Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus comprises an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet with an air treatment member positioned in the air flow path. The air treatment member comprises a dirt collection region which has an openable door. A pre-motor filter is positioned downstream of the chamber and upstream of the suction motor and a suction motor is provided in the air flow path downstream of the chamber. The air flow path comprises a downstream portion extending from the pre-motor filter to the suction motor, and, during an emptying mode of operation, the openable door is opened and the downstream portion of the air flow path is closed.

Abstract: A household appliance has an air flow path extending from an air inlet to an air outlet with a fan and motor assembly. The fan and motor assembly comprises a motor drivingly connected to a first rotating fan blade subassembly and a second rotating fan blade subassembly. A first rotating fan blade subassembly provides a first level of air flow and a first level of suction and the second rotating fan blade subassembly provides a second level of air flow and a second level of suction, wherein the first level of air flow is higher than the second level of air flow and the second level of suction is higher than the first level of suction, and the fan and motor assembly is adjustable to vary amount of air entering the fan and motor assembly that is directed to each of the first and second rotating fan blade subassemblies.

Abstract: A hand vacuum cleaner has a front to back longitudinal axis, a first cleaning stage comprising an air treatment chamber and a second cleaning stage comprising a cyclone and a dirt collection chamber. The cyclone axis of rotation is at an angle to the front to back longitudinal axis. A front openable door opens the air treatment chamber and the dirt collection chamber.

Abstract: A method for removing contaminants from air in a physical space. When a person is present, a person’s head is positioned between a lower band level, in which the person’s head is positioned above the lower band level, and an upper band level, in which the person’s head is positioned at least partially below the upper band level during normal use of the physical space. The method comprises providing negatively charged ions in the physical space; operating a positively charged ion collector to produce an electrical field having an electrical field strength, wherein the negatively charged ions in the band are drawn towards the positively charged ion collector due to a potential difference between the negatively charged ions and the positively charged ion collector; and adjusting the electrical field strength whereby negatively charged ions travel to the positively charged ion collector regardless of the airflow in the physical space.

Abstract: During an evacuation mode of operation of a hand vacuum cleaner, an evacuation air flow path extends from an evacuation air inlet through at least the debris separator to the docking station. A return air path extends from the docking station air outlet to the suction motor of the hand vacuum cleaner whereby, in an evacuation mode when the hand vacuum cleaner is docked with a docking station air outlet port, air travels from the docking station air outlet port to the return air path. A valve is operable between a closed position in which the hand vacuum cleaner is operable to clean the surface and an evacuation position in which the return air flow path is in air flow communication with the motor and fan assembly. The motor and fan assembly and the return air path are provided at a lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner.

Abstract: A hand vacuum cleaner has an upper end, a lower end, an air flow passage, a main body with a handle, an air treatment chamber and a suction motor. The air treatment chamber has an air outlet, the air outlet comprising a rigid porous member and a filter media that is removably positionable in the rigid porous member. The air treatment chamber is moveable to an open position in which the air treatment chamber is emptyable, and the rigid porous member is moveable within the air treatment chamber to an open position in which the filter media is removable.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a surface cleaning apparatus and a docking station is provided. The surface cleaning apparatus comprises a surface cleaning apparatus air flow path; a suction motor; and an air treatment member. The air treatment member comprises a first stage air treatment chamber, a stationary portion and a moveable portion. The moveable portion is moveably mounted by a mount between a closed position in which the first stage air treatment chamber is closed and an open position in which the first stage air treatment chamber is open. The docking station comprises a docking station air flow path and a docking interface. The docking interface comprises wall portions and a docking interface perimeter extending around the wall portions. When the air treatment member is docked with the docking station, the docking interface perimeter contacts the stationary portion of the air treatment member and a closed volume is provided.

Abstract: A hair dryer has a body having a hair dryer electrical contact. An accessory tool, which has an accessory tool having an accessory electrical contact, is removably mountable to the body. An electrically operable heating element provided in the accessory tool, whereby, when the accessory tool is mounted to the body and the hair dryer is actuated, the electrically operable heating element is energized using power provided by the hair dryer electrical contact.

Abstract: A hand vacuum cleaner has a cyclone with a cyclone chamber having upper and lower ends and a cyclone air outlet extending downwardly from the upper end. A dirt outlet is provided at the lower end of the cyclone chamber. When the upper end of the cyclone chamber is oriented above the lower end, the cyclone air outlet has a lower end that is below an upper end of the dirt outlet.

Abstract: A hand vacuum cleaner has a momentum separator comprising an air treatment chamber having a first end, an axially opposed second end, a longitudinal axis intersecting the first and second ends, an air inlet at the first end and an air outlet comprising a porous dirt separator, the porous dirt separator extending axially from the second end of the air treatment chamber towards the first end of the air treatment chamber. A pre-motor physical filter media is provided on a downstream side of the porous dirt separator wherein the physical filter media is separable from the porous dirt separator after the air treatment chamber is opened and wherein the air treatment chamber is opened in a first direction and the physical filter media is removable in a second direction that is at an angle to the first direction.

Abstract: A docking station has a first separation stage comprising an air treatment chamber. When the docking station is positioned on a horizontal surface in an in-use position, the air treatment chamber has a lower wall that comprises a bottom openable door. A pre-motor filter is downstream from the first separation stage and laterally positioned beside the first separation stage. When the docking station is positioned on a floor in an in use position, a horizontal plane extends through the first separation stage and the pre-motor filter. In operation, air travels laterally from the upper end of the first separation stage to the upper end of the pre-motor filter. When the first separation stage is removed from the docking station, the bottom openable door is openable, and the bottom openable door is unopenable when the first separation stage is positioned in the air flow path.

Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus has an air flow path with an expandable conduit that is adjustable from a first configuration, which has a first cross-sectional area, to a second configuration, which has the second cross-sectional area that is different to the first cross-section area.

Abstract: A hand vacuum cleaner has an upper end, a lower end, an air flow passage, a main body with a handle, an air treatment chamber and a suction motor. The air treatment chamber has an air outlet, the air outlet comprising a rigid porous member and a filter media that is removably positionable in the rigid porous member. The air treatment chamber is moveable to an open position in which the air treatment chamber is emptyable, and the rigid porous member is moveable within the air treatment chamber to an open position in which the filter media is removable.

Abstract: A hand vacuum cleaner has an airflow path from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and an air treatment member provided in the airflow path. The air treatment member has a front end, a rear end, and a centrally positioned longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends. The hand vacuum cleaner further has a pistol grip handle and a motor and fan assembly. The motor and fan assembly has a volume and a motor axis of rotation. At least 50% of the volume is positioned in the pistol grip handle.

Abstract: A hand vacuum cleaner has an air treatment chamber comprising an air inlet, an air outlet, a front end comprising a front door and a rear end. The front door is moveable between an open position in which the air treatment chamber is opened and a closed position. The air treatment chamber further comprises a stationary portion and a moveable portion, the moveable portion is moveable with respect to the stationary portion between an open position in which the air treatment chamber is opened and a closed position.

Abstract: A multimode an upright section moveably mounted to a surface cleaning head between an upright storage position and a reclined floor cleaning position. A hand vacuum cleaner is removably mounted to the upright section. The upright section has an auxiliary air treatment chamber, an auxiliary suction motor and an upright section clean air outlet. In a first upright mode of operation, the multimode surface cleaner is operable with the auxiliary air treatment chamber removed from the upright section, and the hand vacuum cleaner is in airflow communication with the dirty air inlet. In a second upright mode of operation, the multimode surface cleaner is operable with the auxiliary air treatment chamber mounted to the upright section whereby air travels through the auxiliary air treatment chamber, the auxiliary suction motor and exits the multimode surface cleaning apparatus through the upright section clean air outlet.

Abstract: A hand vacuum cleaner has an air treatment member positioned in the air flow path downstream of a dirty air inlet. A motor and fan assembly produces an air flow through the air flow path. A handle is moveable between a first use position and a second use position.

Abstract: A hand vacuum cleaner has an air flow path extending from a nozzle having a dirty air inlet. The hand vacuum cleaner has a forward portion and a rearward portion, the forward portion comprises an air treatment chamber and the rearward portion comprises the suction motor. The forward portion is rotationally mounted with respect to the rearward portion.

Abstract: A wet/dry surface cleaner has a surface cleaning head and an upright section moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between an upright storage position and a reclined surface cleaning position. A solid and liquid separation stage is removably positionable on the upright section. The solid and liquid separation stage has a solid and liquid collection chamber that has a liquid porous divider provided therein. A liquid collection region is located below the divider and solid material collects on the liquid porous divider. An inlet conduit extends upwardly through a lower wall of the solid and liquid collection chamber and an internal wall partially surrounds an outlet end of the inlet conduit.

Abstract: A wet/dry surface cleaner has a surface cleaning head and an upright section moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between an upright storage position and a reclined surface cleaning position. A solid and liquid separation stage has a solid and liquid collection chamber. A liquid porous divider is provided in the solid and liquid collection chamber. The solid and liquid collection chamber has a lower region comprising a liquid collection region that is located below the liquid porous divider and solid material collects on the liquid porous divider. A baffle is provided in the liquid collection region below the liquid porous divider.