Surface cleaning apparatus with removable handle assembly

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;

b) a main body comprising a suction motor, the suction motor provided in the air flow path;

c) an air treatment member provided in the air flow path and removably mounted to the main body, the air treatment member comprising a cyclone bin assembly including a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection chamber

d) a power switch provided on the cyclone bin assembly, the power switch operable by a user and removable with the cyclone bin assembly;

e) a decoupling member comprising a first connector provided on the main body and a second connector provided on the air treatment member, the second connector is releasably coupled to the first connector and is removable from the main body with the air treatment member; and,

f) a circuit connecting the suction motor to an electrical source and interruptible by the decoupling member, the circuit being open and closed by operation of the power switch when the air treatment member is mounted to the main body and the first and second connectors are coupled,

wherein removing the air treatment member from the main body removes the power switch from the main body and automatically decouples the second connector from the first connector thereby interrupting the circuit and the circuit is inoperable at all times when the air treatment member is removed from the main body.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrical source comprises an electrical power cord connectable to an electrical outlet.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrical source comprises at least one battery provided in the surface cleaning apparatus.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cyclone bin assembly further comprises a handle.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4 wherein the power switch is provided on the handle.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4 wherein the surface cleaning apparatus is a portable surface cleaning apparatus and the handle is for moving the portable surface cleaning apparatus.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first connector mechanically engages the second connector and the circuit is mechanically decoupled when the air treatment member is removed.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuit includes electrical conduits extending between the second connector and the power switch.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first and second connectors are electrical connectors that are inter-engagable with each other wherein the power switch is part of the circuit when the air treatment member is mounted to the main body.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the second connector comprises male electrical connectors and the first connector comprises complimentary female electrical connectors.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 , wherein when the air treatment member is mounted on the main body the switch is provided toward a front end of the surface cleaning apparatus and the decoupling member is disposed toward an opposite rear end of the surface cleaning apparatus.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the cyclone chamber extends along a cyclone axis and wherein when the air treatment member is mounted on the main body the cyclone axis intersects the switch.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 , wherein when the air treatment member is mounted on the main body the second connector overlies at least one of the suction motor, a suction motor housing surrounding the suction motor and a post-motor filter chamber downstream from the suction motor.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the air treatment member further comprises a handle graspable by a user for carrying the surface cleaning apparatus, and wherein at least a portion of the electrical conduits extending between the second connector and the power switch extends through the handle.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the switch is electrically connected to the second connector, the suction motor is electrically connected to the first connector and when the first connector is coupled to the second connector the switch is electrically connected to the suction motor and the electrical source.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cyclone bin assembly comprises a lower end wall, an upper end wall spaced apart from the lower end and a sidewall extending between the upper and lower end wall, the switch being disposed on the upper end wall.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cyclone bin assembly is reconfigurable between a closed in use configuration and an open configuration in which the cyclone bin assembly is emptyable, the cyclone bin assembly is removable from the main body in the closed configuration, the cyclone bin assembly is supported by the main body when the cyclone bin assembly is mounted to the main body.

18. A surface cleaning apparatus having a power switch operable by a user to actuate the surface cleaning apparatus, the surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;

b) a main body comprising a suction motor, the suction motor provided in the air flow path,

c) a cyclone bin assembly reconfigurable between a closed in use configuration and an open configuration in which the cyclone bin assembly is emptyable, the cyclone bin assembly is provided in the air flow path and is removable from the main body in the closed configuration, the cyclone bin assembly is supported by the main body when the cyclone bin assembly is mounted to the main body;

d) the power switch being provided on the cyclone bin assembly and removable from the main body with the cyclone bin assembly; and

e) a circuit connecting the suction motor to an electrical source, the circuit being open and closed by operation of the power switch, the circuit comprises a decoupling member comprising a first connector in the main body and a complementary second connector provided on the cyclone bin assembly and removable from the main body with the cyclone bin assembly;

wherein upon removal of the cyclone bin assembly and power switch from the main body the second connector is decoupled from the first connector opening the decoupling member to interrupt the circuit and the decoupling member is not closed until the cyclone bin assembly is mounted to the main body.