US20130318698A1

US20130318698A1 - Toilet Training Stool

Info

Publication number: US20130318698A1
Application number: US13/483,700
Authority: US
Inventors: Aaron Dee Schilpp; Alexander Coriano, III; Ricardo Filipe Figueiroa Monteiro; Phillip Neal Sharp
Original assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
Current assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
Priority date: 2012-05-30
Filing date: 2012-05-30
Publication date: 2013-12-05

Abstract

A stool system for use in conjunction with a toilet having a bowl and a seat, the seat defining a seat plane and having a seat front edge apex, includes a freestanding stool including a base, the stool being reconfigurable between a use position and storage position, wherein the stool in the use position is disposable adjacent the bowl and substantially below the seat plane, and wherein the stool in the storage position is disposable substantially below the seat plane and substantially on a toilet side of a vertical plane tangential to the seat front edge apex.

Description

BACKGROUND

Toilet training is an important stage in a child's growth, and many absorbent articles and accessories have been adapted for use in a toilet training program. An important aspect in toilet training is making a standard toilet, which is typically sized for an adult, accessible to a young child.
Attempts to address this accessibility issue include various stools designed to allow a child to reach and use the toilet. Such stools, however, typically inhibit use of the toilet by an adult, and require the adult to physically move the stool to a different part of a bathroom. Once moved, the stool cannot be immediately used by a child. In addition, there might be little space to store such a stool in what might be a small bathroom. Other such stools can have a stored position adjacent the toilet, but such stored position is above the level of the toilet seat, leaving a stool with excessive potential energy and the risk of crashing down onto a child.
As a result, stools used to provide accessibility of a toilet to a toilet training child are well-intentioned but problematic in everyday use.

SUMMARY

As caregivers undertake programs to address toilet training, enuresis control, or incontinence, which apply across demographics, those caregivers would benefit by providing greater access to accessories that are specifically designed to enhance the accessibility of a toilet without significantly inhibiting access by one who is not training.
The invention described herein solves the problems described above and provides an increase in toilet training efficacy using a toilet training stool that can be easily used and easily stored without posing a risk to a child. The present inventors undertook intensive research and development efforts concerning improving the toilet training, particularly with respect to providing accessories to normalize the toilet training process.
In particular, the present application is directed to a stool system for use in conjunction with a toilet having a bowl and a seat, the seat defining a seat plane and having a seat front edge apex, the stool system including a freestanding stool including a base, the stool being reconfigurable between a use position and storage position, wherein the stool in the use position is disposable adjacent the bowl and substantially below the seat plane, and wherein the stool in the storage position is disposable substantially below the seat plane and substantially on a toilet side of a vertical plane tangential to the seat front edge apex.
The present application is also directed to a stool system for use in conjunction with a toilet having a bowl and a seat, the seat defining a seat plane and having a seat front edge apex, the stool system including a freestanding stool being reconfigurable between a use position and storage position, the stool including a generally planar top portion and a base having a static portion and a leg portion, wherein the static portion is movably attached to the top portion, and wherein the leg portion is movably attached to the top portion such that the static portion of the base is configured to remain substantially immobile during reconfiguration between the use and storage positions, and wherein the top portion and the leg portion of the base are configured to reposition during reconfiguration between the use and storage positions. The stool in the use position is disposable adjacent the bowl and substantially below the seat plane, and the stool in the storage position is disposable substantially below the seat plane and substantially on a toilet side of a vertical plane tangential to the seat front edge apex.
The present application is also directed to a stool system for use in conjunction with a toilet having a bowl and a seat, the seat defining a seat plane and having a seat front edge apex, the stool system including a freestanding stool being reconfigurable between a use position and storage position, the stool including a base having a lattice of planar elements, wherein adjacent planar elements meet to form a lattice angle, and wherein the stool is configured to be laterally collapsible by increasing the angles of a first plurality of lattice angles and by decreasing the angles of a second plurality of lattice angles. The stool in the use position is disposable adjacent the bowl and substantially below the seat plane, and the stool in the storage position is disposable substantially below the seat plane and substantially on a toilet side of a vertical plane tangential to the seat front edge apex.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and aspects of the present invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings, where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the toilet training stool of the present application, where the toilet training stool is in a use position adjacent to a toilet;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toilet training stool of FIG. 1, where the toilet training stool is being translated to an alternate position while still adjacent to the toilet;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the toilet training stool of FIG. 1, where the toilet training stool is being folded into a storage position while still adjacent to the toilet;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the toilet training stool of FIG. 1, where the toilet training stool is folded into a storage position while still adjacent to the toilet;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative aspect of the toilet training stool of FIG. 1, where the toilet training stool is in a use position adjacent to a toilet; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the toilet training stool of FIG. 5, where the toilet training stool is being collapsed into a storage position while still adjacent to the toilet.

Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present invention. The drawings are representational and are not necessarily drawn to scale. Certain proportions thereof may be exaggerated, while others may be minimized.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary aspects of the present invention only, and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present invention.
The present disclosure is generally directed to tools for use in toilet training, particularly those that can be used in conjunction with a standard toilet 10. The toilet training tool can be used in conjunction with a standard toilet 10 and can be used by a child undergoing toilet training, but can then be moved into a storage position to allow the toilet 10 to be used by an older child or an adult.
The toilet training tool of the present application is configured to be used in conjunction with a standard toilet 10 having a bowl 12 and a seat 14. The toilet 10 can also include a separate, attached, or incorporated tank 16, but the specific configuration of the toilet 10 is largely immaterial to the present application. The seat 14 defines a generally horizontal seat plane 15 (see FIG. 4) and includes a seat front edge 13. The point on the seat front edge 13 furthest from the toilet tank 16 is the seat front edge apex 17. A vertical plane 19 (see FIG. 4) can be defined that is tangential to the seat 14 at the seat front edge apex 17.
The toilet training tool of the present application includes a stool system 20 for use in conjunction with a toilet 10, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-6. The stool system 20 includes a stool 40. The general features and operation of the stool system 20 are illustrated in FIGS. 1-6.
The stool 40 of the present application is configured to be movable between a use position and a storage position. In the use position shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the stool 40 provides an elevated top portion 50 to allow a toilet training child better access to a standard toilet 10. In the storage position shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the stool 40 is reconfigured such that the toilet 10 is again made accessible to older children or adults without the impediment of the stool 40 itself.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, the stool 40 is positioned adjacent the toilet bowl 12 for stability while in the use position and for immediate access while in the storage position. In one aspect, the stool 40 can be transitioned from the use position to the storage position by folding the stool 40 from a use position to a storage position. In another aspect, the stool 40 can be transitioned from the use position to the storage position by collapsing the stool 40 from a use position to a storage position.
The stool 40 has a horizontal dimension and a vertical dimension that can change during the transition from the use position to the storage position. For example, transitioning the stool 40 from the use position to the storage position by collapsing the stool 40 will decrease the horizontal dimension of the stool 40 and might or might not affect the vertical dimension of the stool 40.
In another aspect, the stool 40 has an envelope, which is the volume occupied by the stool 40 including any open space within the stool 40. In other words, the envelope is the volume of a theoretical three-dimensional shape drawn to encompass the outer limits of the stool 40. The envelope of the stool 40 can change during the transition from the use position to the storage position. For example, transitioning the stool 40 from the use position to the storage position by collapsing the stool 40 will decrease the envelope of the stool 40.
The stool 40 includes a top portion 50 and a base 60. When the stool 40 is in the use position, the top portion 50 is generally planar and generally parallel to the floor on which the toilet 10 is disposed to provide a toilet training child with a raised surface on which to step or stand, thus allowing easier access to a standard toilet 10 that is otherwise typically sized to accommodate an adult. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the top portion 50 is a single piece of material. In other aspects, the top portion 50 can be constructed from two or more pieces of one or more materials. If the top portion 50 includes more than one piece, the multiple pieces can be affixed to one another using adhesives, mechanical fasteners, interlocking members, or any other suitable means. The multiple pieces can be removably affixed to one another, or the multiple pieces can be permanently affixed to one another. The top portion 50 can be constructed from wood, metal, plastic, or any other suitable material, and can include rubber, grit, ridges, or any other friction-increasing and/or softness-providing material on its upper surface to better accommodate its use with a toilet training child. The top portion 50 can include a concave arcuate section 52 to allow the stool 40 to be at least partially nested with the convexly curved toilet bowl 12 when the stool 40 is in the use position.
In other aspects, the multiple pieces can be movably attached to one another to allow a given piece to move relative to another piece. In these aspects, the multiple pieces can be slidably attached, hingedly attached, or movably attached by any other suitable means.
The stool 40 also includes a base 60 employed to support the top portion 50. At least a portion of the base 60 is disposed between the top portion 50 and the floor to provide stability to the top portion 50 when the stool 40 is in the use position. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the base 60 is affixed to the top portion 50 such that the base 60 is movable with the top portion 50, and such that the base 60 changes shape when moved with the top portion 50. This aspect is particularly useful for the configuration in which the stool 40 transitions from the use position to the storage position by collapsing.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, the base 60 is movably attached to the top portion 50. The top portion 50 and the base 60 can be movably attached to one another to allow one or both of the base 60 and the top portion 50 to move relative to the other. In this aspect, the base 60 and the top portion 50 can be slidably attached, hingedly attached, or movably attached by any other suitable means.
In still another aspect of the present disclosure, the base 60 and the top portion 50 are not attached directly to one another, but are instead each attached to a third structure such that the top portion 50 is adjacent the base 60. In this aspect, each of the base 60 and the top portion 50 can be slidably attached, hingedly attached, or movably attached by any other suitable means to the third structure.
In any of these aspects, the top portion 50 can be movable relative to the base 60, the base 60 can be movable relative to the top portion 50, or both the top portion 50 and the base 60 can be movable independently or together. Additionally, in any of these aspects, the base 60 can be constructed from wood, metal, plastic, or any other suitable material, and can be similar or dissimilar to the material from which the top portion 50 is constructed.
The base 60 can be constructed to include legs, struts, links, hinges, pins, a three-dimensional framework, a folding mechanism, a scissors mechanism, or any other suitable structure that can both support the top portion 50 and be movable between the use position and the storage position.
In one aspect of the present application, the base 60 can include a static portion 70 and one or more leg portions 80. The static portion 70 and/or the leg portion 80 can be movably attached to the top portion 50 using a hinge, linkage, or any other suitable attachment mechanism. The static portion 70 and the leg portion 80 can also be movably or immovably attached to each other.
In a particular aspect, the static portion 70 of the base 60 is configured to remain substantially immobile during reconfiguration between the use and storage positions to provide a stable support for the stool 40 in both positions and during transition therebetween. In this aspect, the top portion 50 and the leg portion 80 are configured to be repositioned during reconfiguration between the use and storage positions. For example, as best illustrated in FIG. 2, the stool 40 can be reconfigured from the use position to the storage position by lifting the top portion 50 adjacent the leg portion 80. The static portion 70 remains in place, while lifting the top portion 50 also lifts the leg portion 80.
In a similar aspect, the leg portion 80 has a center of gravity and is pivotable relative to the top portion 50 at a hinge position 84 (see FIG. 2), wherein a floor-contacting point 88 (see FIG. 1) of the leg portion 80 is horizontally further from the seat front edge apex 17 than is the hinge position 84 when the stool 40 is in the use position, and wherein the hinge position 84 and the center of gravity are configured to allow the leg portion 80 to pivot when the top portion 50 is lifted to a position wherein the floor-contacting point 88 is horizontally closer to the seat front edge apex 17 than is the hinge position 84. In other words, the center of gravity of the leg portion 80 is arranged such that lifting the top portion 50 and therefore the leg portion 80 allows the leg portion 80 to swing inwardly toward the toilet bowl 12, thus decreasing the extent to which the stool 40 extends from the toilet bowl 12.
In this and other aspects of the present application as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the base 60 can be configured such that the leg portion 80 at least partially nests with the static portion 70 when the stool 40 is in the storage position. The leg portion 80 can nest within the static portion 70, straddling the static portion 70, or in some combination thereof.
In other aspects of the present disclosure, the stool 40 can include a use retention means (not shown) to hold the stool 40 in the use position. The use retention means can provide stability to the stool 40 to prevent inadvertent transition of the stool 40 to the storage position. In essence, the use retention means locks or secures the stool 40 in the use position. The use retention means can include one or more of a mechanical means including a toggle, a snap, a catch, a clasp, a strap, or an over-center mechanism. The use retention means can also include an adhesive, a cohesive, a magnet, a suction cup, or a spring. For the situation in which the stool 40 transitions from the use position to the storage position in a direction with a component opposite that of gravity, gravity can be used to hold the stool 40 in the use position.
Similarly, the stool 40 can include a storage retention means (not shown) to hold the stool 40 in the storage position. The storage retention means can provide stability to the stool 40 to prevent inadvertent transition of the stool 40 to the use position. In essence, the storage retention means locks or secures the stool 40 in the storage position. The storage retention means can include one or more of a mechanical means including a toggle, a snap, a catch, a clasp, a strap, or an over-center mechanism. The storage retention means can also include an adhesive, a cohesive, a magnet, a suction cup, or a spring. For the situation in which the stool 40 transitions from the storage position to the use position in a direction with a component opposite that of gravity, gravity can be used to hold the stool 40 in the storage position.
In another aspect of the present application illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the base 60 includes a lattice or framework 90 of planar elements 94 movably attached to each other to form a grid when viewed from above. In the use position, the lattice 90 is extended such that a space 98 is formed in the grid within a set of adjacent planar elements 94. In one aspect, the lattice 90 and therefore the spaces 98 are generally orthogonal when in the use position, but any suitable shape or arrangement can be used. As the lattice 90 is transitioned to the storage position, the spaces 98 change shape. For example, for spaces 98 that are rectilinear when in the use position, the lattice angles 96 between adjacent planar elements 94 will either increase or decrease as the lattice 90 is transitioned to the storage position, depending on which adjacent planar elements 94 are viewed. Roughly half of the lattice angles 96 will decrease, and half will increase. The planar elements 94 can be constructed from wood, metal, plastic, paperboard, or any other suitable material.
In this and in other aspects, the stool 40 has a use position horizontal maximum cross-section area and a storage position maximum horizontal cross-section area. The use position maximum horizontal cross-section area is larger than the storage position maximum horizontal cross-section area such that the stool 40 occupies less floor space in the storage position as compared to the use position. The stool 40 also has a use position maximum vertical height and a storage position maximum vertical height. In various aspects, the use position maximum vertical height can be essentially identical to the storage position maximum vertical height, shorter than the storage position maximum vertical height, or taller than the storage position maximum vertical height.
In use, the stool system 20 can be configured to allow a caregiver or a child to move the stool 40 from the use position to the storage position. In one aspect, the stool 40, while remaining adjacent the toilet bowl 12, can be folded upwardly from its use position at the front 18 of the toilet bowl 12 to a folded storage position still at the front 18 of the toilet bowl 12 such that the area in front of the toilet 10 is generally clear for non-toilet-training use. In another aspect, the stool 40, while remaining adjacent the toilet bowl 12, can be collapsed or flattened inwardly from its use position at the front 18 of the toilet bowl 12 to a collapsed or flattened storage position still at the front 18 of the toilet bowl 12 such that the area in front of the toilet 10 is generally clear for non-toilet-training use. In either aspect, the top portion 50 can be generally vertical when the stool 40 is in the storage position such that the top portion 50 occupies a minimum of lateral space when the stool 40 is in the storage position.
It is generally preferable for the stool system 20 to remain substantially below the plane 15 defined by the toilet seat 14 while in both the use position and the storage position. Allowing a storage position above the plane 15 of the toilet seat 14 increases the potential energy the stool 40 has in the storage position, thereby increasing the damage to a user that might be caused should the stool 40 inadvertently drop from the storage position to the use position. Configuring the stool system 20 such that the stool 40 remains substantially below the plane 15 of the toilet seat 14 can minimize the potential energy available to cause injury or damage due to an inadvertent change in position.
Similarly, the stool system 20 can be configured such that at least a portion of the stool 40 remains in contact with the floor while transitioning from the use position to the storage position, and even while the stool 40 is in the storage position. Configuring the stool system 20 such that at least a portion of the stool 40 remains in contact with the floor can also minimize the potential energy available to cause injury or damage due to an inadvertent change in position.
It is also generally preferable for the stool system 20 to remain substantially between the toilet 10 and the vertical plane 19 through the seat front edge apex 17, or on the toilet 10 side of the vertical plane 19, while the stool 40 is in the storage position to accommodate an adult using the toilet 10 without a significant trip hazard. In most aspects of the present application, the stool 40 can remain at the front of the toilet bowl 12 in the use position, in the storage position, and during the transition therebetween without requiring a lateral transposition of the stool 40. The design of the stool system 20 allows for the relatively unimpeded access of an adult to the toilet 10 without the need to move the stool 40 from its spot at the front of the toilet bowl 12.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the stool system 20 can also include at least one hand hold 56 configured to accommodate at least a portion of a human hand to facilitate grasping the stool 40. The hand hold 56 can be positioned on the top portion 50 or the base 60. The stool system 20 can alternatively include a plurality of hand holds 56 positioned on any or all of those locations. The hand hold 56 can be a hole in the stool system 20. The hand hold 56 can also be a handle or any other suitable device adapted to accomplish the purpose of grasping the stool system 20.
Although described herein with respect to use in conjunction with a toilet 10, the stool system 20 can also be used in conjunction with a pedestal or other type of sink or basin, with a kitchen counter, or with any other feature, particularly those features that both a child and an adult interact with. To help ensure safety and stability, the stool system 20 should be designed to support a toddler's weight up to 50 pounds, a child's weight up to 75 pounds, and/or an adult's weight up to 250 pounds. In addition, the stool system should be designed to minimize any other safety issues including finger pinch points, accidental collapse, removable or breakable small pieces, etc.
The primary use of the stool system 20 described herein is as a training aid to be used in the toilet training process. Toilet-training-age children typically need assistance in using a standard toilet 10 sized for an older child or an adult. The child can be lifted onto the toilet seat 14 by a caregiver, but a tool that allows for independence can be more effective in teaching toiletry habits. Choosing when to use the toilet 10, and being able to use the toilet 10 without adult assistance is a crucial step in becoming a big kid and it is a step that children find fun and exciting.
This practice of accommodating a child's use of a toilet 10 meets many of the criteria for a successful training aid. It is motivational for the child. It teaches that a toilet 10 can be used without the assistance of another person. It makes the child feel special and grown-up because they can use it on their own.
To enhance this approach, the stool system 20 can also include an informational item meant to instruct a caregiver with respect to the approaches and benefits described above. The informational item can describe the philosophy behind treating the stool 40 as the child's own possession and in instructing the child to take ownership of the stool 40. The informational item can also include information with respect to other tips and approaches to successful toilet training, including information regarding an appropriate response to an insult incident. Appropriate responses to an insult incident can include discussing physical sensations with the subject; informing the subject with respect to the relation between the physical sensations and the imminence of the insult; taking the subject to a bathroom; positioning the subject on a toilet 10; encouraging the subject to produce an insult; recognizing positive actions by the subject; and recognizing toilet training progress by the subject.
The informational item can also include information regarding tracking and assessing toilet training progress. In other aspects of the present disclosure, the informational item can include a growth chart, sizing information for shoes, sizing information for clothes, sizing information for absorbent articles, and/or other information useful to a caregiver or a child, printed or otherwise disposed thereon.
In various aspects, the stool system 20 can include other informational items such as instructions in the use of the product and tips for toilet training, enuresis control, or incontinence control. As used herein, the term “informational item” refers to objects that are provided in addition to disposable personal care articles, are adapted to communicate information to the user and/or consumer of the disposable personal care articles, and are associated with individual components of the stool system 20. Examples of informational items include cards, paper, electronic media, printing on the packaging, or other suitable media capable of storing and conveying information.
In various aspects, the informational items associated with the stool system 20 components can be adapted to appeal to the specific category of user and/or purchaser to which the stool system 20 is adapted. The informational items may be adapted, for example, by providing information likely to be of interest to a given category of user and/or purchaser.
For example, a stool system 20 can be adapted for use by a caregiver for toilet training purposes. An informational item can be associated with the stool system 20 that is adapted to interest caregivers. For example, the informational item can be a card containing information or instructions about children's health and hygiene, such as sleep habits, thumb sucking, teething, skin health, toilet training; questions to ask a child; jokes; and the like, and combinations thereof. The informational item can additionally or alternatively include addresses for web sites available on the internet. The web sites can contain information related to issues of interest for caregivers and users of toilet training stool systems 20.
The informational item can additionally or alternatively include addresses for web sites available on the internet or telephone numbers for audiovisual recorded information that can be played back by a computer or via telephone or other communication technology. The informational item can additionally or alternatively include information describing activities that are suitable for caregivers and users of disposable personal care articles. The activities can be adapted for a child at a specific age, size, and/or stage of development. For example, the activities can be adapted to promote interaction between the child and the caregiver.
Toilet training is described as an example of the use of the stool system 20, but this stool system 20 is equally applicable to other situations as well.
These and other modifications and variations to the present invention may be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, which is more particularly set forth in the appended claims. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of the various aspects of the present invention may be interchanged either in whole or in part. Furthermore, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing description is by way of example only, and is not intended to limit the invention so further described in such appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed:

1. A stool system for use in conjunction with a toilet having a bowl and a seat, the seat defining a seat plane and having a seat front edge apex, the stool system comprising:

a freestanding stool including a base, the stool being reconfigurable between a use position and storage position, wherein the stool in the use position is disposable adjacent the bowl and substantially below the seat plane, and wherein the stool in the storage position is disposable substantially below the seat plane and substantially on a toilet side of a vertical plane tangential to the seat front edge apex.

2. The stool system of claim 1, the stool further comprising a generally planar top portion coupled to the base.

3. The stool system of claim 2, wherein the base is configured to remain substantially immobile during reconfiguration between the use and storage positions, and wherein the top portion is configured to reposition during reconfiguration between the use and storage positions.

4. The stool system of claim 2, wherein the top portion is movably attached to the base.

5. The stool system of claim 2, wherein the top portion is generally vertical in the storage position.

6. The stool system of claim 2, wherein the base includes a static portion and a leg portion, wherein the static portion is movably attached to the top portion, and wherein the leg portion is movably attached to the top portion.

7. The stool system of claim 6, wherein the static portion of the base is configured to remain substantially immobile during reconfiguration between the use and storage positions, and wherein the top portion and the leg portion of the base are configured to reposition during reconfiguration between the use and storage positions.

8. The stool system of claim 6, wherein the leg portion of the base is configured to at least partially nest with the static portion of the base in the storage position.

9. The stool system of claim 6, wherein the leg portion has a center of gravity and is pivotable relative to the top portion at a hinge position, wherein a floor-contacting point of the leg portion is horizontally further from the seat front edge apex than is the hinge position when the stool is in the use position, and wherein the hinge position and the center of gravity are configured to allow the leg portion to pivot when the top portion is lifted to a position wherein the floor-contacting point is horizontally closer to the seat front edge apex than is the hinge position.

10. The stool system of claim 2, wherein the top portion includes an arcuate section configured to at least partially nest with the toilet bowl in the use position.

11. The stool system of claim 2, wherein the top portion includes a hand hold.

12. The stool system of claim 2, wherein the base includes a leg portion, and wherein the stool is configured to be transitionable from the use position to the storage position by lifting the top portion adjacent the leg portion.

13. The stool system of claim 1, the base including a lattice of planar elements, and wherein adjacent planar elements meet to form a lattice angle.

14. The stool system of claim 13, wherein the stool is configured to be laterally collapsible by increasing the angles of a first plurality of lattice angles, and by decreasing the angles of a second plurality of lattice angles.

15. The stool system of claim 1, wherein the stool has a use position horizontal maximum cross-section area and a storage position maximum horizontal cross-section area, and wherein the use position maximum horizontal cross-section area is larger than the storage position maximum horizontal cross-section area.

16. The stool system of claim 1, wherein the stool has a use position maximum vertical height and a storage position maximum vertical height, and wherein the use position maximum vertical height is essentially identical to the storage position maximum vertical height.

17. A stool system for use in conjunction with a toilet having a bowl and a seat, the seat defining a seat plane and having a seat front edge apex, the stool system comprising:

a freestanding stool being reconfigurable between a use position and storage position, the stool including a generally planar top portion and a base having a static portion and a leg portion, wherein the static portion is movably attached to the top portion, and wherein the leg portion is movably attached to the top portion such that the static portion of the base is configured to remain substantially immobile during reconfiguration between the use and storage positions, and wherein the top portion and the leg portion of the base are configured to reposition during reconfiguration between the use and storage positions,

wherein the stool in the use position is disposable adjacent the bowl and substantially below the seat plane, and wherein the stool in the storage position is disposable substantially below the seat plane and substantially on a toilet side of a vertical plane tangential to the seat front edge apex.

18. The stool system of claim 17, wherein the leg portion has a center of gravity and is pivotable relative to the top portion at a hinge position, wherein a floor-contacting point of the leg portion is horizontally further from the seat front edge apex than is the hinge position when the stool is in the use position, and wherein the hinge position and the center of gravity are configured to allow the leg portion to pivot when the top portion is lifted to a position wherein the floor-contacting point is horizontally closer to the seat front edge apex than is the hinge position.

19. A stool system for use in conjunction with a toilet having a bowl and a seat, the seat defining a seat plane and having a seat front edge apex, the stool system comprising:

a freestanding stool being reconfigurable between a use position and storage position, the stool including a base having a lattice of planar elements, and wherein adjacent planar elements meet to form a lattice angle, wherein the stool is configured to be laterally collapsible by increasing the angles of a first plurality of lattice angles and by decreasing the angles of a second plurality of lattice angles,

20. The stool system of claim 19, wherein the stool has a use position horizontal maximum cross-section area and a storage position maximum horizontal cross-section area, and wherein the use position maximum horizontal cross-section area is larger than the storage position maximum horizontal cross-section area.