Surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A hand vacuum cleaner has an air treatment chamber which has an axis extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment chamber. An openable door is rotatably moveable to an open position in which an opening is provided and dirt collected by the hand vacuum cleaner is emptyable through the opening. A rotational mount is provided at a first end of the openable door and an opposed second end is moveable to enable the hand vacuum cleaner to be emptied through the opening, wherein in the closed position, the opposed second end is located at the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner. A latch releasable secures the door in the closed position. An axial projection of the dirty air inlet extends centrally through the air treatment chamber and the axis on the inlet conduit extends in a common direction with the air treatment chamber axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hand vacuum cleaner having a front end, a rear end, an upper end, a lower side, a hand vacuum cleaner axis extending between the front and rear ends, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet provided at the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner to a clean air outlet, the air flow path comprising an air inlet passage;   (b) an air treatment chamber comprising a front end, a rear end, an air treatment chamber axis extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment chamber, an air treatment chamber air inlet downstream from the air inlet passage and an air treatment chamber air outlet located at the rear end of the air treatment chamber, the air treatment chamber air outlet extends into the air treatment chamber from the rear end;   (c) a suction motor positioned in the air flow path, the suction motor having a motor axis of rotation;   (d) an openable door that is rotatably moveable between a closed position and an open position, wherein when the door is in the open position, an opening is provided and dirt collected by the hand vacuum cleaner is emptyable through the opening, wherein a rotational mount is provided at a first end of the openable door and an opposed second end is moveable to enable the hand vacuum cleaner to be emptied through the opening, wherein in the closed position, the opposed second end is located at the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner; and,   (e) a latch releasable securing the door in the closed position,   
       wherein the air flow path comprises an inlet passage that extends longitudinally between the dirty air inlet and the air treatment chamber air inlet, the inlet passage has a longitudinal passage axis extending centrally through the inlet passage, and 
       wherein an axial projection of the dirty air inlet extends centrally through the air treatment chamber and the passage axis extends in a common direction with the air treatment chamber axis. 
     
     
         2 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein a central member comprising the air treatment chamber air inlet and the air treatment chamber air outlet extends continuously through the air treatment chamber from the front end of the air treatment chamber to the rear end of the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the air treatment chamber comprises an annular volume that is located radially outwardly of a central member that extends from the front end of the air treatment chamber to the rear end of the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 3  wherein the central member comprises an inlet end of the air treatment chamber air inlet and an outlet passage extending to the rear end of the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising a dirt collection chamber that is exterior to the air treatment chamber and the dirt collection chamber is emptyable when the openable door is open. 
     
     
         6 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the air treatment chamber comprises an axially extending sidewall, the hand vacuum cleaner further comprises an electrical connector provided on the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner and electrical cables extend from the electrical connector rearwardly at a location radially inwardly of the sidewall. 
     
     
         7 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim  7  wherein the electrical cables extend centrally through the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the motor axis of rotation extends in a common direction with the air treatment chamber axis. 
     
     
         9 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising a pistol grip handle. 
     
     
         10 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 9  wherein the pistol grip handle has a handle axis that extends centrally through the pistol grip handle and the handle axis intersects the motor axis of rotation at a location within the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         11 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 9  wherein the pistol grip handle has a handle axis that extends centrally through the pistol grip handle and the handle axis intersects the suction motor. 
     
     
         12 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 9  wherein a power switch is provided on the pistol grip handle. 
     
     
         13 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 12  wherein the pistol grip handle has a handle axis that extends centrally through the pistol grip handle and the handle axis intersects the power switch. 
     
     
         14 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the rear end of the air treatment chamber is openable. 
     
     
         15 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein a central member comprising the tangential air inlet and the air treatment chamber air outlet extend continuously through the air treatment chamber from the front end of the air treatment chamber to the rear end of the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein the air treatment chamber comprises an annular volume that is located radially outwardly of a central member that extends from the front end of the air treatment chamber to the rear end of the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 16  wherein the central member comprises an inlet end of the tangential air inlet and an outlet passage extending to the rear end of the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 15  further comprising a pistol grip handle. 
     
     
         19 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 18  wherein the pistol grip handle has a handle axis that extends centrally through the pistol grip handle and the handle axis intersects the motor axis of rotation at a location within the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         20 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 18  wherein the pistol grip handle has a handle axis that extends centrally through the pistol grip handle and the handle axis intersects the suction motor.