Patent ID: 6155646
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: A01M

Abstract:
A portable stool that contacts the ground in only one area, said area being less than ten square inches, that also contacts a generally vertical structure for stability in a use mode and that can be easily and quickly converted from the use mode into a compact mode for transport and storage and quickly and easily converted back into the use mode, comprising:a primary support member for supporting a major portion of the weight of a person, said primary support member having only one end for contacting the ground in said area, the ground contacting area of said one end of the primary support being less than 10 square inches, said primary support member being no more than 30 degrees from true vertical in the use mode,a secondary support member rigidly, but rotatably, attached to said primary support member at one longitudinal end, said secondary support member having a gripper on another longitudinal end for contacting the generally vertical structure in a non-sliding manner when in the use mode and being rotatable to transform the stool from the use mode to the compact mode, said secondary support member being generally horizontal in the use mode, anda seat that is attached to either the primary support member or the secondary support member in the use mode, said seat, when attached to said secondary support member, is attached at a location adjacent to said primary support member such that in the use mode a major portion of the weight of a person sitting on said seat is supported by said primary support member with the secondary support member mainly providing stability to said stool in the use mode while transferring only a minor portion of the said weight to said structure, said seat having a length and a width, the length being substantially greater than the width, the seat being attached in either a rotatable or removable manner such that in the use mode a side-to-side dimension of said seat which is the length of said seat, is perpendicular to said secondary support member and in the compact mode said seat is attached to either the primary support member or the secondary support member with the length of said seat being parallel to the secondary support member, andsaid primary support member being of a length that said seat, in the use mode, is spaced from the ground such that when said person is sitting on said seat with the person's back against the generally vertical structure, the person can have at least one foot on the ground to provide stability and to be able to stand up on the ground.