Patent ID: 8127421

Claim:
A method for making a three-dimensional branching structure generally characterized by a main axis, said method including the steps of: a. forming a plurality of branching sections, each of said branching sections (i) being formed from a generally flat sheet of material characterized by an initial plane and (ii) including generally co-planar, branching segments extending from a predetermined reference edge, said branching segments including a plurality of branching divisions and sub-divisions extending to and terminating in individual branches; b. joining said branching sections in a generally radial orientation with respect to one another by connecting said branching sections along portions of their respective reference edges, thereby characterizing the main axis of said branching structure; and, c. deforming selected portions of said branching segments by transposing the selected portions from their initial positions in relation to their corresponding initial plane to final positions that are at least partially transverse to said initial plane.