Absorbent article process and apparatus for intermittently deactivating elastics in elastic laminates
The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for assembling absorbent articles, and more particularly, methods and apparatuses for severing elastic in an advancing elastic laminate. A continuous elastic laminate may be formed by bonding elastic strands between a first continuous substrate layer and a second continuous substrate layer. As discussed in more detail below, the continuous elastic laminate may advance through a cutting apparatus that intermittently deactivates or severs the elastic strands of the elastic laminate along the machine direction.
1. An apparatus for severing elastic strands in an elastic laminate, the apparatus comprising:
an anvil roll including an outer circumferential surface;
a cutting roll adjacent the anvil roll to define a nip between the anvil roll and the cutting roll, the cutting roll adapted to rotate about a first axis of rotation, wherein the outer circumferential surface and first axis of rotation are separated by a minimum distance D1;
a U-shaped support member, the support member comprising a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, wherein the third portion is connected with the first portion and the second portion, wherein the second portion is connected with the cutting roll;
a blade connected with the first portion of the U-shaped support member, the blade having a distal edge, and wherein the distal edge and the first axis of rotation are separated by a distance D2, wherein D2 is greater than D1 and defining an interference distance equal to the difference between D2 and D1;
wherein the distal edge of the blade is curved;
wherein the U-shaped support member is arranged such that as the cutting roll rotates, the third portion moves through the nip before the blade moves through the nip; and
wherein the third portion of the U-shaped support member is adapted to bend such that the first portion of the support member moves toward the second portion of the U-shaped support member to allow the distal edge of the blade to deflect the interference distance when moving through the nip; and
wherein the distal edge of the blade extends in a first direction, and wherein the third portion of the U-shaped support member is relatively narrower in the first direction than full lengths of the blade and the first and second portions in the first direction.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the interference distance is at least 5 μm.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blade is releasably connected with the U-shaped support member.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blade is made integral with the U-shaped support member.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the distal edge of the blade is defined by a radius of about 4000 μm.