Dirt collection chamber for a surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus comprises an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet. A suction motor may be provided in the air flow path. A cyclone chamber may be provided in the air flow path. The cyclone chamber may comprise a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet and a cyclone dirt outlet. A dirt collection chamber may comprise a dirt inlet in communication with the cyclone dirt outlet, an annular portion that surrounds at least a portion of the cyclone chamber, an inner side adjacent the cyclone chamber, and an outer side spaced from the cyclone chamber and defined by a dirt collection chamber sidewall. A support surface may extend between the inner side and the outer side. The support surface may extending part way around the annular portion and may extend away from the dirt inlet.

1 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and including a suction motor;   (b) a cyclone chamber provided in the air flow path and comprising a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet, a cyclone dirt outlet and a cyclone chamber wall;   (c) a dirt collection chamber comprising a first end, a spaced apart opposed second end, a dirt inlet in communication with the cyclone dirt outlet, an annular portion that surrounds at least a portion of the cyclone chamber, an inner side adjacent the cyclone chamber, and an outer side spaced from the cyclone chamber and defined by a dirt collection chamber sidewall; and,   (d) a support surface extending between the inner side and the outer side, configured to direct dirt towards a dirt collection area of the dirt collection chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the support surface extends part way around the annular portion and extends away from the dirt inlet. 
     
     
         3 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the support surface has first and second ends that are angularly spaced apart around the cyclone chamber and the support surface extends continuously away from the dirt inlet from the first end to the second end. 
     
     
         4 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the support surface has first and second ends that are angularly spaced apart around the cyclone chamber and a mid-section and the support surface extends continuously away from the dirt inlet from the mid-section to the first end and to the second end. 
     
     
         5 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the support surface is curved. 
     
     
         6 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the support surface has first and second ends that are angularly spaced apart around the cyclone chamber and the support surface extends towards the dirt inlet from the first and second ends at an angle of up to 50° from a plane transverse to a longitudinal axis of the cyclone chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the support surface extends towards the dirt inlet from the first and second ends at an angle from to 15° to 35° from a plane transverse to a longitudinal axis of the cyclone chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the dirt inlet is provided at the first end and the support surface is spaced from the dirt inlet towards the opposed second end. 
     
     
         9 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the cyclone dirt outlet is the dirt collection chamber dirt inlet. 
     
     
         10 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the dirt collection chamber comprises the dirt collection area is provided at the opposed second end. 
     
     
         11 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the dirt inlet is at an upper end of the dirt collection chamber and the dirt collection area is in a lower portion of the dirt collection chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the cyclone chamber and the dirt collection chamber are provided in a cyclone bin assembly and the cyclone bin assembly is removably mounted to the surface cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the cyclone chamber has a cyclone chamber first end and an opposed cyclone chamber second end and the cyclone dirt outlet is provided adjacent the cyclone chamber first end and the cyclone air inlet is provided at the opposed cyclone chamber second end. 
     
     
         14 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 13  wherein cyclone chamber air outlet is provided at the opposed cyclone chamber second end. 
     
     
         15 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the cyclone chamber first end is an upper end of the cyclone chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the cyclone chamber first end is provided proximate the first end of the dirt collection chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the cyclone chamber has a cyclone chamber first end and an opposed cyclone chamber second end and the cyclone chamber is provided proximate the first end of the dirt collection chamber and the opposed second end of the dirt collection chamber is spaced from and faces the opposed cyclone chamber second end. 
     
     
         18 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein air travels in the annular portion in a direction of rotation and the support surface extends away from the dirt inlet in the direction of rotation. 
     
     
         19 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the support surface has first and second ends that are angularly spaced apart around the cyclone chamber and the support surface extends continuously away from the dirt inlet from the first end to the second end.