Laundry treating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12203202-B2
Application number	US-202418435726-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2024
Priority date	Mar 4, 2020
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed is a laundry treating apparatus. The laundry treating apparatus includes a first treating apparatus having a first front panel disposed on a front face thereof and a first drum disposed therein for accommodating laundry, and a second treating apparatus disposed beneath the first treating apparatus to support the first treating apparatus. The second treating apparatus has a second front panel disposed on a front face thereof and a second drum disposed therein for accommodating the laundry. The laundry treating apparatus further includes a control panel disposed between the first front panel and the second front panel. The control panel is signally connected to the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus. The control panel is inserted between the first front panel and the second front panel, and is fixed by sliding in a lateral direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laundry treating system comprising:
a first treating apparatus having a first front panel and a first drum disposed inside the first treating apparatus and configured to accommodate a first laundry;
a second treating apparatus disposed beneath the first treating apparatus and supporting the first treating apparatus, the second treating apparatus having a second front panel and a second drum disposed inside the second treating apparatus and configured to accommodate a second laundry; and
a control panel disposed between the first front panel and the second front panel, the control panel being configured to communicate with the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus,
wherein the control panel is positioned between the first front panel and the second front panel and extends along a first direction between opposite lateral sides of the laundry treating system, the control panel being configured to be slid in the first direction to thereby be fixed between the first front panel and the second front panel, the first direction.

2. The laundry treating system of claim 1 , wherein the first treating apparatus includes a lower frame disposed behind the control panel and coupled to the control panel.

3. The laundry treating system of claim 2 , wherein the lower frame of the first treating apparatus includes:
a main frame face extending along the first direction, the main frame face being positioned behind the control panel and defining an interior of the first treating apparatus from the control panel;
a top extension portion extending frontward from a top of the main frame face; and
a bottom extension portion extending frontward from a bottom of the main frame face, and
wherein the control panel is configured to be slid in the first direction to thereby be coupled to the top extension portion and the bottom extension portion.

4. The laundry treating system of claim 3 , wherein the control panel includes:
a front face being exposed from the first treating apparatus;
a top face extending rearward from a top of the front face; and
a bottom face extending rearward from a bottom of the front face, and
wherein the top face and the bottom face are configured to, based on the control panel being slid in the first direction, be respectively coupled to the top extension portion and the bottom extension portion.

5. The laundry treating system of claim 4 , wherein the top face of the control panel is disposed between the top extension portion of the lower frame and the first front panel, and
wherein the bottom face of the control panel is disposed between the bottom extension portion of the lower frame and the second front panel.

6. The laundry treating system of claim 5 , wherein the top face and the bottom face of the control panel include sliding couplers protruding toward the top extension portion and the bottom extension portion of the lower frame, respectively, and
wherein the top extension portion and the bottom extension portion of the lower frame include sliding coupling grooves, the sliding couplers of the control panel being configured to, based on the control panel being slid in the first direction, be inserted into the sliding coupling grooves of the lower frame.

7. The laundry treating system of claim 6 , wherein each of the sliding coupling grooves of the lower frame includes:
a first extension portion extending rearward from a front end of each of the sliding coupling grooves and being forwardly opened, each of the sliding couplers of the control panel being configured to be inserted rearwardly into the first extension portion.

8. The laundry treating system of claim 7 , wherein each of the sliding coupling grooves of the lower frame includes:
a second extension portion having a first end connected to a rear end of the first extension portion, and an opposite second end extending in the first direction from the first end, each of the sliding couplers being configured to be slid in the first direction within the second extension portion.

9. The laundry treating system of claim 8 , wherein each of the sliding couplers of the control panel includes:
a sliding protrusion protruding toward each of the top extension portion and the bottom extension portion, the sliding protrusion being configured to be inserted into and slid in each of the sliding coupling grooves of the lower frame.

10. The laundry treating system of claim 9 , wherein each of the sliding couplers of the control panel includes:
a sliding support extending rearward from the sliding protrusion and supporting an inner face of each of the top extension portion and the bottom extension portion of the lower frame.

11. The laundry treating system of claim 10 , wherein a rear end of the sliding support of the control panel includes a sliding contact portion configured to contact the inner face of each of the top extension portion and the bottom extension portion of the lower frame.

12. The laundry treating system of claim 8 , wherein the lower frame further includes side end extension portions respectively extending frontward from opposite lateral ends of the main frame face,
wherein the control panel further includes side faces extending rearward from opposite lateral ends of the front face of the control panel, and
wherein the side faces of the control panel are respectively coupled to the side end extension portions of the lower frame.

13. The laundry treating system of claim 12 , wherein the side faces of the control panel include a first side face disposed at a first lateral end of the front face of the control panel,
wherein the side end extension portion of the lower frame includes a first side end extension portion disposed at a first lateral end of the main frame face and facing an inner face of the first side face,
wherein the first side face of the control panel includes a sliding hook protruding from the inner face of the first side face toward the first side end extension portion and inserted into the first side end extension portion, and
wherein the first side end extension portion of the lower frame includes a sliding hook groove penetrating the first side end extension portion in the first direction and facing the sliding hook, the sliding hook being configured to be slid in the first direction and inserted into the sliding hook groove.

14. The laundry treating system of claim 13 , wherein the sliding hook of the control panel includes:
a sliding extension extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and
a sliding engagement portion protruding in a vertical direction from the sliding extension, and
wherein the sliding hook groove of the lower frame has a shape corresponding to a shape of the sliding hook of the control panel, the sliding hook of the control panel being configured to be inserted into and slid in the sliding hook groove of the lower frame.

15. The laundry treating system of claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the sliding hook of the control panel is spaced apart from the inner face of the first side face of the control panel and defines an extension insertion space, wherein the first side end extension portion of the lower frame is configured to be inserted into the extension insertion space of the control panel, and
wherein the sliding hook of the control panel is configured to be inserted into and slid in the first direction within the first side end extension portion of the lower frame based on the first side end extension portion of the lower frame being inserted into the extension insertion space of the control panel.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jung Youngho
• Yoo Sanghee
• Cho Sangho

Classifications

• F16B2/00

  Friction-grip releasable fastenings (for cables or ropes, e.g. cleats F16G11/00 ){(connections of rods or tubes, e.g. of non-circular section, mutually, including resilient connections F16B7/00)} · CPC title

• D06F58/02

  having dryer drums rotating about a horizontal axis · CPC title

• D06F39/12

  Casings; Tubs · CPC title

• D06F29/005 Primary

  the other separate apparatus being a drying appliance · CPC title

• D06F23/02

  and rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis · CPC title