Shoe sole and shoe

Abstract

A shoe sole (100A) comprises a midsole (110) and an outsole (130) that defines a ground contact surface (134). The midsole (110) has a first projecting part (111) which is positioned on the medial foot side and on the back end side of the shoe sole (100A) and which projects toward the ground contact surface (134) side, while the outsole (130) has a first cover part (131) that covers the first projecting part (111). The first cover part (131) includes a first bottom wall part (131a) that defines the ground contact surface (134) and a first side wall part (131b) erected from a peripheral edge of the first bottom wall part (131a) on the medial foot side. When viewed along the direction of the normal line of the ground contact surface (134), a first ridge line (RL1) which is the boundary between the first bottom wall part (131a) and the first side wall part (131b) is positioned so as to depart farther away from a first outline (OL1) of the first cover part (131) defined by the first side wall part (131b) as the first ridge line (RL1) proceeds from a front-side specific position (SP1) toward a back-side specific position (SP2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a shoe sole and a shoe provided with the same.

Background Art

[0002] For example, International Publication No. 2010 / 049983 (Patent Document 1) discloses a shoe in which the compression rigidity on the inner foot side of the rear foot part is made higher than the compression rigidity on the outer foot side of the rear foot part, thereby suppressing the occurrence of overpronation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in shoes used for specific applications, it may not always be suitable to adopt the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 above. For example, in shoes used for a sport that requires frequent direction changes (so-called turning movements), when the compression rigidity on the inner foot side of the rear foot part is high, the shock absorption performance at that part during the turning movement will deteriorate.

[0005] Therefore, particularly in shoes used for this type of sport, it is preferable that both the stability during standing and the shock absorption during turning movements are excellent, and there is a strong demand for improvement in this regard.

[0006] Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a shoe sole in which both the stability during standing and the shock absorption during turning movements are achieved, and a shoe provided with the same.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The sole according to the present invention is provided such that a forefoot portion that supports the toe portion and the stepping portion of the wearer's foot, a midfoot portion that supports the arch portion of the wearer's foot, and a rearfoot portion that supports the heel portion of the wearer's foot are connected in series along the front-rear direction, which is the direction that matches the longitudinal direction of the wearer's foot, and includes a midsole and an outsole. The midsole is provided so as to straddle the forefoot portion, the midfoot portion, and the rearfoot portion, and the outsole defines a ground contact surface during standing by covering at least a part of the lower surface of the midsole. The midsole has a first protruding portion that protrudes toward the ground contact surface at a position on the inner foot side in the left-right direction, which is the direction that matches the width direction of the wearer's foot, and at the rear end side in the front-rear direction. The midsole of the portion where the first protruding portion is provided includes a first bottom surface located on the ground contact surface side and a first side surface located on the inner foot side in the left-right direction when viewed from the first bottom surface. The outsole has a first cover portion including a first bottom wall portion that defines the ground contact surface by covering the first bottom surface, and a first side wall portion that stands upward from the peripheral edge on the inner foot side in the left-right direction of the first bottom wall portion and covers the first side surface. Based on the front end on the front side in the front-rear direction of the sole according to the present invention, a position corresponding to 70% of the dimension from the front end to the rear end on the rear side in the front-rear direction of the sole is defined as a front-side specific position, and when the position on the rear end side in the front-rear direction of the first bottom wall portion is defined as a rear-side specific position, a first ridge line of the first cover portion located at the boundary between the first bottom wall portion and the first side wall portion is positioned so as to move away from a first outer contour line of the first cover portion defined by the first side wall portion as it goes from the front-side specific position to the rear-side specific position when viewed along the normal direction of the ground contact surface.

[0008] The shoe according to the present invention includes the sole according to the present invention described above and an upper located above the sole.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a shoe sole that achieves both stability in the standing position and shock buffering performance during a switching operation, and a shoe equipped with the same.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments shown below, the same or common parts are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0012] (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a shoe sole according to Embodiment 1 and a shoe equipped with the same. First, with reference to FIG. 1, a schematic configuration of a shoe 1 according to the present embodiment and a shoe sole 100A provided therein will be described. Here, in FIG. 1, for ease of understanding, the outsole 130 to be described later is colored dark, and the portions corresponding to the first protrusion 111 and the second protrusion 112 (see FIGS. 2 to 9, etc.) of the midsole 110 to be described later are colored light (the same applies to FIGS. 2 to 5, FIG. 7, FIGS. 9 to 11, and FIG. 14 to be described later).

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the shoe 1 includes a shoe sole 100A and an upper 200. The shoe sole 100A is a member that covers the sole of the wearer's foot and has a substantially flat shape. The upper 200 has a bag-like shape that wraps around the entire inserted foot of the wearer and is located above the shoe sole 100A.

[0014] The upper 200 has an upper body 210, a shoe tongue 220, and a shoelace 230. The upper body 210 is a member that serves as the base of the upper 200 and has a bag-like shape. Both the shoe tongue 220 and the shoelace 230 are fixed or attached to the upper body 210.

[0015] At the lower part of the upper body 210, there is a bottom part fixed to the shoe sole 100A. At the upper part of the upper body 210, an opening is provided to expose the upper part of the ankle and a part of the instep. The shooter 220 is fixed to the upper body 210 by sewing, welding, adhesion or a combination thereof, etc., so as to cover the part that exposes a part of the instep among the openings provided in the upper body 210. As the upper body 210 and the shooter 220, for example, woven fabric, knitted fabric, synthetic leather, resin, etc. are used. Particularly in shoes where breathability and lightness are required, a double raschel warp knitted fabric with polyester yarn woven in is used.

[0016] The shoelace 230 is a string-like member for pulling the peripheries of the openings that expose a part of the instep provided in the upper body 210 closer to each other in the foot width direction, and is inserted into a plurality of hole parts provided at the peripheries of the openings. By tightening this shoelace 230 when the wearer's foot is inserted into the upper body 210, it becomes possible to make the upper body 210 and the shooter 220 adhere closely to the foot.

[0017] The shoe sole 100A has a midsole 110, a reinforcement structure part 120, and an outsole 130. By integrating these midsole 110, reinforcement structure part 120, and outsole 130, the shoe sole 100A has a substantially flat shape as a whole as described above.

[0018] The outsole 130 has a ground contact surface 134 (refer to FIGS. 2 to 7, etc.) on its lower surface, and the midsole 110 is located above the outsole 130. Also, a part of the reinforcement structure part 120 is embedded in the midsole 110, and another part is exposed from the midsole 110 and located.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sole shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are a side view of the inner foot side and a side view of the outer foot side of the sole shown in FIG. 1, respectively. FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the sole shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 6(A) to 6(C) are cross-sectional views taken along the VIA-VIA line to the VIC-VIC line shown in FIG. 5, respectively. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the sole shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 8 is a bottom view showing a state where the outsole and the rear midsole are removed from the sole shown in FIG. 1. Further, FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state where the outsole is removed from the sole shown in FIG. 1. Next, with reference to FIGS. 2 to 9, the detailed structure of the sole 100A according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the sole 100A includes a front foot portion R1 that supports the toe portion and the stepping portion of the wearer's foot, a middle foot portion R2 that supports the instep portion of the wearer's foot, and a rear foot portion R3 that supports the heel portion of the wearer's foot, along the front-rear direction (the left-right direction in the figures in FIGS. 3 and 4, the up-down direction in the figure in FIG. 5), which is the direction that matches the foot length direction of the wearer's foot in a plan view.

[0021] Here, when the front end of the sole 100A is used as a reference, and a position corresponding to 40% of the front-rear dimension of the sole 100A from the front end is defined as the first boundary position, and a position corresponding to 80% of the front-rear dimension of the sole 100A from the front end is defined as the second boundary position, the front foot portion R1 corresponds to the portion included between the front end and the first boundary position along the front-rear direction, the middle foot portion R2 corresponds to the portion included between the first boundary position and the second boundary position along the front-rear direction, and the rear foot portion R3 corresponds to the portion included between the second boundary position and the rear end of the sole along the front-rear direction.

[0022] Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the shoe sole 100A is divided into an inner foot side portion (the portion on the S1 side shown in the figure), which is the medial side (i.e., the side closer to the midline) in the anatomical neutral position of the foot, and an outer foot side portion (the portion on the S2 side shown in the figure), which is the side opposite to the medial side (i.e., the side farther from the midline) in the anatomical neutral position of the foot, along the left-right direction (the left-right direction in the figure), which is the direction that matches the foot width direction of the wearer's foot in a plan view.

[0023] Here, the boundary line that divides the shoe sole 100A into the inner foot side portion and the outer foot side portion is the so-called shoe center. This shoe center is a straight line obtained by projecting a straight line connecting the portion between the first toe and the second toe of the wearer and the central portion of the calcaneus along the vertical direction onto the shoe sole 100A when a standard wearer with a foot of a size that fits the shoe 1 wears it. Note that the front end and the rear end of the shoe sole 100A described above are the ends of the shoe sole 100A located on this boundary line.

[0024] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 7, as described above, the shoe sole 100A has a midsole 110, a reinforcement structure portion 120, and an outsole 130. The midsole 110 includes an upper surface, a lower surface, and side surfaces connecting these upper and lower surfaces, and constitutes the upper side portion of the shoe sole 100A. The outsole 130 includes an upper surface and a lower surface as the above-described ground contact surface 134, and constitutes the lower side portion of the shoe sole 100A. On the other hand, the reinforcement structure portion 120 is positioned so as to cover most of the lower surface of the midsole 110.

[0025] The midsole 110 is continuously positioned from the forefoot portion R1 to the rearfoot portion R3. The midsole 110 includes a front midsole 110A and a rear midsole 110B, and is constituted by the combination of these front midsole 110A and rear midsole 110B. The front midsole 110A straddles the forefoot portion R1, the midfoot portion R2, and the portion near the front end of the rearfoot portion R3, and the rear midsole 110B straddles the portion near the rear end of the midfoot portion R2 and the rearfoot portion R3.

[0026] Here, in a portion extending from a portion near the rear end of the midfoot part R2 to a portion near the front end of the rearfoot part R3, the rear end portion of the front midsole 110A and the front end portion of the rear midsole 110B overlap in the vertical direction (i.e., a direction orthogonal to both the above-described front-rear direction and left-right direction) (see, in particular, FIGS. 6(A), 6(B), and 7, etc.). More specifically, in this portion, the front midsole 110A is located on the upper 200 side, and the rear midsole 110B is located on the outsole 130 side, and the front midsole 110A and the rear midsole 110B are overlapped.

[0027] As a result, in the front foot part R1 and a portion near the front end of the midfoot part R2, the midsole 110 is constituted by the front midsole 110A, and in a portion near the rear end of the midfoot part R2 and a portion near the front end of the rearfoot part R3, the midsole 110 is constituted by the front midsole 110A and the rear midsole 110B in the overlapped portion, and in a portion near the rear end of the rearfoot part R3, the midsole 110 is constituted by the rear midsole 110B.

[0028] The upper surface of the midsole 110 defines the upper surface of the sole 100A, and its periphery has a shape that rises compared to the surroundings (see, in particular, FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, etc.). As a result, a concave portion is provided on the upper surface of the midsole 110, and this concave portion serves as a portion for receiving the upper 200. The upper surface of the midsole 110 excluding the above-described periphery, which is the bottom surface of this concave portion, has a smooth curved surface shape so as to fit the wearer's sole.

[0029] The outsole 130 is located continuously from the front foot part R1 to the rear foot part R3, except for a part of the midfoot part R2. The outsole 130 includes a rear inner foot side outsole 131 as a first cover part, a rear outer foot side outsole 132 as a second cover part, and a front side outsole 133 as a third cover part.

[0030] The front sole 133 is located across the forefoot R1 and the portion near the front end of the midfoot R2. The rear inner sole 131 and the rear outer sole 132 are both located across the portion near the rear end of the midfoot R2 and the rear foot R3. The rear inner sole 131 is located on the inner side of the portion near the rear end of the midfoot R2 and the rear foot R3, and the rear outer sole 132 is located on the outer side of the portion near the rear end of the midfoot R2 and the rear foot R3.

[0031] Since the lower surfaces of the rear inner sole 131, the rear outer sole 132, and the front sole 133 (i.e., the lower surface of the sole 130) constitute the ground contact surface 134 as described above, in order to improve the grip, a tread pattern may be formed by forming irregularities on the exposed surface. Each of the rear inner sole 131, the rear outer sole 132, and the front sole 133 has its upper surface joined to the lower surface of the midsole 110.

[0032] Details of the sole 130 and the midsole 110 of the portion to which it is joined, as well as the specific shape of the sole 130, etc., will be described in detail later.

[0033] The midsole 110 (i.e., the front midsole 110A and the rear midsole 110B) preferably has appropriate strength and excellent cushioning properties. From this perspective, as the midsole 110, for example, a resin foam material containing a resin material as the main component and a foaming agent or crosslinking agent as the auxiliary component is used. Alternatively, a rubber foam material containing a rubber material as the main component and a plasticizer, foaming agent, reinforcing agent, crosslinking agent as the auxiliary component may be used.

[0034] Examples of the resin material that can be used include ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), polyolefin resin, thermoplastic polyurethane, thermoplastic polyamide-based elastomers (TPA, TPAE), or thermoplastic polyester-based elastomers. As the rubber material, for example, butadiene rubber can be preferably used.

[0035] As a result, the midsole 110 is generally composed of a member having a smaller Young's modulus and being softer than the outsole 130. Therefore, when the midsole 110 receives a compressive load, it will relatively easily undergo elastic deformation, thereby achieving excellent cushioning performance. Note that various cushioning parts may be included at a predetermined portion of the midsole 110, or reinforcing parts other than the reinforcing structure portion 120 described later may be included.

[0036] The outsole 130 (that is, the rear inner foot side outsole 131, the rear outer foot side outsole 132, and the front side outsole 133) is preferably excellent in abrasion resistance and grip performance. From this perspective, as the outsole 130, for example, a member made of a material containing a rubber material as the main component, a plasticizer, a reinforcing agent, and a crosslinking agent as sub-components is used. As the rubber material, for example, butadiene rubber can be preferably used.

[0037] As a result, the outsole 130 is generally composed of a member having a larger Young's modulus and being harder than the midsole 110. Therefore, although the outsole 130 does not easily deform compared to the midsole 110 when receiving a compressive load, it has excellent durability such as abrasion resistance. Note that the shape of the outsole 130 and the above-described tread pattern can be appropriately designed according to the use of the shoe 1.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 9, while most of the reinforcing structure portion 120 is arranged to be located in the mid-foot portion R2, a part thereof reaches the front-foot portion R1 and the rear-foot portion R3. The reinforcing structure portion 120 includes an inner-foot side reinforcing member 121 arranged on the inner-foot side and an outer-foot side reinforcing member 122 arranged on the outer-foot side.

[0039] Both the inner-foot side reinforcing member 121 and the outer-foot side reinforcing member 122 are joined to the lower surface and the side surface of the front midsole 110A and the upper surface of the rear midsole 110B. More specifically, recesses having shapes corresponding to the inner-foot side reinforcing member 121 and the outer-foot side reinforcing member 122 are provided on the lower surface and the side surface of the front midsole 110A, and the inner-foot side reinforcing member 121 and the outer-foot side reinforcing member 122 are joined to the front midsole 110A and the rear midsole 110B in a state of being accommodated in these recesses.

[0040] Both the inner-foot side reinforcing member 121 and the outer-foot side reinforcing member 122 are made of a material having higher rigidity than the material constituting the outsole 130. That is, the inner-foot side reinforcing member 121 and the outer-foot side reinforcing member 122 have a larger Young's modulus and are harder than the outsole 130.

[0041] The material constituting the inner-foot side reinforcing member 121 and the outer-foot side reinforcing member 122 is not particularly limited. For example, a non-fiber reinforced resin made of a polymer resin such as urethane-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPU), amide-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPA), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), or a fiber-reinforced resin using carbon fiber, glass fiber, aramid fiber, Dyneema fiber, Zylon fiber, boron fiber, etc. as reinforcing fibers can be preferably used.

[0042] Here, as shown in FIG. 8, the inner-foot-side reinforcing member 121 includes an inner-foot-side bar portion 121a that extends obliquely so as to reach from a portion near the front end on the outer-foot side of the front foot portion R1 to a portion near the rear end on the inner-foot side of the middle foot portion R2, and the outer-foot-side reinforcing member 122 includes an outer-foot-side bar portion 122a that extends obliquely so as to reach from a portion near the rear end on the outer-foot side of the front foot portion R1 to a portion near the rear end on the inner-foot side of the middle foot portion R2.

[0043] These inner-foot-side bar portion 121a and outer-foot-side bar portion 122a are particularly spaced apart from each other at the middle foot portion R2, and there is an intervening portion 116 formed of a part of the midsole 110 made of a material with lower rigidity than the inner-foot-side reinforcing member 121 and the outer-foot-side reinforcing member 122 (more precisely, a part of the front-side midsole 110A) located therebetween.

[0044] By configuring in this way, torsional deformation is likely to occur between the inner-foot-side portion of the front foot portion R1 and the outer-foot-side portion of the rear foot portion R3 about the axis in the direction in which the intervening portion 116 extends at the position where the intervening portion 116 is provided. Accordingly, the braking torque during the turning operation increases accordingly, and as a result, a quick and smooth turning operation can be realized.

[0045] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, both the inner-foot-side bar portion 121a and the outer-foot-side bar portion 122a are provided such that their front ends reach the front foot portion R1, and the inner-foot-side bar portion 121a and the outer-foot-side bar portion 122a at the portion located at the front foot portion R1 both extend intersecting a portion corresponding to the middle phalanx of the wearer's foot (the portion indicated by reference numeral MP in the figure). When configured in this way, a larger propulsive force can be obtained by the restoring force of the elastically deformed inner-foot-side bar portion 121a and outer-foot-side bar portion 122a with the dorsiflexion of the sole 100A at the time of kicking, and the acceleration assisting function and the running assisting function can also be improved.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 7, in the sole 100A according to the present embodiment, prior to the combination of the front midsole 110A and the rear midsole 110B, the above-described inner foot side reinforcing member 121 and outer foot side reinforcing member 122 are assembled to the front midsole 110A. Therefore, after the rear midsole 110B is assembled to the front midsole 110A, as shown in FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B), the rear end portions of each of the inner foot side reinforcing member 121 and the outer foot side reinforcing member 122 are sandwiched between the front midsole 110A and the rear midsole 110B, and these portions are embedded in the midsole 110 so as not to be exposed to the outside.

[0047] Note that the mutual joining of the front midsole 110A, the rear midsole 110B, the inner foot side reinforcing member 121, the outer foot side reinforcing member 122, the rear inner foot side outsole 131, the rear outer foot side outsole 132, and the front side outsole 133 may be performed by any method, and for example, this can be performed by adhesion or the like.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 and 9, the midsole 110 is provided with a first protrusion 111 and a second protrusion 112 that protrude toward the ground contact surface 134 side. Both the first protrusion 111 and the second protrusion 112 are provided at positions on the lower surface side of the rear midsole 110B. The first protrusion 111 is provided at a position on the inner foot side and at the rear end side of the sole 100A, and the second protrusion 112 is provided at a position on the outer foot side and at the rear end side of the sole 100A.

[0049] More specifically, the first protrusion 111 extends along the front-rear direction of the shoe sole 100A so as to span from a portion near the rear end on the inner-foot side of the middle foot portion R2 to a portion near the rear end on the inner-foot side of the rear foot portion R3, and the second protrusion 112 extends along the front-rear direction of the shoe sole 100A so as to span from a portion near the rear end on the outer-foot side of the middle foot portion R2 to a portion near the rear end on the outer-foot side of the rear foot portion R3. As a result, a groove portion 113 extending along the front-rear direction of the shoe sole 100A is located on the lower surface of the midsole 110 (more precisely, the lower surface of the rear-side midsole 110B) of the portion located between the first protrusion 111 and the second protrusion 112.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 9, the first protrusion 111 includes a first bottom surface 111a located on the ground contact surface 134 side and a first side surface 111b located on the inner-foot side when viewed from the first bottom surface 111a. The first bottom surface 111a and the first side surface 111b are smoothly connected. Note that the other side surface of the first protrusion 111 located on the outer-foot side when viewed from the first bottom surface 111a defines the groove portion 113 described above.

[0051] A rear inner-foot side outsole 131 as a first cover portion is assembled to the first protrusion 111. Specifically, the rear inner-foot side outsole 131 includes a first bottom wall portion 131a that covers the first bottom surface 111a of the first protrusion 111 and a first side wall portion 131b that covers the first side surface 111b of the first protrusion 111. The first bottom wall portion 131a defines the ground contact surface 134 described above by covering the first bottom surface 111a, and the first side wall portion 131b covers the first side surface 111b by standing upright upward from the inner-foot side peripheral edge of the first bottom wall portion 131a.

[0052] On the other hand, the second protrusion 112 includes a second bottom surface 112a located on the ground contact surface 134 side and a second side surface 112b located on the outer-foot side when viewed from the second bottom surface 112a. The second bottom surface 112a and the second side surface 112b are smoothly connected. Note that the other side surface of the second protrusion 112 located on the inner-foot side when viewed from the second bottom surface 112a defines the groove portion 113 described above.

[0053] The second protrusion 112 is assembled with a rear outer foot side outsole 132 as a second cover part. Specifically, the rear outer foot side outsole 132 includes a second bottom wall part 132a that covers the second bottom surface 112a of the second protrusion 112, and a second side wall part 132b that covers the second side surface 112b of the second protrusion 112. The second bottom wall part 132a defines the ground contact surface 134 described above by covering the second bottom surface 112a, and the second side wall part 132b covers the second side surface 112b by standing upright upward from the outer foot side peripheral edge of the second bottom wall part 132a.

[0054] Here, the ground contact surface 134 defined by the first bottom wall part 131a and the second bottom wall part 132a is the portion that contacts the ground when the wearer is in a standing position, which is a state of standing on a flat ground. Specifically, the portions shown hatched in FIGS. 10 and 12 described later correspond to this. Only the hatched portions of the first bottom wall part 131a and the second bottom wall part 132a correspond to this (that is, only the portions that contact the flat ground when standing correspond to this), and the non-hatched portions (that is, the portions that do not contact the flat ground when standing) are not included in this.

[0055] Note that the front side outsole 133 as the third cover part is joined to the lower surface of the front side midsole 110A. The front side outsole 133 is located across the front foot part R1 and the portion near the front end of the middle foot part R2, and includes a third bottom wall part 133a that covers the lower surface of the front side midsole 110A in this portion. Further, the front side outsole 133 has a third side wall part standing upright from the peripheral edge of the third bottom wall part 133a, and this third side wall part covers the side surface of the front side midsole 110A.

[0056] Regarding the shoe 1 according to the present embodiment and the shoe sole 100A provided therein, when the wearer performs a turning-back operation, attention is paid to the fact that the portion that contacts the ground at the initial stage of landing is the rear inner foot side portion of the shoe sole, and an improvement has been made to enhance the cushioning performance in this portion.

[0057] That is, during the turning motion, the entire shoe often lands in a state where the whole shoe tilts toward the inner foot side and the front foot part rises above the rear foot part (that is, the wearer's foot tilts inward and the toe part (the tip of the toe) rises above the heel part). In that case, as described above, in the initial stage of landing, the rear inner foot side portion of the sole touches the ground, and then the entire ground contact surface of the sole comes into contact with the ground.

[0058] Therefore, in the shoe 1 according to the present embodiment and the sole 100A provided therein, as described above, the first protrusion 111 and the second protrusion 112 that protrude toward the ground contact surface 134 side are provided in a state of being divided into the inner foot side and the outer foot side at the rear end side portion of the midsole 110 (in other words, by providing a groove portion 113 extending along the front-rear direction of the sole 100A at the rear end side portion of the midsole 110), the deformability of the rear inner foot side portion of the sole 100A is enhanced, thereby improving the buffering performance during the turning motion.

[0059] That is, in the shoe 1 according to the present embodiment and the sole 100A provided therein, in the initial stage of the turning motion, when the sole 100A of the portion where the first protrusion 111 is provided touches the ground prior to other portions, the first protrusion 111 deforms rapidly and greatly without being affected by other portions of the midsole 110, and the impact transmitted to the wearer is absorbed by the deformation of the first protrusion 111, and as a result, a large buffering performance can be obtained.

[0060] In addition, in the shoe 1 according to the present embodiment and the sole 100A provided therein, further, by devising the shape of the inner foot side periphery of the sole 100A of the portion where the first protrusion 111 is provided (more specifically, the shape of the portion corresponding to the specific region SR (see FIGS. 10 to 12) described later among the periphery), both improvement of the buffering performance and stability during standing are achieved. Hereinafter, this point will be described in detail.

[0061] FIG. 10(A) is an enlarged bottom view of a portion including a specific region of the sole shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 10(B) to 10(D) are partial cross-sectional views along the XB-XB line to the XD-XD line shown in FIG. 10(A), respectively. FIG. 11(A) is an enlarged side view of the inner foot side of a portion including a specific region of the sole shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 11(B) to 11(D) are partial cross-sectional views along the XIB-XIB line to the XID-XID line shown in FIG. 11(A), respectively. Further, FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the shape of the outsole of the sole shown in FIG. 1.

[0062] As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the specific region SR is a region having a predetermined width in the front-rear direction of the sole 100A. The position on the front side thereof is defined by the front-side specific position SP1, and the position on the rear side thereof is defined by the rear-side specific position SP2. The specific region SR includes a portion near the rear end of the midfoot region R2 and a portion near the front end of the rearfoot region R3.

[0063] Specifically, referring to FIG. 5, the front-side specific position SP1 is based on the front-end side in the front-rear direction of the sole 100A, and is a position corresponding to a dimension of 70% of the dimension from the front-end side to the rear-end side in the front-rear direction of the sole 100A (the distance L70 shown in the figure corresponds to this).

[0064] On the other hand, the rear-side specific position SP2 is a position corresponding to the position on the rear-end side of the first bottom wall portion 131a of the rear inner-foot side outsole 131 as the first cover portion (that is, the rear-end position of the grounding surface 134 provided on the rear inner-foot side outsole 131 at the above-described standing position).

[0065] The specific region SR located between the front-side specific position SP1 and the rear-side specific position SP2 is a region including a portion that contacts the ground at the initial stage during the above-described turning-back operation. More specifically, the inner-foot side end portion of the specific region SR will exclusively contact the ground at the initial stage during the turning-back operation.

[0066] As shown in FIGS. 10(A) to 10(D), in the shoe sole 100A, when viewed along the normal direction of the ground contact surface 134, the first ridge line RL1 of the rear inner foot side outsole 131 located at the boundary between the first bottom wall portion 131a and the first side wall portion 131b is away from the first outer contour line OL1 of the rear inner foot side outsole 131 defined by the first side wall portion 131b as it goes from the front side specific position SP1 to the rear side specific position SP2.

[0067] In other words, in the above-mentioned specific region SR, the distance between the first ridge line RL1 and the first outer contour line OL1 (the distances D11 to D13 shown in FIGS. 10(B) to 10(D) correspond to this) increases as it goes toward the rear side. That is, the distances D11 to D13 satisfy the condition of D11 < D12 < D13.

[0068] Here, since the first bottom wall portion 131a and the first side wall portion 131b are formed to be continuous with each other, by satisfying the above-mentioned conditions, the first side wall portion 131b of the portion located between the first ridge line RL1 and the first outer contour line OL1 increases in size as it goes toward the rear side. Since the first side wall portion 131b of the portion located between the first ridge line RL1 and the first outer contour line OL1 is the portion that contacts the ground prior to other portions in the initial stage of the above-mentioned turning-back operation, when the area of this portion increases, the load applied to the shoe sole 100A during grounding is dispersed, and as a result, the buffering performance is improved.

[0069] On the other hand, if the area of the portion of the first side wall portion 131b located between the first ridge line RL1 and the first outer contour line OL1 that corresponds to the specific region SR is increased as a whole, the area of the ground contact surface 134 will naturally decrease by that amount, so there is a risk of losing stability during the standing position.

[0070] Therefore, as in the present embodiment, by increasing the first side wall portion 131b of the portion located between the first ridge line RL1 and the first outer contour line OL1 in the above-described specific region SR as it goes toward the rear side, not only is the impact buffering property during the turning-back operation improved, but also sufficient stability during the standing position can be ensured. Therefore, by using the shoe 1 according to the present embodiment and the sole 100A provided therein, it is possible to obtain a sole that achieves both stability during the standing position and impact buffering property during the turning-back operation, and a shoe equipped with the same.

[0071] In addition, the sole 100A according to the present embodiment satisfies several conditions below in addition to the above conditions.

[0072] First, as shown in FIG. 9, in the sole 100A, the first side surface 111b of the first protrusion 111 of the midsole 110 includes an upper side surface 111b1 that is substantially orthogonal to the ground contact surface 134, and a lower side surface 111b2 that smoothly connects the first bottom surface 111a and the upper side surface 111b1. As shown in FIG. 11(A), the first side wall portion 131b of the rear inner foot side outsole 131 includes an upper first side wall portion 131b1 that covers the upper side surface 111b1 and a lower first side wall portion 131b2 that covers the lower side surface 111b2.

[0073] Then, as shown in FIGS. 11(A) to 11(D), in the sole 100A, when viewed along the left-right direction of the sole 100A, the second ridge line RL2 of the rear inner foot side outsole 131 located at the boundary between the upper first side wall portion 131b1 and the lower first side wall portion 131b2 is located so as to move away from the second outer contour line OL2 of the rear inner foot side outsole 131 defined by the first bottom wall portion 131a as it goes from the front side specific position SP1 to the rear side specific position SP2.

[0074] In other words, in the specific region SR described above, the distance between the second ridge line RL2 and the second outer shape line OL2 (the distances D21 to D23 shown in FIGS. 11(B) to 11(D) correspond to this) increases as it goes toward the rear side. That is, the distances D21 to D23 satisfy the condition D21 < D22 < D23.

[0075] By satisfying this condition, the lower first side wall portion 131b2, which is the first side wall portion 131b located between the second ridge line RL2 and the second outer shape line OL2, increases in size as it goes toward the rear side. The lower first side wall portion 131b2 located between the second ridge line RL2 and the second outer shape line OL2 is the portion that comes into contact with the ground prior to other portions in the initial stage of the above-described turning-back operation. Therefore, by satisfying this condition, the impact buffering performance during the turning-back operation can be improved.

[0076] Next, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, in the shoe sole 100A, the radius of curvature of the surface of the first side wall portion 131b of the portion located between the first ridge line RL1 and the first outer shape line OL1 described above (that is, the lower first side wall portion 131b2 located between the second ridge line RL2 and the second outer shape line OL2 described above) is configured to gradually increase as it goes from the front-side specific position SP1 to the rear-side specific position SP2.

[0077] By satisfying this condition, not only can the compatibility between the stability during the standing position and the impact buffering performance during the turning-back operation be ensured, but also the first side wall portion 131b of the portion located between the first ridge line RL1 and the first outer shape line OL1 has a smooth shape, so that it is excellent in design.

[0078] Furthermore, referring to FIG. 12, the sole 100A satisfies specific conditions when the grounding surface 134 of the portion included in the specific region SR and the contour line of the outsole 130 when cut along the lines XIIA-XIIA to XIID-XIID shown in FIG. 11 are respectively superimposed and drawn. Here, in FIG. 12, the curve CL0 represents the contour line of the grounding surface 134, and the curves CL1 to CL4 represent the contour lines of the cut surfaces of the rear inner foot side outsole 131 and the rear outer foot side outsole 132 at positions 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, and 4 mm away from the grounding surface 134 upward, respectively. That is, the curves CL0 to CL4 are so-called contour lines.

[0079] In the case of the sole 100A, when a figure as shown in FIG. 12 is drawn, the condition that the curves CL1 to CL4 of the portion corresponding to the inner foot side of the rear inner foot side outsole 131 move away from the curve CL0 as they go from the front side specific position SP1 to the rear side specific position SP2 is satisfied. This condition is not satisfied in any of the portion corresponding to the outer foot side of the rear inner foot side outsole 131, the portion corresponding to the inner foot side of the rear outer foot side outsole 132, and the portion corresponding to the outer foot side, and is satisfied only in the portion corresponding to the inner foot side of the rear inner foot side outsole 131.

[0080] Since the curves CL0 to CL4 of the portion corresponding to the inner foot side of the rear inner foot side outsole 131 correspond to the portion that contacts the ground prior to other portions at the initial stage of the above-described turning-back operation of the sole 100A, the impact buffering property during the turning-back operation can be improved by the curves CL0 to CL4 of this portion satisfying the above condition.

[0081] Therefore, by satisfying at least any one of the above-described conditions, it is possible to provide a sole that achieves both stability during standing and impact buffering property during the turning-back operation, and a shoe provided with the same.

[0082] Here, in the shoe 1 according to the present embodiment and the sole 100A provided in the shoe, in order to improve the shock buffering property during the turning operation, further improvements are made in each part. These improvements will be described below.

[0083] First, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 11, in the sole 100A, a constricted portion 131c is provided at the upper end of the first side wall portion 131b of the rear inner foot side outsole 131. This constricted portion 131c is formed by providing a notch at the upper end of the first side wall portion 131b. In the portion where the constricted portion 131c is provided, the upper end of the first side wall portion 131b of the rear inner foot side outsole 131 is located closer to the ground contact surface 134 side than the surrounding area.

[0084] When configured in this way, since the rear inner foot side outsole 131 can be deformed so as to bend in the front - rear direction with the portion where the constricted portion 131c is provided as a base point, it becomes possible to enhance the deformability of the rear inner foot side portion of the sole 100A, and thereby further improve the buffering performance during the turning operation.

[0085] Also, as shown in FIG. 13, regarding the shape of the groove portion 113 of the midsole 110 provided between the first protrusion 111 and the second protrusion 112 in the sole 100A, improvements are also made. FIGS. 13(A) to 13(C) are cross - sectional views of the entire sole at the same positions as the cross - sections shown in FIGS. 10(B) to 10(D), respectively.

[0086] As shown in FIGS. 2, 5 to 7, the groove portion 113 formed between the first protrusion 111 and the second protrusion 112 includes a portion extending along the front - rear direction of the sole 100A as described above. As described above, by providing the groove portion 113 in the rear end side portion of the midsole 110, the deformability of the rear inner foot side portion of the sole 100A is enhanced, thereby improving the buffering performance during the turning operation.

[0087] Here, as shown in FIGS. 13(A) to 13(B), in the shoe sole 100A, the shoe sole 100A is cut along a plane orthogonal to the front-rear direction of the shoe sole 100A at an arbitrary position from the front-side specific position SP1 to the rear-side specific position SP2. In the cross-section thus obtained, when a virtual line VL connecting the end points P1 and P2 of the midsole 110 that defines the opening surface 113a of the groove portion 113 and a perpendicular bisector VB of this virtual line VL are drawn, the area Q1 surrounded by the virtual line VL, the perpendicular bisector VB, and the inner-foot side portion of the contour line of the groove portion 113 is configured to be larger than the area Q2 surrounded by the virtual line VL, the perpendicular bisector VB, and the outer-foot side portion of the contour line of the groove portion 113.

[0088] When configured in this way, the side surface located on the side opposite to the first side surface 111b of the first protrusion 111 (that is, the outer-foot side surface of the first protrusion 111 defined by the groove portion 113 described above) generally has a steeper gradient, so that the first protrusion 111 is more likely to deform with the base side portion of the first protrusion 111 as a base point. Therefore, by configuring in this way, it becomes possible to enhance the deformability of the rear inner-foot side portion of the shoe sole 100A, and thereby further improve the buffering performance during the turning-back operation.

[0089] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, in the shoe sole 100A, since the midsole 110 is divided into a front-side midsole 110A and a rear-side midsole 110B, and the midsole 110 is configured by overlapping these, at the portion where the front-side midsole 110A and the rear-side midsole 110B overlap, the rear end portions 121b and 122 of the inner-foot side reinforcing member 121 and the outer-foot side reinforcing member 122 are each sandwiched between the front-side midsole 110A and the rear-side midsole 110B and are embedded in the midsole 110.

[0090] When configured in this way, in this part, from the ground plane 134 side, the outsole 130 (rear inner foot side outsole 131 or rear outer foot side outsole 132), the midsole 110 (rear side midsole 110B), the reinforcement structure part 120 (inner foot side reinforcement member 121 or outer foot side reinforcement member 122), and the midsole 110 (front side midsole 110A) are arranged in this order. Therefore, the midsole 110 is located directly above the outsole 130 without passing through the reinforcement structure part 120, so that the buffering function can be maximized.

[0091] In addition, in the shoe 1 according to the present embodiment and the shoe sole 100A provided therein, the outsole 130 assembled to the rear end side portion of the midsole 110 is divided into a rear inner foot side outsole 131 as the first cover portion and a rear outer foot side outsole 132 as the second cover portion (that is, the first cover portion and the second cover portion are separate members separated from each other). Therefore, they may be formed of different materials.

[0092] In that case, if the rear inner foot side outsole 131 as the first cover portion is made of a material with lower rigidity than the material constituting the rear outer foot side outsole 132 as the second cover portion, it becomes possible to enhance the deformability of the rear inner foot side portion of the shoe sole 100A, and thereby further improve the buffering performance during the turning operation.

[0093] Also, in the shoe 1 according to the present embodiment and the shoe sole 100A provided therein, the first protrusion 111 provided on the midsole 110 and the rear inner foot side outsole 131 as the first cover portion are both provided on the inner foot side with respect to the central position in the left - right direction of the shoe sole 100A. If configured in this way, the improvement of the buffering performance during the turning operation can be more surely achieved.

[0094] (Embodiment 2) FIG. 14(A) is an enlarged side view of the inner foot side of a portion including a specific region of the shoe sole according to Embodiment 2, and FIGS. 14(B) to 14(D) are partial cross-sectional views along the XIVB-XIVB line to the XIVD-XIVD line shown in FIG. 14(A), respectively. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 14, the shoe sole 100B according to the present embodiment will be described. Note that the shoe sole 100B according to the present embodiment is provided in the shoe 1 in place of the shoe sole 100A according to the above-described Embodiment 1.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 14, the shoe sole 100B according to the present embodiment is different in configuration only in that a concave groove portion 115 is provided at a predetermined position of the midsole 110 when compared with the shoe sole 100A according to the above-described Embodiment 1.

[0096] Specifically, referring to FIG. 14, the concave groove portion 115 is formed on the externally exposed surface 114 of the midsole 110. This externally exposed surface 114 is a portion of the midsole 110 that is adjacent to the upper end portion of the first side wall portion 131b of the rear inner foot side outsole 131 as the first cover portion and is exposed above the first side wall portion 131b, and the concave groove portion 115 extends along the upper end portion of the first side wall portion 131b of the rear inner foot side outsole 131.

[0097] The length at which the concave groove portion 115 is provided is not particularly limited, but is preferably provided so as to overlap the above-described specific region SR. Further, the concave groove portion 115 may extend toward the front side and / or the rear side of the specific region SR beyond the front side specific position SP1 which is the front end of the specific region SR and / or the rear side specific position SP2 which is the rear end of the specific region SR.

[0098] When configured in this way, the first protrusion portion 111 is more easily deformed based on the portion where the concave groove portion 115 is provided. Therefore, by configuring in this way, it becomes possible to further enhance the deformability of the rear inner foot side portion of the shoe sole 100B, and thereby further improve the buffering performance during the turning-back operation.

[0099] Therefore, by using the shoe 1 according to the present embodiment and the sole 100B provided with the same, not only the same effects as those described in the above-described Embodiment 1 can be obtained, but also a sole with higher performance and a shoe provided with the same can be achieved.

[0100] (Summary of the disclosure in the embodiment) Summarizing the characteristic configurations disclosed in the above-described Embodiments 1 and 2, they are as follows.

[0101] The sole of a shoe according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a forefoot portion that supports the toe portion and the stepping portion of the wearer's foot, a midfoot portion that supports the instep portion of the wearer's foot, and a rearfoot portion that supports the heel portion of the wearer's foot, which are provided in series along the front-rear direction that is the direction matching the longitudinal direction of the wearer's foot, and includes a midsole and an outsole. The midsole is provided so as to straddle the forefoot portion, the midfoot portion, and the rearfoot portion. The outsole defines a ground contact surface during the standing position by covering at least a part of the lower surface of the midsole. The midsole has a first protruding portion that protrudes toward the ground contact surface at a position on the inner foot side in the left-right direction that is the direction matching the foot width direction of the wearer's foot and at the rear end side in the front-rear direction. The midsole of the portion where the first protruding portion is provided includes a first bottom surface located on the ground contact surface side and a first side surface located on the inner foot side in the left-right direction as viewed from the first bottom surface. The outsole has a first cover portion including a first bottom wall portion that defines the ground contact surface by covering the first bottom surface and a first side wall portion that stands upward from the peripheral edge on the inner foot side in the left-right direction of the first bottom wall portion and covers the first side surface. When a position corresponding to 70% of the dimension from the front end side end in the front-rear direction of the sole of the shoe according to an aspect of the present disclosure to the rear end side end in the front-rear direction of the sole is defined as the front side specific position and the position on the rear end side in the front-rear direction of the first bottom wall portion is defined as the rear side specific position, a first ridge line of the first cover portion located at the boundary between the first bottom wall portion and the first side wall portion is positioned so as to move away from a first outer contour line of the first cover portion defined by the first side wall portion as it goes from the front side specific position to the rear side specific position when viewed along the normal direction of the ground contact surface.

[0102] In the sole of the shoe according to an aspect of the present disclosure, both the first protruding portion and the first cover portion may be positioned so as to straddle the midfoot portion and the rearfoot portion.

[0103] In the sole according to an aspect of the present disclosure, both the first protrusion and the first cover portion may be located on the inner foot side rather than at the central position in the left-right direction.

[0104] In the sole according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the first side surface may include an upper side surface that is substantially perpendicular to the ground contact surface, and a lower side surface that smoothly connects the first bottom surface and the upper side surface. Further, the first side wall portion may include an upper first side wall portion that covers the upper side surface, and a lower first side wall portion that covers the lower side surface. In that case, the second ridge line of the first cover portion located at the boundary between the upper first side wall portion and the lower first side wall portion may be positioned so as to move away from the second outer contour line of the first cover portion defined by the first bottom wall portion as it goes from the front-side specific position to the rear-side specific position when viewed along the left-right direction.

[0105] In the sole according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the midsole may have a second protrusion that protrudes toward the ground contact surface side at a position on the outer foot side in the left-right direction and at the rear end side in the front-rear direction. In that case, the midsole of the portion where the second protrusion is provided may include a second bottom surface located on the ground contact surface side, and a second side surface located on the outer foot side in the left-right direction when viewed from the second bottom surface. Further, the outsole may have a second cover portion that includes a second bottom wall portion that defines the ground contact surface by covering the second bottom surface, and a second side wall portion that stands upward from the outer foot side peripheral edge of the second bottom wall portion in the left-right direction and covers the second side surface.

[0106] In the sole according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the groove portion of the midsole formed between the first protrusion and the second protrusion may include a portion extending along the front-rear direction. In this case, when a virtual line connecting the end points of the midsole that define the opening surface of the groove portion and a perpendicular bisector of the virtual line are drawn in a cross section perpendicular to the front-rear direction at any position from the front-side specific position to the rear-side specific position, the area surrounded by the virtual line, the perpendicular bisector, and the inner-foot side portion of the contour line of the groove portion may be larger than the area surrounded by the virtual line, the perpendicular bisector, and the outer-foot side portion of the contour line of the groove portion.

[0107] In the sole according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the first cover portion and the second cover portion may be configured as separate members separated from each other.

[0108] In the sole according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the material constituting the first cover portion and the material constituting the second cover portion may be different.

[0109] In the sole according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a constricted portion may be provided at the upper end portion of the first side wall portion.

[0110] In the sole according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the midsole may include an externally exposed surface that is exposed above the first side wall portion adjacent to the upper end portion of the first side wall portion. In this case, a concave stripe portion extending along the upper end portion of the first side wall portion may be provided on the externally exposed surface.

[0111] The sole according to an aspect of the present disclosure may further include a reinforcement structure portion assembled to the midsole. In that case, when viewed along the normal direction of the ground contact surface, the reinforcement structure portion may be arranged so as to overlap at least a part of the first cover portion. Also in that case, at the overlapping portion of the reinforcement structure portion and the first cover portion, the reinforcement structure portion is embedded in the midsole, so that the first cover portion, the midsole, the reinforcement structure portion, and the midsole may be positioned in this order from bottom to top.

[0112] A shoe according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a sole according to an aspect of the present disclosure described above and an upper located above the sole.

[0113] (Other forms, etc.) In the above-described Embodiments 1 and 2, the case where the first side wall portion located in the portion sandwiched between the first ridge line and the first outer contour line in the specific region SR is configured in a curved convex shape has been exemplified and described. However, the shape of this portion is not particularly limited, and is preferably a non-concave shape such as a convex shape or a flat shape, and may also be a concave shape such as a curved concave shape.

[0114] Also, in the above-described Embodiments 1 and 2, the shoe configured such that the upper body is brought into close contact with the foot by using shoelaces has been exemplified and described. However, a shoe configured such that the upper body is brought into close contact with the foot by a hook-and-loop fastener may be used, or a shoe configured such that the upper body is a sock-shaped upper body and the upper body is brought into close contact with the foot only by inserting the foot into the upper body may be used. That is, the form of the upper can be appropriately changed according to the use of the shoe.

[0115] Thus, the above-described embodiments disclosed this time are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The technical scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and includes all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the description of the claims.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0116] 1 Boot, 100A, 100B Boot soles, 110 Midsole, 110A Front side midsole, 110B Rear side midsole, 111 First protrusion, 111a First bottom surface, 111b First side surface, 111b1 Upper side surface, 111b2 Lower side surface, 112 Second protrusion, 112a Second bottom surface, 112b Second side surface, 113 Groove portion, 113a Opening surface, 114 Externally exposed surface, 115 Concave stripe portion, 116 Intervening portion, 120 Reinforcement structure portion, 121 Inner foot side reinforcement member, 121a Inner foot side bar portion, 121b Rear end portion, 122 Outer foot side reinforcement member, 122a Outer foot side bar portion, 122b Rear end portion, 130 Outsole, 131 Rear inner foot side outsole, 131a First bottom wall portion, 131b First side wall portion, 131b1 Upper first side wall portion, 131b2 Lower first side wall portion, 131c Pinched portion, 132 Rear outer foot side outsole, 132a Second bottom wall portion, 132b Second side wall portion, 133 Front side outsole, 133a Third bottom wall portion, 134 Ground contact surface, 200 Upper, 210 Upper body, 220 Shoetop, 230 Shoelace, OL1 First outer contour line, OL2 Second outer contour line, P1, P2 End points, R1 Forefoot, R2 Midfoot, R3 Rearfoot, RL1 First ridge line, RL2 Second ridge line, SP1 Front side specific position, SP2 Rear side specific position, SR Specific region, VB Vertical bisector line, VL Virtual line.

Claims

1. A sole in which a front foot part that supports the toe part and the stepping part of the wearer's foot, a middle foot part that supports the instep part of the wearer's foot, and a rear foot part that supports the heel part of the wearer's foot are provided continuously along the front-rear direction, which is the direction that matches the longitudinal direction of the wearer's foot, a midsole provided so as to straddle the front foot part, the middle foot part, and the rear foot part, and an outsole that defines the ground contact surface during standing by covering at least a part of the lower surface of the midsole, wherein the midsole has a first protruding part that protrudes toward the ground contact surface at a position on the inner foot side in the left-right direction, which is the direction that matches the width direction of the wearer's foot, and on the rear end side in the front-rear direction, the midsole of the part where the first protruding part is provided includes a first bottom surface located on the ground contact surface side and a first side surface located on the inner foot side in the left-right direction as viewed from the first bottom surface, the outsole has a first cover part including a first bottom wall part that defines the ground contact surface by covering the first bottom surface and a first side wall part that stands upward from the peripheral edge on the inner foot side in the left-right direction of the first bottom wall part and covers the first side surface, when a position corresponding to 70% of the dimension from the front end on the front side in the front-rear direction of the sole to the rear end on the rear side in the front-rear direction of the sole is defined as the front side specific position and the position on the rear end side in the front-rear direction of the first bottom wall part is defined as the rear side specific position, a first ridge line of the first cover part located at the boundary between the first bottom wall part and the first side wall part is positioned so as to move away from a first outer contour line of the first cover part defined by the first side wall part as it goes from the front side specific position to the rear side specific position when viewed along the normal direction of the ground contact surface. A sole.

2. The sole according to claim 1, wherein both the first protruding part and the first cover part are positioned so as to straddle the middle foot part and the rear foot part.

3. The sole according to claim 1 or 2, wherein both the first protruding part and the first cover part are positioned on the inner foot side of the central position in the left-right direction.

4. The first side surface includes an upper side surface that is substantially perpendicular to the ground contact surface and a lower side surface that smoothly connects the first bottom surface and the upper side surface, and the first side wall part includes an upper first side wall part that covers the upper side surface and a lower first side wall part that covers the lower side surface. The second ridge line of the first cover portion located at the boundary between the upper first side wall portion and the lower first side wall portion is positioned so as to move away from the second outer contour line of the first cover portion defined by the first bottom wall portion as it goes from the front-side specific position to the rear-side specific position when viewed along the left-right direction. The sole according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The midsole has a second protruding portion that protrudes toward the ground contact surface side at a position on the outer foot side in the left-right direction and on the rear end side in the front-rear direction. The midsole of the portion where the second protruding portion is provided includes a second bottom surface located on the ground contact surface side and a second side surface located on the outer foot side in the left-right direction when viewed from the second bottom surface. The outsole has a second cover portion including a second bottom wall portion that defines the ground contact surface by covering the second bottom surface, and a second side wall portion that stands upright upward from the outer foot side peripheral edge of the second bottom wall portion in the left-right direction and covers the second side surface. The sole according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The groove portion of the midsole formed between the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion includes a portion extending along the front-rear direction. When a virtual line connecting the end points of the midsole that defines the opening surface of the groove portion and a perpendicular bisector of the virtual line are drawn in a cross section perpendicular to the front-rear direction at any position from the front-side specific position to the rear-side specific position, the area surrounded by the virtual line, the perpendicular bisector, and the inner foot side portion of the contour line of the groove portion is larger than the area surrounded by the virtual line, the perpendicular bisector, and the outer foot side portion of the contour line of the groove portion. The sole according to claim 5.

7. The first cover portion and the second cover portion are configured by separate members separated from each other. The sole according to claim 5 or 6.

8. The material constituting the first cover portion and the material constituting the second cover portion are different. The sole according to claim 7.

9. A constricted portion is provided at the upper end portion of the first side wall portion. The sole according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The midsole includes an externally exposed surface that is exposed above the first side wall portion adjacent to the upper end portion of the first side wall portion. The sole according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a concave groove portion extending along the upper end portion of the first side wall portion is provided on the externally exposed surface.

11. further comprising a reinforcing structure portion assembled to the midsole, when viewed along the normal direction of the grounding surface, the reinforcing structure portion is arranged so as to overlap at least a part of the first cover portion, In a portion where the reinforcing structure portion and the first cover portion overlap, the reinforcing structure portion is embedded in the midsole, and the first cover portion, the midsole, the reinforcing structure portion, and the midsole are positioned in this order from bottom to top. The sole according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A shoe comprising the sole according to any one of claims 1 to 11, and an upper positioned above the sole.

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