Vacuum cleaner with liquid retention

A handheld vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a housing having:
• an inlet duct defining a suction opening, wherein the suction opening is a forward-facing suction opening for receiving debris drawn up from a surface being cleaned;
• a dirt cup including a cyclone chamber defined therein;
• an arcuate passage fluidly communicating the suction opening with the cyclone chamber, the arcuate passage being discrete from the cyclone chamber along a majority of a length of the arcuate passage, the arcuate passage being open to the cyclone chamber at an end of the arcuate passage, and
• a sidewall separating an interior of the arcuate passage from the cyclone chamber between the suction opening and the end,
• a handle coupled to the dirt cup, with a plane bisecting the handle and the cyclone chamber;
• an inlet portion including the suction opening in fluid communication with the cyclone chamber;
• a suction source housing disposed in the dirt cup,
• a motor housing disposed in the suction source housing,
• a motor disposed in the motor housing, wherein the motor housing at least partially separates the motor from fluid communication with the cyclone chamber,
• an impeller rotatably driven by the motor,
• an end wall member coupled to the motor housing, the end wall member positioned between the motor and the impeller, and
• a lid coupling the handle to the dirt cup, the lid including at least one motor vent and at least one exhaust vent defined therein,
• wherein the motor housing and the end wall member cooperate to seal space in the motor housing from direct fluid communication with the cyclone chamber;
• wherein the suction opening, the inlet duct, the end, and the arcuate passage between the suction opening and the end are coplanar,
• wherein the end of the arcuate passage is a second end;
• wherein the arcuate passage includes a first end, the first end of the arcuate passage being in fluid communication with the suction opening,
• wherein the second end is downstream from the first end, the second end being in fluid communication with the cyclone chamber, and
• wherein a majority of the arcuate passage is disposed on one side of the plane,
• wherein the at least one motor vent fluidly communicates space in the motor housing with ambient air, and
• wherein the at least one exhaust vent fluidly communicates the cyclone chamber with ambient air.