SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS
A hand vacuum cleaner comprises a vacuum cleaner body, which houses a suction motor and fan assembly, and a cyclone unit comprising a cyclone. When the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned with the upper end above the bottom, the cyclone axis of rotation is generally horizontal and extends between the front and rear ends of the cyclone. A handle is provided on a sidewall of a rear portion of the vacuum cleaner body and a handle axis extends through the hand grip portion of the handle from the first end of the hand grip portion to the second end of the hand grip portion and the handle axis intersects the suction motor axis of rotation.
1 . A hand vacuum cleaner having a front end having a nozzle, a clean air outlet, an upper end and a bottom, the nozzle extending from an upstream end to a downstream end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
(a) a vacuum cleaner body comprising an upper end, a lower end, a front end, a rear end and a handle, the handle extending between a first handle end and a second handle end, the vacuum cleaner body including a suction motor and fan assembly, the suction motor and fan assembly having a suction motor axis of rotation; and,
(b) a cyclone unit comprising a cyclone having a cyclone axis of rotation, a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet, a front end and a rear end,
wherein when the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned with the upper end above the bottom, the cyclone axis of rotation is generally horizontal and extends between the front and rear ends of the cyclone, and
wherein the handle is provided on a sidewall of a rear portion of the vacuum cleaner body, and
wherein a handle axis extends through the hand grip portion of the handle from the first end of the hand grip portion to the second end of the hand grip portion and the handle axis intersects the suction motor axis of rotation.
2 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the handle axis intersects the suction motor and fan assembly.
3 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the cyclone axis of rotation extending generally horizontally, one end of the handle of the hand grip portion is positioned forward of another end of the handle.
4 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 3 wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the cyclone axis of rotation extending generally horizontally, an upper end of the handle of the hand grip portion is attached to the hand vacuum cleaner.
5 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the cyclone axis of rotation and the motor axis of rotation extend in a common direction.
6 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the cyclone unit has a front wall and the nozzle has a nozzle axis that extends through a central portion of the cyclone between the front and rear ends of the cyclone.
7 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 6 wherein a front electrical connector is positioned adjacent the nozzle.
8 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the nozzle extends through a front wall of the cyclone.
9 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 8 wherein a front electrical connector is positioned adjacent the nozzle.
10 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the nozzle comprises an inlet passage that extends longitudinally between the upstream end of the nozzle and the downstream end of the nozzle and has a longitudinal passage axis that is coaxial with the cyclone axis of rotation.
11 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising an openable door which, when open, opens a dirt chamber that is exterior to the cyclone.
12 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein an end of the openable door is located at a front wall of the cyclone unit.
13 . A hand vacuum cleaner having a front end having a nozzle, a clean air outlet, an upper end and a bottom, the nozzle extending from an upstream end to a downstream end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
(a) a vacuum cleaner body comprising an upper end, a lower end, a front end, a rear end and a handle, the handle extending between a first handle end and a second handle end, the vacuum cleaner body including a suction motor and fan assembly, the suction motor and fan assembly having a suction motor axis of rotation; and,
(b) a cyclone unit comprising an openable door and a cyclone having a cyclone axis of rotation, a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet, a front end and a rear end,
wherein when the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned with the upper end above the bottom, the cyclone axis of rotation is generally horizontal and extends between the front and rear ends of the cyclone, and
wherein the handle is provided on a sidewall of a rear portion of the vacuum cleaner body, and
wherein a handle axis extends through the hand grip portion of the handle from the first end of the hand grip portion to the second end of the hand grip portion and the handle axis intersects the vacuum cleaner body, and
wherein an end of the openable door is located at a front wall of the cyclone unit.
14 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 13 wherein, when open, the openable door opens a dirt chamber that is exterior to the cyclone.
15 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 13 wherein the cyclone axis of rotation and the motor axis of rotation extend in a common direction.
16 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 13 wherein the nozzle has a nozzle axis that extends through a central portion of the cyclone between the front and rear ends of the cyclone.
17 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 16 wherein a front electrical connector is positioned adjacent the nozzle.
18 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 13 wherein the nozzle extends through the front wall of the cyclone unit.
19 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 18 wherein a front electrical connector is positioned adjacent the nozzle.
20 . The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 13 wherein the nozzle comprises an inlet passage that extends longitudinally between the upstream end of the nozzle and the downstream end of the nozzle and has a longitudinal passage axis that is coaxial with the cyclone axis of rotation.