Sound shield for a surface cleaning apparatus

A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

• (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and including an air treatment member;
• (b) a suction motor provided in a suction motor housing and located in the air flow path, the suction motor housing comprising an air inlet end, a spaced apart opposed end and a longitudinally extending suction motor housing sidewall positioned therebetween, the suction motor housing sidewall comprising a plurality of openings provided in a first side thereof;
• and,
• (c) an outer housing comprising a longitudinally extending outer housing sidewall having an outer housing air outlet, at least a portion of the suction motor housing that has the plurality of openings is located in the outer housing and spaced from the longitudinally extending outer housing sidewall to define a passage between the outer housing and the suction motor housing, the outer housing air outlet is angularly spaced around the outer housing with respect to the first side of the suction motor housing.