HAND CARRYABLE SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS

1 . A hand vacuum cleaner having an upper end and a lower end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) a suction motor and fan assembly having a suction motor axis of rotation;

(b) an air treatment member having a front end and a rear end and a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends; and,

(c) a pre-motor filter comprising a longitudinally extending filter media having an open interior, an outer upstream wall, an inner wall and a filter longitudinal axis wherein the longitudinal axis extends upwardly in a direction from the lower end to the upper end.

2 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein air exits the pre-motor filter in the direction of the filter longitudinal axis.

3 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 2 wherein air travels upwardly from the pre-motor filter to an inlet of the suction motor.

4 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the suction motor is positioned above the pre-motor filter when the longitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

5 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the suction motor axis of rotation extends upwardly when the longitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

6 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 5 wherein the suction motor is positioned above the pre-motor filter when the longitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

7 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the suction motor axis of rotation extends generally vertically when the longitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

8 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 7 wherein the suction motor is positioned above the pre-motor filter when the longitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

9 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the suction motor is positioned above the pre-motor filter when the longitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

10 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the suction, motor is positioned forward of the pre-motor filter when the longitudinal axis s oriented to extend upwardly.

11 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the suction motor axis of rotation extends generally horizontally when the longitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

12 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the suction motor axis of rotation extends generally horizontally when the longitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

13 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the central longitudinal axis extends generally horizontally when the longitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

14 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 13 wherein the air treatment member comprises a cyclone and the central longitudinal axis is a cyclone axis.

15 . The hand vacuum cleaner of wherein the longitudinal axis intersects the filter media twice.

16 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the outer wall comprises an upstream filter wall and the inner wall comprises a downstream filter wall.

17 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the filter media is generally annular in transverse section.

18 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 furthers comprising an inlet conduit extending from a dirty air inlet to the air treatment member and having a passage having an inlet conduit axis wherein the inlet conduit axis is positioned above the pre-motor filter.

19 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 18 wherein the inlet conduit axis intersects the suction motor.

20 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising an inlet conduit extending from a dirty air inlet to the air treatment member and having a passage having an inlet conduit axis that intersects the suction motor.

21 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a handle that houses at least one energy storage member, wherein the handle is removably mounted to the hand vacuum cleaner.

22 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 21 wherein the handle houses the at least one energy storage member in a lower portion thereof.