This nonprovisional application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-124010 filed on Aug. 3, 2022 with the Japan Patent Office, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present disclosure relates to a sole and a shoe.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-340101 discloses a hard shoe sole of a spike shoe for track and field athletics, including: a plate-shaped shoe sole body portion that supports a bottom surface of a foot; and a plurality of spike mounting portions formed on a rear surface of the shoe sole body portion. A metal spike is fixed to each of the spike mounting portions. The plurality of spike mounting portions include a first spike mounting portion provided at a position corresponding to the first metatarsophalangeal joint. Each spike mounting portion protrudes from the rear surface of the shoe sole body portion.
It is desirable that the hard shoe sole of the spike shoe for track and field athletics as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-340101 be enhanced in stability of the motion of a foot during a period from when the foot contacts the ground to when the foot takes off from the ground.
It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a sole and a shoe capable of enhancing the stability of motion of a foot during a period from when the foot contacts the ground to when the foot takes off from the ground.
A sole according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a sole forming a part of a shoe, the sole including: a midsole; a bottom plate connected to a lower surface of the midsole; a top plate connected to an upper surface of the midsole; and at least one pin retaining member that is configured to retain a spike pin. The bottom plate includes: a plate body having a reference surface; and at least one base portion that holds the at least one pin retaining member. The bottom plate includes a thenar region corresponding to an area located between a first portion and a second portion to support a big toe of a foot of a wearer of the shoe, the first portion corresponds to 20% of a total length of the sole extending toward a front side in a foot length direction of the sole from an MP overlapping portion that overlaps with an MP joint of the foot of the wearer in a thickness direction of the sole, and the second portion corresponds to 20% of the total length of the sole extending toward a rear side in the foot length direction from the NIP overlapping portion The at least one base portion includes a thenar base portion disposed in the thenar region. A lower surface of the thenar base portion is formed to be flush with the reference surface or to be recessed above the reference surface.
A shoe according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: the sole; and an upper connected to the sole and forming, together with the sole, a space in which the foot of the wearer is received.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention, which is understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings referred to below, the same or corresponding members are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the following description, terms such as a foot length direction, a foot width direction, forward, rearward are used. Each of these terms representing directions indicates the direction as seen from a viewpoint of a wearer of a shoe 1 placed on a flat plane P (see
As shown in
The upper 20 is connected to the sole 10. The upper 20 and the sole 10 together form a space in which a foot of a wearer is received. The upper 20 covers the upper surface of the foot of the wearer.
The sole 10 forms a part of the shoe 1. The sole 10 is connected to a lower part of the upper 20. As shown in
The midsole 100 has; a shock absorbing function exerted when a foot contacts the ground; a resilient function exerted when a foot takes off from the ground; and the like. The midsole 100 is preferably made of foamed resin or foamed rubber having appropriate strength and excellent shock absorbing performance. As shown in
The forefoot midsole 110 supports a forefoot portion or a midfoot portion of the wearer's foot. The forefoot midsole 110 is formed, for example, by physical foaming of a resilient material (nylon and the like).
The rearfoot midsole 120 supports a rearfoot portion of the wearer's foot. The rearfoot midsole 120 has a shape extending rearward from a rear end portion of the forefoot midsole 110. The rearfoot midsole 120 is formed, for example, of a resin-made foam material containing: a resin material as a main component; and a foaming agent and a cross-linking agent as sub-components. The rearfoot midsole 120 is formed, for example, by chemical foaming of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA).
The bottom plate 200 is connected to a lower surface of the midsole 100. The bottom plate 200 is made of a thermoplastic resin or the like. The bottom plate 200 is higher in hardness than the midsole 100. The bottom plate 200 includes a plate body 210, at least one base portion 220, and a reinforcing portion 230.
The plate body 210 has a shape extending rearward from the front end of the midsole 100. Specifically, the plate body 210 extends from the front end of the forefoot midsole 110 to a position beyond the boundary between the forefoot midsole 110 and the rearfoot midsole 120. The plate body 210 has a reference surface 210S. The reference surface 210S means a lower surface of a surface connecting the thickest portions of the plate body 210. Note that
The base portion 220 holds the pin retaining member 600. The base portion 220 has a shape surrounding the pin retaining member 600.
In the present embodiment, the at least one base portion 220 includes a plurality of base portions 220. As shown in
Each of the thenar base portions 221 is disposed in a thenar region R1. As shown in
The foot length direction extends in a direction parallel to a shoe center SC (see
In the present embodiment, one of the thenar base portions 221 (which may be hereinafter also referred to as a “thenar base portion 221A”) is disposed between the MP overlapping portion and the first portion L1, and the other of the thenar base portions 221 (which may be hereinafter also referred to as a “thenar base portion 221B”) is disposed between the MP overlapping portion and the second portion L2.
As shown in
As shown in
Each of the lateral foot-side base portions 222 is disposed in a lateral foot-side region R2. As shown in
In the present embodiment, one of the lateral foot-side base portions 222 is disposed between the MP overlapping portion and the first portion L1, and the other of the lateral foot-side base portions 222 is disposed between the MP overlapping portion and the second portion L2.
The lower surface of the lateral foot-side base portion 222 disposed between the NIP overlapping portion and the first portion L1 is formed to be flush with the reference surface 210S of the plate body 210 or to be recessed above the reference surface 210S. A plurality of concave portions 211 and a plurality of concave portions 212 may be provided in an area of the plate body 210 around this lateral foot-side base portion 222.
The lower surface of the lateral foot-side base portion 222 disposed between the MP overlapping portion and the second portion L2 is formed to be flush with the reference surface 210S of the plate body 210. A plurality of concave portions 212 are provided in an area of the plate body 210 around the lateral foot-side base portion 222.
Each of the toe base portions 223 is disposed in a toe region R3. As shown in
In the present embodiment, one of the toe base portions 223 is disposed on the inner side of the shoe center SC in the foot width direction (in the left-right direction in
As shown in
The forefoot midsole 110 includes a receiving portion 112 (see
The reinforcing portion 230 reinforces the plate body 210. As shown in
The top plate 300 is connected to an upper surface of the midsole 100. The top plate 300 has a function of increasing the flexural rigidity of the sole 10, a function of uniformly applying a load to the midsole 100, and the like. The top plate 300 is made of a fiber reinforced resin or a non-fiber reinforced resin. In the present embodiment, the top plate 300 is made of a carbon fiber reinforced resin. The top plate 300 is formed to have a thickness of about 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm.
As shown in
The midsole top 400 is connected to an upper surface of the top plate 300. The midsole top 400 is formed, for example, by chemical foaming of EVA. As shown in
The outsole 500 is connected to a lower surface of the rearfoot midsole 120. The outsole 500 is made of rubber or the like. The outsole 500 is formed to have a thickness of about 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm.
The pin retaining member 600 serves to retain a spike pin (not shown). The pin retaining member 600 is capable of detachably retaining the spike pin. This makes it possible to replace the spike pin according to the purpose of use and the wear conditions of the pin. The pin retaining member 600 is formed of a nut. In the present embodiment, at least one pin retaining member 600 includes a plurality of pin retaining members 600. Specifically, the plurality of pin retaining members 600 include six pin retaining members 600 disposed on the respective base portions 220. The spike pin is not limited to a detachable type but may be a fixed type.
As described above, in the sole 10 according to the present embodiment, the lower surface 221S of the thenar base portion 221 is formed to be flush with the reference surface 210S of the plate body 210 or to be recessed above the reference surface 210S, which therefore enhances the stability of the motion of the foot during a period from when the foot contacts the ground to when the foot takes off from the ground.
Further, the plate body 210 is smaller in thickness than the base portion 220 and the midsole 100 has the receiving portion 112 in which the thenar base portion 221 is received. Thus, in the midsole 100, the thickness of the portion not overlapping with the thenar base portion 221 is ensured to a considerable degree while avoiding an increase in the sum of the thicknesses of the midsole 100 and the bottom plate 200. Therefore, the shock absorbing performance is enhanced.
The following describes a sole 10 of a shoe 1 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to
In the present embodiment, the plate body 210 is provided with neither concave portion 211 nor concave portion 212. As shown in
The following describes a sole 10 of a shoe 1 according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to
In the present embodiment, as shown in
Similarly to the second embodiment, the plate body 210 is provided with neither concave portion 211 nor concave portion 212. As shown in
As shown in
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the above-described illustrative embodiments are specific examples of the aspects as set forth below.
A sole forming a part of a shoe, the sole comprising:
In the above-described sole, the lower surface of the thenar base portion is formed to be flush with the reference surface of the bottom plate or to be recessed above the reference surface, which therefore enhances the stability of the motion of the foot during a period from when the foot contacts the ground to when the foot takes off from the ground.
The sole according to aspect 1, wherein
The above-described aspect makes it possible to exert sufficient grip force when the foot takes off from the ground.
The sole according to aspect 2, wherein
The above-described aspect makes it possible to achieve both the sufficient grip force and the stability during a period from when the foot contacts the ground to when the foot takes off from the ground.
The sole according to aspect 2 or 3, wherein a lower surface of the toe base portion protrudes downward from the reference surface.
The above-described aspect makes it possible to prevent the pin retaining member from pushing the wearer's foot upward at a portion where the midsole is reduced in thickness for the purpose of further enhancing the stability when the foot takes off from the ground.
The sole according to aspect 3, wherein a lower surface of the toe base portion and a lower surface of the lateral foot-side base portion are formed to be flush with the reference surface.
The above-described aspect further enhances the stability of the motion of the foot during a period from when the foot contacts the ground to when the foot takes off from the ground.
The sole according to any one of aspects 1 to 5, wherein the at least one pin retaining member is capable of detachably retaining the spike pin.
The above-described aspect makes it possible to replace the spike pin according to the purpose of use and the wear conditions of the spike pin.
A shoe comprising:
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described, it should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in every respect. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, and is intended to include any modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the terms of the claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2022-124010 | Aug 2022 | JP | national |