Footwear and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

To provide a footwear which allows a user to take a shoe quickly without using a hand and feel fit in natural walking or an exercise, and a method of manufacturing the footwear.SOLUTION: A heel support 8 is installed at a heel part 7, and an elastic heel counter 10 is built in the heel support 8. The heel counter 10 is composed of a head arch part 110, a neck arch part 120, a stomach arch part 130, and a foot part 140. The head arch part 110 has an arch-shaped tray part 111. The neck arch part 120 has a V-shape that is generally an arc shape, with a narrow rear side and a wide front side, a width of its a V-shaped horizontal opening 121 being formed to be narrower than a width of the heel of the foot. When a downward pressure is applied to the tray part 111, the tray part 111 is deformed to roll back in response to the pressure, and the neck arch part 120 is deformed to expand the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121. When the pressure is released, they are restored into their original shapes immediately.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a heel counter for easy putting on and taking off, and footwear equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, with the improvement of people's living standards, there has been an increasing demand for hands-free footwear that can be quickly put on while standing without using a shoehorn. In particular, the elderly, people with disabilities, and people in specialized occupations desire footwear that is easy to put on and take off. Technologies used in these applications include those that modify the shape of the heel portion and its heel counter, and those that add a spring structure to the heel portion of the footwear to restore the shape of the heel portion. Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3 describe technologies that modify the shape of the heel portion and its heel counter of footwear.

[0003] Patent Document 1 proposes making it easier to put on shoes without widening the opening area of the shoe opening by providing a guide section that slopes upward as it moves away from the rear edge of the heel section of the shoe opening.To form this guide section, the heel counter has a double structure consisting of a hard first heel counter that is normally used in shoe heels, and a softer second heel counter that has a slit and forms a guide core.

[0004] Patent Document 2 proposes a shoe that has a hard protrusion that extends diagonally upward and backward from the upper edge of the heel of the shoe, and the protrusion can reliably guide the heel of the foot into the shoe as it is lowered from above. The heel counter used here has the rigidity to support the heel of the foot and is shaped to function as a slide for the heel, allowing the foot to slide diagonally downward and forward.

[0005] Patent Document 3 discloses technologies that facilitate easier foot insertion when putting on footwear, including a compressible heel cup, a rigid heel cup, an instep support, a compressible lining, and a heel counter support. Among these, the compressible heel cup is the technology closest to the present invention. The compressible heel cup has a generally pear-shaped upper portion with a shorter medial-lateral length than the middle portion. To enhance compressibility, the thickness of the heel cup is not uniform, with the middle portion being thinner than the other portions, making the middle portion more easily compressed when pressure is applied from the foot. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3212460 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-139151 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2023 / 064568 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Footwear that can be quickly put on and taken off hands-free must be quick to put on, secure during natural walking and exercise, provide a comfortable fit, and allow hands-free removal. The heel counter in Patent Document 1 has a fixed shape, and the heel curve slopes inward toward the rear edge to hold the heel of the foot and prevent the shoe from slipping off during natural walking and exercise. Therefore, a hook is provided on the outer surface of the heel to facilitate hands-free removal, but this poses manufacturing and design problems. Furthermore, the second heel counter has slits to make it flexible, but there is a risk of damage if it is stepped on hard with the heel. Furthermore, the dual structure of the first and second heel counters is time-consuming and costly.

[0008] The heel counter in Patent Document 2 is made of a hard material, and the extended portion at the top is formed in a narrow, straight line, making it rigid, so there is a risk of it breaking if strong pressure is applied to the heel of the foot. Also, because the heel counter has a fixed shape, if priority is given to ease of wearing, there is a risk of it coming off during natural walking or exercise, and it is necessary to provide a padding section to prevent this.

[0009] The compressible heel cup of Patent Document 3 is thin, particularly in the center, to enhance compressibility, which makes it difficult to withstand repeated stress. Also, as with Patent Document 2, there is a risk of the footwear coming off during natural walking or exercise, so it is necessary to provide a foam located above the calcaneus region of the user's foot and extending around at least a portion of the ankle region of the foot.

[0010] Therefore, the present invention provides a technology that solves the above-mentioned problems of existing footwear that can be put on quickly and hands-free by making the heel counter extremely simple in configuration, simplifies the manufacturing process of footwear, and achieves significant cost reductions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The elastic heel counter for use in the heel of footwear includes a head arch, a neck arch, a ventral arch, and a foot section. The head arch is smoothly connected to the neck arch, and the neck arch is smoothly connected to the ventral arch. The upper end of the head arch slopes obliquely upward in an arc away from the heel of the footwear, and the central section is recessed inward to form an arc-shaped tray. The horizontal opening width of the neck arch is equal to or slightly narrower than the maximum horizontal opening width of the head arch. The ventral arch has a hemispherical structure, and its horizontal opening width gradually increases from the connection with the neck arch, with the horizontal opening width from the central section to the lower half remaining approximately the same. A foot section, which is thinner than the lower section of the ventral arch and curves to be fixed onto the outsole, is distributed and connected along the lower part of the ventral arch. When downward pressure is applied to the tray section of the head arch, the tray section warps and deforms in response to the pressure, and the neck arch section deforms so that the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening widens. When the pressure is released, the shoe immediately returns to its original shape. This allows the shoe to be easily deformed in response to the pressure of the heel of the foot, allowing the user to put on the shoe quickly and hands-free. Furthermore, the shoe returns to its original shape during natural walking or exercise, making it difficult for the user to slip off, providing a comfortable fit.

[0012] This footwear has a resilient heel counter in the heel section, which includes a head arch section, a neck arch section, and a ventral arch section. The head arch section has a low center and a high outer edge, and extends in an arc-like shape obliquely upward and backward in a side view, forming a tray section. The neck arch section is formed in a generally V-shaped arc, narrow at the rear and wide at the front. The ventral arch section has a hemispherical shell structure that fits the heel of the foot. The heel counter has support strength characteristics and elasticity characteristics. When downward pressure is applied to the tray section of the head arch section, the tray section deforms by bending in response to the pressure, and immediately returns to its original shape when the pressure is released. This allows the heel section to easily deform in response to the pressure of the heel of the foot when putting on the footwear, allowing for quick, hands-free putting on.

[0013] In the above-mentioned footwear, the neck arch of the heel counter has a V-shaped horizontal opening whose width is narrower than the width of the heel of the foot, thereby providing an appropriate fit to the heel of the foot and preventing it from slipping off during natural walking or exercise.

[0014] In the above-mentioned footwear, the heel counter includes the foot portion. This allows the heel portion to be structured to withstand strong forces from above, strengthening the structure of the entire footwear. Furthermore, because it is fixed to the sole, the heel counter can be prevented from shifting in position upward, left and right, and front and back.

[0015] In the above-mentioned footwear, the heel counter has a uniform thickness, and the edge is formed to become thinner from the inside to the outside. This prevents the occurrence of stress concentration points and allows the footwear to withstand repeated pressure from the heel of the foot. Furthermore, by chamfering the edge, the outline of the heel counter is made less noticeable on the surface of the footwear, and when a user wears the footwear, even if the edge of the heel counter touches the ankle, discomfort caused by the stiffness of the heel counter is reduced.

[0016] In the above-mentioned footwear, when downward pressure is applied to the tray portion of the head arch, the heel counter deforms so that the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening widens, and when the pressure is released, it immediately returns to its original shape, thereby providing an appropriate fit to the heel of the foot and preventing it from slipping off during natural walking or exercise.

[0017] In the above-mentioned footwear, the heel counter includes a center mark, which allows the heel counter to be accurately aligned with the center of the heel of the footwear by visually or tactilely identifying the center positioning mark during the manufacturing process of the footwear.

[0018] In the above-mentioned footwear, the surface of the heel counter has a fine texture, which can improve the adhesive adhesion.

[0019] In the above footwear, the bottom of the heel counter has a notch. This creates a space for convergence, and with the force of pulling in the upper part during the manufacture of the footwear, the heel counter can be easily fitted to the shape of the heel part of the last or the mold, enabling it to accommodate the designs of the heels of various types of footwear.

[0020] In the above footwear, a filler insertion part is formed so as not to give a sense of discomfort to the foot, and a heel support body is formed by the heel counter and the filler insertion part. This can reduce the pressure and friction on the heel of the foot caused by the hardness of the heel counter, enhance the fit to the foot, and enable a structure that can withstand strong forces from the upper part of the heel.

[0021] In the above footwear, the heel counter is attached to the inner side in the wearing edge direction of the heel part of the footwear. This can result in footwear with different design characteristics.

[0022] This footwear has an elastic heel counter in the heel section, which includes a head arch, a neck arch, and a ventral arch. The head arch has a low center and a high outer edge, and extends in an arc-like shape obliquely upward and backward in a side view, forming a tray. The neck arch has a V-shaped horizontal opening that is narrow at the rear and wide at the front, and is formed as a substantially circular arc. The width of the V-shaped horizontal opening is narrower than the width of the heel of the foot. The ventral arch has a hemispherical shell structure that fits the heel of the foot. The heel counter has support strength characteristics and elastic properties. When downward pressure is applied to the tray section of the head arch, the neck arch deforms so that the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening increases, and immediately returns to its original shape when the pressure is released. When a user puts on footwear, they insert the toe into the shoe and apply downward force to the tray of the head arch, which contains the heel of the foot. The head arch receives the force and deforms, expanding outward, increasing the space at the opening for the foot. At the same time, the neck arch expands, and the heel of the foot slides down along the tray, smoothly passing through the expanded neck arch and sliding into the abdominal arch. As the heel of the foot slides into the abdominal arch, the stepping force on the neck arch instantly disappears, and the neck arch instantly returns to its original shape due to its elastic recovery force, fitting the heel of the foot and maintaining that state. When taking off the footwear, as the heel of the foot moves upward, the neck arch is pushed open and expanded, allowing the heel of the foot to slip out of the heel section.

[0023] This is a manufacturing method for footwear with a resilient heel counter in the heel area, which includes a head arch, a neck arch, and a ventral arch. The head arch is low in the center and high at the outer edge, and extends in an arc-like shape obliquely upward and backward in a side view. The neck arch is formed in a roughly V-shape, narrow at the back and wide at the front. The ventral arch has a hemispherical shell structure that fits the heel of the foot. The heel counter is integrally formed by an injection molding process using a mold made of a chromium-nickel-molybdenum alloy. This ensures product accuracy and consistency, as well as excellent durability, resistance to deterioration and deformation, and a long lifespan. This improves the efficiency of heel counter production, enabling mass production and significant cost reductions.

[0024] On the lower bottom of the abdominal arch part, feet that are formed thinner than the thickness of the abdominal arch part are distributed and formed, and the feet are bent and fixed onto the outsole. As a result, the heel part can be structured to support a strong force from above, and the structure of the entire footwear can be strengthened. Also, since it is fixed to the sole, the heel counter can prevent displacement in the upward, left - right, and front - back directions.

[0025] A filling material insertion part is formed so as not to give a sense of discomfort to the foot, and a heel support body is formed by the heel counter and the filling material insertion part. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the pressure and friction on the heel of the foot caused by the hardness of the heel counter, improve the compatibility with the foot, and manufacture footwear with a structure that supports a strong force from the upper part of the heel.

[0026] In the California method for the heel support body, the middle sole is made shorter by the length of the foot part, and in the inlay method, the middle sole is pulled into the foot part and attached. As a result, a strong heel support body is formed, the heel part, the middle sole, and the outsole are integrated, and the structure of the entire shoe can be strengthened. [[ID=ll]]

Advantages of the Invention

[0027] As described above, in the present invention, by using a material having an elastic restoring force for the heel counter, when wearing the footwear, the heel of the footwear easily deforms according to the pressure on the heel of the foot, and the footwear can be quickly put on hands - free. Also, since the heel counter of the present invention has a V - shaped horizontal opening, during natural walking or exercise, its shape is restored, making it difficult to take off and providing a fitting feeling for the user. The conventional heel counter is not for supporting the force applied from the upper part to the heel part, but has a function of preventing excessive lateral inclination of the heel part by supporting from the side of the heel part. However, the heel counter of the present invention is structured to withstand a strong force from the upper part of the heel part by the heel support body including the foot part. Thereby, the heel part, the middle sole, and the outsole are integrated, and the structure of the entire footwear can be strengthened. Also, since the heel counter of the present invention can be manufactured by injection molding using a mold, it can be manufactured in large quantities at low cost. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a footwear having a resilient heel counter in the heel portion of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heel counter of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 1(a) is a front view of the heel counter of the present invention, and FIG. 1(b) is a right side view. [Figure 4] 3A and 3B are end views of the heel counter of the present invention, where (a) is an end view taken along line AA' in FIG. 3A, (c) is an end view taken along line BB' in FIG. 3A, and (b) is an end view showing the shape of the edge of the heel counter. [Figure 5] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing deformation of the heel counter of the present invention due to pressure on the top of the head. [Figure 6] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing deformation of the V-shaped horizontal opening due to pressure on the top of the heel counter of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1 is a side view of a heel counter of different sizes according to the present invention. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are front views showing the deformation of the heel counter when pressure is applied to the top of the heel counter in one embodiment, where (a) shows the state before the change and (b) shows the state after the change. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are side views showing the deformation of the heel counter when pressure is applied to the top of the heel counter in one embodiment, where (a) shows the state before the change and (b) shows the state after the change. [Figure 10] 10A-10C show an embodiment of a heel counter with a cutout and a centering mark. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a mold for manufacturing the heel counter of the present invention. [Figure 12] 1 is a view of a shoe fitted with a heel counter according to the present invention, seen from diagonally above. [Figure 13] 1 is a top view of footwear equipped with a heel counter according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 14]This is a view of the footwear with the heel counter of the present invention attached, seen from the back. [Figure 15] This is a view showing the filler material insertion part, where (a) is a view seen from the side and (b) is a view seen from above. [Figure 16] This is a view showing a method of attaching the heel support of the present invention to footwear, where (a) shows the case of the California method and (b) shows the case of the insertion method. [Figure 17] This is a view showing a method of attaching the heel counter of the present invention to footwear by the California method. [Figure 18] This is a view showing a method of attaching the heel counter of the present invention to footwear by the insertion method. [Figure 19] This is a view showing the case where the heel counter of the present invention is attached to the inside in the direction of the opening of the heel part.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0029] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention can be implemented in various forms. Hereinafter, an example in the case where the present invention is applied to shoes will be described. Naturally, the present invention can also be applied to footwear other than shoes. The shoe having an elastic heel counter at the heel part of the present invention includes, as shown in FIG. 1, an upper part 2, an insole 5, a midsole 4, and an outsole 3. The upper part 2 is composed of an opening 6, upper side parts 26 on the inner and outer sides of the opening, a front half part 27 of the upper in front of the opening 6, and a heel part 7 behind the opening 6. The heel counter 10 of the present invention is attached to the heel part 7.

[0030] First, the heel counter 10 used in the heel of the shoe of the present invention will be described in detail. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the heel counter 10, Fig. 3(a) is a front view, and Fig. 3(b) is a right side view. The heel counter 10 is composed of a head arch section 110, a neck arch section 120, a abdominal arch section 130, and a foot section 140. As shown in Fig. 3(a), the heel counter 10 is formed in an arc shape with an opening at the front. The opening width of the head arch section 110 expands in a substantially arc shape from the top of the head to the neck arch section 120, and the opening width of the neck arch section 120 is formed to be equal to or slightly narrower than the opening width of the head arch section 110. The opening width of the abdominal arch section 130 gradually increases from the connection with the neck arch section 120, and is substantially the same from the center to the lower half.

[0031] As shown in the side view of FIG. 3(b), the top of the head arch portion 110 of the heel counter 10 extends upward and obliquely backward in an arc-like shape. The head arch portion 110 is concave, with a low center and high outer edges, forming an arched tray portion 111. The neck arch portion 120 mimics the shape of the Achilles tendon at the heel of the foot, and is formed in a generally V-shape, narrow at the rear and wide at the front. The width of this V-shaped horizontal opening 121 is slightly narrower than the width of the heel of the foot. This is illustrated in FIG. 4(a). FIG. 4(a) is an end view of the heel counter 10 cut at the AA' position in FIG. 3(a). In other words, the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 is the central opening of the neck arch portion, and is the portion sandwiched between the right end 121R and the left end 121L in the front view of FIG. 3(a) and the end view of FIG. 4(a).

[0032] The abdominal arch portion 130 is formed in a semispherical shell structure to mimic the shape of the calcaneus at the heel of the foot and to encase the calcaneus. That is, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the abdominal arch portion 130 is formed in a substantially semicircular shape with the opening width of the abdominal arch portion 130 as the diameter relative to the horizontal plane.

[0033] The feet 140 are arranged in a plurality of substantially square shapes along the lower bottom of the abdominal arch portion 130. And the feet 140 are formed thinner than the thickness of the abdominal arch portion 130 for bending and fixing to the outsole.

[0034] Figure 4(C) is an end view when cut along B-B‘ of Figure 3. As shown in Figure 4(C), the heel counter 10 is curved in a substantially S shape that is flat in the vertical direction and curved in an arc shape in the horizontal direction as shown in Figure 4(a). And the head arch portion 110, the neck arch portion 120, and the abdominal arch portion 130 are formed with a substantially uniform thickness. The edge portions 150 of each part are formed gradually thinner from the inside to the outside. This is shown in Figure 4(b). Figure 4(b) is an enlarged view of the end face of the edge portion 150 of the heel counter 10. By making the thickness of the heel counter 10 uniform, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of stress concentration points, and thereby, it is possible to sufficiently withstand the repeated pressure applied from the heel of the foot. Also, by chamfering the edge portion 150 in this way, the contour of the heel counter 10 can be made less conspicuous on the surface of the shoe, and when the user wears the shoe, the discomfort caused by the hardness of the heel counter 10 can be reduced even if the edge portion 150 of the heel counter 10 hits the ankle of the foot.

[0035] When a downward pressure is applied to the tray portion 111 of the head arch portion 110 of the heel counter 10, the tray portion 111 deforms so as to warp in response to the pressure. This deformation force is transmitted to the neck arch portion 120, and the neck arch portion deforms so that the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 widens. This state is shown in FIG. 5. When a pressure P is applied to the heel counter 10, the tray portion 111 of the head arch portion deforms in the D direction so as to warp, and at the same time, the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 of the neck arch portion deforms so as to widen in the R and L directions. That is, when the user wears shoes, when the pressure P by the heel of the foot is applied to the tray portion 111, the tray portion 111 deforms in the D direction so as to warp. The change in the height of the heel counter 10 due to this is preferably about 10 to 20% lower. The deformation of the head arch portion 110 decreases the height of the upper part of the heel where the heel counter 10 is attached and at the same time increases the opening area of the wearing opening, so that the user can easily put on the shoes hands-free.

[0036] FIG. 6 is an end view when cut at the position of A-A' in FIG. 3(a), showing the state in which the pressure P is applied and the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 of the neck arch portion 120 widens and deforms. A shows the state before the pressure P is applied, and B shows the state when the pressure P is applied. Then, when the user's foot is inserted into the shoe and the pressure P disappears, it tries to instantaneously return to the state of A, giving the user a feeling of fit. The widening of the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 at this time is preferably 5 to 15%.

[0037] The heel counter 10 needs to be of different sizes according to the shoe size. Fig. 7 shows an example of its lineup. In one embodiment, when the shoe size is 24.0 cm to 25.5 cm, the height of the heel counter 10 is 9 cm, the width of the maximum opening of the head arch part is 42 mm, the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 of the neck arch part is 41.5 mm, and the maximum opening of the body arch part is 80 mm. The thicknesses of the head arch part, the neck arch part, and the body arch part of the heel counter 10 are all uniform at 2 mm, and the thickness of the foot part is 0.8 mm. When this heel counter 10 receives pressure from the user's foot, as shown in Fig. 8(a), due to the deformation of the head arch part 110, the height changes to 77 mm, the width of the maximum opening of the head arch part changes to 48 mm, the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 of the neck arch part changes to 46.1 mm, and the maximum opening of the body arch part hardly changes at 80 mm. Fig. 8 is a front view showing this change, and Fig. 9 is a side view.

[0038] Various devices for attaching the heel counter 10 to the shoe can be devised. The conventional heel counter has a problem that its surface is smooth and it is difficult to attach an adhesive. However, in one embodiment, the surface of the heel counter 10 of the present invention is provided with a fine texture of an appropriate depth in order to enhance the adhesiveness of the adhesive. This texture can be in various forms such as linear, reticular, dot-like, wavy, speckled, concave-convex, spiral, or granular, and its depth and height are preferably within the range of up to 0.5 mm, but other depths and heights may also be used.

[0039] In yet another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, several notches 160 are provided at the bottom of the abdominal arch portion 130 of the heel counter 10. Thereby, a space for convergence is created, and the heel counter 10 can be easily fitted to the shape of the heel portion of the last or the mold by the lacing force of the upper part 2 during shoe manufacturing. Further, by making the thickness of the region below the horizontal line of the apex of the notch 160 slightly thinner than other parts, the bottom part of the heel counter 10 becomes more easily deformable and can be further fitted to the shape of the last or the mold. Conventionally, a heel counter corresponding to the shoe design has been required, and it has been ideal to make a last or a mold according to its shape. However, since the creation of a last or a mold involves high costs, many shoe manufacturers have been in a situation where they have to use existing lasts or molds. As a result, the shape of the heel counter often does not match the last or the mold, and many adjustments and modifications are required in the manufacturing process, resulting in the problem of reduced production efficiency. By adopting this structure, flexibility to easily fit existing lasts or molds can be obtained, and manufacturing costs can be reduced and production efficiency can be improved.

[0040] In yet another embodiment, the heel counter 10 can include a center positioning mark 170 for aligning with the central position of the heel portion of the footwear. In the shoe manufacturing process, by visually or tactilely identifying the center positioning mark 170, the heel counter 10 can be accurately aligned with the central position of the heel portion 7 of the footwear. The positioning mark 170 can be in the form of a protrusion or a recess at the central position of the heel counter 10, and the shape can be rectangular, circular, triangular, linear, or the like. The size, height, or depth needs to be distinguishable and not cause discomfort to the foot. An example is shown in FIG. 10.

[0041] Next, a method for manufacturing footwear having a resilient heel counter 10 in the heel portion will be described in order. First, a method for manufacturing the heel counter 10 will be described. Because the heel counter 10 of the present invention has a uniform shape as described above, it can be easily molded as a single unit using an injection molding process. In one embodiment, it can be molded as a single unit using an injection molding process using a mold made of a chromium-nickel-molybdenum alloy, as shown in FIG. 11. FIG. 11 shows a mold capable of manufacturing four heel counters 10 with one mold. The use of a chromium-nickel-molybdenum alloy mold material not only ensures product accuracy and consistency, but also provides excellent durability, resistance to deterioration and deformation, and a long lifespan. This improves the efficiency of heel counter production, enabling mass production and significant cost reductions.

[0042] Next, we will explain how to attach the heel counter 10 to the heel of a shoe. As shown in Figures 12, 13, and 14, the heel counter 10 is attached between the upper material 21 and the lining material 22 in the heel portion 7 of the shoe. The heel counter 10 is made of resin, and a filler material is preferably used to reduce pressure and friction on the heel of the foot due to its hardness and improve fit to the foot. In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 16, a filler material is inserted between the heel counter 10 and the lining material 22. As shown in Figures 15(a) and 15(b), the filler material is formed to cover the edges of the head arch and neck arch of the heel counter 10 and the lateral edges of the abdominal arch, which are areas that may come into contact with the foot, from the lower end of the Achilles tendon to the heel cavity. This portion is the filler material insertion portion 23.

[0043] The heel counter originally does not support the force applied to the heel 7 from above, but has the function of preventing excessive lateral inclination of the heel 7 by supporting it from the side of the heel 7. However, the heel counter 10 of the present invention expands the opening edge 6 and lowers the height of the heel 7 by the action of the force from above, so that the user can easily put on the shoes while standing. Therefore, it is assumed that the heel 7 receives a strong force from the foot. For this purpose, the heel 7 is required to have a structure that supports a strong force from above. The heel counter 10 of the present invention includes a foot part 140 and can serve as this support. That is, as shown in FIG. 16, the heel counter 10 forms a heel support 8 integrally with the filler insertion part 23. Thus, the heel counter 10 is required to have appropriate elastic characteristics and strong support strength characteristics.

[0044] As materials for the heel counter 10 having the elastic recovery characteristics of the present invention, there are TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer), TPEE (Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer), silicone, neoprene, etc. Among them, TPU, TPE, and TPEE are preferable in terms of abrasion resistance, oil resistance, chemical resistance, elastic recovery, and flex resistance.

[0045] The filling material is preferably a low-density material having an impact absorption function. Specifically, examples include PU (polyurethane) foamed sponge, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam, polystyrene foam, and polyethylene foam. In this embodiment, a soft sponge with a cushioning property having a thickness of 1.0 to 2.0 is used.

[0046] Next, a method for attaching the heel counter 10 to the heel of a shoe will be described. The midsole 4 is roughly classified into two types. In the case of flexible and soft shoes such as sneakers and sports shoes, the midsole 4 needs to be made of a soft material such as textiles or fabric. In this case, since the midsole 4 is soft, the insertion method cannot be used, and the California method is required. In the case of shoes that do not require flexibility, such as business shoes and loafers, the insertion method with strong tensile strength is suitable to ensure the beautiful shape of a proper last. In this case, since the midsole 4 needs to be hard, cardboard or leather is used.

[0047] Figures 16(a) and 17 show a method for attaching the heel counter 10 of the present invention to the heel of a shoe by the California method. In the California method, first, the upper part 2 and the midsole 4 are sewn together integrally, and the last is inserted into the shoe and shaped. The heel counter 10 is disposed between the upper material 21 and the inner material 22 formed by the main seam of the upper part 2 and the midsole 4 at the heel part 7. Then, the midsole 4 is set to be shorter by the length of the foot part, and when the insertion margin 24 is pulled to the bottom surface of the last, the foot part bends, and a heel part 7 that fits exactly with the last can be formed. Then, it is fixed to the outsole 3 with an adhesive. Thereby, a strong heel support 8 is formed, the heel part 7, the midsole 4, and the outsole 3 are integrated, and the structure of the entire shoe is strengthened.

[0048] Figures 16(b) and 18 show a method for attaching the heel counter 10 of the present invention to the heel of a shoe by the insertion method. In the insertion method, first, the midsole is temporarily fixed to the bottom surface of the last. The heel counter 10 is disposed between the upper material 21 and the inner material 22 at the heel part 7, and the insertion margin including the foot part 140 is pulled by an insertion machine and pasted with glue on the bottom surface of the edge part of the midsole on the bottom surface of the last, and fixed between the midsole 4 and the outsole 3. Thereby, a strong heel support 8 is formed, the heel part 7, the midsole 4, and the outsole 3 are integrated, and the structure of the entire shoe is effectively strengthened.

[0049] As described above, in both the California and tsurikomi constructions, the presence of the foot portion 140 plays a revolutionary role in strengthening the overall structure of the shoe. While the California and tsurikomi constructions have been explained here, the same can of course be applied to other shoe constructions as well.

[0050] In another embodiment, the heel support 8 can be attached to the inside of the heel of the footwear in the direction of the opening, as shown in FIG.

[0051] When a user puts on shoes, the heel of the foot engages with the tray portion 111 of the head arch portion 110, and when a downward force is applied to the tray portion 111, the tray portion 111 bends back as described above. This increases the opening area of the shoe opening, lowers the heel height, and reduces the angle at which the foot is inserted into the shoe. The head arch portion 110 also functions as a slide to slide the heel into the shoe, allowing the user to easily insert the heel into the shoe. At this time, the neck arch portion 120 also deforms to widen the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121, allowing the heel to pass through the neck arch portion 120 and smoothly slide into the abdominal arch portion 130, making it easy to insert the heel into the shoe.

[0052] When the heel of the foot slides into the abdominal arch portion 130, the tray portion 111 of the head arch portion 110 returns to its original curvature, thereby returning the area of the shoe opening and the height of the heel to their original values. At the same time, the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 in the neck arch portion, which had expanded, narrows. Therefore, the heel portion of a shoe equipped with the heel counter 10 of the present invention fits snugly around the heel of the foot, making it less likely to slip off during natural walking or exercise. When removing shoes, the neck arch portion has moderate elasticity, so by lifting the instep, the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 widens, making it easy to remove the shoes. Similarly to putting on shoes, applying downward force also widens the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 in the neck arch portion 120, making it easy to remove the shoes.

[0053] As the best mode for manufacturing the heel counter 10 of the present invention, integral molding has been described by an injection molding process manufacturing method, but a conventional manufacturing method for a heel counter may also be adopted. For example, the following manufacturing methods can be adopted. Engrave the shape set on the heel part of the last, fix the upper part 2 with a hot melt synthetic sheet (in the case of a chemical sheet, it is necessary to immerse it in a solvent) attached to the last, and heat it. After the hot melt synthetic sheet becomes soft and adheres perfectly to the shape of the last, it is put into a cooling and shaping machine for shaping (in the case of a chemical sheet, it is shaped after the solvent has completely dried). Since the head arch part of the heel counter 10 is stepped on by the heel of the foot, a better effect can be obtained by using a resin material with excellent support strength and elasticity.

[0054] The attachment method is to sandwich a synthetic sheet formed simultaneously with the molding of the shoe between the upper material 21 and the lining material 22 of the heel part, or wrap it with a stretch material and attach it to the inner side in the wearing edge direction of the heel part 1. Also, according to the use and specifications of the footwear, the thickness and number of sheets of hot melt or chemical sheets may be adjusted. When the elasticity of the synthetic sheet is insufficient, it can also be combined with a resin part with excellent elasticity at the head arch part by means such as sewing or adhesion.

[0055] The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the forms shown in this embodiment, and as long as it does not go against the gist of the present invention, which is footwear having a heel counter 10 utilizing elastic characteristics and support strength characteristics, and can quickly put on and take off shoes hands - free, another form may be adopted.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0056] 1 Shoe 2 Upper Part 3 Outsole 4 Midsole 5 Insole 6 Wearing Edge 7 Heel Part 8 Heel Support 10 Heel Counter 110 Head Arch Part 111 Tray Part 120 Head arch part 121 V-shaped horizontal opening 121R Right end 121L Left end 130 Abdominal arch part 140 Foot part 150 Edge part 160 Notch part 170 Center positioning mark 21 Top material 22 Back material (lining) 23 Filling material insertion part 24 Tucking allowance 25 Sewing part 26 Top side part 27 Front half of the top 71 Upper heel part

Claims

1. An elastic heel counter used for the heel part of footwear, wherein the heel counter includes a head arch part, a neck arch part, an abdomen arch part, and a foot part, the head arch part is smoothly connected to the neck arch part, and the neck arch part is smoothly connected to the abdomen arch part, the upper end part of the head arch part is obliquely upwardly arcuately inclined in a direction away from the heel part of the footwear, and the central part is recessed inward to form an arcuate tray shape, the horizontal opening width of the neck arch part is equal to or slightly narrower than the maximum horizontal opening width of the head arch part, the abdomen arch part has a hemispherical structure, and its horizontal opening width gradually increases from the connection part with the neck arch part, and the lower half part from the central part has substantially the same horizontal opening width, along the lower part of the abdomen arch part, the foot part which is formed thinner than the lower part of the abdomen arch part and is curved and fixed to the outsole is distributed and connected, a heel counter, characterized in that when the neck arch part receives force and expands and the force disappears, it returns to its original shape.

2. Footwear having an elastic heel counter at the heel part, wherein the heel counter includes a head arch part, a neck arch part, and an abdomen arch part, the head arch part has a low central part and a high outer edge part, and in a side view, it extends obliquely rearward upward in an arc shape to form a tray part, the neck arch part forms a substantially arc-shaped V-shaped horizontal opening with a narrow rear part and a wide front part, the abdomen arch part is a hemispherical shell structure that fits the heel of the foot, the heel counter has support strength characteristics and elastic characteristics, when a downward pressure is applied to the tray part of the head arch part, the tray part is deformed to warp according to the pressure, and when the pressure is released, it immediately restores to its original shape. Footwear characterized by this.

3. The footwear according to claim 2, characterized in that the neck arch part of the heel counter has a V-shaped horizontal opening, and the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening is narrower than the width of the heel of the foot.

4. The footwear according to claim 2, characterized in that the heel counter includes a foot part.

5. The footwear according to claim 2, characterized in that the heel counter has a uniform thickness, and the edge part is formed thinner from the inside to the outside.

6. When downward pressure is applied to the tray portion of the head arch portion of the heel counter, the neck arch portion deforms such that the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening widens, and when the pressure is released, it immediately returns to its original shape. The footwear according to claim 2, characterized in that.

7. The footwear according to claim 2, characterized in that the heel counter includes a center positioning mark.

8. The footwear according to claim 2, characterized in that the surface of the heel counter has a fine texture.

9. The footwear according to claim 2, characterized in that the bottom of the heel counter has a notch.

10. A footwear having a filling material insertion portion formed so as not to give a sense of discomfort to the foot, and forming a heel support body with the heel counter and the filling material insertion portion. The footwear according to claim 2, characterized in that.

11. The footwear according to claim 2, characterized in that the heel counter is attached to the inside in the wearing edge direction of the heel portion of the footwear.

12. Footwear having an elastic heel counter at the heel portion, The heel counter includes a head arch portion, a neck arch portion, and an abdominal arch portion. The head arch portion has a low central portion, a high outer edge portion, and extends in an arcuate shape obliquely upward and backward in side view, forming a tray portion. [[ID=!5]]The neck arch portion forms a substantially arc-shaped V-shaped horizontal opening that is narrow at the rear and wide at the front, and the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening is narrower than the width of the heel of the foot. The abdominal arch portion is formed in a hemispherical shell structure that fits the heel of the foot. The heel counter has support strength characteristics and elastic characteristics. When downward pressure is applied to the tray portion of the head arch portion, the neck arch portion deforms such that the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening widens, and when the pressure is released, it immediately returns to its original shape. When the user wears the footwear, when the tip of the foot is inserted into the shoe and a downward force is applied to the tray portion of the head arch portion in which the heel of the foot is built-in, the head arch portion receives the force and deforms and expands outward, increasing the foot insertion space at the wearing edge. At the same time, the neck arch portion expands, the heel of the foot slides downward along the tray portion, smoothly passes through the expanded neck arch portion, and slides into the abdominal arch portion. When the heel of the foot slides into the abdominal arch portion, the stepping force applied to the neck arch portion instantaneously disappears, and the neck arch portion instantaneously returns to its original shape by the elastic restoring force, fits the heel of the foot, and maintains that state. A footwear characterized in that when removing the shoes, when the heel of the foot moves upward to be removed, the neck arch part is pushed and expanded, and the heel of the foot comes out from the heel part.

13. A method for manufacturing footwear having an elastic heel counter at the heel part, wherein the heel counter includes a head arch part, a neck arch part, and a belly arch part, the head arch part has a lower central part, a higher outer edge part, and extends in an arcuate shape obliquely upward and backward in a side view, the neck arch part is formed in a substantially arc-shaped V shape that is narrow at the rear and wide at the front, the belly arch part has a hemispherical shell structure that fits the heel of the foot, and the method for manufacturing footwear is characterized in that the heel counter is integrally formed by an injection molding process using a mold made of a chromium-nickel-molybdenum alloy.

14. The method for manufacturing footwear according to claim 13, wherein feet parts formed thinner than the thickness of the belly arch part are distributed and formed on the bottom of the belly arch part, and the feet parts are bent and fixed on the outsole.

15. The method for manufacturing footwear according to claim 14, wherein a filling material insertion part is formed so as not to give a sense of discomfort to the foot, and a heel support is formed by the heel counter and the filling material insertion part.

16. The method for manufacturing footwear according to claim 15, wherein in the California method, the middle sole is shortened by the length of the feet part, and in the inlay method, the feet part is drawn into the middle sole, and either of the manufacturing methods to be attached is used.

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