As examples of an absorbent article that absorbs liquid such as menstrual blood, known are sanitary napkins, panty liners, and the like. The planar shape of the main body (hereinafter referred to as a workpiece) of such absorbent articles is generally one in which the longitudinal central section 1c of the workpiece 1 is narrower in the lateral direction than the longitudinal end sections 1e and 1e of the workpiece 1 (i.e., FIG. 1A).
As a method for manufacturing such workpieces 1, 1 . . . , [PTL 1] describes that workpieces 1, 1 . . . are produced by die-cutting a continuous sheet by using a die-cutter roll device while the continuous sheet are being transported in a transporting direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the workpiece 1. Also, [PTL 1] describes that these workpieces 1, 1 . . . are die-cut in a certain die-cutting pattern which is for reducing die-cut chips (chips).
The die-cutting pattern is a so-called zig zag arrangement pattern (i.e., FIG. 2A). That is, in the pattern, a plurality of workpiece lines 1L, 1L . . . (5 lines in FIG. 2A) are arranged in the lateral direction, each of the workpiece lines 1L including a plurality of workpieces 1, 1 . . . arranged along the longitudinal direction. In addition, in the pattern, the longitudinal end sections 1e and 1e of each workpiece 1 are adjacent to the longitudinal central section 1c of another workpiece 1 that is adjacent to the workpiece 1 in the lateral direction.
After the die-cutting, the workpieces 1, 1 . . . are transported along the longitudinal direction of the workpieces 1 while remaining being arranged in the foregoing die-cutting pattern. That is, the workpieces 1, 1 . . . are transported in longitudinal-direction flowing, in which the napkins 1 is transported along the longitudinal direction thereof.
On the other hand, though, at the time of individual wrapping of such a workpiece 1, workpiece 1 is tri-folded usually by being folded at two longitudinal positions, [PTL 2] discloses a method for tri-folding as follows: workpieces 1, 1 . . . are transported in lateral-direction flowing (transported along the lateral direction of the workpieces 1, 1 . . . ), and the longitudinal end sections 1e and 1e of each workpiece 1 are tri-folded together with a wrapping sheet 7 by passing sequentially the workpieces 1, 1 . . . through the position of a folding-guide member (i.e., FIG. 2B).