Patent ID: 8028439

Claim:
A clothes dryer comprising a dryer drum having an open end, a front panel, and a bearing structure for fitting into and rotatably supporting the open end of the dryer drum relative to the front panel, the bearing structure comprising: a lower bearing portion comprising an arcuate channel for rotatably receiving the open end of the dryer drum, the arcuate channel comprising an arcuate inner wall portion positioned inside the open end of the dryer drum, a base wall portion extending radially outward from the arcuate inner wall portion to form a base for the channel, and an arcuate outer wall portion extending from the base wall portion outside of the open end of the dryer drum and spaced from the arcuate inner wall portion; a gasket positioned in the channel in contact with the open end of the dryer drum; the arcuate outer wall portion comprising a plurality of spaced apart elongated clips formed on the arcuate outer wall portion and curving back into the channel for grasping the gasket and preventing the gasket from moving axially out of the channel during dryer drum rotation; and at least one of the base wall portion and the arcuate outer wall portion and the base wall portion a plurality of elongated bumps protruding into the channel, each of the elongated bumps being interspaced between the elongated clips whereby the gasket lies serpentinely in the channel ascending over bumps and descending below the clips to prevent slippage of the gasket along the channel during dryer drum rotation.