Upper and shoes

Abstract

This allows for the creation of multiple types of customized shoes from an upper of the same dimensions, each with a shape that accommodates the feet of several different wearers while providing a similar level of fit. [Solution] The upper 20 comprises a first portion A1 and a second portion A2 which is more elastic than the first portion A1. The first portion A1 is provided at least on the upper body 21, and the second portion A2 is provided at least on the upper bottom 22.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an upper and shoes.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a method has been proposed to manufacture shoes that can accommodate feet of a wide range of sizes using uppers of the same dimensions (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below).

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an upper configured by knitting, the upper including at least a first partial region containing a first thread and a second partial region containing a second thread, and the first thread being configured to have higher elasticity than the second thread. In the upper described in Patent Document 1, the first partial region and the second partial region are alternately extended in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the shoe.

[0004] According to the upper described in Patent Document 1, while firmly surrounding the foot in the first partial region, the force applied in the lateral direction is diverted into the second partial region. Further, according to the upper described in Patent Document 1, by alternately arranging the first and second partial regions so as to be orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, it is possible to adjust the size of the shoe in the longitudinal direction.

[0005] That is, according to the upper described in Patent Document 1, even when manufacturing shoes using uppers of the same dimensions, it is possible to apply the necessary pressure (give a fitting feeling) to the feet of each wearer, and since the size can be adjusted, it is possible to accommodate feet of a wide range of sizes.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0007] However, with the above upper, the first portion stretches when worn to conform to the shape of the wearer's foot, but when the shoes are removed (when not being worn), the first portion contracts back to its original shape. In other words, when the shoes using the above upper are not being worn, they do not conform to the shape of the wearer's foot. Therefore, although the shoes using the above upper can accommodate both people with a size 1 foot and people with a larger size 2 foot, when worn by someone with a size 2 foot, the pressure on the foot is greater than when worn by someone with a size 1 foot, and there is a risk of the shoes becoming too tight. In short, although shoes equipped with the above upper can be made to fit a wide range of sizes using an upper of the same dimensions, because they do not conform to the shape of the wearer's foot when not being worn, the pressure on the foot varies depending on the wearer's foot size, and it is not possible to provide the same level of fit.

[0008] This invention has been made in view of the above, and its purpose is to enable the creation of multiple types of customized shoes from an upper of the same dimensions, each with a shape that corresponds to the feet of multiple wearers with different shapes, while still providing a similar fit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objective, a first embodiment of the present invention is a shoe upper comprising an upper body that covers the instep portion of the wearer's foot and an upper bottom portion that is continuous with the upper body and covers the sole portion of the wearer's foot, wherein the upper bottom portion is fixed to the upper part of a shoe sole, and comprises a first portion and a second portion that is more elastic than the first portion, wherein the first portion is provided at least on the upper body and the second portion is provided at least on the upper bottom portion.

[0010] In the first form of shoe upper (hereinafter simply referred to as "upper"), a second part, which is more elastic than the first part, is provided at the bottom of the upper and is fixed to the shoe sole (hereinafter simply referred to as "sole"). When an upper with this configuration is placed over a first last shaped to fit the foot of a first wearer, the second part at the bottom of the upper stretches to fit the shape of the first wearer's foot. When the upper placed over the first last is fixed to the sole, the stretched second part is fixed to the sole and does not return to its original contracted state, thus producing a first customized shoe shaped to fit the foot of the first wearer. Furthermore, when an upper of the same dimensions is placed over a second last shaped to fit the foot of a second wearer with a different foot shape than the first wearer, the second part at the bottom of the upper stretches to fit the foot of the second wearer, and when this is fixed to the sole, a second customized shoe shaped to fit the foot of the second wearer is produced. The first and second customized shoes are manufactured from uppers of the same dimensions. However, the first customized shoe is manufactured to conform to the shape of the first wearer's foot, regardless of whether it is worn or not, and the second customized shoe is also manufactured to conform to the shape of the second wearer's foot, regardless of whether it is worn or not. Therefore, both shoes can provide a similar fit to the respective wearer's foot. Thus, according to the first form, multiple types of customized shoes can be produced from uppers of the same dimensions, each with a shape that conforms to the feet of multiple wearers with different foot shapes, while still providing a similar fit.

[0011] The second embodiment is characterized in that, in the first embodiment, the second portion of the upper sole is provided to expand and contract at least in the width direction of the foot.

[0012] According to the second form of the upper, the second portion can be fixed to the sole at the bottom of the upper with at least the width of the foot extended. Therefore, according to the second form, by extending the second portion in the width of the foot to match the shape of each wearer's foot from an upper of the same dimensions, it is possible to create multiple types of customized shoes that can provide a similar fit while having shapes that correspond to the feet of multiple wearers with different cross-sectional shapes (surfaces cut by a plane perpendicular to the length of the foot) than non-customized shoes with a wider width than non-customized shoes, customized shoes with a higher instep than non-customized shoes, and wide and high-instep customized shoes with a larger width and higher instep than non-customized shoes.

[0013] The third embodiment is characterized in that, in the second embodiment, the second portion of the upper bottom is provided to expand and contract in the direction of the length of the foot.

[0014] According to the third form of the upper, the second portion can be fixed to the sole at the bottom of the upper while being extended not only in the width direction but also in the length direction of the foot. Therefore, according to the third form, by extending the second portion in at least one of the width direction and length direction to match the shape of each wearer's foot, it is possible to create multiple types of customized shoes that can provide a similar fit while having shapes that correspond to the feet of multiple wearers with different cross-sectional shapes and sizes.

[0015] The fourth embodiment is characterized in that, in the first embodiment, the second portion includes an elastic material.

[0016] Here, "stretchable material" refers to elastic yarns that stretch when tensile force is applied, but return to their original length when the tensile force is removed (stretch recovery property), or elastic materials themselves such as natural rubber or synthetic rubber. Examples of elastic yarns that can be used include rubber yarns made from natural rubber or synthetic rubber, as well as polyurethane, polyester, and polyolefin-based elastic yarns.

[0017] According to the fourth form of shoe upper, by incorporating an elastic material into the second part, a second part that is more elastic than the first part can be easily formed.

[0018] The fifth embodiment is a shoe comprising a sole and an upper fixed to the upper part of the sole, wherein the upper is a shoe upper according to any one of the first to fourth inventions.

[0019] According to the fifth form of the shoe, by incorporating a shoe upper according to any one of the first to fourth inventions described above, it is possible to create multiple types of customized shoes that can provide a similar fit while having shapes that correspond to the feet of multiple wearers with different shapes.

[0020] The sixth embodiment is characterized in that, in the fifth embodiment, the upper is fixed to the sole in a state in which the second portion provided at the bottom of the upper is extended at least in the width direction of the foot.

[0021] In the sixth form of the shoe, the upper is fixed to the sole with a second portion located at the bottom of the upper extended at least in the width direction of the foot. With this configuration, by extending the second portion in the width direction to match the shape of each wearer's foot, it is possible to create multiple types of customized shoes from the same size upper that can provide a similar fit while having shapes that correspond to the feet of multiple wearers with different cross-sectional shapes.

[0022] The seventh form is characterized in that, in the fifth form, the upper part is fixed to the sole in a state where the second part provided at the bottom of the upper part extends at least in the longitudinal direction of the foot.

[0023] In the shoes of the seventh form, the upper part is fixed to the sole in a state where the second part provided at the bottom of the upper part extends at least in the longitudinal direction of the foot. By adopting such a configuration, by extending the second part in at least one of the width direction and the longitudinal direction of the foot according to the shape of the foot of each individual wearer, it is possible to produce a plurality of types of customized shoes that can provide a similar fit feeling while corresponding to the feet of a plurality of wearers with different cross-sectional shapes and sizes at least one from the upper parts of the same dimensions.

Advantages of the Invention

[0024] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to produce a plurality of types of customized shoes that can provide a similar fit feeling while corresponding to the feet of a plurality of wearers with different shapes.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of shoes provided with the upper part of Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view seen from the outer side showing the shoes of FIG. 1 together with the skeletal structure of the foot. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the upper part of Embodiment 1. [Figure 5]Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view at the position of line AA in Figure 2, showing the manufacturing process of customized shoe S11 in comparison with the manufacturing process of non-customized shoe S0. (a) shows the temporary upper being placed over the last during the deformation process, (b) shows the upper after the deformation process, (c) shows the upper being bonded and fixed to the sole during the final shaping process, and (d) shows the shoe after the last removal process. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view at the position of line AA in Figure 2, showing the manufacturing process of customized shoes S12 in comparison with the manufacturing process of non-customized shoes S0. (a) shows the temporary upper being placed over the last during the deformation process, (b) shows the upper after the deformation process, (c) shows the upper being bonded and fixed to the sole during the final shaping process, and (d) shows the shoe after the last removal process. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view at the position of line AA in Figure 2, showing the manufacturing process of customized shoe S13 in comparison with the manufacturing process of non-customized shoe S0. (a) shows the temporary upper being placed over the last during the deformation process, (b) shows the upper after the deformation process, (c) shows the upper being bonded and fixed to the sole during the final shaping process, and (d) shows the shoe after the last removal process. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a bottom view of the upper part of Embodiment 2. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the manufacturing method of customized shoes. The top section is a cross-sectional view cut along the BB line in Figure 8, showing the upper in its temporary shape during the temporary shaping process. The middle section is a cross-sectional view cut along the BB line in Figure 8, showing the upper after the deformation process. The bottom section is a cross-sectional view cut along the BB line in Figure 8, showing the upper after the final shaping process, along with a side view seen from the outer side of the sole. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a bottom view of the upper part of Embodiment 3. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a bottom view of the upper part of Embodiment 4. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a diagram corresponding to Figure 3 of a shoe with the upper of Embodiment 5. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a diagram corresponding to Figure 3 of a shoe with the upper of Embodiment 6. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a diagram corresponding to Figure 3 of a shoe with the upper of Embodiment 7. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a side view of a shoe equipped with the upper of Embodiment 8, viewed from the outer side. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are merely preferred examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0027] Embodiment 1 of the Invention Figures 1 and 2 show the entire left shoe of the customized shoe S1 (hereinafter simply referred to as shoe S1) equipped with the upper 20 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Since the right shoe is constructed symmetrically to the left shoe, the following description will focus on the left shoe shown in Figures 1 and 2, and the description of the right shoe will be omitted. In the following description, "front" and "rear" refer to the positional relationship of shoe S1 in the length direction of the foot, and "medial" and "lateral" refer to the positional relationship of shoe S1 in the width direction of the foot. Furthermore, "up" and "down" refer to the positional relationship of shoe S1 in the vertical direction (positional relationship in the height direction perpendicular to the surface on which shoe S1 is placed when it is placed on a flat surface).

[0028] -Shoe composition- The shoe S1 consists of a sole 10 and an upper 20 positioned above it.

[0029] <Sole> As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the sole 10 comprises an outsole 11 and a midsole 12. The sole 10 is located at the very bottom of the shoe S1 and has a contact surface 10a that makes contact with the road surface.

[0030] The outsole 11 is provided in a range from the front to the rear of the shoe S1 so as to correspond to the range from the forefoot F to the rearfoot H of the wearer's foot f. The outsole 11 is made of a hard elastic material with a higher hardness than the midsole 12. Specifically, suitable materials for the outsole 11 include thermoplastic resins such as ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), thermosetting resins such as polyurethane (PU), or rubber materials such as butadiene rubber or chloroprene rubber. The lower surface of the outsole 11 becomes the contact surface 10a of the sole 10 that contacts the road surface when walking or running.

[0031] The midsole 12 extends from the front to the rear of the shoe S1 in the foot length direction (front-to-back direction), and covers the entire area of ​​the sole 10 from the medial to the lateral in the foot width direction. The upper surface of the midsole 12 is formed in a curved shape to conform to the sole of the foot f of the shoe wearer, and serves as a sole support surface that supports the sole of the shoe wearer's foot. In this embodiment 1, the upper surface of the midsole 12 also serves as an upper fixing surface to which the upper bottom 22 of the upper 20, which will be described later, is fixed.

[0032] The midsole 12 is formed from a soft, elastic material with lower hardness than the outsole 11. Specifically, suitable materials for the midsole 12 include thermoplastic synthetic resins such as ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and their foams, thermosetting resins such as polyurethane (PU) and their foams, and rubber materials such as butadiene rubber and chloroprene rubber and their foams. The midsole 12 is laminated on the upper side of the outsole 11 by being fixed to the outsole 11 with an adhesive or the like.

[0033] The midsole 12 has an upper midsole 13 and a lower midsole 14 stacked on the underside of the upper midsole 13. Between the upper and lower midsoles 13 and 14, a corrugated plate 15 is positioned to correspond to the rearfoot H. The corrugated plate 15 is formed in a corrugated shape with repeated bumps and dips in the front-to-back direction.

[0034] In this embodiment 1, the outsole 11 and midsole 12 constitute a sole 10 having a contact surface 10a that makes contact with the road surface.

[0035] <upper> The upper 20 has an upper body 21 that covers the upper part of the wearer's foot f from heel to toe (including the heel, both sides, instep, and toe), and an upper bottom 22 that covers the underside of the wearer's foot f from heel to toe (sole). In this embodiment 1, the upper body 21 and the upper bottom 22 are integrally formed from knitted fabric and are constructed in a bag-like shape. The material of the upper body 21 and the upper bottom 22 is not particularly limited and can be made of knitted fabric, or other materials such as woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, mesh material, synthetic leather, artificial leather, genuine leather, rubber, resin sheet, etc. Alternatively, the upper body 21 and the upper bottom 22 may be formed separately and joined together by sewing, adhesive, fusion, etc. to form a bag-like shape.

[0036] In this embodiment 1, the upper 20 comprises a bag-shaped outer upper 20a and an inner upper 20b, which is also bag-shaped and conforms to the inner surface of the outer upper 20a. The upper 20 is formed into a single bag shape by joining the two uppers 20a and 20b together by sewing, bonding, fusing, etc., with the inner upper 20b placed inside the outer upper 20a.

[0037] As will be described in more detail later, in this embodiment 1, heat-fusible yarn is partially woven into the upper 20 during knitting, and in the final product state shown in Figures 1-3, the heat-fusible yarn is melted and then fixed. After knitting the upper 20, the heat-fusible yarn is melted and fixed by heating and cooling the upper 20 with the upper 20 placed over the temporary-shaped last L0, and the shape of the upper 20 is temporarily fixed to conform to the temporary-shaped last L0. As will be described in more detail later, after the temporary-fixed shape, the upper 20 is placed over the lasts L11-L13, which have shapes corresponding to the shape of each wearer's foot, and then bonded and fixed to the sole 10 corresponding to the width of each wearer's foot, thereby forming a shoe S1 (customized shoe S11-S13) whose shape is customized to conform to the shape of the wearer's foot.

[0038] The upper body 21 is provided to integrally cover the instep (upper part) of the wearer's foot f, extending from the medial to the lateral side of the shoe S1, from the front end (toes) to the rear end (heel) in the front-to-back direction. An opening O is formed at the top of the upper body 21, which opens around the wearer's ankle. In this embodiment 1, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the upper body 21 is not provided with eyelets for threading shoelaces, but the upper body 21 may have eyelets and be configured to be tightened with shoelaces.

[0039] The upper 20 comprises a first portion A1 and a second portion A2 which is more elastic than the first portion A1. The second portion A2 is made more elastic than the first portion A1 by incorporating an elastic material into the second portion A2 while not incorporating an elastic material into the first portion A1. In this embodiment 1, elastic yarn is woven into the second portion A2 as an elastic material, while elastic yarn is not woven into the first portion A1. In Figures 2 to 7, hatching with dots is applied to the second portion A2 to emphasize it. Also, in order to focus on the upper 20, the hatching of the sole 10 is omitted in Figures 3, 5 to 7.

[0040] Here, an elastic yarn refers to a yarn that stretches when tensile force is applied, but returns to its original length when the tensile force is removed (stretch recovery property). For example, rubber yarn made from natural rubber or synthetic rubber, or elastic yarns made from polyurethane, polyester, or polyolefin can be used as elastic yarns. In this embodiment 1, an elastic yarn with a higher stretch recovery rate than the main yarn (the yarn most commonly used in the upper 20) is used.

[0041] In this embodiment 1, as described above, the upper 20 is formed into a single bag shape by joining a bag-shaped outer upper 20a and a bag-shaped inner upper 20b by sewing, bonding, fusing, etc. In the second part A2, elastic threads are woven into both uppers 20a and 20b as an elastic material, so that both uppers 20a and 20b can stretch and contract together.

[0042] In this embodiment 1, the first portion A1 is configured to be a non-stretchable portion with almost no elasticity. In this embodiment 1, the first portion A1 contains a low-melting-point material, and after the upper 20 is knitted, it is heated and cooled while placed over the temporary-holding wrest L0 to melt and solidify the low-melting-point material, thereby configuring it to have almost no elasticity (not stretch). In this embodiment 1, the above-mentioned heat-fusible yarn is woven into the first portion A1 of the upper 20 as a low-melting-point material.

[0043] Here, a heat-fusible yarn refers to a yarn with high melting and fusion properties, composed of a material with a relatively low melting point. For example, a yarn made of nylon, which has a relatively low melting point, can be used as a heat-fusible yarn. In this embodiment 1, the heat-fusible yarn is made of a material with a lower melting point than the other yarns used in the upper 20.

[0044] In this embodiment 1, as described above, the upper 20 is formed into a single bag shape by joining a bag-shaped outer upper 20a and a bag-shaped inner upper 20b by sewing, bonding, fusion, etc. In the first portion A1 of the upper 20, at least the outer upper 20a has heat-fusible yarn woven in as a low-melting-point material.

[0045] In this embodiment 1, the first portion A1 and the second portion A2 are provided on the upper body 21 and the upper bottom portion 22, respectively.

[0046] As shown in Figure 2, in the upper body 21, the opening portion 23 surrounding the opening O is composed of the second portion A2, and the other parts are composed of the first portion A1. In other words, the opening portion 23 of the upper body 21 contains elastic material (elastic yarn is woven into it) in both the outer upper 20a and the inner upper 20b. On the other hand, the parts of the upper body 21 other than the opening portion 23 do not contain elastic material (elastic yarn is not woven into it) in either the outer upper 20a or the inner upper 20b, and the outer upper 20a contains a low melting point material (heat-fusible yarn is woven into it).

[0047] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the upper bottom portion 22 is provided with a second portion A2 that is expandable in the width direction of the foot, and the portion other than the second portion A2 is composed of the first portion A1.

[0048] In this embodiment 1, the second portion A2 of the upper sole 22 extends in the foot length direction (front-to-back direction) at the center of the foot width direction and is provided to extend from the forefoot F to the rearfoot H. By providing the second portion A2 to extend in the foot length direction in this way, the upper sole 22 becomes more flexible in the foot width direction. Furthermore, in this embodiment 1, the second portion A2 is provided in a wide area of ​​the upper sole 22, excluding the outer edge in the foot width direction, so that it can be stretched over a long distance in the foot width direction. In other words, in this embodiment 1, the second portion A2 of the upper sole 22 is provided in a wide area excluding the outer periphery. The portion of the upper sole 22 other than the second portion A2 (i.e., the outer periphery) is composed of the first portion A1. In other words, in the wide area of ​​the upper sole 22 excluding the outer periphery, both the outer upper 20a and the inner upper 20b contain elastic material (elastic yarn is woven in). On the other hand, the outer periphery of the upper bottom 22, both the outer upper 20a and the inner upper 20b, do not contain any stretchable material (no stretchable yarn is woven in), while the outer upper 20a contains a low melting point material (heat-fusible yarn is woven in).

[0049] As described above, in this embodiment 1, the second portion A2 of the upper bottom 22 is provided over a wide area from the forefoot F to the rearfoot H in the length direction of the foot, and also over a wide area in the width direction of the foot. As a result, the upper 20 is configured to be expandable and contractible in the width direction over a wide area in the length direction of the foot, and to be able to stretch over a long distance in the width direction of the foot.

[0050] -Manufacturing method for customized shoes- Next, a method for manufacturing customized shoes S11 to S13 (hereinafter simply referred to as shoes S11 to S13) using an upper 20 of the same dimensions will be explained with reference to Figures 5 to 7. Note that the left side of each of Figures 5 to 7 shows the manufacturing process of a non-customized shoe S0, in which the provisional upper 20 is fixed to the standard sole 10s without deformation, for comparison with the manufacturing processes of shoes S11 to S13. The right side of Figure 5 shows the manufacturing process of shoe S11, the right side of Figure 6 shows the manufacturing process of shoe S12, and the right side of Figure 7 shows the manufacturing process of shoe S13.

[0051] To simplify the explanation, shoes S11 to S13 are assumed to be the same size as the non-customized shoe S0. In addition, shoes S11 to S13 all have a larger girth from the forefoot to the hindfoot compared to the non-customized shoe S0. Specifically, shoe S11 shown in Figure 5 is a high-instep type shoe with a similar width from the forefoot to the hindfoot but a higher instep compared to the non-customized shoe S0. Shoe S12 shown in Figure 6 is a wide (flat) type shoe with a larger width from the forefoot to the hindfoot and a slightly lower instep compared to the non-customized shoe S0. Shoe S13 shown in Figure 7 is a high-instep wide type shoe with both a larger width and instep from the forefoot to the hindfoot compared to the non-customized shoe S0. Here, we will describe shoes S11 to S13 as examples of customized shoes S1. However, the customized shoes S1 that can be made using an upper 20 of the same dimensions are not limited to shoes S11 to S13. By extending the second part A2 in the width direction of the foot to match the shape of each wearer's foot (changing the degree of extension according to the shape of the wearer's foot), it is possible to create customized shoes S1 with shapes that correspond to the feet of multiple wearers whose cross-sectional shapes (surfaces cut by a plane perpendicular to the length direction of the foot) are different.

[0052] In the case of manufacturing any of the shoes S11 to S13, the knitted upper 20 is first placed over a temporary last L0 of the same shape, and then heated and cooled to temporarily maintain its shape along the temporary last L0 (temporary shaping process). As a result, in the case of manufacturing any of the shoes S11 to S13, the same temporary shape along the temporary last L0 is maintained (see the left side of each (a) in Figures 5 to 7).

[0053] The temporary support last L0 used here may be manufactured individually for each planned dimension (size, width, and girth standard), but it is preferable from a cost perspective to use the same last for 3 to 5 dimensions. For example, if sizes are planned in 0.5 cm increments within the range of 20 cm to 30 cm, the same shape of the first temporary support last L0 can be used for 20 cm, 20.5 cm, 21 cm, and 21.5 cm, and the same shape of the second temporary support last L0 can be used for 22 cm, 22.5 cm, 23 cm, and 23.5 cm, thus allowing the temporary support last L0 to be used for four sizes. Similarly, if width and girth standards A, B, C, D, E, 2E, 3E, 4E, F, and G are planned, the same shape of the small temporary support last L0 can be used for A to E, and the same shape of the large temporary support last L0 can be used for 2E to G, thus allowing the temporary support last L0 to be used for five standards. The temporary retaining last L0 should preferably have a shape equivalent to the smallest of the multiple sizes or specifications that share the same temporary retaining last L0.

[0054] Next, as shown in the right-hand diagram of each (a) in Figures 5 to 7, in any case when manufacturing shoes S11 to S13, the temporary upper 20 is placed over the lasts L11 to L13, which are shaped to match the shape of the target wearer's foot. As a result, as shown in the right-hand diagram of each (b) in Figures 5 to 7, the second portion A2 provided on the bottom of the upper 22 of each upper 20 extends in the width direction of the foot, and the upper 20 is deformed to conform to the outer shape of the lasts L11 to L13 (the shape corresponding to the shape of the target wearer's foot) (deformation process).

[0055] As shown in Figures 5(a) and (b), the last L11 is a high-instep type last in which the width w11 is not significantly different from the width w0 of the temporary-type last L0, but the instep height h11 is higher than the instep height h0 of the temporary-type last L0. Therefore, the upper 20 placed over the last L11 is deformed into a high-instep shape that conforms to the outer surface shape of the high-instep type last L11, as the second portion A2 provided on the bottom of the upper 22 extends in the width direction of the foot.

[0056] As shown in Figures 6(a) and (b), last L12 is a wide (flat) type last in which the width w12 is significantly larger than the width w0 of the temporary-type last L0, and the instep height h12 is slightly lower than the instep height h0 of the temporary-type last L0. Therefore, the upper 20 placed over last L12 is deformed into a wide shape that conforms to the outer surface shape of the wide (flat) type last L12, as the second portion A2 provided at the bottom of the upper 22 extends in the width direction of the foot.

[0057] As shown in Figures 7(a) and (b), last L13 is a high-instep, wide-type last in which both the width w13 and instep height h13 are larger than those of the temporary-type last L0. Therefore, the upper 20 placed over last L13 is significantly elongated in the width direction of the foot at the second portion A2 provided at the bottom of the upper 22, and deforms into a high-instep, wide-type shape that conforms to the outer surface shape of the high-instep, wide-type last L13.

[0058] Next, as shown in Figures 5 to 7(c), the upper bottom portion 22 of each upper 20, which has been deformed by being placed over the lasts L11 to L13, is glued and fixed to the upper surface of the sole 10, corresponding to the width of the target wearer's foot (width w11 to w13 of the lasts L11 to L13), while still placed over the lasts L11 to L13. As a result, the upper 20 is glued and fixed to the sole 10 with the second portion A2 provided on the upper bottom portion 22 extended, and the shape is maintained to correspond to the shape of the target wearer's foot (this shaping process).

[0059] As shown in Figure 5(c), the upper 20 fitted onto last L11, which has a width w11 that is not significantly different from the width w0 of the temporary-shaped last L0, is glued and fixed to the standard sole 10s (sole 10). As shown in Figures 6(c) and 7(c), the upper 20 fitted onto lasts L12 and L13, which have widths w12 and w13 that are significantly larger than the width w0 of the temporary-shaped last L0, is glued and fixed to the wide sole 10w (sole 10), which is wider than the standard sole 10s.

[0060] When the upper bottom 22 of each upper 20 placed over lasts L11 to L13 is fixed to the upper surface of the corresponding sole 10, the extended second portion A2 is fixed to the sole 10 and does not return to its original contracted state. In other words, each is maintained in a shape corresponding to the shape of the wearer's foot. The upper 20 placed over last L11 is maintained in a high-arch shape corresponding to the foot shape of a wearer with a high instep, the upper 20 placed over last L12 is maintained in a wide shape corresponding to the foot shape of a wearer with a wide (flat) foot, and the upper 20 placed over last L13 is maintained in a high-arch wide shape corresponding to the foot shape of a wearer with a high instep and wide foot.

[0061] Next, as shown in Figures 5 to 7(d), the lasts L11 to L13 are removed from inside the upper 20 (last removal process), thereby completing the shoes S11 to S13.

[0062] As described above, by configuring the upper 20 as in this embodiment 1, it is possible to create customized shoes S1 (shoes S11-S13) with shapes corresponding to the feet of individual wearers simply by using uppers 20 of the same dimensions and lasts L11-L13 with shapes corresponding to the feet of multiple wearers with different shapes. Furthermore, in each shoe S11-S13, by extending the second portion A2 provided on the bottom of the upper 22, each upper 20 is deformed to conform to the outer shape of the lasts L11-L13 (a shape corresponding to the shape of the target wearer's foot), and by fixing the bottom of the upper 22 including the extended second portion A2 to the corresponding sole 10, the extended second portion A2 is prevented from returning to its original contracted state. In other words, in each shoe S11-S13, the upper 20 is manufactured to conform to the shape of each wearer's foot (target internal volume) even when not being worn. Therefore, regardless of whether a person has high insteps, wide (flat) feet, or high insteps and wide feet, the stretchability of the upper body 21 will be largely the same when wearing the customized shoes S11-S13 for their foot type, providing a similar fit to all wearers.

[0063] -Effects of Embodiment 1- As described above, in the upper 20 of this embodiment 1, a second portion A2, which is more elastic than the first portion A1, is provided on the upper bottom portion 22 that is fixed to the sole 10. When the upper 20 with this configuration is placed over a last L11 that has a shape corresponding to the foot of a first wearer (for example, a wearer with a high instep who wears shoes S11), the second portion A2 of the upper bottom portion 22 stretches to take on a shape corresponding to the first wearer's foot (high instep shape). Then, when the upper 20 placed over the last L11 is fixed to the corresponding sole 10, the stretched second portion A2 is fixed to the sole 10 and does not return to its original contracted state, so a first customized shoe S1 (for example, shoe S11) with a shape corresponding to the shape of the first wearer's foot (high instep shape) is manufactured. Furthermore, when the upper 20 of the same dimensions is placed over lasts L12 and L13, which are shaped to fit the feet of a second wearer with a different foot shape than that of the first wearer (for example, a wearer with a wide (flat) foot type corresponding to shoe S12 or a wearer with a high instep and wide foot type corresponding to shoe S13), the second portion A2 of the upper bottom 22 stretches to become shaped to fit the second wearer's foot (wide (flat) shape or high instep and wide shape). When this is fixed to the corresponding sole 10, a second customized shoe S1 (for example, shoes S12 and S13) with a shape (wide (flat) shape or high instep and wide shape) corresponding to the second wearer's foot is manufactured. The first customized shoe S1 (e.g., shoe S11) and the second customized shoe S1 (e.g., shoes S12, 13) are manufactured from the same upper 20. However, the first customized shoe S1 is manufactured to conform to the shape of the first wearer's foot (high instep shape), regardless of whether it is worn or not, and the second customized shoe S1 is manufactured to conform to the shape of the second wearer's foot (wide (flat) shape or high instep wide shape), regardless of whether it is worn or not. Therefore, each shoe S1 (shoes S11-S13) can provide a similar fit to the respective wearer's foot.As described above, according to this embodiment 1, from an upper 20 of the same dimensions, it is possible to manufacture multiple types of customized shoes S1 (shoes S11 to S13) that have shapes that correspond to the feet of multiple wearers with different shapes, while providing a similar fit.

[0064] In Embodiment 1, as an example of multiple types of customized shoes that can be made from an upper 20 of the same shape, we described a high-instep type shoe S11 with a similar width but a higher instep height from the forefoot to the rearfoot compared to a non-customized shoe S0, a wide (flat) type shoe S12 with a larger width and a slightly lower instep height, and a high-instep wide type shoe S13 with both a large width and a large instep height. However, as stated above, the customized shoes that can be made using an upper 20 of the same dimensions are not limited to the above shoes S11 to S13. With an upper 20 configured as in Embodiment 1, it is possible to create customized shoes S1 of various shapes according to the shape of the wearer's foot (the shape of the cross-section from the forefoot to the rearfoot), such as having a similar instep height but a larger width in the forefoot, a larger width and instep height in the midfoot, and similar width in the rearfoot.

[0065] Furthermore, according to this embodiment 1, the second portion A2 in the upper bottom 22 is provided to expand and contract in the width direction of the foot, so the second portion A2 in the upper bottom 22 can be fixed to the sole 10 in a state where it is at least extended in the width direction of the foot. Therefore, according to this embodiment 1, by extending the second portion A2 in the width direction to match the shape of each wearer's foot from an upper 20 of the same dimensions, it is possible to create multiple types of customized shoes S11 to S13 that have different cross-sectional shapes but can provide a similar fit, such as a customized shoe S11 with a higher instep than a non-customized shoe S0 which is fixed to the sole 10 without extending the second portion A2 in the width direction, a customized shoe S12 which is wider than a non-customized shoe S0 which is wider than a non-customized shoe S0 which is wider than a customized shoe S0 which is wider than a customized shoe S0 which is higher.

[0066] Furthermore, according to this embodiment 1, the second portion A2 is made to contain an elastic material (in this embodiment 1, elastic yarn is woven in). With this configuration, the second portion A2, which is more elastic than the first portion A1, can be easily formed.

[0067] Embodiment 2 of the Invention The customized shoe S2 of Embodiment 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as shoe S2) shown in Figures 8 and 9 is a modified version of the shoe S1 of Embodiment 1 in which the upper 20 is partially changed. The shoe S2 is configured so that the second portion A2 can be stretched in at least one of the width direction and length direction of the foot, and is configured so that it can be formed into shapes that correspond to the feet of multiple wearers, each with different cross-sectional shapes and sizes.

[0068] Specifically, in Embodiment 2, as shown in Figure 8, the second portion A2 provided on the upper bottom 22 of the upper 20 is configured to include a first expandable portion A21 that expands and contracts mainly in the width direction of the foot, and a second expandable portion A22 that expands and contracts mainly in the length direction of the foot. In Figures 8 and 9, the second portion A2 is hatched with dots to emphasize it. Also, in order to focus on the upper 20, Figure 9(c) does not show a cross-section of the sole 10, and the sole 10 is shown as a side view from the outer side.

[0069] The first stretchable portion A21 is configured similarly to the second portion A2 provided on the upper bottom 22 of Embodiment 1. Specifically, the first stretchable portion A21 is formed by weaving stretchable yarn as an elastic material into both the outer upper 20a and the inner upper 20b, and is provided so as to be stretchable in the width direction of the foot, extending in the length direction (front-to-back direction) at the center of the width direction of the foot, and extending from the forefoot F to the rearfoot H. Furthermore, the first stretchable portion A21 is provided in a wide area of ​​the upper bottom 22, excluding the outer edge in the width direction of the foot, so as to be able to stretch over a long distance in the width direction of the foot. In other words, in Embodiment 2, the first stretchable portion A21 is provided in a wide area of ​​the upper bottom 22, excluding the outer periphery.

[0070] The second stretchable portion A22, like the first stretchable portion A21, is formed by weaving elastic yarn as an elastic material into both the outer upper 20a and the inner upper 20b. To allow for stretching in the length direction of the foot, it extends in the width direction of the foot from the inner instep end to the outer instep end at the center of the upper bottom 22 in the length direction (front-to-back direction). Furthermore, to allow for long stretching in the length direction of the foot, the second stretchable portion A22 is formed in the upper bottom 22 to a certain length in the length direction of the foot (for example, about 25 mm).

[0071] The other components are the same as in Embodiment 1, so their description will be omitted.

[0072] -Manufacturing method for customized shoes- Even if the upper 20 is configured as in Embodiment 2, just as in Embodiment 1, multiple types of shoes S2 with different cross-sectional shapes (for example, shoes with the same shape as shoes S11 to S13 in Embodiment 1) can be manufactured using an upper 20 of the same dimensions (one type).

[0073] The process for manufacturing the shoe S2 is almost the same as in Embodiment 1, however, in Embodiment 2, when a temporary upper 20 is placed over each last L (for example, L11 to L13) to manufacture the shoe S2, the first stretchable portion A21 of the second portion A2 provided on the bottom portion 22 of the upper stretches in the width direction of the foot. As a result, the upper 20 deforms into a shape that conforms to each last L (including lasts L11 to L13). The other steps are the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0074] Furthermore, according to the upper 20 of Embodiment 2, using the same upper 20, it is possible to manufacture not only multiple types of shoes S2 with different cross-sectional shapes (for example, shoes with the same shape as shoes S11 to S13 of Embodiment 1), but also customized shoes S21 (hereinafter simply referred to as shoes S21) that are larger in size (lengthwise dimension) than the non-customized shoes S0. Below, a method for manufacturing shoes S21 that are larger in size (lengthwise dimension) than the non-customized shoes S0 will be explained with reference to Figure 9.

[0075] As shown in the upper part of Figure 9, the first step is to perform a temporary shaping process to form a temporary upper 20. This is the same as the method for manufacturing shoes S11 to S13 in Embodiment 1, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0076] After the temporary shaping process, as shown in the middle of Figure 9, the temporary shaped upper 20 formed in the temporary shaping process is placed over a last L2 which is larger in size (lengthwise) than the temporary shaped last L0. The upper 20 is deformed into a vertically elongated shape that follows the last L2 as the second portion A2 provided on the bottom of the upper 22 is stretched in the lengthwise direction, mainly the second expandable portion A22 (deformation process).

[0077] Next, as shown in the lower part of Figure 9, the upper bottom portion 22 of the upper 20, which has been deformed by being placed over the last L2, is positioned on top of the sole 10, which is sized to match the size of the wearer's foot (size of the last L2), while still covering the last L2, and is glued and fixed to the sole 10. As a result, the upper 20 is glued and fixed to the sole 10 with the second expandable portion A22 of the second portion A2 provided on the upper bottom portion 22 extended, and the upper 20 is maintained in a shape that matches the shape of the wearer's foot (this shaping process).

[0078] Subsequently, by removing the last L2 from inside the upper 20 (last removal process), the shoe S21, which is larger in size than the non-customized shoe S0, is completed.

[0079] -Effects of Embodiment 2- As described above, in the upper 20 of Embodiment 2, similar to Embodiment 1, a second portion A2, which is more elastic than the first portion A1, is provided on the upper bottom 22 fixed to the sole 10. Also, similar to Embodiment 1, the second portion A2 is provided with a first stretchable portion A21 that extends in the foot length direction so as to stretch in the foot width direction at the upper bottom 22. Therefore, in Embodiment 2 as well, by using multiple types of lasts (for example, lasts L11 to L13) with different cross-sectional shapes according to the shape of each wearer's foot, and extending the second portion A2 in the foot width direction, it is possible to create multiple types of customized shoes S2 (for example, shoes with the same shape as shoes S11 to S13) from an upper 20 of the same dimensions, which have shapes that correspond to the feet of multiple wearers with different cross-sectional shapes, while providing a similar fit.

[0080] Furthermore, according to Embodiment 2, the second portion A2 includes not only a first stretchable portion A21 extending in the foot length direction in the upper bottom portion 22, but also a second stretchable portion A22 extending in the foot width direction. Therefore, in Embodiment 2, by using a last that is larger in size than the temporary last L0 (for example, last L2), it is possible to manufacture not only shoes S2 with different cross-sectional shapes (shoes with the same shape as shoes S11 to S13), but also shoes S2 with different sizes (for example, shoe S21). When manufacturing a larger shoe S2, the size is increased by stretching the second portion A2 (second stretchable portion A22) of the upper bottom portion 22 fixed to the sole 10, and since the stretched second portion A2 is fixed to the sole 10, it does not return to its original contracted state, so the manufactured shoe S2 will be the size corresponding to each wearer's foot size, regardless of whether it is worn or not. Therefore, according to Embodiment 2, it is possible to create multiple types of customized shoes S2 (for example, shoes S21) that have shapes that correspond to the feet of multiple wearers with different sizes, while providing a similar fit.

[0081] As described above, according to Embodiment 2, it is possible to manufacture multiple types of customized shoes S2 (for example, shoes with the same shape as shoes S11 to S13 and shoes S21) that can provide a similar fit to the feet of multiple wearers, each with a shape corresponding to a different cross-sectional shape and size.

[0082] In Embodiment 2, while multiple types of shoes S11 to S13 with different cross-sectional shapes, a shoe S2 with the same shape, and a shoe S2 (shoe S21) that is larger in size than the non-customized shoe S0 were described as examples of shoes S2 that can be made from the same upper 20, in Embodiment 2, the shoes S2 that can be made using the same upper 20 are not limited to the shoes S11 to S13 and the shoe S21 described above. With the upper 20 configured as in Embodiment 2, it is also possible to make a shoe S2 that is larger in size and has a different cross-sectional shape (at least one of the width and instep height) compared to the non-customized shoe S0. Furthermore, similar to Embodiment 1, with the upper 20 configured as in Embodiment 2, it is possible to make customized shoes S2 with various shapes according to the shape of the wearer's foot (cross-sectional shape from the forefoot to the rearfoot), such as having a large width but not much difference in instep height in the forefoot, a large width and instep height in the midfoot, and not much difference in width in the rearfoot. Furthermore, with the upper 20 configured as in Embodiment 2, it is possible to create customized shoes S2 with various shapes that suit the shape of the wearer's foot (for example, the front end of the second toe is positioned further forward than the front end of the first toe), such as the size being larger around the second and third toes but not significantly different around the first, fourth, and fifth toes compared to a non-customized shoe S0.

[0083] Furthermore, in Embodiment 2, as in Embodiment 1, an elastic material is incorporated into the second portion A2 (elastic yarn is woven in), making it easy to form a second portion A2 that is more elastic than the first portion A1.

[0084] Embodiment 3 of the Invention As shown in Figure 10, the shoe S3 of Embodiment 3 is a modified version of the shoe S2 of Embodiment 2, with some changes to the configuration of the upper 20.

[0085] Specifically, in Embodiment 3, as shown in Figure 10, the second portion A2 provided on the upper bottom portion 22 of the upper 20 is configured to include a third expandable portion A23 in addition to the first expandable portion A21 and second expandable portion A22, similar to Embodiment 2. In Figure 10, the second portion A2 is hatched with dots to highlight it.

[0086] The third stretchable section A23, like the second stretchable section A22, is formed by weaving elastic yarn as an elastic material into both the outer upper 20a and the inner upper 20b. The third stretchable section A23 is provided so as to be stretchable in the length direction of the foot, extending in the width direction of the foot from the medial side end to the lateral side end at the center of the forefoot F in the length direction (front-to-back direction) of the upper bottom 22. Furthermore, the third stretchable section A23 is formed in the upper bottom 22 to have a certain length in the length direction of the foot (for example, a length of about 25 mm) so as to be able to stretch over a long distance in the length direction of the foot.

[0087] The other components are the same as in Embodiment 2, so their description will be omitted.

[0088] The upper 20 of Embodiment 3, configured as described above, can achieve the same effects as Embodiment 2. Furthermore, the upper 20 of Embodiment 3 has more stretchable sections extending in the width direction of the foot than Embodiment 2, making it easier to stretch in the length direction of the foot than the upper 20 of Embodiment 2. Therefore, it is possible to create a customized shoe S3 that is larger in size than the shoe S2 of Embodiment 2 using an upper 20 of the same dimensions.

[0089] Embodiment 4 of the Invention As shown in Figure 11, the customized shoe S4 of Embodiment 4 is a modified version of the shoe S2 of Embodiment 2, with some changes to the configuration of the upper 20.

[0090] Specifically, in Embodiment 4, as shown in Figure 11, the second portion A2 provided on the upper bottom portion 22 of the upper 20 is configured to include a fourth expandable portion A24 in addition to the first expandable portion A21 and second expandable portion A22, similar to Embodiment 2. In Figure 11, the second portion A2 is hatched with dots to highlight it.

[0091] The fourth stretchable section A24, like the second stretchable section A22, is formed by weaving elastic yarn as an elastic material into both the outer upper 20a and the inner upper 20b. The fourth stretchable section A24 extends in the width direction of the foot from the medial side end to the lateral side end of the upper bottom 22, at the center of the rear foot H in the length direction (front-to-back direction), so that it can stretch in the length direction of the foot. Furthermore, the fourth stretchable section A24 is formed in the upper bottom 22 to have a certain length in the length direction of the foot (for example, a length of about 25 mm) so that it can stretch over a long distance in the length direction of the foot.

[0092] The other components are the same as in Embodiment 2, so their description will be omitted.

[0093] The upper 20 of Embodiment 4, configured as described above, can achieve the same effects as Embodiment 2. Furthermore, with the upper 20 of Embodiment 4, the number of stretchable sections extending in the width direction of the foot is increased compared to Embodiment 2, making it easier to stretch in the length direction of the foot than the upper 20 of Embodiment 2. Therefore, it is possible to create a customized shoe S4 that is larger in size than the shoe S2 of Embodiment 2 using an upper 20 of the same dimensions.

[0094] Embodiment 5 of the Invention As shown in Figure 12, the customized shoe S5 of Embodiment 5 is a modified version of the shoe S1 of Embodiment 1 in which the configuration of the upper 20 has been partially changed.

[0095] Specifically, in Embodiment 5, as shown in Figure 12, a second portion A2 is provided in the upper body 21 of the upper 20, in addition to the opening portion 23. Specifically, as shown in Figure 12, a fifth stretchable portion A25 is provided as the second portion A2 in the upper body 21 corresponding to the instep of the wearer's foot f (see Figure 2), extending in the length direction of the foot to expand and contract mainly in the width direction of the foot. Note that in Figure 12, dot hatching is added to emphasize the second portion A2, and the hatching of the sole 10 is omitted to draw attention to the upper 20.

[0096] The fifth stretchable section A25 is formed by incorporating a stretchable material (for example, by weaving in stretchable yarn) into both the outer upper 20a and the inner upper 20b. The fifth stretchable section A25 uses a stretchable material with lower elasticity than the stretchable material incorporated into the second section A2 provided on the upper bottom 22. With this configuration, when the temporary upper 20 is placed over the last (for example, L11-L13, L2, etc.), the second section A2 of the upper bottom 22 stretches before the second section A2 of the upper body 21 (the fifth stretchable section A25), allowing the second section A2 of the upper bottom 22 to be bonded and fixed to the sole 10 in an extended state.

[0097] The other configurations are the same as in Embodiment 1. Furthermore, Embodiment 5 can achieve the same effects as Embodiment 1.

[0098] Furthermore, according to Embodiment 5, by also providing the second portion A2 to the upper body 21, it is possible to improve the fit when performing activities while wearing the customized shoes S5, and to adjust the ease of putting them on and taking them off.

[0099] Embodiment 6 of the Invention As shown in Figure 13, the customized shoe S6 ​​of Embodiment 6 is a modified version of the customized shoe S5 of Embodiment 5, with a partial change in the configuration of the upper 20. In Figure 13, dot hatching is used to highlight the second part A2, and the hatching of the sole 10 is omitted to draw attention to the upper 20.

[0100] Specifically, in Embodiment 6, as shown in Figure 13, the fifth stretchable portion A25 is provided so as to extend in the length direction of the foot at two locations on the outer and inner sides of the instep of the upper body 21. Similar to Embodiment 5, the fifth stretchable portion A25 uses an elastic material with lower elasticity than the elastic material included in the second portion A2 provided on the bottom of the upper 22.

[0101] The other configurations are the same as in Embodiment 5. Furthermore, the customized shoes S6 of Embodiment 6 can achieve the same effects as the customized shoes S5 of Embodiment 5.

[0102] Embodiment 7 of the Invention As shown in Figure 14, the customized shoe S7 of Embodiment 7 is a modified version of the customized shoe S5 of Embodiment 5, with a partial change in the configuration of the upper 20. In Figure 14, dot hatching is used to highlight the second part A2, and the hatching of the sole 10 is omitted to draw attention to the upper 20.

[0103] Specifically, in Embodiment 7, as shown in Figure 14, the fifth stretchable portion A25 is provided so as to extend in the lengthwise direction at the center of the instep portion of the upper body 21 in the widthwise direction of the foot. Similar to Embodiment 5, the fifth stretchable portion A25 is formed by weaving stretchable yarn as an elastic material into both the outer upper 20a and the inner upper 20b, and uses an elastic material with lower elasticity than the elastic material included in the second portion A2 provided on the bottom of the upper 22.

[0104] Furthermore, in Embodiment 7, the upper body 21 is provided with a second portion A2 that sandwiches the fifth stretch portion A25 in the width direction of the foot, and a third portion A3 that extends in the length direction of the foot on both sides (outer and inner sides) of the fifth stretch portion A25.

[0105] The third portion A3 is configured to be a weakly stretchable portion with some elasticity, but less elastic than the fifth stretchable portion A25. In Embodiment 7, the third portion A3 is a portion knitted in the same way as the first portion A1, but is configured as a portion that does not contain low-melting-point material (no heat-fusible yarn is woven in) like the first portion A1.

[0106] The other configurations are the same as in Embodiment 5. Furthermore, the customized shoes S7 of Embodiment 7 can achieve the same effects as the customized shoes S5 of Embodiment 5.

[0107] Furthermore, according to Embodiment 7, by providing a third portion A3 in the upper body 21 so as to sandwich the fifth stretchable portion A25, it becomes possible to make subtle adjustments to the fit of the customized shoe S7 to match the design, type, and intended use.

[0108] Embodiment 8 of the Invention As shown in Figure 15, the customized shoe S8 of Embodiment 8 is a modified version of the customized shoe S5 of Embodiment 5, with some changes to the configuration of the upper 20. In Figure 15, dot hatching is used to highlight the second portion A2.

[0109] Specifically, in Embodiment 8, as shown in Figure 15, the second portion A2 of the upper 20, located in a manner other than the opening portion 23 of the upper body 21, is configured to include a fifth stretchable portion A25 that stretches mainly in the width direction of the foot, and sixth to eighth stretchable portions A26 to A28 that stretch mainly in the length direction of the foot. The fifth to eighth stretchable portions A25 to A28 are all formed by weaving stretchable yarn as an elastic material into both the outer upper 20a and the inner upper 20b, and all of them use an elastic material with lower elasticity than the elastic material included in the second portion A2 located in the bottom portion 22 of the upper.

[0110] The fifth stretchable portion A25 is configured in the same manner as in Embodiment 5. Specifically, the fifth stretchable portion A25 is provided so as to extend in the length direction of the foot at the center of the instep portion of the upper body 21 corresponding to the instep of the wearer's foot f (see Figure 2) in the width direction of the foot.

[0111] The 6th to 8th stretchable sections A26 to A28 are provided on both the outer and inner sides of the upper body 21 so as to extend in the width direction of the foot, allowing them to stretch in the length direction of the foot. Furthermore, the 6th to 8th stretchable sections A26 to A28 are formed on the upper body 21 to a certain length in the length direction of the foot (for example, about 20 mm) so as to allow them to stretch over a long distance in the length direction of the foot. The 6th stretchable section A26 is provided on the forefoot F of the shoe S, the 7th stretchable section A27 is provided extending from the forefoot F to the midfoot M of the shoe S, and the 8th stretchable section A28 is provided on the rearfoot H of the shoe S.

[0112] The other configurations are the same as in Embodiment 5. Furthermore, the customized shoes S8 of Embodiment 8 can achieve the same effects as the customized shoes S5 of Embodiment 5.

[0113] Furthermore, according to Embodiment 8, the upper body 21 is provided not only with a fifth stretchable part A25 that extends in the length direction of the foot so as to stretch in the width direction of the foot at the instep, but also with sixth to eighth stretchable parts A26 to A28 that extend in the width direction of the foot so as to stretch in the length direction of the foot. Therefore, in Embodiment 8, when performing actions while wearing the customized shoes S8, the upper 20 follows the foot f in both the length direction and the width direction of the foot, making it possible to make subtle adjustments to the fit according to the design, type, and purpose of use of the customized shoes S8. Note that even if not all of the sixth to eighth stretchable parts A26 to A28 are provided, by providing at least one, it is possible to achieve the same effect as Embodiment 8, although the degree of effect may differ.

[0114] Other embodiments In embodiments 1 to 8 described above, the upper body 21 and the upper bottom 22 of the upper 20 were integrally formed by knitting. However, as mentioned above, the upper 20 may be made of materials other than knitting, such as woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, mesh material, synthetic leather, artificial leather, genuine leather, rubber, resin sheet, etc. Alternatively, the upper body 21 and the upper bottom 22 may be formed separately and joined together by sewing, bonding, fusion, etc., to form a bag-like structure.

[0115] Furthermore, in embodiments 1 to 8 described above, the upper 20 was configured to include an outer upper 20a and an inner upper 20b, but the upper 20 may also be composed of a single bag-shaped member.

[0116] In embodiments 1 to 8 described above, the second portion A2, which is more elastic than the first portion A1, was formed by weaving in elastic yarn. However, the method of constructing the second portion A2 is not limited to the above. The second portion A2 may be made of rubber, such as natural rubber or synthetic rubber, or of an elastic material such as polyurethane, polyester, or polyolefin. It may also be configured to be elastic by containing rubber or an elastic material.

[0117] In embodiments 1 to 8 described above, the first portion A1 was formed by weaving in heat-fusible yarn, but the method of constructing the first portion A1 is not limited to those described above. The first portion A1 may be constructed from a low-melting-point material such as nylon, or the first portion A1 may be coated with a low-melting-point material and then hardened by heating and cooling to melt and solidify the low-melting-point material. Alternatively, the first portion A1 may be constructed from a non-stretchable material without using a low-melting-point material, or a non-stretchable material may be fixed (adhesive, fused, sewn, etc.) to form a non-stretchable portion.

[0118] Furthermore, in embodiments 5 to 8 described above, the upper body 21 of the upper 20 is provided with a second portion A2 (fifth stretch portion A25) in addition to the opening portion 23, and the fifth stretch portion A25 is made of a stretch material with lower elasticity than the stretch material included in the second portion A2 provided on the upper bottom portion 22. However, in embodiments 5 to 8, the fifth stretch portion A25 may be made of a stretch material having elasticity equal to or greater than the stretch material included in the second portion A2 provided on the upper bottom portion 22. In that case, when performing the deformation process and the final shape-holding process, a stretch-preventing treatment can be performed to temporarily restrict the stretching of the second portion A2 (fifth stretch portion A25) of the upper body 21 so that the second portion A2 of the upper bottom portion 22 stretches before the second portion A2 (fifth stretch portion A25) of the upper body 21. As a stretch-prevention treatment, for example, if eyelets are formed and the fifth expandable portion A25 is located between the eyelets, a string may be passed through the eyelets and fastened before the deformation process to prevent the fifth expandable portion A25 from stretching in the width direction and increasing the distance between the eyelets during the deformation and final shaping processes. Alternatively, a non-stretchable material such as tape may be temporarily attached to the second portion A2 (fifth expandable portion A25) of the upper body 21 before the deformation process to prevent the fifth expandable portion A25 from stretching in the width direction during the deformation and final shaping processes.

[0119] Furthermore, Embodiment 5 describes an example in which a second portion A2 is provided in addition to the opening portion 23 of the upper body 21 in the shoe S1 of Embodiment 1 (shoe S5), and Embodiments 6 to 8 describe modified versions of the shoe S5 of Embodiment 5 (shoes S6 to S8). Similarly, in the shoes S2 to S4 of Embodiments 2 to 4, a second portion A2 may be provided in addition to the opening portion 23 of the upper body 21, as in Embodiment 5, and this may be modified in the same way as in Embodiments 6 to 8. [Industrial applicability]

[0120] As described above, the present invention is useful for uppers and shoes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0121] 10 soles 20 Upper 21 Upper Body 22 Upper bottom A1 Part 1 A2 Second part S1-S8 Customizable Shoes (Shoes)

Claims

1. A shoe upper comprising an upper body that covers the top of the wearer's foot, and an upper bottom that is continuous with the upper body and covers the bottom of the wearer's foot, wherein the upper bottom is fixed to the top of the shoe sole, Part 1 and It comprises a second part which is more elastic than the first part described above, The first part described above is provided on the upper body, The second part described above is provided at least on the bottom of the upper. A shoe upper characterized by the following features.

2. In the shoe upper according to claim 1, In the upper bottom portion described above, the second portion is provided to expand and contract at least in the width direction of the foot. A shoe upper characterized by the following features.

3. In the shoe upper according to claim 2, In the upper bottom portion described above, the second portion is provided to expand and contract in the direction of the length of the foot. A shoe upper characterized by the following features.

4. In the shoe upper according to claim 1, The second part above includes an elastic material. A shoe upper characterized by the following features.

5. A shoe comprising a sole and an upper fixed to the upper part of the sole, The above upper is a shoe upper according to any one of claims 1 to 4. Shoes characterized by the following features.

6. In the shoe according to claim 5, The upper is fixed to the sole in such a state that the second portion provided at the bottom of the upper is extended at least in the width direction of the foot. Shoes characterized by the following features.

7. In the shoe according to claim 5, The upper is fixed to the sole in such a state that the second portion provided at the bottom of the upper is extended at least in the length of the foot. Shoes characterized by the following features.

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