Sock liner of footwear

Abstract

To provide a footwear sock liner made by knitted fabric that has water absorption and moderate tension.SOLUTION: The sock liner is detachable for footwear. The sock liner includes: a knitted fabric 2 organized by using a first thread x containing a water absorptive fabric and a second thread y containing a heat-sealing fabric; and an antislip part which is formed by using a high polymer material on the reverse face of the knitted fabric 2 opposing the footwear. The front face 21 side of the knitted fabric 2 is organized by aligning the first thread x with the second thread y, so that the first thread x is situated on the front face 21 side in a knit stitch 50 and that the second thread y is situated on a rear face 22 side in the knit stitch 50, with the second thread y fused at least in a part of the first thread x.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a removable knitted insole for footwear such as shoes. [Background technology]

[0002] Common insoles used in footwear are formed into sheets, for example, from polyurethane resin, and the inside of the footwear is prone to becoming stuffy due to foot sweat. Compared to such polyurethane resin sheets, knitted fabrics made from yarn have excellent water absorption and breathability. Patent Document 1 discloses a knitted fabric for footwear that is suitable as an interior material for footwear, from the viewpoint of absorbing steam generated by foot sweat with the knitted fabric.

[0003] The applicant of the present application has developed an insole using a knitted fabric based on the reverse idea of attaching a knitted fabric worn on the feet as socks to footwear instead of the feet (Patent Document 2). While the knitted fabric for footwear in Patent Document 1 constitutes part of the footwear as an interior material, the insole in Patent Document 2 is detachable from the footwear and can be washed repeatedly like socks to keep the knitted fabric on which the feet rest clean. This insole includes a knitted fabric and a resin layer that supports the knitted fabric, the resin layer being made of a thermoplastic elastomer. The knitting yarn is fixed by fusing the resin layer to the back side of the knitted fabric, preventing fraying at the edge (cutting point) of the knitted fabric that is cut to the shape of the foot. When the resin layer and the knitted fabric are bonded together by applying heat and pressure, the overall thickness of the insole is, for example, 2.0 mm, which is thinner than conventional insoles made of polyurethane resin sheets or cotton-blend terry fabric, and therefore does not affect the fit (fit, etc.) of the footwear. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-148422 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7144107 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The insole described in Patent Document 2 uses a knitted fabric for its water-absorbing properties, and the knitted fabric is supported by a thin resin layer made of a thermoplastic elastomer, making the insole flexible as a whole. Therefore, when inserting the insole into footwear, the tip bends under its own weight, making it difficult to insert into the toe area of the footwear unless the insole is held in a certain way. If a hard support layer necessary to maintain the shape of the insole were to be bonded to the knitted fabric, which does not easily maintain its shape, and the resin layer that prevents the knitted fabric from fraying, the insole would become thick, which could make the inside of the footwear feel cramped and make it difficult to wear.

[0006] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a removable insole for footwear that is easy to attach to footwear while ensuring water absorption and reducing thickness. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention provides an insole that is removable from footwear, comprising a knitted fabric knitted using a first yarn containing absorbent fibers and a second yarn containing heat-sealable fibers, and an anti-slip portion formed using a polymer material on the back surface of the knitted fabric that faces the footwear, wherein the front surface side of the knitted fabric is knitted by aligning the second yarn with the first yarn so that the first yarn is located on the front surface side in the knit stitches and the second yarn is located on the back surface side in the knit stitches, and the second yarn is fused to at least a portion of the first yarn. In this specification, the first yarn means the "front yarn" among the yarns used to knit the knitted fabric, and the second yarn means the "back yarn" among the yarns used to knit the knitted fabric. According to this configuration, the knitted fabric is knitted by aligning the second yarn along the entire longitudinal direction of the first yarn, and the melted and solidified second yarn is fused to at least a portion of the first yarn. This means that the second yarn, which can support the first yarn, is attached to the entire first yarn. This gives the knitted fabric sufficient firmness to maintain its shape when the insole is attached to the footwear. Furthermore, since the knitted fabric not only has a sweat-absorbing function due to the first yarn but also a shape-retaining function due to the fusion of the second yarn, there is no need to add a support layer to the insole for shape retention. This makes it possible to easily attach a thin yet firm insole to footwear. Furthermore, since the second yarn is fused to the first yarn, it becomes easier to prevent the cut knitted fabric from fraying (or unraveling), and the back surface of the knitted fabric is covered with an anti-slip portion, which also prevents the knitted fabric from fraying.

[0008] The water-absorbent fibers of the insole of the present invention are preferably short fibers. When cotton or the like is used as the absorbent fiber contained in the first thread, the absorbent fiber appears on the surface of the outer weave, effectively providing a soft feel and sweat absorption that are not available in conventional insoles.

[0009] In the insole of the present invention, the ratio of the absorbent fiber to the weight of the entire knitted fabric is preferably 20% or more and 80% or less, and the ratio of the heat-fusible fiber contained in the second yarn to the weight of the entire knitted fabric is preferably 20% or more and 80% or less. This configuration provides the insole with suitable water absorption (also known as sweat absorption) and firmness, and also makes it difficult for the second thread fused to the surface side of the insole to appear.

[0010] In the knitted fabric of the present invention, knit stitches and purl stitches exist on the same course and the same wale, and one knit stitch or two or more consecutive knit stitches form a convex portion, and one purl stitch or two or more consecutive purl stitches form a concave portion. With this configuration, convex and concave portions are distributed in the knitted fabric, and the concave portions reduce the area of contact with the sole of the foot, keeping the sole of the foot in a comfortable, non-sticky state. Also, since the first yarn appears on the upper side of the knitted fabric (i.e., the side that comes into contact with the sole of the foot) and the second yarn appears on the upper side of the knitted fabric, the first yarn, which is made of short fibers and has water absorption properties, comes into contact with the sole of the foot, and the fused and solidified second yarn is less likely to come into contact with the sole of the foot.

[0011] The knitted fabric of the present invention is preferably knitted in either a jacquard knit or a links jacquard knit, and the surface of the knitted fabric is knitted so that the composition ratio of the first yarn is higher than that of the second yarn, and the back of the knitted fabric is knitted so that the composition ratio of the second yarn is higher than that of the first yarn compared to the surface. Such a knitted fabric can be formed by knitting using jacquard knitting or links jacquard knitting, and by setting the composition ratio of a first yarn supplied from at least one of a plurality of yarn feeders to a higher ratio than that of a second yarn supplied from the same yarn feeder, setting the composition ratio of the first yarn in the yarns supplied from the other yarn feeders to a lower ratio than the composition ratio of the first yarn in the yarn supplied from the one yarn feeder, and knitting a pattern in which more of the stitches of the yarn supplied from the one yarn feeder are exposed on the surface. With this configuration, it is possible to increase the ratio of the first thread on the surface and increase the ratio of the second thread on the back surface more than on the surface, thereby increasing the water absorption by the first thread on the surface and increasing the shape retention by the second thread on the back surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the insole of the present invention, it is possible to improve ease of attachment to footwear while ensuring water absorbency. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a top view of an insole (shown only for the left foot) according to one embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the surface. [Figure 2] 2 is a bottom view schematically showing the back side of the insole shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. [Figure 4] 1(a) and 1(b) are both top views schematically showing an example of the surface of a knitted fabric. [Figure 5] 1(a) and 1(b) are both top views schematically showing an example of the surface of a knitted fabric. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view schematically showing plating knitting, which is a knitting method for an insole according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is an enlarged schematic diagram showing jacquard stitches that can be applied to an insole according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, an insole according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The dimensions of each part in the drawings used in the following description are not necessarily the same as the actual dimensions and can be changed as appropriate.

[0015] The insole 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 is detachably attached to the midsole (upper bottom surface) of footwear such as shoes or sandals (not shown) or to a part to be attached (interior material, insole, etc.) fixed to the midsole. The insole 1 comprises a knitted fabric 2 and an anti-slip part 3, and the back surface 3B of the anti-slip part 3 is placed in the part to be attached to the footwear. The front surface 21 of the knitted fabric 2 is the surface that comes into contact with or faces the sole of the foot of the footwear wearer.

[0016] In this specification, the front side of the insole 1 or knitted fabric 2 when worn in footwear (the side facing the sole of the foot, in other words, the upper side) is referred to as the "front side," and the back side of the insole 1 or knitted fabric 2 (the side facing the footwear, in other words, the lower side) is referred to as the "back side." However, the definitions of "front" and "back" do not apply to the knit and back sides of the knitted fabric 2. The knit and back sides are not related to the front and back sides of the insole 1.

[0017] 1, the insole 1 of this embodiment includes a portion T corresponding to the toe side of the foot and a portion H corresponding to the heel, and is given the planar shape of the foot. The longitudinal direction dL of the insole 1 corresponds to the direction connecting the toe and heel (the front-to-back direction when walking forward). When using the insole 1, it is possible to cut the outer peripheral edge 2E of the insole 1 at any position according to the length and width of the foot. The back surface 3B of the non-slip part 3 may be provided with a release paper (not shown) on which the cutting position can be marked.

[0018] The knitted fabric 2 is knitted by plating using a yarn including a first yarn and a second yarn. In this embodiment, the first yarn includes staple fibers. The second yarn includes only a heat-sealable yarn.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 3, which is a schematic cross section of the insole 1, the knitted fabric 2 has a front surface 21 facing the front side (i.e., the sole side) 2A and a back surface 22 facing the back side (i.e., the sole side) 2B. The knitted fabric 2 can be knitted by flat knitting or circular knitting. A large amount of the first yarn is exposed on the surface 21 of the knitted fabric 2.

[0020] Specifically, as shown schematically in Fig. 6 using an example of a pique knit, the knitted fabric 2 is knitted with the second yarn y alongside (i.e., aligned with) the first yarn x so that, at least on the front surface 21, the first yarn x always appears on the front surface 21 side of the face stitch 50 (i.e., the upper surface side that comes into contact with the foot, the front side of the page) and the second yarn y always appears on the back surface 22 side of the face stitch 50 (i.e., the lower surface side that comes into contact with the insole of the shoe, the back side of the page). In this case, the second yarn y appears on the front surface 21 side of the back stitch 60, and the first yarn x appears on the back surface 22 side of the back stitch 60.

[0021] When the knitted fabric 2 is flat knitted, one side 21 of the knitted fabric 2 (referred to as the front side 21 in this invention) will only have knit stitches 50, so only the first yarn x will appear (i.e., be located) on the front side 21 of the knitted fabric 2, and the other side 22 of the knitted fabric 2 (referred to as the back side 22 in this invention) will only have purl stitches 60, so only the second yarn y will appear on the back side 22 of the knitted fabric 2.

[0022] In knitting other than plain knitting, such as pique knitting, uneven knitting, link knitting, and rib knitting, at least the first yarn x always appears on the convex side of the convex knit stitches 50, and at least the second yarn y always appears on the concave side of the concave purl stitches 60, on both the one side 21 and the other side 22 of the knitted fabric 2. In other words, when the knitted fabric 2 is placed with either side (i.e., the flat surface) facing upward, the first yarn x always appears on the front side 21 of the knit stitches 50 and the second yarn y always appears on the back side 22 of the purl stitches 60, and the second yarn y always appears on the front side 22 of the purl stitches 60 and the first yarn x always appears on the back side 22 of the purl stitches 60. Depending on the weight ratio of the first and second yarns, the second yarn may be visible in the knitted fabric and the first yarn may be visible in the purl. When there is more second yarn than first yarn, the second yarn, which is thicker than the first yarn, may appear to protrude from the width of the first yarn in the knitted fabric, but since the second yarn is behind the first yarn (below when viewed from the knitted fabric), it does not come into contact with the skin.

[0023] In knitting other than plain knitting, such as pique knitting, uneven knitting, links knitting, and rib knitting, the knit stitches 50 and purl stitches 60 are in a front-back relationship on both sides of the knitted fabric 2. Therefore, in the above-mentioned cases, when placed as described above, the first yarn x always appears on the back surface 22 side of the knitted fabric 2 in the convex knit stitches 50, and the second yarn y always appears on the back surface 22 side of the knitted fabric 22 in the concave purl stitches 60.

[0024] Therefore, in the case of plain knitting, the surface of the knitted fabric 2 on which the face stitches 50 are located is designated as the face 21 of the knitted fabric 2, and in cases other than plain knitting, whichever surface of the knitted fabric 2 is designated as the face 21, the first yarn x always appears on the face 21 side (i.e., the upper surface side) of the face stitches 50 that come into contact with or are likely to come into contact with the sole of the foot, and the second yarn always appears on the face 21 side of the back stitches 60 that do not come into contact with or are unlikely to come into contact with the sole of the foot. In the case of links jacquard knitting, the surface on which the first yarn x appears most frequently is set as the face 21.

[0025] The second yarn y is melted and solidified as a whole, and is fused to at least a part of the first yarn x, in this embodiment, to substantially the entire first yarn x. Even if there is a portion of the first yarn x that is not fused, the second yarn y is fused alone along the first yarn x at that portion.

[0026] The first yarn x contains absorbent staple fibers and / or filaments. As the absorbent fibers, a spun yarn made from either or both of natural fibers such as cotton and chemical fibers such as rayon, nylon with absorbent properties, and polyester is preferably used.

[0027] In consideration of not only water absorbency but also feel and durability against friction with the soles of the feet, the first threads x can be made of, for example, cotton fiber or a blend of cotton fiber and chemical fiber such as polyamide (hereinafter referred to as nylon) or polyester. With this configuration, the surface 21 has the function of absorbing sweat from the soles of the feet, particularly through the first threads x. The first yarn x may contain fibers such as polyester that are not provided with water-absorbent properties, in addition to the above-mentioned water-absorbent fibers.

[0028] The knitted fabric 2 preferably has an uneven structure (uneven knitting) in which convex portions formed by the front stitches 50 and concave portions formed by the back stitches 60 appear on the surface 21 side, mainly to reduce stickiness or ensure absorbency. An example of a preferred uneven structure of the knitted fabric 2 is shown. In the example of Fig. 4(a) and Fig. 4(b), the knit fabric is pique knit, with knit stitches (knit stitches) and purl stitches (purl stitches) arranged in a checkerboard pattern. In Fig. 5(a) and Fig. 5(b), the knit stitches and purl stitches are arranged in a herringbone pattern. In each figure, the white squares represent knit stitches, and the gray squares represent purl stitches. In addition to the viewpoint of sweat absorption, from the viewpoint of slip resistance and aesthetics, it is preferable that the knit and lining are arranged in a checkerboard or herringbone pattern, for example.

[0029] In Figure 4(a), one knit stitch and one purl stitch are alternately arranged in the course direction (the direction of the arrow indicated by "course"), and one knit stitch and one purl stitch are alternately arranged in the wale direction (the direction of the arrow indicated by "wale"), and the convex parts made of knit stitches are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

[0030] In Figure 4(b), there are two consecutive knit stitches and two consecutive purl stitches in the course direction, with two consecutive knit stitches and two consecutive purl stitches arranged alternately. Similarly, two consecutive knit stitches and two consecutive purl stitches are arranged alternately in the wale direction. Four consecutive knit stitches, two in each direction, form a convex portion, which is arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

[0031] In Figure 5(a), two consecutive knit and purl stitches alternate in the wale direction, and are arranged in a zigzag pattern, offset by one stitch per course, to form a herringbone pattern. In Figure 5(b), four consecutive knit and purl stitches appear alternately in the wale direction, shifted by one stitch per course and arranged in a zigzag pattern to form a herringbone pattern.

[0032] In all of the surfaces 21 shown in Figures 4(a), 4(b), 5(a), and 5(b), a knit stitch and a purl stitch are always present in the same course and in the same wale. One knit stitch or two or more consecutive knit stitches form a convex portion, and one purl stitch or two or more consecutive purl stitches form a concave portion. It is desirable that at least two convex portions be formed per 2.54 cm (i.e., per inch) per course.

[0033] Furthermore, it is preferable that the number of consecutive knit stitches and purl stitches in the same course and in the same wale is 8 or less. This also applies to the back surface 22.

[0034] On the back surface 22 side, the second yarns appear more than the first yarns compared to the front surface 21, and the second yarns made of heat-fusible fibers are fused (welded) to almost the entire first yarns. The main role of the back surface 22 is to prevent fraying of the knitted fabric 2 by fusing the second yarn to almost the entire first yarn, and to provide the entire longitudinal direction (i.e., extension direction) of the first yarn, and thereby the insole 1, with the hardness or tension necessary to maintain its shape when worn in footwear. The knitted fabric 2 does not have piping or the like applied to the end 2E to prevent fraying. The insole 1 may be formed flat and with a constant thickness over the entire area including the end 2E of the knitted fabric 2.

[0035] The heat-fusible yarn as the second yarn corresponds to a yarn in which a heat-fusible fiber made of a thermoplastic resin such as nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, or polyester is sheathed or spirally wound around a core filament having a higher melting point, or a yarn made solely from heat-fusible fiber. The second yarn is in a flexible state before being fused and can be knitted.

[0036] In the knitted fabric 2, after the heat-sealed fibers of the second yarn are melted by heating, the second yarn solidifies at least alone or in a state where it is at least partially or almost entirely attached to the first yarn, thereby creating firm tension in almost the entire longitudinal direction of the first yarn and, ultimately, in the entire mesh.

[0037] The more heat-fusible fibers there are, the more the amount of solidified resin can be increased, which in turn increases the hardness or tension of the knitted fabric 2. The hardness or tension of the knitted fabric 2 can generally be adjusted by the fineness of the second yarn, which is the heat-fusible yarn.

[0038] Considering the balance between the absorbency or feel of the first yarn and the tension of the second yarn, the weight ratio of the second yarn in the entire knitted fabric 2 should be approximately 20% or more and 80% or less of the entire knitted fabric 2, preferably 20% or more and 60% or less of the entire knitted fabric 2, and more preferably 20% or more and 50% or less.

[0039] Furthermore, the weight ratio of the absorbent fibers contained in the first yarn to the entire knitted fabric 2 may be approximately 20% or more and 80% or less of the entire knitted fabric 2, preferably 20% or more and 60% or less of the entire knitted fabric 2, and more preferably 20% or more and 50% or less.

[0040] That is, it is preferable that the water-absorbent fiber contained in the first yarn and the heat-fusible yarn contained in the second yarn each account for 20% or more and 80% or less of the weight of the entire knitted fabric 2. If the proportion of the heat-sealed yarn contained in the second yarn in the entire knitted fabric 2 is 20% or less, the knitted fabric 2 will not be able to achieve firmness, and if it is 80% or more, the proportion of the heat-sealed yarn will be too high, which will result in insufficient sweat absorption by the first yarn and will make it more likely that the melted heat-sealed yarn will appear on the surface 21 of the knitted fabric 2, increasing the possibility of a poor feel when the sole of the foot comes into contact with it. From the viewpoint of the water absorption function of the knitted fabric 2, the first yarn is preferably 20% or more.

[0041] When the second yarn is composed only of heat-sealed yarn and the first yarn is composed only of absorbent fibers, the thickness (denier) of the second yarn is set to 0.25 to 4 times the thickness (denier) of the first yarn, preferably 0.25 to 1.5 times, and more preferably 0.25 to 1 time.

[0042] For example, the first yarn can have a fineness equivalent to 300 to 600 denier, and the second yarn can have a fineness equivalent to 100 to 200 denier. In this case, the overall thickness of the knitted fabric 2 after the second yarn is fused is, for example, about 1.0 to 2.5 mm. The fineness of the second yarn may be the same as that of the first yarn.

[0043] A single-hole machine having one yarn feeder (also called a "feeder"), a two-hole machine having two yarn feeders, or a three-hole machine having three yarn feeders can be used to knit the knitted fabric. The single-feed machine knits the fabric 2 by supplying yarns including the first yarn and the second yarn through one yarn feeder. When using multiple yarns in which the first yarn and the second yarn have different finenesses or composition ratios, and / or when using yarns of different colors, it is recommended to use a two-nipper machine with two yarn feeders (a three-nipper machine that also functions as a two-nipper machine is also possible) or a three-nipper machine with three yarn feeders.

[0044] A two-port machine supplies yarn of predetermined specifications (such as the composition ratio of the first yarn to the second yarn and the color of the yarn) from one of two yarn feeders that have different yarn feed positions in the wale direction but the same yarn feed position in the course direction, and knits fabric 2 by supplying yarn of different specifications from the yarn supplied from the other yarn feeder.

[0045] In this embodiment, float knitting can be used as the knitted fabric 2 in which the above-mentioned uneven structure preferably appears on the front surface 21 and the back surface 22. Float knitting is performed by using a two-eye (or three-eye) machine to create stitches with one yarn at a certain position using a needle, while the other yarn is not placed on the needle but floated to the back side as a floating yarn; for example, by skipping the yarn on the two-eye side, it is possible to expose more of the first yarn on the front surface 21, for example.

[0046] 2 and 3, the non-slip portion 3 is provided on the back surface 22 of the knitted fabric 2 using a polymer material, and exerts a non-slip effect by frictional force against the part of the footwear to which the knitted fabric 2 is attached when walking. Furthermore, by covering the back surface 22 with the non-slip portion 3, the non-slip portion 3 can fix the outer peripheral edge (so-called edge) of the knitted fabric 2 shown in Fig. 1, thereby enhancing the effect of preventing the knitted fabric 2 from fraying.

[0047] During the process of applying the anti-slip portion 3, a portion of the liquid polymer material penetrates at least into the back surface 22 of the knitted fabric 2, and as the polymer material hardens in this state, at least a portion of the anti-slip portion 3 penetrates into the back surface 22 and is sufficiently fixed. The anti-slip portion 3 of this embodiment is formed from silicone rubber for reasons of anti-slip properties, shock absorption, durability, etc., and is provided on the back surface 22 after the second thread is fused, with a thickness of, for example, approximately 0.4 to 0.5 mm.

[0048] The insole 1 can be manufactured, for example, by the following procedure. (Organization Step) An automatic knitting machine called a double cylinder, which is equipped with a needle bed for knitting a knit stitch and a needle bed for knitting a purl stitch, knits a knitted fabric 2 by plating knitting (also called plating knitting), in which the front surface 21 and the back surface 22 have an uneven structure.

[0049] (Fusing step) Next, the second yarn is heated from the back surface 22 side of the knitted fabric 2, and the heat-fusible fibers of the second yarn are melted and then solidified throughout the entire knitted fabric 2, thereby fusion-bonding the second yarn to approximately the entire longitudinal direction of the first yarn. After fusion, the solidified resin of the second yarn along the first yarn substantially fixes the positions of the second yarn and the first yarn over the entire longitudinal direction of the first yarn and therefore over the entire knitted fabric 2. Therefore, even if the knitted fabric 2 is cut at any position, there is almost no fraying from the end 2E, and furthermore, the first yarn and therefore the knitted fabric 2 are given an appropriate firmness.

[0050] Furthermore, since the first yarns do not have heat-fusible fibers, the first yarns are unlikely to be fused together by the molten material of the heat-fusible fibers of the second yarns. Even if some of the molten material of the heat-fusible fibers adheres to the first yarns on the surface 21 side, this is acceptable because it does not significantly affect the water absorption ability of the first yarns.

[0051] (Anti-slip forming step) Using a screen printing method, silicone ink, a liquid polymer material containing at least a portion of silicone, is supplied via a printing plate to a pattern formation position on the back surface 22 of the knitted fabric 2, and then the silicone ink is dried and cured by heating. Because a portion of the silicone ink penetrates at least to the back surface 22 side, a crosslinking reaction of the silicone occurs in the drying and curing process, and at least a portion of the silicone ink penetrates to the back surface 22 side and is fixed, forming the non-slip portion 3 from the silicone rubber.

[0052] (Cutting step) The laminated sheet is punched into pieces shaped like left and right feet to obtain the insoles 1. The overall thickness of the insoles 1 is, for example, about 1.4 to 3.0 mm.

[0053] The above manufacturing procedure is only an example. For example, before the knitting step is performed, one or both of the first yarn and the second yarn may be subjected to various treatments such as antibacterial treatment or anti-odor treatment.

[0054] A user of the insole 1 handles the insole 1, for example, as follows. The insole 1 is cut to fit the size of the user's shoes. The insole 1 is inserted inside the footwear and attached to the inner sole of the footwear or to a part that is integrated into the insole. The insole 1 has enough stiffness that the toe side of the insole 1 does not bend under its own weight when the heel side of the insole 1 is held in the hand during attachment, so the insole 1 can be easily inserted into the footwear from the toe side. If the insole 1 becomes soiled during use, the insole 1 is removed from the footwear and washed in a washing machine or the like.

[0055] According to the present embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained. (1) The insole 1 includes a knitted fabric 2 including a first yarn made of staple fibers and a second yarn made of thermally fused fibers, and an anti-slip portion 3 formed on the back surface 22 of the knitted fabric 2 using a polymer material. The second yarn is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the first yarn (i.e., aligned) and is fused to substantially the entire first yarn. Therefore, substantially the entire longitudinal direction of the first yarn on the back side of the knit stitches is supported by the fused and solidified second yarn, imparting the hardness (i.e., tension) necessary for the first yarn and, in turn, the knitted fabric 2 to maintain its shape. This knitted fabric 2 not only absorbs sweat through the first yarn but also maintains its shape through the fusion of the second yarn, eliminating the need for an additional support layer for maintaining its shape. Therefore, the thin yet firm insole 1 can be easily attached to footwear. Because the insole 1 is thin and easily bendable, it can be easily attached to the footwear to conform to the surface shape of the footwear to which it is attached. Therefore, the insole 1 does not affect the wearing comfort of the footwear.

[0056] (2) Because the second yarn is fused to almost the entire first yarn throughout the entire knitted fabric 2, even if the insole 1 is thin, it can be firm enough to be worn comfortably in footwear. Furthermore, the insole 1 can be cut at any position to fit the size of the foot or shoe, and fraying of the knitted fabric 2 from the end 2E after cutting can be prevented. After cutting, the insole 1 does not need to be treated to prevent fraying, such as by sewing piping fabric around the entire periphery of the end 2E of the knitted fabric 2.

[0057] (3) Since the insole 1 is formed to a constant thickness throughout the entire area, including the end 2E of the knitted fabric 2, the entire insole 1, including the end 2E, can be formed thin, so that the insole 1 has almost no effect on the wearing comfort of the footwear.

[0058] (4) The knitted fabric 2 has knit stitches and purl stitches on the same course and wale, with one knit stitch or two or more consecutive knit stitches forming a convex portion, and one purl stitch or two or more consecutive purl stitches forming a concave portion. This distribution of convex portions and concave portions in the knitted fabric 2 prevents the concave portions of the knitted fabric 2 from coming into contact with the sole of the foot, thereby maintaining a non-sticky, comfortable surface in contact with the sole. Furthermore, the first yarn appears on the side where the knit stitches protrude, i.e., on the surface 21 side of the insole 1, and the second yarn appears on the surface 21 side of the purl stitch. This allows the first yarn to come into contact with the sole of the foot on the surface 21 side of the insole 1, while preventing the second yarn from coming into contact with the sole. This allows the sole to more easily absorb water, minimizing discomfort caused by the melted and solidified second yarn coming into contact with the sole of the foot.

[0059] (5) By knitting the knitted fabric 2 using float knitting, it is possible to obtain a knitted fabric 2 in which convex portions and concave portions are distributed on the surface 21. Therefore, it is easy to ensure water absorbency and moisture release properties on the surface 21. Furthermore, float knitting makes it possible to knit a knitted fabric 2 in which the convex portions made by the first yarn are raised on the surface 21 and a predetermined gap is provided between the convex portions (concave portions), thereby improving water absorbency and moisture release properties.

[0060] (6) In the insole 1, a portion of the non-slip portion 3 penetrates into the knitted fabric 2 and is fixed to the knitted fabric 2 so as to be entangled with the yarn, so that the anchor effect prevents the knitted fabric 2 and the non-slip portion 3 from peeling off, improving the durability of the non-slip portion 3.

[0061] (7) The non-slip portion 3 is made of silicone rubber, which provides a good non-slip effect while improving durability compared to when a thermoplastic elastomer is used.

[0062] (8) Since the absorbent fiber contained in the first yarn and the heat-sealed yarn contained in the second yarn each account for 20% or more and 80% or less by weight of the entire knitted fabric 2, a good balance can be achieved between the absorbency of the first yarn and the shape retention of the second yarn.

[0063] (9) At least two convex portions are formed per 2.54 cm per course of the knitted fabric 2, so that the sole of the foot does not easily slip in the longitudinal direction dL of the insole 1 and in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction dL.

[0064] (10) The number of consecutive knit stitches and purl stitches on the same course and wale of the knitted fabric 2 is eight or less, meaning that the convex and concave portions are arranged at a fine pitch, thereby improving shock absorption during walking due to the uniform arrangement of the convex and concave portions, and improving comfort due to the uniform water absorption. In addition, by limiting the number of consecutive knit stitches in the knitted fabric 2, deformation (curling) of the knitted fabric due to stretching in one direction can be suppressed, so the fusion process after knitting and the process of forming the non-slip portion 3 can be carried out reliably without hindrance.

[0065] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, the polymer material of the non-slip portion 3 may be vinyl chloride-based or polystyrene-based.

[0066] Examples of knitted fabrics that can be used include Heman knitting, jacquard knitting, and links jacquard knitting, in which a yarn including a first yarn and a second yarn is supplied from two or three yarn feeders to give at least the surface 21 a textured structure.

[0067] In Heman knitting, the yarn appearing on one side of the knitted fabric 2 is switched between the first yarn and the second yarn for each course (the same applies to the other side). Jacquard knitting is a technique that applies float stitch to Heman knitting. Lynx jacquard knitting is a jacquard knitting technique that alternates between knit and purl stitches for each course to create a textured look.

[0068] In jacquard knitting and links jacquard knitting, for example, when yarn is fed from two yarn feeders, the floating yarn technique can be used to make the yarn from one yarn feeder appear relatively more on the front surface 22 side of the knitted fabric 2, and the yarn from the other yarn feeder appear relatively more on the back surface 22 side of the knitted fabric 2. As an example, by making the proportion of the first yarn in the total yarn supplied from one of the yarn feeders larger than that of the second yarn, the knitted fabric 2 can be knitted so that the proportion of the first yarn is relatively higher on the surface 21 of the knitted fabric 2 and the proportion of the second yarn is relatively higher on the back 22 of the knitted fabric 2.

[0069] As another example of two-hole knitting, as shown in Figure 7, it is also effective to use yarn S1, which is supplied from one yarn feeder and has a higher composition ratio of the first yarn in the entire yarn than the second yarn, and yarn S2, which has a lower composition ratio of the first yarn in the entire yarn than yarn S1, and to float yarn S1 for two courses, preferably three courses, consecutively on the surface 21 side (three courses are consecutively flowed in Figure 7).

[0070] The constituent ratios of the first yarn and the second yarn in each of yarn S1 and yarn S2 are determined as appropriate depending on the stitch size, knitting method, and other conditions of the knitted fabric 2. For example, yarns S1 and S2 can be configured such that the constituent ratio of the first yarn in the entire yarn is greater than 50%, the constituent ratio of the first yarn in yarn S1 is 60% to 80%, and the constituent ratio of the first yarn in yarn S2 is greater than 50% but not more than 70%, and is set lower than the constituent ratio of the first yarn in yarn S1. Specifically, for example, the composition ratio of the first yarn in the yarn S1 can be set to 70%, and the composition ratio of the first yarn in the yarn S2 can be set to 60%. It is considered that the composition ratio of the first yarn in the yarn used in the knitted fabric 2 is often more than 50%, but it is not essential that it be more than 50%.

[0071] According to the knitted fabric 2 of the above example or other examples, the yarn S1 containing more of the first yarn than the second yarn is exposed more on the surface 21 side, thereby allowing the surface 21 side to have greater water absorbency, and the yarn S2 containing more of the second yarn than the yarn S1 is exposed more on the back 22 side, allowing the fabric to have good shape retention.

[0072] Furthermore, the knitted fabric 2 may be knitted by three-eye knitting using a three-eye knitting machine. Even when knitting the knitted fabric by three-eye knitting, it is preferable to knit a pattern in which the first yarn is exposed appropriately on the front surface 21 side and the second yarn is exposed appropriately on the back surface 22 side using yarn S1 or yarn S2 or another yarn S3 (not shown) having a different composition ratio of the first yarn and the second yarn from each yarn feeder.

[0073] In the case of 3-way knitting, a concave-convex structure can also be imparted to at least the surface 21 of the knitted fabric 2 by Heman knitting, jacquard knitting, and links jacquard knitting, etc. Furthermore, in jacquard knitting and links jacquard knitting, the knitted fabric 2 can be knitted so that the ratio of the first yarn to the second yarn is higher on the surface 21 of the knitted fabric 2, and the ratio of the second yarn to the first yarn is higher on the back 22 of the knitted fabric 2.

[0074] The uneven structure of the knitted fabric 2 is not limited to the checkered or herringbone pattern described above, and may be formed in a border pattern by switching between knit and purl stitches for each course, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1 insole 2 Knitted fabric 2E End 3 Anti-slip part 21 Surface 22 Back side 50th table 60 Backfire dL Longitudinal direction d1 1st direction d2 2nd direction e1 First pattern element e2 Second pattern element G Gap P1 First pattern P2 Second pattern x 1st thread y Second thread

Claims

1. A removable insole for footwear, a knitted fabric knitted using a first yarn containing a water-absorbent fiber and a second yarn containing a heat-fusible fiber; an anti-slip portion formed using a polymer material on the back surface of the knitted fabric that faces the footwear, The surface side of the knitted fabric is knitted by aligning the first yarn with the second yarn so that the first yarn is located on the surface side of the knitted fabric and the second yarn is located on the back side of the knitted fabric, and the second yarn is fused to at least a portion of the first yarn.

2. 2. The insole according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent fibers are short fibers.

3. The ratio of the water-absorbent fiber to the weight of the entire knitted fabric is 20% or more and 80% or less, 3. The insole according to claim 1, wherein the proportion of the heat-fusible fibers contained in the second yarn to the weight of the entire knitted fabric is 20% or more and 80% or less.

4. The insole according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the knitted fabric has knit stitches and purl stitches on the same course and the same wale, and one knit stitch or two or more consecutive knit stitches form a convex portion, and one purl stitch or two or more consecutive purl stitches form a concave portion.

5. The knitted fabric is knitted in either a jacquard knit or a links jacquard knit, The surface of the knitted fabric has a higher composition ratio of the first yarn than the second yarn, The insole according to claim 4, wherein the back surface of the knitted fabric has a higher proportion of the second yarn than the first yarn compared to the front surface.

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