A separator for removing dirt particles from an airflow, the separator comprising a first separation stage having an impeller, and a second separation stage having one or more cyclone bodies arranged in parallel, the first separation stage being upstream of the second separation stage. The impeller generates the airflow through the separator and concentrates the dirt particles within the airflow to produce a clean portion and a dirty portion of airflow, and wherein only the dirty portion of airflow is passed through the second separation stage.

A dust collector for filtering dust suspended in air, comprising: a vacuum unit for drawing the air; a cyclone body defining a cyclone body peripheral wall delimiting a plenum, a cyclone air inlet provided in the cyclone body peripheral wall for admitting the air, a cyclone body vacuum inlet in fluid communication with the vacuum unit for drawing the air from the plenum and a cyclone body dust outlet provided at the bottom of the plenum for evacuating the dust from the cyclone body; and baffles extending in the plenum from the cyclone body peripheral wall.

A hand vacuum cleaner has a hand vacuum cleaner axis that extends centrally from a front end of the hand vacuum cleaner rearwardly to a rear end of the hand vacuum cleaner. The hand vacuum cleaner has a cyclone assembly including a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection chamber. A line that extends in a common horizontal direction with the hand vacuum cleaner axis extends through the cyclone chamber and the dirt collection chamber.

A cyclone comprises a second or lower portion that is pivotable with respect to a first or upper portion about an articulation between a first position and a second position; the second portion being aligned with the first portion along a first or vertical axis when the second portion is in the first position, and the second portion being aligned on a second axis that is different from the first axis when the second portion is moved from the first position to the second position. In various additional embodiments, the second axis may be normal to the first axis, for example, in the first position the lower portion is horizontal and in the first position the lower portion is vertical and aligned with the upper portion. The second position may be used as a cleaning position. When the lower portion is pivoted away from the upper portion, the vortex is interrupted. In the second position, the lower portion may also interface with a suction mechanism.

A vacuum cleaner has a housing and a cover moveably mounted to the housing between a closed position and an open position. A filter is carried by the cover and includes an upstream surface and a downstream surface through which working air passes. When a user of the vacuum cleaner opens the cover, the upstream surface of the filter can be seen by the user.

A vacuum cleaner has a separation/collection module with a housing and a cover pivotally mounted to the housing by a hinge. A filter assembly is carried by the cover and includes a filter media. When a user of the vacuum cleaner opens the cover, the filter media can be seen by the user.

A vacuum cleaner has a cyclone separator for separating dirt and other contaminants from a dirt-containing working airstream and a collection chamber collecting the separated dirt. The vacuum cleaner can further include fines catcher defining a second collection chamber, where the bottom end of the fines catcher is spaced from the bottom wall of the first collection chamber.

Vacuum cleaner filters, in particular replaceable vacuum cleaner filters suitable for both dry and wet/dry type vacuum cleaners are disclosed, as well as systems incorporating the use of such filters and methods for their use. The filters include a plurality of adjacently positioned pleats arranged in a closed circumferential, cylindrically-shaped path, a top end cap having a central orifice capable of constricting a post on a vacuum filter cage, and optionally a molded end ring oppositely-spaced from the top end cap for engagement with the motor housing of a vacuum cleaner.

A cyclone separator useable in a surface cleaning apparatus comprises a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection chamber exterior to, and surrounding at least a portion of the cyclone chamber. The dirt collection chamber is in communication with the cyclone chamber via a dirt outlet. An air flow passage extending to the cyclone air inlet travels generally axially through the dirt collection chamber.

A hand vacuum cleaner has a hand vacuum cleaner axis that extends centrally from a front end of the hand vacuum cleaner rearwardly to a rear end of the hand vacuum cleaner. The hand vacuum cleaner has a cyclone assembly including a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection chamber. A line that extends in a common horizontal direction with the hand vacuum cleaner axis extends through the cyclone chamber and the dirt collection chamber.