Patent ID: 8448291

Claim:
A hand vacuum cleaner comprising: (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet; (b) an air treatment unit positioned in the air flow passage; (c) a suction motor positioned in the airflow passage; (d) the air treatment unit having an air treatment unit air inlet; and, (e) an airflow chamber having a closed upper end, at least one open side wall and an open lower end, the air treatment unit air inlet spaced from the open side wall and being unobstructed by a lower wall whereby, when the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned on a surface to be cleaned, the air treatment unit air inlet faces the surface and the air flow chamber defines a flow passage extending between the surface to be cleaned and the closed upper end such that air travels from the at least one open side wall between the surface to be cleaned and the closed upper end to the air treatment unit air inlet.