Patent ID: 6520926
Filing Date: 2003-02-18
Classification: A61F,B32B

Abstract:
A stretchable and breathable laminate compression knee support comprising an elongate and comparatively thin sleeve sized and shaped to extend partly along the leg on either side of a user's knee; said sleeve including:a) a first interior layer of an elastomeric fiber material; b) a second layer of a polymeric film, said film presenting a pair of opposed surfaces; c) an exterior third layer of an elastomeric fiber material; d) a pair of adhesive fourth and fifth layers bonding said first and third layers to respective second layer opposed surfaces; each of said first, second, third, fourth and fifth layers being breathable and being joined together to form a sleeve of continuous laminate sized, shaped and constructed to snugly and elastically encircle a knee region of a user; e) said first layer of elastomeric fiber having an inner surface that is adopted to engage the knee region; said inner surface being substantially imprinted with a pattern of spaced silicon dots and having spacing between said dots so as to allow breathing through the layers of the support; said dots having a low profile with a thickness between about 1 to 4 mils and being tacky with respect to skin so as to be adapted to resist slippage and bunching of said support device over said entire inner surface during use; said pattern of dots being distributed relatively evenly on said inner surface so as to alternate with breathable portions of said inner surface generally over said entire inner surface, so as to allow breathing throughout said entire inner surface; and f) the inner surface being uncoated in said spacing breathable material except for said dots to enhance breathing from said knee region through said support and so as to permit dissipation of heat and moisture from an underlying skin surface during use through the uncoated inner surface.