This application is a U.S. national phase application under 37 U.S.C. §371 of Patent Cooperation Treaty Application No. PCT/JP2011/056539, filed on Mar. 18, 2011, entitled Spike Sole Reinforced by Fiber Reinforcement, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a spike sole reinforced with fiber reinforcement.
By forming a sole with a layer of fiber reinforcement coated with a matrix resin, i.e., a pre-preg, the rigidity of the sole is increased and the weight of the sole is reduced. The weight reduction of such a spike sole is important in football sports, or the like, as well as with track and field spike shoes.
It is well known to use a layer of the fiber reinforcement sheet to form a sole having spike pins (the first and second patent documents).
[First Patent Document] JP2000-102402A (Abstract)
[Second Patent Document] JP2002-125709A (Abstract)
Areas of a sole where spikes are provided are subject to a substantial leg power while running through the spikes. Therefore, normally, the flexural rigidity of a sole in the front foot portion thereof tends to be high.
However, since a front foot portion of a sole bends while running, the flexural rigidity thereof should be made lower than that of a middle foot portion. Nevertheless, the patent documents identified above fail to give any such disclosure.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to easily realize a spike sole reinforced with fiber reinforcement, wherein the flexural rigidity of the front foot portion is less than that of the middle foot portion.
The patent documents identified above fail to give any disclosure as to the need to locally reinforce the areas of spike pins with such a sheet.
For example, JP2000-102402A provides truncated cone-shaped protrusions for supporting spike pins. However, such protrusions significantly increase the weight of the sole, inhibiting the weight reduction of the sole.
Thus, it is another object of the present invention to provide a spike sole reinforced with fiber reinforcement, wherein the weight of the sole is reduced while maintaining the strength of the sole.
One aspect of the present invention is directed to a spike sole having a plurality of spikes 4 at least in a front foot portion, wherein: at least one layer of a main reinforcement sheet 1 which is arranged spanning from a front end of the front foot portion to a rear end of a middle foot portion and made of a fiber reinforcement coated with a matrix resin is laminated with a layer of a first cut-off sheet 21 which is absent at least in an area in a vicinity of the front end of the front foot portion and which is arranged in the middle foot portion and made of a fiber reinforcement coated with a matrix resin; and a front end of the first cut-off sheet 21 is positioned posterior to a front end of a proximal phalanx B31 of a big toe and anterior to a base of the metatarsal bone B41 of the big toe.
The main reinforcement sheet 1 and the first cut-off sheet 21 are made of a pre-preg including a matrix resin reinforced with fiber reinforcement.
Note that fiber reinforcement refers to a fibrous material having a greater Young's modulus than Young's modulus of a matrix resin.
A matrix resin of a fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) refers to a base material thereof to be combined with the fiber, which is the reinforcing material.
It is possible to easily realize a sole in which the rigidity of the front foot portion is smaller than that of the middle foot portion.
In a preferred embodiment of this aspect, a second cut-off sheet 22 which is absent at least in an area in the vicinity of the front end of the front foot portion and which is arranged in the middle foot portion and made of fiber reinforcement coated with a matrix resin is laminated with the main reinforcement sheet 1 and the first cut-off sheet 21; a front end of the second cut-off sheet 22 is positioned posterior to a head of the proximal phalanx B31 of the big toe and anterior to the base of the metatarsal bone B41 of the big toe; and the front end of the second cut-off sheet 22 is arranged posterior to the front end of the first cut-off sheet 21.
In such a case, it is possible to easily realize a sole whose rigidity gradually decreases toward the anterior side.
Now, fiber of a pre-preg exerts a very high resistance against a tensile load along the orientation of the fiber, and also exerts a high resistance against a flexural load or twisting. On the other hand, the coat of the matrix resin of a pre-preg is set to a minimum thickness required for the surface adhesion strength between pre-pregs. Therefore, the coat is thin, and therefore the adhesive strength between the pre-preg and the top surface of the spike pin may be insufficient.
From such a point of view, in a more preferred embodiment of this aspect, the main reinforcement sheet 1 is arranged at such a position as to cover over a top surface 42 of a flat-plate-shaped base 40 of the spike 4, and at least one layer of a synthetic resin sheet 6, which is thicker than a thickness of the coat of the matrix resin, is provided between the top surface 42 and the main reinforcement sheet 1 for at least one of the plurality of spikes.
The synthetic resin sheet 6 may be formed by a film-shaped adhesive sheet made of a thermosetting resin.
In such a case, the layer of the synthetic resin sheet 6 increases the adhesion strength between the base 40 of the spike 4 and a pre-preg sheet such as the main reinforcement sheet 1 in contact with the synthetic resin sheet 6. This prevents the base 40 from coming off of the sole.
In a still more preferred embodiment of this aspect, the layer of the synthetic resin sheet 6 is provided in at least a portion of an area where the spikes 4 are provided and is not extending posterior to a base of a metatarsal bone B45 of a fifth toe.
In such a case, the rigidity of the synthetic resin sheet 6 is smaller than that of the main reinforcement sheet 1, and it is therefore possible to easily realize a sole in which the rigidity of the front foot portion is smaller than that of the middle foot portion, and to reduce the weight of the middle foot portion.
In another preferred embodiment of this aspect, at least a portion of the synthetic resin sheet 6 is arranged anterior to the front end of the first cut-off sheet 21, and at least a portion of the synthetic resin sheet 6 is not covered by the first cut-off sheet 21 and is covered by the main reinforcement sheet 1.
In such a case, in portions of the front foot portion where the rigidity is small, the synthetic resin sheet 6 increases the strength of adhesion, thereby preventing the top surface 42 of the spike 4 from coming off.
In still another preferred embodiment of this aspect, a plurality of patches of the synthetic resin sheet 6 are provided in an island-like pattern while being spaced apart from one another in a front-rear direction of a foot.
In such a case, with the provision of a plurality of patches of the synthetic resin sheet 6 separately from one another in the front-rear direction, it is possible to prevent the flexural rigidity of the front foot portion from being unnecessarily high, allowing the sole to bend easily in the areas of separation. Since the area of the synthetic resin sheet 6 is small, the sheet 6 is unlikely to warp (twist), and the sheet 6 can easily be positioned, during the manufacturing process.
In still another preferred embodiment of this aspect, for two or more of the plurality of spikes 4, the synthetic resin sheet 6 is provided separately for each of the spikes 4.
In such a case, it is possible to further reduce the flexural rigidity of the front foot portion.
Another aspect of the method of the present invention is directed to a spike sole having a plurality of spikes 4 at least in a front foot portion, wherein: at least one layer of a main reinforcement sheet 1 which is arranged spanning from a front end of the front foot portion to a rear end of a middle foot portion and made of fiber reinforcement coated with a matrix resin is laminated with layers of a plurality of island-shaped sheets 3 which are arranged separated from one another in an island-like pattern in areas of the spikes 4 and each of which has a greater area than a top surface 42 of each spike 4 and is made of fiber reinforcement coated with a matrix resin.
In this aspect, the island-shaped sheets 3 increase the strength of a sole body 5 at each spike 4.
On the other hand, the island-like pattern of separation prevents the flexural rigidity of the front foot portion from being unnecessarily high, and also allows for a reduction in the weight of the sole.
In a preferred embodiment of this aspect, for two or more of the spikes 4, the island-shaped sheets 3 are provided and are separated from one another in a front-rear direction of a foot.
In such a case, it is possible to further reduce the flexural rigidity of the front foot portion.
In a more preferred embodiment of this aspect, the spike sole includes, further laminated thereto, at least one layer of a cut-off sheet 2 which is absent at least in an area in the vicinity of the front end of the front foot portion and which is arranged in the middle foot portion and made of fiber reinforcement coated with a matrix resin.
In such a case, the rigidity in the area in the vicinity of the front end where the cut-off sheet 2 is absent is smaller than that of the middle foot portion. Therefore, the rigidity of the sole gradually decreases toward the anterior side.
In a more preferred embodiment of this aspect, at least one of the island-shaped sheets 3 is arranged anterior to a front end of the cut-off sheet 2, and at least one of the island-shaped sheets 3 is not covered by the cut-off sheet 2 and is covered by the main reinforcement sheet 1.
In such a case, in portions of the front foot where the rigidity is small, the island-shaped sheets 3 increase the strength of the sole, thereby preventing the spikes 4 from coming off.
In a more preferred embodiment of this aspect, the main reinforcement sheet 1 includes a lower reinforcement sheet 11, being a lower part, and an upper reinforcement sheet 12 covering the lower reinforcement sheet 11 from above; and the cut-off sheet 2 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the lower reinforcement sheet 11 and the upper reinforcement sheet 12.
Where the cut-off sheet 2 is sandwiched between the lower reinforcement sheet 11 and the upper reinforcement sheet 12, the front end of the cut-off sheet 2 is unlikely to come off of the main reinforcement sheet 1.
In a more preferred embodiment of this aspect, the island-shaped sheets 3 are arranged so as to be sandwiched between the lower reinforcement sheet 11 and the upper reinforcement sheet 12.
In such a case, the spike top surface of the spike 4 is unlikely to come off of the sole.
In a more preferred embodiment of this aspect, the spike includes a flat-plate-shaped base 40 having the top surface 42 and a pin 41 projecting downward from the base 40; and the base 40 is sandwiched between the lower reinforcement sheet 11 and the upper reinforcement sheet 12.
In such a case, the base 40 adheres, directly or indirectly, to both the lower reinforcement sheet 11 and the upper reinforcement sheet 12. Thus, the adhesive strength is high.
In a more preferred embodiment of this aspect, for the plurality of spikes for which the island-shaped sheets 3 are arranged, layers of a plurality of synthetic resin sheets 6 thicker than a thickness of the coat of the matrix resin are provided separately from one another between the top surface 42 and the fiber reinforcement in order to increase an adhesion strength between the fiber reinforcement and the top surface 42.
In such a case, the synthetic resin sheet 6 prevents the base 40 from coming off of the sole.
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 relied upon in defining 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
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.
The present spike sole shown in
As shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of
The sole body 5 is formed by a laminate including a plurality of pre-preg sheets 1 to 3 and a plurality of adhesive films (an example of the synthetic resin sheet) 6 laminated together. As shown in
The base 40 of
In
Now, a pre-preg is a well-known B-stage molded material obtained by impregnating a fiber reinforced material with a thermosetting or thermoplastic matrix resin to be combined with the fiber reinforced material, and allowing the curing reaction to proceed to such a degree that it can be easily laminated manually, and is composed of a fiber reinforced material, such as carbon fiber, boron fiber or aramid fiber, for example, and an epoxy resin, which is a base material. The fiber of the pre-preg preferably has a woven structure, and a plain-woven cloth may be employed, for example.
The B stage refers to a state past the well-known A stage, which is an initial reaction stage, where the material is softened but not melted by heating and where the material gets swollen in a solvent but does not dissolve therein.
A matrix resin in a composite material refers to a resin forming the base material to be combined with the reinforcing material.
The adhesive film 6 may be a material that is in the B stage at normal temperature, and has a good affinity to the matrix resin, the reinforcing material, and the top surface 42 and the lower surface 43 of the spike 4 made of a metal. The thickness of the film 6 may typically be about 0.05 mm to about 0.4 mm, and is preferably about 0.07 mm to about 0.3 mm, and most preferably about 0.1 mm to about 0.25 mm.
In
A base refers to a portion of each bone that is close to the posterior joint and that is slightly expanding to a greater thickness and it is referred to also as a proximal head, whereas a head refers to a portion of each bone that is close to the anterior joint and that is slightly expanding to a greater thickness and it is referred to also as a distal head. A shaft refers to a portion between the base and the head, and the thickness thereof typically changes smoothly.
Next, the arrangement of the sheets 1 to 3 and the films 6 of
In the present embodiment, the main reinforcement sheet 1 is arranged in the lowermost layer and in the uppermost layer generally across the entire area of the sole body 5. That is, in the present embodiment, the main reinforcement sheet 1 includes the lower reinforcement sheet 11, being a lower part, and the upper reinforcement sheet 12 covering the lower reinforcement sheet 11 from above. The first and second cut-off sheets 21 and 22 of
The main reinforcement sheet 1 may be arranged spanning from the front end of the front foot portion to the rear end of the middle foot portion, and it may be absent in part or whole of the rear foot portion.
On the other hand, the first and second cut-off sheets 21 and 22 may be absent at least in areas in the vicinity of the front end of the front foot portion and may be arranged in the middle foot portion.
In the present embodiment, the front end of the first cut-off sheet 21 is positioned posterior to the front end of the proximal phalanx B31 of the big toe and anterior to the base of the metatarsal bone B41 of the big toe. The front end of the second cut-off sheet 22 is arranged posterior to the front end of the first cut-off sheet 21.
More preferably, the front ends of the first and second cut-off sheets 21 and 22 are positioned anterior to the MP joint MP.
As shown in
As shown in
Note that the island-shaped sheets 3 are arranged so as to be sandwiched between the lower reinforcement sheet 11 and the upper reinforcement sheet 12.
Each film 6 shown in
That is, a film 6 in the layer of
Note that the films 6 of each layer are arranged in an island-like pattern separated from one another in the front-rear direction and in the width direction.
In the present spike sole, a resin having a higher wear resistance than the matrix resin (e.g., a urethane resin) is laminated on the tread surface of the sole body 5 of
The peripheral portion of the sole body 5 may be thickened by using the urethane resin. This eliminates the need for a so-called “roll-up”, thus facilitating the formation of the sole body 5.
Note that in the following embodiments, like elements to those of Embodiment 1 described above will be denoted by like reference numerals, and will not be further described below, while describing what is different from Embodiment 1.
As shown in
As shown in
Note that the main reinforcement sheet 1 and/or the cut-off sheet 2 may each be provided in one layer.
Although the films 6 are not provided in the present embodiment, the films 6, if provided, may be provided in one layer or a plurality of layers between
As shown in
Similarly, as shown in
In the present embodiment, the front end of the second cut-off sheet 22 is positioned posterior to the MP joint MP and anterior to the base of the metatarsal bone B41 of the big toe and the base of the metatarsal bone B45 of the fifth toe. On the other hand, the rear end of the second cut-off sheet 22 does not cover the posterior half portion of the rear foot portion 5R though it is extending to the front end of the rear foot portion 5R. That is, the second cut-off sheet 22 extends from the rear end of the front foot portion 5F to the front end of the rear foot portion 5R to substantially cover the middle foot portion 5M. This reinforces the middle foot portion 5M where the arch of the foot is formed.
As compared with a case where the island-shaped sheets 3 are not provided as shown in
Moreover, where the film 6 and the island-shaped sheets 3 are arranged over the top surface 42 while the film 6 and the island-shaped sheets 3 are arranged under the pin 41 as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown 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.
For example, the spikes 4 may be provided in the rear foot portion as well as in the front foot portion.
The island-shaped sheets 3 and the cut-off sheet 2 do not need to be sandwiched between two main reinforcement sheets 1. Moreover, the main reinforcement sheet 1 may be provided so as to be in contact with the top surface 42 and the lower surface 43 with the film 6 interposed therebetween, and the island-shaped sheets 3 and the cut-off sheet 2 may be arranged above the upper reinforcement sheet 12 or below the lower reinforcement sheet 11.
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 spike soles for football, or the like, as well as for track and field.
1: Main reinforcement sheet
11: Lower reinforcement sheet
12: Upper reinforcement sheet
2: Cut-off sheet
21: First cut-off sheet
22: Second cut-off sheet
23: Third cut-off sheet
24: Fourth cut-off sheet
3: island-shaped sheet
4: Spike
40: Base
41: Pin
42: Top surface
43: Lower surface
5: Sole body
5F: Front foot portion
5M: Middle foot portion
5R: Rear foot portion
6: Synthetic resin sheet (adhesive film)
B31: Proximal phalanx of big toe
B41: Metatarsal bone of big toe
B45: Metatarsal bone of fifth toe
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP2011/056539 | 3/18/2011 | WO | 00 | 8/28/2013 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2012/127556 | 9/27/2012 | WO | A |
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