Collapsible Stool

Abstract

A collapsible stool with foldable legs as well as a foldable seat is disclosed herein. The stool collapses to greatly reduce its size thereby enabling it to fit within many common carrying articles, such as purses. The legs and support members fold flat against the seat of the stool, which itself is in two pieces and folds in half.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A collapsible stool comprising
 two seats, two outer legs, an inner leg, and two support members,   where each seat is secured to the inner leg by two seat hinges, where the two seat hinges have parallel rotational axes;   where each seat has one of the two legs outer legs secured thereto, where each outer leg is secured to the seat by a leg hinge, where the leg hinge rotates about an axis that is parallel to the axis of rotation of the seat hinges, where the leg hinge is located on an opposite end of the seat from the seat hinge;   where each seat has one of the two support members secured thereto, where each support member is secured to the seat by a support member hinge, where the support member hinge rotates about an axis that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the leg hinge;   where each support member comprises a latch, where each latch restrict the rotational movement of its respective support member when engaged.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible stool of  claim 1 , where each latch slides along an axis that is parallel to the axis of rotation of the support member hinge of its respective support member. 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible stool of  claim 1 , where the inner leg has a top surface, where the top surface of the inner leg is flush with a face of each seat when the collapsible stool is in an expanded configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The collapsible stool of  claim 1 , wherein the latch of each support member engages the inner leg. 
     
     
         5 . The collapsible stool of  claim 1 , wherein each seat comprises a pattern and a logo. 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible stool of  claim 1 , wherein the latch of each support member comprises a spring. 
     
     
         7 . A collapsible stool comprising
 two seats, two outer legs, an inner leg and two support members,   where each seat is secured to the inner leg by two seat hinges, where each seat hinge has an axis of rotation;   where each seat has one of the two outer legs secured thereto, where each outer leg is secured to the seat by a leg hinge, where the leg hinge has an axis of rotation;   where each seat has one of the two support members secured thereto, where each support member is secured to the seat by a support member hinge, where the support member hinge rotates about an axis that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the leg hinge; and   where each support member comprises a latch, where each latch restricts the rotational movement of its respective support member when the latch is engaged.   
     
     
         8 . The collapsible stool according to  claim 7 , where the latch slides along an axis that is parallel to the axis of rotation of the support member hinge. 
     
     
         9 . The collapsible stool according to  claim 7 , where each leg hinge rotates about an axis that is parallel to the axis of rotation of one of the seat hinges; where each leg hinge is located on an opposite end of the corresponding seat from the seat hinge. 
     
     
         10 . The collapsible stool according to  claim 7 , where the two seat hinges have parallel rotational axes. 
     
     
         11 . The collapsible stool of  claim 7 , wherein the latch of each support member engages the inner leg. 
     
     
         12 . The collapsible stool of  claim 7 , where the inner leg has a top surface, where the top surface of the inner leg is flush with a face of each seat when the collapsible stool is in an expanded configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The collapsible stool of  claim 7 , wherein the latch of each support member comprises a spring. 
     
     
         14 . The collapsible stool of  claim 7 , wherein each seat comprises a pattern and a logo. 
     
     
         15 . The collapsible stool of  claim 7 , wherein the axis of rotation of each seat hinge is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of each leg hinge and the axis of rotation of each support member hinge. 
     
     
         16 . A method of using a stool comprising the steps of:
 obtaining a stool, where the stool comprises two seats, two outer legs, an inner leg and two support members, where each seat is secured to the inner leg by a seat hinge, where each seat hinge rotates about the same axis, where each seat has one of the two outer legs secured thereto, where each outer leg is secured to the seat by a leg hinge, where each seat has one of the two support members secured thereto, where each support member is secured to the seat by a support member hinge, where the support member hinge rotates about an axis that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the leg hinge;   rotating the two seats about the seat hinges such that the two seats are substantially coplanar and perpendicular to the inner leg;   rotating each outer leg about the leg hinges such that the legs are substantially perpendicular to the seats;   rotating each support member about the support member hinges such that the support members are substantially perpendicular to both the outer legs and the seats.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , where each support member comprises a latch, where each latch is releasable and restricts the rotational movement of its respective support member. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , where the latch slides along an axis that is parallel to the axis of rotation of the support member hinge. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of sliding the latch. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of:
 rotating each support member about the support member hinges such that the support members are in a substantially parallel plane to the seats;   rotating each outer leg about the leg hinges such that the legs are in a substantially parallel plane to the seats;   rotating the two seats about the seat hinges such that the two seats are in substantially parallel planes.