Surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus has a filter assembly comprising a plurality of removable assembly portions. Each of the assembly portions comprises a portion of a pre- and/or post-motor filter media.

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;   (b) a suction motor positioned in the air flow path, the suction motor having a motor axis of rotation;   (c) a cyclone positioned in the air flow path, the cyclone having a front end and a rear end with a cyclone axis of rotation extending between the front and rear ends;   (d) a handle; and,   (e) a filter assembly positionable in the air flow path, the filter assembly comprising a first assembly portion and a second assembly portion, the first assembly portion comprising a first pre-motor filter and a first post motor filter, and the second assembly portion comprising a second pre-motor filter and a second post motor filter, wherein each of the first and second assembly portions is a discrete portion and is removable.   
     
     
         2 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the first and second assembly portions are separately removeable. 
     
     
         3 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the first and second assembly portions are concurrently removeable. 
     
     
         4 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the first assembly portion removes in a different direction to the second assembly portion. 
     
     
         5 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the first and second assembly portions are radially removeable. 
     
     
         6 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the first and second assembly portions are removeable in an axial direction. 
     
     
         7 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the first and second assembly portions are removeable in a rearward direction. 
     
     
         8 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the first assembly portion is shaped as an annulus sector. 
     
     
         9 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the first assembly portion overlies the suction motor. 
     
     
         10 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second assembly portions overlie the suction motor. 
     
     
         11 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the first assembly portion has first and second angularly spaced apart sides that extend generally axially, the second assembly portion has first and second angularly spaced apart sides that extend generally axially and the first side of the first assembly portion abuts the second side of the second assembly portion when the filter assembly is positioned in the air flow path. 
     
     
         12 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the first and second assembly portions have an outer wall which forms a portion of an outer surface of the hand vacuum cleaner when the filter assembly is positioned in the air flow path. 
     
     
         13 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the first and second assembly portions comprise the clean air outlet. 
     
     
         14 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the first and second assembly portions comprise a rearmost portion of a sidewall of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         15 . 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 suction motor positioned in the air flow path, the suction motor having a motor axis of rotation;   (c) an air treatment chamber positioned in the air flow path, the air treatment chamber having a front end and a rear end with a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends;   (d) a handle; and,   (e) a filter assembly positionable in the air flow path, the filter assembly comprising a first assembly portion and a second assembly portion, the first assembly portion comprising a first pre-motor filter and a first post motor filter, and the second assembly portion comprising a second pre-motor filter and a second post motor filter, wherein each of the first and second assembly portions is removable, and wherein the first assembly portion has first and second angularly spaced apart sides that extend generally axially, the second assembly portion has first and second angularly spaced apart sides that extend generally axially and the first side of the first assembly portion abuts the second side of the second assembly portion when the filter assembly is positioned in the air flow path.   
     
     
         16 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 15  wherein the first assembly portion overlies the suction motor. 
     
     
         17 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 15  wherein the first and second assembly portions are removeable in a rearward direction. 
     
     
         18 . 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 suction motor positioned in the air flow path, the suction motor having a motor axis of rotation;   (c) an air treatment chamber positioned in the air flow path, the air treatment chamber having a front end and a rear end with a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends;   (d) a handle; and,   (e) a filter assembly positionable in the air flow path, the filter assembly comprising a first assembly portion and a second assembly portion, the first assembly portion comprising a first pre-motor filter and a first post motor filter, and the second assembly portion comprising a second pre-motor filter and a second post motor filter, wherein each of the first and second assembly portions is separately removable.   
     
     
         19 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 18  wherein the first assembly portion overlies the suction motor. 
     
     
         20 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 18  wherein the first and second assembly portions are removeable in a rearward direction.