Surface cleaning apparatus

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a cyclone chamber having a longitudinal axis defining a longitudinal direction, a first end having a first end wall, a longitudinally spaced apart second end having a second opposed end wall, a cyclone chamber sidewall extending between the first and second end walls, a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet and a dirt outlet, wherein, at a location of the dirt outlet, the cyclone chamber has a cyclone chamber width in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis;

(b) a dirt collection chamber having a first end wall positioned proximate the second opposed end wall of the cyclone chamber, a second opposed end wall that is longitudinally spaced apart from the first end wall of the dirt collection chamber and a dirt collection chamber sidewall; and,

(c) a suction motor in fluid communication with the cyclone chamber,

wherein the dirt collection chamber sidewall has a first sidewall portion and a second sidewall portion,

wherein the cyclone chamber sidewall has a first location and an axially spaced apart second location and the first sidewall portion extends outwardly from the first location on the cyclone chamber sidewall to a distal end of the first sidewall portion, the distal end is spaced radially outwardly from the second location of the cyclone chamber sidewall,

wherein the second sidewall portion extends from the distal end towards the second opposed end wall of the dirt collection chamber,

wherein a plane that is transverse to the longitudinal axis extends through the dirt outlet and the second sidewall portion, and

wherein the second sidewall portion has a width in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis that is greater than the width of the cyclone chamber.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the distal end of the first sidewall portion is positioned between the first end wall of the cyclone chamber and the dirt outlet.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second sidewall portion extends longitudinally.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dirt outlet comprises a gap provided between the cyclone chamber sidewall and the second opposed end wall of the cyclone chamber.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4 wherein the dirt outlet comprises a slot.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 5 wherein the slot extends part way around the cyclone chamber sidewall.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dirt outlet comprises a gap provided between the cyclone chamber sidewall and the second opposed end wall of the cyclone chamber.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein the dirt outlet comprises a slot.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 8 wherein the slot extends part way around the cyclone chamber sidewall.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dirt collection chamber extends longitudinally away from the cyclone chamber.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal axis extends through the dirt collection chamber.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein, when the surface cleaning apparatus is positioned on a horizontal surface, the first end wall of the cyclone chamber is located above the second opposed end wall of the cyclone chamber and the dirt collection chamber is positioned below the cyclone chamber.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cyclone air inlet and the cyclone air outlet are located at the first end of the cyclone chamber.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 13 wherein the dirt outlet is located at the second end of the cyclone chamber.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14 wherein the dirt outlet faces the second sidewall portion.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein the second sidewall portion extends longitudinally.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14 wherein the longitudinal axis extends through the dirt collection chamber.

18. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein the longitudinal axis extends through the dirt collection chamber.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14 wherein the distal end of the first sidewall portion is positioned between the first end wall of the cyclone chamber and the dirt outlet.

20. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a cyclone chamber having a longitudinal axis defining a longitudinal direction, a first end having a first end wall, a longitudinally spaced apart second end having a second opposed end wall, a cyclone chamber sidewall, a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet and a dirt outlet, wherein, at a location of the dirt outlet, the cyclone chamber has a cyclone chamber width in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis;

(b) a dirt collection chamber having a first end wall positioned proximate the second opposed end wall of the cyclone chamber, a second opposed end wall that is longitudinally spaced apart from the first end wall of the dirt collection chamber and a dirt collection chamber sidewall; and,

(c) a suction motor in fluid communication with the cyclone chamber,

wherein the dirt collection chamber sidewall has a first sidewall portion and a second sidewall portion,

wherein the first sidewall portion extends outwardly from a first portion of the cyclone chamber sidewall that is located between first and second opposed ends of the cyclone chamber sidewall, the first sidewall portion has a distal end that is spaced outwardly from a second portion of the cyclone chamber sidewall that is axially spaced from the first portion of the cyclone chamber sidewall,

wherein the second sidewall portion extends from the distal end towards the second opposed end wall of the dirt collection chamber,

wherein the dirt outlet faces towards the dirt collection chamber sidewall, and

wherein the second sidewall portion has a width in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis that is greater than the width of the cyclone chamber, and

wherein a plane that is transverse to the longitudinal axis extends through the distal end of the first sidewall portion and the cyclone chamber sidewall.