Patent ID: 7877900

Claim:
A structure for supporting at least a portion of a foot, the structure comprising: an elastic membrane having a first side, and a second side opposite the first side; a plurality of plungers positioned on the first side of the elastic membrane and configured to underlie a metatarsal region of a foot, at least one of the plurality of plungers being elongate in a direction generally from a front to a rear of the structure; a plurality of walls positioned on the second side of the elastic membrane, the plurality of walls defining at least one chamber and corresponding to at least a portion of one of the plurality of plungers such that when a compressive force is applied to the structure, the portion of one of the plurality of plungers and the at least one chamber move toward one another thereby stretching the elastic membrane into the chamber; and wherein the plurality of walls defines at least one upstanding member positioned on the second side of the elastic membrane extending longitudinally along the chamber in a direction generally from the front to the rear of the structure; wherein the plurality of plungers define at least one region corresponding to the at least one upstanding member such that when a compressive force is applied to the structure, the upstanding member and the at least one region move toward one another thereby stretching the elastic membrane into the at least one region.