Individually wrapped absorbent article and method and apparatus for its production

A system for folding packages, wherein the system is characterized as including:

• (a) a first conveyor adapted to convey packages characterized as including a wrapper and an absorbent article secured to said wrapper;
• (b) a first, vertically reciprocating pusher adapted to receive said packages from said first conveyor and to partially-fold said packages;
• (c) a second, horizontally reciprocating pusher located in a vertically-spaced relationship with respect to said first conveyor and said first pusher and which is adapted to receive said packages from said first pusher and to further fold said packages, thereby to form pouches;
• and
• (d) a second conveyor located in the vicinity of the second pusher and adapted to receive the pouches from the second pusher;
• and
• wherein said first and second pushers are slotted to permit application of an adhesive to said packages without interference from said first and second pushers.

A method for tri-folding packages, comprising the steps of:

• placing the packages on a first conveyor, wherein the packages each have a leading edge and a trailing edge,
• conveying the packages, leading edge first, to a first, vertically reciprocating pusher,
• operating the first, vertically reciprocating pusher to partially-fold each of the packages proximate to a respective trailing edge, operating a second, horizontally reciprocating pusher to further fold each of the packages to form a pouch, wherein the second pusher is located in a vertically spaced relationship with respect to the first conveyor and the first pusher, and
• receiving the pouches by a second conveyor located in the vicinity of the second pusher.