Bradley Schoon, Oshkosh, WI; Brian R. Vogt, Winneconne, WI; and Stephen A. Kolasinski, New London, WI.
Assigned to Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI.

Filed: 11/22/11
Issued: 3/20/18

A method of folding a pant-like disposable absorbent garment, the method comprising: providing said garment, said garment having a waist opening and two leg openings, said garment defining a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, said garment defining a first waist side region adjacent a first side edge, a second waist side region adjacent a second side edge, a waist center region positioned transversely between the first waist side region and the second waist side region, and a crotch region longitudinally below said waist center region, the garment further including an absorbent core; folding the garment along a transversely extending fold line so as to bring the crotch region into superposed relation with the waist center region; providing a trough, the trough comprising a floor, a first side wall, and a second side wall, the trough defining a trough width extending from the first side wall to the second side wall; pressing the waist center region into the trough; and folding the garment along a longitudinally extending first fold line so as to position the first waist side region over the waist center region, the first fold line being adjacent the first side wall, and folding the garment along a longitudinally extending second fold line so as to position the second waist side region over the waist center region, the second fold line being adjacent the second side wall, wherein both such folding steps occur while the waist center region is in the trough.