Yukihiko Fujita, Osaka, Japan. Assigned to Zuiko Corporation, Osaka, Japan.
Filed: 5/30/11
Issued: 2/16/16
A folding device for a disposable worn article, the disposable worn article comprising: a main body including a first torso portion covering a portion of a torso of a wearer, a second torso portion covering another portion of the torso of the wearer and a crotch portion covering a crotch of the wearer, which are continuous with one another in a longitudinal direction; and a flap being continuous with an edge portion of the first torso portion extending in the longitudinal direction and extending from the edge portion in a girth direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction so as to be attached to an attachment portion of a non-skin-contact surface of the second torso portion, the folding device comprising: a first main pad having a first holding surface for holding the first torso portion; a second main pad having a second holding surface for holding a portion of the second torso portion without holding the attachment portion, the attachment portion exposed; a main folding mechanism for folding the main body in two at the crotch portion by rotating the first main pad and the second main pad relative to each other so as to transition from a main open state in which the first main pad and the second main pad are open while lying next to each other in the longitudinal direction to a main closed state in which the first holding surface and the second holding surface are closed while opposing facing each other; a side pad having a sub-holding surface for holding the flap; and a sub-folding mechanism for folding the flap so that a skin-contact surface of the flap lies on the attachment portion of the non-skin-contact surface of the second torso portion by rotating the side pad with respect to the first main pad from a sub-open position in which the side pad is open while lying next to the first main pad in the girth direction to a sub-closed position in which the sub-holding surface is closed while facing the first holding surface, wherein: the second main pad defines a cut-out, at a position corresponding to the attachment portion, wherein the cut-out exposes the attachment portion without allowing the attachment portion to be held by the second main pad; in the main closed state and with the main body folded in two at the crotch portion, the cut-out allows the flap to be attached to the attachment portion of the second torso portion, and the side pad rotates from the sub-open position to the sub-closed position, fitting into the cut-out.