Surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A hand vacuum cleaner has a main body housing a suction motor. A cyclone has a front end and a rear end with a cyclone axis of rotation extending between the front and rear ends. A pistol grip handle extends downwardly from a lower side of the main body. A post motor filter is positionable in a post motor filter chamber wherein the post motor filter is removable radially and wherein the cyclone axis of rotation extends through the suction motor.

1 . A hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet provided at a front end of the hand vacuum cleaner to a clean air outlet, the air flow path comprising an inlet conduit extending downstream from the dirty air inlet;   (b) a main body housing a suction motor, the suction motor having a motor axis of rotation;   (c) an air treatment member having a front end and a rear end with a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends;   (d) a pistol grip handle extending downwardly from a lower side of the main body; and,   (e) a post motor filter positionable in a post motor filter chamber wherein the post motor filter is removable radially,   wherein the inlet conduit remains in position when the air treatment member is opened.   
     
     
         2 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein an upper end of the post motor filter, when positioned in the post motor filter chamber, is positioned above the inlet conduit. 
     
     
         3 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the post motor filter overlies the suction motor. 
     
     
         4 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the pistol grip handle has a hand grip portion, the hand grip portion has a pistol grip axis which extends through the hand grip portion from a lower end of the hand grip portion to an upper end of the hand grip portion and the pistol grip axis extends through the suction motor. 
     
     
         5 . A hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet provided at a front end of the hand vacuum cleaner to a clean air outlet;   (b) a main body housing a suction motor, the suction motor having a motor axis of rotation;   (c) a cyclone having a front end and a rear end with a cyclone axis of rotation extending between the front and rear ends;   (d) a pistol grip handle extending downwardly from a lower side of the main body; and,   (e) a post motor filter positionable in a post motor filter chamber wherein the post motor filter is removable radially,   wherein the cyclone axis of rotation extends through the suction motor.   
     
     
         6 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 5  wherein the cyclone axis of rotation and the motor axis of rotation extend in a common direction. 
     
     
         7 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 5  wherein the post motor filter overlies the suction motor. 
     
     
         8 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 5  wherein the post motor filter is provided on an upper side of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         9 . A hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet provided at a front end of the hand vacuum cleaner to a clean air outlet;   (b) a main body housing a suction motor, the suction motor having a motor axis of rotation;   (c) an air treatment member having a front end and a rear end with a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends;   (d) a pistol grip handle extending downwardly from a lower side of the main body; and,   (e) a post motor filter positionable in a post motor filter chamber wherein the post motor filter is removable radially.   
     
     
         10 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 9  wherein the post motor filter overlies the suction motor. 
     
     
         11 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 10  wherein the post motor filter is provided on an upper side of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         12 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 10  wherein the post motor filter is arcuate. 
     
     
         13 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein the post motor filter is arcuate. 
     
     
         14 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 10  wherein the post motor filter is curved in a plane that is transverse to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         15 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 10  wherein the pistol grip handle has a hand grip portion, the hand grip portion has a pistol grip axis which extends through the hand grip portion from a lower end of the hand grip portion to an upper end of the hand grip portion and the pistol grip axis extends through the suction motor. 
     
     
         16 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein the pistol grip handle has a hand grip portion, the hand grip portion has a pistol grip axis which extends through the hand grip portion from a lower end of the hand grip portion to an upper end of the hand grip portion and the pistol grip axis extends through the suction motor. 
     
     
         17 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 9  further comprising a finger guard that is positioned forward of the pistol grip handle. 
     
     
         18 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 9  wherein the longitudinal axis and the motor axis of rotation extend in a common direction. 
     
     
         19 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 9  wherein the air treatment member comprises a cyclone, the longitudinal axis is a cyclone axis of rotation and the cyclone axis of rotation extends through the suction motor. 
     
     
         20 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 9  further comprising an inlet conduit extending downstream from the dirty air inlet and the inlet conduit remains in position when the air treatment member is opened.