 
 a first front panel disposed at a front face of the first cabinet, and 
 a first drum disposed in the first cabinet and configured to accommodate laundry therein; 
   a second treating apparatus that is configured to be disposed vertically below the first treating apparatus and to support the first treating apparatus, the second treating apparatus comprising:
 a second cabinet including a second side panel, 
 a second front panel disposed at a front face of the second cabinet, and 
 a second drum configured to accommodate laundry therein; 
   an upper frame including a lower part that is coupled to a top portion of the front face of the second cabinet and an upper part that is coupled to a lower portion of the front face of the first cabinet, the upper frame being configured to fasten the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus to each other based on the first treating apparatus being stacked on the second treating apparatus; and   a control panel configured to be operationally connected to the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus,   wherein the control panel is inserted between the first front panel and the second front panel in a state in which the front face of the first cabinet and the front face of the second cabinet are fastened by the upper frame, and   wherein the stacked laundry treating apparatus is configured to, based on the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus being stacked and assembled together with the control panel in a vertical direction, have a front surface comprising (i) a first portion defined by the first front panel, (ii) a second portion defined by the control panel, and (iii) a third portion defined by the second front panel, wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are arranged along the vertical direction.   
     
     
         15 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the second front panel is disposed on the front face of the second cabinet,
 wherein the lower part of the upper frame is disposed between the second front panel and the second side panel, and is coupled to both sides of the second side panel in a left-to-right direction, and   wherein an upper portion of the second front panel is positioned higher than an upper end of the second side panel, and   wherein the upper part of the upper frame is disposed behind the second front panel.   
     
     
         16 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the upper end of the second front panel is positioned at the front face of the first cabinet, and
 wherein the upper end of the second front panel and an upper end of the upper frame are coupled to a lower portion of the first cabinet such that the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus are coupled to each other based on the first treating apparatus being stacked on the second treating apparatus.   
     
     
         17 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the upper end of the second front panel is disposed at a rear side of the control panel when the control panel is inserted between the first and second front panels. 
     
     
         18 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein an upper end of the upper frame is configured to be positioned behind the control panel based on the control panel being coupled between the first front panel and the second front panel. 
     
     
         19 . A stacked laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a first treating apparatus comprising:
 a first cabinet including a first side panel, 
 a first front panel disposed at a front face of the first cabinet, and 
 a first drum disposed in the first cabinet and configured to accommodate laundry therein; 
   a second treating apparatus that is configured to be disposed vertically below the first treating apparatus and to support the first treating apparatus, the second treating apparatus comprising:
 a second cabinet including a second side panel, 
 a second front panel disposed at a front face of the second cabinet, and 
 a second drum configured to accommodate laundry therein; 
   an upper frame including a lower part that is coupled to a top portion of the front face of the second cabinet and an upper part that is disposed at the front face of the first cabinet and is coupled to a lower portion of the front face of the first cabinet, the upper frame being configured to fasten the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus to each other based on the first treating apparatus being stacked on the second treating apparatus; and   an insulating connection member that is made of an insulation material and is coupled to any one of the first treating apparatus or the second treating apparatus,   wherein the upper frame is coupled to the insulating connection member such that the first and second treating apparatus are fastened to each other and electrically insulated from each other at a front side of the first and second treating apparatus.   
     
     
         20 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a control panel configured to be operationally connected to the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus,
 wherein the control panel is inserted between the first front panel and the second front panel in a state in which the front face of the first cabinet and the front face of the second cabinet are fastened by the upper frame.