Patent ID: 7615024

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a material suitable for use in a compression brace material, the method comprising the following steps: providing a sheet of closed cell foam material between a first plate having a plurality of spaced-apart pins extending from a first surface, and a second plate having a plurality of spaced-apart apertures, wherein the apertures are sized and spaced to slidably engage the pins when the first plate and second plate are suitably aligned, and further wherein at least one of the first plate and the second plate further includes a plurality of protrusions that are shaped and oriented to produce a pattern of channels on a face of the closed cell foam material; heating at least one of the first plate and the second plate to a selected temperature; urging the first plate and the second plate together such that the pins on the first plate penetrate the sheet of closed cell foam material and slidably engage the apertures on the second plate; maintaining a pressure between the first plate and the second plate for a period of time such that the protrusions impress a plurality of depressions on the sheet of closed cell foam material; and separating the first plate from the second plate and removing the closed cell foam material; wherein the removed sheet of closed cell foam material comprises a flexible and foldable elastic panel.