Patent ID: 8776309

Claim:
A surface cleaning apparatus comprising: (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet; (b) a filtration member housing having a housing sidewall; (c) a cyclone chamber positioned within the filtration member housing and comprising a cyclone end wall at a first end, a cyclone chamber sidewall extending along a cyclone axis from the cyclone end wall to a dirt outlet end spaced from the first end, a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet, and a dirt outlet, the cyclone chamber sidewall including at least one sidewall portion that is laterally spaced from and faces the housing sidewall, the one sidewall portion extending from the dirt outlet end of the cyclone chamber toward the first end and the dirt outlet extending along at least a portion of the perimeter of one sidewall portion at the dirt outlet end of the cyclone chamber, the one sidewall portion having a first edge at the dirt outlet end; (d) a dirt collection chamber exterior to the cyclone chamber and in communication with the dirt outlet; (e) a plate positioned at the dirt outlet end of the cyclone chamber, a first portion of the plate abutting the cyclone chamber sidewall and a second portion of the plate is axially spaced apart from and faces the first edge of the one sidewall portion and is laterally spaced apart from the housing sidewall, the dirt outlet being at least partially bounded by the first edge and the second portion of the plate whereby dirt exiting the cyclone chamber via the dirt outlet travels in a generally outwardly direction, wherein at least one of the plate and the cyclone end wall is openable; and, (f) a suction motor positioned in the air flow passage.