Folding stool

Abstract

A folding stool has trapezoidal sides including front and rear nonfolding side walls and left and right folding end walls. Each end wall includes first and second nonfolding half-walls and a hinge connecting these half-walls to each other. The folding stool includes a nonfolding top wall connected to the top of the front side wall by a hinge and a strut connected proximate the middle of the top wall at one end and proximate the top of the rear side wall at the other end. The top wall extends horizontally outwardly from the left and right end walls and rear side wall when the folding stool is in its unfolded position to rest upon the left and right end walls and rear side wall to support weight placed upon the folding stool. The folding stool folds so that the top face of the top wall is coplanar with the outer face of the front side wall when in the folded position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A folding stool, comprising:
 a nonfolding top wall having a top face;   a nonfolding front wall having a front face;   a nonfolding rear wall;   a right folding end wall comprising a front half wall and a rear half wall;   a left folding end wall comprising a front half wall and a rear half wall;   wherein the front wall is operably interconnected to the nonfolding top wall and the front half walls of the right folding end wall and left folding end wall; and   the rear wall is operably interconnected to the rear half walls of the right folding end wall and left folding end wall.   
     
     
         2 . The folding stool of  claim 1  wherein the top face of the nonfolding top wall and the front face of the nonfolding front wall are coplanar when the folding stool is in a folded configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The folding stool of  claim 2  comprising a strut operably interconnected to the nonfolding top wall and the nonfolding rear wall. 
     
     
         4 . The folding stool of  claim 3  wherein the nonfolding top wall is wider than the nonfolding front wall and the nonfolding rear wall and deeper than the right folding end wall and the left folding end wall. 
     
     
         5 . The folding stool of  claim 4  wherein the each of the interconnections of the a nonfolding top wall, nonfolding front wall, a nonfolding rear wall, right folding end wall, and left folding end wall comprises a hinge. 
     
     
         6 . The folding stool of  claim 5  wherein each hinge comprises a portion of each interconnecting wall and a pin. 
     
     
         7 . The folding stool of  claim 6  wherein the nonfolding top wall comprises at least two stops. 
     
     
         8 . The folding stool of  claim 6  wherein each of the right folding end wall and left folding end wall comprises at least one stop. 
     
     
         9 . The folding stool of  claim 3  wherein the strut is operably interconnected to the nonfolding top wall proximate the middle of the nonfolding top wall and operably interconnected to the nonfolding rear wall proximate the top of the nonfolding rear wall. 
     
     
         10 . The folding stool of  claim 9  wherein the each of the interconnections of the a nonfolding top wall, nonfolding front wall, a nonfolding rear wall, right folding end wall, and left folding end wall comprises a hinge. 
     
     
         11 . The folding stool of  claim 10  wherein each hinge comprises a portion of each interconnecting wall and a pin. 
     
     
         12 . A folding stool:
 a nonfolding top wall operably interconnected to a nonfolding front wall, the nonfolding front wall further interconnected to a front half wall of a right folding end wall and a front half wall of a left folding end wall;   a nonfolding rear wall operably interconnected to a rear half wall of the right folding end wall and a rear half wall of a left folding end wall;   wherein a top face of the nonfolding top wall is substantially coplanar with a front face of the nonfolding front wall when the folding stool is in a folded configuration.   
     
     
         13 . The folding stool of  claim 12  comprising a strut operably interconnected to the nonfolding top wall and the nonfolding rear wall. 
     
     
         14 . The folding stool of  claim 13  wherein the strut is operably interconnected to the nonfolding top wall proximate the middle of the nonfolding top wall and operably interconnected to the nonfolding rear wall proximate the top of the nonfolding rear wall. 
     
     
         15 . The folding stool of  claim 14  wherein the each of the interconnections of the a nonfolding top wall, nonfolding front wall, a nonfolding rear wall, right folding end wall, and left folding end wall comprises a hinge. 
     
     
         16 . The folding stool of  claim 15  wherein each hinge comprises a portion of each interconnecting wall and a pin. 
     
     
         17 . The folding stool of  claim 16  wherein the nonfolding top wall comprises at least two stops. 
     
     
         18 . The folding stool of  claim 14  comprising means to lock the nonfolding top wall to the nonfolding rear wall when the folding stool in a use configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The folding stool of  claim 15  wherein each of the right folding end wall and left folding end wall comprises at least one stop. 
     
     
         20 . A folding stool, comprising:
 a nonfolding top wall;   a nonfolding front wall;   a nonfolding rear wall;   a right folding end wall;   a left folding end;   wherein the front wall is operably interconnected to the nonfolding top wall, the right folding end wall, and the left folding end wall;   the rear wall is operably interconnected to the right folding end wall and the left folding end wall;   the nonfolding top wall operably interconnected to the nonfolding rear wall by a strut; and   wherein a top face of the nonfolding top wall is substantially coplanar with a front face of the nonfolding front wall when the folding stool is in a folded configuration.