Abstract: Methods are disclosed for converting on a mass scale elongated material webs into finished parts or devices. Slits form strands in a web, the strands comprising interconnected objects which correspond to parts of finished devices. Strands are combined with additional webs to form a material laminate from which finished devices are die cut. The methods are suitable for a range of converting applications including medical devices, particularly the external nasal dilator. Complex dilator devices produced from the methods are formed as a single body truss having horizontal regions adapted to engage outer wall tissues of first and second nasal passages of a nose. When in use the dilator stabilizes or expands nasal outer wall tissues and prevents the outer wall tissues from drawing inward during breathing. Methods of manufacture comprise separate steps for fabricating and assembling the elements and layers of finished dilator devices and for packaging finished devices individually or in groups.

Abstract: A nasal dilator comprises a laminate of vertical layers each consisting of one or more members or components. The laminated layers form a unitary, or single body, truss featuring 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. The dilator includes means to direct its resilient properties comprising one or more interior or exterior material separations, or discontinuity of shape of material, formed in at least one region of the truss and extending through at least one layer of the dilator. Said material separation or discontinuity of shape may comprise an opening, relief cut, slit or notch, and which may be configured to separate or vertically protrude, in part, from the truss when the dilator is in use on the nose of a wearer.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for converting on a mass scale elongated material webs into finished parts or devices. Slits form strands in a web, the strands comprising interconnected objects which correspond to parts of finished devices. Strands are combined with additional webs to form a material laminate from which finished devices are die cut. The methods are suitable for a range of converting applications including medical devices, particularly the external nasal dilator. Complex dilator devices produced from the methods are formed as a single body truss having horizontal regions adapted to engage outer wall tissues of first and second nasal passages of a nose. When in use the dilator stabilizes or expands nasal outer wall tissues and prevents the outer wall tissues from drawing inward during breathing. Methods of manufacture comprise separate steps for fabricating and assembling the elements and layers of finished dilator devices and for packaging finished devices individually or in groups.

Abstract: A nasal dilator comprises a laminate of vertical layers each consisting of one or more members or components. The laminated layers form a unitary, or single body, truss featuring 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. The dilator includes means to direct its resilient properties comprising one or more interior or exterior material separations, or discontinuity of shape of material, formed in at least one region of the truss and extending through at least one layer of the dilator. Said material separation or discontinuity of shape may comprise an opening, relief cut, slit or notch, and which may be configured to separate or vertically protrude, in part, from the truss when the dilator is in use on the nose of a wearer.

Abstract: A nasal dilator of vertically laminated layers, each consisting of one or more components. The laminated layers form a unitary truss with end regions for engaging outer wall tissues of a user's nasal passages and for traversing the bridge of the nose. The dilator includes means to direct its resilient properties comprising material separations or shape discontinuities formed in at least one region of the truss and extending through at least one layer of the dilator. Said material separations or discontinuities may comprise an opening, relief cut, slit or notch, and may be configured to separate or vertically protrude from the dilator when it is in use. The separations transform the angle of focused delaminating spring biasing forces generated by the resilient layer from primarily peel forces into primarily shear forces, and further redistribute the transformed forces to tissue-engaging surface areas extending outward and beyond the separations.

Abstract: A nasal dilator manufacturing process reduces waste by cutting nested strips of flexible resilient members interconnected by waste webs from a sheet of resilient-layer material. The nested strips are incorporated into a fabrication matrix with other layers (e.g. base or cover layers), then individual nasal dilators are formed by cutting through the matrix around a peripheral outline of a dilator, said cutting severing the nested strips that are part of the fabrication matrix near the waste webs between the flexible resilient members.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for converting on a mass scale elongated material webs into finished parts or devices. Slits form strands in a web, the strands comprising interconnected objects which correspond to parts of finished devices. Strands are combined with additional webs to form a material laminate from which finished devices are die cut. The methods are suitable for a range of converting applications including medical devices, particularly the external nasal dilator. Complex dilator devices produced from the methods are formed as a single body truss having horizontal regions adapted to engage outer wall tissues of first and second nasal passages of a nose. When in use the dilator stabilizes or expands nasal outer wall tissues and prevents the outer wall tissues from drawing inward during breathing. Methods of manufacture comprise separate steps for fabricating and assembling the elements and layers of finished dilator devices and for packaging finished devices individually or in groups.

Abstract: A nasal dilator of vertically laminated layers, each consisting of one or more components. The laminated layers form a unitary truss with end regions for engaging outer wall tissues of a user's nasal passages and for traversing the bridge of the nose. The dilator includes means to direct its resilient properties comprising material separations or shape discontinuities formed in at least one region of the truss and extending through at least one layer of the dilator. Said material separations or discontinuities may comprise an opening, relief cut, slit or notch, and may be configured to separate or vertically protrude from the dilator when it is in use. The separations transform the angle of focused delaminating spring biasing forces generated by the resilient layer from primarily peel forces into primarily shear forces, and further redistribute the transformed forces to tissue-engaging surface areas extending outward and beyond the separations.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for converting on a mass scale elongated material webs into finished parts or devices. Slits form strands in a web, the strands comprising interconnected objects which correspond to parts of finished devices. Strands are combined with additional webs to form a material laminate from which finished devices are die cut. The methods are suitable for a range of converting applications including medical devices, particularly the external nasal dilator. Complex dilator devices produced from the methods are formed as a single body truss having horizontal regions adapted to engage outer wall tissues of first and second nasal passages of a nose. When in use the dilator stabilizes or expands nasal outer wall tissues and prevents the outer wall tissues from drawing inward during breathing. Methods of manufacture comprise separate steps for fabricating and assembling the elements and layers of finished dilator devices and for packaging finished devices individually or in groups.

Abstract: A nasal dilator comprises a laminate of vertical layers that form a unitary, or single body, truss having 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. The dilator includes multiple parallel resilient members or a resilient member having a plurality of component spring fingers extending from a common center. The dilator may further include material separations, or discontinuity of shape of material, formed in at least one region of the truss and extending through at least one layer of the dilator.

Abstract: A nasal dilator comprises a laminate of vertical layers each consisting of one or more members or components. The laminated layers form a unitary, or single body, truss featuring 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. The dilator includes means to direct its resilient properties comprising one or more interior or exterior material separations, or discontinuity of shape of material, formed in at least one region of the truss and extending through at least one layer of the dilator. Said material separation or discontinuity of shape may comprise an opening, relief cut, slit or notch, and which may be configured to separate or vertically protrude, in part, from the truss when the dilator is in use on the nose of a wearer.