Laundry treating apparatus and assembly method of the same

Abstract

An assembly method of a laundry treating apparatus includes a first step of positioning a second treating apparatus in a desired place for assembly, a second step of seating a first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus, a third step of coupling a upper fastening unit of the second treating apparatus with a lower portion of the first treating apparatus, and a fourth step of coupling a control panel onto a panel seating portion provided between a lower surface of a first front panel of the first treating apparatus and an upper surface of the second front panel of the second treating apparatus. The upper fastening unit may be positioned to be higher than a lower surface of the first treating apparatus after the second step is performed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for assembling a laundry treating apparatus including a first treating apparatus and a second treating apparatus, wherein the second treating apparatus includes a second front panel, a second rear panel and a second side panel, and wherein the first treating apparatus stacked on the first treating apparatus includes a first front panel, a first rear panel and a first side panel, the method comprising:
 a first coupling step for coupling a rear bracket to the second rear panel;   a stacking step for stacking the first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus;   a second coupling step for coupling the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus; and   a third coupling step for coupling a control panel between the first front panel and the second front panel,   wherein an upper portion of the rear bracket protrudes over a top of the second treating apparatus so that a movement of the first treating apparatus is limited by the upper portion of the rear bracket at the stacking step, and   wherein a front portion of the first treating apparatus and a front portion of the second treating apparatus are coupled to each other, and a rear portion of the first treating apparatus and a rear portion of the second treating apparatus are coupled to each other.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an attaching step for attaching a guide panel to a panel seating portion provided at an upper portion of the second treating apparatus; and   a detaching step for detaching the guide panel from the panel seating portion,   wherein the attaching step is performed before the stacking step and the detaching step is performed after the stacking step.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the rear bracket is coupled to the first rear panel. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a first frame couples the front portion of the first treating apparatus and the front portion of the second treating apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a portion of the first frame is coupled to a front portion of the first side panel, and another portion of the first frame is coupled to a front portion of the second side panel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein an upper fastening unit is provided at an upper portion of the second front panel, and
 wherein the upper fastening unit couples the first frame and the front portion of the first side panel.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the control panel is provided at the front portion of the first treating apparatus. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first treating apparatus is rolled by the guide panel at the stacking step. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the guide panel includes a body seated at the panel seating portion and a roller provided at the body. 
     
     
         10 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a second treating apparatus including a second front panel, a second rear panel and a second side panel;   a first treating apparatus stacked on the first treating apparatus, the first treating apparatus including a first front panel, a first rear panel and a first side panel;   a rear bracket for coupling the first rear panel and the second rear panel; and   a first frame for coupling a front portion of the first side panel and a front portion of the second side panel.   
     
     
         11 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein an upper fastening unit is provided at an upper portion of the second front panel, and
 wherein the upper fastening unit couples the first frame and the front portion of the first side panel.   
     
     
         12 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a panel seating portion for detachably accommodating a guide panel is provided at an upper portion of the second front panel, and
 wherein, based on the first treating apparatus being stacked on the second treating apparatus, the first treating apparatus is configured to be guided by the guide panel.   
     
     
         13 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the panel seating portion includes a first panel accommodating portion provided at a top of the second front panel, and
 wherein a first protrusion of the guide panel is configured to be seated on the first panel accommodating portion.   
     
     
         14 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the panel seating portion includes a second panel accommodating portion provided at an upper portion of the first frame, and
 wherein a second protrusion of the guide panel is configured to be seated on the second panel accommodating portion.   
     
     
         15 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein, based on the guide panel being seated at the panel seating portion, a front face of the guide panel is ahead of a front face of the second front panel. 
     
     
         16 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a control panel for controlling the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus is provided between a lower portion of the first front panel and an upper portion of the second front panel, and
 wherein the control panel is positioned at a front portion of the first treating apparatus.   
     
     
         17 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a second frame coupled to the first side panel, wherein the control panel is coupled to the second frame. 
     
     
         18 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the second frame includes first side extension portions located at opposing lateral sides, and
 wherein the control panel includes second side extension portions corresponding to the first side extension portions, and   wherein the second side extension portions couple to the first side extension portions.   
     
     
         19 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the rear bracket includes a middle part extending in a lateral direction, an upper part extending upward from the middle part in the lateral direction and a lower part extending downward from the middle part in the lateral direction. 
     
     
         20 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the middle part contacts a top of the second treating apparatus, and
 wherein the upper part contacts the first rear panel and the lower part contacts the second rear panel.   
     
     
         21 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein a handle is provided at the middle part of the rear bracket.