Vacuum cleaner with releasable dirt and dust separating apparatus

摘要

The invention provides a vacuum cleaner (10) comprising dirt and dust separating apparatus (52) for separating dirt and dust from an airflow and having an inlet (59), and a cleaner head (22) having an outlet (32) communicating with the inlet (59) of the dirt and dust separating apparatus (52). The dirt and dust separating apparatus (52), or a part (58) thereof incorporating the inlet (59), is movable into an alternative position in which the outlet (32) of the cleaner head (22) is not in communication with the inlet (59) of the dirt and dust separating apparatus (52) and in which an alternative dirty air inlet (100) may be connected to the inlet (59) of the dirt and dust separating apparatus (52) characterized in that the inlet (59) of the dirt and dust separating apparatus (52) is adapted to cooperate releasably with the outlet (32) of the cleaner head (22). This arrangement allows a hose (100), or a hose and wand assembly, to be attached directly to the inlet (59) to the dirt and dust separating apparatus (52). When the cleaner head (22) is in use, the incoming air is not required to travel through the hose (100) or any other ducting designed to carry air from the hose (100). In each case, the airflow path is kept to an absolute minimum. Furthermore, there is no changeover valve involved which reduces the risk of malfunction or failure in this area and also avoids the need for the incoming air to pass through a discontinuity in the airflow path of the cleaner (10).