Clothing treatment apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a clothing treatment apparatus. In one embodiment, the clothing treatment apparatus comprises: a drum for accommodating clothing therein; and a cabinet for accommodating the drum therein, wherein the cabinet comprises: a front panel provided on the front side of the cabinet; a side panel which is provided on each side of the cabinet and has a rear bending part the rear side of which is inwardly bent; a rear panel which is provided on the rear side of the cabinet and comprises a first bending part both ends of which facing side panels are forwardly bent; and a bracket comprising a first coupling part at least a portion of which faces the first bending part and is coupled to same, and a second coupling part formed to bend from the first coupling part, and the rear panel and the side panel are coupled via the bracket, while the first bending part of the rear panel is coupled to the first coupling part, and the rear bending part of the side panel is coupled to the second coupling part.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for treating laundry, the apparatus comprising:
 a cabinet; and   a drum provided in the cabinet to accommodate the laundry,   the cabinet comprising:
 a front panel provided at a front side; 
 a side panel provided at each of both lateral sides and provided with a rear bending portion bent toward an inside of the cabinet at a rear end portion thereof; 
 a rear panel provided at a rear side and having a first bending portion bent forward from both end portions facing the side panel and a second bending portion bent from the first bending portion toward an outside of the cabinet and positioned ahead of the rear bending portion; and 
 a bracket positioned between the second bending portion and the rear bending portion and coupling the rear panel and the side panel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket comprises a first coupling portion coupled to the first bending portion and a second coupling portion coupled to the rear bending portion. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the second coupling portion is configured to be bent from the first coupling portion. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the first coupling portion is configured to make surface contact with the first bending portion. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the second coupling portion is configured to make surface contact with the rear bending portion. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the bracket comprises a recessed portion formed in the first coupling portion and having a recessed surface spaced apart from the first bending portion. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the bracket comprises a recessed portion formed in the second coupling portion and having a recessed surface spaced apart from the rear bending portion. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the second coupling portion comprises a raised portion formed to extend toward the rear bending portion and wherein the raised portion is in contact with the rear bending portion and surrounds a through-hole penetrated by a fastening member for coupling with the rear bending portion. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the raised portion is formed in a ring shape surrounding the through-hole. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first coupling portion comprises a protrusion extending toward the first bending portion and wherein the first bending portion comprises a locking hole penetrated by the protrusion. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the protrusion comprises a first hook portion extending in one of upward and downward directions from an inner portion passing through the locking hole. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the protruding portion comprises a second hook portion extending in the other of the upward and downward directions from the inner portion passing through the locking hole. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a vertical length of the bracket is configured to be shorter than that of the rear panel. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket is configured to have a vertically symmetrical shape. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first coupling portion is configured to be coupled to the first bending portion through a first fastening member and wherein the second coupling portion is configured to be coupled to the rear bending portion through a second fastening member. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the second coupling portion configured to be extend to be parallel to the second bending portion at least in part. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the bracket is configured to have the first coupling portion positioned on one side of the second coupling portion and a rigidity reinforcing portioned on an opposite side of the one side to extend forward. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first bending portion of the rear panel and the rear bending portion of the side panel are provided to be coupled to each other.