Laundry treating apparatus

Abstract

A laundry treating apparatus includes a cabinet including a front panel having an inlet defined therein, an accommodation portion disposed inside the cabinet to accommodate laundry input via the inlet therein, and a door disposed on the front panel to open and close the inlet. The front panel includes a door seating portion defined therein and recessed inward of the cabinet to accommodate therein at least a portion of the door closing the inlet. A gap between an edge of the door seating portion and an edge of the door is exposed forward.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a cabinet, the cabinet including a front panel having:
 an inlet located therein; and 
 a door seating portion recessed inward from a front surface of the front panel; 
   an accommodation portion disposed inside the cabinet, the accommodation portion being configured to accommodate laundry therein;   a door located on the front panel, the door being configured to open and close the inlet, at least a portion of the door being accommodated in the door seating portion when the door closes the inlet; and   a gap located between an edge of the door seating portion and an edge of the door when the door closes the inlet, the gap being exposed towards a front of the cabinet.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gap is exposed along an entirety of the edge of the door seating portion. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the door seating portion is greater than a cross-sectional area of the door such that the gap entirely surrounds the door. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gap includes a first portion having a first thickness in a radial direction of the door and a second portion having a second thickness in the radial direction of the door, the second thickness being different from the first thickness. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, in a vertical direction of the cabinet, the gap includes an upper end gap located at an upper end of the door seating portion and a lower end gap located at a lower end of the door seating portion, and
 wherein a thickness of the lower end gap is greater than a thickness of the upper end gap.   
     
     
         6 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a hinge pivotally connecting the door to the front panel, the hinge being located at a first end of the door in a width direction of the cabinet,
 wherein the gap further includes a first gap at the first end of the door and a second gap at a second end of the door opposite the first end, a thickness of the first gap being greater than a thickness of the second gap.   
     
     
         7 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, when viewed from the front of the cabinet, a center of the door is offset from a center of the door seating portion. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, when viewed from the front of the cabinet, a center of the door is positioned upward of a center of the door seating portion. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a hinge pivotally connecting the door to the front panel, the hinge being located at a first end of the door in a width direction of the cabinet,
 wherein, when viewed from the front of the cabinet, a center of the door is spaced apart from a center of the door seating portion toward a second end of the door opposite the first end in the width direction of the cabinet.   
     
     
         10 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the door includes:
 a door frame pivotably coupled to the front panel, the door frame including a through-hole facing the inlet; and   a door cover located on a front surface of the door frame, the door cover covering the through-hole.   
     
     
         11 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein an edge of the door frame includes a frame circumferential portion protruding forward, the frame circumferential portion extending along a circumferential surface of the door cover, at least a portion of the frame circumferential portion being accommodated in the door seating portion when the door closes the inlet. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the door frame further includes:
 an inner frame configured to face the door seating portion; and   an outer frame located in front of the inner frame,   wherein the door cover is located on a front surface of the outer frame, and   wherein at least a portion of the outer frame is accommodated in the door seating portion when the door closes the inlet.   
     
     
         13 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein an edge of the outer frame includes a frame circumferential portion protruding forward, the frame circumferential portion extending along a circumferential surface of the door cover, at least a portion of the frame circumferential portion being accommodated in the door seating portion when the door closes the inlet. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein a front surface of the door cover is located forward of a front surface of the frame circumferential portion. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein an edge of the door frame includes a frame circumferential portion protruding forward, the frame circumferential portion extending along a circumferential surface of the door cover, a front surface of the frame circumferential portion being located on a same plane as a front surface of the front panel. 
     
     
         16 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the door cover is transparent.