Surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A hand vacuum cleaner has a hand vacuum cleaner front end having a dirty air inlet, a cyclone and a dirt collection chamber that is external to the cyclone. The cyclone has a cyclone axis of rotation which intersects a cyclone front end and a cyclone rear end. A front door is provided which, in an open position, opens the dirt collection chamber. The front door has a first part which extends generally transverse to the cyclone axis of rotation and a second part that extends rearward at a non-zero angle to the cyclone axis of rotation and the first part.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hand vacuum cleaner having a hand vacuum cleaner front end having a dirty air inlet, a hand vacuum cleaner rear end, an upper end and a lower end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from the dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;   (b) a cyclone provided in the air flow path, the cyclone comprising a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet, a dirt outlet, a cyclone front end, a cyclone rear end and a cyclone axis of rotation which intersects the cyclone front end and the cyclone rear end;   (c) a dirt collection chamber external to the cyclone;   (d) a suction motor positioned in the air flow path;   (e) a handle; and,   (f) a front door which, in an open position, opens the dirt collection chamber, the front door comprising a first part which extends generally transverse to the cyclone axis of rotation and a second part that extends rearward at a non-zero angle to the cyclone axis of rotation and the first part.   
     
     
         2 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the dirty air inlet is provided at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the second part of the door is provided at the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         3 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 2  wherein the first part of the door has an upper end and a lower end and the second part of the door extends rearwardly from the lower end of the first part of the door. 
     
     
         4 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 3  wherein the second part of the door is moveably mounted to a remainder of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         5 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 2  wherein the second part of the door is moveably mounted to a remainder of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         6 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the second part of the door is provided at the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the dirty air inlet is transversely spaced from the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         7 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 6  wherein the first part of the door has an upper end and a lower end and the second part of the door extends rearwardly from the lower end of the first part of the door. 
     
     
         8 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 7  wherein the second part of the door is moveably mounted to a remainder of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         9 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 6  wherein the second part of the door is moveably mounted to a remainder of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         10 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the dirt collection chamber is positioned forward of the cyclone. 
     
     
         11 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising a plate positioned at the cyclone front end, the plate having a cyclone face facing the cyclone, an opposed dirt collection chamber face facing the dirt collection chamber wherein the dirt outlet comprises a gap between the plate and a sidewall of the cyclone. 
     
     
         12 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein the plate is concurrently moveable with the front wall whereby when the front door is in the open position, the dirt collection chamber and the cyclone are opened. 
     
     
         13 . A hand vacuum cleaner having a hand vacuum cleaner front end having a dirty air inlet, a hand vacuum cleaner rear end, an upper end and a lower end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from the dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;   (b) an air treatment chamber provided in the air flow path, the air treatment chamber comprising a dirt outlet, an air treatment chamber front end, an air treatment chamber rear end and a central longitudinal axis which intersects the air treatment chamber front end and the air treatment chamber rear end;   (c) a dirt collection chamber external to the air treatment chamber;   (d) a suction motor positioned in the air flow path;   (e) a handle; and,   (f) a front door which, in an open position, opens the dirt collection chamber, the front door comprising a first part which extends generally transverse to the central longitudinal axis and a second part that extends rearward at a non-zero angle to the central longitudinal axis and the first part.   
     
     
         14 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 13  wherein the dirty air inlet is provided at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the second part of the door is provided at the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         15 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein the first part of the door has an upper end and a lower end and the second part of the door extends rearwardly from the lower end of the first part of the door. 
     
     
         16 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 15  wherein the second part of the door is moveably mounted to a remainder of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         17 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein the second part of the door is moveably mounted to a remainder of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         18 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 13  wherein the second part of the door is provided at the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the dirty air inlet is transversely spaced from the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         19 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 13  wherein the dirt collection chamber is positioned forward of the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 13  further comprising a plate positioned at the air treatment chamber front end, the plate having an air treatment chamber face facing the air treatment chamber, an opposed dirt collection chamber face facing the dirt collection chamber wherein the dirt outlet comprises a gap between the plate and a sidewall of the air treatment chamber. 
     
     
         21 . The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 20  wherein the plate is concurrently moveable with the front wall whereby when the front door is in the open position, the dirt collection chamber and the air treatment chamber are opened.