Absorbent Article Process and Apparatus for Intermittently Deactivating Elastics in Elastic Laminates

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 blade connected with the cutting roll, 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;
• and
• wherein the distal edge of the blade is adapted to deflect the interference distance when moving through the nip and wherein the blade bends when the distal edge deflects by the interference distance.