# Patent

## Title
Connecting assembly for sweeping and wringing apparatus

## Abstract

A connecting assembly for a sweeping and wringing apparatus is used in conjunction with a sweeping and wringing apparatus having a cleaning head, a main rod and a U-shaped wringing rod and comprises a connecting rod, having an upper end that is hingedly connected with the U-shaped wringing rod and a lower end reaching down inside the main rod, and a connecting part, having an upper end with a joint that is hingedly connected with the lower end of the connecting rod, an extended middle part and a fixing part that is fastened to the cleaning head, so that assembling and replacing of the cleaning head are facilitated and damaging of furniture during sweeping is avoided.

## Background
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connecting assembly for a sweeping and wringing apparatus, particularly to a connecting assembly for a sweeping and wringing apparatus driving a wringing movement of a cleaning element and accommodated within a main rod, thereby being easy to mount and replace and avoiding damaging of furniture during floor sweeping.
2. Description of Related Art
As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, a conventional sweeping and wringing apparatus comprises: a cleaning head 1, a squeezing head 2, a main rod 3, a U-shaped wringing rod 4, two connecting rods 5, two transverse bars 56, and squeezers 57. The cleaning head 1 has a base plate 11 and a cleaning element 12 and is used for sweeping a floor. The squeezing head 2 is placed on an upper side of the cleaning head 1, partly surrounding the cleaning head 1 in the shape of the inverted letter U, and has an upper part, having a fasten hole 21 and two sides with openings 22, and downward extending front and rear parts, each of which have a left arm 23 and a right arm 24 further extending downward, enclosing an opening 27. Through holes 25, 26 are bored through the left and right arms 23, 24, respectively. The main rod 3 is mounted on the fasting hole 21 of the squeezing head 2 and serves as a hold during sweeping. The wringing rod 4 is on two ends thereof hingedly connected with the main rod 3 at a middle section thereof and has an outward-reaching middle section with a grip 41, facilitating pulling up of the wringing rod 4. The two connecting rods 5 are symmetrically dispose along two lateral sides of the main rod 3, having upper ends that are hingedly connected with the wringing rod 4 and lower ends that respectively pass through the openings 22 and are fastened to the base plate 11 of the cleaning head 1. The two connecting rods 5 are moved upward by pulling up of the wringing rod 4, in turn pulling the cleaning head 1 upward. The transverse bars 56 are respectively mounted on the front and rear parts of the squeezing head 2, each passing through the through holes 25, 26 of the left and right arms 23, 24. The squeezing 57 are respectively set on the two transverse bars 56, leaving a gap in between. When the cleaning element 12 enters the gap between the squeezers 57, water contained therein is squeezed out.
For wringing the cleaning head 1, the user holds main rod 3 with one hand and, with the other hand holding the grip 41, pushes up the wringing rod 4, so that the two connecting rods 5 pull up the base plate 11, taking along the cleaning element 12. The cleaning element 12, having entered the gap between the squeezers 57, is compressed, and water contained therein is squeezed out. After the cleaning element 12 has been wrung, the two connecting rods 5 are pushed down to an original position, in turn pushing down the cleaning element 12 to an original position. Repeated pushing up and down of the wringing rod 4 brings about complete wringing of the cleaning element 12.
Conventional sweeping and wringing apparatuses are convenient and widely used in households. However, the following shortcomings remain:

    1. The connecting rods 5 are placed on outer sides, hence easily damage furniture during floor cleaning.
    2. Assembling the connecting rods 5 requires much time. Deforming the connecting rods 5 by external force makes the the connecting rods 5 useless.
    3. Replacing the cleaning element 12 is inconvenient.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connecting assembly for a sweeping and wringing apparatus which is easy to mount and contributes to reduced production cost.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a connecting assembly for a sweeping and wringing apparatus which helps to avoid damaging of furniture during floor sweeping.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a connecting assembly for a sweeping and wringing apparatus which allows for easy replacing of a cleaning head.
The present invention can be more fully understood by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings.


DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As shown in FIGS. 1–5, the connecting rod assembly of the present invention is used in conjunction with a sweeping and wringing apparatus having a cleaning 1a with a base plate 11a and a cleaning element 12a, a squeezing head 2a, a main rod 3a, a U-shaped wringing rod 4a, and two squeezers 57. The connecting assembly of the present invention comprises a connecting rod 5a and a connecting part 6.
The squeezing head 2a is placed on an upper side of the cleaning head 1a, partly surrounding the cleaning head 1a in the shape of the inverted letter U. The squeezing head 2a has an upper part with a fastening hole 21 and front and rear holders 23, 24, separately bridging an opening 27. The main rod 3a is mounted on the fasting hole 21 of the squeezing head 2a and has a lower part an elongated hole 31. The wringing rod 4a is on two ends thereof hingedly connected with the main rod 3a at a middle section thereof and has an outward-reaching middle section with a grip 4la, facilitating pulling up of the wringing rod 4a. The connecting rod 5a has an upper end hingedly connected with the wringing rod 4a close to the ends thereof and lower end that reaches down inside the main rod 3a. The connecting part 6 has a upper end hingedly connected with the lower end of the connecting rod 5a and a lower end fastened to the cleaning head 1a . The squeezers 57 are symmetrically disposed on the squeezing head 2a at two sides of the front and rear holders 23, 24, respectively, for wringing the cleaning head 12a. 
For wringing the cleaning element 12a, a user holds the main rod 3a with one hand and, with the other hand holding the grip 41a, pushes up the wringing rod 4a, so that the connecting rod 5a pulls up the connecting part 6, taking along the cleaning element 12a. The cleaning element 12a, having entered the gap between the squeezers 57, is compressed, and water contained therein is squeezed out.
The characteristics of the present invention are, firstly, that the connecting rod 5a is placed inside the main rod 3a and is hingedly connected with the connecting part 6 and, secondly, that the connecting part 6 is fixed on the cleaning head 1a, facilitating replacing of the cleaning head 1a. 
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the connecting part 6 comprises a joint 61, an extended middle part 63 and a fixing part 65. The extended part 63 has a longitudinal elongated hole 64. Suitable fixing elements 32, like rivets or bolts, fasten the main rod 3a on the squeezing head 2a, while allowing the connecting part 6 freely to move vertically, guided by the elongated hole 64. Since the connecting part 6 is placed inside the main rod 3a, no damaging of furniture during floor sweeping will occur.
As shown in FIG. 6, a connecting part 56 comprises the joint 61, an extended middle part 63a and the fixing part 65. The main rod 3a is by short screws fixed on the squeezing head 2a, allowing the connecting part 6 freely to move vertically.
A comparison between the present invention (FIGS. 1–6) and conventional art (FIGS. 12 and 13) shows that conventional art uses connecting rods of complicated structures, which are not easy to mount and to replace. In contrast thereto, the connecting rod 5a has a simple structure and is easily mounted. Assembling and replacing the cleaning head 1a is readily done, as well.
As shown in FIG. 7, a fixing part 65a has a T-shaped groove 66a. The T-shaped groove 66a holds a T-shaped projection 13a which is attached to the cleaning head 1a. Curved depressions 651 in the T-shaped groove 66a facilitate insertion without deforming, and reinforcing clasps 652 increase stability. Furthermore, two transverse incisions 653 enclose a localizing block 654, which, when set on a corresponding depression on the T-shaped projection 13a, allows precisely to position the fixing part 65a thereon.
As shown in FIG. 8, a fixing part 65b has a T-shaped groove 66b. The T-shaped groove 66b holds a T-shaped projection 13b on a cleaning head 1b. 
As shown in FIG. 9, a fixing part 65c has a T-shaped projection 66c. The T-shaped projection 66c holds a T-shaped groove 13c on a cleaning head 1c. 
As shown in FIG. 10, a fixing part 65d has a groove 66d. The groove 66d has lateral walls with holes 67 for fastening the fixing part 65d on a cleaning head 1d by fixing elements 68, which are screws or bolts.
As shown in FIG. 11, a fixing part 65e has a projection 66e. The projection 66e has transverse holes 69 for fastening the fixing part 65e on a cleaning head 1e by fixing elements 70, which are screws or bolts.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front view of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the present invention during the wringing movement.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of area A of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of area A of FIG. 1, with the cleaning head pulled up to a highest position.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of area A of FIG. 1 in another embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 7–11 are perspective views of the connecting part and the cleaning head of the present invention in further embodiments.
FIG. 12 (prior art) is a front view of a conventional sweeping and wringing apparatus.
FIG. 13 (prior art) is a side view of a conventional sweeping and wringing apparatus.

## Claims

1. A connecting assembly for a sweeping and wringing apparatus having a cleaning head, a main rod and a U-shaped wringing rod, said connecting assembly comprising:
a connecting rod, having an upper end that is hingedly connected with said U-shaped wringing rod and a lower end reaching down inside said main rod;
a connecting part, having an upper end with a joint that is hingedly connected with said lower end of said connecting rod, an extended middle part and a fixing part that is fastened to the cleaning head, so that assembling and replacing of said cleaning head are facilitated and damaging of furniture during sweeping is avoided;
wherein said extended middle part of said connecting part has a longitudinal elongated hole; and
further wherein said fixing part of said connecting part has a T-shaped groove.

2. A connecting assembly for a sweeping and wringing apparatus having a cleaning head, a main rod and a U-shaped wringing rod, said connecting assembly comprising:
a connecting rod, having an tipper end that is hingedly connected with said U-shaped wringing rod and a lower end reaching down inside said main rod;
a connecting part, having an upper end with a joint that is hingedly connected with said lower end of said connecting rod, an extended middle part and a fixing part that is fastened to the cleaning head, so that assembling and replacing of said cleaning head are facilitated and damaging of furniture during sweeping is avoided;
wherein said extended middle part of said connecting part has a longitudinal elongated hole; and
wherein said fixing part of said connecting part has a T-shaped projection.

3. A connecting assembly for a sweeping and wringing apparatus having a cleaning head, a main rod and a U-shaped wringing rod, said connecting assembly comprising:
a connecting rod, having an upper end that is hingedly connected with said U-shaped wringing rod and, a lower end reaching down inside said main rod;
a connecting part, having an upper end with a joint that is hingedly connected with said lower end of said connecting rod, an extended middle part and a fixing part that is fastened to the cleaning head, so that assembling and replacing of said cleaning head are facilitated and damaging of furniture during sweeping is avoided;
wherein said extended middle part of said connecting part has a longitudinal elongated, hole; and
wherein said fixing part of said connecting part has at least one projection with transverse holes, adapted to fasten said fixing part on said cleaning head by fixing elements.