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 . An assembly method of a stacked-type laundry treating apparatus, the stacked-type laundry treating apparatus including a first treating apparatus, a second treating apparatus configured to be stacked below the first treating apparatus, and a control panel configured to control the first and second treating apparatuses, wherein the first treating apparatus includes a first cabinet including (i) a first front panel that defines a front of the first cabinet, (ii) first side panels that define left and right sides of the first cabinet, and (iii) a first rear panel that connects rear ends of the first side panels, and wherein the second treating apparatus includes a second cabinet including (i) a second front panel that defines a front of the second cabinet, (ii) second side panels that define left and right sides of the second cabinet, and (iii) a second rear panel that connect rear ends of the second side panels, the assembly method comprising:
 positioning the second treating apparatus at a user location without attaching the control panel to the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus; 
 after positioning the second treating apparatus at the user location, stacking the first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus without attaching the control panel to the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus; 
 after stacking the first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus, coupling an upper part of the second treating apparatus to a lower part of the first treating apparatus; and 
 after coupling the upper part of the second treating apparatus to the lower part of the first treating apparatus, inserting and coupling the control panel between the first front panel and the second front panel. 
 
     
     
         2 . The assembly method of  claim 1 , wherein the stacked-type laundry treating apparatus further includes a first frame having (i) a lower end configured to couple to an upper front surface of the second cabinet and (ii) an upper end configured to couple to a lower front surface of the first cabinet, and
 wherein coupling the upper part of the second treating apparatus to the lower part of the first treating apparatus comprises:
 coupling the first and second treating apparatuses to each other through the first frame in a state in which the first treating apparatus is seated on the second treating apparatus. 
   
     
     
         3 . The assembly method of  claim 2 , wherein the stacked-type laundry treating apparatus further includes a separate connection member disposed at the lower front surface of the first cabinet, and
 wherein coupling the upper part of the second treating apparatus to the lower part of the first treating apparatus further comprises coupling the upper end of the first frame to the connection member.   
     
     
         4 . The assembly method of  claim 3 , wherein positioning the second treating apparatus at the user location comprises:
 positioning the first frame between the second front panel and the second cabinet; and   coupling the lower end of the first frame to the second front panel and the second cabinet.   
     
     
         5 . The assembly method of  claim 4 , wherein the first frame extends in a left-right direction, and
 wherein positioning the second treating apparatus at the user location further comprises:
 coupling lateral ends of the first frame to a front of the second side panels; and 
 coupling a rear of the first frame to the second front panel. 
   
     
     
         6 . The assembly method of  claim 3 , wherein coupling the upper part of the second treating apparatus to the lower part of the first treating apparatus comprises:
 positioning the connection member at a lower front portion of the first side panels, and   coupling the upper end of the first frame to the lower front portion of the first side panels through the connection member.   
     
     
         7 . The assembly method of  claim 6 , wherein the connection member is configured to isolate the upper end of the first frame from the lower front portion of the first side panels. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly method of  claim 4 , wherein positioning the first frame comprises positioning the first frame at a rear of the second front panel, and
 wherein the upper end of the first frame is positioned higher than an upper surface of the second front panel, and the lower end of the first frame is positioned lower than the upper surface of the second front panel.   
     
     
         9 . The assembly method of  claim 8 , wherein the second front panel further includes an upper fastening unit that is bent upward from the upper surface of the second front panel, and
 wherein the upper end of the first frame extends above the upper fastening unit.   
     
     
         10 . The assembly method of  claim 9 , wherein coupling the upper part of the second treating apparatus to the lower part of the first treating apparatus comprises:
 coupling the first frame with the upper fastening unit and the connection member such that the second front panel is coupled to the lower part of the first treating apparatus.   
     
     
         11 . The assembly method of  claim 9 , wherein, in a state that the first treating apparatus is stacked on the second treating apparatus, the upper fastening unit of the second front panel is positioned higher than a bottom of the first treating apparatus, and
 wherein coupling the upper part of the second treating apparatus to the lower part of the first treating apparatus comprises coupling the upper fastening unit to the lower part of the first treating apparatus.   
     
     
         12 . The assembly method of  claim 11 , wherein coupling the upper part of the second treating apparatus to the lower part of the first treating apparatus comprises:
 positioning the upper end of the first frame above the second side panels; and   coupling both of the upper end of the first frame and the upper fastening unit to the lower part of the first treating apparatus.   
     
     
         13 . The assembly method of  claim 9 , wherein positioning the second treating apparatus at the user location comprises positioning the upper fastening unit to extend upward relative to the second side panels, and
 wherein stacking the first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus comprises positioning the upper fastening unit to support the lower part of the first treating apparatus at a front of the first treating apparatus.   
     
     
         14 . The assembly method of  claim 1 , wherein the second treating apparatus further includes a rear bracket having (i) a lower portion configured to couple to the second rear panel and (ii) an upper portion that extends above the second cabinet, and
 wherein the assembly method further comprises coupling the rear bracket to the second rear panel before stacking the first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus.   
     
     
         15 . The assembly method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 coupling the rear bracket to the first rear panel after coupling the upper part of the second treating apparatus to the lower part of the first treating apparatus.   
     
     
         16 . The assembly method of  claim 11 , wherein the second front panel includes:
 a panel seating portion that is a space defined by the upper surface and the upper fastening unit of the second front panel; and   a guide panel that extends in a left-right direction,   wherein the assembly method further comprises:
 attaching the guide panel to the panel seating portion during a period between (i) positioning the second treating apparatus at the user location and (ii) stacking the first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus without attaching the control panel, and 
   wherein the guide panel, the upper fastening unit, and the first frame overlap with one another along a front-rear direction in a state in which the guide panel is attached to the panel seating portion of the second front panel.   
     
     
         17 . The assembly method of  claim 16 , wherein the second treating apparatus further includes a rear bracket having (i) a lower portion configured to couple to the second rear panel and (ii) an upper portion that extends above the second cabinet, and
 wherein the assembly method further comprises:
 coupling the rear bracket to the second rear panel during the period between (i) positioning the second treating apparatus at the user location and (ii) stacking the first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus without attaching the control panel. 
   
     
     
         18 . The assembly method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 detaching the guide panel from the panel seating portion after stacking the first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus using the guide panel,   wherein, after detaching the guide panel from the panel seating portion, the upper part of the second treating apparatus is coupled to the lower part of the first treating apparatus.   
     
     
         19 . The assembly method of  claim 1 , wherein positioning the second treating apparatus at the user location comprises:
 positioning the second treating apparatus at the user location in a state in which the second front panel is coupled to the second cabinet,   wherein the stacked-type laundry treating apparatus further includes (i) a connection member configured to couple to a lower front surface of the first cabinet and (ii) a first frame having a lower end configured to couple to the second cabinet,   wherein stacking the first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus comprises:
 after coupling the first front panel to the first cabinet and the connection member at the lower front surface of the first cabinet, stacking the first treating apparatus on the second treating apparatus, 
   wherein coupling the upper part of the second treating apparatus to the lower part of the first treating apparatus comprises:
 coupling the lower end of the first frame to the second cabinet, and 
 coupling an upper end of the first frame to the connection member, and 
   wherein the control panel is inserted between the first front panel and the second front panel such that the control panel is positioned forward relative to the first frame.