Heel/metatarsal structure having premolded bulges

Claim 1

A molded, one-piece resilient outer member having a heel portion and/or a metatarsal portion, the outer member having interior and exterior surfaces and having a construction to be highly wear resistant to enable said exterior surface to contact a support surface during use, a plurality of bulges molded into one of said portions and projecting from said exterior surface, said bulges respectively defining cavities opening at said interior surface, said bulges projecting from said exterior surface without the application of any elevated fluid pressure in said cavities, at least one restricted passageway molded into said outer member between said cavities and opening to said interior surface, a sealing member having a shape that matches the shape of said outer member, said sealing member being impermeable to air and having a sealing surface, and adhesive means between said sealing surface and said interior surface and said interior surface for hermetically attaching said sealing member to said outer member, whereby air at atmospheric pressure is permanently located in the space jointly defined by said passageway and said cavities, there being no passageways between said cavities and a portion other than said one portion.