Laundry treating apparatus

Abstract

A laundry treating apparatus for performing a processing operation for laundry, the laundry treating apparatus including a control panel to allow a user to input a control signal for the processing operation. The laundry treating apparatus includes a main body configured to accommodate laundry and a cover configured define an exterior of the main body. The cover includes a first through hole in the front upper end portion of the cover. The control panel is installed inside the cabinet cover and partially exposed to an exterior of the cover through the first through hole. The control panel includes a window having a front surface in contact with the inner surface of the cover at an area other than the first through hole. A touch screen is located at a rear surface of the window. A coating guide is configured to support a rear surface of the touch screen.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A laundry treating apparatus for performing a processing operation for laundry, the laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a main body configured to accommodate the laundry;   a cover defining an exterior of the main body, the cover including a first through hole at a front upper end portion of the cover; and   a control panel located at an inner surface of the cover, the control panel being partially exposed to an exterior of the cover through the first through hole to allow a user to input a control signal for the processing operation, the control panel including:
 a window having a front surface in contact with the inner surface of the cover at an area other than the first through hole; 
 a touch screen located at a rear surface of the window; and 
 a coating guide coupled to the window, the coating guide configured to support a rear surface of the touch screen, the coating guide being located at the inner surface of the cover. 
   
     
     
         16 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the control panel further includes a first sealing member interposed between the window and the coating guide. 
     
     
         17 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the control panel further includes a printed circuit board (PCB) located at a rear surface of the coating guide, the printed circuit board connected to the touch screen. 
     
     
         18 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the control panel further includes a panel rib protruding rearward from a lower end portion of the coating guide, the panel rib supporting the PCB. 
     
     
         19 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the coating guide is coupled to the PCB. 
     
     
         20 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a controller configured to input and output signals related to controlling the processing operation. 
     
     
         21 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the controller is configured to receive signals for controlling the processing operation from the touch screen through the printed circuit board. 
     
     
         22 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising a wireless communicator configured to transmit and receive wireless signals to and from an outside of the laundry treating apparatus, the wireless communicator being located at the inside surface of the cover, the wireless communicator being coupled to a bottom of the control panel. 
     
     
         23 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the wireless communicator is configured to transmit and receive the wireless signals for controlling the processing operation from and to the controller. 
     
     
         24 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the cover further includes:
 a second through hole located lower than a center of the first through hole in a front upper portion of the cover; and   a first hook protrusion protruding rearward from a circumferential edge of the second through hole, and   wherein the control panel is fastened to the first hook protrusion.   
     
     
         25 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the first hook protrusion includes a first hook hole extending through the first hook protrusion, and wherein the coating guide includes a hook provided at a lower end portion of the coating guide, the hook being inserted into the first hook hole. 
     
     
         26 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising fasteners fastening an upper end portion of the coating guide to the inner surface of the cover. 
     
     
         27 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising a first control button located inside the cover, the first control button being partially exposed to the exterior of the cover through the second through hole, the first control button configured to be brought into contact with the control panel when pressed by a user. 
     
     
         28 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the cover includes a third through hole,
 wherein the second through hole and the third through hole are arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of the control panel, and   wherein the laundry treating apparatus further comprises a second control button located inside the cover, the second control button being partially exposed to the exterior of the cover through the third through hole.   
     
     
         29 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the cover further includes a second hook protrusion protruding rearward from a circumferential edge of the third through hole,
 wherein the second hook protrusion includes a second hook hole extending through the second hook protrusion, and   wherein the coating guide includes a pair of hooks provided at a lower end portion of the coating guide, the pair of hooks being inserted into the first hook hole and the second hook hole.   
     
     
         30 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein a portion of the first hook protrusion is bent and a portion of the second hook protrusion is bent. 
     
     
         31 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the control panel includes:
 a fixed UI section including a first control UI having a fixed display; and   a variable UI section including a second control UI having a variable display.   
     
     
         32 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the variable display is configured to display an on/off input. 
     
     
         33 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the variable display is configured to display a variable laundry setting input. 
     
     
         34 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the window includes an area corresponding to the first through hole, a first portion of the area being a transmissive area, a remaining portion of the area being a non-transmissive area, and
 wherein the touch screen is located at a rear surface of the window, the touch screen being visible through the transmissive area.