Collapsible Kitchen Step Stool

Abstract

A collapsible kitchen step stool includes support legs, a front panel, side panel assemblies, a front platform support, and a rear platform support. Each side panel assembly includes a plurality of side panels connected via side panel hinges. An elevated platform is attached to the rear platform support via a platform hinge, allowing the elevated platform to be vertically-oriented in a stowed configuration and to be horizontally-oriented in a deployed configuration. In a deployed configuration, the side panels of the side panel assemblies are in an adjacent, linear alignment to allow a user to stand on the elevated platform. In a stowed configuration, the side panels of the side panel assemblies are folded along the plurality of side panel hinges to allow the collapsible kitchen step stool to be easily stored.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A collapsible kitchen step stool comprising:
 two front support legs and two rear support legs, each rear support leg having a rear support leg depth;   two side panel assemblies, each side panel assembly located between a respective front support leg and a respective rear support leg;   wherein each side panel assembly includes a plurality of side panels, each side panel connected to the adjacent side panel by at least one side panel hinge, and each side panel assembly is connected to the respective front support leg and a respective rear support leg by one or more support leg hinges;   a front platform support attached to and located between the front support legs;   a rear platform support attached to and located between the rear support legs;   a rear inset panel attached to and located between the rear support legs and positioned superior to the rear platform support, the rear inset panel having a rear inset panel depth;   an elevated platform attached to the rear platform support and configured to pivot around the rear platform support, the elevated platform having an elevated platform depth; and   wherein the sum of the elevated platform depth and the rear inset panel depth is less than the rear support leg depth.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 1  wherein the collapsible kitchen step stool is selectively operable between a first configuration and a second configuration;
 the first configuration being defined as the elevated platform in a substantially vertical position; 
 the second configuration being defined as the elevated platform in a substantially horizontal position and resting on the front platform support. 
 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 wherein the side panel assemblies are in a folded arrangement in the first configuration; and   wherein the side panel assemblies are in a linear arrangement in the second configuration.   
     
     
         4 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 each front support leg and each rear support leg having at least one support leg stabilizer;   wherein the at least one support leg stabilizer extends outward from each front support leg and each rear support leg;   the support leg stabilizer being configured to be capable of contacting a floor surface.   
     
     
         5 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 1 , wherein the elevated platform is attached to the rear platform support via a hinge mechanism. 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 5 , wherein the hinge mechanism comprises a first leaf and a second leaf;
 the first leaf and second leaf being connected at a hinge mechanism pivot point;   the hinge mechanism having a three hundred sixty-degree axis of rotation about the hinge pivot point.   
     
     
         7 . A collapsible kitchen step stool comprising:
 two front support legs and two rear support legs, each rear support leg having a rear support leg depth;   two side panel assemblies, each side panel assembly located between a respective front support leg and a respective rear support leg;   wherein each side panel assembly includes a plurality of side panels, each side panel connected to the adjacent side panel by at least one side panel hinge, and each side panel assembly is connected to the respective front support leg and a respective rear support leg by one or more support leg hinges;   a front platform support attached to and located between the front support legs;   a rear platform support attached to and located between the rear support legs;   a rear inset panel attached to and located between the rear support legs and positioned superior to the rear platform support, the rear inset panel having a rear inset panel depth;   an elevated platform attached to the rear platform support and configured to pivot around the rear platform support, the elevated platform having an elevated platform depth; and   wherein the sum of the elevated platform depth and the rear inset panel depth is substantially equal to the rear support leg depth.   
     
     
         8 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 7  wherein the collapsible kitchen step stool is selectively operable between a first configuration and a second configuration;
 the first configuration being defined as the elevated platform in a substantially vertical position; 
 the second configuration being defined as the elevated platform in a substantially horizontal position and resting on the front platform support. 
 
     
     
         9 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 wherein the side panel assemblies are in a folded arrangement in the first configuration; and   wherein the side panel assemblies are in a linear arrangement in the second configuration.   
     
     
         10 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 each front support leg and each rear support leg having at least one support leg stabilizer;   wherein the at least one support leg stabilizer extends outward from each front support leg and each rear support leg;   the support leg stabilizer being configured to be capable of contacting a floor surface.   
     
     
         11 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 7 , wherein the elevated platform is attached to the rear platform support via a hinge mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 11 , wherein the hinge mechanism comprises a first leaf and a second leaf;
 the first leaf and second leaf being connected at a hinge mechanism pivot point;   the hinge mechanism having a three hundred sixty-degree axis of rotation about the hinge pivot point.   
     
     
         13 . A collapsible kitchen step stool comprising:
 two front support legs and two rear support legs, each rear support leg having a rear support leg depth;   two side panel assemblies, each side panel assembly located between a respective front support leg and a respective rear support leg;   wherein each side panel assembly includes two side panels, each side panel connected to the adjacent side panel by at least one side panel hinge, and each side panel assembly is connected to the respective front support leg and a respective rear support leg by one or more support leg hinges;   a front platform support attached to and located between the front support legs, the front platform support including at least one dampening pad;   a rear platform support attached to and located between the rear support legs;   a rear inset panel attached to and located between the rear support legs and positioned superior to the rear platform support, the rear inset panel having a rear inset panel depth;   an elevated platform attached to the rear platform support and configured to pivot around the rear platform support, the elevated platform having an elevated platform depth; and   wherein the sum of the elevated platform depth and the rear inset panel depth is substantially equal to the rear support leg depth.   
     
     
         14 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 13  wherein the collapsible kitchen step stool is selectively operable between a first configuration and a second configuration;
 the first configuration being defined as the elevated platform in a substantially vertical position; 
 the second configuration being defined as the elevated platform in a substantially horizontal position and resting on the front platform support. 
 
     
     
         15 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 wherein the side panel assemblies are in a folded arrangement in the first configuration; and   wherein the side panel assemblies are in a linear arrangement in the second configuration.   
     
     
         16 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 each front support leg and each rear support leg having at least one support leg stabilizer;   wherein the at least one support leg stabilizer extends outward from each front support leg and each rear support leg;   the support leg stabilizer being configured to be capable of contacting a floor surface.   
     
     
         17 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 13 , wherein the elevated platform is attached to the rear platform support via a hinge mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The collapsible kitchen step stool of  claim 17 , wherein the hinge mechanism comprises a first leaf and a second leaf;
 the first leaf and second leaf being connected at a hinge mechanism pivot point;   the hinge mechanism having a three hundred sixty-degree axis of rotation about the hinge pivot point.