Patent ID: 8650918

Claim:
A basket assembly for a washing machine, said basket assembly comprising: a basket having an axis and a first end and a second end spaced along said axis; said basket defining a cavity at said first end of said basket for receiving laundry and having an end wall at said second end of said basket extending transverse to said axis with said end wall of said basket defining a depression; and a support bracket for transmitting rotation from a motor to said basket, said support bracket being disposed in said depression and being formed of polyalkylene terephthalate reinforced with glass fibers comprising 30%-50% glass content; said support bracket including a hub and fins integral with said hub and spaced from each other extending radially from said hub, each of said fins having an attachment portion connected to said basket at said second end of said basket; said fins and said reinforcement rod abutting said end wall of said basket in said depression for transmitting rotation from said support bracket to said basket; said support bracket including a reinforcement rod spaced from said hub extending from said attachment portion of one of said fins to said attachment portion of another of said fins for reinforcing said fins when said support bracket transmits rotation from the motor to said basket; said reinforcement rod being integral with said one of said fins and said another of said fins; and a fastener extending from said attachment portion of each of said fins, respectively, to said basket.