Hand vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A hand vacuum cleaner having arranged from front to back an air treatment member, a pre-motor filter, a suction motor and a handle wherein the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member, the central longitudinal axis of the pre-motor filter, the suction motor axis of rotation and the hand grip portion are generally parallel.

1 . A hand vacuum cleaner having an upper end and a lower end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet with an air treatment member, a pre-motor filter and a suction motor provided in the air flow path, the dirty air inlet is provided at a front end of the hand vacuum cleaner;   (b) the air treatment member has a front end, a rear end and a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment member;   (c) the pre-motor filter is positioned rearward of the air treatment member, the pre-motor filter has a front end, a rear end and a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends of the pre-motor filter.   (d) the suction motor is positioned rearward of the pre-motor filter, the suction motor has a suction motor axis of rotation; and,   (e) a handle provided rearward of the suction motor, the handle having a hand grip portion that extends axially,   wherein the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member, the central longitudinal axis of the pre-motor filter, the suction motor axis of rotation and the hand grip portion are generally parallel.   
     
     
         2 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member, the central longitudinal axis of the pre-motor filter, the suction motor axis of rotation and the hand grip portion are generally horizontal. 
     
     
         3 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the hand grip portion houses at least one battery wherein the battery extends axially and the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member and the battery are generally parallel. 
     
     
         4 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising an inlet passage which has an inlet axis that is generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member, wherein the air treatment member is moveable with respect to the suction motor and the inlet passage is moveable with the air treatment member. 
     
     
         5 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising an inlet passage which has an inlet axis that is generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the inlet axis is vertically spaced from the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member. 
     
     
         6 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising an inlet passage which has an inlet axis that is generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the inlet axis overlies the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member. 
     
     
         7 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 4  wherein the inlet axis is generally co-axial with the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member. 
     
     
         8 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising a battery compartment that houses at least one battery wherein the battery extends axially and the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member and the battery are generally parallel. 
     
     
         9 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the air treatment member comprises a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection chamber external thereto and the dirt collection chamber is positioned forward of the cyclone chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the air treatment member comprises a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection chamber external thereto and the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member is a central longitudinal axis of the cyclone chamber and, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the dirt collection chamber is positioned above the central longitudinal axis of the cyclone chamber. 
     
     
         11 . A hand vacuum cleaner having an upper end and a lower end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet with an air treatment member and a suction motor provided in the air flow path, the dirty air inlet is provided at a front end of the hand vacuum cleaner;   (b) the air treatment member has a front end, a rear end and a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment member;   (c) the suction motor is positioned rearward of the air treatment member, the suction motor has a suction motor axis of rotation;   (d) a handle provided rearward of the suction motor, the handle housing at least one battery wherein the battery extends axially; and   (e) an inlet passage which has an inlet axis that is generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member,
 wherein the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member, the suction motor axis of rotation and the battery are generally parallel and, 
 wherein the air treatment member is moveable with respect to the suction motor and the inlet passage is moveable with the air treatment member. 
   
     
     
         12 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member, the suction motor axis of rotation and the battery are generally horizontal. 
     
     
         13 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein the pre-motor filter has a front end, a rear end and a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends of the pre-motor filter and the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member and the central longitudinal axis of the pre-motor filter are generally parallel. 
     
     
         14 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  further comprising a pre-motor filter positioned in the air flow path rearward of the air treatment member. 
     
     
         15 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein the pre-motor filter has a front end, a rear end and a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends of the pre-motor filter and the central longitudinal axis of the pre-motor filter and the suction motor axis of rotation are generally parallel. 
     
     
         16 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein the handle has a hand grip portion and the hand grip portion comprises the battery compartment. 
     
     
         17 . A hand vacuum cleaner having an upper end and a lower end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet with an air treatment member, a pre-motor filter exterior of the air treatment member and a suction motor provided in the air flow path, the dirty air inlet is provided at a front end of the hand vacuum cleaner;   (b) the air treatment member has a front end, a rear end and a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment member;   (c) the suction motor is positioned rearward of the air treatment member, the suction motor has a suction motor axis of rotation; and,   (d) a handle provided rearward of the suction motor, the handle comprising a battery compartment hosing at least one battery wherein the battery extends axially,
 wherein the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member and the battery are generally parallel and the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member intersects the battery compartment, and 
 wherein the air treatment member is moveable with respect to the suction motor and pre-motor filter remains in position when the air treatment member is moved with respect to the suction motor. 
   
     
     
         18 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 17  wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member is generally horizontal. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 17  further comprising an inlet passage, wherein the air treatment member is moveable with respect to the suction motor and the inlet passage is moveable with the air treatment member. 
     
     
         22 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the air treatment member is moveable with respect to the suction motor and pre-motor filter remains in position when the air treatment member is moved with respect to the suction motor.