# US 11,896,185 B2 · Hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,896,185 B2 - Document ID: US11896185B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/879,918 - Filed: 2022-08-03 - Published: 2022-11-24 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-17 - Assignees: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc. - Applicants: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc. - Inventors: Wayne Ernest Conrad - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896185B2 ## CPC - A47L 5/24: Hand-supported suction cleaners - A47L 5/225: {Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners} - A47L 5/28: Suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casings, e.g. wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle (A47L5/24 takes precedence) - A47L 9/106: {Dust removal} - A47L 9/122: {flat} - A47L 9/125: {funnel-shaped} - A47L 9/1608: {Cyclonic chamber constructions} - A47L 9/165: {Construction of inlets} - A47L 9/1666: {with filtering means} - A47L 9/1675: {movable, revolving or rotary} - A47L 9/1683: {Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles} - A47L 9/1691: {Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles} - A47L 9/20: Means for cleaning filters - A47L 9/22: Mountings for motor fan assemblies - A47L 9/2868: {Arrangements for power supply of vacuum cleaners or the accessories thereof} - A47L 9/322: {for hand-supported suction cleaners} - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) ## Abstract A hand vacuum cleaner has a cyclonic stage which comprises a stationary portion and an openable portion. The openable portion is rotatably mounted by a rotatable mount between a closed position in which a cyclone chamber is closed and an open position in which the cyclone chamber is open. The stationary portion comprises an upper portion of the first cyclonic stage and the openable portion comprises a lower portion of the first cyclonic stage. The rotatable mount is located at a rearward end of the openable portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hand vacuum cleaner having an upper end, a lower end, a front end, a rear end, a handle and first and second laterally opposed sides, each laterally opposed side extends in a forward/rearward direction, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising: (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet positioned rearward of the dirty air inlet, the dirty air inlet is provided at an upper portion of the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner; (b) a suction motor positioned in the air flow path upstream of the clean air outlet; and, (c) a first cyclonic stage positioned in the air flow path, the first cyclonic stage comprising a cyclone chamber, the cyclone chamber has a cyclone axis of rotation that extends in the forward rearward direction, the first cyclonic stage comprises a stationary portion and an openable portion, the openable portion is rotatably mounted by a rotatable mount between a closed position in which the cyclone chamber is closed and an open position in which the cyclone chamber is open, wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the dirty air inlet above the cyclone axis of rotation and the cyclone axis of rotation oriented horizontally, the stationary portion comprises an upper portion of the first cyclonic stage and the openable portion comprises a lower portion of the first cyclonic stage, and wherein the rotatable mount is located at a rearward end of the openable portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising an inlet conduit extending rearwardly from the dirty air inlet to the cyclone chamber, the inlet conduit is provided at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the inlet conduit is spaced from the cyclone chamber is a direction that is transverse to the cyclone axis of rotation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the openable portion forms a portion of the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein, when the openable portion is in the closed position, the openable portion and the stationery portion abut along peripheral edges that extend in the forward/rearward direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 4 further comprising an inlet conduit extending rearwardly from the dirty air inlet to the cyclone chamber, the inlet conduit is provided at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and, when the inlet conduit extends generally horizontally, the peripheral edges extend generally horizontally. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 4 further comprising an inlet conduit extending rearwardly from the dirty air inlet to the first cyclonic stage wherein the peripheral edges extend generally parallel to the inlet conduit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the cyclone chamber comprises an air outlet, the air outlet comprises a porous member having a porous sidewall and the rotatable mount is located rearward of the porous sidewall. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the porous member is mounted to the openable portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the porous member moves concurrently with the openable portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the cyclone chamber has a cyclone air inlet provided at a front end of the cyclone chamber and a cyclone air outlet is provided at a rear end of the cyclone chamber. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a second cyclonic stage downstream from the first cyclonic stage. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 11 wherein the second cyclonic stage comprises a dirt collection chamber and, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the dirty air inlet above the cyclone axis of rotation and the cyclone axis of rotation oriented horizontally, the dirt collection chamber is below the cyclone axis of rotation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 12 wherein the second cyclonic stage is positioned rearward of the first cyclonic stage. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 13 wherein the second cyclonic stage comprises a dirt collection chamber and, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the dirty air inlet above the cyclone axis of rotation and the cyclone axis of rotation oriented horizontally, the dirt collection chamber is below the cyclone axis of rotation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein a front end of the cyclone chamber is part of the stationary portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein, when the openable portion is in the open position, a front end and an upper end of the openable portion are open.