Surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A hand vacuum cleaner having an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, with an air treatment member and a suction motor positioned in the air flow path, the dirty air inlet comprising a flow conduit having an inlet axis. A pistol grip handle is provided wherein the inlet axis intersects the pistol grip handle, and the suction motor is provided at a lower end of the pistol grip handle.

I claim: 
     
         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 and a suction motor positioned in the air flow path, the dirty air inlet comprising a flow conduit having an inlet axis; and,   (b) a pistol grip handle;   
       wherein the inlet axis intersects the pistol grip handle, and 
       wherein the suction motor is provided at a lower end of the pistol grip handle. 
     
     
         2 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising a porous pre-motor filter media wherein the pre-motor filter media is removable upwardly from the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         3 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 2  wherein the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner has an openable pre-motor filter housing and the porous pre-motor filter media is removably receivable in the pre-motor filter housing. 
     
     
         4 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the air treatment member comprises a cyclone chamber and a lower end of the cyclone chamber is openable. 
     
     
         5 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein an auxiliary cleaning tool is removably mountable to the dirty air inlet and an electrical connector is provided adjacent the dirty air inlet. 
     
     
         6 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein a finger receiving opening is provided between the pistol grip handle and a portion of the hand vacuum cleaner forward of the pistol grip handle and the inlet axis intersects the finger receiving opening. 
     
     
         7 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 6  wherein the finger receiving opening is provided between the pistol grip handle and the air treatment member. 
     
     
         8 . 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 positioned in the air flow path, the dirty air inlet comprising a flow conduit having an inlet axis; and,   (b) a pistol grip handle;   
       wherein the inlet axis intersects the pistol grip handle, and 
       wherein the pre-motor filter is positioned above the inlet conduit axis when the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner is above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         9 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 8  wherein the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner has an openable pre-motor filter housing and the pre-motor filter is removably receivable in the pre-motor filter housing. 
     
     
         10 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 8  wherein the air treatment member comprises a cyclone chamber and a lower end of the cyclone chamber is openable. 
     
     
         11 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 8  wherein an auxiliary cleaning tool is removably mountable to the dirty air inlet and an electrical connector is provided adjacent the dirty air inlet. 
     
     
         12 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 8  wherein a finger receiving opening is provided between the pistol grip handle and a portion of the hand vacuum cleaner forward of the pistol grip handle and the inlet axis intersects the finger receiving opening. 
     
     
         13 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 12  wherein the finger receiving opening is provided between the pistol grip handle and the air treatment member. 
     
     
         14 . 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, the dirty air inlet comprising a flow conduit having an inlet axis;   (b) an air treatment member positioned in the air flow path;   (c) a pre-motor filter removably receivable in a pre-motor filter housing wherein the pre-motor filter is positioned in the air flow path;   (d) a suction motor provided in a suction motor housing wherein the suction motor is positioned in the air flow path; and,   (e) a pistol grip handle;   
       wherein the inlet axis intersects the pistol grip handle, and 
       wherein the pistol grip handle extends between the suction motor housing and the pre-motor filter housing. 
     
     
         15 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein the pre-motor filter is removable upwardly from the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         16 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 15  wherein an upper end of the pre-motor filter housing is openable. 
     
     
         17 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein the air treatment member comprises a cyclone chamber and a lower end of the cyclone chamber is openable. 
     
     
         18 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein an auxiliary cleaning tool is removably mountable to the dirty air inlet and an electrical connector is provided adjacent the dirty air inlet. 
     
     
         19 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein a finger receiving opening is provided between the pistol grip handle and a portion of the hand vacuum cleaner forward of the pistol grip handle and the inlet axis intersects the finger receiving opening. 
     
     
         20 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 19  wherein the finger receiving opening is provided between the pistol grip handle and the air treatment member.