footwear

Abstract

To provide footwear that improves portability by enhancing the contact between the opposing soles of the left and right footwear. [Solution] In footwear 100 in which upper parts 11 and 21 that allow the foot to be inserted and removed are provided on the upper surfaces of the sole parts 10 and 20 of the left foot footwear 1 and the right foot footwear 2, the sole parts 10 and 20 are provided with recessed and uneven fitting areas 16 and 26 on the sole surfaces 15 and 25, and are formed so that the fitting areas 16 and 26 can be fitted together by interlocking the recessed and uneven surfaces when the opposing sole surfaces 10 and 20 of the left foot footwear 1 and the right foot footwear 2 are in contact.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to footwear technology, and more particularly to footwear in which an upper part into which a foot can be inserted and removed is provided on the upper surface of the sole part of the left-foot footwear and the right-foot footwear.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as footwear in which an upper part into which a foot can be inserted and removed is provided on the upper surface of the sole part of the left-foot footwear and the right-foot footwear, for example, sports sandals used for outdoor activities and various leisure activities, and recovery sandals used after exercise and activities (running, various ball games, mountain climbing, etc.), a configuration of sandals having both athletic performance and water resistance is known. Usually, this type of footwear is configured such that an upper part is disposed on the upper surface of the sole part (outsole part) that contacts the ground so as to cover a part of the sole part, and an insole part that imparts cushioning properties is disposed on the upper surface of the sole part.

[0003] The sandals as the above-mentioned footwear are often carried to a destination and changed into at the destination when used for outdoor activities or exercise. Therefore, such footwear is carried in a bag or a sack. However, in the conventional configuration of footwear, the left-foot footwear and the right-foot footwear are separated, resulting in poor portability. There are also problems such as the sole part (the sole surface) contacting the inside of the bag or other objects in the bag, which is not hygienic.

[0004] From such a viewpoint, for example, as a conventional configuration of footwear, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, a configuration has been proposed in which the upper part can be integrally assembled with a binding member that forms the upper part in a state where the opposing sole surfaces of the left-foot footwear and the right-foot footwear are brought into contact with each other. However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration of footwear, the opposing sole surfaces of the left-foot footwear and the right-foot footwear are simply brought into contact with each other and bound, so the adhesion between the sole parts is low. For example, when carried, the sole surface (the combined surface) is displaced and exposed due to impact or vibration during carrying, or other items enter the gap between the sole surfaces, resulting in poor portability when carried to a destination. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Showa 61-185310 [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3247463 Gazette [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to solve the aforementioned conventional problems with respect to footwear by providing footwear that improves portability by increasing the adhesion between the opposing sole portions of the left foot footwear and the right foot footwear. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The problems that this invention aims to solve are as described above, and the means for solving these problems will now be explained.

[0008] In other words, in claim 1, the footwear is provided with an upper portion on the upper surface of the sole portion of the left foot footwear and the right foot footwear, wherein the sole portion is provided with an uneven fitting area on the sole surface, and is formed so that the left foot footwear and the right foot footwear can be combined by fitting the fitting area into an uneven manner when the opposing sole surfaces of the left foot footwear and the right foot footwear are in contact.

[0009] In claim 2, the fitting area is divided at equal intervals by grooves drilled in the sole surface along the width direction of the foot, and the convex block portion and concave block portion divided by the grooves are arranged alternately along the length direction of the foot.

[0010] In claim 3, the fitting region is formed in a region in which at least the sole surface can contact the ground when the sole is in an unbent state.

[0011] In claim 4, the sole portion is characterized by having a patterned groove pattern indicating the difference between unevenness and relief formed on the surface of the sole surface.

[0012] In claim 5, the upper portion has fastening members that tighten the upper material along the instep of the foot. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] One effect of the present invention is that the contact between the opposing soles of the left and right footwear can be improved, thereby enhancing portability. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the overall structure of footwear according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is also a plan view of Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a side view of a left foot shoe. [Figure 4] This is a view of the bottom of a left foot shoe. [Figure 5] This is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in Figure 4. [Figure 6] This is a side view of a footwear for the right foot. [Figure 7] This is a view of the bottom of a footwear for the right foot. [Figure 8] This diagram shows the left and right soles of footwear facing each other. [Figure 9] This is a side view showing footwear bundled together. [Figure 10] This is also a perspective view of Figure 9. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] Next, the embodiments for carrying out the invention will be described. In the following examples, the direction that matches the longitudinal direction of the foot of the wearer of the footwear 100 (the left-foot footwear 1 and the right-foot footwear 2) is the front-rear direction, the direction that matches the width direction of the foot of the wearer is the left-right direction, and the direction that is orthogonal to both the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is the up-down direction.

[0016] First, the overall configuration of the footwear 100 of this embodiment will be outlined below. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the footwear 100 of this embodiment is configured as a sandal having a left-right asymmetric shape composed of a pair of left-foot footwear 1 and right-foot footwear 2 for one foot. Specifically, the left-foot footwear 1 and the right-foot footwear 2 of the footwear 100 are provided with a sole part 10·20, an upper part 11·21 disposed on the upper surface of the sole part 10·20 so that the foot can be inserted and removed, an insole part 12·22 placed on the upper surface of the sole part 10·20, an engaging member 14·24 protruding from the rear edge of the sole part 10·20, and the like.

[0017] In the footwear 100 of this embodiment, the left-foot footwear 1 and the right-foot footwear 2 are formed in a left-right asymmetric manner with only the shape of the sole surface 15·25 being different, and other configurations except the sole surface 15·25 are formed in a substantially the same left-right symmetric shape (see FIGS. 3 and 6, etc.). Therefore, hereinafter, the shapes of the left-foot footwear 1 and the right-foot footwear 2 shall be configured in the same manner unless otherwise specified.

[0018] [[ID=1,4]]The sole part 10·20 constitutes the bottom of the left-foot footwear 1 and the right-foot footwear 2, and is formed of a lightweight and soft resin material or the like. It is formed so that when an external force is applied and bent and then the external force is released, it returns to its original shape. The sole part 10·20 is formed such that the tip parts 10a·20a and the heel parts 10b·20b are warped upward. In the non-bent state (rest state), when the footwear 100 (the left-foot footwear 1 and the right-foot footwear 2) is placed on the ground (horizontal plane), the tip parts 10a·20a and the heel parts 10b·20b are configured to be separated from the horizontal plane. The configuration of the sole part 10·20 will be described in detail later (see FIGS. 3 to 8, etc.).

[0019] The upper parts 11 and 21 come into direct contact with the instep and are made of a material that is elastic and cushioned, and are shaped to provide a comfortable fit. In this embodiment, the upper parts 11 and 21 are made of mesh material and the upper members 11a and 21a are connected to one and the other side edges of the sole parts 10 and 20 in the left-right direction, and are arranged in an arch shape that follows the instep.

[0020] The upper portions 11 and 21 are arranged on the surface of the upper members 11a and 21a with tongue-shaped pieces 11b and 21b positioned at a predetermined distance along the length of the foot, and are positioned symmetrically with respect to the respective centerlines in the length of the left foot shoe 1 and the right foot shoe 2. The tongue-shaped pieces 11b and 21b are provided with through holes 11c and 21c at their opposing edges through which the lace members 13 and 23, described later, are inserted.

[0021] The string members 13 and 23 are configured as known drawcords made of a single elastic string material, serving as fastening members that tighten the upper members 11a and 21a along the instep of the foot. The string members 13 and 23 are alternately inserted through the insertion holes 11c and 21c on the left and right tongue-shaped pieces 11b and 21b, and both ends protruding from the uppermost tongue-shaped pieces 11b and 21b are connected by fixing members 13a and 23a. Fasteners 13b and 23b are provided at the protruding parts of the string members 13 and 23, and the length of protrusion from the tongue-shaped pieces 11b and 21b can be fixed by adjusting the position of the fasteners 13b and 23b.

[0022] By inserting the foot into the upper parts 11 and 21 and pulling out the lace members 13 and 23, the tongue-shaped pieces 11b and 21b are pulled, allowing the upper parts 11a and 21a to be tightened along the instep. Furthermore, by removing the foot from the upper parts 11 and 21 and pulling out the lace members 13 and 23, the tongue-shaped pieces 11b and 21b are pulled further, deforming the upper parts 11a and 21a to become less bulky, and allowing the lace members 13 and 23 to be pulled out to a greater length.

[0023] The insole portions 12 and 22 are placed on the upper surface of the sole portions 10 and 20 and come into contact with the wearer's sole. They are made of a lightweight, soft resin material that has higher elasticity than the sole portions 10 and 20. In this way, by making the insole portions 12 and 22 from a material with higher elasticity than the sole portions 10 and 20, the reaction force from the ground can be absorbed by the insole portions 12 and 22, reducing stress or impact energy on the foot.

[0024] The engaging members 14 and 24 are provided projecting rearward from the rear edges of the sole portions 10 and 20, and are shaped to allow engagement with known fasteners such as carabiners. With the engaging members 14 and 24 provided in this way, when the left footwear 1 and the right footwear 2 are bundled together (see Figures 9 and 10), a fastener can be engaged with either the engaging member 14 of the left footwear 1 or the engaging member 24 of the right footwear 2, allowing the footwear 100 to be suspended and held via the fastener, thereby improving portability when going out.

[0025] Next, the composition of the sole portions 10 and 20 of the footwear 100 (footwear 1 for the left foot and footwear 2 for the right foot) will be described in detail below. As shown in Figures 3 to 8, in the footwear 100 of this embodiment, the sole portion 10 of the left footwear 1 and the sole portion 20 of the right footwear 2 are provided with interlocking fitting areas 16 and 26 on the sole surfaces 15 and 25, and are formed so that the left footwear 1 and the right footwear 2 can be combined by interlocking the interlocking fitting areas 16 and 26 when the opposing sole surfaces 15 and 25 of the left footwear 1 and the right footwear 2 are in contact with each other.

[0026] The sole portions 10 and 20 have multiple anti-slip grooves formed on the sole surface 15 and 25. Specifically, grooves 15a and 25a are drilled at equal intervals with predetermined spacing along the width direction of the foot, annular grooves 15b and 25b are drilled along the contour of the sole portions 10 and 20, and grip grooves 15c and 25c are drilled at the toe portions 10a and 20a and the heel portions 10b and 20b with narrower spacing than the grooves 15a and 25a along the width direction of the foot (see Figures 4 and 7).

[0027] The sole portions 10 and 20 are divided by grooves 15a and 25a drilled along the width direction of the foot, and multiple horizontally elongated block portions are formed along the length direction of the foot. The block portions consist of two types with different relative heights (projection lengths) relative to the grooves 15a and 25a: convex block portions 17 and 27 that form the convex surface of the sole surface 15 and 25, and concave block portions 18 and 28 that are lower in relative height than the convex block portions 17 and 27 and form the concave surface of the sole surface 15 and 25.

[0028] The sole portions 10 and 20 are formed such that the surface of the sole surface 15 and 25 is uneven in a side view by predetermined arrangement of convex block portions 17 and 27 and concave block portions 18 and 28. In this embodiment, the convex block portions 17 and 27 are arranged at the tip portions 10a and 20a and the heel portions 10b and 20b of the sole portions 10 and 20, and the convex block portions 17 and 27 and concave block portions 18 and 28 are alternately arranged along the length of the foot in the fitting region 16 and 26, which is the central part of the sole portion 10 and 20 sandwiched between the tip portions 10a and 20a and the heel portions 10b and 20b, and is an area in which at least the sole surface 15 and 25 can contact the ground when the sole portion 10 and 20 is not bent (see Figures 4 and 7).

[0029] The interlocking areas 16 and 26 are the contact surfaces (combination surfaces) when the opposing sole surfaces 15 and 25 of the left foot shoe 1 and the right foot shoe 2 are in contact. In this embodiment, as an example, a total of six convex block portions 17 and 27 and a total of six concave block portions 18 and 28 are arranged alternately so that the sole surfaces 15 and 25 have an uneven surface. In areas other than the interlocking areas 16 and 26, a total of five convex block portions 17 and 27 are arranged at the tip portions 10a and 10b of the sole portions 10 and 20, and a total of two convex block portions 17 and 27 are arranged at the heel portions 10b and 20b, respectively.

[0030] The surfaces of the sole surfaces 15 and 25 have patterned grooves that indicate the difference between the raised and recessed areas, specifically the raised block sections 17 and 27 and the recessed block sections 18 and 28. Specifically, the surfaces of the raised block sections 17 and 27 have raised patterns 17a and 27a that are patterned with a cross shape resembling the "plus (+)" sign, and the surfaces of the recessed block sections 18 and 28 have recessed patterns 17b and 27b that are patterned with a rectangular shape resembling the "minus (-)" sign (see Figures 4 and 7). By forming groove patterns (raised patterns 17a and 27a and recessed patterns 17b and 27b) on the surfaces of the sole surfaces 15 and 25 in this way, the raised and recessed shapes of the sole surfaces 15 and 25 can be recognized at a glance, and the aesthetic design of the appearance can be enhanced.

[0031] Furthermore, the surfaces of the two protruding block portions 17 and 27 at the tip and the two protruding block portions 17 and 27 at the rear end do not have a patterned groove pattern (protruding pattern 17a and 27a) indicating the difference between concave and concave; instead, the aforementioned grip groove portions 15c and 25c are drilled into them, respectively.

[0032] The sole portions 10 and 20 are configured such that the arrangement of the convex block portions 17 and 27 and the concave block portions 18 and 28 in the fitting areas 16 and 26 differs between the left foot footwear 1 and the right foot footwear 2. Specifically, the arrangement of the convex block portions 17 and 27 and the concave block portions 18 and 28 is reversed. In the fitting area 16 of the left foot footwear 1, the convex block portion 17 → concave block portion 18 → convex block portion 17... is arranged from the tip side of the sole portion 10 (see Figures 3 and 4), while in the fitting area 26 of the right foot footwear 2, the concave block portion 28 → convex block portion 27 → concave block portion 28... is arranged from the tip side of the sole portion 20 (see Figures 6 and 7).

[0033] In this embodiment, the footwear 100 is configured such that the convex block portions 17 and 27 and concave block portions 18 and 28 of the fitting areas 16 and 26 are arranged in a reversed order for the left footwear 1 and the right footwear 2. When the opposing sole surfaces 15 and 25 of the left footwear 1 and the right footwear 2 are in contact, the fitting areas 16 and 26 are interlocked, and the sole portions 10 and 20 are assembled. That is, when the sole surfaces 15 and 25 are facing each other, the corresponding convex block portions 17 and 27 and concave block portions 18 and 28 are positioned to face each other (Figure 8(a)). Then, when the sole surfaces 15 and 25 come into contact, the convex block portion 27 fits between adjacent convex block portions 17, causing the convex block portion 17 of the sole portion 10 to come into contact with the corresponding concave block portion 28 of the sole portion 20, and the convex block portion 27 of the sole portion 20 to come into contact with the corresponding concave block portion 18 of the sole portion 10, thereby causing the fitting regions 16 and 26 to fit together and the sole portions 10 and 20 to be assembled (Figure 8(b)).

[0034] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, in this embodiment, the footwear 100 uses the aforementioned string members 13 and 23 as fastening members for the left footwear 1 and the right footwear 2. With the opposing sole surfaces 15 and 25 of the left footwear 1 and the right footwear 2 in contact, the string member 13 of the left footwear 1 is pulled out and wrapped around the sole portion 20 of the right footwear 2, and the string member 23 of the right footwear 2 is pulled out and wrapped around the sole portion 10 of the left footwear 1, thereby fastening and assembling the left footwear 1 and the right footwear 2 together using the string members 13 and 23.

[0035] As described above, the footwear 100 of this embodiment is a footwear 100 in which upper parts 11 and 21 that allow the foot to be inserted and removed are provided on the upper surfaces of the sole parts 10 and 20 of the left foot footwear 1 and the right foot footwear 2. The sole parts 10 and 20 are provided with uneven fitting areas 16 and 26 on the sole surfaces 15 and 25, and are formed so that the fitting areas 16 and 26 can be fitted together with the opposing sole surfaces 10 and 20 of the left foot footwear 1 and the right foot footwear 2 in contact with each other. This improves the adhesion between the opposing sole parts 10 and 20 of the left foot footwear 1 and the right foot footwear 2, thereby improving portability.

[0036] In other words, in this embodiment, the left footwear 1 and the right footwear 2 are joined by fitting together the interlocking recessed and recessed fitting areas 16 and 26 formed on the sole surfaces 15 and 25 while the opposing sole surfaces 15 and 25 of the left footwear 1 and the right footwear 2 are in contact. As a result, the sole portions 10 and 20 of the left footwear 1 and the right footwear 2 are in close contact, providing a high degree of adhesion between them. This effectively prevents the sole surfaces 15 and 25 (combination surfaces) from shifting and becoming exposed due to impacts and vibrations during transport, and prevents other belongings from entering the gaps between the sole surfaces 15 and 25.

[0037] In particular, in the footwear 100 of this embodiment, the fitting areas 16 and 26 are divided at equal intervals by grooves 15b and 25b drilled along the width direction of the foot on the sole surfaces 15 and 25, and the convex block portions 17 and 27 and concave block portions 18 and 28 divided by the grooves 15b and 25b are arranged alternately along the length direction of the foot. Therefore, when the opposing sole surfaces 15 and 25 of the left footwear 1 and the right footwear 2 are in contact, the fitting areas 16 and 26 can be reliably interlocked with the convex block portions 17 and 27 and the concave block portions 18 and 28, thereby further improving the adhesion between the sole portions 10 and 20.

[0038] Furthermore, in the footwear 100 of this embodiment, the fitting areas 16 and 26 are formed in a region where at least the sole surfaces 15 and 25 can contact the ground when the sole portions 10 and 20 are in an unbent state. Therefore, simply by bringing the opposing sole surfaces 15 and 25 of the left footwear 1 and the right footwear 2 into contact, the fitting areas 16 and 26 can be used to easily interlock the sole portions 10 and 20 together.

[0039] Furthermore, the configuration of the footwear 100 is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible as long as they do not deviate from the objectives of the present invention.

[0040] In other words, while the footwear 100 of the above-described embodiment has been described as having a configuration in which two different types of convex block portions 17 and 27 and concave block portions 18 and 28 are provided as the sole surfaces 15 and 25, the configuration of the sole surfaces 15 and 25 is not limited to this, and any configuration that allows the opposing sole surfaces 15 and 25 of the left footwear 1 and the right footwear 2 to be joined together by interlocking the concave and concave parts while in contact is sufficient. For example, the shape of the interlocking area, the type and arrangement of the block portions (convex and concave blocks) formed on the sole surface are not particularly limited.

[0041] Furthermore, the footwear 100 in the above-described embodiment is not particularly limited in type as long as it is configured such that at least the upper surface of the sole portion 10-20 is provided with an upper portion 11-21 that allows the foot to be inserted and removed. For example, it can be configured as a type of sandal that has mobility and water resistance, such as sports sandals used for outdoor activities and various leisure activities, or recovery sandals used after exercise or activity (running, various ball games, mountain climbing, etc.), or it may be configured as other types of sandals such as clogs, slippers, or some types of short shoes.

[0042] Furthermore, in the footwear 100 of the above-described embodiment, a configuration was described in which fastening members are provided in the upper parts 11 and 21 to tighten the upper covering members 11a and 21a along the instep of the foot. However, the configuration of the upper part is not limited to this, and for example, in addition to a configuration in which a string member (drawcord) formed from an elastic string material is used as the fastening member, a configuration in which known shoelaces, hook-and-loop fasteners or belt members are used may be used, or a configuration without fastening members may be used. In the former case, it is preferable that the fastening member is configured so that it can be used as a fastening member for the left footwear and the right footwear (see Figures 9 and 10, etc.), and in the latter case, a separate fastening member may be used to fasten the left footwear and the right footwear together. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0043] 1. Footwear for the left foot 2. Footwear for the right foot 10-20 Sole 10a・20a Tip 10b・20b Heel part 11.21 Upper part 11a・21a Upper cover member 11b·21b Lingulae 11c·21c Through hole 12.22 Insole section 13.23 String component (fastening component) 13a·23a Fixing members 13b・23b Fasteners 14.24 Engaging Members 15·25 Sole surface 15a・25a Groove 15b·25b Annular groove section 15c / 25c Grip groove section 16.26 Fitting area 17.27 Convex block section 17a·27a Convex pattern (grooved pattern) 18.28 Recessed block section 18a・28a Concave pattern (grooved pattern) 100 footwear

Claims

1. In footwear in which an upper portion is provided on the upper surface of the sole portion of the left foot footwear and the right foot footwear, The sole portion is, The sole surface is provided with an uneven, interlocking area. The left and right footwear are formed to be able to be combined by fitting the interlocking parts of the fitting area together with the opposing sole surfaces of the left and right footwear in contact. Footwear characterized by the following features.

2. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the fitting area is divided at equal intervals by grooves drilled in the sole surface along the width direction of the foot, and the convex block portion and concave block portion divided by the grooves are arranged alternately along the length direction of the foot.

3. The footwear according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the fitting region is formed in an area in which at least the sole surface can contact the ground when the sole is in an unbent state.

4. The footwear according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the sole portion has a patterned groove pattern indicating the difference between unevenness and irregularity formed on the surface of the sole surface.

5. The footwear according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the upper portion has a fastening member that tightens the upper material along the instep of the foot.

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