Patent Application
20170238657
The present invention relates primarily to a shoe with an improved function of suppressing overpronation while running.
The function of suppressing overpronation while running is called “stability (performance)”. Such stability performance is regarded as one of the most important functions for a running shoe. Techniques known in the art for suppressing the overpronation include a structure in which a high-hardness member is provided on the medial side of the midsole (U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,302 B1), and a reinforcement unit placed in the middle foot portion of the sole so as to suppress the torsional deformation of the sole.
First Patent Document: U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,302 B1 (FIG. 9)
Second Patent Document: U.S. Pat. No. 8,266,827 B2 (FIG. 7A)
Third Patent Document: U.S. Pat. No. 8,388,791 B2 (FIG. 1)
Runners trying to improve their best times for a full marathon may run a distance of 20 to 30 km in a single training session. According to our experimental results, it was found that even when running with shoes of which the midsole on the medial side is reinforced, the eversion angle of the heel portion increases while running a long distance of 10 km or more.
It is believed that such a phenomenon occurs as the muscular fatigue of the foot, etc., from running decreases the muscular power, thereby lowering the function of supporting (retaining) the foot bone structure, particularly, the arch.
On the other hand, if the reinforcement unit for reinforcing the midsole on the medial side is made too hard, or if the hardness of the midsole itself on the medial side is increased too much, it will cause an upthrust to be felt on the sole of the foot.
In the shoes disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,266,827 B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,388,791 B2, many strands are placed on the side surface of the upper. These conventional examples aim to decrease the mass of the footwear and improve the production efficiency. That is, they do not aim to improve the stability performance, and it will be difficult for them to make such improvements.
It is an object of the present invention to improve the structure of the upper, thereby improving the function of suppressing overpronation while running, i.e., the stability performance.
Before describing the structure of the present invention, the principle of the present invention will be explained.
It can be seen that the upper is stretched more after running 15 km as shown in
It is believed that there is such a correlation as the muscular fatigue of the foot from running a long distance lowers the function of retaining the arch of the foot, thereby causing overpronation so that the first toe collapsing on the medial side pushes the medial side portion of the upper. Therefore, it will be possible to prevent the overpronation by increasing the stiffness of the area of the upper that is stretched.
We measured the angle γ formed between the direction Da in which the upper is stretched in
On the other hand, running shoes having an upper made by using a meshed material were worn to measure the stretch of the upper in the area while the wearer is not fatigued. The average value of the stretch was about 4.7%±1.1%. Therefore, in order to tolerate such a stretch, the material preferably has such characteristics that the stiffness thereof increases after there is a stretch of about 3 to 6%.
An upper formed by a material that has such material characteristics will realize a soft feel for a wearer until it starts exerting the stiffness, while being able to suppress the collapse (pronation) of the foot in a phase where support is needed.
It can be seen that the direction Df of
The stretch (elongation) of the surface of the foot was measured at points P1 to P8, which are arranged in line in
The measurement point P8 of
With respect to the direction Df of
A first aspect of the present invention is directed to a shoe including an upper 3 and a sole 8, the shoe including:
a flexible member 30 forming (composing) a part of the upper 3 and covering a medial side surface of a foot; and
a first reinforcement portion 1 and a second reinforcement portion 2, each being less stretchable than the flexible member 30 and each attached to a surface 3F of the flexible member, wherein:
the flexible member 30 includes a reinforced area 4 reinforced by the first and the second reinforcement portions 1 and 2;
the first reinforcement portion 1 continuously or intermittently extends, in a band-shaped (strap-shaped, or belt-shaped) form (pattern) or a linear-shaped form (pattern), upward from a boundary portion 38 of the upper 3 with respect to the sole 8;
the second reinforcement portion 2 is placed posterior R to the first reinforcement portion 1 and continuously or intermittently extends, in a band-shaped (strap-shaped, or belt-shaped) form (pattern) or a linear-shaped form (pattern), upward from a boundary portion 38 of the upper 3 with respect to the sole 8;
the area 4 is defined by a first envelope line (envelope) 1L along a posterior edge 1E of the first reinforcement portion and a second envelope line (envelope) 2L along an anterior edge 2E of the second reinforcement portion;
the area 4 extends along a virtual first center line C1, which divides the area 4 into a first portion 41 whose anterior edge 4F is defined by the first envelope line and a second portion 42 whose posterior edge 4R is defined by the second envelope line;
the area 4 includes an upper end portion 43, a lower end portion 44, and an intermediate portion 45 between the upper end portion 43 and the lower end portion 44;
a width 4W of the area in a direction D2 perpendicular to a direction D1 along which the first center line C1 extends is at maximum in the intermediate portion 45, the width 4W of the area gradually decreasing as the area extends toward the upper end portion 43 from the intermediate portion 45, and the width 4W of the area gradually decreasing as the area extends toward the lower end portion 44 from the intermediate portion 45; and the upper end portion 43 of the area 4 is placed anterior to the lower end portion 44 of the area 4.
In this first aspect, the upper end portion of the reinforced area 4 is placed anterior to the lower end portion. Thus, the first center line C1 extends in a forward-upward diagonal direction (obliquely forward and upward), and therefore the upper covering the medial side surface of the foot may stretch less easily in the direction Da in which the upper is stretched. This may possibly suppress the overpronation.
In this first aspect, the width of the direction D2 perpendicular to the first center line C1 is at maximum in the intermediate portion 45, and gradually decreases toward the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the reinforced area 4.
Therefore, in the intermediate portion 45 of the area 4, it stretches easily in the direction D2 perpendicular to the first center line C1. This may possibly maintain or improve the fitting property of the upper.
In the present invention, the surface 3F of the flexible member 30 does not only mean the outer surface of the upper but also includes the inner surface thereof to be in contact with the foot.
The “first center line C1” may be a virtual line that generally equally divides the area 4 into a first portion 41 and a second portion 42.
The “boundary portion 38 of the upper 3 with respect to the sole 8” includes an area of the upper near the boundary as well as the boundary itself. “Upward from a boundary portion” includes obliquely upward from the boundary portion.
“Continuously or intermittently” refers to cases where one reinforcement portion is divided into a plurality of portions, as well as cases where each of the reinforcement portions 1 and 2 is completely continuous. This is because even if the reinforcement portion is divided into a plurality of portions, the stretch (elongation) of the flexible member 30 in the direction in which the reinforcement portion extends is suppressed if the reinforcement portion extends substantially continuously in a band-shaped form or a linear-shaped form.
The “band-shaped form” means that the width and the thickness of a reinforcement portion are sufficiently smaller than the length of the reinforcement portion in the direction in which it extends. On the other hand, the “linear-shaped form” includes a thread-like material that is thinner than a band-shaped material, such as a cotton thread or a nylon thread, which is less stretchable (hard to be stretched), sewn onto the upper.
The “envelope line (envelope)” means a curve that shares a tangent with a given family of curves, i.e., a curve that is in contact with all of a given (typically infinite) number of curves. Where the posterior edge 1E of the first reinforcement portion 1 or the anterior edge 2E of the second reinforcement portion 2 is composed of a straight line and a curve that are smoothly continuous with each other, the first and second envelope lines 1L and 2L will generally coincide respectively with the posterior edge 1E of the first reinforcement portion 1 and the anterior edge 2E of the second reinforcement portion 2.
A second aspect of the present invention is directed to a shoe including an upper 3 and a sole 8, the shoe including:
a flexible member 30 forming (composing) a part of the upper 3 and adapted to cover a medial side surface of a foot; and
a first reinforcement portion 1 and a second reinforcement portion 2, each being less stretchable than the flexible member 30 and each attached to a surface 3F of the flexible member, wherein:
the first reinforcement portion 1 continuously or intermittently extends, in a band-shaped form (pattern) or a linear-shaped form (pattern), upward from a boundary portion 38 of the upper 3 with respect to the sole 8;
the second reinforcement portion 2 is placed posterior R to the first reinforcement portion 1 and continuously or intermittently extends, in a band-shaped form (pattern) or a linear-shaped form (pattern), upward from the boundary portion 38 of the upper 3 with respect to the sole 8;
a first envelope line (envelope) 1L along a posterior edge 1E of the first reinforcement portion includes a first bend point O1 at which the first envelope line 1L bends, the first bend point O1 located above the boundary portion 38 and below an upper edge 3E of the upper 3;
a second envelope line (envelope) 2L along an anterior edge 2E of the second reinforcement portion includes a second bend point O2 at which the second envelope line 2L bends, the second bend point O2 located above the boundary portion 38 and below an upper edge 3E of the upper 3;
the first reinforcement portion 1 and the second reinforcement portion 2 come gradually closer to each other as the first envelope line 1L extends upward from the first bend point O1 and the second envelope line 2L extends upward from the second bend point O2;
the first reinforcement portion 1 and the second reinforcement portion 2 come gradually closer to each other as the first envelope line 1L extends downward from the first bend point O1 and the second envelope line 2L extends downward from the second bend point O2;
a lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion and a lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion are adapted to a position of an arch on a medial side of the foot;
an upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion is adapted to a position of a ball O of a big toe or posterior to the ball O of the big toe; and
the upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion is placed anterior F to the lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion, and/or an upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion 2 is placed anterior F to the lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion.
In this second aspect, the upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion is placed anterior to the lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion, and/or the upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion is placed anterior to the lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion. Therefore, the first and/or second reinforcement portions extend in a forward-upward diagonal direction (obliquely forward and upward), and the upper covering the medial side surface of the foot may therefore stretch less easily in the direction Da in which the upper is stretched. This may possibly suppress the overpronation.
The respective lower ends 14 and 24 of the first and second reinforcement portions are adapted to the position of the arch on the medial side of the foot, and the upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion is adapted to the position of the ball O of the big toe or posterior to the ball O of the big toe. Therefore, the reinforcement portions 1 and 2 can possibly reinforce the area of the upper where a substantial stretch has occurred while running a long distance. This will suppress the overpronation.
A third aspect of the present invention is directed to a shoe including an upper 3 and a sole 8, the shoe including:
a flexible member 30 forming (composing) a part of the upper 3 and adapted to cover a medial side surface of a foot; and
a first reinforcement portion 1 and a second reinforcement portion 2, each being less stretchable than the flexible member 30 and each attached to a surface 3F of the flexible member, wherein:
the first reinforcement portion 1 continuously or intermittently extends, in a band-shaped form (pattern) or a linear-shaped form (pattern), upward from a boundary portion 38 of the upper 3 with respect to the sole 8;
the second reinforcement portion 2 is placed posterior R to the first reinforcement portion 1 and continuously or intermittently extends, in a band-shaped form (pattern) or a linear-shaped form (pattern), upward from the boundary portion 38 of the upper 3 with respect to the sole 8;
a first envelope line (envelope) 1b along a posterior edge 1E of the first reinforcement portion includes a first bend point O1 at which the first envelope line 1L bends, the first bend point O1 located above the boundary portion 38 and below an upper edge 3E of the upper 3;
a second envelope line (envelope) 2L along an anterior edge 2E of the second reinforcement portion includes a second bend point O2 at which the second envelope line 2L bends, the second bend point O2 located above the boundary portion 38 and below the upper edge 3E of the upper 3;
the first reinforcement portion 1 and the second reinforcement portion 2 come gradually closer to each other as the first envelope line 1L extends upward from the first bend point O1 and the second envelope line 2L extends upward from the second bend point O2;
the first reinforcement portion 1 and the second reinforcement portion 2 come gradually closer to each other as the first envelope line 1L extends downward from the first bend point O1 and the second envelope line 2L extends downward from the second bend point O2;
a lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion and a lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion are placed within a range of 40% to 60% of an entire length of the shoe, as measured from a front end FE of the shoe in a front-rear direction X;
an upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion and an upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion are placed within a range of 25% to 45% of the entire length of the shoe, as measured from the front end FE; and
the upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion is placed anterior F to the lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion, and the upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion 2 is placed anterior F to the lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion.
In this third aspect, the lower ends 14 and 24 of the reinforcement portions are placed within a range of 40% to 60% of the entire length of the shoe, as measured from the front end FE of the shoe in the front-rear direction X. Then, the lower ends 14 and 24 are likely to be adapted to the position of the arch on the medial side of the foot.
Therefore, the lower ends of the reinforcement portions 1 and 2 adapted to the position of the arch on the medial side of the foot will be pulled in a forward-upward diagonal direction (obliquely forward and upward). Therefore, the upper stretches less easily in an intended direction, and the pronation-suppressing function will likely be exerted.
In this third aspect, the upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion is placed anterior to the lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion, and the upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion is placed anterior to the lower end of the second reinforcement portion. With such an arrangement, the two reinforcement portions will each extend in a forward-upward diagonal direction from an area adapted to the arch on the medial side of the foot.
Moreover, in this third aspect, the upper ends 13 and 23 of the first and second reinforcement portions are placed within a range of 25% to 45% of the entire length of the shoe, as measured from the front end FE.
If the upper ends and the lower ends of the reinforcement portions are placed within such a range, and if the upper ends are anterior to the lower ends, the lower ends of the reinforcement portions will be adapted to the arch on the medial side of the foot and the lower ends of the reinforcement portions will be pulled in a forward-upward diagonal direction. Therefore, the pronation-suppressing function will likely be exerted.
In the second and third aspects, as the first envelope line 1L and the second envelope line 2L extend upward from the first and second bend points O1 and O2, respectively, the first reinforcement portion 1 and the second reinforcement portion 2 come gradually closer to each other. And as the first envelope line 1L and the second envelope line 2L extend downward from the first and second bend points O1 and O2, respectively, the first reinforcement portion 1 and the second reinforcement portion 2 come gradually closer to each other. Therefore, the area reinforced by the reinforcement portions 1 and 2 will stretch easily along the straight line connecting between the bend points O1 and O2. This may possibly maintain or improve the fitting property of the upper.
In the present invention, the meaning of “being adapted” is generally equal to “being placed”.
A fourth aspect of the present invention is directed to a shoe having an upper 3 covering a foot, including:
a flexible member 30 forming a part of the upper 3 and adapted to cover a medial side surface of a forefoot section; and reinforcement portions 1 and 2 being less stretchable than the flexible member 30 and attached to a surface 3F of the flexible member 30, wherein:
the reinforcement portions 1 and 2 extend in an rearward-downward diagonal direction from upper first end portions 11 and 12 thereof toward lower second end portions 21 and 22 thereof;
an angle α formed between a virtual straight line SL, which passes through the first end portions 11 and 12 and the second end portions 21 and 22, and a tread surface 8F of the sole is set to 30° to 60°; and
a stiffness of a virtual area VA including the flexible member 30 and the reinforcement portions satisfies the following conditions (a) to (c):
(a) where the virtual area VA is defined by a pair of vertical lines S1 extending along the virtual straight line SL and a pair of horizontal lines S2 extending along another straight line perpendicular to the virtual straight line, a test specimen S having a rectangular shape thus defined is used;
(b) the first end portions 11 and 12 and the second end portions 21 and 22 are clamped by a tensile tester 100 and a tensile load is applied thereon in a direction in which the virtual straight line SL extends; and
(c) a tensile stiffness of the test specimen S increases when a stretch of the test specimen S exceeds an arbitrary value of 3% to 6%.
On the medial side of the forefoot section, the angle α formed between the virtual straight line SL, which passes through the first end portions 11 and 12 and the second end portions 21 and 22 of the reinforcement portions extending obliquely rearward and downward, and the tread surface 8F of the sole (
The tensile stiffness of the test specimen S increases when the stretch of the test specimen S exceeds an arbitrary value of 3% to 6%. This allows for a small stretch, which is needed for the upper, thus realizing a soft feel on the foot, when running while the wearer is not fatigued. On the other hand, after the wearer is fatigued, the upper stretches less easily and it is possible to suppress the collapse of the foot.
Preferably, in a reinforced area 4 where the flexible member 30 is reinforced by the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2, at least a surface member of the flexible member includes a meshed fabric (mesh fabric) that can stretch and shrink (stretchable) in an up-down direction Y and in a front-rear direction X of the shoe.
Such a meshed fabric will improve the fitting property of the upper in the reinforced area 4, of which the deformation is restrained (restricted) by the reinforcement portions 1 and 2.
More preferably, the meshed fabric stretches and shrinks more easily in the front-rear direction X than in the up-down direction Y.
With the meshed fabric stretching/shrinking more easily in the front-rear direction, the fabric stretches easily in the direction in which the surface of the foot stretches during kick-off, which will further improve the fitting property.
On the other hand, if the meshed fabric stretches less easily in the up-down direction than in the front-rear direction, this fabric, together with the reinforcement portions 1 and 2, will make the upper less stretchable in the up-down direction, and the overpronation will likely be suppressed.
The meshed fabric may include many through holes that can be visually observed. The shape of the through holes may be oblong circular, elliptical, circular or diamond-shaped. The material of the meshed fabric may be a synthetic fiber or a natural fiber.
Preferably, in the first aspect, a length 4L of the area 4 in a direction D1 along which the virtual first center line C1 extends is greater than the maximum width 4W of the area 4, the virtual first center line C1 dividing the reinforced area 4 into an anterior portion and a posterior portion.
Where the length of the reinforced area 4 is greater than the width 4W of the reinforced area 4, the reinforced area 4 stretches less easily in the direction D1 in which the center line extends, whereas it stretches easily in the width direction, i.e., the front-rear direction. Therefore, one can expect further improvements to the pronation-suppressing property and the fitting property.
Preferably, in the second aspect and the third aspect, the flexible member 30 includes a reinforced area 4 defined by the first envelope line 1L and the second envelope line 2L, and a length 4L of the area 4 in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to a direction extending from the first bend point (first bending point) O1 toward the second bend point (second bending point) O2 is greater than a width 4W of the area 4 between the first bend point (the first bending point) O1 and the second bend point (the second bending point) O2.
Where the length 4L between the upper and lower ends of the reinforcement portions is greater than the width 4W between the bend points, as described above, one can expect further improvements to the overpronation suppressing function and the fitting property.
Preferably, in the first aspect, an angle α formed between the first center line C1 and a tread surface 8F of the sole is set to 30° to 60°. Note that the “angle formed between a line and the tread surface 8F of the sole” means the acute angle formed anterior to the line or the vertical angle thereof.
Preferably, in the second and third aspects, an angle α formed between a virtual second center line C2 and a tread surface 8F of the sole 8 is set to 30° to 60°, wherein the virtual second center line C2 extends from a midpoint O3 of a virtual line segment connecting between the first bend point O1 and the second bend point O2 to a point O4 included in an upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion 1 and an upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion 2 (or to a point O4 between the upper ends 13 and 23). Note that the “second center line C2” may be a virtual line that generally equally divides the upper half of the area 4.
As described above, the direction Da in which the upper is stretched will be 46.7°±7.1° with respect to the tread surface. Therefore, where the angle α is set to 30° to 60°, the function of suppressing the stretch of the upper will be high, and the overpronation suppressing function will be improved.
In one shoe, the first center line C1 and the second center line C2 will essentially coincide (conform) with each other.
Preferably, in the first, second and third aspects, an upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion 1 and an upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion 2 are adjacent to, or continuous with, an engagement portion H with which a shoelace engages, and a lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion 1 and a lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion 2 are adjacent to, or continuous with, an upper surface 81 of the sole 8.
In such a case, the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 extend over a great length, over the entire extent or the majority of the extent from the engagement portion H with which the shoelace engages to the upper surface 81 of the sole 8. Therefore, the function of suppressing the stretch of the upper will be high, and the overpronation suppressing function will be improved.
The “engagement portion H” has an eyelet hole or a loop through which the shoelace passes, and includes an eyelet member (eyelet ornament) or a U-shaped tube with which the shoelace engages.
Preferably, in the first aspect, the first and the second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 are placed while the virtual first center line C1 is adapted to cross a shaft B11 of a first metatarsal bone B1, as seen in a side view.
Preferably, in the second aspect, the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 are placed while the virtual second center line C2 is adapted to cross a shaft B11 of a first metatarsal bone B1, as seen in a side view.
The area of the upper covering the shaft of the first metatarsal bone receives a large tensile force between the engagement portion with which the shoelace engages and the sole 8 during kick-off. Against such a large tensile force, the reinforcement portions 1 and 2 suppress the stretch of the upper. Therefore, the overpronation suppressing function will be improved.
Preferably, in the first aspect, a lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion and a lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion are adapted to a position of an arch on a medial side of the foot, and an upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion is adapted to a position of a ball O of a big toe or posterior R to the ball O of the big toe; and
the upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion is placed anterior to the lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion, and/or an upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion is placed anterior to the lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion.
In such a case, the lower ends of the reinforcement portions 1 and 2 adapted to the position of the arch on the medial side of the foot will be pulled in a forward-upward diagonal direction. Therefore, the lowering of the arch will be suppressed, and the overpronation suppressing function will easily be exerted.
Preferably, in the first and second aspects, a lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion and a lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion are placed within a range of 40% to 60% of an entire length of the shoe, as measured from a front end FE of the shoe in a front-rear direction X;
an upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion and an upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion are placed within a range of 25% to 45% of the entire length of the shoe, as measured from the front end FE; and
the upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion is placed anterior to the lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion, and the upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion is placed anterior to the lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion.
If the upper ends and the lower ends of the reinforcement portions are placed within such a range, and if the upper ends are anterior to the lower ends, the lower ends of the reinforcement portions will be adapted to the arch on the medial side of the foot and the lower ends of the reinforcement portions will be pulled in a forward-upward diagonal direction. Therefore, the lowering of the arch will be suppressed, and the overpronation suppressing function will easily be exerted.
In the present invention, if the lower ends 14 and 24 of the reinforcement portions are placed at a position that is less than 40% from the front end FE, or if the position of the lower ends 14 and 24 is placed at a position over 60% from the front end FE, the lower ends will unlikely be adapted to the arch on the medial side.
If the upper ends 13 and 23 of the reinforcement portions are placed at a position less than 25% from the front end FE, the angle α may be too small. On the other hand, if the upper ends 13 and 23 of the reinforcement portions are placed at a position over 45% from the front end FE, the angle α may be too large.
In view of this, preferably, in the first to third aspects, a lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion and a lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion are placed within a range of 45% to 55% of an entire length of the shoe, as measured from a front end FE of the shoe in a front-rear direction X;
an upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion and an upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion are placed within a range of 30% to 40% of the entire length of the shoe, as measured from the front end FE; and
the upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion is placed anterior to the lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion, and the upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion is placed anterior to the lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion.
In such a case, the respective lower ends 14 and 24 of the first and the second reinforcement portions are placed within the range of 45% to 55%, as measured from the front end FE of the shoe in the front-rear direction X, and the respective upper ends 13 and 23 of the first and the second reinforcement portions are placed within the range of 30% to 40%, as measured from the front end FE.
With the upper ends and the lower ends of the reinforcement portions placed within such a range, the first and second center lines C1 and C2 and the intermediate portion 45 of the reinforced area 4 will likely be placed so as to be adapted to the shaft B11 of the first metatarsal bone B1. Therefore, the overpronation suppressing function will more easily be exerted.
The upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion is placed anterior to the lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion, and the upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion is placed anterior to the lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion. With such an arrangement, the first and second reinforcement portions will both extend in a forward-upward diagonal direction so as to cross the shaft B11 of the first metatarsal bone B1. Thus, one can expect further improvements to the stability performance and the fitting property.
Preferably, in the second aspect, an angle α1 (interior angle) formed between the first reinforcement portion 1 and the second reinforcement portion 2, measured by an upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion and an upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion, is an acute angle;
an angle α2 (interior angle) formed between the first reinforcement portion 1 and the second reinforcement portion 2, measured by a lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion 1 and a lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion 2, is an acute angle;
an angle α3 (interior angle) formed by the first reinforcement portion 1 at the first bend point O1 is an obtuse angle; and
an angle α4 (interior angle) formed by the second reinforcement portion 2 at the second bend point O2 is an obtuse angle.
In such a case, the first and second reinforcement portions are formed in a diamond shape (rhombus) that is elongated in an oblique up-down direction. When a tension acts on a flexible member including the reinforcement portions in an oblique up-down direction, the acute angles α1 and α2 will decrease, and the flexible member will slightly stretch in the oblique up-down direction. On the other hand, when a tension acts on a flexible member including the reinforcement portions in the width direction perpendicular to the oblique up-down direction, the obtuse angles α3 and α4 will decrease, and the flexible member will stretch relatively substantially. Such an anisotropy will improve both the stability performance and the fitting property.
Any feature illustrated and/or depicted in conjunction with one of the aforementioned aspects or the following embodiments may be used in the same or similar form in one or more of the other aspects or other embodiments, and/or may be used in combination with, or in place of, any feature of the other aspects or embodiments.
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 should not be taken to define the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention shall be defined only by the appended claims. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals denote like components throughout the plurality of figures.
Embodiment 1 of the present invention will now be described with reference to
A shoe for the right foot will be illustrated (exemplified) in the following description.
The shoe shown in
The sole 8 is placed under the upper 3, and comes into contact with the road surface. The flexible member 30 may cover the medial side surface and the lateral side surface of the forefoot section as well as the toes and the heel, and may include a tongue 39 anterior F to a mouth (top line) 7. The reinforcement portions 1 and 2 and the shoelace are for fitting the flexible member 30 to the instep. The forefoot section includes five metatarsal bones and fourteen phalanges. The middle foot section includes a navicular bone, a cuboid bone, and three cuneiform bones. The rear foot section includes a talus (ankle) bone and a calcaneal bone.
The sole 8 may include an outsole 83 made of a rubber, and a midsole 80 on the outsole 83, the midsole 80 including a foamed resin such as EVA. The outsole 83 may be divided into a front and a rear portion. Note that a reinforcement unit 89 well known in the art for reinforcing the midsole 80 may be provided in the arch section, the reinforcement unit 89 being attached on the lower surface of the midsole 80.
In
The first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 may be formed by a natural material such as a resin material or a cotton thread. The resin material may be a material including a thermoplastic resin component and any other suitable component. Examples of the thermoplastic resin component may include a thermoplastic elastomer and a thermoplastic resin.
In
The flexible member 30 of
The meshed flexible portions 31 and 32 of
The first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 are attached (adhered) to a surface 3F of the flexible member 30. The term “attached” may be replaced by the word “secured (fixed)”, and it conceptually means that objects are joined together in such a manner that they cannot be removed easily. Specifically, “attached” means that objects are joined together by means of bonding, welding, printing or sewing, or by a combination of two or more of these means.
In
The first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 stretch less easily than the first flexible portion 31 of the flexible member 30. The first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 may stretch more easily than the third flexible portion 33 of the flexible member 30. This is because the third flexible portion 33 of the flexible member 30 is placed in areas where the stretch should be suppressed, e.g., around the engagement portion H, and the flexible member 30 in itself has a high tensile stiffness (tensile rigidity).
That is, “the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 stretching less easily than the flexible member 30”, as used herein, means that the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 stretch less easily than the flexible member 30 in more than half of the flexible member 30 with the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 attached thereto; and as the first flexible portion 31 has an anisotropy as will be described later, it means that the tensile stiffness per predetermined width of the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 is higher than the tensile stiffness per predetermined width of the first flexible portion 31 in the direction in which it stretches most easily.
A cross-sectional structure of the upper 3 with the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 attached thereto will be described with reference to
The interior member 35 and the backer member 36 are placed on the reverse side of the flexible member 30, and these members 30, 35 and 36 are sewn together along the perimeter. Note that the backer member 36 is placed in a band-shaped pattern extending in the front-rear direction on the reverse side of an upper edge 37 of the medial side portion of the upper of
In
That is, the first flexible portion 31 of the flexible member 30 has such an anisotropy that it stretches more easily in the front-rear direction X than in the up-down direction Y.
The first reinforcement portion 1 (2) and the film 34 may be attached on the outer surface side of the flexible member 30 of
Part of the resin structure of the reinforcement portions 1 and 2 or the film 34 welded or printed on the flexible member 30 of
The flexible member 30, the film 34 and the interior member 35 are sandwiched between the midsole 80 and an insole 82, as with an ordinary upper. This secures the upper 3 and the midsole 80 with each other.
In
In the illustrated example, the engagement portion H is continuous with the upper ends 13 and 23 of the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2.
In the illustrated example, the upper end 13 of the first reinforcement portion 1 and the upper end 23 of the second reinforcement portion partially overlap each other, and are continuous with each other in the front-rear direction X. The lower end 14 of the first reinforcement portion 1 and the lower end 24 of the second reinforcement portion 2 partially overlap each other, and are continuous with each other in the front-rear direction X.
As shown in
The area 4 is defined by the first envelope line 1L along the posterior edge 1E of the first reinforcement portion 1 and the second envelope line 2L along the anterior edge 2E of the second reinforcement portion 2. In the illustrated example, the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 are smoothly continuous with each other without gaps, and the posterior edge 1E of the first reinforcement portion 1 and the anterior edge 2E of the second reinforcement portion 2 respectively coincide with the first envelope line 1L and the second envelope line 2L. In the illustrated example, the perimeter of the area 4 is completely surrounded by the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2.
The area 4 includes the upper end portion 43, the lower end portion 44, and the intermediate portion 45 between the upper end portion 43 and the lower end portion 44. The upper end portion 43 of the area 4 is placed anterior F to the lower end portion 44. That is, the area 4 extends in a forward-upward diagonal direction from the lower end portion 44 to the upper end portion 43.
As shown in
Note that the first center line C1 may be arranged in the illustrated example so that an extension line of the first center line C1 crosses the reinforcement unit 89 and the arch section, as seen in a side view.
In
The frame shape of the reinforcement portions 1 and 2 does not always need to be diamond-shaped as shown in
In
In the case of this example, the angle α1 formed between the first reinforcement portion 1 and the second reinforcement portion 2 at the upper ends 13 and 23 of the first and second reinforcement portions is an acute angle. The angle α2 formed between the first reinforcement portion 1 and the second reinforcement portion 2 at the lower ends 14 and 24 of the first and second reinforcement portions is an acute angle. These angles α1 and α2 may be determined by the angle formed between the center lines (denoted by a two-dot-chain line) of the reinforcement portions 1 and 2, or by the angle formed between two straight lines respectively forming the posterior edge 1E and the anterior edge 2E.
The angle α3 formed by the first reinforcement portion 1 at the first bend point O1 of the first envelope line 1L is an obtuse angle. The angle α4 formed by the second reinforcement portion 2 at the second bend point O2 of the second envelope line 2L is an obtuse angle. Where a bend portion 46 is curved smoothly as in the example of
In this example, if an external force F1 acts on the first end portions 11 and 12 in upper of the reinforcement portions 1 and 2 or the second end portions 21 and 22 in lower of the reinforcement portions 1 and 2, each component force F2 thereof is relatively small. On the other hand, if an external force F1 acts on the bend portion 46 in the middle of each of the reinforcement portions 1 and 2, each component force F2 thereof is relatively large. Therefore, the reinforcement portions 1 and 2 has such an anisotropy that they stretch less easily in the direction D1 along the first center line C1 while stretching more easily in the direction D2 perpendicular to the direction D1.
In
In
The first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 are placed so that the virtual first center line C1 crosses the shaft B11 of the first metatarsal bone B1, as seen in a side view. Moreover, as in the illustrated example, the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 may be placed so as to cross the first metatarsal bone B1, and more preferably so as to extend in a forward-upward diagonal direction to cover at least a portion of the shaft B11 of the first metatarsal bone B1 and so as not to cross the first proximal phalanx B12 anterior to the first metatarsal bone B1 or the medial cuneiform bone B13 posterior to the first metatarsal bone B1, as seen in a side view.
Now, the shaft refers to a portion between the base and the head, and the thickness thereof typically changes smoothly. The base refers to a portion of each bone that is close to a joint posterior thereto and that is slightly expanding to a greater thickness, and it is referred to also as the proximal head. On the other hand, the head refers to a portion of each bone that is close to a joint anterior thereto and that is slightly expanding to a greater thickness, and it is referred to also as the distal head. Note that the sesamoid bone Os generally refers to a bone piece produced inside a tendon running through a joint area, or the like, while being in contact with a bone.
The first envelope line 1L along the posterior edge 1E of the first reinforcement portion includes the first bend point O1 at which the first envelope line 1L bends, the first bend point O1 located above the boundary portion 38 and below the upper edge 37 of the upper 3. The second envelope line 2L along the anterior edge 2E of the second reinforcement portion includes the second bend point O2 at which the second envelope line 2L bends, the second bend point O2 located above the boundary portion 38 and below the upper edge 37 of the upper 3. Now, the bend point O1 (O2) forms an inflection point of one envelope line 1L (2L) in the intermediate portion 45 of the area 4.
The first reinforcement portion 1 and the second reinforcement portion 2 come gradually closer to each other as the first envelope line 1L and the second envelope line 2L extend upward respectively from the first and second bend points O1 and O2. The first reinforcement portion 1 and the second reinforcement portion 2 come gradually closer to each other as the first envelope line 1L and the second envelope line 2L extend downward respectively from the first and second bend points O1 and O2.
In the case of the example of
In
In
As shown in
Although the upper ends 13 and 23 of the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 are continuous with the engagement portions H, with which the shoelace engages, in the example of
In the example of
The first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 may be shaped with angular bend portions 46 as shown in
In
In view of this, the position at which the width 4W of the area 4 of
Note that the angle α1 and the angle α2 may be equal to each other as shown in
As shown in
In
In the embodiment described above, the inclination of the reinforcement portions 1 and 2 is represented by the angle α formed by the reinforcement portions with the tread surface 8F (
α=(Δ1+Δ2+Δ3+Δ4)/4 (1)
That is, the value of the angle α is the value obtained by dividing the sum of the angles Δ1 to Δ4 of n portions 51 to 54 by the number “n”. The angle Δi may be Δi<90°. That is, each of the angles Δ1 to Δ4 may be less than 90°. The angle Δi may also be Δi>10°. That is, each of the angles Δ1 to Δ4 may be greater than 10°.
As shown in
In the illustrated example, the perimeter of the area 4 is surrounded by the first reinforcement portion 1, the second reinforcement portion 2, the upper surface 81 of the sole 8 and the upper edge 37 of the upper 3. That is, the area 4 is a portion that is sandwiched or surrounded by the envelope line 1L of the first reinforcement portion 1 and the envelope line 2L of the second reinforcement portion 2.
As shown in
The bend portion 46 may be formed in a smooth arc pattern.
As shown in
As shown in
In contrast, in the examples of
The upper ends 13 and 23 of the two reinforcement portions of
As shown in
As shown in
Although the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 are covered by the transparent film 34 in the example of
Where the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 are formed by a cotton thread or a nylon thread, which do not stretch easily, for example, a film or a cloth having a similar shape to the first and second reinforcement portions 1 and 2 and having a smaller stiffness than the first flexible portion 31 may be sewn to the surface of the flexible member 30 by means of the thread.
Next, the stiffness characteristic of the virtual area VA including the flexible member 30 and the reinforcement portions will be described with reference to
In
Note that in the illustrated example, the virtual straight line SL coincides with the first center line C1 of
Next, the pronation-suppressing effect will be discussed with reference to
A comparison therebetween in
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.
The sole placed under the upper may only include a so-called “outsole”. The reinforced area may be provided on the medial side portion and on the lateral side portion. The reinforcement unit and the arch section may be absent.
Through holes allowing the shoelace to pass therethrough may be loops, or the like, instead of eyelets.
A belt as a fastening member may be employed instead of, or in addition to, the shoelace.
The meshed fabric included in the flexible member does not need to have an anisotropy, and it may have such an anisotropy that it stretches more easily in the up-down direction than in the front-rear direction.
Thus, such changes and modifications are deemed to fall within the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the appended claims.
The present invention is applicable to running shoes, and also to shoes of various other applications such as walking.
1 F First reinforcement portion, 2: Second reinforcement portion
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2015/078600 | 10/8/2015 | WO | 00 |
