Surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A hand vacuum cleaner has an air flow path from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet. A suction motor is positioned in the air flow path and a non-cyclonic air treatment chamber is in the air flow path downstream from the dirty air inlet and upstream from the suction motor. The air treatment chamber has a front end having a chamber air inlet, a rear end having a chamber air outlet. A non-return valve flap closes an inlet port of the chamber air inlet. The non-return valve flap has an upper end that is mounted to the air treatment chamber and a lower end. The non-return valve flap is moveable from a closed position in which it closes the inlet port to an open position in which the lower end of the non-return valve flap rotates inwardly and upwardly whereby the inlet port is opened.

1 . A hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path from a dirty air inlet provided at a front end of the hand vacuum cleaner to a clean air outlet that is positioned rearward of the dirty air inlet, wherein a suction motor is positioned in the air flow path;   (b) a handle provided on a lower side of the hand vacuum cleaner;   (c) a non-cyclonic air treatment chamber in the air flow path downstream from the dirty air inlet and upstream from the suction motor, the air treatment chamber having a front end having a chamber air inlet, a rear end having a chamber air outlet and a longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment chamber; and,   (d) a non-return valve flap that closes an inlet port of the chamber air inlet, the non-return valve flap having an upper end that is mounted to the air treatment chamber and a lower end, wherein the non-return valve flap is moveable from a closed position in which it closes the inlet port to an open position in which the lower end of the non-return valve flap rotates inwardly and upwardly whereby the inlet port is opened.   
     
     
         2 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein, in the open position, the non-return valve flap rotates open less than 90°, whereby air exiting the inlet port is directed in a non-cyclonic flow towards a lower side of the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the air treatment chamber comprises a sidewall extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment chamber, the sidewall has an axially extending rib provided on an inner surface of the sidewall. 
     
     
         4 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the inlet port is provided on an uppermost end of the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 4  wherein, in the open position, the non-return valve flap rotates open less than 90°, whereby air exiting the inlet port is directed towards a lower side of the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the chamber air inlet has an inlet axis that extends rearwardly, the hand vacuum cleaner further comprises a baffle plate positioned in the air treatment chamber rearward of the non-return valve flap when the non-return valve flap is in the open position and the inlet axis intersects the baffle plate. 
     
     
         7 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the chamber air outlet comprises a rigid screen which has a generally frusto-conical section. 
     
     
         8 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the air treatment chamber comprises a sidewall extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment chamber, the rear end of the air treatment chamber comprises a rear wall, the chamber air outlet comprises a rigid screen which is provided on the rear wall spaced radially inwardly from the sidewall. 
     
     
         9 . A hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path from a dirty air inlet provided at a front end of the hand vacuum cleaner to a clean air outlet that is positioned rearward of the dirty air inlet, wherein a suction motor is positioned in the air flow path and the dirty air inlet is provided at an upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner;   (b) a non-cyclonic air treatment chamber in the air flow path downstream from the dirty air inlet and upstream from the suction motor, the air treatment chamber having a front end having a chamber air inlet, a rear end having a chamber air outlet and a longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment chamber; and,   (c) a non-return valve flap that closes an inlet port of the chamber air inlet, the non-return valve flap having an upper end that is mounted to the air treatment chamber and a lower end, wherein the non-return valve flap is moveable from a closed position in which it closes the inlet port to an open position in which the lower end of the non-return valve flap rotates inwardly and upwardly whereby the inlet port is opened.   
     
     
         10 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 9  wherein, in the open position, the non-return valve flap rotates open less than 90°, whereby air exiting the inlet port is directed towards a lower side of the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 9  wherein the air treatment chamber comprises a sidewall extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment chamber, the sidewall has an axially extending rib provided on an inner surface of the sidewall. 
     
     
         12 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 9  wherein the inlet port is provided on an uppermost end of the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 12  wherein, in the open position, the non-return valve flap rotates open less than 90°, whereby air exiting the inlet port is directed towards a lower side of the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 9  wherein the chamber air inlet has an inlet axis that extends rearwardly, the hand vacuum cleaner further comprises a baffle plate positioned in the air treatment chamber rearward of the non-return valve flap when the non-return valve flap is in the open position and the inlet axis intersects the baffle plate. 
     
     
         15 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein the chamber air outlet comprises a rigid screen which has a generally frusto-conical section. 
     
     
         16 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein the air treatment chamber comprises a sidewall extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment chamber, the rear end of the air treatment chamber comprises a rear wall, the chamber air outlet comprises a rigid screen which is provided on the rear wall spaced radially inwardly from the sidewall. 
     
     
         17 . A hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path from a dirty air inlet provided at a front end of the hand vacuum cleaner to a clean air outlet that is positioned rearward of the dirty air inlet, wherein a suction motor is positioned in the air flow path;   (b) a non-cyclonic air treatment chamber in the air flow path downstream from the dirty air inlet and upstream from the suction motor, the air treatment chamber having a front end having a chamber air inlet, a rear end having a chamber air outlet, a sidewall extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment chamber and a longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment chamber; and,   (c) a non-return valve flap that closes an inlet port of the chamber air inlet, the non-return valve flap having a first end that is mounted to the air treatment chamber at a location adjacent a first portion of an inner surface of the sidewall and an opposed end, wherein the non-return valve flap is moveable from a closed position in which it closes the inlet port to an open position in which the opposed end of the non-return valve flap rotates inwardly and towards the sidewall whereby the inlet port is opened and air exiting the inlet port is directed across a volume of the non-cyclonic air treatment chamber towards a second portion of the sidewall that is opposed to the first portion in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         18 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 17  wherein, in the open position, the non-return valve flap rotates open less than 90°, whereby air exiting the inlet port is directed towards the second portion of the sidewall. 
     
     
         19 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 17  wherein the sidewall has an axially extending rib provided on an inner surface of the sidewall. 
     
     
         20 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 17  wherein the chamber air inlet has an inlet axis that extends rearwardly, the hand vacuum cleaner further comprises a baffle plate positioned in the air treatment chamber rearward of the non-return valve flap when the non-return valve flap is in the open position and the inlet axis intersects the baffle plate.