Cutting die with elevated stripping land

A method of cutting web elements from a generally endless flexible parent web having a maximum thickness to be cut, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) feeding the parent web to a cutting die having a circumference, and having first and second elongated cutting knives mounted on a die substrate at a base land, the first and second elongated cutting knives extending to respective first and second cutting edges at respective first and second heights, the first and second heights being measured from the base land, the first and second cutting knives extending alongside but being separated from each other along a path about the circumference of the cutting die, thus defining a trim zone between the first and second elongated cutting knives, and an elevated stripping land in the trim zone, extending alongside and at least propinquant at least one of the first and second elongated cutting knives, the elevated stripping land having a third height, measured from the first base land, shorter than the first and second heights, the trim zone having a first depth to the stripping land, measured from the first and second cutting edges, less than a second depth to the base land;
• and
• (b) bringing the cutting die into cutting relationship with an anvil, with the parent web between the cutting die and the anvil, and thereby cutting web elements from the parent web, including a trim element in the trim zone.

A method of separating a trim element from a parent web along a serpentine path, the parent web having a maximum thickness, the trim element having periodic, repeating, minimum and maximum widths, and minimum and maximum thicknesses, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) feeding the parent web to a cutting die having first and second elongated cutting knives mounted on a die substrate at a base land, the first and second elongated cutting knives extending to respective first and second cutting edges at respective first and second heights, the first and second heights being measured from the base land, the first and second cutting knives extending alongside, and being separated from, each other along the serpentine path, thus defining a trim zone on the cutting die between the first and second elongated cutting knives, and an elevated stripping land in the trim zone, extending alongside and at least propinquant at least one of the first and second elongated cutting knives, the elevated stripping land having a third height, measured from the base land, shorter than the first and second heights, the trim zone having a first depth to the stripping land, measured from the first and second cutting edges, less than a second depth to the base land, and no greater than the maximum thickness of the parent web;
• (b) bringing the cutting die into cutting relationship with an anvil, with the parent web between the cutting die and the anvil, and thereby separating the trim element from the parent web, with the trim element being disposed at the stripping land between the first and second cutting knives, the repeating minimum width of the trim element being no more than 0.38 inch;
• and
• (c) stripping the trim element from the stripping land as a continuous strip of indefinite length.

A method of separating a trim element from a parent web having a maximum thickness, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) feeding the parent web to a cutting die having first and second elongated cutting knives mounted on a die substrate at a base land, the first and second elongated cutting knives extending to respective first and second cutting edges at respective first and second heights, the first and second heights being measured from the base land, the first and second cutting knives extending alongside but being separated from each other along a path, thus defining a trim zone on the cutting die between the first and second elongated cutting knives, and an elevated stripping land in the trim zone, extending alongside and at least propinquant at least one of the first and second elongated cutting knives, the elevated stripping land having a third height, measured from the base land, shorter than the first and second heights, the trim zone having a first depth to the stripping land, measured from the first and second cutting edges, less than a second depth to the base land;
• (b) bringing the cutting die into cutting relationship with an anvil, with the parent web between the cutting die and the anvil, and thereby separating the trim element from the parent web, with the trim element being disposed at the stripping land between the first and second cutting knives;
• and
• (c) stripping the trim element from the cutting die as a continuous strip of indefinite length.

A method of cutting web elements from a generally endless flexible parent web having a maximum thickness to be cut, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) feeding the parent web to a cutting die having first and second elongated cutting knives mounted on a die substrate at a base land, the first and second elongated cutting knives extending to respective first and second cutting edges at respective first and second heights, the first and second heights being measured from the base land, the first and second cutting knives extending alongside each other along a path, thus defining a trim zone between the first and second elongated cutting knives, and an elevated stripping land in the trim zone, extending alongside and at least propinquant at least one of the first and second elongated cutting knives, the elevated stripping land having an outer stripping surface at a third height, measured from the first base land, shorter than the first and second heights, the stripping land being non-compressible, the trim zone having a first depth to the stripping land, measured from the first and second cutting edges, less than a second depth to the base land;
• and
• (b) bringing the cutting die into cutting relationship with an anvil, with the parent web between the cutting die and the anvil, and thereby cutting web elements from the parent web, including a trim element in the trim zone, the trim element being compressed against the non-compressible stripping land, the stripping land thus assisting in preventing lodging of the trim element between the first and second elongated cutting knives.