footwear

Abstract

We provide footwear that can prevent or improve ailments such as lower back pain, stiff shoulders, and cold extremities by increasing the frequency of toe movement and strengthening the inner thigh muscles. [Solution] Footwear comprising a sole that covers the entire sole of the user's foot when viewed from the underside, a thong located on the surface of the sole, and a front thong which is the part of the thong that connects to the sole, wherein the surface of the sole has a step of 30 mm or more so that it can be bent to grip the user's toes.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to footwear.

Background Art

[0002] It is known that an improper posture of the body causes symptoms of discomfort such as low back pain, stiff shoulders, and chills. In modern people who spend a long time wearing shoes in daily life, the fact that they do not use their toes much when walking is one of the fundamental causes.

[0003] Sandals have been proposed that encourage the use of toes and can improve diseases and physical discomfort caused by the increasing posterior pelvic tilt and hunchback in the general modern population (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, even with conventional technologies such as Patent Document 1, the improvement of discomfort such as low back pain, stiff shoulders, and chills is still not sufficient, and further improvement is required.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The gist of the present invention is as follows. (1) A sole that covers the entire sole of the user's foot when viewed from the back side, A thong located on the surface of the sole, and A forecourt that is the connection portion of the thong to the sole including, The surface of the sole has a step of 30 mm or more so as to be bent to grip the user's toes, Footwear. (2) The sole includes an outsole and an insole positioned on the outsole, The insole has a step so that its front portion is shorter than the outsole. Footwear as described in (1) above. (3) The footwear described in (1) or (2) above, wherein the front thong has a width of 10 to 20 mm. (4) The footwear according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the front sob has a protrusion for pressing the user's thong. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide footwear that can prevent or improve ailments such as lower back pain, stiff shoulders, and cold extremities by increasing the frequency of toe movement and strengthening the inner thigh muscles. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the footwear as seen from the front. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the footwear. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the footwear as seen from the underside. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the footwear as seen from the heel side. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic side view of the footwear having a sole that includes an outsole and an insole positioned on the outsole. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the toes of a foot wearing these shoes, bent as if gripping a step. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the state of walking while wearing these footwear and bending the toes as if gripping a step. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the sole of the foot. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] This disclosure relates to footwear (hereinafter also referred to as "the footwear") which includes a sole that covers the entire sole of the user's foot when viewed from the underside, a thong located on the surface of the sole, and a toe strap which is the portion of the thong that connects to the sole, wherein the surface of the sole has a step of 30 mm or more so that it can be bent to grip the user's toes.

[0010] Traditionally, commonly worn shoes have a sole with an upward-curving toe section to make walking easier. As a result, users who wear these shoes tend to grip with their toes less and use their inner thigh muscles less, making them more susceptible to feeling cold and prone to developing a bowed gait, which can trigger conditions such as knee pain, lower back pain, and stiff shoulders.

[0011] In contrast, these footwear can prevent or improve ailments such as lower back pain, stiff shoulders, and cold extremities by increasing the frequency of toe movement and strengthening the inner thigh muscles. Users of these footwear can bend their toes to grip a step of 30 mm or more provided on the surface of the sole while pinching the front thong with the toe joint of the big toe and index finger. This action of pinching the front thong with the toe joint and bending the toes to grip the step promotes blood circulation and strengthens the inner thigh muscles, thereby preventing or improving cold extremities and preventing or improving bowed legs. By preventing or improving cold extremities and bowed legs, knee pain, lower back pain, and stiff shoulders can be prevented or improved.

[0012] The construction of this footwear will be explained below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the footwear 100 as seen from the front. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the footwear 100 as seen from the side. Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the footwear 100 as seen from the back. Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the footwear 100 as seen from the heel side. The footwear 100 in Figures 1 to 4 is for the right foot. The footwear 100 can be used as a pair, one for the right foot and one for the left foot.

[0013] This footwear 100 includes a sole 10 that covers the entire sole of the user's foot when viewed from the back surface 12 side, a strap 20 located on the front surface 11 of the sole 10, and a toe box 30 that is the connection portion of the strap 20 to the sole 10. The toe box 30 is the portion sandwiched between the web spaces of the user's thumb and index finger. The toe box 30 bears one of the three points on the toe side among the three points where the strap 20 is inserted into the sole 10. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the three points where the strap 20 is inserted into the sole 10 may be fastened to the back surface 12 of the sole by the fastening portion 22 of the strap and the fastening portion 32 of the toe box.

[0014] Covering the entire sole of the user's foot means that when viewed from the back surface 12 side, substantially the entire sole of the foot where the user's weight is applied is hidden by the sole 10. By making the sole structure such that substantially the entire sole of the foot is hidden by the sole 10, when walking while wearing this footwear 100 and pinching the toe box with the web spaces of the thumb and index finger and bending to grip a step 40 of 30 mm or more provided on the front surface 11 of the sole 10, the front surface 11 of the sole 10 can hit the heel when lifting the instep in the advancing direction and make a hitting sound. By walking while listening to this sound, it can be confirmed that one is walking correctly while pinching the toe box 30 with the web spaces of the thumb and index finger and bending the toes to grip the step. That is, it can be confirmed whether one is walking correctly so as to exert the function of this footwear 100 based on the presence or absence of the sound. Bending the toes to grip means bending the toes so that the belly of the toes hits the side surface of the step 40 as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the state where the toes of the foot wearing this footwear are bent to grip the step, and FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the state where one walks while wearing this footwear and bending the toes of the foot to grip the step.

[0015] Also, since the sole 10 that contacts the sole of the foot covers up to the heel except for the toes, one can walk in a correct posture with a firm step while pinching the toe box with the web spaces of the thumb and index finger and bending the toes to grip the step.

[0016] Furthermore, by adopting a sole structure in which substantially the entire sole of the foot on which the user's weight is applied is hidden in the sole 10, it is possible to safely walk on a road where stones or protrusions have fallen. The footwear 100 has a structure suitable for going out and can be used daily, and the health improvement effect can be obtained efficiently. The footwear 100 can promote the exercise of gripping the toes whether the user is sitting on a chair or walking.

[0017] The time for which the user wears the footwear 100 is preferably 30 minutes or more, more preferably 45 minutes or more, and even more preferably 60 minutes or more per day. By wearing the footwear 100 for the above preferred time, the health improvement effect due to the action of the footwear 100 can be obtained more efficiently.

[0018] The surface 11 of the sole 10 has a step 40 of 30 mm or more so as to be bent to grip the user's toes. Furthermore, by pinching the front flat 30 with the web between the thumb and the index finger and bending the toes to grip them, the inner thigh muscles can be efficiently exercised.

[0019] The step 40 should be at least 30 mm high so that the toes can bend and the fingertips do not strongly touch the lower sole (outsole 121). If the step 40 is 30 mm or higher, the fingertips of a typical adult male will not strongly touch the outsole 121. In this invention, the height of the step 40 is the vertical height. If the step 40 is less than 30 mm, the fingertips will strongly touch the outsole 121 of the step when walking while bending the toes as if gripping, and it will not be possible to walk while bending the toes sufficiently as if gripping. In the schematic diagram of Figure 7, when wearing this footwear and walking with the toes bent as if gripping the step, the fingertips touch the outsole 121, but the fingertips do not strongly touch the outsole 121, and it is possible to walk while bending the toes sufficiently as if gripping. The step 40 is 30 mm or higher, preferably 35 mm or higher or 40 mm or higher. There is no particular upper limit to the height of the step, but if the step 40 is too high, the sole will become thick and difficult to walk in, so the upper limit of the step 40 may be set to about 50 mm. This footwear 100 can be prepared in variations with different step heights to suit the size of the feet and toe length of adults and children.

[0020] The toes that are bent to grip the step can be all of them or some of them, for example, the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger; the index finger, middle finger, and ring finger; the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger; or the big toe, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger.

[0021] Depending on the position of the edge of the step 40, the number of toes that can bend to grip the step may vary. For example, if the edge 41 corresponding to the position of the big toe on the step 40 is closer to the toe side (upwards in Figure 1), fewer toes can bend to grip, while if the edge of the step 40 is closer to the heel side (downwards in Figure 1), more toes can bend to grip. The footwear 100 can be prepared in variations with different positions of the edge 41 of the step 40, depending on the symptoms to be improved.

[0022] The edge 41 of the step 40 is located towards the toenails, relative to the transverse arch connecting the ball of the big toe and the ball of the little toe as shown in Figure 8, and is located near the base of the toes to the vicinity of the second joint, or from the vicinity of the second joint to the vicinity of the first joint. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the sole of the foot. The position of the edge 41 of the step 40 allows the toes to bend as if gripping something.

[0023] The distance between the heel side of the toe post 30 and the edge 41 is preferably 25 mm or less, but may also be 20 mm or less, 15 mm or less, 10 mm or less, or 5 mm or less. The above preferred distance between the heel side of the toe post 30 and the edge 41 allows the toe to bend sufficiently at the step 40 while gripping the toe post between the big toe and index finger. The footwear 100 can be prepared in variations with different distances between the heel side of the toe post 30 and the edge 41, depending on the size of the foot and the length of the toes, such as for adults and children. The sole on the toe side of the toe post 30 may have a reinforcing member. The reinforcing member may be made of resin, plastic, or metal. If the distance between the heel side of the toe post 30 and the edge 41 is small, the strength of the sole on the toe side of the toe post 30 may be insufficient, but the sole can be prevented from breaking by providing a reinforcing member.

[0024] The angle θ of the step 40 shown in Figure 2 should be an angle that makes it easy to bend the toes as if gripping something. If the angle θ is too small, the strength of the sole near the edge 41 of the step 40 tends to decrease, and if the angle θ is too large, it becomes difficult to bend the toes as if gripping something. Therefore, the angle θ of the step 40 can be, for example, 60 to 120 degrees, 70 to 110 degrees, 80 to 100 degrees, 85 to 95 degrees, or even nearly a right angle.

[0025] The surface 11 of the sole 10 can be flat. Conventionally, commonly worn shoes have a raised sole surface that corresponds to the arch of the foot, making it difficult to train the cushioning function of the arch and prone to developing a bowed foot. In contrast, the surface 11 of the sole 100 of this footwear allows the cushioning function of the arch of the user's foot to be utilized, and enables the gripping motion of the toes to be performed more efficiently. By wearing this footwear 100 and walking with the entire sole of the foot, excluding the toes, on the flat surface 11 of the sole 10, and by bending the toes to grip the raised surface 11 of the sole 10, users can more efficiently prevent or improve knee pain, lower back pain, and stiff shoulders, and can also prevent or improve flat feet.

[0026] The surface 11 of the sole 10 can be approximately horizontal. Conventionally, commonly worn shoes have a slope on the sole surface, with the heel side higher and the toe side lower. However, in this footwear 100, the surface 11 of the sole 10 from the heel side to the toe side can be approximately horizontal, and can also be approximately horizontal in the direction perpendicular to the direction from the heel side to the toe side (foot width direction).

[0027] Because the surface 11 of the sole 10 is approximately horizontal, it is possible to walk by bending the toes and gripping while keeping the heel to the base of the toes in contact with the sole 11, thereby strengthening the ankle muscles and improving flexibility. The surface 11 of the sole 10 refers to an angle of ±20 degrees, ±10 degrees, ±5 degrees, ±2 degrees, or ±1 degree relative to the horizontal, with the horizontal angle being 0 degrees.

[0028] The footwear 100 can be, for example, sandals, straw sandals, rubber sandals, clogs, sandals, shoes, etc.

[0029] The materials for the sole 10, the thong 20, and the toe strap 30 can be materials conventionally used in the above-mentioned sandals, etc. For example, the sole 10 may be made of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) resin or polyethylene resin, and the thong 20 and toe strap 30 may be made of polyvinyl chloride resin.

[0030] The sole 10 may be a single piece or may be composed of multiple members. When the sole 10 is composed of multiple members, the sole 10 preferably includes an outsole 121 and an insole 111 positioned on the outsole 121, as shown in Figure 5, wherein the insole 111 is shorter at the front than the outsole 121 so as to have a step 40. Figure 5 is a schematic side view of the footwear 100 having a sole 10 including an outsole 121 and an insole 111 positioned on the outsole 121.

[0031] Since the sole 10 is composed of an insole 111 and an outsole 121, the sole 10 having a step 40 can be easily formed by separately preparing an outsole 121 that covers the entire sole of the foot and an insole 111 that is shorter at the toe side to form a step 40, and bonding them together with adhesive or the like. Furthermore, since the sole 10 is composed of an insole 111 and an outsole 121, multiple variations of the sole 10 with different positions of the edge 41 of the step 40 can be easily formed. The insole 111 and outsole 121 may be removable. The outsole 121 may be a shoe, and the insole 111 having a thong 20 and a toe strap 30 may be placed in the shoe as the outsole 121 and used as the footwear 100. The insole 111 and outsole 121 may each be one or more pieces.

[0032] The front sole 30 preferably has a width of 10 to 20 mm. Width refers to the width of the foot. The front sole 30 can be cylindrical and may have a diameter of 10 to 20 mm. By having the front sole 30 with the aforementioned preferred width or diameter, the toes can be sufficiently spread apart, providing a stretching effect, and the toes can be gripped with the front sole 30 while walking, allowing for more efficient training of the inner thigh muscles.

[0033] The front thong 30 preferably has a protrusion 31 for pressing the user's Taichong acupoint. A schematic diagram of the protrusion 31 is shown in Figure 4. Taichong is the second acupoint of the Liver Meridian of Foot Jueyin. Taichong is located in the V-shaped depression where the bones of the big toe (first toe) and index toe (second toe) intersect. By having a protrusion 31, the front thong 30 can stimulate the user's Taichong acupoint. The location of the protrusion 31 can be on both sides of the front thong 30 at the boundary with the thong 20, as illustrated in Figure 4.

[0034] The protrusion 31 preferably has a diameter and height of 2 to 8 mm or 3 to 7 mm. Having the aforementioned preferred diameter and height of the protrusion 31 allows for more efficient stimulation of the Taichong point. The protrusion 31 may be formed integrally with the front base 30, or it may be formed by attaching a component to the front base 30 with adhesive, tape, etc. The material of the protrusion 31 may be any material having sufficient hardness to stimulate the Taichong point, and may be, for example, made of EVA resin, polyethylene (PE) resin, or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin. [Examples]

[0035] (Example 1) A sandal schematically shown in Figure 1 was fabricated. The fabricated sandal had a sole made by bonding an EVA outsole with a thickness of 15 mm and an EVA insole with a thickness of 30 mm that was positioned on the outsole, had a short front part on the toe side, a flat and nearly horizontal surface, and formed a step; a PVC toe strap on the surface of the sole; a cylindrical PVC toe strap with a width (diameter) of 15 mm that connects the toe strap to the sole; and a 30 mm step on the surface of the sole with an edge at a position corresponding to the base of the toes so that the toes can be bent to grip.

[0036] Five subjects underwent a 20-day test in which they wore specially made sandals for 60 minutes each day, including 30 minutes of walking. Physical symptoms were evaluated before and after the test. Each subject had one or more physical symptoms related to lower back pain, stiff shoulders, or coldness. A rating of 2 was given if all five subjects experienced the disappearance or improvement of their symptoms, 1 if some of the five subjects experienced the disappearance or improvement of their symptoms, and 0 if all five subjects experienced virtually no change in their symptoms.

[0037] (Example 2) A sandal with the same configuration as in Example 1, except for a 45mm step height, was tested under the same conditions as in Example 1.

[0038] (Example 3) A sandal with the same configuration as in Example 1, except that the width (diameter) of the front thong was 10 mm, was tested under the same conditions as in Example 1.

[0039] (Example 4) A sandal with the same configuration as in Example 1, except that the width (diameter) of the front thong was 20 mm, was tested under the same conditions as in Example 1.

[0040] (Example 5) A sandal with the same configuration as in Example 1, except that the width (diameter) of the front thong was 25 mm, was tested under the same conditions as in Example 1.

[0041] (Example 6) A sandal with the same configuration as in Example 1, except that the width (diameter) of the front thong was 5 mm, was tested under the same conditions as in Example 1.

[0042] (Example 7) A sandal with the same configuration as in Example 6, except that the front sole has a protrusion with a diameter and height of 5 mm for pressing against a large cushion, was tested under the same conditions as in Example 1.

[0043] (Comparative Example 1) A sandal with the same configuration as in Example 1, except for a 15mm step, was tested under the same conditions as in Example 1.

[0044] (Comparative Example 2) A sandal with the same configuration as in Example 1, except that it lacked a toe strap and instead had a band to secure the instep in the width direction of the foot, was tested under the same conditions as in Example 1.

[0045] (Comparative Example 3) A sandal with the same configuration as in Example 1, except that the heel side of the sole was shorter and did not cover the heel, was tested under the same conditions as in Example 1.

[0046] Table 1 shows the test results for Examples 1-7 and Comparative Examples 1-3. [Table 1] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0047] 100 pairs of footwear 10 soles 11. Sole surface 111 Insoles 12. The bottom of the sole 121 Outsole 20 Thong 22. The fastening part of the thong 30 Maetsubo 31 Convex part 32 Front tsubo fastening 40 steps 41. Edge of a step

Claims

1. A sole that covers the entire sole of the user's foot when viewed from the underside. The thong located on the surface of the sole, and The front thong is the part of the thong that connects to the sole. Includes, The surface of the sole has a step of 30 mm or more so that it can be bent to grip the user's toes. footwear.

2. The sole includes an outsole and an insole positioned on the outsole. The insole has a step so that its front portion is shorter than the outsole. Footwear according to claim 1.

3. The footwear according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the front thong has a width of 10 to 20 mm.

4. The footwear according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the front sole has a protrusion for pressing the user's thong.

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