Insole for Mid- to High-Heel Shoes

Abstract

An improved insole that is molded and provides additional support and comfort to a user. The insole includes a front portion, a middle shank portion and a rear heel portion. The front portion is flexible, molded with grooves to increase flexibility and molded with a shallow cavity to receive a cushioning material to increase comfort. The middle shank and rear heel portions are stiffer than the front portion to provided improved support. The middle shank and rear heel portions are molded with a concave structure to accommodate and comfortably receive a user's foot.

What I claim is: 
     
         1 . An insole having an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, comprising:
 a. a front portion made of a flexible material having an outer edge;   b. a middle shank portion made of a material stiffer than said front portion;   c. a rear heel portion made of a material stiffer than said front portion;   d. a shallow cavity on the lower surface of said front portion;   e. a plurality of grooves that extend from said shallow cavity to said outer edge of said front portion; and   f. an indentation on the upper surface of said rear heel portion.   
     
     
         2 . The insole of  claim 1  further comprising a cushioning material filling said shallow cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The insole of  claim 1  further comprising a cushioning material filling said grooves. 
     
     
         4 . The insole of  claim 1  further comprising a cushioning material filling said indentation. 
     
     
         5 . The insole of  claim 1  wherein said front portion is made of a flexible felt. 
     
     
         6 . The insole of  claim 1  wherein said front portion is made of a soft laminated felt. 
     
     
         7 . The insole of  claim 1  wherein said middle shank and rear heel portions are made of a hard laminated felt. 
     
     
         8 . The insole of  claim 1  wherein said shallow cavity is in a central location of said front portion. 
     
     
         9 . The insole of  claim 2  wherein said cushioning material is selected from the group consisting of cork, memory foam and memory gel. 
     
     
         10 . The insole of  claim 3  wherein said cushioning material is selected from the group consisting of cork, memory foam and memory gel. 
     
     
         11 . The insole of  claim 4  wherein said cushioning material is selected from the group consisting of cork, memory foam and memory gel. 
     
     
         12 . The insole of  claim 1  is molded. 
     
     
         13 . The insole of  claim 1  wherein said middle shank portion and said rear heel portion have concave surfaces. 
     
     
         14 . The insole of  claim 1  further comprising at least one opening in said indentation. 
     
     
         15 . A shoe comprising:
 a. an outsole;   b. a molded insole on top of said outsole having an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, comprises:
 i. a front portion made of a flexible material having an outer edge; 
 ii. a middle shank portion made of a material stiffer than said front portion; 
 iii. a rear heel portion made of a material stiffer than said front portion; 
 iv. a shallow cavity on the lower surface of said front portion; 
 v. a plurality of grooves that extend from said shallow cavity to said outer edge of said front portion; and 
 vi. an indentation on the upper surface of said rear heel portion. 
   c. a molded footbed on top of said molded insole; and   d. a lining on top of said molded footbed.   
     
     
         16 . The shoe of  claim 15  wherein said molded insole further comprises a cushioning material filling said shallow cavity and said grooves. 
     
     
         17 . The shoe of  claim 15  wherein said molded insole further comprises a cushioning material filling said indentation. 
     
     
         18 . The shoe of  claim 15  wherein said outsole having a surface opposite of said front portion of said molded insole, said outsole further comprises a rubber insert on said surface. 
     
     
         19 . The shoe of  claim 15  wherein said molded footbed further comprises a polyurethane layer, a memory foam layer on top of said polyurethane layer and a lining on top of said memory foam layer.