Patent ID: 8388591

Claim:
An individually packaged absorbent article assembly comprising: a tri-folded absorbent article including a garment-facing surface, a body-facing surface, a first fold line, a second fold line, a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion arranged between the first end portion and the second end portions, the first end portion being separated from the intermediate portion by the first fold line, the second end portion being separated from the intermediate portion by the second fold line, and the intermediate portion being located between the first fold line and the second fold line; a pouch for containing the tri-folded absorbent article, the pouch formed from a sheet material having a first terminal edge and a second terminal edge; and wherein the pouch is structured and arranged to be opened by a user along the first terminal edge of the sheet material such that a garment-facing surface of the intermediate portion of the article is exposed prior to exposing the garment-facing surface of the first end portion and the garment-facing surface of the second end portion.