Apparatus for treating laundry

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for treating laundry. In one embodiment, the apparatus for treating laundry comprises: a first treatment device; a second treatment device, which is disposed on the first treatment device, has a second front panel provided at the front side thereof, and has a second drum in which laundry is accommodated; and a control panel, which is provided between a first front panel and the second front panel, is connected by means of signal to the first treatment device and the second treatment device, and provides a user interface (UI) for controlling the first treatment device and/or the second treatment device, wherein the control panel includes: a cover panel including a front surface part for forming the exterior thereof, a first surface part extending rearward from one from among the upper side and lower side of the front surface part, and a second surface part extending rearward from the other of the upper side and lower side of the front surface part; and an electric component module coupled to the rear of the cover panel, the electric component module includes: a flat panel display; and a supporter which has a display loading part for supporting the flat panel display and which is coupled to the cover panel, the front surface part of the cover panel has a uniformity zone having a region that is larger than the region occupied by the flat panel display, and, when viewed from the front, the whole flat panel display is disposed at a position to overlap the uniformity zone.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:
 a first treatment apparatus comprising a first front panel provided at a front side thereof and a first drum configured to receive laundry therein;   a second treatment apparatus disposed on the first treatment apparatus, the second treatment apparatus comprising a second front panel provided at a front side thereof and a second drum configured to receive laundry therein; and   a control panel provided between the first front panel and the second front panel, connected to the first treatment apparatus or the second treatment apparatus in a signal communication manner, and providing a user interface (UI) configured to control at least one of the first treatment apparatus or the second treatment apparatus,   wherein the control panel comprises:   a cover panel comprising a front surface portion defining an appearance of the cover panel, a first surface portion which extends backwards from one of upper and lower sides of the front surface portion, and a second surface portion which extends backwards from another of the upper and lower sides of the front surface portion; and   an electrical component module coupled to a rear side of the cover panel,   wherein the electrical component module comprises:   a flat display; and   a supporter comprising a display seating portion on which the flat display is seated,   wherein at least one of the first surface portion or the second surface portion of the cover panel comprises a plurality of protrusions which project toward the electrical component module, and   wherein, among the plurality of protrusions, a protrusion that is positioned in a region which overlaps the flat display in an up-and-down direction is configured not to overlap the flat display in forward and backward directions.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a protrusion-receiving hole is formed in the first surface portion of the cover panel,
 wherein the electrical component module comprises a cover panel coupling protrusion which projects at a location corresponding to the protrusion-receiving hole, and   wherein the cover panel coupling protrusion is configured to be inserted into and received in the protrusion-receiving hole such that the cover panel is coupled to the electrical component module.   
     
     
         3 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion-receiving hole is configured to be formed in a region which overlaps the flat display in an up-and-down direction. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion-receiving hole is configured to be formed in a central region of the first surface portion of the cover panel. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion-receiving hole is configured to be formed in an elastic surface formed at the first surface portion, and
 wherein the elastic surface is configured to be defined by a slit which surrounds the protrusion-receiving hole except for a rear side of the protrusion-receiving hole.   
     
     
         6 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the electrical component module further comprises:
 a circuit board positioned behind the supporter and electrically connected to the flat display; and   a sealing cover positioned behind the circuit board so as to cover the circuit board and coupled to the supporter,   wherein the cover panel coupling protrusion is configured to be formed at the sealing cover.   
     
     
         7 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions comprises a first restraining protrusion which projects in an inward direction of the cover panel from the first surface portion or the second surface portion in order to be coupled to the electrical component module,
 wherein the electrical component module comprises a cover panel engaging protrusion positioned in front of the first restraining protrusion, and   wherein the first restraining protrusion is configured to press the cover panel engaging protrusion forwards.   
     
     
         8 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the electrical component module further comprises:
 a circuit board positioned behind the supporter and electrically connected to the flat display; and   a sealing cover positioned behind the circuit board so as to cover the circuit board and coupled to the supporter, and   wherein the cover panel engaging protrusion is configured to be provided at the sealing cover.   
     
     
         9 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the first restraining protrusion is configured to be formed on an elastic surface, and
 wherein the elastic surface is configured to be defined by a slit, which extends from a front side of the second surface portion, extends along a rear side of the first restraining protrusion, and extends back to the front side.   
     
     
         10 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the supporter comprises:
 a supporter front surface portion comprising a display seating portion;   a supporter upper surface portion formed at an upper side of the supporter front surface portion; and   a supporter lower surface portion formed at a lower side of the supporter front surface portion,   wherein at least one first coupling groove is configured to be formed in a rear end of the supporter lower surface portion, and   wherein the plurality of protrusions comprises a second restraining protrusion which is inserted into the first coupling groove.   
     
     
         11 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first coupling groove comprises a plurality of first coupling grooves, and
 wherein at least one of the plurality of first coupling grooves restrains a position of the second restraining protrusion in forward and backward directions and in rightward and leftward directions.   
     
     
         12 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a second coupling groove is configured to be formed in a rear end of the supporter upper surface portion, and
 wherein the plurality of protrusions comprises a third restraining protrusion which is inserted into the second coupling groove.   
     
     
         13 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the second coupling groove comprises a plurality of second coupling grooves, and
 wherein at least one of the plurality of second coupling grooves is configured to restrain a position of the third restraining protrusion in forward and backward directions and in rightward and leftward directions.   
     
     
         14 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a rear surface of the supporter is provided with a first sealing portion which surrounds a region outside the circuit board and at which a first sealer is positioned,
 wherein the electrical component module comprises:   a circuit board electrically connected to the flat display;   a sealing cover positioned behind the circuit board so as to cover the circuit board and coupled to the supporter; and   a sealing projection formed by projecting a portion of the sealing cover that faces the first sealer, and   wherein the sealing cover is configured to be coupled to the supporter such that the sealing projection comes into contact with the first sealer.   
     
     
         15 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein a front surface of the supporter is provided with a second sealing portion which surrounds a region outside the display seating portion and at which a second sealer is positioned, and
 wherein the supporter is configured to be coupled to the cover panel such that the second sealer comes into contact with the cover panel.   
     
     
         16 . A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:
 a first treatment apparatus comprising a first front panel provided at a front side thereof and a first drum configured to receive laundry therein;   a second treatment apparatus disposed on the first treatment apparatus, the second treatment apparatus comprising a second front panel provided at a front side thereof and a second drum configured to receive laundry therein; and   a control panel provided between the first front panel and the second front panel, connected to the first treatment apparatus or the second treatment apparatus in a signal communication manner, and providing a user interface (UI) configured to control at least one of the first treatment apparatus or the second treatment apparatus,   wherein the control panel comprises:   a cover panel comprising a front surface portion defining an appearance of the cover panel, a first surface portion which extends backwards from one of upper and lower sides of the front surface portion, and a second surface portion which extends backwards from another of the upper and lower sides of the front surface portion; and   an electrical component module coupled to a rear side of the cover panel,   wherein the electrical component module comprises:   a flat display; and   a supporter at which a display seating portion configured to supporter the flat display is formed and which is coupled to the cover panel,   wherein the front surface portion of the cover panel is provided with a uniformity zone which has a region larger than a region which is occupied by the flat display, and   wherein the flat display is configured to be positioned in the uniformity zone overall.   
     
     
         17 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein a protrusion-receiving hole is formed in the first surface portion of the cover panel,
 wherein a cover panel coupling protrusion is configured to be formed at a location on the electrical component module corresponding to the protrusion-receiving hole so as to project therefrom, and   wherein the cover panel coupling protrusion is configured to be inserted into and received in the protrusion-receiving hole such that the cover panel is coupled to the electrical component module.   
     
     
         18 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the protrusion-receiving hole is configured to be formed in a region of the first surface portion that overlaps the uniformity zone in an up-and-down direction. 
     
     
         19 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the second surface portion of the cover panel comprises one or more protrusions which project in an inward direction of the cover panel in order to be coupled to the electrical component module, and
 wherein, among the one or more protrusions, a protrusion, which is formed at a region which overlaps the uniformity zone in an up-and-down direction is configured not to overlap the uniformity zone in forward and backward directions.