Laundry treating apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed is a laundry treating apparatus including a cabinet, an accommodation part provided in the cabinet and configured to accommodate laundry, and an input/output part provided at the cabinet and configured to provide information to a user or receive a user command. The cabinet includes an outer panel provided with the input/output part, and the outer panel includes an opening disposed adjacent to the input/output part and allowing the inside of the cabinet and the outside of the cabinet to communicate with each other. The input/output part includes a control module provided in the cabinet and coupled to the outer panel. The cabinet is provided with a storage part introduced into the cabinet through the opening. The control module is provided with a communicator configured to receive a wireless signal, and the communicator is disposed on the side of the control module facing the opening or the storage part.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a cabinet;   an accommodation part provided in the cabinet and configured to accommodate laundry; and   an input/output part provided at the cabinet and configured to provide information to a user or receive a user command,   wherein the cabinet comprises an outer panel provided with the input/output part, the outer panel comprising an opening disposed adjacent to the input/output part and allowing an inside of the cabinet and an outside of the cabinet to communicate with each other,   wherein the input/output part comprises a control module provided in the cabinet and coupled to the outer panel,   wherein the cabinet is provided with a storage part introduced into the cabinet through the opening, and   wherein the control module is provided with a communicator configured to receive a wireless signal, the communicator being disposed on a side of the control module facing the opening or the storage part.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer panel is made of metal, and
 wherein the communicator receives the wireless signal propagated to the inside of the cabinet through the opening.   
     
     
         3 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer panel is made of a first material having a first blocking rate for the wireless signal,
 wherein the cabinet is provided therein with a panel case coupled to the outer panel so as to oppose the opening and made of a second material having a second blocking rate lower than the first blocking rate, and   wherein the communicator is disposed so as to oppose the panel case.   
     
     
         4 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the outer panel is made of metal, and
 wherein the panel case is made of a polymer material.   
     
     
         5 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control module comprises a module housing coupled to the outer panel and provided therein with a control board configured to control the input/output part, and
 wherein the communicator comprises a communication board disposed on the module housing so as to face the opening.   
     
     
         6 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the communication board is provided on a surface of the module housing facing the opening. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the module housing comprises a board fixing portion configured to allow the communication board to be fixed thereto in a state of being exposed toward the opening. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the communication board protrudes beyond the module housing and is provided with a wire connection portion configured to allow a communication wire to be connected thereto. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the outer panel forms a front surface of the cabinet,
 wherein the control module is disposed at an upper portion of the outer panel so as to be adjacent to the opening in a width direction of the cabinet, and   wherein the wire connection portion of the communicator protrudes downward below the module housing.   
     
     
         10 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control module comprises a module housing coupled to the outer panel and provided therein with a control board configured to control the input/output part, and
 wherein the communicator comprises a communication wire connected to a control wire led out from the control module outside the module housing.   
     
     
         11 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the module housing comprises a first terminal receiving portion configured to allow one of a terminal of the communication wire and a terminal of the control wire to be coupled and secured thereto, and
 wherein a remaining one of the terminal of the communication wire and the terminal of the control wire is coupled to the one secured to the first terminal receiving portion.   
     
     
         12 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the first terminal receiving portion is exposed to an outside of the module housing. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the control wire is provided in plural, the plurality of control wires comprising a first control wire, a second control wire, and a third control wire,
 wherein a terminal of the first control wire is coupled to a terminal of the communication wire outside the module housing, and   wherein the second control wire and the third control wire are coupled to each other outside the module housing.   
     
     
         14 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the module housing comprises a second terminal receiving portion configured to allow one of a terminal of the second control wire and a terminal of the third control wire to be coupled and secured thereto, and
 wherein a remaining one of the terminal of the second control wire and the terminal of the third control wire is coupled to the one secured to the second terminal receiving portion.   
     
     
         15 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the control board is provided in plural, the plurality of control boards comprising a first control board and a second control board,
 wherein the first control wire and the second control wire are led out from the first control board, and   wherein the third control wire is lead out from the second control board.   
     
     
         16 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the control module comprises a display configured to output a screen, and
 wherein the first control board controls the display and is connected to the second control board via the second control wire and the third control wire.   
     
     
         17 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising an inner module provided in the cabinet and communicatively connected to the control module,
 wherein the control wire further comprises a fourth control wire connected to the inner module.   
     
     
         18 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the module housing comprises a wire guide portion configured to guide a position of the fourth control wire. 
     
     
         19 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control module comprises a module housing coupled to the outer panel and provided therein with a control board configured to control the input/output part, and
 wherein the module housing is provided with a terminal receiving portion disposed so as to be exposed to an outside of the module housing and configured to allow a terminal of a wire provided at the control module to be secured thereto.   
     
     
         20 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the wire extends from the control board to the outside of the module housing so that the terminal is secured to the terminal receiving portion. 
     
     
         21 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the module housing comprises an open surface facing the outer panel, the open surface being coupled to the outer panel, and
 wherein the wire is led out through the open surface of the module housing.   
     
     
         22 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the wire extends from the communicator so that the terminal is coupled to the terminal receiving portion. 
     
     
         23 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, in a width direction of the cabinet, the opening is disposed in a region of the outer panel located on one side of the input/output part, and a region of the outer panel located on an opposite side of the input/output part shields an inside of the cabinet. 
     
     
         24 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer panel comprises a fixing protruding portion protruding to an inside of the cabinet, and
 wherein the control module comprises a module housing coupled to the fixing protruding portion to be secured to the outer panel.   
     
     
         25 . The laundry treating apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the fixing protruding portion is provided in plural,
 wherein the module housing comprises a plurality of insertion coupling portions coupled to the plurality of fixing protruding portions, and   wherein some of the plurality of insertion coupling portions are disposed outside the module housing, and remaining ones of the plurality of insertion coupling portions are disposed inside the module housing so as to penetrate the module housing.