Method and Structure for Nasal Dilator
A nasal dilator and method of making nasal dilators are provided. The dilator may have a composite base element of at least two regions, the base element having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface of the base element having a pressure-sensitive adhesive disposed thereon; the base element further including a spring element which imparts return memory into the base element so that the base element returns towards a planar conformation during use. The spring element has elastic memory effected by differential properties in the at least two regions.
1 . A laminated material having a longitudinal length and a longitudinal width, the laminated material comprising:
a first material comprising a heat activated polyester shrink film laminated to a second material comprising a polymeric film, wherein the first material and second material have differing shrink properties when exposed to heat such that the first material, upon heat activation, shrinks at a greater ratio than the second material;
wherein said heat activation occurs above ambient temperature;
wherein the longitudinal length of the laminated material has a curvature in the shape of an arc about the longitudinal width,
wherein the shape of the arc is induced by cooperation between the first material and second material upon heat activation of the first material, and
wherein the first material is on the concave side of the arc and the second material is on the convex side of the arc.
2 . The laminated material of claim 1 , wherein the heat activated polyester shrink film is a heat activated polyethylene terephthalate shrink film.
3 . The laminated material of claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises polyester.
4 . The laminated material of claim 3 , wherein the polyester is polyethylene terephthalate.