Surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus includes a housing that supports a motor which rotates a fan about an axle axis and a dirt collection chamber having an elongate axis about which the dirt-laden air rotates. The dirt collection chamber receives dirt-laden air from the passage in response to rotation of the fan. The dirt collection chamber axis is spaced from the axle axis and includes an openable door that permits a user to empty dirt from the dirt collection chamber while the dirt collection chamber is supported on the housing. A battery that operates the suction source includes a plurality of battery cells, has an elongate battery axis that extends through a majority of the battery cells. While the passage axis extends horizontally, both the axle axis and the dirt collection chamber axis are positioned above the elongate axis and the battery axis is positioned below the passage axis.

1 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a housing having a front end and a back end, the housing defining a passage at the front end of the housing and a user-graspable handle at the back end of the housing, the passage configured to receive dirt-laden air, the housing defining an elongate passage axis extending centrally along the passage in a direction from the front end to the rear end, the housing supporting;
 a suction source including a motor with an axle which rotates a fan about an axle axis; 
 a dirt collection chamber having an elongate dirt collection chamber axis about which the dirt-laden air rotates, the dirt collection chamber defining an inlet fluidly coupled to the passage for receiving dirt-laden air from the passage in response to rotation of the fan about the axle axis, the dirt collection chamber axis is spaced from the axle axis, the dirt collection chamber including an openable door configured to permit a user to empty dirt from the dirt collection chamber while the dirt collection chamber is supported on the housing; and 
 a battery for providing power to operate the suction source, wherein the battery has an elongate battery axis, 
   wherein the battery includes a plurality of battery cells,   wherein the elongate battery axis extends through a majority of the battery cells, and   wherein while the passage axis extends horizontally, both the axle axis and the dirt collection chamber axis are positioned above the elongate axis and the battery axis is positioned below the passage axis.   
     
     
         2 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the suction source further includes a cyclonic separator device having an elongate cyclonic separator axis for separating dirt from the airflow through the apparatus, the cyclonic separator axis extending substantially parallel to the dirt collection chamber axis, and
 wherein the openable door is a pivotably openable door.   
     
     
         3 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the cyclonic separator device is a horizontal cyclonic separator device and wherein the dirt collection chamber is a horizontal dirt collection chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the elongate axes of the dirt collection chamber and cyclonic separator device are substantially co-axial. 
     
     
         5 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein while the dirt collection chamber axis is substantially horizontal and while the passage axis is substantially horizontal, the battery is closer to a surface being cleaned than substantially all of the suction source, and the battery is closer to a surface being cleaned than substantially all of the cyclonic separator device. 
     
     
         6 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the battery cells defines a cylindrical shape with a central axis, the elongate axis of the battery extends through the central axis of a majority of the battery cells, the elongate axis of the battery is substantially parallel to an elongate passage axis. 
     
     
         7 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the elongate axis of the battery extends through an elongate length of the battery, and the axle axis is spaced apart from the battery axis a lesser amount than the elongate dirt collection chamber axis is spaced apart from the battery axis. 
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein while the dirt collection chamber axis is substantially horizontal and while the passage axis is substantially horizontal, the battery is closer to a surface being cleaned than substantially all of the suction source, and wherein the battery is closer to the surface being cleaned than substantially all of the dirt collection chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein while the passage axis is positioned at an acute angle with respect to a surface being cleaned, a portion of the cells is positioned rearwardly of the suction source. 
     
     
         10 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein a portion of the cells is arranged in a row which extends along an elongate axis parallel to the elongate axis of the passage, and wherein the battery axis extends through each cell of the portion of cells arranged in the row. 
     
     
         11 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the dirt collection chamber is a horizontal dirt collection chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the axle axis extends transversely to the passage axis. 
     
     
         13 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the axle axis and the dirt collection chamber axis extend transversely with respect to the elongate battery axis. 
     
     
         14 . A hand vac comprising:
 a housing having a front end and a back end, the housing defining a passage at the front end of the housing and a user-graspable handle at the back end of the housing, the passage configured to receive dirt-laden air, the housing defining an elongate passage axis extending centrally along the passage in a direction from the front end to the rear end;   a suction source within the housing, the suction source including a motor with an axle which rotates a fan about an axle axis;   a dirt collection chamber removably coupled to the housing, the dirt collection chamber defining an inlet fluidly coupled to the passage for receiving dirt-laden air from the passage in response to rotation of the fan about the axle axis, the dirt collection chamber defining a dirt collection chamber axis about which the dirt-laden air rotates, the dirt collection chamber axis extending parallel to the axle axis about which the fan rotates, the dirt collection chamber including an openable door configured to permit a user to empty dirt from the dirt collection chamber while the dirt collection chamber is coupled to the housing;   a cyclonic separator within the housing, the horizontal cyclonic separator defining a horizontal cyclonic separator axis about which the dirt laden air rotates, the horizontal cyclonic separator configured to separate dirt from the dirt-laden air; and   a battery positioned within the housing and configured to provide power to the suction source, the battery including a plurality of battery cells;   wherein while the passage axis extends horizontally, both the axle axis and the dirt collection chamber axis are positioned vertically above the elongate axis and the battery cells are at least partially positioned vertically below the passage axis.   
     
     
         15 . The hand vac according to  claim 14 , wherein all of the battery cells are positioned vertically below the passage axis while the passage axis extends horizontally. 
     
     
         16 . The hand vac according to  claim 14 , wherein while a user is grasping the user-graspable handle and the passage axis extends at an acute angle with respect to a surface to be cleaned, the battery is positioned between a surface being cleaned and the suction source. 
     
     
         17 . The hand vac according to  claim 14 , wherein the user graspable handle extends transverse with respect to the dirt collection chamber axis, wherein the dirt collection chamber is positioned closer to the front end of the housing than the suction source, and wherein the openable door is a pivotably openable door. 
     
     
         18 . The hand vac according to  claim 14 , wherein the dirt collection chamber is a horizontal dirt collection chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The hand vac according to  claim 14 , wherein the axle axis extends transversely to the elongate passage axis. 
     
     
         20 . The hand vac according to  claim 14 , wherein the axle axis extends substantially horizontally, and the dirt collection chamber axis extends substantially horizontally.