Washing machine having a gasket

Abstract

A washing machine includes a housing with a front panel defining a front opening, a tub defining a tub opening, and a drum in the tub rotatable on a rotation axis and defining a drum opening. The drum is connected to a motor defining a rotation direction. The tub opening and the drum opening define a gap enabling drum rotation while the motor is rotating the drum. The washing machine further includes a ring-shaped gasket providing a substantially waterproof seal between the front panel and the tub and including a front rim engaging the front opening, a rear rim engaging the tub opening, and a collar having a first end adjacent the rear rim and projecting radially inwardly beyond the gap to a second end. A collar thickness between the first end and the second end is not uniform around the gasket.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . A washing machine comprising:
 a housing with a front panel defining a front opening for loading and retrieving laundry, the housing forming an exterior of the washing machine;   a tub behind the front panel and secured within the housing defining a tub opening for communicating with the front opening;   a drum in the tub rotatable on a rotation axis and defining a drum opening substantially aligned with the tub opening;   a motor connected to the drum and defining a rotation direction, wherein the tub opening and the drum opening define a gap enabling drum rotation while the motor rotates the drum; and   a ring-shaped gasket providing a substantially waterproof seal between the front panel and the tub and including a front rim engaging the front opening, a rear rim engaging the tub opening, and a collar having a first end adjacent the rear rim and projecting radially inwardly beyond the gap to a second end, wherein a collar thickness between the first end and the second end is not uniform around the gasket.   
   
   
       14 . The washing machine of  claim 13 , further comprising a shock absorber between the front rim and rear rim and having an elongated bent shape between the front rim and the rear rim to attenuate vibration from the tub to the housing. 
   
   
       15 . The washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein said collar keeps the laundry from the gap while the motor is in operation. 
   
   
       16 . The washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein the collar has first and second arcuate sections along the ring-shaped gasket, the collar thickness in the first section is greater than the collar thickness in the second section. 
   
   
       17 . The washing machine of  claim 16 , wherein the first section is partially below the rotation axis and the second section is partially above the rotation axis. 
   
   
       18 . The washing machine of  claim 16 , wherein the first section is partially above the rotation axis and the second section is partially below the rotation axis. 
   
   
       19 . The washing machine of  claim 16 , wherein the first section has a first section length and the second section has a second section length greater than the first section length. 
   
   
       20 . The washing machine of  claim 16 , wherein the second section is partly follows the first section in a clockwise direction starting from a bottom of the collar. 
   
   
       21 . The washing machine of  claim 16 , wherein adjacent inner peripherals of the first section and the second section of the collar defines a substantially circular perimeter with a center eccentric to the rotation axis when the motor is inactive. 
   
   
       22 . The washing machine of  claim 16 , wherein the circular perimeter has a substantially concentric center with the rotation axis while the motor is in operation.