ACCORDION FOLDED ABSORBENT ARTICLE
A method of folding a disposable absorbent article, such as a wipe, includes forming a number, greater than two, of folds in an accordion-like manner, the folds being spaced between opposing end edges. The absorbent article may be attached to other similarly disposed absorbent articles having a line of weakness extending between each pair of adjacent absorbent articles. The accordion folded absorbent articles can be rolled into a toroidal configuration for disposition within a cylindrical container, such as a cylindrical vacuum-packed diaper kit.
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 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.
2 . The method described in claim 1 , wherein the number of transversely extending accordion-like folds is an odd number.
3 . The method described in claim 1 , wherein the number of transversely extending accordion-like folds is an odd number greater than 4.
4 . The method described in claim 3 , wherein the number of transversely extending accordion-like folds is 5.
5 . The method described in claim 4 , wherein the transversely-extending accordion-like folds are spaced substantially equally between opposing first transverse end edges.
6 . A disposable absorbent article folded according to the method described in claim 5.