The present invention relates to a shoe whose outsole rolls up along a front end portion (toe portion) of the upper, and more particularly to a reinforcement structure for the roll-up portion of the front end (toe).
For indoor ball sports such as basketball, handball and volleyball, for example, shoes are used whose outsole is rolled up along the front end of the upper, thereby forming a front roll-up portion.
In those indoor ball sports, one makes a dash in a frontward or diagonally frontward direction or makes an abrupt stop. During such a violent movement, the front roll-up portion having a large frictional force contacts the floor surface, which may help one make a dash.
During a violent movement, the front roll-up portion also prevents the front end portion of the upper from being damaged and protects the front end of the toes of the player.
During the violent movement, there is a large frictional force acting between the front roll-up portion formed by the material of the outsole and the floor surface. The frictional force acting on the front roll-up portion may assist in the action but may also peel the front roll-up portion off of the upper.
Various proposals have been made in view of this in order to prevent the front roll-up portion from peeling off of the upper (see, for example, the first patent document).
[First Patent Document] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-150467 (FIG. 1, FIG. 4)
In the prior art, the roll-up portion and the upper are sewn together by a thick thread (by ariane stitch) in order to prevent the front roll-up portion of the outsole from peeling off of the upper.
However, such sewing uses a special sewing machine and requires skill. Since the sewing is done by a sewing-machine needle, the outsole is likely to crack starting from a needle hole, and the crack may lead to a rupture of the outsole.
Moreover, in order to prevent the thread from coming off, it is necessary to secure the start and the end of the thread, thereby complicating the process. Insufficient securing of an excess of the thread may lead to the thread coming off. An excess of the thread being secured while entangled may deteriorate the wearability.
In view of this, shoes having structures of
In this figure, a front roll-up portion 32A is formed by the same material as an outsole 3. The front roll-up portion 32A covers the front end of an upper 7 together with a resin part 100. The front roll-up portion 32A made of a rubber is fitted in the resin part 100.
In this figure, a resin part 102 is provided between a front roll-up portion 32 of the outsole 3 and the upper 7. The resin part 102 extends further in the upward direction than the front roll-up portion 32.
Since the front end of the shoe is entirely covered by the first resin part 100, 102, it would be difficult to reduce the weight of the shoe.
With the hard resin part 100, 102 provided at the front end portion of the shoe, the resin part 100, 102 contacts the upper surface of the toe T via the upper 7 therebetween particularly during a hard exercise, thus resulting in a poor wearability.
These shoes are provided with no ventilation structure at the front roll-up portion. Therefore, it is likely to become damp in the toe front end portion.
The second patent document below discloses a structure in which the sole is secured to the bottom portion of the upper by using a rivet. There is no disclosure, however, as to securing the roll-up portion of the sole to the upper by means of such a securing structure. There is also no disclosure as to providing a ventilation hole in the rivet for enhancing the air-permeability.
The third patent document below discloses a structure in which an eyelet member for ventilation is provided by crimping on the inside of the arch portion, etc., of an athletic shoe. There is no disclosure, however, as to providing such an eyelet member in the roll-up portion at the front end of the shoe. There is also no disclosure as to a structure in which two or more members are fixed together by crimping.
[Second Patent Document] Japanese Utility Model Publication for Opposition No. 6-4724
[Third Patent Document] Japanese Utility Model Publication for Opposition No. 62-32404
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a structure of a shoe whose air-permeability is good in the front end portion of the toe and in which the front roll-up portion can be prevented from peeling off of the upper without sewing together the upper and the front roll-up portion with a thick thread.
A shoe having a peeling prevention structure of a roll-up portion of the present invention is a shoe in which an outsole made of a foamed resin and/or a rubber is rolled up along an upper, comprising: an upper for wrapping around an instep; an outsole to be in contact with a floor surface or a road surface; a front roll-up portion formed as the outsole is rolled up in an upward direction along a front end portion of the upper and fixed to the upper; through hole means running through the front end portion of the upper and the front roll-up portion; and a clamper running through the through hole means to clamp together the upper and the outsole and keep them clamped therein, thus strengthening a fixing strength between the upper and the outsole, wherein the clamper is made of a resin and comprises: first flange means engaging with the front roll-up portion on a front surface of the front roll-up portion; second flange means engaging with the upper on an inner surface of the front end portion of the upper; and pipe means connecting between the first flange means and the second flange means and running through the through hole means for ventilation between an inside and an outside of the shoe.
In the present invention, the fixing strength between the front roll-up portion and the upper is reinforced by the clamper. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the front roll-up portion from peeling off of the upper without sewing together the front roll-up portion and the upper with a thick thread.
The clamper made of a resin is more slippery than the outsole made of a rubber. Therefore, as the clamper covers a portion of the front roll-up portion, the frictional force between the front roll-up portion of the upper and the floor surface or the road surface is smaller, and the outsole is less likely to peel off.
The present peeling prevention structure is provided at the front end of the shoe. Therefore, the frictional force between the front end of the shoe and the floor surface, etc., can be set to an appropriate force by appropriately setting the surface area and the shape of the first flange means of the clamper made of a resin. The area where the frictional force is generated can be set freely.
As compared with a conventional shoe in which the front end of the shoe is entirely covered by a resin part, it is possible with the present invention to reduce the area of a resin. This assists in reducing the weight of the shoe.
The first flange means made of a resin is laid on the surface of the front roll-up portion made of a rubber. Therefore, the clamper will not be in contact with the upper surface of the toe via the upper therebetween. As a result, a soft wearability is realized to the front end and the upper end of the toes.
Particularly, it is possible with the pipe means to ventilate between the inside and the outside of the shoe at the front end of the shoe.
In the present invention, the resin forming the front roll-up portion or the clamper may be a thermosetting resin as well as a thermoplastic resin.
The present invention may employ a structure similar to the present peeling prevention structure for a roll-up portion other than the front roll-up portion, e.g., a middle roll-up portion or a rear roll-up portion.
In the present invention, the through hole means is formed by one through holes or a plurality of through holes.
In the present invention, the pipe means is formed by one pipe portion or a plurality of pipe portions.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the front roll-up portion includes a concave portion concaved in a rear direction, and the first flange means fits in the concave portion.
In this embodiment, the first flange means will not excessively protrude from the surface of the front roll-up portion. Therefore, the first flange means will less likely to be obstructive as being a protrusion, and there will be an appropriate level of frictional resistance between the front roll-up portion made of a rubber, or the like, and the floor.
In this embodiment, it is further preferred that the front roll-up portion includes an exposed surface, which is not covered by the first flange means and is exposed in a front direction, and a surface of the first flange means is generally flush with the exposed surface of the front roll-up portion or protrudes in the front direction relative to the exposed surface of the front roll-up portion.
With such a shoe, it is possible with the first flange means to reduce the contact resistance between the front roll-up portion and the floor. Therefore, smooth movements can be expected.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first flange means is formed by a strip-shaped first member extending in a width direction of the shoe.
This embodiment may assist in reducing the number of parts of the first flange means.
In the case of a strip-shaped member, it is easy to obtain a contact resistance with the floor over a wide area. It is also easy to print a company name or a brand, name on a strip-shaped member.
In this embodiment, it is further preferred that the front roll-up portion is exposed around an upper side, a lower side, a medial side and a lateral side of the first member.
In this case, the exposed surface of the front roll-up portion made of a rubber, or the like, is exposed around the strip-shaped first member. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an appropriate frictional force between the floor and the front roll-up portion in any of various landing positions of the shoe relative to the floor.
In the present invention, the clamper may have a structure in which two or more members engage with one another or are chemically bound to one another.
A structure in which the two or more members engage with one another may be a mechanic crimping structure.
In the case of a mechanic crimping structure, the clamper includes: a first member forming the first flange means and including a fitting hole running through the first flange means; and a second member including in which the second flange means and the pipe means are integrated with each other. The pipe means of the second member runs through the fitting hole of the first member; and the clamper clamps together the front roll-up portion and the front end portion of the upper, with an engagement portion formed in the pipe means engaging with a periphery of the fitting hole of the first member and the second flange means engaging with an inner surface of the upper.
In the case of a shoe having such a mechanical crimping structure, the manufacturing facilities are inexpensive.
In the present invention, a JIS K 6253A hardness of a member of the first flange means of the clamper is greater than a JIS K 6253A hardness of the front roll-up portion. Therefore, the frictional force between the first flange means and the floor surface, etc., is small.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first flange means comprises a strip-shaped first flange portion extending in a width direction of the shoe or a plurality of first flange portions spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the shoe; the second flange means comprises a strip-shaped second flange portion extending in the width direction of the shoe or a plurality of second flange portions spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the shoe; and the pipe means comprises a strip-shaped pipe portion whose transverse cross section extends in the width direction of the shoe or a plurality of pipe portions spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the shoe.
The flange portion or the pipe portion being elongated in a strip shape, or a plurality of flange portions or pipe portions being provided spaced apart from each other in the width direction, enhances the effect of preventing the roll-up portion from peeling off of the upper.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pipe means is formed by a pipe portion having a ventilation hole, and a position of a lower end of the ventilation hole is placed at a same level as an upper surface of an innersole placed on an upper side of the outsole or is placed at a vicinity that is upper level than the upper surface.
In such a case, ventilation is provided between the sole of the foot and the innersole at the front end of the foot.
In this embodiment, it is further preferred that the second flange means comprises a second flange portion protruding in a radial direction of the pipe portion, wherein a lower end of the second flange portion is placed at a lower level than the upper surface of the innersole, and a lower end portion of the second flange portion is sandwiched between the upper and a front end of the innersole.
In such a case, when the front surface of the clamper hits the floor, etc., the second flange portion moves in the backward direction, and the second flange portion hits the innersole. This prevents the clamper from coming off the clamping state.
The present invention will be understood more clearly from the following description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Note however that the embodiments and the drawings are merely illustrative, and the scope of the present invention shall be defined by the appended claims. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals denote like components throughout the plurality of figures.
A first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to
Whole Structure:
As shown in
Structure of Inside of Shoe:
As shown in
A folded-back portion 7a of the upper 7 is bonded between the front end portion of the midsole 4 and the front end portion of the insole 5.
For example, the outsole 3 may be formed by a foamed resin, a foamed or non-foamed rubber, or a foamed resin-rubber mixture.
The midsole 4, the insole 5 and the innersole 6 are each formed by a foamed resin, a sponge rubber, or the like. A woven fabric is bonded on the upper surface of the innersole 6.
The surface of the upper 7 is formed by a synthetic leather, for example, and a non-woven fabric, a woven fabric, or the like, is bonded on the inside of the leather.
Clamper 1:
The outsole 3 forms a front roll-up portion 32. The front roll-up portion 32 is formed by being rolled up in the upward direction U along a front end portion 71 of the upper 7, and is fixed to the upper 7 by an adhesive.
The clamper 1 is provided at the front end portion of the shoe. The clamper 1 clamps together the front end portion 71 of the upper 7 and the front roll-up portion 32 of the outsole 3, and keeps them clamped therein, thus strengthening the fixing strength therebetween.
A first member 10 and a second member 20 are formed by a thermoplastic resin such as TPU, for example.
As shown in
The first member 10 and the second members 20 are formed by a thermoplastic resin, for example.
First Member 10:
As shown in
The hardness (JISK6253A) of the resin of the first member 10 is preferably 65-100 degrees, more preferably 75-100 degrees, and most preferably 85-95 degrees. By setting the hardness to such values, the first member 10 is unlikely to break or to scratch the floor, etc. Considering the functionalities, etc., the hardness (JISK6253A) of the outsole is preferably 45-85 degrees, more preferably 55-80 degrees, and most preferably 65-75 degrees.
As shown in
As shown in
The JISK6253A hardness of the resin of the first member 10 is set to be higher than the JISK6253A hardness of the rubber of the front roll-up portion.
Second Member 20:
As shown in
Second Flange Portion 21:
The second flange portion 21 forms second flange means, which engages with the upper 7 on an inner surface 72 of the front end portion 71 of the upper 7. As shown in
As shown in
Pipe Portion 22:
As shown in
A ventilation hole 22a is formed in the pipe portion 22 shown in
The pipe portion 22 connects between the first member 10 and the second flange portion 21, and runs through the through holes 7h and 3h and a fitting hole 12 of the first member 10.
Thus, the pipe portion 22 forms pipe means for ventilation between the inside and the outside of the shoe.
Merely providing the through holes 7h and 3h in the upper 7 and the front roll-up portion 32 does not give a good appearance, and dirt is likely to deposit on the surface of the through holes 7h and 3h, which are formed by cloth or rubber, clogging the holes. In contrast, with the present shoe, since the ventilation hole 22a is provided in the pipe portion 22 made of a resin, it is given a desirable appearance and the ventilation hole 22a is unlikely to be clogged.
It will also be unlikely that the clamper 1, which is made of a resin, scratches the floor.
Engagement Portion 23:
As shown in
On the other hand, as shown in
Cuts 14 are formed at a plurality of positions along the periphery of each fitting hole 12 so as to facilitate the insertion of the engagement portion 23 through the fitting hole 12.
The clamper 1 is installed by bonding the first member 10 shown in
As described above, with the engagement portion 23 formed on the pipe portion 22 in engagement with the seat portion 13 of the first member 10, the front roll-up portion 32 of the outsole 3 and the front end portion 71 of the upper 7 are clamped together by the clamper 1. This strengthens the fixing strength for fixing the front roll-up portion 32 onto the upper 7.
Variation:
In the variation of
In the variations of
In the variation of
In the variations of
As shown in
The second flange portion 21 includes a protruding portion 21a, which bites into the inner surface 72 of the upper 7 so as to secure the second flange portion 21 on the upper 7.
In the second embodiment, the pipe portion 22 and the second flange portion 21 may be fixed together by being bonded together with a hot-melt adhesive.
The configuration is otherwise similar to that of the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described below while using like reference numerals to denote like elements.
While preferred embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, various obvious changes and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the present specification.
For example, the number of second members 20 may be one, or may be three or more.
The first member 10 may be a single strip, or may be two or more strips.
Note that where the present invention is applied to outdoor shoes, the ventilation hole can be covered by attaching an air-permeable waterproof film or sheet, etc., on the second flange portion in order to prevent rainwater from entering through the pipe portion.
Thus, such changes and modifications are deemed to fall within the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the appended claims.
A shoe having a peeling prevention structure of a roll-up portion of the present invention can be used in a shoe whose outsole is rolled up along a front end portion of an upper.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/JP2007/072354 | 11/19/2007 | WO | 00 | 5/10/2010 |