Surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus such as a vacuum cleaner includes a suction source, a recovery container, and a base assembly with at least one agitator within an agitator chamber. The recovery container can be coupled to a separator assembly configured to remove dirt and debris from working fluid through the surface cleaning apparatus. In addition, a user interface can be provided for selective operation of components of the surface cleaning apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
 a base assembly including a suction nozzle and adapted for movement along a surface to be cleaned;   a hand-held portion having, a recovery container with a collector axis defined through a center thereof, a suction source in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and the recovery container and configured for generating a working airstream, a hand grip assembly, and a battery pack located adjacent to the hand grip assembly, and wherein the hand grip assembly comprises:
 a grip body including an upper grip defining an upper surface; and 
 a user interface provided at the upper surface, the user interface having at least one status indicator configured to display a status for at least one component of the surface cleaning apparatus; and 
   a wand operably coupled between the base assembly and the hand-held portion and defining at least a portion of a working air path extending from the suction nozzle to an air outlet in the hand-held portion and including the suction source and wherein a wand axis is defined through a center of the wand and wherein the wand axis and the collector axis are parallel.   
     
     
         2 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the grip body defines a stem forming the upper surface and an arm and wherein the stem and the arm are connected by a shoulder. 
     
     
         3 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the arm defines a grip axis and the grip axis forming a grip angle with respect to the stem. 
     
     
         4 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the grip axis forms an acute angle with respect to the collector axis. 
     
     
         5 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein a battery axis is defined through the center of the battery pack and intersects the grip axis at an orthogonal angle. 
     
     
         6 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the grip body further comprises a lower grip and wherein the upper grip and the lower grip couple to form the grip body. 
     
     
         7 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the user interface further comprises a printed circuit board provided between the lower grip and the upper grip, wherein an LED is located on a surface of the printed circuit board and wherein when assembled the surface of the printed circuit board is positioned in a direction away from the at least one status indicator. 
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein an aperture is located within the upper grip and forms an orifice in the upper surface. 
     
     
         9 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the user interface further comprises a power button at least partially located within the aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one status indicator is separate from the power button. 
     
     
         11 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one status indicator indicates suction level, battery level, filter clogging, or an indication to clean or inspect said component. 
     
     
         12 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the grip body extends away from at least one of the suction source or the recovery container to define a handle opening. 
     
     
         13 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the suction source includes a motor/fan assembly operably coupled to the recovery container to form a single, hand-carriable unit and the motor/fan assembly defines a motor axis that is parallel to the wand axis and the collector axis. 
     
     
         14 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a headlight array located along a forward oriented portion of the base assembly, providing a beam that is substantially parallel to the surface to be cleaned and spaced above the surface to be cleaned at not more than 30 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a swivel joint moveably coupling a lower end of the wand to the base assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hand-held portion further comprises a pre-motor filter assembly defining a portion of the working air path, the pre-motor filter assembly comprising at least one pre-motor filter received within a filter chamber at an upper end of the recovery container. 
     
     
         17 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the hand-held portion further comprises a debris removal assembly, the debris removal assembly comprising a cyclonic separator chamber for separating contaminants from the working air path and a collection chamber for receiving contaminants separated in the separator chamber, the collection chamber defined at least in part by the recovery container. 
     
     
         18 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the debris removal assembly further comprises a second cyclonic separator chamber that is downstream from the collection chamber and a second collection chamber for receiving contaminants separated in the second cyclonic separator chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one status indicator is separate from a power button and wherein the at least one status indicator includes multiple status indicators. 
     
     
         20 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the multiple status indicators include at least three chosen from a group of: suction level, battery level, filter clogging, clean said component, and inspect said component.