Patent ID: 8555680
Filing Date: 2013-10-15
Classification: D06F

Abstract:
1. A front loading washing machine comprising: a housing; a water reservoir installed in the housing to contain washing water; a spin tub provided in the water reservoir to hold laundry to be washed, the spin tub rotatable with respect to a horizontal axis of the washing machine, the spin tub including a cylindrical body, a front cover and a rear cover, the front cover having a front wall with an opening formed therein for receiving laundry and an annular recess having a predefined depth formed in the front wall of the front cover such that an outer annular side wall defining the annular recess establishes direct physical contact with a predefined area of an inner surface of the cylindrical body; and at least one balancer installed in the annular recess of the spin tub, the balancer comprising an annular shaped race formed of a plastic material, wherein the annular shaped race is formed by joining together a first housing section having an open side and a second housing section adapted to cover the open side of the first housing section, the first housing section includes a first side wall, a second side wall and a connecting wall between the first side wall and the second side wall, the first side wall being located most distant from a center of rotation of the annular shaped race and the second side wall being located closest to the center of rotation of the annular shaped race, an outer support portion is provided at an outer circumferential surface of the first side wall, the outer support portion continuously extending along a circumferential direction of the annular shaped race and protruding outward to make contact with the annular recess, and when a plurality of balls located within the annular shaped race rotate while making contact to an inner surface of the first side wall, the outer support portion transmits a centrifugal force of the balls to the annular recess.