Adhesively applied external nasal strips and dilators containing medications and fragrances
View Patent ↗Nasal dilators and strips, methods of their manufacture, and methods for improving the breathing of individuals are provided. The strips and dilators include an elongated substrate, with or without a dilating component or portion, having top and bottom surfaces and a pressure-sensitive adhesive disposed on the bottom surface. The dilator is designed to provide a gentle expanding force to the nasal wall tissue when the dilator is adhesively attached to the nose. This invention further includes a cosmetic fragrance, an aromatic medication and/or transdermal medication disposed on the strips or dilators. In order to improve the shelf-life and in-use olfactory effectiveness of such products, fragrance delivery mechanisms are used. Separation of volatile oils and adhesives are also provided to minimize adhesive residue.
1. A method of manufacturing a nasal dilator, comprising:
(a) providing a flexible substrate material and a resilient member;
(b) joining said flexible substrate material to said resilient member to form an integral web;
(c) applying a pressure sensitive adhesive layer to a first surface of said integral web which is intended to face an external nasal wall tissue of a wearer;
(e) coating a second surface of said integral web opposing said first surface with a layer which includes a plurality of microcapsules containing an aromatic substance; and
(d) cutting said integral web to form a final periphery of a nasal dilator suitable for adhesive attachment to an external nasal wall tissue of a wearer, so as to deliver said aromatic substance through inhalation by said wearer while providing a gentle expanding force to said external nasal wall tissue.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said coating step (e) comprises a rolling step.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said coating step (e) comprises adhering said microcapsules to said second surface of said integral web.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said aromatic substance comprises: camphor, eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, menthol, methylsalicylate, bornyl acetate, lavender oil, citrus, an antihistamine, a decongestant, an anti-inflammatory agent, a vitamin, an analgesic, anesthetic, antipruritic, homologues, derivatives, chemical variations or combinations thereof.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said cutting step (d) comprises die-cutting to form a final periphery of the dilator.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said joining step (b) comprises combining said flexible substrate material and said resilient member by melt bonding, adhesive bonding, ultrasonic bonding or a combination thereof.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said joining step (b) comprises adhesively joining said flexible substrate material and said resilient member as they are fed into an overlapping position in a die or roller.
8. The method of claim 2 , wherein said microcapsules are joined to said second surface by an adhesive.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said aromatic substance comprises a cooling agent.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a transdermal medication to said web.
11. A method of treating a patient experiencing nasal congestion, comprising:
(a) providing a nasal dilator, said nasal dilator including a flexible substrate material; a resilient member joined to said flexible substrate material for providing mechanical dilation when said nasal dilator is worn; and an adhesive layer for assisting in an adhesive attachment of said nasal dilator to the external nasal tissue of said patient; and
(b) adhesively applying said adhesive layer of said nasal dilator to the external nasal tissue of said patient, and
(c) mechanically dilating said patient's external nasal tissue through a spring action of said resilient member, while simultaneously permitting said patient to inhale said aromatic medication, whereby said patient's nasal congestion is at least partially relieved.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said aromatic medication comprises: camphor, eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, menthol, methylsalicylate, bornyl acetate, lavender oil, citrus, an antihistamine, a decongestant, an anti-inflammatory agent, a vitamin, an analgesic, anesthetic, antipruritic, homologues, derivatives, chemical variations or a combination thereof.