Filter housing for a surface cleaning apparatus

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and comprising a suction motor and a filter housing downstream from the suction motor, wherein the suction motor is external to the filter housing;

(b) a main body comprising a front end, a rear end spaced apart from the front end in a direction of travel of the main body and a central portion housing the suction motor, wherein the main body comprises a first sidewall and a spaced apart second sidewall and the central portion comprises a cavity located between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, the cavity having a platform;

(c) an air treatment member removably mounted within the cavity, the air treatment member comprising having opposed end walls, a bin sidewall extending between the opposed end walls and a lower surface, when the air treatment member is mounted in the cavity the air treatment member is in the air flow path, the lower surface rest on at least a portion of the platform and a rearward facing portion of the bin sidewall is visible from the rear end of the main body;

(d) a pair of spaced apart main wheels mounted to the main body on either side of the central portion and having an axis of rotation; and,

wherein the filter housing comprises a distinct body having by an outer perimeter wherein upper, lower and side portions of the outer perimeter are visible when the surface cleaning apparatus is in use.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the axis of rotation is located about midpoint along a length of the air treatment member.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the main wheels are provided on the sidewalls.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein air treatment member sits on a portion of a housing for the suction motor.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one of a front stabilizer wheel provided forward of the axis of rotation and a rear stabilizer wheel provided rearward of the axis of rotation.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 5 wherein the at least one of a front stabilizer wheel provided forward of the axis of rotation and a rear stabilizer wheel provided rearward of the axis of rotation is positioned laterally approximately midway between the main wheels.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 5 further comprising both the front stabilizer wheel and the rear stabilizer wheel.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein the stabilizer wheels are positioned such that only one of the stabilizer wheels can contact a floor on which the surface cleaning apparatus is positioned at a time.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 5 wherein the at least one of a front stabilizer wheel provided forward of the axis of rotation and a rear stabilizer wheel provided rearward of the axis of rotation is provided on the filter housing.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filter housing houses a post motor filter.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a cord reel and an actuator for the cord reel is provided on the filter housing.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filter housing is positioned forward of the air treatment member and a filter is removable from the filter housing either in a downward direction or a forward direction.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filter housing is positioned rearward of the air treatment member and a filter is removable from the filter housing either in a downward direction or a rearward direction.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filter housing is located forward or rearward of the suction motor.

15. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a main body comprising a front end, a rear end spaced apart from the front end in a direction of travel of the main body, a central portion, a suction motor and a filter housing, wherein the main body comprises a first sidewall and a spaced apart second sidewall and the central portion comprises a cavity located between the first sidewall and the second sidewall;

(b) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and comprising an air treatment member removably mounted in the cavity, wherein the cavity is open so that an upper surface of the air treatment member is exposed when the air treatment member is mounted in the cavity and whereby the air treatment member is removable from the cavity by lifting the air treatment member upwardly in the absence of removing any closure panel that closes the cavity during use of the surface cleaning apparatus, the air treatment member comprising a dirt collection chamber;

(c) the filter housing extending from the central portion and comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, at least one sidewall and at least one end wall that are distinct from the main body, when the air treatment member is mounted in the cavity the dirt collection chamber overlies at least a portion of the filter chamber; and

(d) a pair of spaced apart main wheels mounted to the first sidewall and the second sidewall on either side of the central portion and having an axis of rotation, the main wheels having a rearmost surface in the direction of travel of the main body and wherein the at least one end wall of the filter housing is disposed rearward of the rearmost surface of the main wheels in the direction of travel of the main body.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the filter housing comprises a filter body and an openable portion and the filter body is affixed to the central portion.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising at least one stabilizer wheel mounted to the filter housing.

18. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and comprising a suction motor and a filter housing downstream from the suction motor, wherein the suction motor is external to the filter housing;

(b) a main body comprising a front end, a rear end spaced apart from the front end in a direction of travel of the main body and a central portion housing the suction motor wherein the main body comprises a first sidewall and a spaced apart second sidewall and the central portion comprises a cavity located between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, the cavity having a platform that overlies a first portion of the filter housing;

(c) an air treatment member removably mounted within the cavity, the air treatment member comprising having opposed end walls, a bin sidewall extending between the opposed end walls and a lower surface, when the air treatment member is mounted in the cavity the air treatment member is in the air flow path and the lower surface rests on at least a portion of the platform; and

(d) a pair of spaced apart main wheels mounted to the main body on either side of the central portion and having an axis of rotation.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the filter housing comprising a second portion that is spaced forwardly or rearwardly from the first portion and does not underlie the platform.

20. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and comprising a suction motor and a filter housing downstream from the suction motor, wherein the suction motor is external to the filter housing;

(b) a main body comprising a front end, a rear end spaced apart from the front end in a direction of travel of the main body and a central portion housing the suction motor, the main body comprising a first sidewall and a spaced apart second sidewall and the central portion comprises a cavity located between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, the cavity comprising a platform having a generally planar bearing surface;

(c) an air treatment member removably mounted within the cavity, the air treatment member comprising having opposed end walls, a bin sidewall extending between the opposed end walls and a lower surface and when the air treatment member is mounted in the cavity the air treatment member is in the air flow path and the lower surface rests on the planar bearing surface;

(d) a filter within the filter chamber, the filter comprising an upstream surface, the upstream surface being parallel to the generally planar bearing surface; and

(e) a pair of spaced apart main wheels mounted to the main body on either side of the central portion and having an axis of rotation.