FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a foldable or collapsible stool, and in particular, to a pocket size foldable stool which can be kept in pocket when not in use. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are numerous types of stools or tables that are known in the market which are foldable. The problem with these stools, however, is that they are bulky after folded and are not convenience to carry along, or the size is rather big which making storage difficulty. Another shortcoming of the traditional foldable stool is that the generally expensive to manufacture and are quite bulky, even after it has been folded or collapsed. As it is noted that foldable stools are typically bulkier and less stable, and therefore, additional parts have to be added. In view of the drawbacks there is a need for a relatively compact stool and is relatively light weight and easily portable.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,489, 144 to Lewis describes a portable folding footstool for supporting the legs of an individual relative to a ground surface. The footstool has a support member receiving the individual's legs thereon, and a folding leg assembly for positioning the support member above the ground surface, which can be folded flatly against the support member for storage and transportation purposes. However, the Lewis footstool suffers from the disadvantage of a relatively large number of parts, thereby increasing manufacturing and construction costs and time. Even in the folded position, the Lewis footstool still takes up a relatively large volume.

U.S. No. Pat. 6,036,269 to Colton describes a foldable footstool constructed of plastic or paperboard, or corrugated plastic such as COROPLAST or paperboard. The footstool is foldably constructed from a flat blank of the material to form a closed-top footstool, which can be used for resting one's feet upon. The foldable laminated footstool includes a top portion and a foldably attached crossing bottom assembly wherein slots or the equivalent provided in crossing members of the bottom crossing allow for the foldably attached crossing bottom assembly to securedly assemble into a rigid-like assembled position. The crossing bottom assembly comprises four crossing members. Each crossing member has a slot of sufficient width so that, upon assembly, each crossing member can foldably cross under the top portion of the footstool, and become securedly fixed within the slots of other crossing members.

US Patent No. 6,135,557 discloses a foldable stool, comprising: a seat;

a first upper leg attached to the seat, the first upper leg defining a first opening;

a first hollow leg holder having a portion of the first upper leg inserted therein;

a second upper leg attached to the seat;

a second hollow leg holder having a portion of the second upper leg inserted therein; a third upper leg attached to the seat;

a third hollow leg holder having a portion of the third upper leg inserted therein;

a connector attached to the first, second and third hollow leg holders;

a first lower leg in operative engagement with the first upper leg, the first lower leg being movable between an expanded position and a contracted position, a substantial portion of the first lower leg being disposable inside the first upper leg when the first lower leg is in the contracted position; and a first lower engagement mechanism attached to the first lower leg, the first lower engagement mechanism protruding radially outwardly from the first lower leg, the first lower engagement mechanism being movable between a look position and a release position, the first lower engagement mechanism being insertable through the first opening of the first upper leg to lock the first upper leg to the first lower leg, the first lower engagement mechanism having a lower release surface upwardly protruding at a first acute angle relative to the first lower leg and an upper release surface, the lower release surface and the upper release surface forming a second acute angle.

US Patent No. 4,043,277 a foldable stool formed with a platform of two panel members hinged together, with a plurality of telescopic legs hinged to the underside of the panels, the underside of said panels each fitted with spacer blocks along the outer edges of the panels for concealing the folded legs when the panels are folded together, with each telescopic leg formed of an inner member slidabiy mounted in a hollow outer member, said outer member formed with a through longitudinal slot extending for a portion of the length of said member in which slot rides the head of a key that is pivotally fixed to the said inner member, said slot formed with an enlarged section of a size to accommodate the head of the key in a first position of rotation of said key, with the remainder of the slot of lesser width so as to block movement of the key in said first position, and in the enlarged section of the slot, from travelling in said remainder of the slot, so as to latch the attached inner and outer members together when the key head is rotated to said first position in said enlarged section of the slot, said key mounted in said inner section, so as to project into the enlarged section of the slot of the outer section in the extended position of the legs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide a pocket-size foidabie or collapsible stool comprising: a seat which is generally flat and is hinged to another seat of identical shape and size at one lateral edge thereof, forming a flat surface for sitting; a plurality of leg members formed at the under surface of the seat such that the plurality of legs are hingedly mounted to form the support of the seat, the leg members being retractable and vertically mounted to the seat so as to support the seat at the under surface of the seat, and a pair of crossbar supported and pivotally secured by a pivotal support along the distant edge of the seat to horizontally enhance the firmness of the leg members, thereby the seats are extended to provide a surface for sitting and the said surface of the stool is supported at the under surface thereof by the retractable leg members.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pocket-size foidabie or collapsible stool, wherein the seats are pivotally connected with a plurality of piano hinges integrally formed with said seats. A further object of the present invention is to provide a pocket-size foidabie or collapsible stool, wherein said seat is constructed of a rigid material.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pocket-size foidabie or collapsible stool, wherein said seat is constructed of a material, which when folded, generally in a rectangular box-like structure hinged at one lateral edge. Another further object of the present invention is to provide a pocket-size foidabie or collapsible stool, wherein the pivotal supports is pivotally extended from the under surface of the seat along the edge of the box-like stool and having a crossbar at the end of the pivotal support to support the leg members.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pocket-size foidabie or collapsible stool, wherein the ends of the crossbar are a termini which is sat against a depression formed on the inner surface of the leg members such that when the seats are retracted the crossbar supports the leg members which prevents the. leg members to collapse inwardly.

Another main object of the present invention is to provide a method of using a pocket- size foldable or collapsible stool, comprising: providing a foldable stool having a folded seat and a plurality of leg members pivotally hinged at the under surface of the seat, the legs being automatically retracted out when the seat is unfolded or is opened; expanding the folded seat such that the seat is a horizontal flat surface; and retracting out the crossbar supports such that the termini of the crossbar sat onto the recess formed on the inner surface of the leg members .

Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of using a pocket-size foldable and collapsible stool, wherein the termini on the recess provides an engagement between the leg members and the crossbar when the seat is unfolded and the leg members are retracted.

There is provided a pocket-size foldable and collapsible stool, wherein the material of the seat is strong and a light material, wherein the stool is sturdy and strong, and can support the weight of a heavy adult.

There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a pocket-size foldable or collapsible stool, wherein the seating surface is a short distance from the ground when the leg members are extended/retracted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pocket-size foldable or collapsible stool in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective view of the foldable or collapsible stool of FIG. 1 being unfolded into a stool; FIG. 4 is a perspective bottom-view of the unfolded stool of FIG. 3 folded in accordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 5-7 are perspective views showing the folding of the foldable stool in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the rear side of the foldable stool in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the front side of the foldable stool in accordance with the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference is now made to FIG. 1 , which illustrates a generally a folded stool 100 made from a metallic sheet material, such as aluminium or the like. Such a material provides the rigidness when the stool 100 is unfolded is very strong and durable, capable of supporting a person with a weight of well over 70 kg, for example. The material of the making of the stool 100 may be made from wood, for example.

As shown in FIG. 2, there is shown an unfolded pocket-size foldable or collapsible stool 100 in accordance with the present invention. The foldable or collapsible stool 100 comprises a seat 40 which is generally flat and is hinged to another seat 40 of identical shape and size at one lateral edge 62 thereof, forming a flat surface for sitting. The area of the sitting surface or seat 40 can be varied to a size which can be placed into a pocket when the stool 100 is folded. The stool 100 has a plurality of leg members formed at the under surface of the seat 40 such that the plurality of leg members 10 are hingedly mounted to form the support of the seat 40, the leg members 10 being retractable and vertically mounted to the seat 40 so as to support the seat 40 at the under surface thereof.

Referring to FIGS. 3-4, there is a shown perspective view of the foldable stool 100 where a pair of crossbar 50 supported and pivotally secured by a pivotal support 20 along the distant edge 64 of the seat 40 to horizontally enhance the firmness of the leg members 0. The seats 40 are extended to provide a surface for sitting and the said surface of the seat 40 is supported at the under surface thereof by the retractable leg members 10. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the leg members 10 are formed into plate-like structure such that the legs members 10 can be folded and hidden under the under surface of the seat 40, which is shown in FIGS. 6-7.

As shown in FIGS 3-4, the stool 100 is unfolded. Upon unfolding, the seat 40 becomes a flat surface for sitting and the vertically leg members 10 were individually pivotally swung out to stand vertically with one free end as the base on the ground supporting the stool 100 in an upright position. The pair of the pivotal support 20 extends outward such that the crossbar 50 holds the leg members 10 to enhance the leg members 10 to vertically support the stool 100. At this instant, the termini 52 of the crossbar 50 sit onto the recesses form on the inner surface of the leg members 10. The pivotal support 20 is hinged at the edge 64 of the seat 40 at the under surface thereof by use of piano hinge 60. Similarly, the leg members 10 also pivotally mounted by piano hinges 68 at the edge of the under surface 70 of the seat 40.

The seat 40 of the stool 00 in the present invention is generally rectangular shape, which when the stool 100 is folded, generally the stool 100 is a rectangular box which can be inserted into the pocket or a lady handbag.

Referring FIGS. 5-7, there is shown how the stool 100 is folded. The seat 40 is first being placed facing downward on a floor. The pair of pivotal supports 20 is folded inward about the piano hinge 60. At this instance, the pivotal support 20 with the crossbar 50 is lied onto the under surface of the seat 40. Next, the plurality of leg members are then folded one after the other, which is shown in FIGS. 5 and 7.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the stool 100 being folded prior the stool 100 formed into a rectangular box. After the leg members 10 are folded, the leg members 10 sit onto the under surface 70 of the seat 40, and the stool 100 appears substantially a flat structure. In the present preferred embodiment, a plurality of piano hinges 60 are provided for connecting the seats 40 together, the pivot support to the under surface of the seat 40, and the leg members 10 at the under surface of the seat 40.

Referring to FIGS. 8 & 9, there are shown perspective views of the foldable stool in accordance with the present invention.

When using the foldable or collapsible stool, the user has to unfold the stool. First the seat 40 is unfolded and the leg members will automatically retracted out when the seat is unfolded or is opened. The seat 40 after it is unfolded, the seat 40 is a horizontal flat surface; and the crossbar or pivotal supports 20 is retracted such that the termini 52 of the crossbar 50 sat onto the recess formed on the inner surface of the leg . members 10. At this instant, the termini 52 at the recess provide an engagement between the leg members 10 and the crossbar 50 when the seat 40 is unfolded and the leg members 10 are retracted.

The foregoing description, when taken together with the accompanying drawings, discloses in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention and the operation thereof. While a preferred embodiment has been set out, it is within the concept of the invention to slightly modify portions thereof. It will be appreciated by person skilled in the art, that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described herein above. Rather the scope of the present invention is defined only by the claims that follow: