Patent ID: 7955244

Claim:
A bifold assembly system for folding an article along a fold line, the system comprising: a. a machine direction; b. a folding drum comprising an outer surface for receiving and transporting at least a portion of the article in the machine direction, the article having a leading end portion and a trailing end portion disposed on opposite sides of the fold line, the outer surface of the folding drum having a folding drum surface speed, the folding drum being configured to exert a first holding force at the outer surface of the folding drum; c. a peel-roll positioned adjacent the folding drum, the peel-roll comprising an outer surface for receiving at least a portion of the leading end portion of the article from the folding drum, the peel-roll being configured to apply a peel force at the outer surface of the peel-roll such that at least part of the leading end portion is transferred and held to the surface of the peel-roll, the surface of the peel-roll having a peel-roll surface speed; d. a bifold conveyor assembly disposed proximate the folding drum and the peel-roll, the bifold conveyor assembly comprising: i. a vacuum conveyor having a movable surface, the vacuum conveyor being configured to exert a vacuum force at the vacuum conveyor surface, ii. a drive mechanism mechanically coupled to the vacuum conveyor surface for moving the vacuum conveyor surface at a first speed and a second speed; and e. a positioning mechanism mechanically coupled to the bifold conveyor assembly, the positioning mechanism being configured to adjust the distance between the surface of the vacuum conveyor and the surface of the peel-roll.