Apparatus and method for simultaneously inverting, folding and pleating
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Corporation
InventorsDean W. Westphal, David T. Strohbeen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and method are provided for simultaneously folding and pleating a child's training pant or the like. The apparatus generally includes a plunger that is reciprocative through a tube member. The tube member has an interior surface defining an interior space and a pleating surface disposed on the interior surface. Upon the plunger member forcibly urging the training pant through the interior space, it is simultaneously folded by the interior surface and pleated by the pleating surfaces.
Claims15
Apparatus for simultaneously folding and pleating a child's training pant or the like, comprising:
- a handling station adapted for selectively positioning a pant thereat,
- a plunger member at said handling station and being selectively reciprocative thereacross, and
- a folding means at said handling station and having an interior surface defining an interior space for receiving therein said plunger member upon reciprocation thereof, and a pleating means disposed on said interior surface adapted for pleating a pant passed thereover, whereby said plunger member can be reciprocated against the pant to move the pant into said interior space to be simultaneously folded by said folding means and pleated by said pleating means.
A method for simultaneously folding and pleating a child's training pant or the like, comprising the steps of:
- providing a handling station for a pant,
- providing a plunger member that is selectively reciprocative across the handling station,
- providing a folding device at the handling station, the folding device including an interior surface defining an interior space for receiving the reciprocative plunger member and a pleating surface disposed on the interior surface,
- positioning a pant at the handling station,
- reciprocating the plunger member against the pant, and
- simultaneously folding and pleating the pant as it is urged into and through the interior space and over the pleating surface of the folding device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.