Surface cleaning apparatus

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

(a) an air flow path extending from an inlet conduit, which is provided at the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner, to a clean air outlet, the inlet conduit having an inlet conduit axis;

(b) a cyclone positioned in the air flow path, the cyclone having a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet and a cyclone axis of rotation;

(c) a main body housing a suction motor, which is positioned in the air flow path downstream of the cyclone, the suction motor having a motor axis of rotation;

(d) a handle provided at the rear end of the hand vacuum cleaner; and,

(e) an energy storage member wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the inlet conduit at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the inlet conduit axis extends horizontally, the energy storage member is located at a lower end of the handle; and,

(f) a power switch wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the inlet conduit at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the inlet conduit axis extends horizontally, the power switch is provided on an upwardly facing surface of the handle,

wherein a finger grip area is provided between a forward side of the handle and a rear side of the main body, and

wherein the suction motor is positioned between the cyclone and the finger grip area and an axis that extends between the front of the cyclone and the handle extends through the suction motor, and

wherein the suction motor is positioned forward of the handle, and

wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the inlet conduit at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the inlet conduit axis extends horizontally, all of the handle defines a longitudinal body that extends generally vertically and

wherein the cyclone axis of rotation is generally parallel to the motor axis of rotation.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the suction motor is provided at a forward side of the finger grip area.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the energy storage member underlies the finger grip area.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the energy storage member extends from the lower end of the handle to a lower portion of the main body and the energy storage member extends under the finger grip area.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a pre-motor filter and air travelling from the pre-motor filter to the suction motor flows in a direction generally parallel to the cyclone axis of rotation.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the handle has a hand grip portion and, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the inlet conduit at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the inlet conduit axis extends horizontally, the hand grip portion extends to an elevation above an upper end of the cyclone.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the inlet conduit at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the inlet conduit axis extends horizontally, the main body has an upper rearwardly extending member that extends to an upper end of the handle and a lower rearwardly extending member that extends to a lower end of the handle, the finger grip is located between the upper and lower rearwardly extending members and the energy storage member is located below the lower rearwardly extending member.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the suction motor is provided external of the energy storage member.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 8 wherein the suction motor is positioned rearward of a rear end of the cyclone and forward of the hand grip portion, and a projection of the handle intersects an energy storage member housing.

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

(g) an air flow path extending from an inlet conduit, which is provided at the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner, to a clean air outlet, the inlet conduit having an inlet conduit axis;

(h) an air treatment chamber positioned in the air flow path, the air treatment chamber having an air treatment chamber air inlet and an air treatment chamber air outlet, wherein air flows in a flow direction through the air treatment chamber air outlet;

(i) a main body housing a suction motor, which is positioned in the air flow path downstream of the air treatment chamber, the suction motor having a motor axis of rotation, wherein the flow direction is generally parallel to the motor axis of rotation;

(j) a handle provided at the rear end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the handle having a hand grip portion; and,

(k) an energy storage member wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the inlet conduit at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the inlet conduit axis extends horizontally, the energy storage member is located at a lower end of the handle; and,

(l) a power switch wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the inlet conduit at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the inlet conduit axis extends horizontally, the power switch is provided on the handle above the hand grip portion,

wherein a finger grip area is provided between a forward side of the handle and a rearward side of the suction motor, and

wherein the energy storage member extends from the lower end of the handle to a lower portion of the main body and the energy storage member extends under the finger grip area; and

wherein the suction motor is positioned rearward of a rear end of the air treatment chamber and forward of the hand grip portion.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the suction motor is positioned between the rear end of the air treatment chamber and the finger grip area and an axis that extends between the front of the air treatment chamber and the handle extends through the suction motor.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the suction motor is provided at a forward side of the finger grip area.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the inlet conduit at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the inlet conduit axis extends horizontally, the handle extends generally vertically.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the air treatment chamber comprises a cyclone having a cyclone axis of rotation and the cyclone axis of rotation is generally parallel to the motor axis of rotation and the flow direction.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14 further comprising a pre-motor filter and air travelling from the pre-motor filter to the suction motor flows in a direction generally parallel to the cyclone axis of rotation.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 further comprising a pre-motor filter and air travelling from the pre-motor filter to the suction motor flows in a direction generally parallel to the cyclone axis of rotation.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the handle has a hand grip portion and, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the inlet conduit at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the inlet conduit axis extends horizontally, the hand grip portion extends to an elevation above an upper end of the cyclone.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the inlet conduit at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the inlet conduit axis extends horizontally, the hand grip portion extends generally vertically and a projection of the hand grip portion intersects the power switch.