Built-in insole and article of footwear containing same

Claim 1

A preformed insole to be built into a shoe or the like during construction of the shoe, the insole having a flat underface for securement to the outer sole of the shoe, wherein the improvement comprises the insole being formed of non-rigid material having an upperface contoured in keeping with the entire plantar face of a normal foot, said insole being flexible to bend with the outer sole of the shoe when walking, the entire shoe with insole secured therein being completed before a customer has seen it, the contour of said upper face of the insole including a cupped heel socket, a support for the inner longitudinal arch of the foot, a mild support for the outer longitudinal arch of the foot, a transverse elevation varying in height and width to underlie the four smaller toes only of the foot, a depression rearward of the inner end of said elevation to receive the articulation of the first metatarsal head with the posterior end of the first proximal phalanx which with the connected distal phalanx lies flatly off said elevation, a respective shallow recess for each of first and fifth distal phalanges, and the upperface of the insole between said recesses being substantially planar.