Hand vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A hand vacuum cleaner has an air flow path extending from a nozzle having a dirty air inlet, which is provided at the front end, to a clean air outlet of the handheld vacuum cleaner. A non-cyclonic cleaning stage is provided in the air flow path and comprises a non-cyclonic chamber with a screen provided therein and an openable front end which, when opened, opens the non-cyclonic chamber wherein, in operation, air enters the non-cyclonic chamber and particulate matter is retained in the non-cyclonic chamber and treated air exits the non-cyclonic chamber, the nozzle being in a fixed position with respect to the non-cyclonic cleaning stage during cleaning operations of the handheld vacuum cleaner. A cyclonic cleaning stage is provided downstream from the non-cyclonic cleaning stage, the cyclonic cleaning stage comprising a dirt collection chamber wherein, opening the openable front end also opens the dirt collection chamber.

1 . A handheld vacuum cleaner having a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal axis extending from the front end to the rear end, the handheld vacuum cleaner comprising:
 an air flow path extending from a nozzle having a dirty air inlet, which is provided at the front end, to a clean air outlet of the handheld vacuum cleaner;   a suction motor operable to move air along the air flow path;   a non-cyclonic cleaning stage comprising a non-cyclonic chamber with a screen provided therein and an openable front end which, when opened, opens the non-cyclonic chamber wherein, in operation, air enters the non-cyclonic chamber and particulate matter is retained in the non-cyclonic chamber and treated air exits the non-cyclonic chamber, the nozzle being in a fixed position with respect to the non-cyclonic cleaning stage during cleaning operations of the handheld vacuum cleaner; and   a cyclonic cleaning stage downstream from the non-cyclonic cleaning stage, the cyclonic cleaning stage comprising a dirt collection chamber wherein, opening the openable front end also opens the dirt collection chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the dirty air inlet is moveable with the openable front end. 
     
     
         3 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 2  wherein the openable front end comprises a front wall of the handheld vacuum cleaner and the dirty air inlet is centrally positioned on the front wall. 
     
     
         4 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 3  wherein a portion of the dirt collection chamber extends concurrently with the non-cyclonic cleaning stage. 
     
     
         5 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 4  wherein a front end of the dirt collection chamber is closed by the openable front end when the openable front end is closed. 
     
     
         6 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 5  wherein the suction motor has a motor axis of rotation that extends through the cyclonic cleaning stage and the non-cyclonic cleaning stage. 
     
     
         7 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 5  wherein the non-cyclonic chamber has a chamber sidewall extending between the openable front end and a rear end of the non-cyclonic chamber and the screen is moveable relative to the chamber sidewall. 
     
     
         8 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 5  wherein the cyclonic cleaning stage comprises a plurality of cyclone air inlets. 
     
     
         9 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 5  wherein an inlet passage extends from the dirty air inlet to the non-cyclonic chamber, the inlet passage has an inlet passage axis that extends through the non-cyclonic chamber, the cyclonic cleaning stage and the suction motor. 
     
     
         10 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising a handle and an energy store and a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis extends through the handle and the energy store. 
     
     
         11 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis extends through of the non-cyclonic chamber, the screen and the dirt collection chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein the suction motor has a motor axis of rotation that extends through the cyclonic cleaning stage and the non-cyclonic cleaning stage. 
     
     
         13 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein the non-cyclonic chamber has a chamber sidewall extending between the openable front end and a rear end of the non-cyclonic chamber and the screen is moveable relative to the chamber sidewall. 
     
     
         14 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein the cyclonic cleaning stage comprises a plurality of cyclone air inlets. 
     
     
         15 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein an inlet passage extends from the dirty air inlet to the non-cyclonic chamber, the inlet passage has an inlet passage axis that extends through the non-cyclonic chamber, the cyclonic cleaning stage and the suction motor. 
     
     
         16 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the suction motor has a motor axis of rotation that extends through the cyclonic cleaning stage and the non-cyclonic cleaning stage. 
     
     
         17 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 16  wherein the non-cyclonic chamber has a chamber sidewall extending between the openable front end and a rear end of the non-cyclonic chamber and the screen is moveable relative to the chamber sidewall. 
     
     
         18 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 16  wherein the cyclonic cleaning stage comprises a plurality of cyclone air inlets. 
     
     
         19 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 16  wherein an inlet passage extends from the dirty air inlet to the non-cyclonic chamber, the inlet passage has an inlet passage axis that extends through the non-cyclonic chamber, the cyclonic cleaning stage and the suction motor. 
     
     
         20 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein an inlet passage extends from the dirty air inlet to the non-cyclonic chamber, the inlet passage has an inlet passage axis that extends through the non-cyclonic chamber, the cyclonic cleaning stage and the suction motor. 
     
     
         21 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the nozzle is directly connectable to an accessory tool. 
     
     
         22 . A handheld vacuum cleaner having a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal axis extending from the front end to the rear end, the handheld vacuum cleaner comprising:
 an air flow path extending from a nozzle having a dirty air inlet, which is provided at the front end, to a clean air outlet of the handheld vacuum cleaner;   a suction motor operable to move air along the air flow path;   a non-cyclonic cleaning stage comprising a non-cyclonic chamber with a screen provided therein and an openable front end which in moveable to concurrently with the nozzle to an open position in which the non-cyclonic chamber is opened wherein, in operation, air enters the non-cyclonic chamber and particulate matter is retained in the non-cyclonic chamber and treated air exits the non-cyclonic chamber; and,   a cyclonic cleaning stage downstream from the non-cyclonic cleaning stage, the cyclonic cleaning stage comprising a dirt collection chamber wherein, opening the openable front end also opens the dirt collection chamber.   
     
     
         23 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 22  wherein the openable front end comprises a front wall of the handheld vacuum cleaner and the dirty air inlet is centrally positioned on the front wall. 
     
     
         24 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 22  wherein the cyclonic cleaning stage has a plurality of cyclone air inlets. 
     
     
         25 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 22  wherein the non-cyclonic chamber has a chamber sidewall extending between the openable front end and a rear end of the non-cyclonic chamber and the screen is moveable relative to the chamber sidewall.