Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus has first and second cleaning stages, a pre-motor filter and a suction motor. The second cleaning stage comprises at least one cyclone. The components are laterally and vertically spaced with respect to other components.

1 .- 16 . 
     
     
         17 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty fluid inlet to a clean air outlet;   (b) a first cleaning stage comprising an air treatment chamber positioned in the air flow path, the air treatment chamber having an upper end and an opposed lower end, wherein an air treatment chamber axis extends between the upper and lower ends, wherein an air treatment chamber air inlet and an air treatment chamber air outlet are provided in the upper end;   (c) a second cleaning stage positioned in the air flow path downstream from the first cleaning stage wherein the second cleaning stage comprises at least one cyclone;   (d) a pre-motor filter positioned in the air flow path downstream from the second cleaning stage, the pre-motor filter having an upstream surface and a downstream surface; and   (e) a suction motor positioned in the air flow path downstream from the pre-motor filter, wherein the suction motor has a motor axis of rotation,   wherein the second cleaning stage is laterally spaced from the air treatment chamber, and   wherein the pre-motor filter is also laterally spaced from the air treatment chamber, and   wherein, when the surface cleaning apparatus is positioned on a horizontal surface with the upper end of the air treatment chamber above the lower end of the air treatment chamber, an upper end of the at least one cyclone is positioned at a higher elevation than the air treatment chamber.   
     
     
         18 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the second cleaning stage overlies the pre-motor filter. 
     
     
         19 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 17  wherein an air outlet of the second cleaning stage faces the pre-motor filter. 
     
     
         20 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the pre-motor filter is removably positionable in a pre-motor filter housing and the air outlet of the second cleaning stage faces an air inlet end of a pre-motor filter housing. 
     
     
         21 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the pre-motor filter is removably positionable in a pre-motor filter housing and, when the surface cleaning apparatus is positioned on a horizontal surface with the upper end of the air treatment chamber above the lower end of the air treatment chamber, a lower surface of the second cleaning stage faces an air inlet end of a pre-motor filter housing. 
     
     
         22 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the suction motor is laterally spaced from the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         23 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 17  wherein, when the surface cleaning apparatus is positioned on a horizontal surface with the upper end of the air treatment chamber above the lower end of the air treatment chamber, a lower end of the pre-motor filter is positioned above an air inlet of the suction motor. 
     
     
         24 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 17  wherein a first plane that is transverse to the air treatment chamber axis extends through the air treatment chamber and the pre-motor filter and a second plane that is transverse to the air treatment chamber axis extends through the air treatment chamber and the suction motor. 
     
     
         25 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty fluid inlet to a clean air outlet;   (b) a first cleaning stage comprising an air treatment chamber positioned in the air flow path, the air treatment chamber having an upper end and an opposed lower end, wherein an air treatment chamber axis extends between the upper and lower ends, wherein an air treatment chamber air inlet and an air treatment chamber air outlet are provided in the upper end;   (c) a second cleaning stage positioned in the air flow path downstream from the first cleaning stage wherein the second cleaning stage comprises at least one cyclone;   (d) a pre-motor filter positioned in the air flow path downstream from the second cleaning stage, the pre-motor filter having an upstream surface and a downstream surface; and   (e) a suction motor positioned in the air flow path downstream from the pre-motor filter, wherein the suction motor has a motor axis of rotation,   wherein the second cleaning stage is laterally spaced from the air treatment chamber, and   wherein the pre-motor filter is also laterally spaced from the air treatment chamber, and   wherein the suction motor is also laterally spaced from the air treatment chamber.   wherein, when the surface cleaning apparatus is positioned on a horizontal surface with the upper end of the air treatment chamber above the lower end of the air treatment chamber, a lower end of the pre-motor filter is positioned above an air inlet of the suction motor.   
     
     
         26 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the air treatment chamber axis and the motor axis of rotation are parallel. 
     
     
         27 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 26  wherein air travels through the air treatment chamber air outlet is a flow direction and the flow direction is parallel to the air treatment chamber axis. 
     
     
         28 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 25  wherein, when the surface cleaning apparatus is positioned on a horizontal surface with the upper end of the air treatment chamber above the lower end of the air treatment chamber, an inlet of the suction motor is positioned at a lower end of the suction motor. 
     
     
         29 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 25  wherein a plane that is transverse to the air treatment chamber axis extends through the air treatment chamber and the pre-motor filter 
     
     
         30 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 25  wherein a plane that is transverse to the air treatment chamber axis extends through the air treatment chamber and the suction motor. 
     
     
         31 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the flow path comprises a passage that extends from the first cleaning stage to the second cleaning stage wherein, when the surface cleaning apparatus is positioned on a horizontal surface with the upper end of the air treatment chamber above the lower end of the air treatment chamber, the passage is positioned at an elevation above the upper end of the air treatment member and an upper end of the at least one cyclone. 
     
     
         32 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty fluid inlet to a clean air outlet;   (b) a first cleaning stage comprising an air treatment chamber positioned in the air flow path, the air treatment chamber having an upper end and an opposed lower end, wherein an air treatment chamber axis extends between the upper and lower ends, wherein an air treatment chamber air inlet and an air treatment chamber air outlet are provided in the upper end;   (c) a second cleaning stage positioned in the air flow path downstream from the first cleaning stage wherein the second cleaning stage comprises at least one cyclone;   (d) a pre-motor filter positioned in the air flow path downstream from the second cleaning stage, the pre-motor filter having an upstream surface and a downstream surface; and   (e) a suction motor positioned in the air flow path downstream from the pre-motor filter, wherein the suction motor has a motor axis of rotation,   wherein the second cleaning stage is laterally spaced from the air treatment chamber, and   wherein the pre-motor filter is also laterally spaced from the air treatment chamber, and   wherein, when the surface cleaning apparatus is positioned on a horizontal surface with the upper end of the air treatment chamber above the lower end of the air treatment chamber, the second cleaning stage overlies the pre-motor filter.   
     
     
         33 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the suction motor is laterally spaced from the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         34 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the air treatment chamber axis and the motor axis of rotation are parallel. 
     
     
         35 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 32  wherein, when the surface cleaning apparatus is positioned on a horizontal surface with the upper end of the air treatment chamber above the lower end of the air treatment chamber, a lower end of the pre-motor filter is positioned above an air inlet of the suction motor. 
     
     
         36 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the flow path comprises a passage that extends from the first cleaning stage to the second cleaning stage wherein, when the surface cleaning apparatus is positioned on a horizontal surface with the upper end of the air treatment chamber above the lower end of the air treatment chamber, the passage is positioned at an elevation above the upper end of the air treatment member and an upper end of the at least one cyclone.