Upright surface treatment apparatus having removable pod

Abstract

A reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus may include a wand and a pod removably coupled to the wand. The wand may have a first distal end that is configured to couple to a surface cleaning head and a second distal end that is configured to couple to a handle. The pod may include a suction motor assembly cavity, a battery cavity, and a dust cup cavity. The suction motor assembly cavity and the battery cavity may be disposed on opposing sides of a vertical plane, wherein the vertical plane extends along a central longitudinal axis of the pod. The dust cup cavity may be disposed between the suction motor assembly cavity and the battery cavity such that at least a portion of the dust cup cavity is disposed on each side of the vertical plane.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus comprising:
 a wand having a first distal end that is configured to couple to a surface cleaning head and a second distal end;   a handle removably coupled to the wand at the second distal end;   a pod removably coupled to the wand, wherein the pod includes:
 a suction motor assembly cavity; 
 a battery cavity, wherein the suction motor assembly cavity and the battery cavity are disposed on opposing sides of a vertical plane, the vertical plane extending along a central longitudinal axis of the pod; 
 a dust cup cavity, the dust cup cavity positioned such that at least a portion of the dust cup cavity is disposed on each side of the vertical plane; and 
 a flexible conduit coupler, the dust cup cavity and the flexible conduit coupler being disposed on opposing sides of the pod; and 
   a flexible conduit removably coupled to the flexible conduit coupler and coupled to the handle, the flexible conduit being configured to fluidly couple the flexible conduit coupler with the wand through the handle.   
     
     
         2 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the battery cavity is fluidly coupled to the suction motor assembly cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pod includes a plurality of apertures that extend from an outer surface of the pod and into the battery cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of apertures are configured to allow an airflow from the suction motor assembly cavity to exit through the battery cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the plurality of apertures has a different size than another of the plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         6 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible conduit is electrified. 
     
     
         7 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, the handle includes a toggle configured to decouple the handle from the wand. 
     
     
         8 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wand includes a detachable portion and a neck, the detachable portion being configured to be separable from the neck. 
     
     
         9 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the detachable portion is separable from the neck in response to actuation of a release toggle. 
     
     
         10 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a battery pack disposed within the battery cavity. 
     
     
         11 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the battery pack includes a housing having a plurality of apertures configured to allow air to pass therethrough. 
     
     
         12 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the plurality of apertures has a circular shape and at least one of the plurality of apertures has an elongated shape. 
     
     
         13 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a clip configured to removably couple the flexible conduit to the wand. 
     
     
         14 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the clip includes one or more protrusions configured to engage a corresponding groove extending along the wand. 
     
     
         15 . A reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus comprising:
 a wand having a first distal end and a second distal end;   a surface cleaning head at the first distal end;   a handle removably coupled to the wand at the second distal end;   a pod removably coupled to the wand, wherein the pod includes:
 a suction motor; 
 a battery cavity, wherein the suction motor and the battery cavity are disposed on opposing sides of a vertical plane, the vertical plane extending along a central longitudinal axis of the pod; 
 a dust cup fluidly coupled to the suction motor, the dust cup positioned such that at least a portion of the dust cup is disposed on each side of the vertical plane; and 
 a flexible conduit coupler fluidly coupled to the dust cup, the dust cup and the flexible conduit coupler being disposed on opposing sides of the pod; and 
   a flexible conduit removably coupled to the flexible conduit coupler and coupled to the handle, the flexible conduit being configured to fluidly couple the dust cup with the wand through the handle.   
     
     
         16 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the battery cavity is fluidly coupled to the suction motor. 
     
     
         17 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the pod includes a plurality of apertures that extend from an outer surface of the pod and into the battery cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising a clip configured to removably couple the flexible conduit to the wand. 
     
     
         19 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the clip includes one or more protrusions configured to engage a corresponding groove extending along the wand. 
     
     
         20 . The reconfigurable surface treatment apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein, the handle includes a toggle configured to decouple the handle from the wand.