Absorbent article with lengthwise, compact-fold

1. A personal care article having a longitudinal-direction; a relatively shorter lateral cross-direction; a first end-section; a second end-section; and an intermediate-section which is interposed between said first end-section and said second end-section; said article comprising:

a liquid permeable topsheet layer; and

a backsheet layer which is operatively connected to the topsheet layer;

wherein

at least an operative portion of said first end-section has been folded along a first laterally-extending, end-fold-region which is substantially convex along a backsheet-side of the article and extends along at least a major portion of a corresponding lateral width of the first end-fold-region;

at least an operative portion of said second end-section has been folded along a second laterally-extending, end-fold-region which is substantially convex along the backsheet-side of the article and extends along at least a major portion of a corresponding lateral width of the second end-fold-region;

at least an operative portion of said first end-section has been folded along a first, lengthwise-fold-region, which is positioned to extend longitudinally along a major portion of the first end-section;

at least an operative portion of said second end-section has been folded along a second, lengthwise-fold-region, which is positioned to extend longitudinally along a major portion of the second end-section; and

at least an operative portion of said intermediate-section has been folded along a third lengthwise-fold-region, which is positioned to extend longitudinally along a major portion of the intermediate-section, and wherein the third lengthwise-fold-region is substantially convex along the backsheet-side of the article and substantially concave along the topsheet-side of the article.

2. A personal care article as recited in claim 1 , wherein

the first lengthwise-fold-region has been folded in a first, fold-direction, the second lengthwise-fold-region has been folded in a second, fold-direction, and the third lengthwise-fold-region has been folded in a third, fold-direction;

the first fold-direction is substantially the same as the second fold-direction; and

the third fold-direction is substantially opposite the first fold-direction.

3. A personal care article as recited in claim 1 , wherein

the first end-fold-region has been configured to be substantially convex along the backsheet-side of the article along at least about 65% of a corresponding lateral width of the first end-fold-region; and

the second end-fold-region has been configured to be substantially convex along the backsheet-side of the article along at least about 65% of a corresponding lateral width of the second end-fold-region.

4. A personal care article as recited in claim 1 , wherein

the first lengthwise-fold-region has been configured to extend along at least about 65% of a corresponding longitudinal length of the first end section; and

the second lengthwise-fold-region has been configured to extend along at least about 65% of a corresponding longitudinal length of the second end section.

5. A personal care article as recited in claim 4 , wherein

the first lengthwise-fold-region is substantially aligned with the third lengthwise-fold-region; and

the second lengthwise-fold-region is substantially aligned with the third lengthwise-fold-region.

6. A personal care article having a longitudinal-direction; a relatively shorter lateral cross-direction; a first end-section; a second end-section; and an intermediate-section which is interposed between said first end-section and said second end-section; said article comprising:

a liquid permeable topsheet layer; and

a backsheet layer which is operatively connected to the topsheet layer;

wherein

at least an operative portion of said first end-section has been folded along a first laterally-extending, end-fold-region which is substantially convex along a backsheet-side of the article and extends along at least a major portion of a corresponding lateral width of the first end-fold-region;

at least an operative portion of said second end-section has been folded along a second laterally-extending, end-fold-region which is substantially convex along the backsheet-side of the article and extends along at least a major portion of a corresponding lateral width of the second end-fold-region;

at least an operative portion of said first end-section has been folded along a first, lengthwise-fold-region, which is positioned to extend longitudinally along a major portion of the first end-section;

at least an operative portion of said second end-section has been folded along a second, lengthwise-fold-region, which is positioned to extend longitudinally along a major portion of the second end-section; and

at least an operative portion of said intermediate-section has been folded along a third lengthwise-fold-region, which is positioned to extend longitudinally along a major portion of the intermediate-section, wherein the first end-fold-region has been configured to be convex along the backsheet-side of the article along approximately 100% of a corresponding lateral width of the first end-fold-region;

the second end-fold-region has been configured to be convex along the backsheet-side of the article along approximately 100% of a corresponding lateral width of the second end-fold-region;

the first, laterally extending, end-fold-region is positioned along a portion of the first end-section which is proximally adjacent the intermediate-section of the article, with the first end-fold region operatively arranged to provide a folded-over first end-section which is positioned onto the intermediate-section;

the second, laterally extending, end-fold-region is positioned along a portion of the second end-section which is proximally adjacent the intermediate-section of the article, with the second end-fold region operatively arranged to provide a folded-over second end-section which is positioned onto the folded-over first end-section, thereby providing a preliminary-folded article; and

the preliminary-folded article has been folded along a longitudinally-extending, composite fold-line, thereby providing a composite-folded article, wherein the preliminary-folded article has been folded along said longitudinally-extending, composite fold-line to provide a composite fold region which is substantially convex along the backsheet-side of the intermediate section of the article.

7. A personal care article as recited in claim 6 , wherein the longitudinally extending,

composite fold-line operatively arranged to approximately bisect the preliminary-folded article relative to its width along the lateral cross-direction of the article.

8. A personal care article as recited in claim 6 , wherein

the article further includes a pair of laterally extending and laterally opposed wing portions;

the wing portions have been arranged in a storage position which is adjacent a topsheet-side or backsheet side of the article; and

the preliminary-folded article has been folded along said longitudinally extending, composite fold-line to provide a composite fold region which is substantially convex along the backsheet-side of the intermediate section of the article.

9. A personal care article as recited in claim 1 , wherein the composite-folded article has included a composite-folded girth which is less than about 15 cm and a composite-folded length which is less than about 10 cm.

10. A personal care article as recited in claim 1 , further including a pouch member which operatively encloses at least a significant portion of the personal care article.

11. A personal care article as recited in claim 10 , wherein the pouch member includes side margins with closure seams.

12. A personal care article as recited in claim 10 , wherein

the pouch member includes side margins which are generally parallel to a composite fold line of the personal care article and pouch member.

13. A personal care article as recited in claim 10 , further including a wrap retainer mechanism.

14. A personal care article as recited in claim 1 , further including an absorbent body which is operatively held between the topsheet layer and backsheet layer.

15. A personal care article having a longitudinal-direction; a relatively shorter lateral cross-direction; a first end-section; a second end-section; and an intermediate-section which is interposed between said first end-section and said second end-section; said article comprising:

a liquid permeable topsheet layer; and

a backsheet layer which is operatively connected to the topsheet layer;

wherein

at least an operative portion of said first end-section has been folded along a first laterally-extending, end-fold-region which is substantially convex along a backsheet-side of the article and extends along at least a major portion of a corresponding lateral width of the first end-fold-region;

at least an operative portion of said second end-section has been folded along a second laterally-extending, end-fold-region which is substantially convex along the backsheet-side of the article and extends along at least a major portion of a corresponding lateral width of the second end-fold-region;

at least an operative portion of said first end-section has been folded along a first, lengthwise-fold-region, which is positioned to extend longitudinally along a major portion of the first end-section;

at least an operative portion of said second end-section has been folded along a second, lengthwise-fold-region, which is positioned to extend longitudinally along a major portion of the second end-section; and

at least an operative portion of said intermediate-section has been folded along a third lengthwise-fold-region, which is positioned to extend longitudinally along a major portion of the intermediate-section, wherein the first, laterally extending, end-fold-region is positioned along a first, laterally-extending, fold-line; the second, laterally extending, end-fold-region is positioned along a second, laterally-extending, fold-line; and the first and second, laterally-extending fold-lines have been configured to trisect a longitudinal length of the article into three sections having approximately equal section-lengths along the longitudinal direction.