Hand held vacuum cleaner

A vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a housing;
• a motor-fan unit contained in the housing and having a motor-fan inlet opening;
• an air inlet passage;
• a dust container selectively attachable to the housing, the dust container comprising:
• a container air inlet adapted to be in fluid communication with the air inlet passage when the dust container is attached to the housing,
• an open top that is sealed by connection of the dust container to the housing, the open top comprising a container air outlet located at a first end of the dust container and adapted to be in fluid communication with the motor-fan inlet opening when the dust container is attached to the housing,
• a filter positioned between the container air inlet and the container air outlet,
• a first emptying opening having a first cover associated therewith, and
• a second emptying opening having a second cover associated therewith;
• wherein the dust container can be emptied through the first emptying opening without removing the dust container from the housing;
• wherein the dust container comprises a cyclone separator;
• and
• wherein the first emptying opening and the second emptying opening are separate from the open top of the dust container.

A vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a shaft having a first shaft end, a second shaft end, and a mounting location located between the first shaft end and the second shaft end;
• a nozzle attached to the first shaft end and having a suction opening facing downwardly therefrom;
• an airflow passage forming a fluid communication path between the suction opening and the mounting location;
• a handle attached to the second shaft end;
• and,
• a handheld unit having a front end and a rear end, the handheld unit being removably attachable to the shaft at the mounting location and comprising:
• a housing having a grip adapted to be used to manipulate the handheld unit with one hand;
• a motor-fan unit contained within the housing;
• one or more batteries located within the housing;
• a first control knob adapted to selectively electrically connect the one or more batteries to the motor-fan unit to activate the motor-fan unit;
• a motor-fan inlet passing through the housing to allow air to enter the motor-fan unit;
• one or more motor-fan outlets passing through the housing to allow air to exit the motor-fan unit;
• a dust container extending between the motor-fan inlet and the front end of the handheld unit and covering the motor-fan inlet, the dust container being selectively attachable to the motor-fan unit and having an open top that is sealed by connection of the dust container to the motor-fan unit, the dust container further comprising a first emptying opening located distal from the motor-fan inlet and having a first cover associated therewith, the first cover being openable to empty the dust container, and a second emptying opening located distal from the motor-fan inlet and having a second cover associated therewith, the second cover being openable to empty the dust container, wherein the first emptying opening and the second emptying opening are separate from the open top of the dust container;
• and
• an inlet channel extending outside and adjacent the dust container from the front end of the handheld unit to a location proximal to the motor-fan inlet and forming a fluid communication path to a dust container inlet located in a side of the dust container, the inlet channel being located in fluid communication with the airflow passage when the handheld unit is mounted to the shaft.