Interface and laundry treating apparatus having the same

Abstract

Disclosed is a laundry treating apparatus in which a control panel for manipulating a laundry treating apparatus is directly coupled to a rear surface of a front panel defining a front surface of a cabinet to prevent other components other than an input part from being exposed to a front surface of the cabinet.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a cabinet;   a drum rotatably disposed inside the cabinet and configured to receive laundry therein;   a manipulation portion that is rotatably disposed forward relative to the cabinet and is configured to receive a selection command for selecting one or more courses to be performed by rotating the drum;   an encoder disposed in the cabinet and coupled to the manipulation portion, the encoder being configured to receive the selection command; and   a case that is fixed to a rear surface of the cabinet and that accommodates the encoder,   wherein the cabinet defines a panel through-hole,   wherein a portion of at least one of the manipulation portion or the encoder passes through the panel through-hole,   wherein the cabinet comprises a coupler that extends from an edge of the panel through-hole or is spaced apart from the panel through-hole by a predetermined distance, the coupler being configured to fix the case to the cabinet, and   wherein the manipulation portion is disposed forward relative to the coupler and covers at least a front side of the coupler.   
     
     
         27 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein at least a portion of the cabinet is made of sheet metal,
 wherein the coupler defines a coupling hole, and   wherein the laundry treating apparatus further comprises a coupling member that passes through (i) the cabinet and (ii) the coupling hole and fixes the case to the cabinet.   
     
     
         28 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the coupling hole is spaced apart from the panel through-hole and faces a rear surface of the manipulation portion. 
     
     
         29 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the cabinet comprises a plurality of couplers including the coupler,
 wherein the plurality of couplers define a plurality of coupling holes including the coupling hole,   wherein the plurality of coupling holes are spaced apart from the panel through-hole, and   wherein a maximum distance difference among the plurality of coupling holes is less than a diameter of the manipulation portion.   
     
     
         30 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein a distance between the coupling hole and the panel through-hole is less than a radius of the manipulation portion. 
     
     
         31 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein at least a portion of the cabinet is made of sheet metal, and
 wherein the coupler comprises a coupling rib that extends from an inner circumference of the panel through-hole and fixes the case to the cabinet.   
     
     
         32 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the case comprises:
 a body part that receives the encoder and is disposed at a rear surface of the cabinet; and   a detachable part that extends from the body part and is detachably disposed at the coupling rib.   
     
     
         33 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the case is made of synthetic resin; and
 wherein the detachable part extends from the body part and is coupled to a portion of the coupling rib.   
     
     
         34 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the coupling rib includes a surface that faces the body part and that defines a recess or a through-hole, and
 wherein the detachable part further comprises a hook that extends from the body part and passes through the through-hole or is inserted to the recess.   
     
     
         35 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the cabinet comprises a plurality of couplers including the coupler, the plurality of couplers comprising a plurality of coupling ribs including the coupling rib, and
 wherein the plurality of coupling ribs extend from (i) upper and lower parts of the panel through-hole or (ii) side surfaces of the panel and support the case.   
     
     
         36 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the plurality of couplers define a plurality of coupling holes that pass through the cabinet. 
     
     
         37 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the cabinet comprises a plurality of couplers including the coupler, each of the plurality of couplers defining a respective coupling hole,
 wherein the cabinet defines:   a first button mounting portion that is spaced apart from the coupling hole in a direction away from the panel through-hole, wherein the first button mounting portion passes through the cabinet; and   a second button mounting portion that is spaced apart from another coupling hole of the plurality of coupling holes in a direction away from the panel through-hole, wherein the second button mounting portion passes through the cabinet, and   wherein the plurality of couplers further comprise a plurality of coupling ribs that extend from (i) an inner circumference of the first button mounting portion and (ii) an inner circumference of the second button mounting portion and fix the case.   
     
     
         38 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a cabinet;   a drum rotatably disposed inside the cabinet and configured to receive laundry therein;   a manipulation portion that is rotatably disposed forward relative to the cabinet and is configured to receive a selection command for selecting one or more courses to be performed by rotating the drum;   an encoder disposed in the cabinet and coupled to the manipulation portion, the encoder being configured to receive the selection command; and   a case that is fixed to a rear surface of the cabinet and is configured to receive the encoder,   wherein the cabinet defines a panel through-hole,   wherein a portion of at least one of the manipulation portion or the encoder passes through the panel through-hole, and   wherein an area of the manipulation portion is greater than an area of the panel through-hole.   
     
     
         39 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the manipulation portion comprises:
 a shaft that is coupled to the encoder and configured to rotate the encoder;   a base extending from an end of the shaft, wherein a diameter of the base is greater than a diameter of the shaft; and   a handle coupled to the base and configured to rotate the shaft and the encoder, wherein the diameter of the base is greater than a diameter of the panel through-hole.   
     
     
         40 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the base extends from the end of the shaft toward the panel through-hole. 
     
     
         41 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the handle is coupled to an outer circumference of the base, and
 wherein a diameter of the handle is greater than a width of the panel through-hole.   
     
     
         42 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the cabinet comprises a coupler that extends from an edge of the panel through-hole or is spaced apart from the panel through-hole by a predetermined distance, the coupler being configured to fix the case to the cabinet,
 wherein the coupler is disposed at a rear surface of the base, and   wherein the manipulation portion covers at least a front side of the coupler.   
     
     
         43 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the cabinet comprises a plurality of couplers including the coupler,
 wherein the plurality of couplers define a plurality of coupling holes that pass through the cabinet, and   wherein the panel through-hole and the plurality of coupling holes are defined on the rear surface of the base.   
     
     
         44 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 42 , comprising:
 a plurality of couplers that include the coupler and define a plurality of coupling holes; and   a plurality of coupling members that pass through (i) the cabinet and (ii) the plurality of coupling holes and fix the case to the cabinet,   wherein the panel through-hole and the plurality of coupling holes are located inside the handle relative to an outer circumference of the handle.   
     
     
         45 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein a diameter of the encoder is less than a width of the panel through-hole. 
     
     
         46 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a cabinet;   a drum rotatably disposed inside the cabinet and configured to receive laundry therein;   a manipulation portion that is rotatably disposed forward relative to the cabinet and is configured to receive a selection command for selecting one or more courses to be performed by rotating the drum;   an encoder disposed in the cabinet and coupled to the manipulation portion, the encoder being configured to receive the selection command; and   a case that is fixed to a rear surface of the cabinet and is configured to receive the encoder,   wherein the cabinet defines a panel through-hole,   wherein a portion of at least one of the manipulation portion or the encoder passes through the panel through-hole,   wherein the cabinet comprises a coupler that extends from an edge of the panel through-hole or is spaced apart from the panel through-hole by a predetermined distance, the coupler being configured to fix the case to the cabinet,   wherein a diameter of an outer circumference of the manipulation portion is greater than an outer circumference of the encoder, and   wherein the manipulation portion covers at least a front side of the coupler.   
     
     
         47 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the coupler faces a rear surface of the manipulation portion. 
     
     
         48 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the manipulation portion comprises:
 a shaft that is coupled to the encoder and configured to rotate the encoder;   a base extending from an end of the shaft, wherein a diameter of the base is greater than a diameter of the shaft; and   a handle coupled to the base and configured to rotate the shaft and the encoder, wherein the coupler faces a rear surface of the base.   
     
     
         49 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 48 , further comprising:
 a plurality of couplers that include the coupler and define one or more coupling holes; and   one or more coupling members that pass through (i) the cabinet and (ii) the one or more coupling holes and fix the case to the cabinet,   wherein the one or more coupling holes face the rear surface of the base.   
     
     
         50 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the handle is coupled to an outer circumference of the base; and
 wherein the coupling hole is disposed inward relative to an outer circumference of the handle.