A surface cleaning apparatus or a docking station for a surface cleaning apparatus comprises a housing body has air flow path extending from an air inlet of the housing body to an air outlet of the housing body and, a non-cyclonic momentum separator positioned in the housing body wherein a portion of the momentum separator is spaced from the housing body wherein a chamber is provided exterior to the momentum separator and within the housing body. An air flow conduit extends from the air inlet of the housing body to an air inlet of the momentum separator, and the air flow conduit extends through the chamber. A portion of the momentum separator that is spaced from the housing body comprises at least two sides of the momentum separator, and the at least two sides of the momentum separator are porous and comprise an air outlet of the momentum separator.

A garbage can has an inlet port that is closable about a dirt collection region of a vacuum cleaner such that the inlet port is substantially sealed around the dirt collection region. The garbage can also has a suction motor to draw dirt out of the dirt collection region.

Method for operating a dirt collecting device for a sweeping vehicle or for a vacuum cleaner nozzle of a floor or upright vacuum cleaner, which each comprise a suction fan with controllable speed and/or power, wherein in a first method step, the suction power of the suction fan is set at such a low level that the suction pressure in the dirt collecting device or the vacuum cleaner nozzle is merely sufficient to convey and deposit the absorbed coarse dirt into the intermediate container, and to convey the absorbed fine dirt into a downstream collection container, (normal operation); and that in a second method step, the filling level in the intermediate container is detected with respect to the coarse dirt deposited therein; and that in a third method step, if the filling level in the intermediate container is exceeded, the suction power of the suction fan is increased such that the coarse dirt, which is temporarily deposited in the intermediate container, becomes dispersible and is conveyed into the downstream collection container (emptying mode).

An air treatment apparatus has a momentum separator positioned in an air flow path. The momentum separator has an upper wall, a lower wall, a sidewall extending between the upper and lower walls and a momentum separator air inlet. The upper wall comprises an upper screen and an upper end wall is spaced from and faces the upper screen wherein an upper air flow chamber is positioned between the upper end wall and the upper screen.

A vacuum cleaner comprises a housing. A motor-fan assembly is mounted in the housing and arranged to generate and air flow between an air inlet and an air outlet. A spiral dirt separator is mounted between the air inlet and the motor-fan assembly. A dirt collector mountable on the housing and comprising a plurality of dirt compartments arranged to each receive dirt from a different part of the spiral dirt separator.

A robot cleaner is provided. The robot cleaner includes a main body, a suction motor provided in the main body to generate a suction force, and a dust collector removably coupled to the main body to collect dust contained in air suctioned by the suction motor. The dust collector includes a first chamber to which the air, which is suctioned into the main body by the suction motor, is introduced, the first chamber including a filter to filter out dust in the suctioned air, and a second chamber arranged side by side with the first chamber, the second chamber including a connection port to which air, which is filtered b the filter in the first chamber, is introduced, and a cyclone dust separator to separate dust from the introduced air.

A docking station for a robotic surface cleaning apparatus has a momentum separator. The momentum separator has a plurality of walls comprising an upper wall, a lower wall and a first sidewall, wherein the first sidewall extends between the upper and lower walls, and wherein the first sidewall comprises a side screen. A first end wall is spaced from and faces the side screen wherein an up flow chamber is positioned between the first end wall and the side screen.

A hand vacuum cleaner has an air treatment chamber, which comprises a stationary portion and an openable portion. The openable portion is moveably mounted by a mount between a closed position in which the air treatment chamber is closed and an open position in which the air treatment chamber is open. The Air treatment chamber has an air outlet comprising a screen and the screen is moveable with the openable portion.

A hand vacuum cleaner has a cyclone, a suction motor and fan assembly downstream of the cyclone and a post motor filter downstream of the suction motor and fan assembly. The post-motor filter housing has an openable bottom panel provided in the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner.

A station for a cleaning device is provided. The station includes an accommodation chamber configured to be docked with the dust canister, a housing configured to have a dust bag disposed therein, a cover configured to open and close one region of the housing, a holder configured to be detachable to the dust bag and selectively communicate the dust bag with the accommodation chamber, and a lever configured to have one end disposed in one region of the housing and rotate in a first direction to selectively interfere with the cover. The lever rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction to close the cover based on the dust bag being mounted on the holder and in communication with the accommodation chamber.