Disclosed are devices, systems, and methods for modular vacuum cleaners. An example vacuum cleaner system includes a canister vacuum cleaner device and a robotic vacuum cleaner device, where the robotic vacuum cleaner is removably coupled to or is digitally communicable with the canister vacuum cleaner device. The canister vacuum cleaner device comprises a canister to collect debris, a vertical hollow structure that located towards a rear of the canister and coupled to the canister, a flexible extendable hose, and a housing located below the canister, wherein the housing includes a retractable electrical cord. The robotic vacuum cleaner device comprises: a storage area to collect debris, a battery, a plurality of wheels that are removably coupled to one or more motors, and a lever or a valve structured to direct debris either to the storage area or to the canister.

Hand held vacuum cleaning apparatus (100) includes an elongate housing (122) which is cylindrical in shape. The housing (122) defines an inlet opening (108), an interior (124) and an exhaust opening (118). The housing (122) further defines, within the interior (124), a receptacle receiving chamber (112) in which, in use, a removable dust retaining receptacle (115) is located. The receptacle receiving chamber (112) is substantially circular in cross section and comprises substantially the whole of the diameter of the interior (124) in cross section. The apparatus (100) includes a flow inducer (117) located in the interior (124). In use, the flow inducer (117) induces air flow from the inlet opening (108), through the receptacle (115) in the chamber (112), through the flow inducer (117) to the exhaust opening (118).

A hand vacuum cleaner has a cyclonic stage comprising an openable front wall provided at the front end of the cyclonic stage. A pre-motor filter is positioned in the air flow passage downstream from the cyclone air outlet and rearward of the cyclone sidewall. The pre-motor filter has a diameter in a direction transverse to the cyclone axis that is larger than a diameter of the cyclone air outlet in the direction transverse to the cyclone axis. The pre-motor filter has an outer perimeter defining a volume and the cyclone axis and the motor axis each extend through a centre of the volume. The cyclone axis is generally parallel to the motor axis. When the openable front wall is opened, the front end of the cyclone stage is opened and has an opening, the opening has a diameter in the direction transverse to the cyclone axis, and the rear end of the cyclonic stage has a diameter that is generally equal to the diameter of the opening. The cyclonic stage is removable from a cleaner body which houses the suction motor with the openable front wall in a closed position. When the first cyclonic stage is removed, the pre-motor filter is accessible for removal.

A handheld vacuum cleaner includes a housing, a motor, and a dirt cup. The housing defines a top, a bottom, a motor chamber, a dirty air inlet at a front of the housing, a handle at the rear of the housing, a clean air outlet, and an airflow path from the dirty air inlet to the clean air outlet. The handle has a grip portion. The housing further includes a continuous elongate structural member extending from the dirty air inlet into the grip portion of the handle. The motor is disposed in the motor chamber. The dirt cup is coupled to the elongate structural member. The dirt cup is in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet and the motor. The elongate structural member defines a portion of the airflow path extending from the dirty air inlet.

A vacuum cleaner having a hand unit and an elongated member having a nozzle end portion and a handle end portion. The vacuum cleaner has a valve arranged at the nozzle end portion, the valve having a valve member being movable between a first and a second position. In the first position the valve member directs an airflow from a floor nozzle to the hand unit while preventing an airflow to flow through the handle end portion. In the second position the valve member directs the airflow from the floor nozzle to the handle end portion and to the hand unit. Vacuum cleaning may be performed with the floor nozzle both when the hand unit is connected at the nozzle end and at the handle end.

A surface cleaning apparatus has a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection chamber exterior to the cyclone chamber. The cyclone chamber has a sidewall extending from a first end to an axially opposed second end. A dirt outlet communicating with the dirt collection chamber is provided in the sidewall at a location intermediate the first and second ends of the cyclone chamber.

A surface cleaning apparatus has a housing defining at least part of a cyclone chamber and a pre-motor filter chamber. In one embodiment, the housing is pivotally mounted to the main body of a hand vacuum cleaner. The housing is moveable between an in use position and an emptying position, in which the cyclone chamber and the pre-motor filter are concurrently openable.

A blower system for drying a surface has an upright housing top that enables a user to maneuver the unit over various surfaces easily. A central feature of this system is a modular design for a unit that dries surfaces. This modular design enables a user to reconfigure the dryer as needed for a particular drying application. The modular capability and the upright standing design of the system allow a person to use this device and system for convenience. The blower of this device can be self-contained and detachable, which will enable a user to operate the drying function conveniently. The capability to detach a dryer module enables one to use this device for additional applications such as using the blower function to displace objects such as leaves.

A vacuum cleaner assembly includes a vacuum body, a suction wand removably connected to the vacuum body, and an accessory removably connected to the suction wand. A suction motor is disposed in the vacuum body and is configured to create flow through a suction path. An accessory motor is disposed in the accessory. A first power source is configured to supply power to the suction motor and to the accessory motor. A second power source is configured to supply power to the suction motor and to the accessory motor when the first power source falls below a predetermined charge level.

A vacuum cleaner includes an improved dual-action filter cleaning mechanism using both a rotational flicking action and a vertical shaking action. A debris removal assembly of the vacuum cleaner can include a filter assembly having a first filter and a second filter arranged in a nested configuration, and a filter cleaning mechanism configured to impart a combination of vertical shaking of the first filter and rotational flicking of the second filter. The filter cleaning mechanism can include a camming mechanism configured to simultaneously move the first filter along the axis and rotate the first filter about the axis while the second filter remains stationary.