Laundry treating apparatus and assembly method of the same

Abstract

An assembly method of a laundry treating apparatus includes a first step of positioning a second treating apparatus in a desired place for assembly, a second step of seating a first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus, a third step of coupling a upper fastening unit of the second treating apparatus with a lower portion of the first treating apparatus, and a fourth step of coupling a control panel onto a panel seating portion provided between a lower surface of a first front panel of the first treating apparatus and an upper surface of the second front panel of the second treating apparatus. The upper fastening unit may be positioned to be higher than a lower surface of the first treating apparatus after the second step is performed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stacked laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a first treating apparatus comprising:
 a first cabinet comprising a first front panel, a first rear panel, and first side panels, and 
 a first drum disposed in the first cabinet; 
   a second treating apparatus disposed below the first treating apparatus, the second treating apparatus comprising:
 a second cabinet comprising a second front panel, a second rear panel, and 
   second side panels, and
 a second drum disposed in the second cabinet; 
   a first frame having (i) a lower portion that is coupled to a front part of the second side panels and (ii) an upper portion that is positioned above the second side panels, the upper portion of the first frame being coupled to a lower part of the first treating apparatus in a stacked state in which the first treating apparatus is stacked on the second treating apparatus; and   a control panel configured to control the first and second treating apparatuses,   wherein the control panel is configured to be inserted between a lower part of the first front panel and an upper part of the second front panel based on the lower portion of the first cabinet and the upper portion of the second cabinet being coupled to a front side of the first frame.   
     
     
         2 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lower portion of the first frame is coupled to the front part of the second side panels. 
     
     
         3 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first frame is disposed between the second front panel and at least one of the second side panels. 
     
     
         4 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lower portion of the first frame is coupled to the second front panel at the front side of the first frame, and
 wherein a rear side of the first frame is coupled to the second side panels.   
     
     
         5 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first treating apparatus further comprises a connection member coupled to the upper portion of the first frame. 
     
     
         6 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the connection member is disposed at the lower part of the first side panels. 
     
     
         7 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the upper portion of the first frame is coupled to a front part of the first side panels via the connection member. 
     
     
         8 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the second front panel comprises an upper surface that extends from a top edge of a front surface of the second front panel, and
 wherein, in the stacked state, the upper surface of the second front panel is positioned higher than a bottom surface of the first treating apparatus, and the second front panel partially covers the lower part of the first treating apparatus from a front side of the first treating apparatus.   
     
     
         9 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the upper portion of the first frame is insulated from a front part of the first side panels via the connection member. 
     
     
         10 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the second front panel further comprises an upper fastening portion that extends upward from the upper surface of the second front panel and that is coupled to the lower part of the first treating apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first frame comprises a plate having a surface parallel to the front surface of the second front panel, and
 wherein the first frame is disposed between the second front panel and at least one of the second side panels.   
     
     
         12 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first frame is fixed to the second treating apparatus, and
 wherein the upper portion of the first frame extends upward and is coupled to the lower part of the first treating apparatus.   
     
     
         13 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the upper portion of the first frame is disposed at a rear side of the upper fastening portion. 
     
     
         14 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the upper portion of the first frame is disposed between the upper fastening portion and the first side panels and coupled together with the upper fastening portion to the lower part of the first treating apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first frame and the upper fastening portion are coupled to the connection member after the first treating apparatus is stacked on the second treating apparatus to thereby couple the second front panel to the lower part of the first treating apparatus. 
     
     
         16 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the upper fastening portion and the upper portion of the first frame are disposed rearward relative to the control panel. 
     
     
         17 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second frame coupled to the lower part of the first side panels,
 wherein the control panel is coupled to the second frame.   
     
     
         18 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second cabinet further comprises a second upper panel that defines an upper surface of the second cabinet, and
 wherein the second upper panel defines a groove that receives a bottom portion of the first treating apparatus.   
     
     
         19 . The stacked laundry treating apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising a rear bracket coupled to an upper part of the second rear panel at a rear side of the rear bracket,
 wherein the rear bracket protrudes above the second upper panel and is configured to support the first treating apparatus based on the first treating apparatus moving rearward relative to the second treating apparatus while being stacked on the second treating apparatus.