Surface Cleaning Apparatus

This applications is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/312,034, which was filed on May 4, 2023, which itself is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/994,557, which was filed on Nov. 28, 2022, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

This disclosure relates generally to surface cleaning apparatus such as a portable surface cleaning apparatus, such as hand vacuum cleaners, which may be used for wet/dry cleaning.

The following is not an admission that anything discussed below is part of the prior art or part of the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the art.

Various types of surface cleaning apparatus are known, including upright surface cleaning apparatus, canister surface cleaning apparatus, stick surface cleaning apparatus, central vacuum systems, and hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus such as hand vacuum cleaners. Further, various designs for cyclonic surface cleaning apparatus, including battery operated cyclonic hand vacuum cleaners are known in the art.

The following introduction is provided to introduce the reader to the more detailed discussion to follow. The introduction is not intended to limit or define any claimed or as yet unclaimed invention. One or more inventions may reside in any combination or sub-combination of the elements or process steps disclosed in any part of this document including its claims and figures.

In accordance with an aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, a surface cleaning apparatus includes a primary or main air flow path that includes at least one dirt separation member, such as a cyclone, and a motor and fan assembly (e.g., a suction motor) whereby dirt is removed from an air stream as it travels from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet. A bypass motor is provided in a separate (cooling) air flow path through which air travels to cool the suction motor, the cooling airflow path having an air inlet that is separate from the dirty air inlet of the main air flow path. Optionally, the surface cleaning apparatus may have a suction motor that drives multiple fans, such as a fan in the main air flow path and a fan in the cooling airflow path. Alternately, the surface cleaning apparatus may include more than one motor and fan assembly, such as one for the main air flow path and one for the cooling air flow path.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus, which may be a wet/dry vacuum, includes a water-responsive valve arranged in the air flow path downstream of a first stage air treatment member (e.g., an air treatment chamber of the first stage air treatment member) in which water is separable from an air stream and stored. The water-responsive valve may block the air flow path in response to a water level that rises to or beyond a predetermined level, to inhibit or prevent water from reaching a downstream component, such as a filter media and/or a second stage air treatment chamber, such as one or more second stage cyclones. Accordingly, the valve may be in a partially treated air flow path between a first stage air treatment member and a second stage air treatment member.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, air flow at a second or subsequent stage may be regulated. The surface cleaning apparatus may include a supplemental air flow inlet between an upstream component and a second or subsequent stage to allow air to be introduced to the air flow path upstream of the second or subsequent stage, e.g., to maintain a predetermined air flow rate or pressure at the second or subsequent stage. The supplement air flow inlet may include a bleed valve responsive to pressure changes. For example, the first stage air treatment member may become clogged (e.g., an outlet screen of the first stage air treatment member may become covered in dirt during use, resulting in air flow therethrough decreased). Accordingly, a bleed valve may be provided upstream of a second air treatment member, e.g., one or more cyclones, to maintain an air flow rate that is sufficient for efficient cyclone operation.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes a lid that is openable to a drip position, for use in a wet/dry surface cleaning apparatus. A surface of the lid may form a wall of an air treatment chamber and/or air flow path. The air treatment chamber may be used to separate water form an air stream, and water may accumulate on the surface of the lid that forms, e.g., a wall of the chamber. The surface may be referred to as an accumulation surface. When the lid is opened, the accumulation surface may be angled relative to the horizontal to encourage water to flow off of the accumulation surface. The lid may include a drip edge, with a flow path between the accumulation surface and the drip edge to encourage water to flow to the drip edge to drip off of the lid. The drip edge may be arranged over a catch basin such as the air treatment chamber when the lid is in the drip position.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, a wet/dry surface cleaning apparatus includes a water pour spout. The water pour spout is fluidically coupled to a dirt collection region to enable water that has been captured in a dirt collection region to be emptied. The water pour spout may project out form a container to direct a flow of water from the container. The container may be, e.g., a bucket or main body of the surface cleaning apparatus, such as a first stage cyclone or non-cyclonic momentum separation chamber.

Optionally, the wet/dry surface cleaning apparatus may removably receive a bag and the bag may be held in place by suction. In such a case, the pour spout may be positioned spaced from and optionally opposed to a location at which vacuum is applied to the bag and/or spaced from and optionally opposed to a location of a vacuum line that provides vacuum to assist in retaining a bag in position during operation of the wet/dry surface cleaning apparatus.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, a wet/dry surface cleaning apparatus includes a pour handle, for use in an emptying water that accumulates in a collection region. Optionally, the surface cleaning apparatus may also include a carry handle. The carry handle may be separate from the pour handle or the pour handle may be part of a common handle assembly with the carry handle. In such a case, the handle assembly may be secured to a support body in a recess at one end, and a portion of the handle assembly mounted in the recess may form a pour handle. Alternately or in addition, the pour handle may be distinct from the carry handle and the pour handle may be hidden when an air treatment assembly is mounted on the main body housing and/or when a lid is positioned to secure the collection region in position in the main body. In any such case, the pour handle and the carry handle may each has a hand grip portion extending along a grip portion axis, and the axis of the carry handle may be at an angle relative to the axis of the pour handle. In any such case, the pour handle may be moveable between a storage position and a use position and may be hidden or lowered in the storage position. Alternately, a handle may rotate between pour handle and carry handle positions. Rotating the handle may fasten and/or release a lock of the surface cleaning apparatus. An air flow path may extend through a body of a handle, such as a vacuum line to assist in securing a bag in position in the collection region.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, a wet/dry surface cleaning apparatus includes a screen in a pour-out path. The screen in the pour-out path may be fixed or moveable. The pour-out path may be or include a portion that is also part of another path, such as the main air flow path, and the screen may be moveable out of the path when the path is not used as a pour-out path but in a cleaning mode of operation. The screen may move into the pour-out path when the air treatment assembly or a part thereof is removed from the main body housing.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes a first stage air treatment member (such as a cyclone or a non-cyclonic air treatment chamber) with a member longitudinal axis that intersects a second stage air treatment member (such as a cyclone or a non-cyclonic air treatment chamber). The second stage member may be above and generally aligned with the first stage member (e.g., the axis extends through a centre of the second stage member or the axis may be coaxial with a second stage cyclone axis). The second stage member may be partially nested or fully nested in the first stage member (such as in an air outlet conduit or vortex finder). The first and second stage members may be generally stacked to reduce air flow redirection and back pressure.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus, which may be a wet/dry surface cleaning apparatus, has a second stage air treatment member comprising a multi-inlet cyclone, which may be an inverted multi-inlet cyclone. A single multi-inlet cyclone may be provided and it may overly, and optionally be aligned with the first stage air treatment member. The second stage member may have a relatively small height, and the multiple inlets may increase the efficiency of the cyclone. The multi-inlet cyclone may also be arranged at an upper end of the surface cleaning apparatus, and inverting the cyclone may reduce the ducting and/or redirection for the main air flow path.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes an air treatment member with a lateral air outlet. The air outlet may exit through a sidewall of the air treatment chamber, such as a cyclone chamber sidewall extending between first and second ends of a cyclone chamber. The air treatment member with the lateral air outlet may be a second stage member. In such a case, the air outlet may comprise a conduit that extends under the second stage member and above a first stage air treatment member. The axially inner end of the air outlet may be curved to improve airflow within the chamber around the air outlet.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes an air treatment member with multiple air inlets and an air outlet extending between two of the air inlets. For example, the air treatment member may be a multi-inlet cyclone, optionally with lower air inlets and air outlet, wherein the air outlet may extend between two of the air inlet conduits.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes a dirt collection region that is partially, e.g., partially annular in shape. The partially annular dirt collection region may partially surround an air treatment chamber, such as a cyclone chamber. The partially annular dirt collection region may surround the air treatment chamber on multiple sides while leaving at least one portion of the sidewall of the air treatment chamber uncovered to allow other passages or components to reach the air treatment chamber sidewall without obstructing the dirt collection region. Accordingly, for example, the dirt collection region may be for a second stage air treatment chamber and an air inlet and/or air outlet conduit may extend through the region between angularly opposed ends of the partially annular dirt chamber.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes a downwardly angled dirt outlet extending between an air treatment chamber (e.g., an inverted cyclone with an upper dirt outlet) and a dirt collection chamber. The angled dirt outlet may be angled axially inwardly. The angled outlet may direct dirt into the dirt collection region.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes at least two dirt collection regions, and one of the dirt collection regions empties into another. This reduces the number of dirt collection regions that need to be emptied (e.g., by a user). The apparatus may include a selectively openable door between the dirt collection regions. The door may be between an upper dirt collection region and a lower dirt collection region such that when the door is opened, dirt falls from the upper region into the lower region due to the force of gravity. The door may open in response to an event such as turning off an air moving member or removing or unlocking an air treatment assembly or portion thereof from a main body housing. The door may open after a time delay, such as 1-2 seconds after a suction motor is de-energized and/or may automatically open when a suction motor is de-energized. The door may open when, e.g., the lower dirt collection region is opened. Accordingly, when one dirt collection region is opened, which dirt collection region is to receive dirt collected in another dirt collection region through an opening governed by the door, the door may concurrently open. The door may open under the force of gravity and may be held closed when the dirt collection region is closed by being driven against a seat and may be moved to the closed position by riding along a cam member.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, a lateral wall of a dirt collection region is an outwardly sloped wall. The dirt collection region is rotatable about a generally horizontal rotational axis, and the lateral wall is at a lateral side nearest the rotatable axis. The sloped wall forms an inner surface that slopes downwardly and outwardly when the dirt collection region is in an in-use position. When the dirt collection region is opened by rotating a lid about the generally horizontal rotational axis, the sloped wall will face downwardly and inwardly so as to encourage dirt collected thereon to fall downwardly due to gravity.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, a dirt collection chamber having a sloped floor includes a rapid-expansion zone adjacent a dirt outlet from an air treatment chamber to reduce the momentum of dirt carried into the dirt collection chamber and reduce the amount of dirt drawn back into the air treatment chamber. The rapid-expansion zone may include a vertical step between the dirt outlet and a sloped floor leading to or comprising part of a dirt collection region.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes a laterally spaced arrangement between a first stage air treatment member and a laterally spaced second stage air treatment member. The second stage air treatment member may be laterally spaced (e.g., horizontally—in a plane perpendicular to a vertical axis of the surface cleaning apparatus) from the first stage air treatment member, a longitudinal (vertical) axis of the first stage air treatment member, and/or a projection of the first stage air treatment member along the longitudinal axis of the first stage air treatment member. The second stage air treatment member may comprise two or more air treatment chambers, wherein a horizontal plane intersects the first stage air treatment member and the second stage air treatment chambers or wherein the second stage air treatment chambers are located above the plane. One or more additional components, e.g., a per-motor filter and/or a suction motor may underlie the second stage air treatment chambers.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus may include a plurality of apparatus lids. The apparatus lids may each cover or open a different component of the surface cleaning apparatus, such as a first stage air treatment member (which may be or comprise an air treatment chamber) and a pre-moving member filter housing. The apparatus lids may be independently selectively openable such that different components may be accessed without opening all chambers that are accessible through apparatus lids. The apparatus lids may open away from one another, like French doors. The apparatus lids may abut one another. An air flow path (conduit) may extend from one apparatus lid into another apparatus lid.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes one or more ribs in an air treatment chamber. The rib(s) may extend into the air treatment chamber from a sidewall and/or a bottom wall of the air treatment chamber. The ribs may extend generally parallel to one another or they curved profiles to reduce turbulence. Air flow channels may be provided between spaced apart adjacent ribs. Accordingly, if a bag is positioned within the air treatment chamber, an air flow channel extending between adjacent ribs may be part of a vacuum air flow path which may assist in maintaining a bag in position in the air treatment chamber during operation of the surface cleaning apparatus. Optionally, a wheel may be provided on an outer surface of a wall underlying a rib, e.g., the wheel may be mounted in a recess formed under the rib.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes a removeable wall of the air treatment chamber. The removeable wall, which may be a sidewall and/or a bottom wall, has ribs formed thereon. The removeable ribbed wall may be removed for ease of cleaning and/or to reconfigure the air treatment chamber between a ribbed and unribbed configuration.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus, which may be a wet/dry surface cleaning apparatus includes an air treatment chamber in which a non-porous bag is removably receivable. The air treatment chamber include an openable lid wherein the air inlet to the chamber is provided in the lid. The air outlet may also be in the lid.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, an upper end of an air treatment chamber, which may removably receive a bag and have any bag retention features disclosed herein, may be wider than a lower end.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus may be a wet/dry surface cleaning apparatus that removably receives a bag and includes a bag retainer. The bag retainer is provided to hold the bag in position lining the chamber.

The bag retainer may comprise a mechanical bag retainer. The mechanical bag retainer includes a mechanical member contacting the bag to restrain movement of the bag during operation of the surface cleaning apparatus. The mechanical member may contact an inner surface of the bag opposite from a wall of the chamber that is lined by the bag. The mechanical member may extend through an interior of the air treatment chamber. The mechanical member may be attached to an air outlet of the chamber, such as a vortex finder. The mechanical member may be attached to the apparatus lid to be removed from the chamber when the lid is opened.

The bag retainer may comprise a pneumatic bag retainer. The pneumatic bag retainer may include a vacuum airflow path extending between an inlet that is located facing an exterior surface of the bag when the bag is installed to the bag and an outlet. The inlet to the vacuum airflow path may comprise a plurality of inlets along one or more inlets in a sidewall and/or a bottom wall of the air treatment chamber in which the bar is removably positionable. Accordingly, one or more walls of the air treatment chamber may be porous. Alternately, or in addition, if ribs are provided, then the inlet may comprise one or more channels between ribs in the air treatment chamber. As discussed previously, the bag retainer may be a removable ribbed surface. Alternately, if a wall is porous, then a non-porous wall insert, which may be unribbed, may be removably receivable to overlie the porous wall if a bag is not used.

Optionally, the air moving member used to produce the vacuum in the vacuum air flow path may be the same air moving member that is used in the main air flow path. Accordingly, the outlet (downstream end) of the vacuum airflow path be any location along the main air flow path of the surface cleaning apparatus, such as upstream of the air moving member. For example, the outlet may open into a vortex finder of an air treatment chamber (e.g., the first stage air treatment chamber), downstream of a second stage air treatment member, downstream of a filter (e.g., the pre-moving member filter), and the path may include multiple outlets. Optionally, the outlet is at a location in the main air flow path that has a lower pressure (higher vacuum level) than in the bag when the surface cleaning apparatus is in use with a bag positioned in the air treatment chamber.

The vacuum airflow path may extend along a sidewall of the air treatment chamber opposed to a pour out path to encourage water being poured out of the air treatment chamber to drain out of the vacuum airflow path into the chamber as the chamber is poured out via the pour out path and not towards the air moving member.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the vacuum airflow path is automatically closed when no bag is present in the air treatment chamber. The vacuum airflow path may be closed by a valve. The valve may be driven by an actuator. The actuator may be manually or electromechanically operable, e.g., by a user. For example, the on-off switch may be drivingly connected to the valve to close the valve when a bag is not present and may be disengaged from the valve when a bag is present, e.g., by a bag detector. Alternately, actuator may be pneumatically driven. For example, the vacuum airflow path may include a piston received in the airflow path biased to a closed position but drawn open by decreased air pressure at a downstream end of the vacuum airflow path when a bag blocks the upstream end of the vacuum airflow path.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, a port in the bucket for the vacuum air flow path may be shielded. The shielding may prevent a bag wall and/or dirt from being drawn down the vacuum air flow path through the port. The shielding may be a wire mesh screen.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes a filter nested in an air treatment chamber and may be part of an air outlet of the air treatment chamber. The filter may be in a filter housing in the air outlet or directly exposed to the inner volume of the air treatment chamber. The air treatment chamber may be a second stage chamber. The filter may be a cylindrical filter media with an open (downstream) interior.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes a screen cleaner to clean a screen of an air outlet of an air treatment chamber. The screen cleaner may comprise one or more of air jets directed at the screen during a screen cleaning operation, a mechanical member which impacts the screen (e.g., a vibrator), a mechanical wiper that travels along a portion or all of the screen, or part or all of the screen and/or screen holder may be flexible. The screen cleaner may be actuated by any actuator disclosed herein and may be automatically actuated when the air moving member is deenergized.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes a user-accessed feature adjacent an air moving member. The user-accessed feature may be a dirty air inlet, pour out spout, and/or user interface. The air moving member is generally the heaviest component of the surface cleaning apparatus. When carrying the surface cleaning apparatus, the user may grasp the surface cleaning apparatus near the heaviest component and/or near the centre of gravity. Where the handle is at a top end of the surface cleaning apparatus, the user may hold the handle at a location that is generally in-line with (e.g., above) the centre of gravity of the surface cleaning apparatus. The user also has greater control over the movement of the end of the surface cleaning apparatus that is closest to the point at which the user grasps the surface cleaning apparatus. Accordingly, one or more components (i.e., user-accessed features) that require greater user control may be located adjacent (e.g., at the same end) as the air moving member.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes a non-circular air treatment chamber. The chamber may have a member sidewall with a non-circular profile in a transverse plane. The chamber may have a reduced curvature wall portion having a reduced curvature compared to other wall portions, and the reduced curvature wall portion may optionally be generally planar. Alternately, the sidewall of the air treatment chamber may be oval. The air treatment chamber may have the same cross-sectional area along the length of the sidewall or the cross-sectional area may vary, e.g., the lower end may be narrower (have a smaller cross-sectional area) then the upper end. The surface cleaning apparatus may be arranged with one or more components at and/or aligned with the reduced curvature wall portion. The air moving member, pre-moving member filter, and/or second stage air treatment member may be arranged at and/or positioned laterally spaced from the reduced curvature wall portion. The water pour out spout may be aligned with and/or provided at the reduced curvature wall position.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes a hose with a wrapped storage position. In the storage position the hose is wrapped around the surface cleaning apparatus and secured at both ends to the surface cleaning apparatus.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes an air treatment chamber shaped and sized to receive the hose or the hose and one or more accessory tool in the chamber when the chamber is closed. The hose may be coiled in the chamber. The hose or hose and one or more accessory tools may be received in the chamber for shipping and/or storage of the surface cleaning apparatus.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus may be reconfigurable between a suction mode and a blowing mode. The surface cleaning apparatus may include a dirty air inlet and a clean air outlet to which an external conduit (e.g., a flexible hose) may be attached (e.g., each has a conduit attachment member) such that a user can switch the distal end of an external conduit from a suction nozzle when the conduit is attached to the dirty air inlet to a blower nozzle when the conduit is attached to the clean air outlet. Alternately, the surface cleaning apparatus may include a port that can be switched (connected at different locations of the main air flow path) so as to switch between being the clean air outlet and the dirty air inlet. Alternately or in addition, the surface cleaning apparatus may include one or more selectively openable ports which are opened and/or closed by insertion of an attachment end of an external conduit into the surface cleaning apparatus.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes an external conduit which comprises dual suction and blowing conduits. The external conduit (e.g., a flexible hose alone or in combination with a rigid wand) includes two air flow pathways through the conduit such that a distal end of the conduit provides both a suction nozzle and a blower nozzle, which may be used alternately or concurrently. The distal end of the conduit can be used to dislodge dirt and suck the dislodged dirt up.

In accordance with another aspect of this disclosure, which may be used alone or in combination with any one or more other aspects, the surface cleaning apparatus includes and filter chamber that is accessible only when the air treatment assembly or a portion thereof is removed from the main body housing. The filter chamber may have an openable access door that is blocked from being opened when the air treatment assembly or a portion thereof is mounted to the main body housing. The filter chamber may house a pre-moving member filter and/or a post moving member filter.

It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that an apparatus or method disclosed herein may embody any one or more of the features contained herein and that the features may be used in any particular combination or sub-combination.

These and other aspects and features of various embodiments will be described in greater detail below.

The drawings included herewith are for illustrating various examples of articles, methods, and apparatuses of the teaching of the present specification and are not intended to limit the scope of what is taught in any way.

Various apparatuses, methods and compositions are described below to provide an example of an embodiment of each claimed invention. No embodiment described below limits any claimed invention and any claimed invention may cover apparatuses and methods that differ from those described below. The claimed inventions are not limited to apparatuses, methods and compositions having all of the features of any one apparatus, method or composition described below or to features common to multiple or all of the apparatuses, methods or compositions described below. It is possible that an apparatus, method or composition described below is not an embodiment of any claimed invention. Any invention disclosed in an apparatus, method or composition described below that is not claimed in this document may be the subject matter of another protective instrument, for example, a continuing patent application, and the applicant(s), inventor(s) and/or owner(s) do not intend to abandon, disclaim, or dedicate to the public any such invention by its disclosure in this document.

The terms “an embodiment,” “embodiment,” “embodiments,” “the embodiment,” “the embodiments,” “one or more embodiments,” “some embodiments,” and “one embodiment” mean “one or more (but not all) embodiments of the present invention(s),” unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “including,” “comprising” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to,” unless expressly specified otherwise. A listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,” “an” and “the” mean “one or more,” unless expressly specified otherwise.