Collapsible chair

A foldable chair made of stiff sheet material, comprising:

• a base including a plurality of substantially vertically disposed panels comprising a front first panel and a pair of side second and third panels which are integrally formed with said first panel, one on either side thereof;
• a seat panel integrally formed with said first panel and structurally separate from said second and third panels, a respective hinge line extending between each of said first panel top edge lateral ends and said seat panel, said seat panel being disposed in a substantially horizontal orientation over said base while in use and being pivotable around said hinge lines to a substantially vertical orientation so as to be co-planar with said first panel when the chair is to be folded;
• first and second flange portions which are located on a respective side of said base first panel, said first and second flange portions being disposed at opposing angles to the remainder of said first panel and being separated therefrom along respective fold lines;
• and,
• first and second hinge-like triangular sections integral with said seat panel and said first and second flange portions and structurally separate from said second and third panels, one hinge-like section being positioned between an edge of each of said first panel flange portions and an adjacent edge of said seat panel, each of said first and second hinge-like sections being separated from its adjacent flange portion along a respective first fold line and being separated from an adjacent edge of said seat panel along a respective second fold line.

A collapsible seat of stiff sheet material or the like, comprising:

• a base member comprised of a plurality of substantially vertically disposed panels including a front panel and a pair of side panels such that said base member has a substantially triangular cross section, said front panel being integrally formed with said side panels;
• a spine portion along which said base member side panels are joined to each other, said spine portion including a pair of flanges each of which is integral with one of said side panels and which are secured to each other in an overlying relationship and extend away from said base member, said flanges also extending approximately transversely to a plane parallel to said front panel;
• a seat panel integrally formed with and hinged from a top edge of said front panel, wherein said seat panel can be disposed in a substantially horizontal orientation over said base member for use and in a substantially vertical orientation when pivoted around said front panel to allow the seat to be folded, said seat panel having a central hinge line extending from adjacent said front panel to adjacent said spine portion, wherein said seat panel can be folded into two complimentary halves around said hinge line when the seat is folded;
• and,
• a seat reinforcing member which extends underneath and supports at least a portion of said seat panel when said seat panel is in said substantially horizontal orientation, said seat reinforcing member being secured to one of said base member and said spine portion.

A method of collapsing a foldable article of furniture which is in its unfolded state, comprising:

• providing a chair including a base, having a plurality of substantially vertically disposed panels including a front panel and a pair of side panels, and a seat panel which is disposed in a substantially horizontal orientation over said base when in use, said seat panel being hinged from said base at least along a pair of spaced hinge-like sections each of which is defined by a pair of hinge lines, a first hinge line extending between said seat panel and said hinge-like section and a second hinge line extending between one of said front panel and side panels of said base and said hinge-like section;
• pivoting said seat panel around said pair of hinge-like sections to a substantially vertical orientation;
• urging said seat panel and said base member front panel toward a rear section of said chair;
• folding said seat member into two complimentary halves;
• folding said base member front panel into two complimentary halves;
• and,
• urging said pair of side panels toward each other to enclose said front panel two complimentary halves between said side panels.