Hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A hand vacuum cleaner has a cyclonic stage which comprises a stationary portion and an openable portion. The openable portion is rotatably mounted by a rotatable mount between a closed position in which a cyclone chamber is closed and an open position in which the cyclone chamber is open. The stationary portion comprises an upper portion of the first cyclonic stage and the openable portion comprises a lower portion of the first cyclonic stage. The rotatable mount is located at a rearward end of the openable portion.

1 . A hand vacuum cleaner having an upper end, a lower end, a front end, a rear end, and a vacuum axis extending longitudinally from the front end to the rear end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an airflow path from a dirty air inlet at the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner to a clean air outlet, with a motor and fan assembly positioned in the air flow path, the motor and fan assembly having a motor axis of rotation;   (b) an air treatment member positioned in the air flow path, the air treatment member comprising an air treatment chamber, a front treatment member end, an opposed rear treatment member end, a treatment member sidewall extending axially from the front treatment member end to the rear treatment member end, an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion moveable with respect to the upper portion between a closed position, in which the air treatment chamber is closed, and an open position, in which the air treatment chamber is open, wherein the lower portion is moveable about a rotatable mount located at the rear treatment member end; and,   (c) a pistol grip handle that extends outwardly from a body of the hand vacuum cleaner at a location rearward of the air treatment chamber, the pistol grip handle having a first end, an opposed second end that is spaced outwardly from the body and a pistol grip handle axis that extends centrally through the pistol grip handle from the first end of the pistol grip handle to the second end of the pistol grip handle.   
     
     
         2 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising an energy storage member housing and a line that extends in a common direction with the vacuum axis extends through the energy storage member housing and the pistol grip handle. 
     
     
         3 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 2  wherein the line that extends in a common direction with the vacuum axis is external to the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 3  wherein the line that extends in a common direction extends through a finger grip area that is positioned between the pistol grip handle and the energy storage member housing. 
     
     
         5 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 2  wherein the line that extends in a common direction extends through a finger grip area that is positioned between the pistol grip handle and the energy storage member housing. 
     
     
         6 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising a finger guard positioned forward of the pistol grip handle, the finger guard comprising an energy storage member housing. 
     
     
         7 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 6  wherein, in use, a base extends between the second end of the pistol grip handle and the finger guard and the energy storage member housing forms at least a portion of the base. 
     
     
         8 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 7  wherein the finger guard has a first end and an opposed second end, the second end is connected to the base. 
     
     
         9 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the air treatment chamber comprises a chamber air inlet and a chamber air outlet, the chamber air outlet comprises a porous member. 
     
     
         10 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 9  wherein when the lower portion is moved between the closed position and the open position, the porous member is concurrently moveable. 
     
     
         11 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein, when the lower portion is in the closed position, the lower portion and the upper portion abut along peripheral edges that extend generally parallel to the vacuum axis. 
     
     
         12 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein, when the motor axis of rotation extends generally horizontally, the vacuum axis extends generally horizontally. 
     
     
         13 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the lower portion is generally U-shaped in a plane transverse to the vacuum axis. 
     
     
         14 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein, when the lower portion is in a closed position, a forward end of the lower portion extends at an angle to a plane that is transverse to the vacuum axis. 
     
     
         15 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the lower portion is releasably secured in the closed position by a lock comprising an actuator, the actuator provided at the front treatment member end. 
     
     
         16 . A hand vacuum cleaner having an upper end, a lower end, a front end, a rear end, and a vacuum axis extending longitudinally from the front end to the rear end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an airflow path from a dirty air inlet at the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner to a clean air outlet;   (b) a main body housing a motor and fan assembly that is positioned in the air flow path, the motor and fan assembly having a motor axis of rotation;   (c) an air treatment member positioned in the air flow path, the air treatment member comprising an air treatment chamber, a front treatment member end, an opposed rear treatment member end, a treatment member sidewall extending axially from the front treatment member end to the rear treatment member end, an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion moveable with respect to the upper portion between a closed position, in which the air treatment chamber is closed, and an open position, in which the air treatment chamber is open, wherein the lower portion is moveable about a rotatable mount; and,   (d) a pistol grip handle that extends outwardly from the main body at a location rearward of the air treatment chamber, the pistol grip handle having a first end provided at the main body, an opposed second end that is spaced outwardly from the main body and a pistol grip handle axis that extends centrally through the pistol grip handle from the first end of the pistol grip handle to the second end of the pistol grip handle, the pistol grip handle axis extending through the main body.   
     
     
         17 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 16  wherein, when the lower portion is in the closed position, the lower portion and the upper portion abut along peripheral edges that extend generally parallel to the vacuum axis. 
     
     
         18 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 17  wherein the lower portion is generally U-shaped in a plane transverse to the vacuum axis. 
     
     
         19 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 16  wherein the lower portion is releasably secured in the closed position by a lock comprising an actuator, the actuator provided at the front treatment member end. 
     
     
         20 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 16  further comprising an energy storage member housing and a line that extends in a common direction with the vacuum axis and which is external to the air treatment chamber extends through the energy storage member housing and the pistol grip handle. 
     
     
         21 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 20  wherein the energy storage member housing has a long dimension and an axis that extends in the long dimension extends generally parallel to the pistol grip handle axis.