Surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A hand vacuum cleaner has a front end, a rear end, and a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends. The hand vacuum cleaner has an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet. A first stage air treatment chamber and a suction motor are provided in the air flow passage. The longitudinal axis extends between a front end and a rear end of the first stage air treatment chamber. The hand vacuum cleaner has a stationary component and a rotatable component rotatably mounted to the stationary component about a rotational axis. The rotatable component, which includes at least a portion of the first stage air treatment chamber and suction motor, is moveable between an in-use position in which the first stage air treatment chamber is closed and an emptying position in which the first stage air treatment chamber is open.

1 . A hand vacuum cleaner having a front end and a rear end and a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet wherein a first stage air treatment chamber and a suction motor are provided in the airflow passage, wherein the longitudinal axis extends between a front end and a rear end of the first stage air treatment chamber;   (b) a stationary component; and,   (c) a rotatable component rotatably mounted to the stationary component about a rotational axis, the rotatable component, which comprises at least a portion of the first stage air treatment chamber and the suction motor, is moveable between an in use position in which the air treatment chamber is closed and an emptying position in which the first stage air treatment chamber is open.   
     
     
         2 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the rotatable component is rotatably mounted to the stationary component at a location between a front end and a rear end of the rotatable component. 
     
     
         3 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein, when the rotatable component is in the emptying position, a front end of the first stage air treatment chamber is open. 
     
     
         4 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein, when the rotatable component is in the emptying position, a front end of the rotatable component is positioned below the central longitudinal axis and faces downwardly and a rear end of the suction motor is positioned above the central longitudinal axis and faces upwardly. 
     
     
         5 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the rotatable component has a forward portion, a rearward portion and a central portion located between the forward and rearward portions, the forward portion has an axial length that is the same as an axial length of the rearward portion and an axial length of the central portion, and the rotational axis extends through the central portion. 
     
     
         6 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the rotational axis is located forward of the suction motor. 
     
     
         7 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 6  wherein the rotational axis is located rearward of the first stage air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 6  further comprising a second stage air treatment chamber and the rotational axis extends through the second stage air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising a second stage air treatment chamber, the second stage air treatment chamber having a dirt collection region and the dirt collection region is also opened when the rotatable component is in the emptying position. 
     
     
         10 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the stationary component comprises a handle and the handle is positioned rearward of the rotational axis. 
     
     
         11 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 10  further comprising an energy storage member positioned at a lower end of the handle. 
     
     
         12 . A hand vacuum cleaner having a front end and a rear end and a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet wherein a first stage air treatment chamber and a suction motor are provided in the airflow passage, wherein the longitudinal axis extends between a front end and a rear end of the first stage air treatment chamber;   (b) a stationary component comprises a main body, the main body houses a suction motor that is positioned in the air flow path, the main body having a pistol grip handle extending downwardly from a lower surface of the main body; and,   (c) a rotatable component rotatably mounted to the stationary component about a rotational axis, the rotatable component which comprises at least a portion of the first stage air treatment chamber, is moveable between an in use position in which the air treatment chamber is closed and an emptying position in which the air treatment chamber is open.   
     
     
         13 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 12  wherein, when the rotatable component is in the emptying position, a front end of the first stage air treatment chamber is open. 
     
     
         14 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 12  wherein, when the rotatable component is in the emptying position, a front end of the rotatable component is positioned below the central longitudinal axis and faces downwardly and a rear end of the rotatable component is positioned above the central longitudinal axis and faces upwardly. 
     
     
         15 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 12  further comprising a second stage air treatment chamber and the rotational axis extends through the second stage air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 12  further comprising a second stage air treatment chamber, the second stage air treatment chamber having a dirt collection region and the dirt collection region is also opened when the rotatable component is in the emptying position. 
     
     
         17 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 12  wherein the handle is positioned rearward of the rotational axis. 
     
     
         18 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 17  further comprising an energy storage member positioned at a lower end of the handle. 
     
     
         19 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 12  wherein the stationary component further comprises a yoke member, the rotatable component is rotatably mounted to the yoke member. 
     
     
         20 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 17  wherein the stationary component further comprises a yoke member, the rotatable component is rotatably mounted to the yoke member.