Laundry treating apparatus

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus including a front panel having an opening formed therein, wherein the front panel is formed in a casing shape that accommodates at least a portion of a control panel therein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a cabinet having an opening formed in a front surface thereof;   a tub accommodated in the cabinet to store water therein;   a drum rotatably disposed in the tub to store laundry therein;   a driver coupled to the tub and configured to rotate the drum;   a controller configured to control the driver to perform a course to treat the laundry; and   a control panel coupled to the cabinet and configured to receive a command to control the controller or display information externally,   wherein the cabinet includes a front panel having the opening formed therein,   wherein the front panel is formed in a casing shape accommodating at least a portion of the control panel therein.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the front panel includes:
 a front plate having the opening formed therein; and   an upper plate extending from a top of the front plate to be parallel to an upper end of the cabinet,   wherein the upper plate is provided to shield at least a portion of a top surface of the control panel.   
     
     
         3 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a length of the upper plate extending from the front plate is greater than a thickness of the control panel. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the front panel further includes a side plate extending from a side surface of the front plate to be parallel to a side surface of the cabinet,
 wherein the side plate is provided to shield at least a portion of a side surface of the control panel.   
     
     
         5 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein a length of the side plate extending from the front plate is greater than a thickness of the control panel. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the upper plate and the side plate are coupled together by welding. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the control panel is fixed to a rear surface of the front plate. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the front plate further includes a display hole formed above the opening to expose the control panel forward. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the control panel includes:
 an installation panel fixed to the rear surface of the front plate; and   a display panel coupled to the installation panel and configured to visually display the information externally.   
     
     
         10 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the installation panel is fixed to the front plate with an adhesive. 
     
     
         11 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the installation panel includes:
 an attachment plate fixed to the rear surface of the front plate with the adhesive;   a mounting plate including a display through-hole extending through the attachment plate, wherein the display panel is coupled to the mounting plate; and   a support rib extending from a bottom of the attachment plate and supporting the display panel.   
     
     
         12 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the installation panel further includes a coupling fixer disposed on at least one of the attachment plate and the support rib and detachable from the display panel. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the coupling fixer includes fixing hooks protruding from the attachment plate on both sides of the display through-hole to detachably fix the display panel. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the control panel further includes a cover panel coupled to a rear surface of the display panel and fixed to the installation panel, wherein the fixing hook extends through the cover panel. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the coupling fixer includes a support hook protruding upward from the support rib and preventing deviation of the display panel.