Construction of a vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner has a suction motor and fan assembly in a main airflow conduit extending between the dirty air inlet, typically in a surface cleaning head, and a filtration member.

1 . An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising a surface cleaning head and an upper casing pivotally mounted thereto, the upper casing moveable between a storage position in which the upper casing extends generally vertically upwardly from the surface cleaning head and an in use position, the surface cleaning head having a dirty air inlet, the surface cleaning apparatus having a clean air outlet, an air flow passage extending between the dirty air inlet and the clean air outlet, the air flow passage including a conduit extending generally vertically upwardly when the upper casing is in the storage position and a motor and fan assembly positioned in the conduit.  
     
     
         2 . The upright surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a filtration member positioned in the upper casing and the conduit extends between the surface cleaning head and the filtration member.  
     
     
         3 . The upright surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the motor and fan assembly is positioned adjacent the surface cleaning head.  
     
     
         4 . The upright surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the conduit has a longitudinal axis and the motor and fan assembly has an axial flow direction and is positioned in the conduit portion such that the axial flow direction is parallel and coplanar with the longitudinal axis of the conduit.  
     
     
         5 . The upright surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the conduit extends away from the surface cleaning head.  
     
     
         6 . The upright surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the motor and fan assembly is positioned exterior to the surface cleaning head.  
     
     
         7 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising a dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet, an air flow passage extending between the dirty air inlet and the dirty air outlet, the air flow passage in fluid flow communication with a motor and fan assembly, the motor and fan assembly having an axial flow direction and the air flow passage having a portion having a longitudinal axis and a substantial linear longitudinal extent and the motor and fan assembly is positioned in the portion such that the axial flow direction is parallel and coplanar with the longitudinal axis of the portion.  
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  further comprising a surface cleaning head and a filtration member and the portion extends from the surface cleaning head to the filtration member.  
     
     
         9 . The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the surface cleaning apparatus is an upright or stick vacuum cleaner.  
     
     
         10 . The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the portion comprises a generally vertically extending airflow duct when the surface cleaning apparatus is in a storage position and the motor and fan assembly is provided in the generally vertically extending airflow duct.  
     
     
         11 . The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the portion comprises two generally vertically extending air flow ducts and a motor and fan assembly is provided in one of the generally vertically extending airflow ducts.  
     
     
         12 . The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the motor and fan assembly and the portion each have a linear extent and the linear extent of the portion is at least about three times the linear extent of the motor and fan assembly.  
     
     
         13 . The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the motor and fan assembly and the portion each have a linear extent and the linear extent of the portion is at least about five times the linear extent of the motor and fan assembly.