Surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus is disclosed having a forward portion and a rearward portion. The forward portion has a dirty air inlet, a front side, a rear side and a forward bridging section, the forward bridging section having a rearwardly extending air flow passage that is downstream from the dirty air inlet. The rearward portion positioned rearward of the forward portion, the rearward portion comprising a front side, a rearward side, a rearward bridging section, a lower planar surface, an upper surface and an up flow duct, the rearward bridging section being spaced rearward of the front side of the rearward portion. The rear side of the forward portion is spaced from and faces the front side of the rearward portion and the forward bridging section is connected to the rearward bridging section.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surface cleaning head comprising
 (a) a forward portion having a dirty air inlet, a front side, a rear side and a forward bridging section, the forward bridging section having a rearwardly extending air flow passage that is downstream from the dirty air inlet; and,   (b) a rearward portion positioned rearward of the forward portion, the rearward portion comprising a front side, a rearward side, a rearward bridging section, a lower planar surface, an upper surface and an up flow duct, the rearward bridging section being spaced rearward of the front side of the rearward portion,   wherein the rear side of the forward portion is spaced from and faces the front side of the rearward portion,   and wherein the forward bridging section is connected to the rearward bridging section.   
     
     
         2 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the rearward bridging section comprises a rearwardly extending air flow passage. 
     
     
         3 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the up flow duct is positioned at a rearward end of the rearward portion and the rearwardly extending air flow passage of the rearward portion extends rearwardly to the up flow duct. 
     
     
         4 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the upper surface of the rearward portion has engagement member wherein a cleaning sheet is removably positionable adjacent the lower surface of the rearward portion and removably securable to the engagement members. 
     
     
         5 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the cleaning sheet has engagement members that are removably connectable with the engagement members on the upper surface of the rearward portion. 
     
     
         6 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the engagement members of the cleaning sheet and the upper surface comprise mating mechanical engagement members. 
     
     
         7 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the engagement members of the cleaning sheet and the upper surface comprise hook and loop fasteners. 
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the front side of the rearward portion has an upper surface extending between laterally opposed sides of the rearward portion. 
     
     
         9 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the rearward bridging section is positioned on the rearward section at a position rearward of the front side of the rearward portion. 
     
     
         10 . A surface cleaning head comprising
 (a) a forward portion having a dirty air inlet, a front side, first and second forward laterally opposed side portions and a forward central portion positioned intermediate the forward laterally opposed side portions; and,   (b) a rearward portion positioned rearward of the forward portion, the rearward portion comprising first and second rearward laterally opposed side portions, a rearward central portion positioned intermediate the rearward laterally opposed side portions, a lower planar surface, an upper surface and an up flow duct,   wherein a rear side of the first forward laterally opposed side portion is spaced from and faces a front side of the first rearward laterally opposed side portion,   and wherein a rear side of the second forward laterally opposed side portion is spaced from and faces a front side of the second rearward laterally opposed side portion,   and wherein the forward central portion is connected to the rearward central portion and the forward central portion comprises a forward air flow passage that connects with a rearward air flow passage provided in the rearward central portion.   
     
     
         11 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the up flow duct is positioned at a rearward end of the rearward portion and the rearward air flow passage extends rearwardly to the up flow duct. 
     
     
         12 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the upper surface of the rearward portion has engagement member wherein a cleaning sheet is removably positionable adjacent the lower surface of the rearward portion and removably securable to the engagement members. 
     
     
         13 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the cleaning sheet has engagement members that are removably connectable with the engagement members on the upper surface of the rearward portion. 
     
     
         14 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the engagement members of the cleaning sheet and the upper surface comprise mating mechanical engagement members. 
     
     
         15 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the engagement members of the cleaning sheet and the upper surface comprise hook and loop fasteners. 
     
     
         16 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 10  wherein a rear side of the forward central portion is spaced from and faces a front side of the rearward central portion. 
     
     
         17 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the forward and rearward central portions comprise a bridging section extending between the forward and rearward portions and the bridging section is elevated whereby the rear sides of the first and second forward laterally opposed side portions and the forward central portion define a continuous laterally extending rear side and the front sides of the first and second rearward laterally opposed side portions and the rearward central portion define a continuous laterally extending front side that is spaced from and faces the continuous laterally extending rear side. 
     
     
         18 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the continuous laterally extending front side has an upper surface extending between laterally opposed sides of the rearward portion. 
     
     
         19 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the bridging section extends to a position rearward of the continuous laterally extending front side.