Method and apparatus for high-speed cross-folding of absorbent sanitary products

A folding system for folding a plurality of discrete absorbent sanitary products, the folding system comprising:

• a first folding station;
• a second folding station downstream from the first folding station;
• a belt-type inverted main conveyor configured to transport discrete absorbent sanitary products at a constant speed in a machine direction across each of the first and second folding stations, the sanitary products to be folded at the first and second folding stations;
• a sloping compression conveyor located between the first folding station and the second folding station, the sloping compression conveyor positioned adjacent and beneath the inverted main conveyor, and sloping in a downward direction;
• the inverted main conveyor configured to convey absorbent sanitary products thereon in a machine direction, the absorbent sanitary products being maintained in a pad-down orientation on the inverted main conveyor via a vacuum;
• the first folding station operatively positioned to receive the absorbent sanitary products from the inverted main conveyor and controlled to perform a first folding thereof at a first folding location on the absorbent sanitary product between a leading edge and a midsection of the absorbent sanitary product;
• the second folding station configured to receive the absorbent sanitary after the first folding thereof, the second folding station controlled to perform a second folding thereof at a second folding location on the absorbent sanitary product between a trailing edge and a midsection of the absorbent sanitary product;
• the sloping compression conveyor configured to receive the folded absorbent sanitary product from the first folding station, and maintain the absorbent sanitary product in a folded state against the inverted main conveyor;
• wherein each of the first folding station and the second folding station comprises:
• a first drum rotating in the machine direction to engage an absorbent sanitary product and cause the leading edge of the absorbent sanitary product to rotate away from the inverted main conveyor;
• a rotating member positioned adjacent the first drum and downstream in the machine direction, the rotating member rotating in the machine direction to engage the absorbent sanitary product and cause the absorbent sanitary product to rotate back toward the inverted main conveyor;
• one or more guide transporters each comprising a plurality of folding fingers, with each of the one or more guide transporters configured to translate a folding finger of the plurality of folding fingers in the machine direction at a same speed as the inverted main conveyor and position the folding finger to contact the absorbent sanitary product;
• and
• wherein the absorbent sanitary product is folded over the folding finger as the rotating member causes the absorbent sanitary product to rotate back toward the inverted main conveyor.

A method of assembling a folding system, the method comprising:

• providing a first folding station;
• providing a second folding station downstream from the first folding station;
• providing a main conveyor configured to transport absorbent sanitary products at a constant speed in a machine direction across each of the first and second folding stations;
• providing a sloping compression conveyor between the first folding station and the second folding station, the compression conveyor positioned adjacent and beneath the main conveyor, and sloping in a downward direction from the first folding station toward the second folding station;
• maintaining the absorbent sanitary products in a pad-down orientation on the main conveyor via a vacuum, and conveying the absorbent sanitary products in a machine direction;
• controlling the first folding station to perform a first folding of the absorbent sanitary product at a first folding location between a leading edge and a midsection of the absorbent sanitary product;
• the compression conveyor configured to receive the folded absorbent sanitary product from the first folding station and maintain absorbent sanitary product in a folded state against the main conveyor after the first folding, and provide the compressed folded absorbent sanitary product to the second folding station;
• controlling the second folding station to perform a second folding of the absorbent sanitary product at a second folding location between a trailing edge and a midsection of the absorbent sanitary product;
• wherein, during the first folding or second folding of the absorbent sanitary product, the method further comprises:
• providing a first drum that rotates in the machine direction to engage an absorbent sanitary product and cause the leading edge of the absorbent sanitary product to rotate away from the main conveyor;
• providing a second drum positioned adjacent the first drum and downstream in the machine direction that rotates in the machine direction to engage the absorbent sanitary product and cause the absorbent sanitary product to rotate back toward the main conveyor;
• and
• providing one or more guide transporters that each comprises a plurality of folding fingers, with each of the one or more guide transporters configured to translate a folding finger of the plurality of folding fingers in the machine direction at a same speed as the main conveyor and position the folding finger to contact the absorbent sanitary product, so as to provide for folding of the absorbent sanitary product over the folding finger as the second drum causes the absorbent sanitary product to rotate back toward the main conveyor.