Patent ID: 8522580

Claim:
A front loading washing machine, comprising: a housing; a water reservoir installed in the housing for containing washing water; a spin tub provided in the water reservoir to hold laundry to be washed, the spin tub rotatable with respect to a non-vertical axis of the washing machine, the spin tub including a cylindrical drum body and a front cover with an opening provided at a front side thereof to receive laundry; and at least one balancer mounted to the spin tub, the balancer having an annular shaped housing that defines a closed internal space in which a plurality of balls are accommodated, the annular shaped housing being formed of a plastic material, wherein the plastic annular shaped housing is mounted to an exterior of the front cover of the spin tub, the plastic annular shaped housing comprises a first housing section having an open side, first and second walls facing each other and a third wall formed between the first and second walls, and a second housing section adapted to cover the open side of the first housing section, the first housing section and the second housing section being joined to together to form the annular shaped housing, the first housing section has a plurality of support sections formed on the first wall such that the support sections are spaced apart from each other in an annular direction, each of the support sections having a predetermined thickness protruding in a direction of a centrifugal force, and the support sections are adapted to support the plastic annular shaped housing on the front cover of the spin tub.