Abstract: A vacuum cleaner is provided including a nozzle assembly with a suction inlet and a canister assembly. A suction generator and dirt collection vessel ate carried on one of the nozzle assembly and canister assembly. The dirt collection vessel includes a base wall, a stepped sidewall and a dirt collection chamber. The stepped sidewall has a first cylindrical section with a circumference C1, and a second cylindrical section with a circumference C2 where C1, C1>C2. In addition the stepped sidewall includes a step connecting the first and second cylindrical sections where the step and first cylindrical section define an included angle A1?90°.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner is provided including a housing having a nozzle assembly with a suction inlet and a canister assembly with a dirt collection vessel receiver. A suction generator is carried on the housing. A dirt collection vessel is received in the receiver. A final filtration compartment is provided on the housing. The final filtration compartment includes an air inlet having a cross sectional surface area A and an air outlet having a cross sectional surface area B where the ratio of B to A is at least 0.8 to 1. The vacuum cleaner also includes a final filter received in the final filtration compartment.

Abstract: A floor cleaning apparatus includes a dirt collection vessel and a suction generator carried on the housing. The dirt collection vessel includes a dirty air inlet, a dirt collection chamber and a clean air outlet. A filter is received in the dirt collection vessel. The filter includes multiple sections. Each section provides a discrete airflow pathway. In addition, the floor cleaning apparatus includes a flow control valve assembly including a clean air inlet. The flow control valve assembly is selectively displaceable between two positions. In the first position dirty air is serially moved by the suction generator through the dirty air inlet, the dirt collection chamber, the filter and the clean air outlet so that dirt is collected in the dirt collection chamber. In the second position clean air is moved by the suction generator through the clean air inlet, a selected one of the sections of the filter, back through the other sections of the filter and then through the clean air outlet.