Orthotic insole assembly

Abstract

An orthotic insole assembly including a semi-rigid cradle extending forward from the metatarsal region of the foot to the heel, wherein medial and lateral sidewalls extend upward from the cradle. The cradle includes an aperture in the area of heel impact wherein a heel plug is disposed within the aperture. A resilient, foam, cushioning layer overlies the cradle and the heel plug. A riser is connected to the cushioning layer to provide an elevated region in the area of the first metatarsal.

1 . An orthotic insole assembly for supporting a foot having a heel, toes, an arch and a metatarsal region, the assembly comprising:
 (a) a semi-rigid cradle shaped to fit the heel and extending forward past the arch to a leading edge extending across the metatarsal region, the cradle including medial and lateral sidewalls and a interconnecting heel wall, the cradle defining an opening underlying the heel;   (b) a heel plug disposed within the opening, the heel plug having a given resistance to compression;   (c) a cushioning layer having a bottom side and a top side, the bottom side overlying the cradle and the heel plug and extending forward of the cradle to underlie the toes, the cushioning layer including a thickened portion in the area of the arch; and   (d) a riser in the area encompassing the head of a first metatarsal, the riser connected to the cushioning layer and extending above an adjacent portion of the cushioning layer.   
     
     
         2 . The orthotic insole assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a surface layer on the top side of the cushioning layer. 
     
     
         3 . The orthotic insole assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the surface layer includes a textile. 
     
     
         4 . The orthotic insole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heel plug includes a material having a greater density than the cushioning layer. 
     
     
         5 . The orthotic insole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the riser includes a material having a greater density than the cushioning layer. 
     
     
         6 . The orthotic insole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heel plug has a greater resistance to compression than the cushioning layer. 
     
     
         7 . The orthotic insole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the opening in the cradle is formed by an end wall, a medial leg and a lateral leg. 
     
     
         8 . The orthotic insole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the riser has a plurality of layers, the layers being of different materials. 
     
     
         9 . The orthotic insole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heel plug has a plurality of layers, the layers being of different materials. 
     
     
         10 . The orthotic insole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the opening underlying the heel is an aperture. 
     
     
         11 . The orthotic insole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the medial side wall of the cradle includes a plurality of flexure slots. 
     
     
         12 . The orthotic insole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cushioning layer includes at least one compression zone having a reduced thickness relative to an adjacent portion of the cushioning layer. 
     
     
         13 . The orthotic insole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cushioning layer includes a plurality of through holes.