Claims
- 1. A method of folding a disposable absorbent article, the article having an initial upper surface, an initial lower surface, a longitudinal centerline, a transverse centerline, opposing first longitudinal side edges, opposing first transverse end edges and an unfolded configuration, the method of folding comprising: forming one fold extending in a transverse direction by bringing a portion of the initial upper surface into a facing relationship with another portion of the initial upper surface, the one fold being spaced between opposing first transverse end edges, the resulting partially-folded article having an intermediate first surface, an intermediate second surface and opposing second transverse end edges, and thereafter forming a number, greater than one, of transversely extending folds in an accordion-like manner, the transversely extending accordion-like folds being spaced between opposing second transverse end edges.
- 2. The method described in claim 1, wherein the number of accordion-like transverse extending folds is an even number.
- 3. The method described in claim 2, wherein the number of accordion-like transverse extending folds is 2.
- 4. The method described in claim 2, wherein the one fold extending in a transverse direction is located substantially adjacent the transverse centerline.
- 5. The method described in claim 4, wherein the accordion-like transversely extending folds are spaced substantially equally between opposing second transverse end edges.
- 6. A disposable absorbent article folded according to the method described in claim 5 and having a folded configuration, wherein the folded article has a ratio between the folded configuration and the unfolded configuration of no more than 0.08.
- 7. The disposable absorbent article of claim 6, wherein the folded article is an infant diaper.
- 8. The method described in claim 1, wherein the accordion-like transversely extending folds are spaced substantially equally between opposing second transverse end edges.
- 9. A disposable absorbent article folded according to the method described in claim 8 and having a folded configuration, wherein the folded article has a ratio between the folded configuration and the unfolded configuration of no more than 0.15.
- 10. The disposable absorbent article of claim 9, wherein the folded article has a ratio between the folded configuration and the unfolded configuration of no less than 0.04.
- 11. The disposable absorbent article of claim 10, wherein the folded article is an infant diaper.
- 12. A method of folding a disposable absorbent article, the article having an initial upper surface, an initial lower surface, a longitudinal centerline, a transverse centerline, opposing first longitudinal side edges, opposing first transverse end edges, side margins, opposing terminal side edges and an unfolded configuration, the method of folding comprising: forming at least one longitudinally extending fold in each side margin by folding each first longitudinal side edge inward toward the initial upper surface and thus bringing at least a portion of the initial upper surface into facing relationship with another portion of the initial upper surface, then forming one fold extending in a transverse direction by bringing a portion of the initial upper surface into a facing relationship with another portion of the initial upper surface, the one fold being spaced between opposing first transverse end edges, the resulting partially-folded article having an intermediate first surface, an intermediate second surface, opposing second longitudinal side edges and opposing second transverse end edges, and thereafter forming a number, greater than one, of transversely extending folds in an accordion-like manner, the transversely extending accordion-like folds being spaced between opposing second transverse end edges.
- 13. The method described in claim 12, wherein the number of accordion-like transverse extending folds is an even number.
- 14. The method described in claim 13, wherein the number of accordion-like transverse extending folds is 2.
- 15. The method described in claim 13, wherein the one fold extending in a transverse direction is located substantially adjacent the transverse centerline.
- 16. The method described in claim 15, wherein the accordion-like transversely extending folds are spaced substantially equally between opposing second transverse end edges.
- 17. A disposable absorbent article folded according to the method described in claim 16 and having a folded configuration, wherein the folded article has a ratio between the folded configuration and the unfolded configuration of no more than 0.08.
- 18. The disposable absorbent article of claim 17, wherein the folded article is an infant diaper.
- 19. The method described in claim 12, wherein the accordion-like transversely extending folds are spaced substantially equally between opposing second transverse end edges.
- 20. A disposable absorbent article folded according to the method described in claim 19 and having a folded configuration, wherein the folded article has a ratio between the folded configuration and the unfolded configuration of no more than 0.15.
- 21. The disposable absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the folded article has a ratio between the folded configuration and the unfolded configuration of no less than 0.04.
- 22. The disposable absorbent article of claim 21, wherein the folded article is an infant diaper.
- 23. A disposable absorbent article comprising a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core situated between the topsheet and the backsheet, the article having a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration, the article in the unfolded configuration having an initial upper surface, an initial, lower surface, a longitudinal centerline, a transverse centerline, opposing first longitudinal side edges and opposing first transverse end edges, the article having a ratio between the folded configuration and the unfolded configuration of no more than 0.15.
- 24. The disposable absorbent article of claim 23, wherein the article has a ratio between the folded configuration and the unfolded configuration of no less than 0.04
- 25. The disposable absorbent article of claim 24, wherein the article is folded according the method comprising: forming one fold extending in a transverse direction by bringing a portion of the initial upper surface into a facing relationship with another portion of the initial upper surface, the one fold being spaced between opposing first transverse end edges, the resulting partially-folded article having an intermediate first surface, an intermediate second surface and opposing second transverse end edges, and thereafter forming a number, greater than one, of transversely extending folds in an accordion-like manner, the transversely extending folds being spaced between opposing second transverse end edges.
- 26. The method described in claim 25, wherein the number of accordion-like transverse extending folds is 2.
- 27. The method described in claim 26, wherein the one fold extending in a transverse direction is located substantially adjacent the transverse centerline.
- 28. The method described in claim 27, wherein the accordion-like transversely extending folds are spaced substantially equally between opposing second transverse end edges.
- 29. The disposable absorbent article of claim 28, wherein the folded article is an infant diaper.
- 30. The disposable absorbent article of claim 23, wherein the article is folded according the method comprising: forming a number, greater than two, of transversely extending folds in an accordion-like manner, the transversely extending folds being spaced between opposing first transverse end edges.
- 31. The method described in claim 30, wherein the number of transversely extending accordion-like folds is 5.
- 32. The method described in claim 31, wherein the transversely-extending accordion-like folds are spaced substantially equally between opposing first transverse end edges.
- 33. The disposable absorbent article of claim 32, wherein the folded article is an infant diaper.
- 34. The disposable absorbent article of claim 23, wherein the folded article is an infant diaper having a ratio between the folded configuration and the unfolded configuration of no more than 0.09.
- 35. A method of folding a disposable absorbent article, the article having an initial upper surface, an initial lower surface, a longitudinal centerline, a transverse centerline, opposing first longitudinal side edges, opposing first transverse end edges and an unfolded configuration, the method of folding comprising: forming a number, greater than two, of transversely extending folds in an accordion-like manner, the transversely extending folds being spaced between opposing first transverse end edges.
- 36. The method described in claim 35, wherein the number of transversely extending accordion-like folds is an odd number.
- 37. The method described in claim 35, wherein the number of transversely extending accordion-like folds is an odd number greater than 4.
- 38. The method described in claim 37, wherein the number of transversely extending accordion-like folds is 5.
- 39. The method described in claim 38, wherein the transversely-extending accordion-like folds are spaced substantially equally between opposing first transverse end edges.
- 40. A disposable absorbent article folded according to the method described in claim 39.
- 41. The disposable absorbent article of claim 40, wherein the folded article is an infant diaper.
- 42. A method of folding a disposable absorbent article, the article having an initial upper surface, an initial lower surface, a longitudinal centerline, a transverse centerline, opposing first longitudinal side edges, opposing first transverse end edges, side margins, opposing terminal side edges and an unfolded configuration, the method of folding comprising: forming at least one longitudinally extending fold in each side margin by folding each first longitudinal side edge inward toward the initial upper surface and thus bringing at least a portion of the initial upper surface into facing relationship with another portion of the initial upper surface, then forming a number, greater than two, of transversely extending folds in an accordion-like manner, the transversely extending folds being spaced between opposing first transverse end edges.
- 43. The method described in claim 42, wherein the number of transversely extending accordion-like folds is an odd number.
- 44. The method described in claim 42, wherein the number of transversely extending accordion-like folds is an odd number greater than 4.
- 45. The method described in claim 44, wherein the number of transversely extending accordion-like folds is 5.
- 46. The method described in claim 45, wherein the transversely-extending accordion-like folds are spaced substantially equally between opposing first transverse end edges.
- 47. A disposable absorbent article folded according to the method described in claim 46.
- 48. The disposable absorbent article of claim 47, wherein the folded article is an infant diaper.
REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/366,872, filed Feb. 14, 2003, hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10366872 |
Feb 2003 |
US |
Child |
10750505 |
Dec 2003 |
US |