Patent Application
20250101655
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0129651, filed on Sep. 26, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus, and more particularly, to a laundry treating apparatus for accommodating and treating laundry.
A laundry treating apparatus provides various treating courses for treating laundry, such as a washing course that removes contamination from laundry by putting clothes, bedding, etc. (hereinafter referred to as laundry) inside a drum, or a drying course that removes moisture present in laundry.
The laundry treating apparatus may include a cabinet that forms an outer appearance, and may include a receiving portion provided inside the cabinet to accommodate laundry. When water is used in a laundry processing course, a tub may be provided inside the cabinet, and the receiving portion may be installed inside the tub.
The cabinet may include a control panel. The control panel may be defined by a portion of an external surface of the cabinet, or may be provided separately and installed such that at least a portion of the cabinet is exposed to the external surface of the cabinet.
The control panel may provide various information to a user or to receive a command from the user. For example, the control panel may be provided to output a screen to provide visual information to the user or may include buttons that are operated by the user to generate a user operation signal.
In this regard, Korean Patent Publication No. KR10-1960309 discloses a control panel for outputting a screen and including buttons.
The control panel may include an output area in which a screen is output. The output area may refer to an area in which a display is placed on the control panel. Increasing the output area in the control panel may be advantageous in improving usability, such as increasing a screen size.
The control panel can improve the external appearance of a product by having a unified design with various components exposed to the outside of the cabinet, such as doors and buttons.
Accordingly, the control panel may have a cross section that is not a rectangular shape, such as an exact circular shape or an oval shape, and in this case, an area in which the display does not overlap the control panel due to the display generally having a rectangular cross section may be generated, making it difficult to expand the output area.
When a component such as a button is added to the control panel, the output area may be limited or reduced by the area of the control panel in which the button is located.
For the above reasons, when the output area of the control panel is reduced, the area of the output area in which the screen is to be output is reduced again in a limited area of the control panel ensured by considering a relationship with other components, and thus it may be disadvantageous in terms of the output of the screen, usability, and space utilization.
Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to develop a laundry treating apparatus including a control panel for maximizing an output area on which the screen is to be output while providing a unified design effect with various components exposed outside the cabinet.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus including a control panel with excellent space utilization and improved usability.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus that effectively patterns shapes of components exposed to the outside of a cabinet.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus including a control panel in which an output area may be maximized.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus for outputting a screen through the control panel.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus for minimizing the number of buttons.
The laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may output a screen on the entire control panel provided on the front panel.
The output area of the control panel, in which a screen is output, may be defined in the entire control panel.
The control panel may be located within an opening formed in the front panel to shield the opening, and the output area may be defined as the entire area of the opening.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, only a single button may be present on the front panel, and the button may be located outside the control panel.
The laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a cabinet and a receiving portion. The receiving portion may be provided inside the cabinet and may accommodate and treat laundry.
An output area in which a screen is output is defined in the cabinet. The output area may include a center portion having a straight edge with respect to the cabinet and a side portion located at each of both ends of the center portion and having a curved edge with respect to the cabinet.
The output area may have a track shape by the center portion and the side portion and may be provided to entirely output the screen.
The straight edge of the center portion and the curved edge of the side portion may be connected to each other to form the track-shaped edge of the output area.
The cabinet may further include a display configured to output a screen, and the output area may entirely overlap the display.
The cabinet may include an opening defining the output area, and the opening may be located on the display. The display may have an area larger than the opening, and a portion of the display may be located in the opening.
A portion of the display may be exposed to the outside of the cabinet through the opening, and the other portion of the display may be shielded from the outside of the cabinet by the cabinet.
The display may be provided in a square shape, and the opening may be provided in the track shape. The display may be provided to detect a touch signal of a user over the entire output area.
The laundry treating apparatus may further include a panel module that is provided in the cabinet, includes the display, and is installed in the cabinet such that at least one of the display entirely overlaps the opening.
On the screen of the output area, a plurality of courses for treating laundry accommodated in the receiving portion may be displayed to each have a circular edge.
The side portion may be located at each of both ends of the center portion defined based on one direction, and the plurality of courses in the output area may be displayed aligned in the one direction.
From among the plurality of courses displayed on the screen of the output area, an execution target scheduled to be performed may be displayed with a larger size than the other courses. The plurality of courses may have different background images within respective edges. The plurality of courses may be displayed only in the center portion of the output area.
One of the plurality of courses may have a portion located at the side portion and the other portion located in the center portion. An execution button image for an execution command of a course for treating laundry accommodated in the receiving portion is displayed on the screen of the output area.
The screen of the output area may display a course for treating laundry accommodated in the receiving portion to have a circular edge and the execution button image may be located within the circular edge of the course.
The cabinet may include a power button that is spaced apart from the output area and is manipulated by a user. The cabinet may include a front panel defining a front surface of the cabinet, the front panel may have only a single button, and the single button may correspond to the power button.
The side portion may be located at each of both ends of the center portion defined based on one direction, and the power button may be spaced apart from the output area in the one direction.
The cabinet may include a front panel defining the front surface of the cabinet, and the front panel may include a first opening communicating with the inside of the cabinet for inserting laundry and a second opening located above the first opening to define the output area.
The first opening may have a circular shape and the second opening may have the track shape. The second opening may be provided with a width longer than a height, and a power button may be provided on the front panel spaced apart from the second opening in the width direction of the cabinet.
The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus including a cabinet, a receiving portion configured to accommodate laundry in the cabinet, and an output area provided in the cabinet and defined as a space in which information is output, wherein the output area includes a center portion having a straight edge, and a side portion located at each of both ends of the center portion and having a curved edge, and the output area has a track shape in which the straight edge of the center portion and the curved edge of the side portion are connected to each other and provides a space in which information is entirely output.
The laundry treating apparatus may further include a display installed in the cabinet and configured to provide a screen exposed to an outside of the cabinet through the output area, and the output area may entirely overlap the display.
The laundry treating apparatus may further include a display installed in the cabinet and configured to provide a screen exposed to an outside of the cabinet through the output area, and an opening provided in the cabinet and defining the output area, wherein the opening entirely overlaps the display.
The display may have an area larger than the opening, and a portion of the display may be located in the opening.
A portion of the display may be exposed to the outside of the cabinet through the opening, and the other portion of the display may not be exposed to the outside of the cabinet by the cabinet.
The display may be provided in a square shape, and the opening may be provided in the track shape.
The display may be provided to detect a touch signal of a user over the entire output area.
The laundry treating apparatus may further include a panel module that includes the display, and is installed in the cabinet such that at least one of the display entirely overlaps the opening.
A plurality of courses for treating laundry accommodated in the receiving portion may be displayed within the output area to each have a circular edge.
The side portion may be located at each of both ends of the center portion defined based on one direction, and the plurality of courses in the output area may be displayed aligned in the one direction.
An execution target scheduled to be performed from among the plurality of courses displayed within the output area is displayed to have a larger size than remaining courses.
The plurality of courses may have different background images within respective edges.
The plurality of courses may be displayed only in the center portion of the output area.
Any one of the plurality of courses may be provided such that a partial area is located in the side portion and a remaining area is located in the center portion.
An execution button image for an execution command of a course for treating laundry accommodated in the receiving portion is displayed within the output area.
The course for treating laundry accommodated in the receiving portion may be displayed to have a circular edge within the output area, and the execution button image may be located within the circular edge of the course.
The cabinet may include a power button that is spaced apart from the output area and is manipulated by a user.
The cabinet may include a front panel defining a front surface of the cabinet, the front panel may have only a single button, and the single button may be set to the power button.
The side portion may be located at each of both ends of the center portion defined based on one direction, and the power button may be spaced apart from the output area in the one direction.
The cabinet may include a front panel defining a front surface of the cabinet, and the front panel may include a first opening provided in the cabinet to enable laundry to be fed into the receiving portion, and a second opening provided in the cabinet to be located above the first opening and defining the output area.
The second opening may be provided with a width longer than a height, and a power button may be provided on the front panel spaced apart from the second opening in the width direction of the cabinet.
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail so as for those of ordinary skill in the art to easily implement with reference to the accompanying drawings.
However, the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to these embodiments. To clearly describe the present disclosure, a part without concerning to the description is omitted in the drawings, and like reference numerals in the specification denote like elements.
In the specification, a repeated explanation thereof will not be given.
It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected to” or “coupled to” another element, it may be directly on, connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers present.
The terms used in the present specification are used for explaining a specific exemplary embodiment, not limiting the present inventive concept.
In the specification, the singular expressions in the present specification include the plural expressions unless clearly specified otherwise in context.
In the specification, terms such as “include” or “comprise” may be construed to denote a certain characteristic, number, step, operation, constituent element, or combination thereof, but may not be construed to exclude the existence of or possibility of addition of one or more other characteristics, numbers, steps, operations, constituent elements, or combinations thereof.
In this specification, the term ‘and/or’ includes a combination of a plurality of listed items or any of the plurality of listed items. In this specification, ‘A or B’ may include ‘A’, ‘B’, or ‘both A and B’.
The cabinet 10 may have a roughly hexahedral shape and may be provided by coupling a plurality of panels. For example, the cabinet 10 may be formed by coupling a front panel 11, a lateral panel, an upper panel, a rear panel, and the like.
A longitudinal direction X, a width direction Y, and a height direction Z mentioned in the present disclosure may be defined based on the cabinet 10 unless otherwise stated. The longitudinal direction X may be front and rear directions, the width direction Y may be left and right directions, and the height direction Z may be up and down directions.
Unless otherwise stated, a height of each component described below refers to a length in the height direction Z of the corresponding component itself. For example, the height of a component may mean a vertical distance between imaginary horizontal lines defined at the uppermost end and the lowermost end of the corresponding component, respectively, and the vertical distance may be defined parallel to the height direction Z. The height of the corresponding component may mean a length in the height direction Z of the corresponding component.
Unless otherwise stated, a width of each component described below refers to a length in the width direction Y of the corresponding component itself. For example, the width of a component may mean a vertical distance between imaginary vertical lines defined at one end and the other end in the width direction Y of the corresponding component, respectively, and the vertical distance may be defined parallel to the width direction Y. The width of the corresponding component may mean a length in the width direction Y of the corresponding component.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cabinet 10 may include the front panel 11 defining a front surface of the cabinet 10, and an opening may be formed in the front panel 11 and may be configured as a plurality of opening.
The plurality of openings may include a first opening 17. That is, the first opening 17 may be provided in the front panel 11. The first opening 17 may connect the outside and inside of the cabinet 10 to each other.
The first opening 17 may be connected to a receiving portion 20 to be described later, and thus laundry introduced through the first opening 17 may be received in the receiving portion 20. The first opening 17 may also be referred to as a laundry opening for inserting laundry.
The front panel 11 may include a door 16 for opening and closing the first opening 17. In other words, an embodiment of the present disclosure may corresponds to a front loader type in which the first opening 17 and the door 16 are provided on the front panel 11.
The door 16 may be provided to open and close the first opening 17 in various ways. For example, the door 16 may be hinged to the front panel 11 and rotated into a closed state to close contact with the front panel 11 and block the first opening 17 or rotated into an open state to move away from the front panel 11 and open the first opening 17.
The cabinet 10 may include a control panel 100. The control panel 100 may be provided on the front panel 11 and may include an output area 220 for outputting a screen thereon. A detailed description of the control panel 100 will be described below.
The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be located adjacent to an additional treating apparatus 2 provided outside the cabinet 10 and may be used. For example, the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be installed above the additional treating apparatus 2 and used in a stacked form with the additional treating apparatus 2.
The additional treating apparatus 2 may be provided to receive laundry separately from the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and may be provided to perform a separate processing course for laundry.
Referring to
In this case, an upper portion of the front surface of the additional treating apparatus 2 may be located in front of the lateral panel of the cabinet 10 and may be located below the front panel 11. However, an embodiment of the present disclosure is not necessarily limited as described above, and the front panel 11 may have the same height as the lateral panel, if necessary.
The front panel 11 may be provided by molding a single panel material. For example, the front panel 11 may include a single material in a shape of a plate but may include a front area defining a front surface of the cabinet and a plurality of flanges formed by bending an outer portion of the front area. In this case, the flanges may be welded to each other such that a gap between the flanges may be removed.
In an area corresponding to the front surface of the front panel 11, the first opening 17 described above and a second opening 18 in which the control panel 100 described in detail below is located may be formed by cutting, punching, or the like.
The first opening 17 may be formed larger than the second opening 18. The second opening 18 may be located between the first opening 17 and an upper end of the front panel 11. The second opening 18 may also be referred to as a panel opening.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first opening 17 and the door 16 may each be provided in a circular shape. The first opening 17 may be provided in a circular shape and may be opened and closed by the door 16, and the door 16 may be provided to have a circular frame with respect to the front panel 11.
In the present disclosure, the term “circle” may be understood to include not only an exact circle but also a shape to be understood as a circle by those skilled in the art, such as an ellipse. The door 16 may be provided to have an area larger than the first opening 17 and may close the first opening 17.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control panel 100 may be located between an upper end of the front panel 11 and an upper end of the door 16 depending on a position of the second opening 18. The control panel 100 may be coupled to the front panel 11 such that at least a portion of the control panel 100 is located in the second opening 18.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control panel 100 may have a track shape as described below, and the second opening 18 may have a track shape having both a straight edge 210 and a curved edge 310 to correspond to the control panel 100.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control panel 100 may be understood as a portion, area, and shape exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10 through the second opening 18, and the like. For example, the control panel 100 may be provided as a module that occupies a larger area than the second opening 18, but an area of the module, which is exposed to the outside through the second opening 18 and recognized from the outside, may be defined as the control panel 100.
Accordingly, the second opening 18 may be formed in a track shape having the straight edge 210 and the curved edge 310, and the control panel 100 may be installed inside the cabinet 10 but may be defined as the track shape by the shape of the second opening 18 to be exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10.
Hereinafter, unless otherwise stated, the control panel 100 is described as having a track shape as an area or part that is located in the second opening 18 and is exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10.
The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may perform washing treatment of laundry and/or drying treatment of laundry.
To perform the washing treatment, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may include a tub 30. The tub 30 may include a space for accommodating water therein. The laundry treating apparatus 1 may include a water supply unit that receives water from the outside, and the water supply unit may supply water into the inside of the tub 30.
The receiving portion 20 of the laundry may be provided inside the tub 30. The receiving portion 20 may also be referred to as a drum with a space defined therein. The receiving portion 20 may be provided inside the tub 30 and may be provided to be rotatable by a driver. The receiving portion 20 may be provided to be rotatable by a rotation shaft defined by the driver.
The receiving portion 20 may accommodate laundry therein, and a plurality of holes connecting the outside and the inside may be formed on a peripheral surface. Accordingly, water stored in the tub 30 may be provided inside the receiving portion 20, and washing treatment of laundry may be performed through rotation of the receiving portion 20.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a detergent supply unit 50 may be provided and may store detergent for washing laundry. The detergent of the detergent supply unit 50 may be supplied into the inside of the tub 30 or the inside of the receiving portion 20.
The water supply unit may supply water to the detergent supply unit 50. The water supply unit may supply water to the tub 30 via the detergent supply unit 50 or may supply water directly to the tub 30.
The tub 30 and the receiving portion 20 may be provided in an approximately cylindrical shape and may be opened toward the first opening 17 provided in the cabinet 10. For example, the tub 30 may have a tub opening 31 that opens toward the first opening 17 of the front panel 11, and the receiving portion 20 may have a receiving opening 21 that opens toward the tub opening 31 and the first opening 17.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a drain may be provided and may be connected to the tub 30 to discharge water inside the tub 30 to the outside of the cabinet 10.
The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include an air conditioning unit 40 for drying treatment. The air conditioning unit 40 may be provided at various positions inside the cabinet 10.
For example, when the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided to enable the aforementioned washing treatment, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may include the tub 30 and the air conditioning unit 40 may be located above the tub 30 and may communicate with the tub 30.
When the laundry treating apparatus 1 is provided such that only drying treatment is possible, excluding washing treatment, the tub 30 may be omitted, and thus the air conditioning unit 40 may be located below or above the receiving portion 20 and may be provided to be in communication with the inside of the receiving portion 20.
Hereinafter, for explaining the present disclosure, the laundry treating apparatus 1 for both washing and drying laundry will be described as an example, but it may also be possible to perform only one of washing or drying, if necessary.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in the laundry treating apparatus 1 for both washing and drying laundry, the air conditioning unit 40 may be provided such that air is introduced from a rear portion of the tub 30 and air is introduced into a front portion of the tub 30 or a front portion of the receiving portion 20. However, it is also possible for an air inlet and an an air outlet in the air conditioning unit 40 to be set in reverse as needed.
The air conditioning unit 40 may dehumidify and heat the air delivered from the tub 30 and supply the air back to the tub 30. Through this, the air inside the tub 30 in which humidity increases due to moisture in laundry may be dried at a high temperature again by passing through the air conditioning unit 40, and moisture present in the laundry inside the receiving portion 20 may be evaporated into the air to perform drying treatment.
The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be accommodated on an upper surface of the additional treating apparatus 2 described above and located above additional treating apparatus 2. The additional treating apparatus 2 may receive and treat laundry separately from the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
For example, the additional treating apparatus 2 may include an additional receiving portion 3 for receiving laundry separately from the receiving portion 20 described above and perform treatment on the laundry accommodated in the additional receiving portion 3. The additional treating apparatus 2 may perform washing treatment and/or drying treatment on laundry of the additional receiving portion 3.
The additional treating apparatus 2 may receive water, detergent, or high-temperature dry air from the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and include at least one of components for treating laundry, such as the water supply unit, drain, detergent supply unit 50, and air conditioning unit 40 described above separately from the laundry treating apparatus 1.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a height of the cabinet 10 may be defined to be the same as a height of the lateral panel of the cabinet 10. For example, as shown in
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a center of the door 16 may be located above a center of the cabinet 10. Here, the center of the door 16 refers to a center of a cross section of the door 16 viewed from the front, and the center of the cabinet 10 may be understood as the center between the upper and lower ends of the cabinet 10.
Through this, the position of the first opening 17 as well as the tub 30 or the receiving portion 20 may be moved upward, and thus a user may easily access the first opening 17 and a lower space inside the cabinet 10 may be additionally ensured.
The first opening 17 may be surrounded by a door accommodation portion 15, and the center of the door accommodation portion 15 may also be located above the center of the cabinet 10. The door 16 may be accommodated on the door accommodation portion 15 not to protrude forward from the front panel 11 in a closed state with respect to the first opening 17.
In the closed state, the center of the door 16 may be located above a center of the door accommodation portion 15. During use, the center of the door 16 may gradually lower due to its own weight, and according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the door 16 may be installed such that a center of the door 16 is located above the center of the door accommodation portion 15, thereby compensating for a phenomenon of the center sagging downward during use.
In the closed state of the door 16, the front surface of the door 16 may be located on the same surface as the front surface of the front panel 11. That is, the door accommodation portion 15 may have a recessed depth by which the door 16 defines the same surface as the front panel 11.
However, it is not necessary to provide the door accommodation portion 15 such that the door 16 defines the same plane as the front panel 11, and if necessary, the door accommodation portion 15 may not exist or the door 16 may be mounted on the door accommodation portion 15 but may protrude forward from the front panel 11.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cabinet 10 may be provided. The front panel 11 of the cabinet 10 may include the opening. The openings may be provided in multiple numbers.
An opening defining the output area 220 may be provided in the cabinet 10. The opening may be the second opening 18 described above, i.e., a panel opening.
The front panel 11 may include the first opening 17 and the second opening 18, and the first opening 17 may be connected to the inside of the cabinet 10 such that laundry may be inserted. The second opening 18 may be located above the first opening 17 to define the output area 220.
The first opening 17 may have a circular shape and the second opening 18 may have the track shape. The track shape includes the straight edge 210 and the curved edge 310 as described above.
The first opening 17 may be surrounded by the door accommodation portion 15 on which the door 16 is accommodated. The door accommodation portion 15 may include a space in which the door 16 is accommodated by recessing the front panel 11 rearward.
The second opening 18 may be closed by the control panel 100. The control panel 100 may be defined within the second opening 18. The second opening 18 may also define a boundary of the output area 220.
In detail, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, laundry may be inserted into the inside of the cabinet 10 from the outside of the cabinet 10 through the first opening 17 formed in the cabinet 10 and may be accommodated inside the receiving portion 20 provided inside the cabinet 10.
That is, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the front panel 11 communicating with the receiving portion 20 may be formed in the front panel 11 of the cabinet 10. The receiving portion 20 may be provided to accommodate laundry fed through the first opening 17.
The front panel 11 may include the door 16 for opening and closing the first opening 17. The door accommodation portion 15 on which the door 16 in a closed state that closes the first opening 17 is mounted may be provided on the front panel 11.
The door accommodation portion 15 may have a recessed surface that is recessed further rearward than a front surface defined in the front panel 11. That is, the door accommodation portion 15 may be provided in the form of a groove recessed toward a rear side of the front panel 11, and the first opening 17 described above may be located at the center of the door accommodation portion 15.
In other words, the door accommodation portion 15 may be provided to extend along a perimeter of the first opening 17 and surround the first opening 17. The door 16 that is rotated to be in close contact with the front panel 11 to close the first opening 17 may be inserted at least partially into the door accommodation portion 15.
Accordingly, the amount by which the closed door 16 protrudes forward of the front panel 11 may be reduced, and a close contact structure between the door 16 and the front panel 11 may be effectively implemented, and thus the inside of the cabinet 10 may be effectively closed.
The upper portion of the front panel 11 may include an area between an upper end of the door 16 of the front panel 11 and an upper end of the front panel 11.
The second opening 18 described above may be located in the upper portion of the front panel 11. The control panel 100 may be provided in the second opening 18. That is, the control panel 100 may be located above the door 16, and a vertical center line of the control panel 100 may be located on the same line as a vertical center line of the front panel 11 and a vertical center line of the door 16.
The cabinet 10 may include a power button 141 that is spaced apart from the output area 220 and manipulated by the user. The power button 141 may be spaced apart from the control panel 100 in which the output area 220 is defined, in a width direction of the cabinet 10.
Based on the width direction, the power button 141 may be located on one side or the other side of the control panel 100. For example, there may be no button on one side of the control panel 100 in the width direction of the front panel 11, and the power button 141 may be present on the other side of the control panel 100 in the width direction.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there may be only a single button on the front panel 11, and the single button may correspond to the power button 141. That is, all buttons other than the power button 141 may be removed from the front panel 11, and the user may manipulate the laundry treating apparatus 1 by manipulating a screen of the control panel 100 except for the power button 141.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a side portion 300 of the control panel 100 and the output area 220 may be located at each end of a center portion 200 defined based on one direction. For example, the side portions 300 may be positioned on each side of the center portion 200 in the width direction. A detailed description of the center portion 200 and the side portion 300 will be given below.
The power button 141 may be spaced apart from the output area 220 in one direction. That is, the power button 141 may be spaced apart from the output area 220 in the width direction of the cabinet 10.
The second opening 18 in which the control panel 100 and the output area 220 are located may be provided to have a width longer than a height. That is, the control panel 100 and output area 220 may have a shape in the width direction of the cabinet 10. The front panel 11 may include the power button 141 spaced apart from the second opening 18 in the width direction of the cabinet 10.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control panel 100 may be installed in an opening of the front panel 11. The control panel 100 may be exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10 through the opening. The opening may be the second opening 18 described above.
The control panel 100 may include a display 400. The display 400 may be installed in the cabinet 10 and configured to output a screen. The display 400 may be provided on a panel module 500 located behind the control panel 100 inside the cabinet 10.
The output area 220 in which the screen is output may be defined in the cabinet 10. The control panel 100 may be provided to output the screen in the output area 220. The front panel 11 may be provided to output the screen in the output area 220.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control panel 100 may be entirely the output area 220. That is, the control panel 100 may be provide to output the screen over an entire area exposed to the outside through the opening of the front panel 11. The output area 220 may be defined for an entire opening of the front panel 11, for example, the second opening 18 described above.
The output area 220 may entirely overlap the display 400. In other words, the control panel 100 may entirely overlap the display 400.
Accordingly, the entire area of the control panel 100, which is exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10, may correspond to the output area 220, and thus may output the screen through the entire area.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second opening 18, the control panel 100, and the output area 220 may be understood to have the same cross-sectional shape. The second opening 18, the control panel 100, and the output area 220 may have a track shape.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the output area 220 may include the center portion 200 and the side portion 300. The center portion 200 may have the straight edge 210 with respect to the cabinet 10, and the side portion 300 may be located at each of both ends of the center portion 200 and have the curved edge 310 with respect to the cabinet 10.
The center portion 200 may have the straight edge 210 having upper and lower ends that are in parallel to the width direction of the front panel 11. That is, the center portion 200 may have a pair of the straight edges 210 located at the upper and lower ends thereof.
The side portion 300 may be located at each of the both ends of the center portion 200 in the width direction and may have the curved edge 310 connecting the pair of straight edges 210.
Both ends of the curved edge 310 may be connected to different straight edges 210. For example, one end of the curved edge 310 may be connected to the straight edge 210 at the upper end of the center portion 200, and the other end of the curved edge 310 may be connected to the straight edge 210 at the lower end of the center portion 200.
The curved edge 310 may be a curved one such that a distance from the center portion 200 increases away from the straight edge 210. The side portion 300 having the curved edge 310 may have a shape that protrudes in the width direction from the center portion 200.
The side portion 300 may include a first side portion 301 and a second side portion 302. The first side portion 301 may be located at one side of the center portion 200 in the width direction of the center portion 200 and the second side portion 302 may be located at the other end of the center portion 200 in the width direction.
The straight edge 210 of the center portion 200 and the curved edge 310 of the side portion 300 may be connected to each other to form a track-shaped edge of the output area 220. The track shape may be equally applied not only to the output area 220 but also to the control panel 100 and the second opening 18.
The control panel 100 may be provided to entirely output a screen. The output area 220 may be defined over the entire control panel 100 and may be provided to entirely output the screen.
To this end, the display 400 of the control panel 100 may have an area larger than the opening of the front panel 11. The display 400 may have an area larger than the opening, and a portion of the display 400 may be located in the opening. The opening may be entirely located in the display 400.
A portion of the display 400 may be exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10 through the opening, and the other portion of the display 400 may be shielded from the outside of the cabinet 10 by the cabinet 10. Here, it may be understood that the display 400 is exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10 through the control panel 100 or the output area 220.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the display 400 may overlap the entire control panel 100 such that the entire control panel 100 defines the output area 220, and thus may output a screen by making maximum use of a limited area by the control panel 100.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the display 400 may be provided in a square shape, which is a typical manufacturing form, for manufacturing convenience and case of handling. The opening, that is, the control panel 100 and the output area 220, may be provided in a track shape to increase an area while ensuring design unity with a curved shape such as the door 16 shaped like a circle.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure in which the display 400 is provided on the entire control panel 100, a user may check information through a screen of an output area 220 defined on the entire control panel 100 or input a command to the laundry treating apparatus 1 by manipulating the screen.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the output area 220 may be provided to detect a user touch on the screen. In the output area 220, a touch detector may be provided for the user to detect touch.
In other words, the display 400 may be provided to detect a user touch signal for the entire output area 220. The display 400 may include a touch film corresponding to the touch detector.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a panel module 500 may be provided inside the cabinet 10, and the control panel 100 may be a portion of the panel module 500 or may be coupled to the panel module 500. In
The panel module 500 may include a panel housing defining an outer appearance of the panel module 500, and the panel housing may be coupled to the front panel 11 behind the front panel 11. The panel housing may be located on a rear surface of the front panel 11.
A board portion constituting a controller for controlling the control panel 100 may be provided inside the panel housing, and the display 400 described above may be provided. The control panel 100 described above may be located on the front surface of the panel housing.
The panel module 500 may be installed on the cabinet 10 such that at least a portion of the display 400 overlaps the entire opening. That is, the panel module 500 may be provided to overlap the entire opening. The display 400 provided in the panel housing may also be provided to cover the entire opening.
On the screen of the output area 220, a plurality of courses for treating laundry accommodated in the receiving portion 20 may be displayed to each have a circular edge.
In detail, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a course screen may be output in the output area 220. In the course screen, various courses for treating laundry accommodated in the receiving portion 20 may be displayed as images, respectively.
The plurality of courses may be displayed on the course screen as course images 145 each having a circular edge. In the course screen, the plurality of courses may have background images within the circular edge.
That is, the plurality of courses may have different background images within respective edges. The background image may be pre-stored in the controller or may be set by the user.
On the screen of the output area 220, i.e., on the course screen, an execution button image 142 for an execution command of a course for treating laundry accommodated in the receiving portion 20 may be displayed. That is, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may not include a separate execution button for the execution command provided in the cabinet 10, but the execution command may be displayed as an image on the screen and thus may be physically removed.
Through this, an embodiment of the present disclosure may provide a user with a simple appearance of the laundry treating apparatus 1 and improve convenience of use by managing an operation of the laundry treating apparatus 1 by manipulating the screen.
The execution button image 142 may be located within the circular edge of the course. Accordingly, the user may select the execution button image 142 provided for the course he or she wishes to perform for laundry treatment from among the plurality of courses and command execution of the course.
The course screen may display at least some of the plurality of courses simultaneously. The output area 220 may extend in one direction, and the side portion 300 may be located in the one direction with respect to the center portion 200. That is, the side portion 300 may be located at each of the both ends of the center portion 200, which are defined based on the one direction.
A plurality of courses displayed on the screen of the above output area 220 may be aligned in the one direction. The user may move the plurality of courses by inputting a swipe-type touch on the screen.
In detail, any one of the plurality of courses displayed on the screen of the output area 220 may be displayed as an execution target T scheduled to be performed. From among the plurality of courses, a course as the execution target T may be displayed differently from the other courses.
For example, from among the plurality of courses displayed together on the screen, the execution target T may be displayed to have a larger size than the other courses or may be displayed to have a visually recognizable difference, such as a change in the color of the edge.
The user may designate the execution target T as a desired course through a touch input on the screen and command execution of the course by selecting the execution button image 142 provided for the course designated as the execution target T.
The execution button image 142 may be displayed in each of the plurality of courses or may be displayed only in the course indicated as the execution target T.
As described above, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control panel 100 may be entirely the output area 220, and the output area 220 may entirely overlap the display 400 to output a screen.
Accordingly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a portion of the screen may be located on the side portion 300 as illustrated in
Accordingly, a boundary line between the side portion 300 and the center portion 200 may cross any one of the plurality of courses. An embodiment of the present disclosure may provide a user with a screen with an improved recognition rate by having the center portion 200 and the side portion 300 output a single screen together.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the output area 220 may be located to output the screen together in the center portion 200 and the side portion 300, but for efficient screen output, the plurality of courses may be displayed only in the center portion 200 of the output area 220.
In this case, the side portion 300 may not output the screen, or may output the screen separately related to the screen output to the center portion 200. That is, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the center portion 200 and the side portion 300 may be divided from each other to output different screens.
For example, when one screen is output in the center portion 200, the side portion 300 may output a button image related to the screen output in the center portion 200.
For example, when the course screen is output in the center portion 200 as shown in
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of courses displayed on the screen of the output area may have respective background images, the execution target T may be displayed differently from the other courses, the execution target T may include the execution button image 142 described above, and the number of courses displayed simultaneously on the screen may be determined in various ways.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus including a control panel with excellent space utilization and improved usability.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus that effectively patterns shapes of components exposed to the outside of a cabinet.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus including a control panel in which an output area may be maximized.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus for outputting a screen through the control panel.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus for minimizing the number of buttons.
Although the present disclosure has been shown and described in relation to specific embodiments, it is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present disclosure may be modified and changed in various ways without departing from the technical spirit of the present disclosure as provided by the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2023-0129651 | Sep 2023 | KR | national |
