Patent Application
20250101664
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0129652 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 configured to accommodate and treat laundry.
A laundry treating apparatus is an apparatus that accommodates clothes, bedding, etc. (hereinafter referred to as laundry) in a drum thereof and performs various laundry treatment courses, such as a washing course for removing contaminants from laundry and a drying course for removing moisture from laundry.
Such a laundry treating apparatus may include a cabinet forming the external appearance thereof and a laundry accommodation unit provided in the cabinet to accommodate laundry. In addition, in a case in which water is used in a laundry treatment course, a tub may be provided in the cabinet, and the laundry accommodation unit may be mounted in the tub.
The cabinet of the laundry treating apparatus may include an opening formed therein so as to allow the interior of the cabinet to communicate with the outside. A user may load laundry into the cabinet through the opening. The cabinet may be provided with a door configured to open or close the opening.
A laundry treating apparatus may be classified into a front-loader type in which the opening is located at a front surface of the cabinet and a top-loader type in which the opening is located at an upper surface of the cabinet. In the front-loader type, a detergent storage unit as well as the opening and the door may be provided on the front surface of the cabinet.
In relation thereto, Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1960309 discloses a front-loader type laundry treating apparatus including the tub and the laundry accommodation unit mentioned above.
In this laundry treating apparatus, various components such as a detergent storage unit may be provided on the front surface of the cabinet so as to be withdrawable to the outside. However, when such withdrawable components are exposed to the outside of the cabinet from the front surface of the cabinet, the external appearance of the product may be degraded, and user satisfaction may be reduced.
Further, if separate covers are provided to shield the withdrawable components from the outside, a process for manufacturing the product may become complicated, manufacturing cost may increase, and use convenience may be deteriorated.
Therefore, in a case in which withdrawable components, such as a detergent storage unit, as well as a door are provided on the front surface of the cabinet, it is an important task in this technical field to protect and effectively shield the withdrawable components from the outside, thereby improving the external appearance of the product and use convenience.
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of effectively shielding components exposed to the outside of a cabinet.
In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a laundry treating apparatus in which components configured to be withdrawable out of a cabinet are efficiently disposed.
In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of effectively covering components configured to be withdrawable out of a cabinet.
In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of shielding components exposed to the outside of a cabinet and effectively improving the external appearance of the product.
A laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include internal components located at a lower end portion of a front surface of a cabinet and configured to be exposed or withdrawn to the outside from the interior of the cabinet. The internal components may be arranged in the width direction of the cabinet.
The internal components of the laundry treating apparatus may be shielded from the outside by a lower treating apparatus disposed under the laundry treating apparatus. The lower treating apparatus may include a drawer configured to be movable in a forward-backward direction, and the internal components may be shielded from or exposed to the outside by the drawer.
An exposed portion, through which the internal components are exposed to the outside, may be provided at the lower end portion of the cabinet. The exposed portion may be shielded by the lower treating apparatus. The internal components may be components that need to be exposed to the outside as needed, such as a drain filter and a remaining water pipe.
Such a laundry treating apparatus according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cabinet and an accommodation unit. The cabinet is disposed on a lower treating apparatus configured to accommodate and treat laundry. The accommodation unit is provided in the cabinet and accommodates and treats laundry.
An exposed portion, through which at least a portion of an internal component provided in the cabinet is exposed to the outside of the cabinet, is provided at a lower portion of the cabinet. The exposed portion may be opened or closed by the lower treating apparatus.
The internal component may be withdrawn out of the cabinet or may extend to the outside of the cabinet through the exposed portion.
The internal component may be provided in plural. Each of the plurality of internal components may be withdrawn out of the cabinet or may extend to the outside of the cabinet through the exposed portion. The internal components may be arranged on the exposed portion in a direction parallel to the ground.
The embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a tub provided in the cabinet to store water and a drain unit connected to the tub to discharge water in the tub. The accommodation unit may be rotatably provided in the tub, and the internal component may be provided in the drain unit or may be connected to the drain unit.
The internal component may include a drain filter provided in the drain unit to filter water, and the drain filter may be configured to be withdrawable out of the cabinet through the exposed portion.
The exposed portion may include a lower cover configured to selectively shield the drain filter from the outside in a state in which the exposed portion is open by the lower treating apparatus.
The internal component may include a remaining water pipe configured to discharge water remaining in the drain unit, and the remaining water pipe may extend to the outside of the cabinet through the exposed portion. The exposed portion may include a pipe-fixing portion configured to fix a portion of the remaining water pipe located outside the cabinet.
The internal component may include a storage part of the detergent supply unit, in which detergent is stored, and the storage part may be configured to be withdrawable out of the cabinet through the exposed portion.
The detergent supply unit may be configured to supply detergent in the storage part to the tub and the lower treating apparatus.
The detergent supply unit may include a detergent delivery part penetrating the cabinet to supply the detergent to the interior of the lower treating apparatus.
The lower treating apparatus may include a lower cabinet configured to support the cabinet upward and a drawer configured to be retracted into or withdrawn from the lower cabinet. The exposed portion may be closed in the retracted state of the drawer and may be open in the withdrawn state of the drawer.
The exposed portion may be disposed on the front surface of the cabinet. The drawer may include a front portion configured to form a front surface of the lower treating apparatus in the retracted state thereof. The exposed portion may be closed by the front portion in the retracted state of the drawer.
The cabinet may include a front panel. In the retracted state of the drawer, the front surface of the front panel may be located on the same plane as the front surface of the front portion.
Based on the forward-backward direction of the cabinet, the front panel of the cabinet may have a thickness identical to the thickness of the front portion. The exposed portion may be located below the front panel and may be located farther backward than the front surface of the front panel.
The front portion may include an upward protruding portion protruding upward beyond the lower cabinet, and the exposed portion may be shielded from the outside by the upward protruding portion in the retracted state of the drawer.
The upward protruding portion may include an upper recess concavely formed in the rear surface thereof so as to be away from the exposed portion, and the internal component on the exposed portion may protrude forward and may be received in the upper recess in the retracted state of the drawer.
The upward protruding portion may include a front protruding portion configured to define a front surface of the upward protruding portion and side protruding portions respectively provided at both end portions of the front protruding portion in the width direction of the cabinet and extending backward from the front protruding portion.
In the retracted state of the drawer, the exposed portion may be shielded from the front by the front protruding portion and may be shielded from the side by the side protruding portions.
A laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first treating apparatus and a second treating apparatus. The first treating apparatus may include a cabinet and an accommodation unit provided in the cabinet to accommodate laundry.
The second treating apparatus may be disposed under the first treating apparatus. The second treating apparatus may include a lower cabinet configured to support the cabinet and a lower accommodation unit provided in the lower cabinet to accommodate laundry.
The first treating apparatus may include an exposed portion provided at a lower portion of the cabinet to expose at least a portion of an internal component provided in the cabinet to the outside of the cabinet. The second treating apparatus may be configured to shield the exposed portion from the outside or to open the exposed portion.
The exposed portion may be disposed on the front surface of the cabinet, and the second treating apparatus may further include a drawer configured to be retracted into or withdrawn from the lower cabinet. The drawer may include a front portion configured to form a front surface of the second treating apparatus.
The front portion may cover the exposed portion in the retracted state of the drawer, thereby shielding the exposed portion, and may be spaced apart from the exposed portion in the withdrawn state of the drawer, thereby opening the exposed portion.
The front portion may include an upward protruding portion protruding upward beyond the lower cabinet. The rear surface of the upward protruding portion may be recessed forward to form an upper recess. The internal component may protrude forward from the exposed portion and may be received in the upper recess.
The upward protruding portion may include a front protruding portion configured to define a front surface of the upward protruding portion and side protruding portions respectively provided at both end portions of the front protruding portion in the width direction of the cabinet and extending backward from the front protruding portion.
The upper recess may be located between the pair of side protruding portions and may be located behind the front protruding portion. A handle portion including a recess may be formed in the outer surface of each of the side protruding portions that is exposed outward.
The front protruding portion may include a handle groove formed in the rear surface thereof facing the upper recess so as to be recessed forward and to extend in the lateral direction of the cabinet.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the disclosure and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the disclosure. In the drawings:
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, to make the description of the present disclosure thorough and to fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.
However, the present disclosure is not limited to aspects disclosed herein and may be implemented in various different forms. In the drawings, in order to clearly describe the present disclosure, descriptions of elements which are not related to the present disclosure are omitted, and the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals even when they are depicted in different drawings.
In the following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, redundant description of the same elements will be omitted.
When an element is referred to as being “connected to” or “coupled to” another element, it may be directly connected to or coupled to the other element, or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element, there may be no intervening elements present.
Further, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.
As used herein, singular forms may be intended to include plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Further, in the following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.
Further, as used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. In the following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, “A or B” may include “A”, “B” or “both A and B”.
The cabinet 10 may have a substantially hexahedral shape and may be formed by combining a plurality of panels with one another. For example, the cabinet 10 may be formed by combining a front panel 11, side panels, an upper panel, and a rear panel with one another.
The longitudinal direction X, the width direction Y, and the height direction Z mentioned in the present disclosure may be defined based on the cabinet 10 unless otherwise specified. The longitudinal direction X may be a forward-backward direction, the width direction Y may be a leftward-rightward direction, and the height direction Z may be an upward-downward direction.
Additionally, unless otherwise specified, the height of each component described below refers to the length of the corresponding component in the height direction Z. For example, the height of a certain component may be a vertical distance between virtual horizontal lines respectively defined on the top and the bottom of the corresponding component, and the vertical distance may be defined to be parallel to the height direction Z. The height of the corresponding component may be the length of the corresponding component in the height direction Z.
Additionally, unless otherwise specified, the width of each component described below refers to the length of the corresponding component in the width direction Y. For example, the width of a certain component may be a vertical distance between virtual vertical lines respectively defined on one side end and the other side end of the corresponding component in the width direction Y, and the vertical distance may be defined to be parallel to the width direction Y. The width of the corresponding component may be the length of the corresponding component in the width direction Y.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cabinet 10 may include a front panel 11 forming the front surface of the cabinet 10, and an opening may be formed in the front panel 11. The opening may be provided in plural.
The plurality of openings may include a first opening 12. That is, the first opening 12 may be formed in the front panel 11. The first opening 12 may allow the interior of the cabinet 10 to communicate with the outside.
The first opening 12 may communicate with an accommodation unit 20 to be described later. Thus, laundry loaded through the first opening 12 may be accommodated in the accommodation unit 20. Because laundry is loaded through the first opening 12, the first opening 12 may be referred to as a laundry opening.
The front panel 11 may be provided with a door 15 to open or close the first opening 12. In other words, the embodiment of the present disclosure may be a front-loader type in which the first opening 12 and the door 15 are provided at the front panel 11.
The door 15 may be provided to open or close the first opening 12 in various ways. For example, the door 15 may be hinged to the front panel 11 so as to be rotated to a closed position at which the door 15 is in close contact with the front panel 11 and shields the first opening 12 or to an open position at which the door 15 is separate from the front panel 11 and opens the first opening 12.
In addition, the cabinet 10 may be provided with a control panel 3. The control panel 3 may be provided on the front panel 11 and may include an output area on which a screen is output.
The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may be disposed on a lower treating apparatus 2, which is provided outside the cabinet 10. The laundry treating apparatus 1 may be seated on the lower treating apparatus 2, and thus the laundry treating apparatus 1 and the lower treating apparatus 2 may be used in a stacked form.
The lower treating apparatus 2 may be configured to accommodate laundry separately from the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure and to perform laundry treatment courses separately therefrom.
The lower treating apparatus 2 includes a lower cabinet 6 and a drawer 100. The drawer 100 may be provided with a lower accommodation unit 7 configured to accommodate laundry, and the lower treating apparatus 2 may perform laundry treatment courses, for example, washing or drying of laundry accommodated in the lower accommodation unit 7.
The lower cabinet 6 may be formed in a substantially box shape. A space may be defined in the lower cabinet 6, and a retraction/withdrawal opening may be formed in a front surface of the cabinet 10. For example, the entire area of the front surface of the cabinet 10 may be open. The lower treating apparatus 2 may be a pedestal type.
At least a portion of the drawer 100 is retracted into or withdrawn from the lower cabinet 6 through the opening. At least a portion of the drawer 100 may be retracted into the lower cabinet 6 through the aforementioned retraction/withdrawal opening in the lower cabinet 6, and may be withdrawn from the lower cabinet 6 as needed.
The lower cabinet 6 may be disposed under the cabinet 10 of the laundry treating apparatus 1 and may be configured to support the laundry treating apparatus 1 upward.
The lower treating apparatus 2 may be configured to exchange information with the laundry treating apparatus 1, and may be operated by the user or may treat laundry in cooperation with the laundry treating apparatus 1. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the lower treating apparatus 2 may be used alone.
For reference, the laundry treating apparatus 1, e.g., an upper treating apparatus 1, may have a greater volume than the lower treating apparatus 2, and may be configured to accommodate a larger amount of laundry than the lower treating apparatus 2.
The upper treating apparatus 1 may include a control panel 3 for setting and the like of the upper treating apparatus 1.
The upper treating apparatus 1 may be defined separately from the lower treating apparatus 2, and the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may correspond to the upper treating apparatus 1.
However, in some cases, the upper treating apparatus 1 may be referred to as a first treating apparatus, the lower treating apparatus 2 may be referred to as a second treating apparatus, and the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus.
Hereinafter, for convenience of description, unless otherwise specified, the upper treating apparatus 1 will be described as the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.
Referring to
In this case, the upper end of the front portion 110 of the lower treating apparatus 2 may be located in front of the side panels of the cabinet 10 and under the front panel 11. However, the embodiment of the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to the above structure. If necessary, the front panel 11 may have the same height as the side panels.
The front panel 11 may be formed through molding of a single panel material. For example, in a single plate-shaped material, an outer peripheral portion of an area thereof corresponding to the front surface of the front panel 11 may be bent to form flange portions of the front panel 11, and the flange portions may be welded to each other to eliminate gaps therebetween.
Further, the aforementioned first opening 12 and a second opening, in which the control panel 3 to be described in detail later is disposed, may be formed in the area corresponding to the front surface of the front panel 11 through cutting, punching, or the like.
The first opening 12 may be formed to be larger than the second opening. The second opening may be located between the first opening 12 and the upper end of the front panel 11. The second opening may be referred to as a panel opening.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the first opening 12 and the door 15 may be formed in a circular shape. The first opening 12 may be formed in a circular shape and may be opened or closed by the door 15, and the door 15 may be provided at the front panel 11 and may be formed to have a circular periphery.
In the present disclosure, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that the term “circular” includes not only a perfect circular shape but also shapes that may be considered to be a circular shape, such as an elliptical shape. The door 15 may be formed to have an area equal to or greater than that of the first opening 12 to close the first opening 12.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control panel 3 may be located between the upper end of the front panel 11 and the upper end of the door 15 in accordance with the position of the second opening. The control panel 3 may be coupled to the front panel 11 so that at least a portion thereof is disposed in the second opening.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control panel 3 may have a track shape as will be described later, and the second opening may have a track shape having both a straight periphery and a curved periphery so as to correspond to the control panel 3.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control panel 3 may be understood as a portion, an area, and a shape exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10 through the second opening. For example, the control panel 3 may be provided as a module occupying a larger area than the second opening, and an area of the module that is exposed to the outside through the second opening and recognized from the outside may be defined as the control panel 3.
Accordingly, the second opening may be formed in a track shape having a straight periphery and a curved periphery, and the control panel 3 may be mounted in the cabinet 10, and may be defined as a track shape by the shape of the second opening and exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10.
Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the control panel 3 will be described as a component having a track shape as an area or a portion disposed in the second opening and exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10.
As described above, the cabinet 10 may include the front panel 11. When the drawer 100 of the lower treating apparatus 2 is in a retracted state, the front surface of the front panel 11 may be located on the same plane as the front surface of the front portion 110.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the front surface of the upper treating apparatus 1 and the front surface of the lower treating apparatus 2 form one front surface together, thereby providing the user with a design effect of one integrated treating apparatus.
Both the front surface of the front panel 11 and the front surface of the drawer 100 may be positioned on the same virtual plane defined to be perpendicular to the ground. Based on the forward-backward direction X of the cabinet 10, the thickness of the front panel 11 of the cabinet 10 may be identical to the thickness of the front portion 110.
The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may perform a laundry washing course and/or a laundry drying course. The laundry treating apparatus 1 may be seated on the lower treating apparatus 2.
In order to perform the laundry washing course, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may include a tub 30. The tub 30 may include a space defined therein to accommodate water. The laundry treating apparatus 1 may include a water supply unit 74 configured to receive water from the outside, and the water supply unit 74 may supply water to the interior of the tub 30.
The aforementioned accommodation unit 20 for accommodating laundry may be provided in the tub 30. The accommodation unit 20 may be referred to as a drum, in which a space is defined. The accommodation unit 20 may be provided in the tub 30 so as to be rotatable by a driving unit 40. The accommodation unit 20 may be configured to be rotatable by a rotary shaft defined by the driving unit 40.
The accommodation unit 20 may accommodate laundry therein, and may include a plurality of holes formed in the peripheral surface thereof to allow the interior of the accommodation unit 20 to communicate with the outside. Accordingly, water stored in the tub 30 may be supplied to the interior of the accommodation unit 20, and the laundry washing course may be performed through rotation of the accommodation unit 20.
The embodiment of the present disclosure may include a detergent supply unit 72, and the detergent supply unit 72 may store detergent for washing of laundry. Detergent in the detergent supply unit 72 may be supplied to the interior of the tub 30 or the interior of the accommodation unit 20.
The water supply unit 74 may be connected to a water source provided outside the cabinet 10 and may receive water therefrom. The water supply unit 74 may include a water supply valve and a water supply pipe. The water supply unit 74 may be configured to supply water to the interior of the tub 30.
The tub 30 and the accommodation unit 20 may be formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and may be open toward the first opening 12 formed in the cabinet 10. For example, the tub 30 may include a tub opening 31 formed therein so as to be open toward the first opening 12 in the front panel 11, and the accommodation unit 20 may include an accommodation opening 21 formed therein so as to be open toward the tub opening 31 and the first opening 12.
The embodiment of the present disclosure may include a drain unit 76, and the drain unit 76 may be connected to the tub 30 and may be configured to discharge water in the tub 30 to the outside of the cabinet 10. The drain unit 76 may include a drain pipe connected to the tub 30 and a drain pump provided on the drain pipe.
The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include an air regulator 50 for drying of laundry. The air regulator 50 may be provided at various positions in the cabinet 10.
For example, in a case in which the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to perform the aforementioned laundry washing course, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may include the tub 30, and the air regulator 50 may be disposed above the tub 30 and may communicate with the tub 30.
On the other hand, in a case in which the laundry treating apparatus 1 is configured to perform only the laundry drying course, but not the laundry washing course, the tub 30 may be omitted, and the air regulator 50 may be disposed below or above the accommodation unit 20 and may communicate with the interior of the accommodation unit 20.
Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described with reference to a laundry treating apparatus 1 capable of performing both the laundry washing course and the laundry drying course. However, the following description may also be applied to a laundry treating apparatus that is configured to perform only one of the laundry washing course and the laundry drying course as needed.
In the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, which is capable of performing both the laundry washing course and the laundry drying course, the air regulator 50 may be configured to receive air from a rear side of the tub 30 and to discharge air to a front side of the tub 30 or the accommodation unit 20. However, if necessary, the positions of an air receiving port and an air discharge port of the air regulator 50 may be set to be opposite those exemplified above.
The air regulator 50 may dehumidify and heat air received from the tub 30, and then may supply the dehumidified and heated air to the tub 30. Accordingly, air in the tub 30, which has high humidity due to moisture contained in laundry, may be heated and dried while passing through the air regulator 50, and moisture contained in laundry in the accommodation unit 20 may be vaporized into the air. In this way, the laundry drying course may be performed.
The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may be disposed on the above-described lower treating apparatus 2. In detail, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may be seated on the lower treating apparatus 2. The lower treating apparatus 2 may accommodate and treat laundry separately from the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.
For example, the lower treating apparatus 2 may include a lower accommodation unit 7 to accommodate laundry separately from the above-described accommodation unit 20, and may treat laundry accommodated in the additional accommodation unit 20. The lower treating apparatus 2 may perform a washing course and/or a drying course on laundry in the additional accommodation unit 20.
In detail, the lower treating apparatus 2 includes the lower accommodation unit 7. The lower accommodation unit 7 may be disposed below the accommodation unit 20 of the above-described upper treating apparatus 1. The lower accommodation unit 7 may be configured to accommodate laundry therein.
The lower treating apparatus 2 may be referred to as a second treating apparatus, as described above. The lower treating apparatus 2 may include a lower cabinet 6 configured to support the upper treating apparatus 1, i.e., the cabinet 10 of the first treating apparatus, upward and a drawer 100 configured to be retracted into or withdrawn from the lower cabinet 6.
The first treating apparatus may include the cabinet 10 and the accommodation unit 20 provided in the cabinet 10 to accommodate laundry. The second treating apparatus may include the lower cabinet 6 disposed under the first treating apparatus and configured to support the cabinet 10 and the lower accommodation unit 7 provided in the lower cabinet 6 to accommodate laundry.
The drawer 100 may include a main body portion 150 configured to be retracted into the lower cabinet 6 and a front portion 110 configured to be exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10 in a state in which the main body portion 150 is retracted into the cabinet 10. The lower accommodation unit 7 may be provided in the main body portion 150 and may be withdrawn out of the cabinet 10 together with the drawer 100.
For reference, in the present disclosure, the retracted state of the drawer 100 refers to a state in which the drawer 100 is completely retracted into the lower cabinet 6, and the withdrawn state of the drawer 100 refers to a state in which at least a portion of the drawer 100 is withdrawn from the lower cabinet 6, unlike the retracted state.
The lower treating apparatus 2 may be configured to perform various laundry treatment courses. For example, the lower treating apparatus 2 may be configured to perform a laundry washing course and/or a laundry drying course using detergent and water.
Hereinafter, for convenience of description, the present disclosure will be described with reference to the lower treating apparatus 2 configured to be able to perform the laundry washing course. However, the disclosure is not necessarily limited thereto.
The lower treating apparatus 2 may include a lower tub, and the lower tub may be provided in the drawer 100 to accommodate water. The lower accommodation unit 7 may be rotatably provided in the lower tub.
For example, the main body portion 150 may be provided with a lower driving unit configured to rotate the lower accommodation unit 7. The lower accommodation unit 7 may be rotatably provided in the lower tub and may be connected to the lower driving unit so as to be rotated thereby. The main body portion 150 may be configured such that an upper surface of the lower tub is open.
The lower tub and the lower accommodation unit 7 may be at least partially withdrawn from the lower cabinet 6 together with the drawer 100. The user may withdraw the drawer 100 from the lower cabinet 6, may load laundry into the lower accommodation unit 7, and then may retract the drawer 100 back into the lower cabinet 6.
The lower accommodation unit 7 may be provided to be rotatable about a rotary shaft extending perpendicularly to the ground. The rotary shaft may be a driving shaft of the lower driving unit or may be a shaft configured to be rotated by the driving shaft.
The lower treating apparatus 2 may include a lower water supply unit and a lower drain unit, and may include a detergent supply device 5. The lower water supply unit may receive water from the outside of the lower cabinet 6, separately from the water supply unit 74 of the upper treating apparatus 1, and may supply the water to the lower tub or the detergent supply device 5.
The detergent supply device 5 may be provided in the lower cabinet 6. For example, the detergent supply device 5 may be provided at the main body portion 150 of the drawer 100, and thus may be placed in the lower cabinet 6 in the retracted state of the drawer 100.
The detergent supply device 5 may be configured to supply detergent to the lower tub. The detergent supply device 5 may be configured to receive water from the lower water supply unit as needed and to supply the water to the lower tub together with detergent.
The detergent supply device 5 may be configured to deliver detergent, supplied from the detergent supply unit 72 provided in the upper treating apparatus 1, to the lower tub. However, if necessary, the detergent supply device 5 may be configured to store detergent and supply the detergent to the lower tub, separately from the detergent supply unit 72 of the upper treating apparatus 1.
The lower drain unit may be connected to the lower tub and may be configured to discharge water in the lower tub to the outside of the lower cabinet 6. The lower water supply unit and the lower drain unit may be provided in a form of connecting the lower cabinet 6 to the lower tub provided in the main body portion 150 of the drawer 100. At least a portion of each of the lower water supply unit and the lower drain unit may be formed as a hose or the like made of a flexible material in order to correspond to movement of the drawer 100.
The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include a controller. The controller may be provided in the upper treating apparatus 1 and/or the lower treating apparatus 2. The controller may be provided in the form of a single module or may be defined as including a plurality of control modules disposed to be spaced apart from each other.
The controller may perform a laundry treatment course set based on a user command. The above-described upper treating apparatus 1, i.e., the first treating apparatus, may include the control panel 3 configured to be operated by the user and to generate a signal corresponding to a user command, and the controller may set a laundry treatment course in response to the signal corresponding to a user command input from the control panel 3.
However, the lower treating apparatus 2 may be provided in a form that does not include the control panel. For example, the control panel for setting of the laundry treatment course may not be provided in the lower treating apparatus 2.
In this case, in the lower treating apparatus 2, the laundry treatment course may be set based on information transmitted from the upper treating apparatus 1, and laundry accommodated in the lower accommodation unit 7 may be treated.
For example, the upper treating apparatus 1 may be provided with the above-described control panel 3, and the lower treating apparatus 2 may not be provided with the above-described control panel. Accordingly, the user may set a laundry treatment course, which will be performed in the lower treating apparatus 2, through the control panel 3 of the upper treating apparatus 1.
The drawer 100 may include the front portion 110 and the main body portion 150. The front portion 110 may be located in front of the main body portion 150, and may close the opening in the lower cabinet 6 in the retracted state of the drawer 100.
Accordingly, when the drawer 100 is completely retracted into the cabinet 10, the retraction/withdrawal opening in the lower cabinet 6 may be closed by the front portion 110, so that the entire interior of the lower cabinet 6 may be shielded from the outside.
The front portion 110 may form the external appearance of the lower treating apparatus 2 together with the lower cabinet 6. The front portion 110 may form the front surface of the lower treating apparatus 2. When the lower treating apparatus 2 and the above-described upper treating apparatus 1 are provided in a stacked form, the front panel 11 forming the front surface of the lower treating apparatus 2 and the front portion 110 of the drawer 100 may be disposed in the upward-downward direction.
The front panel 11 of the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure and the front portion 110 may be disposed on the same plane. That is, the front surface of the front panel 11 of the laundry treating apparatus 1 and the front surface of the front portion 110 may be provided to define one surface extending in the upward-downward direction.
The front portion 110 may be formed in a shape that protrudes upward beyond the cabinet 10 or the main body portion 150. Accordingly, the upper end of the front portion 110 may be disposed on the lower end portion of the front surface of the laundry treating apparatus 1. The shape of the front portion 110 may be described in detail later.
The lower treating apparatus 2 may include a drawer button 190. The drawer button 190 may be provided on the front portion 110 to be operated by the user.
The drawer button 190 may be provided in various types. For example, the drawer button 190 may be provided as a mechanical type configured to be pressed by the user to generate an operation signal or a touch type configured to receive a touch signal by the user.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the drawer button 190 may be provided in a touch type configured to receive a touch signal by the user. As shown in
As described above, the lower treating apparatus 2 may not include the above-described control panel. For example, the lower treating apparatus 2 may not include any buttons other than the above-described drawer button 190, and may not include a display configured to output a screen.
In this case, the drawer button 190 may be a multifunctional button, the function of which corresponding to operation changes based on the state of the lower treating apparatus 2. For example, in a powered-off state of the lower treating apparatus 2, the drawer button 190 may function as a power button through which the user commands application of power to the lower treating apparatus 2. In the initial setting stage of the lower treating apparatus 2, the drawer button 190 may function as a communication button for communication connection with the laundry treating apparatus 1, etc.
In addition, as will be described later, the drawer button 190 may function as a withdrawal button through which the user commands withdrawal of the drawer 100 in the retracted state. During the laundry treatment course, the drawer button 190 may function as a pause button through which the user commands pause of the laundry treatment course. The changes in the function of the drawer button 190 are not limited to the above examples. If necessary, the drawer button 190 may be provided to have various functions under various conditions.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may include an exposed portion 400. The exposed portion 400 may be located on the front surface of the cabinet 10. The exposed portion 400 may be located at a lower portion of the cabinet 10. The exposed portion 400 may be configured such that at least a portion of an internal component 410 provided in the cabinet 10 is exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10.
The internal component 410 may be connected to a component disposed in the cabinet 10 or may be disposed in the cabinet 10. However, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the internal component 410 may be withdrawn out of the cabinet 10 by the user or may extend to the outside of the cabinet 10 as needed.
The internal component 410 may be exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10 or may be disposed adjacent to the outside of the cabinet 10 so as to be easily withdrawn out of the cabinet 10. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the internal component 410 may be disposed on the exposed portion 400, and the user may easily access the internal component 410 through the exposed portion 400.
The exposed portion 400 may be located below the front panel 11. That is, the exposed portion 400 may be located at a lower position than the front panel 11 in the cabinet 10. The front surface of the cabinet 10 may include the front panel 11 and the exposed portion 400. The exposed portion 400 may be located farther backward than the front surface of the front panel 11.
The internal component 410 may be withdrawn out of the cabinet 10 or may extend to the outside of the cabinet 10 through the exposed portion 400. A detailed description of the internal component 410 will be given later.
The internal component 410 may be provided in plural. Each of the plurality of internal components 410 may be withdrawn out of the cabinet 10 or may extend to the outside of the cabinet 10 through the exposed portion 400.
Further, in a case in which the internal components 410 are configured to be withdrawn through the exposed portion 400, the internal components 410 may be retracted back into the cabinet 10 through the exposed portion 400. The internal components 410 may be arranged on the exposed portion 400 in a direction parallel to the ground. For example, the internal components 410 may be disposed on the exposed portion 400 in the width direction Y of the cabinet 10.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the exposed portion 400 may be opened or closed by the lower treating apparatus 2. Hereinafter, the laundry treating apparatus 1, i.e., the above-described upper treating apparatus 1, will be referred to as a first treating apparatus, and the lower treating apparatus 2 will be referred to as a second treating apparatus.
The first treating apparatus may include an exposed portion 400, and the exposed portion 400 may be provided at a lower portion of the cabinet 10. At least a portion of the internal component 410 provided in the cabinet 10 may be exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10 through the exposed portion 400.
The second treating apparatus may be configured to shield the exposed portion 400 from the outside or open the exposed portion 400. The second treating apparatus may include a drawer 100 configured to be retracted into or withdrawn from the lower cabinet 6. When the drawer 100 of the second treating apparatus is in a retracted state, the exposed portion 400 may be shielded, and when the drawer 100 is in a withdrawn state, the exposed portion 400 may be opened.
The exposed portion 400 may be disposed on the front surface of the cabinet 10, and the drawer 100 may include a front portion 110 forming the front surface of the second treating apparatus in the retracted state thereof.
The exposed portion 400 may be shielded by the front portion 110 in the retracted state of the drawer 100. In the retracted state of the drawer 100, the front portion 110 may cover and shield the exposed portion 400, and in the withdrawn state of the drawer 100, the front portion 110 may be separate from and open the exposed portion 400.
In detail, the laundry treating apparatus 1 including the above-described accommodation unit 20 may include the exposed portion 400. However, there is no need for the user to manage the exposed portion 400 whenever using the laundry treating apparatus 1.
Therefore, it may be advantageous in terms of the external appearance of the product to shield the exposed portion 400 from the outside in a situation in which the user does not need to manage the exposed portion 400. However, when the user needs to manage the exposed portion 400, the exposed portion 400 may be conveniently exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10, thereby ensuring case of access of the user.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the exposed portion 400 may be disposed on the lower end portion of the front surface of the laundry treating apparatus 1. The exposed portion 400 may be shielded from the outside by the front portion 110 of the drawer 100 of the lower treating apparatus 2.
That is, when the drawer 100 is in the retracted state, the exposed portion 400 may be shielded from the outside by the drawer 100, and when necessary, the exposed portion 400 may be exposed to the outside by withdrawing the drawer 100.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, it may be possible to shield or open the exposed portion 400 using the operational mechanism of the drawer 100 that is retracted into and withdrawn from the lower cabinet 6 without a separate member for shielding the exposed portion 400.
The front portion 110 provided at the drawer 100 of the lower treating apparatus 2 may include an upward protruding portion 120 that protrudes farther upward than the lower cabinet 6. The exposed portion 400 may be shielded from the outside by the upward protruding portion 120 in the retracted state of the drawer 100.
In the retracted state of the drawer 100, the upward protruding portion 120 may form a portion of the front surface of the laundry treating apparatus 1. That is, the front surface of the laundry treating apparatus 1 may be formed by the above-described front panel 11 and the upward protruding portion 120.
The upward protruding portion 120 may be disposed in front of the exposed portion 400 to shield the exposed portion 400. The upward protruding portion 120 may be located in close contact with the side panels of the cabinet 10.
The rear surface of the upward protruding portion 120 may be recessed forward to form an upper recess 130. That is, the upward protruding portion 120 may include an upper recess 130 that is open backward.
The internal component 410 of the exposed portion 400 may be provided so as to protrude forward from the exposed portion 400 in consideration of use convenience. The internal component 410 may protrude forward from the exposed portion 400 to be received in the upper recess 130.
The upward protruding portion 120 may include a front protruding portion 126 and side protruding portions 127. The front protruding portion 126 may define the front surface of the upward protruding portion 120. The side protruding portions 127 may be respectively provided at both end portions of the front protruding portion 126 in the width direction Y of the cabinet 10, and may extend backward from the front protruding portion 126.
The upper recess 130 may be located between the pair of side protruding portions 127 and may be located behind the front protruding portion 126. The front protruding portion 126 may be disposed in front of the exposed portion 400, and the side protruding portions 127 may be disposed in front of the side panels of the cabinet 10.
The exposed portion 400 and the internal component 410 may be shielded from the front by the front protruding portion 126 and may be shielded from the side by the side protruding portions 127. Accordingly, although the internal component 410 protrudes forward from the exposed portion 400, the internal component 410 may be easily received in the upper recess 130.
The internal component 410 may be provided in plural, and at least some of the plurality of internal components 410 may be provided in the drain unit 76 or may be connected to the drain unit 76.
In detail, the internal components 410 may include a drain filter 411 provided in the drain unit 76 to filter water. The drain filter 411 may be configured to remove foreign substances from discharged water that flows through the drain unit 76 after being discharged from the tub 30.
The drain filter 411 may be configured to collect foreign substances from discharged water. Thus, when the amount of foreign substances collected in the drain filter 411 exceeds a predetermined level, it may be necessary to remove the foreign substances collected in the drain filter 411.
The drain filter 411 may be provided so as to be withdrawn out of the cabinet 10 through the exposed portion 400. Accordingly, the user may withdraw the drain filter 411 to the outside of the cabinet 10 through the exposed portion 400 to perform maintenance, e.g., cleaning, on the drain filter 411, and then may load the drain filter 411 back into the cabinet 10 through the exposed portion 400.
The internal components 410 may include a remaining water pipe 412. The remaining water pipe 412 may be a flow passage for discharging water remaining in the drain unit 76. For example, the remaining water pipe 412 may be connected to the drain unit 76 to discharge all the discharged water present in the drain unit 76.
The remaining water pipe 412 may extend to the outside of the cabinet 10 through the exposed portion 400. The user may remove all the discharged water present in the drain unit 76 through the remaining water pipe 412 extending to the outside of the cabinet 10 through the exposed portion 400.
The exposed portion 400 may include a pipe-fixing portion 430 configured to fix a portion of the remaining water pipe 412 located outside the cabinet 10. The entirety of the remaining water pipe 412 may not be withdrawn from the interior of the cabinet 10, and the remaining water pipe 412 may be connected to the drain unit 76 and may extend to the outside of the cabinet 10.
Thus, a portion of the remaining water pipe 412 may always be disposed on the exposed portion 400, and the pipe-fixing portion 430 configured to fix the portion of the remaining water pipe 412 exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10 may be provided at the exposed portion 400.
The pipe-fixing portion 430 may include a plurality of fixing protrusions, and the remaining water pipe 412 may be inserted between the plurality of fixing protrusions of the pipe-fixing portion 430 to be fixed in position.
If necessary, the user may separate the remaining water pipe 412 fixed to the pipe-fixing portion 430 from the pipe-fixing portion 430 to remove all the discharged water present in the drain unit 76 through the remaining water pipe 412.
The internal components 410 may include a storage part 413 of the detergent supply unit 72, which stores detergent. The storage part 413 may be a part of the detergent supply unit 72 of the laundry treating apparatus 1 described above.
Detergent may be stored in the storage part 413. The user may store detergent in the storage part 413 in a state of withdrawing the storage part 413 to the outside of the cabinet 10, and then may load the storage part 413 back into the cabinet 10 through the exposed portion 400. That is, the storage part 413 may be configured to be withdrawable to the outside of the cabinet 10 through the exposed portion 400.
In the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, since the exposed portion 400 on which the internal components 410 are disposed is provided at the lower end portion of the front surface of the cabinet 10, the user may conveniently use or manage the internal components 410.
In addition, it may be possible to shield the exposed portion 400 from the outside through the drawer 100 of the lower treating apparatus 2 without a separate cover member, thereby improving case of manufacture and product completeness.
As described above, the exposed portion 400 may be shielded from the outside through the drawer 100. However, during use of the lower treating apparatus 2, when the drawer 100 is withdrawn from the lower cabinet 6, the exposed portion 400 may be exposed to the outside.
The exposed portion 400 may include a lower cover 420 configured to selectively shield at least some of the internal components 410 so that the at least some of the internal components 410 are shielded and protected from the outside in the withdrawn state of the drawer 100.
For example, in a state in which the exposed portion 400 is open by the lower treating apparatus 2, the lower cover 420 may selectively shield the drain filter 411 from the outside. In addition, the lower cover 420 may be provided to shield the above-described remaining water pipe 412 as well as the drain filter 411.
The lower cover 420 may be provided to be rotatable or separable from the exposed portion 400. The drain filter 411 or the remaining water pipe 412 may be exposed to the outside by rotating or separating the lower cover 420 from the exposed portion 400.
In the withdrawn state of the drawer 100, the user may manipulate the lower cover 420 to expose and use the internal components 410, such as the drain filter 411 or the remaining water pipe 412.
The drain unit 76 may be disposed below the tub 30 and may include a drain pipe connected to the tub 30, through which discharged water flows. The drain pipe may extend to the outside of the cabinet 10, and the discharged water may flow along the drain pipe and may be discharged to the outside of the cabinet 10.
The above-described drain filter 411 may be provided in the drain unit 76. For example, the drain unit 76 may include a drain pump configured to generate flow of discharged water, and the drain pump may be provided in a drain housing connected to the drain pipe.
The drain filter 411 may also be provided in the drain housing and disposed on the flow path of the discharged water. The discharged water may pass through the drain filter 411, and then may flow along the drain pipe with foreign substances removed therefrom.
The drain filter 411 may be withdrawn out of the cabinet 10 through the front surface of the cabinet 10. To this end, at least a portion of the drain unit 76, e.g., the drain housing, may be located adjacent to the front surface of the cabinet 10.
The drain filter 411 may be withdrawn out of the cabinet 10 or retracted into the drain housing through a hole formed in the exposed portion 400.
The remaining water pipe 412 may be connected to the drain pipe or the drain housing. The remaining water pipe 412 may be a passage through which discharged water present in the drain unit 76 flows to the outside of the cabinet 10.
After the laundry treating apparatus 1 performs the laundry washing course, the drain unit 76 may discharge water in the tub 30 to the outside of the cabinet 10. In this case, however, a portion of the discharged water may remain in the drain unit 76.
The discharged water remaining in the drain unit 76 may cause poor sanitary conditions and malfunction of the product. For example, the discharged water may contain detergent or contaminants removed from laundry, and foul smell or mold growth may be caused by the discharged water remaining in the drain unit 76.
Further, if the outside temperature falls below freezing, e.g., in winter, the discharged water may freeze, which may adversely affect the drain pump, leading to malfunction of the drain pump or deterioration in pumping performance thereof.
The remaining water pipe 412 may be provided to move discharged water remaining in the drain unit 76. For example, the remaining water pipe 412 may be connected to the lowermost portion of the drain unit 76. The remaining water pipe 412 may extend from the drain unit 76 to the outside of the cabinet 10 through the exposed portion 400.
The user may discharge all the discharged water remaining in the drain unit 76 through the remaining water pipe 412 disposed on the exposed portion 400, thereby effectively suppressing deterioration in performance of the drain unit 76 or poor hygiene.
The detergent supply unit 72 may be located at various positions. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the detergent supply unit 72 may be located below the tub 30 and may be located adjacent to the front surface of the cabinet 10.
The detergent supply unit 72 may include the above-described storage part 413, and the storage part 413 may be withdrawn out of the cabinet 10 through the exposed portion 400 to store detergent supplied thereto by the user.
The storage part 413 may be inserted into the detergent supply unit 72 through the exposed portion 400 from the front, and the detergent supply unit 72 may supply detergent in the storage part 413 to the interior of the tub 30. The detergent supply unit 72 may supply the detergent to the interior of the tub 30 in various ways.
For example, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may include a circulation passage through which water discharged out of the tub 30 flows back to the interior of the tub 30.
The circulation passage may include a portion of the above-described drain unit 76. The circulation passage may be provided with the drain pump. Alternatively, a separate circulation pump configured to move water may be provided on the circulation passage.
The detergent supply unit 72 may be connected to the circulation passage to supply the detergent to the circulation passage. Accordingly, the detergent may be supplied to the water in the tub 30 through the circulation passage.
However, the way in which the detergent supply unit 72 supplies the detergent is not limited to the above way. The detergent may be directly supplied to the tub 30 through a detergent pump provided in the detergent supply unit 72. Alternatively, the detergent may be supplied to the water supply pipe, and may then be supplied to the tub 30 together with water.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the detergent supply unit 72 may be configured to supply the detergent in the storage part 413 to the tub 30 and the lower treating apparatus 2. For example, the detergent supply unit 72 may be configured to deliver the detergent to the detergent supply device 5 provided in the lower treating apparatus 2.
The detergent supply unit 72 may include a detergent delivery part 440 that penetrates the cabinet 10 and supplies the detergent to the interior of the lower treating apparatus 2. The detergent delivery part 440 may include a detergent delivery pipe extending from the detergent supply unit 72 toward the detergent supply device 5 of the lower treating apparatus 2.
The detergent supply device 5 of the lower treating apparatus 2 may be provided in the main body portion 150 of the above-described drawer 100, and may supply the detergent, delivered through the detergent delivery part 440 of the detergent supply unit 72, to the interior of the lower tub.
In detail, the drawer 100 may include a handle portion 128 formed so as to be exposed outward. The user may hold the handle portion 128 to move the drawer 100 forward, thereby withdrawing the drawer 100 from the cabinet 10.
The front portion 110 may include an upward protruding portion 120 that protrudes farther upward than the lower cabinet 6. The upward protruding portion 120 may include a front protruding portion 126 and side protruding portions 127. The upward protruding portion 120 may form a portion of the front surface of the front portion 110.
The side protruding portions 127 may be respectively located at both sides of the front protruding portion 126 in the aforementioned width direction Y, and may form portions of the side surfaces of the front portion 110. The handle portion 128 including a recess may be formed in the outer surface of each of the side protruding portions 127 that is exposed outward.
The handle portion 128 may be located on the side surface of each of the side protruding portions 127. The handle portion 128 may include a recess in which the user's hand may be placed. In addition, the handle portion 128 may include a cover configured to shield the recess from the outside as needed.
The cover may be configured to be rotated or linearly moved by pressing force applied thereto by the user's hand, thereby exposing the recess to the outside.
The lower cabinet 6 of the lower treating apparatus 2 may have a box shape formed such that the height thereof in the upward-downward direction or the height direction Z is less than the length thereof in the forward-backward direction X or the width thereof in the leftward-rightward direction Y.
Further, considering the average height of users, the height of the lower treating apparatus 2 may be relatively low. Therefore, the handle portion 128 may be located at the upward protruding portion 120 of the front portion 110 in order to increase user manipulation convenience.
In addition, the handle portion 128 may be provided at each of the pair of side protruding portions 127 of the upward protruding portion 120 in order to improve aesthetics of the external appearance of the front surface of the front portion 110 and to enable the user to easily use both of his/her hands.
However, the position or shape of the handle portion 128 is not necessarily limited to the above condition. If necessary, the handle portion 128 may be provided at various other positions, e.g., the front surface of the front portion 110.
Referring to
The upper recess 130 may be formed such that at least a portion of the rear surface of the upward protruding portion 120 is recessed forward. The front protruding portion 126 may be located in front of the upper recess 130, and the side protruding portions 127 may be located at both side ends of the upper recess 130.
In other words, the upper recess 130 may be defined by the front protruding portion 126 and the side protruding portions 127. The upper recess 130 may have a recess shape that is open upward and backward. The upper recess 130 may be spaced upward from the lower end or the lower portion of the front portion 110.
In the retracted state of the drawer 100, the rear ends of the side protruding portions 127 may face the front end of the lower cabinet 6 and may be in contact with or located adjacent to the lower cabinet 6, and the front protruding portion 126 may be spaced forward from the front surface of the lower cabinet 6.
As described above, the upward protruding portion 120 may protrude upward beyond the lower cabinet 6, and the above-described upper treating apparatus 1 may be disposed on the cabinet 10. Accordingly, the lower end portion of the upper treating apparatus 1 may be located behind the upward protruding portion 120.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the front portion 110 may include the upper recess 130 that is open backward. Accordingly, the lower end portion of the laundry treating apparatus 1 corresponding to the upper treating apparatus 1 may be shielded from the front by the upward protruding portion 120 of the front portion 110, and in the retracted state of the drawer 100, a part of the lower portion of the additional treating apparatus may be located in the upper recess 130.
In the laundry treating apparatus 1, the lower end of the front panel 11 may be spaced upward from the side panels so that the upward protruding portion 120 of the front portion 110 is located in front of the lower end portion of the laundry treating apparatus 1. Accordingly, the upper end of the front portion 110 of the lower treating apparatus 2 may be located below the lower end of the front panel 11 of the laundry treating apparatus 1 and may be located in front of the lower end portion of the laundry treating apparatus 1.
The main body portion 150 of the drawer 100 may be disposed behind the front portion 110 to be retracted into the lower cabinet 6, and the lower accommodation unit 7 may be disposed in the main body portion 150. The detergent supply device 5 and the lower tub described above may also be provided in the main body portion 150.
The front portion 110 may be located at the front end of the main body portion 150, and may include the upward protruding portion 120 protruding upward beyond the main body portion 150. The lower treating apparatus 2 may include a withdrawal device configured to withdraw the drawer 100. The withdrawal device may be configured to push the upward protruding portion 120 forward.
The upward protruding portion 120 may include a first upward protruding portion 123 and a second upward protruding portion 125. The first upward protruding portion 123 may protrude upward beyond the main body portion 150 and may be pushed forward by the withdrawal device provided on an upper surface of an inner side of the lower cabinet 6.
That is, the first upward protruding portion 123 of the upward protruding portion 120 may be located in front of the withdrawal device, and the withdrawal device for pushing the front portion 110 forward may include a push portion configured to push the rear surface of the first upward protruding portion 123.
The second upward protruding portion 125 may protrude upward from the first upward protruding portion 123, and may include the upper recess 130 that is recessed forward in the rear surface of the second upward protruding portion 125 and is open upward. The first upward protruding portion 123 may be located under the second upward protruding portion 125, and the boundary between the first upward protruding portion 123 and the second upward protruding portion 125 may be defined based on the lower end of the upper recess 130.
That is, the second upward protruding portion 125 of the upward protruding portion 120 may be defined as an area from the lower end of the upper recess 130 to the upper end of the upper recess 130, and the first upward protruding portion 123 of the upward protruding portion 120 may be defined as an area from the upper end of the main body portion 150 to the lower end of the upper recess 130.
The second upward protruding portion 125 may include the front protruding portion 126 and the side protruding portions 127 described above. The front protruding portion 126 may be disposed in front of the upper recess 130, and the side protruding portions 127 may be respectively provided at both sides of the upper recess 130 or the front protruding portion 126 and may be connected to the front protruding portion 126.
The upper recess 130 may be defined by the front protruding portion 126 and the side protruding portions 127. The upper recess 130 may be located behind the front protruding portion 126 and may be located between the pair of side protruding portions 127.
The upper recess 130 may be concavely formed in the rear surface of the upward protruding portion 120 so as to be away from the exposed portion 400, and the internal components 410 on the exposed portion 400 may protrude forward and may be received in the upper recess 130 in the retracted state of the drawer 100.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the front protruding portion 126 may include a handle groove 135 formed in the rear surface thereof facing the upper recess 130 so as to be recessed forward and to extend in the lateral direction of the cabinet 10.
In a state in which the drawer 100 is withdrawn by a predetermined distance by the withdrawal device described above, the user may directly further withdraw the drawer 100. In this case, the second upward protruding portion 125, i.e., the front protruding portion 126 may serve as a handle for the user. Particularly, the handle groove 135 formed in the rear surface of the front protruding portion 126 may provide a space in which the user's fingers may be placed.
The handle groove 135 may be formed in the rear surface of the front protruding portion 126, may be located below the upper end of the front protruding portion 126, and may extend in the width direction Y of the cabinet 10. However, the position and shape of the handle groove 135 may be variously changed as needed.
As is apparent from the above description, embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of effectively shielding components exposed to the outside of a cabinet.
In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus in which components configured to be withdrawable out of a cabinet are efficiently disposed.
In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of effectively covering components configured to be withdrawable out of a cabinet.
In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of shielding components exposed to the outside of a cabinet and effectively improving the external appearance of the product.
The above description is merely illustrative of specific embodiments of the present disclosure, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2023-0129652 | Sep 2023 | KR | national |
