Robotic vacuum cleaner and docking station for a robotic vacuum cleaner

An autonomous surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

• (a) a primary air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet:
• (b) a primary suction motor positioned in the primary air flow path;
• (c) an air treatment unit positioned in the primary air flow path, the air treatment unit comprising a dirt collection region wherein, when the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus is positioned on a floor, the dirt collection region has an upper side, a lower side, a first end having a first side positioned between the upper and lower sides and a second end having a second side positioned between the upper and lower sides, the second side is spaced apart from the first side in a first direction, the first side has a dirt collection region air inlet port and the second side has a dirt outlet;
• and,
• (d) a pneumatic dirt transfer member is operable in a dirt emptying mode to produce an air flow which enters the dirt collection region through the dirt collection region air inlet port and whereby dirt collected in the dirt collection region during a floor cleaning mode of operation is moved in the first direction through the dirt outlet
• wherein the pneumatic dirt transfer mechanism comprises the primary suction motor and a secondary air flow path selectively connectable in fluid flow communication with the primary suction motor, the secondary air flow path extending from a downstream end of the primary suction motor to the dirt collection region air inlet port, whereby the primary suction motor rotates in a first direction during the floor cleaning mode of operation and the primary suction motor rotates in the first direction during the dirt emptying mode.