Nasal Dilator and Method of Manufacture

Abstract

A nasal dilator comprises a laminate of vertically stacked layers forming a unitary, or single body, truss where each layer includes at least one member. The truss features horizontal regions adapted to engage outer wall tissues of first and second nasal passages and to traverse the bridge of a nose therebetween. When in use the dilator acts to stabilize and/or expand the nasal outer wall tissues and prevent said tissues from drawing inward during breathing. Manufacturing methods produce dilator layers and/or finished nasal dilator devices efficiently at the same or lower cost as traditional methods by fabricating dilator elements in whole or part along common lines or edges. Said common lines define peripheral dimensions and form spaced apart relationships between dilator layers, members and finished dilator devices without sacrificing usable material to do so. Manufacturing steps include cutting through a fabrication laminate along lines defining at least portions of one or more layers, members, and the truss's peripheral edges. Manufacturing methods further maximize material usage by incorporating waste material into a subsequent fabrication process. Dilator embodiments further include means for providing disparate dilating force to opposing nasal passages, and means for incorporating promotional printing into the dilator fabrication process.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for stabilizing, supporting or dilating external tissue, comprising a laminate of material layers, including:
 a flexible strip of base material substantially defining first and second end regions and an intermediate segment;   a resilient member traversing a substantial length of a first side of the flexible strip of the base material; and   wherein the flexible strip of base material and the resilient member are slotted inwardly from opposite lateral ends, the slots terminating short of the intermediate segment so as to divide the laminate into at least four resilient branches, the slots and branches substantially parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the slots extend inward a distance greater than one-fourth of a length of the apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the slots extend inward a distance equal to about one-third of a length of the apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a cover layer, wherein the resilient member is disposed between the cover layer and the base material. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the base material and cover layer have the same size and shape. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , configured to have a length approximate to a widest portion of a human nose. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for stabilizing, supporting or dilating external tissue, consisting of:
 a flexible strip of base material substantially defining first and second end regions and an intermediate segment;   a resilient member secured to a first side of the flexible strip of base material and extending from the first end region through the intermediate segment to the second end region, the resilient member including at least four resilient components extending outward from a common center; and   wherein an adhesive is disposed on a first side of the flexible strip of base material, the resilient member secured to an opposite side thereof, such that the resilient member is exposed and visible when the apparatus is engaged to said external tissue.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as in  claim 7 , sized and scaled for use on the external tissue of a human nose. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as in  claim 7 , sized and scaled to engage and stabilize or support the external tissue of a human body part. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein a flat surface side of the resilient member is decorated, colored or imprinted. 
     
     
         11 . A co-manufactured plurality of articles for stabilizing, supporting or dilating human tissue, comprising:
 first and second articles each comprising at least one of a supple non-resilient material layer;   first and second resilient members secured to the at least one of a supple non-resilient material layer of the first and second articles, respectively;   wherein the at least one of a supple non-resilient material layer of each article substantially defines an outer perimeter of the corresponding article; and   wherein a cut edge corresponding to a first shape of the first resilient member interdigitates with a cut edge corresponding to a second shape of the second resilient member.   
     
     
         12 . The co-manufactured plurality of articles as in  claim 11 , wherein the first and second resilient members are formed from a thermoplastic resilient material having substantial in-plane rigidity and out-of-plane flexibility, the material further having a thickness of from about 0.005″ to about 0.015″; and
 wherein said first shape and said second shape were formed concurrently by a single cut through the thermoplastic resilient material. 
 
     
     
         13 . The co-manufactured plurality of articles as in  claim 11 , wherein said first shape defines a substantial portion of a first long half of the first resilient member; and
 said second shape defines a substantial portion of a second long half of the second resilient member.   
     
     
         14 . The co-manufactured plurality of articles as in  claim 13 , wherein;
 the substantial portion of the first long half of the first resilient member comprises two or three laterally adjacent fingers extending from a common center; and   spacing between the two or three laterally adjacent fingers corresponds to the substantial portion of the long half of the second resilient member.   
     
     
         15 . The co-manufactured plurality of articles as in  claim 11 , sized and scaled for use on the external tissue of a human nose. 
     
     
         16 . The co-manufactured plurality of articles as in  claim 11 , sized and scaled to engage and stabilize or support the external tissue of a human body part. 
     
     
         17 . A co-manufactured plurality of stabilizers for human tissue, comprising:
 a first stabilizer formed as a laminate comprising at least one non-resilient material layer and a first resilient member, said laminate having an adhesive tissue-engaging side and an opposite side, said at least one non-resilient material layer substantially defining an outer perimeter of the first stabilizer; and   a second stabilizer comprising a second resilient member, wherein   a first shape of the first resilient member interdigitates with a second shape of the second resilient member.   
     
     
         18 . The co-manufactured plurality of stabilizers for human tissue of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the first shape of the first resilient member includes at least four spring fingers extending from a common center, two of said at least four spring fingers extending into a first end region of the stabilizer and a different two of said at least four spring fingers extending into a second end region of the stabilizer.   
     
     
         19 . The co-manufactured plurality of stabilizers for human tissue of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the first shape of the first resilient member is identical to the second shape of the second resilient member.   
     
     
         20 . The co-manufactured plurality of stabilizers for human tissue of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the first shape of the first resilient member is different from the second shape of the second resilient member.