Surface cleaning apparatus

A hand vacuum cleaner having a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:

• (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;
• (b) an air treatment assembly comprising a front end, a rear end, and an air treatment chamber, the air treatment chamber comprising an air inlet and an air outlet, the front end of the air treatment assembly comprising a front door;
• and,
• (c) a suction motor positioned in the air flow passage,
• wherein, the front door is moveable between an open position in which the air treatment assembly is opened and a closed position, and
• wherein the air treatment assembly further comprises a sidewall extending longitudinally between the front and rear ends of the air treatment assembly, a stationary portion comprising a first portion of the sidewall and a moveable portion comprising a second portion of the sidewall, the moveable portion is moveably connected to the stationary portion, and
• wherein, with the front door in the closed position, the moveable portion is moveable with respect to the stationary portion in a single motion during which the moveable portion moves in a single direction from a closed position in which an inner surface of the first and second portions of the sidewall surround the air treatment assembly, to an open position, in which the air treatment assembly is opened at an opening other than the air inlet and dirt collected in the air treatment assembly is emptiable through the opening whereby, upon completion of the single motion, the moveable portion remains connected to the stationary portion and the air treatment assembly is open at the opening.