Patent ID: 8336339

Claim:
A drum type washing machine, comprising: a cabinet; a tub provided within the cabinet; a drum rotatably arranged in the tub, wherein a distance between an outer surface of the tub and a corresponding inner surface of the cabinet is less than a distance between an inner surface of the tub and a corresponding outer surface of the drum; a shaft connected to the drum; a motor that rotates the shaft; a supporting plate positioned at an open axial end of the tub, wherein the supporting plate rotatably supports the shaft; a suspension system that elastically supports the drum, the shaft, the motor and the supporting plate; and a substantially gasket connected between an axial end of the tub and the supporting plate such that the gasket allows the supporting plate to move relative to the tub, wherein the gasket comprises: a tub connecting portion that is connected to the tub; a supporting plate connecting portion that is positioned radially inward from the tub connecting portion and is connected to the supporting plate; and a flexible portion that extends radially between the tub connecting portion and the supporting plate connecting portion.