Surface cleaning apparatus

1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, the air flow passage comprising an inlet conduit extending from the dirty air inlet provided at an inlet end of the inlet conduit to an outlet end;

(b) an air treatment chamber positioned in the air flow passage downstream from the dirty air inlet, the air treatment chamber comprising a first end wall provided at a first end of the air treatment chamber, an opposed second end wall provided at an opposed second end of the air treatment chamber, a sidewall extending longitudinally between the first and second end walls, an air treatment chamber air inlet comprising a port provided in one of the first end wall, the second end wall and the sidewall, a volume that is bounded by an inner surface of each of the first end wall, the second end wall and the sidewall, and an air treatment chamber air outlet comprising a porous member and a filter media that is removably positionable in the porous member, the port extending from an outer surface of the one of the first end wall, the second end wall and the sidewall to the inner surface of the one of the first end wall, the second end wall and the sidewall, the porous member having a plurality of openings wherein, in use, air travels inwardly through the plurality of openings of the porous member and then through the filter media whereby some material that is entrained in an air stream entering the dirty air inlet is separated from the air as the air travels through the plurality of openings of the porous member and additional material is separated from the air as the air travels through the filter media; and,

(c) a suction motor provided in the air flow passage,

wherein the air treatment chamber has a moveable portion and a stationary portion, the moveable portion is moveable between a closed position in which the air treatment chamber is closed, and an open position in which the air treatment chamber is opened, and

wherein, when the air treatment chamber is opened, the air treatment chamber is emptyable, and the porous member is moveable to an open position in which at least a portion of the porous member is located within the volume, and in which the porous member is attached to the vacuum cleaner and in which the filter media is removable.

2 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the air treatment chamber and the porous member are sequentially openable.

3 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the porous member is moveable between a closed position in which the vacuum cleaner is operable to clean a surface and the open position in which a portion of the porous member is located within the volume.

4 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a pivot mount provided in the air treatment chamber whereby the porous member is pivotally mounted to the air treatment chamber.

5 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the air treatment chamber has a treatment chamber axis that extends in a longitudinal direction between the first and second opposed ends, the air treatment chamber air outlet is provided at the second end, and the moveable portion and the stationary portion have abutment surfaces that extend generally in the longitudinal direction.

6 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the moveable portion is moveably mounted at one of the first and second ends of the air treatment chamber and the porous member is moveably mounted at the one of the first and second ends of the air treatment chamber.

7 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the moveable portion is moveable in a direction and the porous member is also moveable in the direction.

8 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, the air flow passage comprising an inlet conduit extending from the dirty air inlet provided at an inlet end of the inlet conduit to an outlet end;

(b) an air treatment chamber positioned in the air flow passage downstream from the dirty air inlet, the air treatment chamber comprising a first end wall provided at a first end of the air treatment chamber, an opposed second end wall provided at an opposed second end of the air treatment chamber and a sidewall extending longitudinally between the first and second end walls, an air treatment chamber air inlet and an air treatment chamber air outlet, the air treatment chamber air inlet comprising a port provided in one of the first end wall, the second end wall and the sidewall, the air treatment chamber air outlet comprising a porous member, the porous member having a plurality of openings;

(c) a pre-motor filter housing comprising a pre-motor filter media; and,

(d) a suction motor provided in the air flow passage,

wherein air travels through the plurality of openings of the porous member prior to the pre-motor filter media, and

wherein the air treatment chamber is moveable to an open position in which the air treatment chamber is emptyable, and the porous member is moveable within the air treatment chamber to an open position in which the pre-motor filter housing is opened and in which the pre-motor filter media is removably positionable within the pre-motor filter housing, and

wherein the port extends from an outer surface of the one of the first end wall, the second end wall and the sidewall to an inner surface of the one of the first end wall, the second end wall and the sidewall, and the air treatment chamber is formed by the inner surface of each of the first end wall, the second end wall and the sidewall, and

wherein a treatment chamber axis extends in a longitudinal direction between the first and second opposed ends, and the air treatment chamber comprises a stationary portion comprising a portion of the sidewall and a moveable portion comprising another portion of the sidewall which has a perimeter that is generally U-shaped in a plane that is transverse to the treatment chamber axis, the moveable portion is moveable between a closed position in which the air treatment chamber is closed, and an open position in which the air treatment chamber is opened, the air treatment chamber air outlet is provided at the second end, and the moveable portion and the stationary portion have abutment surfaces that meet at a juncture that extends generally in the longitudinal direction.

9 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 8 wherein the air treatment chamber and the porous member are sequentially openable.

10 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 8 wherein the moveable portion is moveably mounted at one of the first and second ends of the air treatment chamber and the porous member is moveably mounted at the one of the first and second ends of the air treatment chamber.

11 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 8 wherein the moveable portion is moveable in a direction and the porous member is also moveable in the direction.