Vacuum cleaner base assembly and air passage system

A vacuum cleaner having a handle, a dirt separator and suction motor on the handle, and a nozzle. An elongated suction inlet passes through the bottom face of the nozzle, and a pivot joins the nozzle to the handle at a pivot axis that extends parallel to the elongated suction inlet. The pivot includes first and second pivot connections joining the base to either side of the handle. A base air passage extends from the suction inlet to the first pivot connection, and is fluidly connected, through the first pivot connection, to a first handle air passage located in the handle and extending from the first pivot connection to an inlet of the separator. A second handle air passage located in the handle extends from the separator outlet to the suction motor inlet.