Shoe keeper

Abstract

To provide a shoe keeper that prevents shape collapse of a shoe against external force, and can retain appropriate humidity.MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM: A shoe keeper 100 is formed in a three-dimensional shape from diatomous earth, in which an external surface of the shoe keeper has a shape made by equally dividing a substantially circular shape into two in a front view and a back face view, and is formed in a substantially elliptical or oval (excluding circular) shape in a plane view. There is a maximum width part having the largest width in the short direction, a divided surface of the shape divided into two is a bottom face, and is formed in a shape made by equally dividing the substantially elliptical or oval (excluding circular) shape into two in the longitudinal direction in a side view, and a space is generated between an inner surface of the shoe keeper and an inner sole of the shoe when one end in the longitudinal direction is a tip end and the other end is a rear end, and the shoe keeper is arranged in the shoe so as to position the tip end at a toe side of the shoe.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a shoe keeper that is inserted inside a shoe. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are hollow shoe keepers in the form of a balloon with air sealed inside, and shoe keepers with a three-dimensional shape made of polystyrene foam or the like, and wooden shoe keepers are used as high-end products.

[0003] The shoe tree mentioned above is structurally designed to make it difficult for moisture inside the shoe to escape to the outside, so it is not suitable for removing moisture inside the shoe that can cause mold and mildew.

[0004] In response to this, a shoe keeper has been proposed in which vulcanized fiber obtained by laminating base paper made from wood fibers such as natural cellulose fibers and cotton is folded into a shoe keeper, and the elastic force of the vulcanized fiber itself and the folded shape are used to press against the inside of the shoe to maintain its shape (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-189910 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The main function of a shoe keeper is to prevent shoes from losing their shape and from developing wrinkles. Furthermore, especially in leather athletic shoes such as golf shoes, the humidity inside the shoes tends to be high even after wearing due to sweat from the feet while wearing the shoes, so it is important to absorb the moisture inside the shoes and maintain a moderate humidity level. In this regard, the shoe keeper of Patent Document 1 is simply a folded paper material, so it is vulnerable to external forces and is prone to losing its shape, and since the humidity inside the shoe is merely the same as the humidity outside the shoe, it cannot prevent the humidity from becoming excessively high or low.

[0007] The present invention is an attempt to solve such problems, and has as its object to provide a shoe keeper that can withstand external forces, prevent shoes from losing their shape, and maintain appropriate humidity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The first invention is a shoe keeper formed into a three-dimensional shape from diatomaceous earth, the shoe keeper having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a bottom surface, the outer surface and the inner surface being continuous with the bottom surface, a shape obtained by equally dividing an approximately circle into two when viewed from the front and back, and being formed into an approximately ellipse or approximately egg shape (excluding a circle) when viewed from the top, having a widest part which is the part with the largest width in the short direction, and being formed into a shape obtained by equally dividing an approximately ellipse or approximately egg shape (excluding a circle) into two parts in the longitudinal direction when viewed from the side, with one end in the longitudinal direction being the tip end and the other end being the rear end, and being configured so that when the shoe keeper is placed inside a shoe with the tip end positioned on the toe side of the shoe, a space is created between the inner surface of the shoe keeper and the insole of the shoe.

[0009] The diatomaceous earth has numerous holes of about 0.1 to 1.0 microns, and has the property of absorbing moisture up to a certain humidity and releasing moisture when the humidity exceeds the certain humidity. Therefore, diatomaceous earth has excellent absorbency and moisture control properties. There are examples of using the properties of diatomaceous earth to form diatomaceous earth into particles, pack it in a bag, and use it like a shoe keeper, but the function of preventing the shoe from losing its shape against external forces is insufficient, and there is also a problem that moisture is trapped in the bag, making it difficult to maintain an appropriate humidity inside the shoe. In this regard, the inventor of the present invention has come up with a technical idea of ​​preventing the shoe from losing its shape against external forces and maintaining an appropriate humidity by forming diatomaceous earth into a specified shape.

[0010] When a three-dimensional shoe keeper is placed inside a shoe, if there is no space between the inner surface of the shoe keeper and the insole of the shoe, the amount of diatomaceous earth will be excessive, and the shoe keeper will have a strong tendency to absorb and retain moisture, weakening its conditioning function of absorbing and releasing moisture.For this reason, the shoe keeper of the present invention is designed so that there is a space between the inner surface (bottom surface) of the shoe keeper and the insole of the shoe when it is placed inside a shoe.

[0011] In addition, the shoe keeper has a shape obtained by equally dividing a substantially circular shape in two when viewed from the front and the back, and is formed into a substantially elliptical or egg-shaped shape (excluding a circle) in a plan view, and is formed into a shape obtained by equally dividing a substantially elliptical or egg-shaped shape (excluding a circle) in a side view in a longitudinal direction, so that the front part located on the tip side and the rear part located on the rear end side have different functions based on the part with the widest width in a plan view. When the shoe keeper is inserted inside the shoe, the front part comes into contact with the part of the shoe that covers the foot, thereby preventing the shoe from losing its shape against external forces and mainly functions to absorb moisture inside the shoe. On the other hand, the rear part does not come into contact with the inside of the shoe except for the bottom surface, and mainly functions to release moisture, including the moisture absorbed in the front part, to the outside. This prevents the shoe from losing its shape against external forces and maintains an appropriate humidity level.

[0012] A second invention is a shoe keeper according to the first invention, wherein the outer surface and the inner surface are formed in substantially similar shapes.

[0013] According to the second aspect of the invention, the space between the inner surface of the shoe keeper and the insole of the shoe is approximately similar in shape to the outer surface of the shoe keeper. Therefore, compared to cases where the space has a different shape, it is possible to make the space larger in volume and reduce the amount of diatomaceous earth. This prevents the shoe keeper, especially the tip end portion, from retaining excessive moisture, and allows the rear portion to effectively release moisture to the outside, including moisture absorbed in the front portion.

[0014] The third invention is a shoe keeper in which, in the configuration of the second invention, when the intermediate portion is defined as the portion between the tip portion and the widest portion and a position closer to the widest portion, and between the widest portion and the rear end portion and a position closer to the widest portion, the height of the outer surface from the bottom surface is greatest at either position in the intermediate portion.

[0015] The part of the front portion that does not overlap with the middle portion is referred to as the "near the tip portion," and the part of the rear portion that does not overlap with the middle portion is referred to as the "near the rear end portion." According to the configuration of the third invention, the height from the bottom surface of the near the rear end portion is lower than that of the middle portion. Therefore, when the shoe keeper is inserted inside the shoe, the near the rear end portion does not come into contact with the inside of the shoe. Therefore, the near the rear end portion can efficiently perform the function of releasing moisture to the outside, including moisture absorbed in the near the tip portion.

[0016] The fourth invention is a shoe keeper configured as in the third invention, wherein the central thickness, which is the cross-sectional thickness when the shoe keeper is cut along a line segment connecting the center of the front end and the center of the rear end, is configured to be smallest at any position in the middle portion.

[0017] The inventor of the present invention noticed that diatomaceous earth is not a collection of long tubes extending in a certain direction, but a collection of irregular short voids, or a collection of peripheral walls that define the irregular voids. That is, moisture is absorbed and diffused into diatomaceous earth by capillary action, but the moisture path is not linear, not constant, but irregular. The wider the width of the part of the shoe keeper in the direction of moisture diffusion, the more options there are for the moisture to proceed, and the wider the path is in effect. This structure is advantageous for moisture diffusion, but the force of moving moisture relatively long distances by capillary action is weak. Conversely, the narrower the path, the stronger the force of moving moisture relatively far by capillary action. The inventor of the present invention constructed the shoe keeper of the present invention by distinguishing between the diffusion of moisture throughout the entire shoe keeper and the movement of moisture from the front end side to the rear end side of the shoe keeper.

[0018] In this regard, according to the fourth aspect of the invention, the central thickness is smallest in the middle portion, so that a strong capillary phenomenon occurs in the middle portion, and the moisture on the front end side can be transported to the rear end side, thereby making it possible to effectively utilize the functions of the front end side and the rear end side.

[0019] A fifth invention is a shoe keeper according to the fourth invention, wherein the width of the bottom surface is smallest at any position in the middle portion, and the ratio of the center thickness to the width of the bottom surface is smallest at any position in the middle portion.

[0020] According to the configuration of the fifth invention, at any position in the intermediate portion, at any height, the width is narrower than the other portions, so that a strong capillary phenomenon occurs and moisture on the tip side can be moved to the rear end side.

[0021] A sixth aspect of the present invention is the configuration of any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, wherein the maximum width portion is positioned biased toward the rear end portion. It's a shoe keeper.

[0022] According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the length of the front portion is relatively long and the length of the rear portion is relatively short in the longitudinal direction, so that the relatively long front portion can effectively resist external forces and prevent the shoe from losing its shape.

[0023] A seventh invention is a shoe keeper having the configuration of any one of the first to fifth inventions, wherein a magnet is embedded in the bottom surface, and the bottom surfaces of two shoe keepers can be fixed together by the magnet.

[0024] According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the two shoe keepers are fixed together by magnets, making them easy to carry and store. Effect of the Invention

[0025] According to the present invention, a shoe keeper can be provided that can withstand external forces, prevent shoes from losing their shape, and maintain an appropriate humidity level. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view of a shoe keeper according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe keeper taken along a line segment connecting the center of the front end and the center of the rear end. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe keeper taken along a line segment connecting the center of the front end and the center of the rear end. FIG. [Figure 9] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe keeper taken in the short direction. FIG. [Figure 10]3 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe keeper cut in the short direction. FIG. [Figure 11] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe keeper cut in the short direction. FIG. [Figure 12] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe keeper cut in the short direction. FIG. [Figure 13] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe keeper cut in the short direction. FIG. [Figure 14] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe keeper cut in the short direction. FIG. [Figure 15] This is an equation that shows the thickness of the shoe keeper and the relationship between the thickness and the length of the bottom surface. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a shoe. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the flow of moisture inside a shoe. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the flow of moisture inside a shoe. [Figure 19] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the flow of moisture inside a shoe. [Figure 20] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the flow of moisture inside a shoe keeper. [Figure 21] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the effect of a shoe keeper. [Figure 22] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the effect of a shoe keeper. [Diagram 23] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the flow of moisture in the diatomaceous earth that constitutes the shoe keeper. [Figure 24] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the flow of moisture in the diatomaceous earth that constitutes the shoe keeper. [Diagram 25] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the flow of moisture in the diatomaceous earth that constitutes the shoe keeper. [Figure 26] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a shoe keeper according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 27] FIG. [Figure 28] FIG. [Figure 29] FIG. [Diagram 30] FIG. [Diagram 31] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe keeper taken along a line segment connecting the center of the front end and the center of the rear end. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Hereinafter, the mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter, the embodiment) will be described in detail. In the following description, the same components are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted or simplified. Note that the description of the components that a person skilled in the art can appropriately carry out will be omitted, and only the basic components of the present invention will be described.

[0028] <First embodiment> The shoe keeper 100 of this embodiment is made of diatomaceous earth and has a three-dimensional shape. Diatomaceous earth is made of diatom shells that have fossilized and piled up, forming a hard soil. The main component is silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) The diatomaceous earth has numerous pores of 0.1 to 1.0 microns in its husks, which give it excellent insulation, moisture retention, humidity control, water absorption, adsorption, deodorization, and sound insulation properties. Of these, humidity control is the phenomenon of absorbing or releasing moisture depending on the humidity of the atmosphere. Diatomaceous earth is known to automatically maintain the humidity of the atmosphere at 40 to 60%.

[0029] The water absorption is caused by the porosity of diatomaceous earth. The moisture absorbed in the molded product made of diatomaceous earth spreads evenly throughout the molded product due to the capillary phenomenon caused by the porosity. In addition, since diatomaceous earth is porous, the surface area (area in contact with air) of the molded product made of diatomaceous earth is very large. Moisture spreads evenly over the large surface area and is released to the outside. The moisture released to the outside diffuses according to the diffusion theorem (Fick's law). The shoe keeper 100 is configured to maximize its moisture control properties when inserted in the shoe. In other words, the humidity is maintained at an appropriate level so that the humidity is not too high or too low for the shoe.

[0030] The shoe keeper 100 is manufactured by mixing diatomaceous earth, hydrated lime and other additives, pouring the mixture into a mold, and then removing it from the mold, firing it, and carrying out a finishing process. The shoe keeper 100 of this embodiment has a density of about 0.8 grams per cubic centimeter (g / cm 3 ).

[0031] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the shoe keeper 100 has an outer surface, an inner surface, and a bottom surface. The outer surface is as shown in Figures 1 to 4. The inner surface is the inner surface 100r shown in Figures 5 and 6. The bottom surface is the bottom surface 100f shown in Figure 5. The outer surface and the inner surface 100r are continuous with the bottom surface 100f. The outer surface of the shoe keeper 100 is configured to be approximately egg-shaped (excluding circular) in a plan view.

[0032] 1 to 4, the outer edge of the outer surface of the shoe keeper 100 is composed of a leading end portion 100a, a trailing end portion 100b, a right side portion 100c, and a left side portion 100d. The outer surface of the shoe keeper 100 is composed of a right front portion 100ac, a left front portion 100ad, a right rear portion 100bc, and a left rear portion 100bd. The right front portion 100ac and the left front portion 100ad are collectively referred to as The right rear portion 100bc and the left rear portion 100bd are collectively referred to as the "rear portion." The front portion is curved as a whole, and the rear portion is curved except for the vicinity of the rear end portion 100b. Note that the "approximately egg-shaped (excluding circular)" is not limited to the shapes shown in Figs. 1 to 4, and unlike this embodiment, the rear end portion 100b may also be configured with a curved surface that is an extension of the curved surface of the rear portion.

[0033] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in a front view from the front end 100a side and in a rear view from the rear end 100b side, the shoe keeper 100 has a shape obtained by equally dividing a substantially circle into two, specifically a semicircular shape. As shown in Figure 1, in a plan view, a maximum width part 100e, which is the part with the largest width in the short direction, is positioned toward the rear end 100b. The maximum width of the shoe keeper 100 is width W1. Width W1 is, for example, 70 mm (millimeters).

[0034] 2, the shoe keeper 100 is formed in a shape obtained by dividing a generally oval shape (excluding a circle) into two equal parts in the longitudinal direction in a side view. The dividing surface of the divided shape is the bottom surface 100f (see FIG. 5).

[0035] The line segment X1 is a line segment that connects the center of the front end portion 100a and the center of the rear end portion 100b. The line segment X1 is a center line that connects the centers of the short side length of the shoe keeper 100 in a plan view. The shoe keeper 100 is formed symmetrically with respect to the line segment X1. In this embodiment, the length L1 of the front portion is greater than the length L2 of the rear portion. For example, the length L1 is 85 mm (millimeters) and the length L2 is 45 mm (millimeters).

[0036] The front part gradually becomes wider from the tip 100a to the maximum width part 100e. The rear part gradually becomes narrower from the maximum width part 100e to the rear end 100b. The boundary between the front part and the rear part is the maximum width part 100e. In the present invention, the "substantially oval shape (excluding circular shape)" is not limited to the shape of this embodiment, and it is sufficient that the width gradually becomes wider from the tip 100a to the maximum width part 100e and gradually becomes narrower from the maximum width part 100e to the rear end 100b. The shapes of the tip 100a and the rear end 100b themselves do not have to be curved, but may be curved.

[0037] 1, 2, 5, and 6, a portion between a position 100e1 between the front end 100a and the maximum width portion 100e and closer to the maximum width portion 100e, and a position 100e2 between the maximum width portion 100e and the rear end 100b and closer to the maximum width portion 100e is defined as a middle portion 100y. A portion of the front portion that does not overlap with the middle portion 100y is defined as a front end vicinity portion 100x, and a portion of the rear portion that does not overlap with the middle portion 100y is defined as a rear end vicinity portion 100z.

[0038] The maximum width portion 100e includes a highest position 100eh having a maximum height H1 in the side view of Fig. 2. In this specification, "height" means the height from the bottom surface 100f. The height H1 is, for example, 30 mm (millimeters).

[0039] As shown in FIG. 2, the height of the outer surface of the shoe keeper 100 in a side view gradually increases in a curve from the tip end 100a to the widest part 100e, and gradually decreases in a curve from the widest part 100e to the rear end 100b.

[0040] As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the height of the outer surface of the shoe keeper 100 in front and rear views gradually decreases in a curve from the portion corresponding to the line segment X1 to both ends, that is, the right side portion 100c and the left side portion 100b.

[0041] The shoe keeper 100 is configured to generate a space between the inner surface 100r of the shoe keeper 100 and the insole of the shoe when the tip portion 100a is placed in the shoe so as to be located on the toe side of the shoe. In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the inner surface 100r of the shoe keeper 100 has a shape that is approximately similar to the outer surface. As a result, the shoe keeper 100 has a space S on the inside. The space S also has a shape that is approximately similar to the outer surface, and is an overall shape obtained by dividing an approximately egg shape into two equal parts in the length direction. If the shoe keeper 100 does not have the space S, when the shoe keeper 100 is inserted into the shoe, the moisture absorbed by the front portion tends to remain in the diatomaceous earth that forms the shoe keeper 100, resulting in insufficient moisture control. Unlike this embodiment, the space S does not have to have a shape that is approximately similar to the outer surface of the shoe keeper 100. For example, the space S may have a shape obtained by dividing a sphere equally into two, or may have a rectangular parallelepiped or cube shape.

[0042] The position 100ehr shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is the position on the back side of the position 100eh on the outer surface of the shoe keeper 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. At the position 100ehr, it has the largest height H1r on the inner surface 100r of the shoe keeper 100. That is, on the outer surface, the position 100eh has the largest height, and on the inner surface 100r, the position 100ehr has the largest height. The height H1r is, for example, 25 mm (millimeters).

[0043] Referring to FIG. 7, the thickness of the bottom surface of the shoe keeper 100 will be described. In this specification, as shown in FIG. 7, the thickness of the bottom surface means the length in the direction perpendicular to the line segment X1. In this embodiment, the thickness of the bottom surface is the smallest at the maximum width portion 100e.

[0044] The thickness of the bottom surface does not increase as it goes toward the intermediate portion 100y. In the vicinity of the tip portion 100x, there is a relationship of Wb1 > Wb2. In the vicinity of the rear end portion 100z, there is a relationship of Wb5 < Wb6. In this embodiment, the thickness of the bottom surface becomes smaller toward the maximum width portion 100e, but the thickness Wb3 at a substantially intermediate position between the tip portion 100a and the maximum width portion 100e, the thickness Wb4 at the maximum width portion 100e, and the thickness Wb5 at a position slightly deviated from the maximum width portion 100e toward the rear end portion 100b are substantially equal.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 8, the central thickness, which is the thickness of the cross section when the shoe keeper 100 is cut by the line segment X1, will be described. In this specification, as shown in FIG. 8, the central thickness means the length in the direction perpendicular to the bottom surface 100f. As shown in FIG. 8, the central thickness is configured to be the smallest at the maximum width portion 100e. As shown in Equation 1 of FIGS. 8 and 15, the central thickness has a relationship of Wc1 > Wc2 > Wc3 > Wc4 from the tip portion 100a toward the maximum width portion 100e. Also, as shown in Equation 2, the central thickness has a relationship of Wc4 < Wc5 < Wc6 from the maximum width portion 100e toward the rear end portion 100b.

[0046] The ratio of the center thickness at corresponding positions in the longitudinal direction to the bottom thickness of the shoe keeper 100 is configured to be the smallest at the maximum width portion 100e.

[0047] Figs. 9 to 14 are cross-sectional views of the shoe keeper 100 in the short-side direction, showing the bottom thicknesses Wb1 to Wb6 shown in Fig. 7 and the center thicknesses Wc1 to Wc6 shown in Fig. 8 at the same time. That is, it shows the bottom thickness of the shoe keeper 100 and the center thickness at a position corresponding to the position of the bottom thickness in the longitudinal direction at the same time.

[0048] As shown in Figs. 9 to 14, the shoe keeper 100 is configured such that Expression 3 in Fig. 15: Wc1 / Wb1 > Wc2 / Wb2 > Wc3 / Wb3 > Wc4 / Wb4 and Expression 4: Wc4 / Wb4 < Wc5 / Wb5 < Wc6 / Wb6 are satisfied.

[0049] Note that, unlike this embodiment, the position having the largest height H1 in the side view is not limited to the maximum width portion 100e and may be any position in the intermediate portion 100y. Also, unlike this embodiment, the position having the largest height H1r on the inner surface 100r is not limited to the back side of the position 100eh on the outer surface and may be any position in the intermediate portion 100y. Further, unlike this embodiment, the bottom thickness may be configured to be the smallest at any position in the intermediate portion 100y. Also, unlike this embodiment, the center thickness may be configured to be the smallest at any position in the intermediate portion 100y, not limited to the maximum width portion 100e. Also, unlike this embodiment, the configuration may be such that the position where the bottom thickness is the smallest and the position where the center thickness is the smallest do not coincide. Furthermore, unlike this embodiment, the ratio of the center thickness at a position corresponding to the position of the bottom thickness in the longitudinal direction to the bottom thickness of the shoe keeper 100 may be configured to be the smallest at any position in the intermediate portion 100y.

[0050] <Effects of the shoe keeper 100> The effects of the shoe keeper 100 will be described below with reference to Figures 16 to 22. As shown in Figure 16, the shoe 200 is composed of a front part 202a and a rear part 202b. In the shoe 200, the upper part of the front part 202a is closed, but the upper part of the rear part 202b is open.

[0051] As conceptually shown in Fig. 17, in the front part 202a, due to the presence of the covering part 202a1, moisture HM1 released from the inner sole 202 and the covering part 202a1 tends to remain inside the shoe 200. In contrast, in the rear part 202b, the upper part is open, so moisture HM2 released from the inner sole 202 diffuses upward as indicated by the arrow Y1. Of course, as indicated by the arrow X1 in Fig. 18, the moisture HM1 also diffuses to the rear part 202b eventually, and finally diffuses upward as indicated by the arrow Y1.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 19, when the shoe keeper 100 is inserted into the shoe 200, moisture HM1 is absorbed into the shoe keeper 100, moves as moisture to the rear part 202b as shown by the arrow X1, and is released upward as shown by the arrow Y1. This is because the shoe keeper 100 not only diffuses moisture evenly within the shoe keeper 100, but also has the function of actively moving the absorbed moisture in the direction of the arrow X1, as shown in Fig. 20.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 19, the covering portion 202a1 of the shoe 200 is configured so that the height from the inner sole 202 increases toward the rear portion 202b. In contrast, as shown in Fig. 21, the height of the outer surface of the shoe keeper 100 increases from the tip portion 100a toward the maximum width portion 100e and decreases from the maximum width portion 100e toward the rear end portion 100b. As a result, when the shoe keeper 100 is inserted into the shoe 200, all or a part of the front portion comes into contact with the covering portion 202a1 of the front portion 202a. In contrast, the rear portion does not come into contact with the covering portion 202a1.

[0054] 21, the shoe keeper 100 absorbs moisture HM1 from the front and back surfaces in the front portion and diffuses it within the front portion. In contrast, the rear portion absorbs moisture HM1 from the back surface, diffuses it within the rear portion, and then releases moisture Hex from the front surface. The middle portion 100y including the maximum width portion 100e mainly transfers the moisture absorbed and diffused in the leading end vicinity portion 100x to the rear end vicinity portion 100z, as shown by the arrow F1.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 22, the shoe 200 is gradually wider from the toe in plan view, and narrows gradually from the part corresponding to the toes to the part corresponding to the heel. In contrast, the width of the shoe keeper 100 in plan view is wider from the tip part 100a to the maximum width part 100e, but narrows from the maximum width part 100e to the rear part 100b. The degree to which the width of the shoe keeper 100 narrows is greater than the degree to which the width of the shoe 200 narrows. As a result, when the shoe keeper 100 is inserted into the shoe 200, all or part of the front part comes into contact with the covering part 202a1 of the front part 202a. In contrast, the rear part does not come into contact with the covering part 202a1.

[0056] 22, in the front portion, moisture HM1 is absorbed from the front and back surfaces and diffused within the front portion. In contrast, in the rear portion, moisture HM1 is absorbed from the back surface, diffused within the rear portion, and then moisture Hex is released from the front surface.

[0057] The absorption, diffusion, and release of moisture will be described in more detail. The shoe keeper 100 can be divided into a leading edge vicinity 100x, an intermediate portion 100y, and a trailing edge vicinity 100z in relation to the functions of absorbing, diffusing, and releasing moisture. The leading edge vicinity 100x absorbs moisture HM1 from the front and back surfaces, and diffuses it within the leading edge vicinity 100x. The trailing edge vicinity 100z absorbs moisture HM1 from the back surface, diffuses it within the trailing edge vicinity 100z, and releases moisture Hex from the front surface. The intermediate portion 100y mainly transfers the moisture absorbed and diffused in the leading edge vicinity 100x to the trailing edge vicinity 100z.

[0058] The movement of moisture inside the shoe keeper 100 will be conceptually explained. Figure 23 is a diagram conceptually showing diatomaceous earth. A particle of diatomaceous earth is taken as particle 300 (see diagram (a) of Figure 23). A particle of diatomaceous earth is composed of a plurality of holes 300a and diatom shells 300b. The shoe keeper 100 is formed by molding a plurality of particles 300, as shown in Figures 23 (b) and (c). As shown in Figure 23, diatomaceous earth is not a collection of long tubes extending in a certain direction, but rather a collection of holes 300a, which are irregular short voids, or a collection of surrounding walls of diatom shells 300b that define the holes 300a, which are irregular voids.

[0059] In the direction perpendicular to the arrow X1, FIG. 23(b) shows a relatively thick portion 300A, and FIG. 23(c) shows a relatively thin portion 300B. The arrow X1 shown in FIG. 23(b) and (c) indicates the direction from the front end 100a to the rear end 100b of the shoe keeper 100. As shown in FIG. 23(a) to FIG. 23(c), the direction of the holes 300a in the particle 300 is irregularly arranged. Here, the direction of the holes 300a means the direction from the inlet to the outlet of each hole 300a. That is, the particle 300 is a collection of holes 300a with irregular directions. In the particle groups 300A and 300B composed of a plurality of particles 300, the direction of the holes 300a is also irregularly arranged. That is, when moisture moves in the direction of the arrow X1, it does not move linearly. Moisture exits from the first hole 300a and enters the second hole 300a, but the exit of the first hole 300a and the entrance of the second hole 300a are not necessarily arranged in a straight line, and there may be multiple second holes 300a through which moisture can enter.

[0060] As shown in Fig. 24(a), in the particle group 300A, when moisture moves in the direction of the arrow X1, there are relatively many paths, such as paths R1 to R10. Fig. 24(b) is a conceptual diagram showing only the paths R1 to R10. As conceptually shown in Fig. 24(c), the paths R1 to R10 are equivalent to the relatively wide path RA in function as a passage for moisture to move a relatively long distance.

[0061] Here, the relatively long distance is a term for a relatively short distance. In this specification, the relatively short distance is, for example, the distance between the first hole 300a and the second hole 300a in one particle 300. The relatively long distance is, for example, the distance between the position 100e1 and the maximum width portion 100e in the shoe keeper 100, or the width of the intermediate portion 100y.

[0062] A structure such as the particle group 300A is suitable for moisture movement over a relatively short distance. Therefore, it is advantageous for moisture movement within a limited area and for moisture retention within the area. However, a structure such as the particle group 300A is not suitable for moisture movement over a relatively long distance.

[0063] In contrast, as shown in Fig. 25(a), in the particle group 300B, when moisture moves in the direction of the arrow X1, there are relatively few paths, such as paths R11 to R14. Fig. 25(b) is a conceptual diagram showing only paths R11 to R14. As conceptually shown in Fig. 25(c), paths R11 to R14 are equivalent to a narrow path RB through which moisture moves a relatively long distance in terms of their function as moisture passages.

[0064] A structure such as particle group 300B is suitable for relatively long distance moisture transport, but is not suitable for moisture retention because the amount of diatomaceous earth in the structure is relatively small.

[0065] The effect of capillary action, which allows moisture to move a relatively long distance, is large in thin tubes, so the degree of capillary action in particle group 300B is greater than the degree of capillary action in particle group 300A.

[0066] The shoe keeper 100 is constructed taking into account the differences in the degree of capillary action described above, and when the shoe keeper 100 is inserted into the shoe 200, the presence of the middle portion 100y allows moisture inside the shoe keeper 100 to effectively move from the tip vicinity 100x to the rear end vicinity 100z.

[0067] In the shoe keeper 100, the middle portion 100y is relatively thin compared to the front end neighborhood 100x and the rear end neighborhood 100z. That is, the structure of the front end neighborhood 100x and the rear end neighborhood 100z corresponds to the particle group 300A shown in FIG. 24. The structure of the middle portion 100y corresponds to the particle group 300B shown in FIG. 25. The middle portion 100y has a relatively small amount of diatomaceous earth per unit area in a plan view. In contrast, the front end neighborhood 100x and the rear end neighborhood 100z are relatively thick and have a relatively large amount of diatomaceous earth per unit area in a plan view. Therefore, moisture absorbed in the front end neighborhood 100x is effectively transferred by the middle portion 100y to the rear end neighborhood 100z and released to the outside from the rear end neighborhood 100z.

[0068] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 26 to 31. Note that a description of matters common to the first embodiment will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 26, the shoe keeper 100A has an ellipse shape divided equally into two in the length direction in a plan view.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 27, the shoe keeper 100A is formed in a shape obtained by dividing an ellipse into two equal parts in the longitudinal direction when viewed from the side.

[0071] As shown in Figures 26 to 29, the outer edge of the outer surface of the shoe keeper 100A is composed of a leading end portion 100a, a trailing end portion 100b, a right side portion 100c, and a left side portion 100d. The outer surface of the shoe keeper 100A is composed of a right front portion 100ac, a left front portion 100ad, a right rear portion 100bc, and a left rear portion 100bd. The right front portion 100ac and the left front portion 100ad are collectively referred to as the "front portion." The right rear portion 100bc and the left rear portion 100bd are collectively referred to as the "rear portion." The front portion is a curved surface overall, and the rear portion is a curved surface except for the vicinity of the trailing end portion 100b.

[0072] As shown in Figures 28 and 29, the shoe keeper 100A has a semicircular shape when viewed from the front end 100a and from the rear end 100b. As shown in Figure 26, the maximum width part 100e, which is the part with the greatest width in a plan view, is located in the center in the length direction. The maximum width of the shoe keeper 100A is width W1.

[0073] The line segment X1 is a line segment that connects the center of the front end portion 100a and the center of the rear end portion 100b. The line segment X1 is a center line that connects the centers of the shoe keeper 100A in the short direction in a plan view. The shoe keeper 100A is formed symmetrically with respect to the line segment X1. The length L1 of the front portion is the same as the length L2 of the rear portion. Unlike this embodiment, the shape of the outer surface of the shoe keeper 100A in a plan view does not have to be a perfect ellipse, and the shape in a side view does not have to be a shape obtained by dividing a perfect ellipse in two. For example, the front portion may be a part of a specified ellipse, and the ellipse in the rear portion may be a part of an ellipse having a major axis and / or a minor axis different from that of the ellipse in the front portion.

[0074] The front portion gradually becomes wider from the tip 100a to the widest portion 100e. The rear portion gradually becomes narrower from the widest portion 100e to the rear end 100b. That is, the boundary between the front portion and the rear portion is the widest portion 100e.

[0075] The maximum width portion 100e includes a highest point 100eh having the greatest height H1 in the side view of FIG.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 27, the height of the outer surface of the shoe keeper 100A in a side view gradually increases in a curve from the tip end 100a to the widest part 100e, and gradually decreases in a curve from the widest part 100e to the rear end 100b.

[0077] As shown in Figures 28 and 29, the height of the outer surface of the shoe keeper 100A in front and rear views gradually decreases in a curve from the portion corresponding to line segment X1 to both end portions, that is, right side portion 100c and left side portion 100b.

[0078] 30 and 31, the inner surface 100r of the shoe keeper 100A has a shape that is approximately similar to that of the outer surface. As a result, the shoe keeper 100A has a space S on the inside. The space S also has a shape that is approximately similar to that of the outer surface, and has an overall shape that is obtained by dividing a roughly ellipse into two equal parts in the length direction.

[0079] The position 100ehr shown in Fig. 31 is a position on the reverse side of the position 100eh on the outer surface of the shoe keeper 100A shown in Fig. 26 to Fig. 29. At the position 100ehr, the shoe keeper 100A has the greatest height on the inner surface 100r.

[0080] As shown in Fig. 30, magnets 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d are fixed to the bottom surface of shoe keeper 100A. When there are two shoe keepers 100A, their bottom surfaces are fixed together by magnets 102a etc. For example, if the polarity on the surface side of magnets 102a etc. of one shoe keeper 100A is N pole, the polarity on the surface side of magnets 102a etc. of the other shoe keeper 100A is set to S pole.

[0081] The present invention is not limited to the present embodiment, and modifications and improvements within the scope of the present invention are included in the present invention. For example, the configurations of the first and second embodiments described above may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 100,100A Shoekeeper 100a Tip 100b rear end 100c right side 100d left side 100e Maximum width 100r inner surface 100ac right front section 100ad left front part, 100bc right rear part 100bd left rear part 100x near the tip 100y middle part 100z Rear end area 200 shoes

Claims

1. This shoe keeper is made of diatomaceous earth and has a three-dimensional shape. The shoe keeper is having an outer surface, an inner surface and a bottom surface; the outer surface and the inner surface are continuous with the bottom surface; When viewed from the front and rear, the shape is a substantially circular shape divided equally into two. The shape is generally elliptical or oval (excluding circular) in plan view, and has a maximum width part which is the part with the largest width in the short side direction, When viewed from the side, the shape is a substantially ellipse or substantially egg shape (excluding a circle) divided equally in half in the longitudinal direction, The shoe keeper is configured so that when one end in the longitudinal direction is a tip end and the other end is a rear end, and the shoe keeper is placed in the shoe so that the tip end is located on the toe side of the shoe, a space is generated between the inner surface of the shoe keeper and the insole of the shoe. Shoe keeper.

2. The outer surface and the inner surface are formed in a substantially similar shape. The shoe keeper according to claim 1.

3. When a portion between the tip end portion and the maximum width portion and a portion between the maximum width portion and the rear end portion and a portion between the maximum width portion and the rear end portion and a portion between the maximum width portion and the rear end portion is defined as an intermediate portion, the height of the outer surface from the bottom surface is the largest at any position of the intermediate portion. The shoe keeper according to claim 2.

4. The center thickness, which is the thickness of a cross section when the shoe keeper is cut along a line segment connecting the center of the front end portion and the center of the rear end portion, is configured to be smallest at any position in the middle portion. The shoe keeper according to claim 3.

5. The width of the bottom surface is configured to be smallest at any position in the middle portion, The ratio of the center thickness to the width of the bottom surface is configured to be smallest at any position in the intermediate portion.

5. The shoe keeper according to claim 4.

6. The maximum width portion is positioned toward the rear end portion. The shoe keeper according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A magnet is embedded in the bottom surface, and the bottom surfaces of the two shoe keepers can be fixed to each other by the magnet. The shoe keeper according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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