A hand vacuum cleaner has an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet. A handle has a hand grip portion. The handle upwardly and forwardly when the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner. A cyclone chamber, a pre-motor filter and a suction motor are positioned in the air flow path. The cyclone axis of rotation and the suction motor axis of rotation each extend in a forward/rearward direction. The handle is positioned at the rear end of the hand vacuum cleaner and the suction motor is located at an upper end of the handle. The suction motor axis of rotation is vertically displaced from the cyclone axis of rotation when the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner.

A system for compacting debris collected within a robotic vacuum debris container to allow more space for incoming debris. The volume of collected debris is reduced by pressure plates pressing the debris against surfaces so that the debris container may hold a greater mass of debris. The system allows robotic vacuums to operate for longer periods of time before requiring maintenance by a user to empty the debris container.

A dirt separator for a vacuum cleaner including a chamber having an inlet through which dirt-laden fluid enters the chamber and an outlet through which cleansed fluid exits the chamber; and a disc located at the outlet, the disc being arranged to rotate about a rotational axis and including holes through which the cleansed fluid passes. The disc includes a first region in which a first array of said holes is provided, and a second region, radially outward of the first region, in which a second array of said holes is provided. Each hole of the second array has a larger cross-sectional area than each hole of the first array.

A dirt separator for a vacuum cleaner including a chamber having an inlet through which dirt-laden fluid enters the chamber and an outlet through which cleansed fluid exits the chamber; and a disc located at the outlet, the disc being arranged to rotate about a rotational axis and including holes through which the cleansed fluid passes. The disc includes a first region in which a first array of said holes is provided, and a second region, radially outward of the first region, in which a second array of said holes is provided. Each hole of the second array has a larger cross-sectional area than each hole of the first array.

A dust collecting apparatus includes a dust separation unit to separate dust from suctioned air; a dust storage unit to store the dust separated in the dust separation unit; a pressing member to compress the dust stored in the dust storage unit, and having a pressing plate support part, and a pressing plate supported by the pressing plate support part; a fixing member disposed between an inner circumferential surface of the dust storage unit and the pressing plate support part; and a path formed by a part of the fixing member, located between the pressing plate support part and the inner circumferential surface of the dust storage unit, and through which the air between the pressing plate and the fixing member passes, wherein one or more holes through which the air between the pressing plate and the fixing member passes are formed at the pressing plate.

A dust collecting apparatus includes a dust separation unit to separate dust from suctioned air; a dust storage unit to store the dust separated in the dust separation unit; a pressing member to compress the dust stored in the dust storage unit, and having a pressing plate support part, and a pressing plate supported by the pressing plate support part; a fixing member disposed between an inner circumferential surface of the dust storage unit and the pressing plate support part; and a path formed by a part of the fixing member, located between the pressing plate support part and the inner circumferential surface of the dust storage unit, and through which the air between the pressing plate and the fixing member passes, wherein one or more holes through which the air between the pressing plate and the fixing member passes are formed at the pressing plate.

A mobile robot system includes a docking station and a mobile robot. The docking station includes a platform, first and second charging contacts on the platform, and first and second ramp features on the platform. The robot includes a housing, first and second drive wheels, first and second raised charging contacts on a bottom of the housing, and a cleaning module including at least one rotatable cleaning head that extends below the bottom of the housing. The robot is movable from an approach position with the robot spaced apart from a front of the platform to a docked position with the robot on the platform and the docking station charging contacts engaged with the robot charging contacts. As the robot moves from the approach position to the docked position, the robot engages the first and second ramp features and the cleaning mechanism is lifted over the docking station charging contacts.

A system for environmental maintenance includes a vacuum unit, an air purifier unit, a controller communicatively connected to the vacuum unit and the air purifier unit, a sweep sensor communicatively connected to the controller, and a movement sensor communicatively connected to the controller. The sweep sensor detects debris and sweeper in detectable vicinity of the sweep sensor and the controller turns on the vacuum unit upon detection by the sweep sensor. The controller turns on the air purifier unit upon the vacuum unit being turned on, and the air purifier unit cycles on for period as programmed in the controller. The movement sensor detects movement in detectable vicinity of the movement sensor and the controller turns on the air purifier unit upon detection by the sweep sensor, if the air purifier is not already turned on.

A vacuum cleaner is provided with an improved air bleed valve for adjusting the level of suction and air flow through a working air path fluidly connecting a working air inlet with a separating and collection assembly. The air bleed valve can be provided on upright handle assembly of the vacuum cleaner, and can form a portion of the working air path.

A surface cleaning apparatus includes an air flow path, a filter housing, and a filter member in the filter housing. An air treatment member, a suction motor, and the filter housing are positioned in the air flow path. The filter member includes a plurality of individual filter elements arranged in parallel, each including porous filter material having at least one upstream face and at least one portion defining a porous filter media air outlet. The at least one upstream face has a larger surface area than the at least one portion. An outside gap is provided between at least some of the upstream faces and opposed facing walls of the filter housing, and an inside gap is provided between opposed upstream faces. A cross-sectional area of the outside gaps and the inside gaps is at least as large as a cross-sectional area of an air treatment member air inlet.