Surface cleaning apparatus

• US 10,271,698 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2016
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Hail, Joseph J
• Assistant Examiner(s): McDonald, Shantese
• Application Number:
  US15/076,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20160198916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 15344, 15337, 153271, 15353
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/36 Suction cleaners with hose between nozzle and casing; Suction cleaners for fixing on staircases; Suction cleaners for carrying on the back
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/362 of the horizontal type, e.g. canister or sledge type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/125 funnel-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/149 Emptying means; Reusable bags
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/16 Arrangement or disposition of cyclones or other devices with centrifugal action
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2868 Arrangements for power supply of vacuum cleaners or the accessories thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/322 for hand-supported suction cleaners

Abstract

A hand vacuum cleaner is provided with an openable door that opens an air flow passage that extends rearwardly from an air treatment member to a suction motor.

Claims

1. A hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a dirt air inlet and a cleaned air outlet and a fluid flow path extending therebetween;

(b) a first air treatment member;

(c) a suction motor wherein the first air treatment member and the suction motor are part of the fluid flow path,

(d) an air flow passage is provided from the first air treatment member to the suction motor, the air flow passage comprising a transverse portion and first and second opposed walls that extend in the direction of air flow through the passage; and

,

(e) an openable door comprising the first opposed wall is provided on an end of the hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus, whereby, when the door is opened, the first opposed wall is moved away from the second opposed wall such that the transverse portion of the airflow passage is opened.

2. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the suction motor has a suction motor axis that is oriented to be non-parallel to the axis of the air treatment member.

3. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the suction motor axis is orthogonal to the axis of the air treatment member.

4. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a handle comprising a portion that extends upwardly.

5. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4 wherein the handle has a lower end positioned adjacent the suction motor and an upper end positioned above the suction motor and forward of the lower end of the handle.

6. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a second air treatment member that is positioned above and overlying the first air treatment member.

7. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein the upper end of the handle is positioned above a pre-motor porous filter media.

8. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first air treatment member comprises a cyclone.

9. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a handle having a handle axis that extends in a handle axis plane, the suction motor has a suction motor axis that extends in a suction motor axis plane and the air treatment member axis extends in an air treatment member axis plane and the handle axis plane, the suction motor axis plane and the air treatment member axis plane are parallel.

10. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein air treatment member comprises a cyclone and the air treatment member axis is a cyclone axis about which air rotates.

11. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first air treatment member is nonremovably attached to the hand vacuum cleaner.

12. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second air treatment member that is positioned above and overlying the first air treatment member.

13. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein the second air treatment member is removable when the openable door is opened.

14. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein a pre-motor porous filter media is removable when the openable door is opened.

15. A hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a dirt air inlet and a cleaned air outlet and a fluid flow path extending therebetween;

(b) a first air treatment member;

(c) a suction motor wherein the first air treatment member and the suction motor are part of the fluid flow path,

(d) an air flow passage is provided from the first air treatment member to the suction motor, the air flow passage having first and second opposed walls that extend in the direction of air flow through the passage; and

,

(e) a door closes an end of the hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus, whereby, when the door is opened, the first opposed wall is moved and the second opposed wall remains in position such that the airflow passage is opened.

16. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein the suction motor has a suction motor axis that is oriented to be non-parallel to the axis of the air treatment member.

17. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 16 wherein the suction motor axis is orthogonal to the axis of the air treatment member.

18. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a handle comprising a portion that extends upwardly.

19. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 18 wherein the handle has a lower end positioned adjacent the suction motor and an upper end positioned above the suction motor and forward of the lower end of the handle.

20. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a second air treatment member that is positioned above and overlying the first air treatment member.

21. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 19 wherein the upper end of the handle is positioned above a pre-motor porous filter media.

22. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first air treatment member comprises a cyclone.

23. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a handle having a handle axis that extends in a handle axis plane, the suction motor has a suction motor axis that extends in a suction motor axis plane and the air treatment member axis extends in an air treatment member axis plane and the handle axis plane, the suction motor axis plane and the air treatment member axis plane are parallel.

24. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 23 wherein air treatment member comprises a cyclone and the air treatment member axis is a cyclone axis about which air rotates.

25. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first air treatment member is non-removably attached to the hand vacuum cleaner.

26. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a second air treatment member that is positioned above and overlying the first air treatment member.

27. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 26 wherein the second air treatment member is removable when the openable door is opened.

28. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 26 wherein a pre-motor porous filter media is removable when the openable door is opened.