Laundry treating apparatus and assembling method for the same

Abstract

A laundry treating apparatus includes a coupling unit to improve a coupling structure of a cabinet. Through the structure as such, a coupling of a front frame and a drum front may easily take place, and assembly quality and workability may be improved.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treating apparatus, comprising:
 a cabinet having a pair of side frames formed to face each other, a rear frame connecting the pair of side frames to each other, and a front frame formed to face the rear frame and separately provided at the pair of side frames;   a drum front configured to support a drying tub having laundry accommodated inside thereof, and supported at the cabinet; and   at least one coupling unit disposed at the side frames, and allowing the front frame and the drum front to be rested.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one coupling unit comprises a first seating groove at which the drum front is rested, and a second seating groove provided at a front surface of the first seating groove and at which the front frame is rested.   
     
     
         3 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the at least one coupling unit further comprises a first guide unit configured to guide movement of the drum front such that the drum front is seated at the first seating groove, and a second guide unit provided at a front surface of the first guide unit and configured to guide movement of the front frame such that the front frame is seated at the second seating groove.   
     
     
         4 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first guide unit and the second guide unit are provided with a first guide surface and a second guide surface formed at one surface thereof, respectively, as to guide the drum front and the front frame to the first seating groove and the second seating groove, respectively.   
     
     
         5 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first seating groove and the second seating groove are provided to be disposed at end portions of the first guide surface and the second guide surface, respectively.   
     
     
         6 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first guide unit and the second guide unit comprise a first inclination surface and a second inclination surface, respectively, that are downwardly inclined with respect to the direction of a seating flange.   
     
     
         7 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the side frame comprises the seating flange bent inward from one end portion thereof such that the front frame and the drum front are seated on the seating flange; and   the at least one coupling unit comprises a supporting surface provided to be in surface-contact with respect to the seating flange.   
     
     
         8 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the drum front comprises a first coupling groove formed as to penetrate through the first guide unit; and   the front frame comprises a second coupling groove formed as to penetrate through the second guide unit.   
     
     
         9 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first guide unit and the second guide unit are provided in parallel with respect to each other.   
     
     
         10 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first guide unit is formed larger than the second guide unit.   
     
     
         11 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first coupling groove is formed larger than the second coupling groove.   
     
     
         12 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first guide unit is provided with a predetermined thickness such that a first seating unit formed at the surrounding of the first coupling unit is spaced apart from a second seating unit formed at the surrounding of the second coupling unit.   
     
     
         13 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one coupling unit is disposed at a front surface of the side frame.   
     
     
         14 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the side frame comprises the seating flange bent inward from one end portion thereof such that the front frame and the drum front are seated on the seated on the seating flange; and   the at least one coupling unit is provided in plurality, and the plurality of coupling units are disposed up and down with respect to the seating flange.   
     
     
         15 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the side frame comprises the seating flange bent inward from one end portion thereof such that the front frame and the drum front are seated on the seating flange; and   the drum front is rested at the at least one coupling unit such that an inner side surface of the drum front facing the cabinet is faced with respect to the seating flange; and   the front frame is rested at the at least one coupling unit such that both end portions of the front frame are bent and an outer side surface of front frame facing an outer side is faced with respect to the seating flange.   
     
     
         16 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the drum front is screw-coupled to side surfaces of the side frames, and   the front frame is screw-coupled to an upper side and a lower side of the side frame.   
     
     
         17 . A laundry treating apparatus, comprising:
 a cabinet having a pair of side frames formed as to face with respect to each other, a rear frame connecting the pair of side frames to each other, and a front frame formed as to face with respect to the rear frame and separately provided at the pair of side frames;   a drum front configured to support a drying tub disposed at an inside the cabinet, and provided to be supported at the side frames; and   coupling units at which the front frame and the drum front are rested, and configured to be coupled to the side frames,   wherein at least one of the coupling units comprises a first seating groove at which the drum front is rested; and   a second seating groove spaced apart with respect to the first seating groove and at which the front frame is seated.   
     
     
         18 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the at least one of the coupling units further comprises a first guide unit configured to divide the first seating groove and the second seating groove from each other, and provided such that the first seating groove and the second seating groove are spaced apart from each other.   
     
     
         19 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the at least one of the coupling units further comprises a second guide unit spaced apart with respect to the first guide unit and provided to prevent the front frame seated at the second seating groove from being separated from the at least one of the coupling units.   
     
     
         20 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the first guide unit and the second guide unit are provided with a first guide surface and a second guide surface formed at one surface thereof, respectively, as to guide the drum front and the front frame to the first seating groove and the second seating groove, respectively.   
     
     
         21 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the first guide unit and the second guide unit comprise a first inclination surface and a second inclination surface, respectively, that are downwardly inclined with respect to the direction of a seating flange.   
     
     
         22 . An assembly method of a laundry treating apparatus, the assembly method comprising:
 having a cabinet provided with a pair of side frames formed to face each other, and a rear frame connecting the pair of side frames;   coupling a coupling unit provided with a first seating groove and a second seating groove to the side frame;   resting a drum front, configured to support a drying tub, at the first seating groove; and   resting a front frame, formed as to face with respect to the rear frame and separately provided at the pair of side frames, at the second seating groove.   
     
     
         23 . The assembly method of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the coupling unit comprises a first guide unit configured to guide movement of the drum front toward the first seating groove, and   the drum front is provided to be seated at the first seating groove along the first guide unit.   
     
     
         24 . The assembly method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the drum front is rested at the first seating groove, and the drum front and the side frames are screw-coupled with respect to each other.   
     
     
         25 . The assembly method of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the coupling unit comprises a second guide unit configured to guide movement of the drum front toward the second seating groove, and   the front frame is provided to be seated at the second seating groove along the second guide unit.   
     
     
         26 . The assembly method of  claim 25 , wherein:
 the front frame is rested at the second seating groove, and the front frame and the side frames are screw-coupled with respect to each other.   
     
     
         27 . A laundry treating apparatus, comprising:
 a cabinet comprising side frames substantially parallel to each other, a rear frame connected to the side frames, and a front frame substantially parallel to the rear frame and separately connected to the side frames;   a drum front configured to support a drying tub and supported at the cabinet; and   a coupling unit coupled to one of the side frames and supporting the front frame and the drum front.   
     
     
         28 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising another coupling unit substantially parallel to the coupling unit and coupled to another of the side frames and supporting the front frame and the drum front.