Package structure of absorbent article and method of manufacturing package structure

A method of manufacturing a package structure of an absorbent article which includes an absorbent article and a sheet-like packaging medium which individually packages the absorbent article using a device for manufacturing, in which

• the absorbent article has a skin side surface located on a side of a wearer's skin and a non-skin side surface located on a side of underwear of a wearer, the absorbent article has a lengthwise direction and a widthwise direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction,
• the absorbent article comprises a first portion which includes an end portion of the absorbent article, a second portion which is disposed adjacent to the first portion via a first folded portion, a third portion which is disposed adjacent to the second portion via a second folded portion, a fourth portion which is disposed adjacent to the third portion via a third folded portion and a fifth portion which is disposed adjacent to the fourth portion via a fourth folded portion;
• the first portion is folded on a side of a non-skin side surface of the second portion via the first folded portion;
• the third portion is folded on a side of a skin side surface of the second portion via the second folded portion;
• the fourth portion is folded on the side of the non-skin side surface of the second portion via the third folded portion;
• the packaging medium is joined at least partially to the third portion and the fourth portion and not joined to the first portion and the second portion;
• and
• the fifth portion is not folded over the first portion when the absorbent article is folded, and
• the device for manufacturing includes a conveyor which conveys the absorbent article in a conveyance direction and a circular belt provided to come close to the conveyor as it approaches a downstream of the conveyance direction,
• the method of manufacturing the package structure comprising:
• a disposing step in which the absorbent article is disposed on the packaging medium which is successively conveyed by the conveyor in the conveyance direction such that the lengthwise direction of the absorbent article corresponds to a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction;
• a folding step in which one end portion in the lengthwise direction of the absorbent article conveyed together with the packaging medium is brought into contact with a folding plate and thereby folded to be substantially vertical to the conveyance direction and the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction;
• and
• a folding over step in which the one end portion in the lengthwise direction of the absorbent article which has been folded in the folding step is folded on a side of the skin side surface of the absorbent article by bringing the circular belt into contact with the non-skin side surface of the one end portion in the lengthwise direction of the absorbent article.