Shoe insole
An insole providing cushioning and control of foot motion. The insole includes a stability cradle and pods secured to the underside of the insole core or base. A lateral heel pod and a medial heel pod have differing material properties selected to help control foot pronation.
1. An insole having a top surface for contacting a user's foot and a bottom surface for contacting the inside of a user's shoe, comprising:
a. a base, said base having a base top side and a base bottom side, said base having a heel end, a toe end, a first medial side defining an inner arch area and a second lateral side defining an outer border area, said sides extending from said heel end to said toe end, said base bottom side defining a toe area, a forefoot area, and a stability area;
b. a stability cradle made of semi-rigid material, said stability cradle having a cradle top side and a cradle bottom side, said stability cradle defining one or more openings extending from said cradle top side to said cradle bottom side, said cradle top side affixed to said stability area of said base bottom side whereby said base bottom side and said openings define at least a first recess in said insole bottom surface; and
c. a system of interacting cooperative components integrated into said base and said stability cradle, said system comprising a lateral heel pod inserted into said first recess.
2. The insole of claim 1 , wherein said stability cradle defines two or more openings and said base bottom side and said openings define at least one or more additional recesses and additional pods are inserted into each of said additional recesses.
3. The insole of claim 2 , wherein said additional pod is a lateral midfoot pod located along the lateral edge of the insole.
4. The insole of claim 2 , wherein said additional pod is a medial heel pod.
5. The insole of claim 2 , wherein two additional pods comprise a lateral midfoot pod and a medial heel pod.
6. The insole of claim 2 , wherein said additional pod is made of a firmer material than said lateral heel pod.
7. The insole of claim 2 , wherein said additional pod is made of a softer material than said lateral heel pod.
8. The insole of claim 2 , wherein said additional pod is made of a material of the same firmness of said lateral heel pod.
9. The insole of claim 1 , wherein said forefoot area of said base defines a forefoot pod recess and wherein said system of interacting components further comprises a forefoot pod inserted into said forefoot recess.
10. The insole of claim 9 , wherein said forefoot pod has angled grooves corresponding to hinge lines of joints of a user's foot, whereby said forefoot pod has increased flexibility during walking by a user.
11. The insole of claim 9 , wherein said forefoot pod recess is shaped to accept a forefoot pod having a medial portion and said stability cradle has a top edge having a concave portion, and wherein said forefoot pod medial portion generally extends into said concave portion when said forefoot pod is situated in said forefoot pod recess.
12. The insole of claim 1 , wherein said insole further comprises a top sheet having a foot contacting surface and an opposite surface, said opposite surface adhered to said base top side.
13. The insole of claim 12 , further comprising a thin pad disposed between said base top side and said top sheet opposite side to form a transverse arch support.
14. The insole of claim 1 , wherein said stability cradle and said pods provide control of the amount or rate of pronation of a user's foot.