Surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A hand vacuum cleaner has an airflow path from an air inlet to a clean air outlet with an air treatment member and a fan and motor assembly in the air flow path. The hand vacuum cleaner has a dirt collection chamber that is external to and connected in flow communication with a cyclone chamber by a gap located between the perimeter of an end wall of the cyclone chamber and a sidewall of the cyclone chamber or the dirt collection chamber. The gap is located only at an upper portion of the plate and/or is larger at the upper portion of the plate.

1 . A hand vacuum cleaner having a front end, a rear end, 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;   (b) a cyclone provided in the air flow path, the cyclone comprising a cyclone chamber, a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet, a dirt outlet, a central longitudinally extending axis, the cyclone chamber having front and rear axially opposed ends, wherein when the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner the central longitudinally extending axis is oriented generally horizontal;   (c) a dirt collection chamber external to the cyclone chamber;   (d) a plate positioned at the front end of the cyclone chamber, the plate having a cyclone chamber face facing the cyclone chamber, an opposed dirt collection chamber face facing the dirt collection chamber and a perimeter;   (e) a suction motor positioned in the air flow path; and,   (f) a handle   wherein, when the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner, a gap between the an upper portion of the plate and the cyclone defines the dirt outlet of the cyclone chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the gap extends around all of the perimeter of the plate, and, when the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the gap comprises an upper gap located between the upper end of the plate and the cyclone and a lower gap located between a lower end of the plate and the cyclone, and the radial width of the upper gap is larger than a radial width of the lower gap. 
     
     
         3 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the gap has a radial distance between the plate and the cyclone and the radial distance is larger at an upper end of the plate when the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         4 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the plate has a perimeter and the perimeter has two discontinuities. 
     
     
         5 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 4  wherein, when the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner, an upper end of the plate has a segment removed. 
     
     
         6 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the cyclone has a generally axially extending sidewall and the gap is provided between the perimeter of the plate and the sidewall. 
     
     
         7 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the cyclone air inlet and the cyclone air outlet are provided at the rear end of the cyclone chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the plate is moveably mounted between a closed position, in which the plate is positioned for operation of the cyclone and an open position wherein the plate is moved to provide access to the cyclone chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 8  wherein the dirt collection region has a front wall facing the plate and the front wall is openable. 
     
     
         10 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 9  wherein the plate is supported by the front wall and is moveable with the front wall. 
     
     
         11 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 10  further comprises a plurality of individual support members extending between the front wall and the plate wherein the support members are spaced around the plate. 
     
     
         12 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein the support members comprise planar axially extending members. 
     
     
         13 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein the support members have planar axially extending sidewalls. 
     
     
         14 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein the support members are recessed inwardly from the perimeter. 
     
     
         15 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein the support members are spaced around a central axially extending region of the dirt collection chamber 
     
     
         16 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;   (b) a cyclone provided in the air flow path, the cyclone comprising a cyclone chamber, a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet, a dirt outlet, a central longitudinally extending axis, the cyclone chamber having front and rear axially opposed ends;   (c) a dirt collection chamber external to the cyclone chamber;   (d) a plate positioned between the cyclone chamber and the dirt collection chamber, the plate having a cyclone chamber face facing the cyclone chamber, an opposed dirt collection chamber face facing the dirt collection chamber and a perimeter;   (e) a suction motor positioned in the air flow path; and,   (f) a plurality of individual support members located between an end wall of the dirt collection chamber that faces the plate and the plate wherein the support members are spaced around the plate and extend outwardly towards an outer wall of the dirt collection chamber.   
     
     
         17 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the end wall of the dirt collection chamber is openable and the plate is moveable with the end wall. 
     
     
         18 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the support members comprise planar axially extending members. 
     
     
         19 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the support members are recessed inwardly from the perimeter. 
     
     
         20 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the support members are spaced around a central axially extending region of the dirt collection chamber