Footwear and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a footwear that can be quickly put on hands - free and has a comfortable fit during natural walking and exercise, as well as a method for manufacturing the same. 【Solution means】 In the present invention, a heel support 8 is installed at the heel part 7, and an elastic heel counter 10 is built into the heel support 8. The heel counter 10 is composed of a head arch part 110, a neck arch part 120, an abdominal arch part 130, and a foot part 140. The head arch part 110 has an arched tray part 111. The neck arch part 120 is in a substantially arc - shaped V - shape, with the back being narrow and the front being wide, and the width of its V - shaped horizontal opening 121 is formed to be narrower than the width of the heel of the foot. When a downward pressure is applied to the tray part 111, the tray part 111 deforms so as to warp according to the pressure, and the neck arch part 120 deforms so that the width of the V - shaped horizontal opening 121 widens. When the pressure is released, it immediately restores to its original shape.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heel counter for the purpose of easy putting on and taking off, and footwear provided with the same.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the improvement of people's living standards, the demand for hands-free footwear that can be quickly put on while standing without using a shoehorn has been increasing. In particular, the elderly, disabled people, and people in special occupations desire footwear that is easy to put on and take off. As the technologies used for these, there are those that devise the shape of the heel part of the footwear and its heel counter, and those that add a spring structure to the heel part of the footwear to configure it to restore the shape of the heel part. As those that devise the shape of the heel part of the footwear and its heel counter, there are Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, and Patent Document 3.

[0003] In Patent Document 1, it is proposed to make it easier to put on the shoe without increasing the opening area of the shoe opening by providing a guide part that slopes upward as it separates from the rear edge at the heel part including the rear edge of the opening edge of the shoe opening. To form this guide part, the heel counter has a double structure of a hard first heel counter usually used for the heel of the shoe and a second heel counter that is softer than the first heel counter and has a slit to form a guide core part.

[0004] In Patent Document 2, a shoe is proposed in which a hard protruding piece part extending obliquely upward and rearward is formed at the upper edge end of the heel part of the shoe, and the protruding piece part can surely guide the heel of the foot lowered from above into the shoe. The heel counter used here has rigidity to support the heel of the foot and functions as a sliding base for the heel of the foot, and is shaped to slide the foot obliquely downward and forward.

[0005] Patent Document 3 discloses a technology having a compressible heel cup, a rigid heel cup, an instep support, a compressible lining, and a heel counter support as a technology to assist in easier foot insertion when wearing footwear. Among these, the technology close to the present invention is the compressible heel cup. The compressible heel cup has an upper part with a shorter inner-outer length than the middle part, and is generally pear-shaped. In order to increase compressibility, the thickness of the heel cup is not uniform, and the middle part is particularly formed to be thinner than other parts, so that the middle part is easily compressed when pressure is applied from the foot. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3212460 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2022-139151 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2023 / 064568 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Footwear that can be quickly put on hands-free is required to be quickly put on, not come off during natural walking or exercise, have a good fit, and be able to be taken off hands-free. The heel counter in Patent Document 1 has a fixed shape, so the heel curve is inclined inward toward the rear edge so that the heel of the foot is held during natural walking or exercise to make it difficult for the shoe to come off. For this reason, a hook is provided on the outer surface of the heel to make it easier to take off the shoe hands-free, but this has problems in terms of manufacturing and design. In addition, the second heel counter has a slit to make it soft, but it may be damaged if it is stepped on strongly with the heel of the foot. Furthermore, it is time-consuming and costly to have a double structure of the first heel counter and the second heel counter.

[0008] The heel counter of Patent Document 2 is made of a rigid material, and the upper extending portion is formed to be straight and narrow and is rigid. Therefore, if a strong pressure is applied by the heel of the foot, it may break. Further, since the heel counter has a fixed shape, if ease of wearing is emphasized, there is a risk of slipping off during natural walking or exercise, and it is necessary to provide a pad portion to suppress this.

[0009] The compressible heel cup of Patent Document 3 has a problem in that it is difficult to withstand repeated stress because the central portion is particularly formed thinly in order to enhance compressibility. Further, similar to Patent Document 2, since there is a risk of the footwear slipping off during natural walking or exercise, it is necessary to provide a foam that is located above the heel bone region of the user's foot and spreads around at least a part of the ankle region of the foot.

[0010] Therefore, the present invention provides a technology that simplifies the configuration of the heel counter, solves the above problems of existing footwear that can be quickly put on hands-free, simplifies the manufacturing process of the footwear, and realizes a significant cost reduction.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] An elastic heel counter used for the heel part of footwear, the heel counter including a head arch part, a neck arch part, an abdomen arch part, and a foot part. The head arch part is smoothly connected to the neck arch part, and the neck arch part is smoothly connected to the abdomen arch part. The upper end part of the head arch part is obliquely upwardly arcuately inclined in a direction away from the heel part of the footwear, and the central part is low and concave inward to form an arcuate tray shape. The horizontal opening width of the neck arch part is formed to be equal to or slightly narrower than the maximum horizontal opening width of the head arch part. The abdomen arch part has a hemispherical structure, and its horizontal opening width gradually increases from the connection part with the neck arch part, and the lower half part from the central part has substantially the same horizontal opening width. And along the lower part of the abdomen arch part, there are distributed and connected foot parts that are formed thinner than the lower part of the abdomen arch part and are curved and fixed on the outsole. When a downward pressure is applied to the tray part of the head arch part, the tray part is deformed to warp according to the pressure, and further the neck arch part is deformed such that the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening widens. And when the pressure is released, it immediately restores to the original shape. Thereby, when wearing the footwear, it can be easily deformed according to the pressure of the heel of the foot, so that the footwear can be quickly put on hands-free. Also, during natural walking or exercise, its shape is restored, providing footwear that is difficult to take off and gives the user a feeling of fitting.

[0012] Footwear having an elastic heel counter at the heel part, the heel counter including a head arch part, a neck arch part, and an abdomen arch part. The head arch part has a low central part and a high outer edge part, and extends arcuately inclined obliquely upward rearward in a side view to form a tray part. The neck arch part is formed in a substantially arcuate V shape that is narrow at the rear and wide at the front. The abdomen arch part is a hemispherical shell structure that fits the heel of the foot. The heel counter has support strength characteristics and elastic characteristics. When a downward pressure is applied to the tray part of the head arch part, the tray part is deformed to warp according to the pressure, and when the pressure is released, it immediately restores to the original shape. Thereby, when wearing the footwear, the heel part can be easily deformed according to the pressure of the heel of the foot, so that the footwear can be quickly put on hands-free.

[0013] In the above footwear, the neck arch portion of the heel counter has a V-shaped horizontal opening, and the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening is narrower than the width of the heel of the foot. Thereby, it adheres appropriately to the heel of the foot, and it becomes difficult to fall off during natural walking or exercise.

[0014] In the above footwear, the heel counter includes the foot portion. Thereby, the heel portion can be structured to support a strong force from above, and the structure of the entire footwear can be strengthened. Also, since it is fixed to the sole, the heel counter can prevent displacement in the upward, left-right, and front-back directions.

[0015] In the above footwear, the heel counter has a uniform thickness, and the edge portion is formed thinner from the inside to the outside. Thereby, it is possible to prevent stress concentration points from occurring and to sufficiently withstand the repeated pressure applied from the heel of the foot. Also, by chamfering the edge portion, the contour of the heel counter can be made less conspicuous on the surface of the footwear, and when the user wears the footwear, even if the edge portion of the heel counter hits the ankle of the foot, the discomfort caused by the hardness of the heel counter can be reduced.

[0016] In the above footwear, when a downward pressure is applied to the tray portion of the head arch portion of the heel counter, the neck arch portion deforms so that the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening widens, and when the pressure is released, it immediately returns to its original shape. Thereby, it adheres appropriately to the heel of the foot, and it becomes difficult to fall off during natural walking or exercise.

[0017] In the above footwear, the heel counter includes a center mark. Thereby, in the manufacturing process of the footwear, by visually or tactilely identifying the center positioning mark, the heel counter can be accurately aligned with the central position of the heel portion of the footwear.

[0018] In the above footwear, the surface of the heel counter has a fine texture. Thereby, the adhesiveness of the adhesive can be enhanced.

[0019] In the above footwear, the bottom of the heel counter has a notch. This creates a space for convergence, and with the force of pulling in the upper part during the manufacture of the footwear, the heel counter can be easily fitted to the shape of the heel part of the last or the mold, and it can correspond to the designs of the heels of various footwear.

[0020] In the above footwear, a filling material insertion part is formed so as not to give a sense of discomfort to the foot, and a heel support body is formed by the heel counter and the filling material insertion part. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the pressure and friction on the heel of the foot caused by the hardness of the heel counter, improve the compatibility with the foot, and make the structure resistant to strong forces from the upper part of the heel.

[0021] In the above footwear, the heel counter is attached to the inner side in the wearing edge direction of the heel part of the footwear. Thereby, footwear with different design properties can be obtained.

[0022] A footwear having an elastic heel counter at the heel portion, the heel counter including a head arch portion, a neck arch portion, and an abdominal arch portion. The head arch portion has a lower central portion, a higher outer edge portion, and extends in an arcuate inclination obliquely rearward upward in a side view, forming a tray portion. The neck arch portion forms a substantially arcuate V-shaped horizontal opening that is narrow at the rear and wide at the front, and the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening is formed to be narrower than the width of the heel of the foot. The abdominal arch portion is formed in a hemispherical shell structure that fits the heel of the foot. The heel counter has support strength characteristics and elastic characteristics. When a downward pressure is applied to the tray portion of the head arch portion, the neck arch portion deforms such that the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening expands, and when the pressure is released, it immediately restores to its original shape. When the user wears the footwear, when the tip of the foot is inserted into the shoe and the heel of the foot applies a downward force to the tray portion of the head arch portion where the heel is built-in, the head arch portion receives the force and deforms and expands outward, increasing the foot insertion space at the opening of the shoe. At the same time, the neck arch portion expands, the heel of the foot slides downward along the tray portion, smoothly passes through the expanded neck arch portion, and slides into the abdominal arch portion. When the heel of the foot slides into the abdominal arch portion, the stepping force applied to the neck arch portion instantaneously disappears, and the neck arch portion immediately returns to its original shape by the elastic restoring force, fits the heel of the foot, and maintains that state. When taking off the footwear, when the heel of the foot moves upward to take it off, the neck arch portion is pushed and expanded, and the heel of the foot comes out of the heel portion.

[0023] A method for manufacturing a footwear having an elastic heel counter at the heel portion, the heel counter including a head arch portion, a neck arch portion, and an abdominal arch portion. The head arch portion has a lower central portion, a higher outer edge portion, and extends in an arcuate inclination obliquely rearward upward in a side view. The neck arch portion is formed in a substantially arcuate V-shape that is narrow at the rear and wide at the front. The abdominal arch portion is a hemispherical shell structure that fits the heel of the foot. The heel counter is integrally formed by an injection molding process using a mold made of a chromium-nickel-molybdenum alloy. Thereby, the accuracy and consistency of the product can be ensured, and it has excellent durability, is less likely to deteriorate and deform, and has a longer lifespan. The production efficiency of the heel counter can be improved, mass production can be achieved, and significant cost reduction can be achieved.

[0024] On the lower bottom of the abdominal arch part, feet that are formed to be thinner than the thickness of the abdominal arch part are distributed and formed, and the feet are bent and fixed onto the outsole. As a result, the heel part can be structured to support a strong force from above, and the structure of the entire footwear can be strengthened. Also, since it is fixed to the sole, the heel counter can prevent displacement in the upward, left - right, and front - back directions.

[0025] A filling material insertion part is formed so as not to give a sense of discomfort to the foot, and a heel support body is formed by the heel counter and the filling material insertion part. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the pressure and friction on the heel of the foot caused by the hardness of the heel counter, enhance the compatibility with the foot, and manufacture footwear with a structure that supports a strong force from the upper part of the heel.

[0026] In the California method for the heel support body, the middle sole is made shorter by the length of the foot part, and in the inlay method, the middle sole is drawn into and attached to the foot part. As a result, a strong heel support body is formed, the heel part, the middle sole, and the outsole are integrated, and the structure of the entire shoe can be strengthened.

Advantages of the Invention

[0027] As described above, in the present invention, by using a material having an elastic restoring force for the heel counter, when wearing the footwear, the heel of the footwear can be easily deformed according to the pressure on the heel of the foot, and the footwear can be worn quickly and hands - free. Also, since the heel counter of the present invention has a V - shaped horizontal opening, during natural walking or exercise, its shape is restored, making it difficult to take off and providing a fitting feeling to the user. The conventional heel counter is not for supporting the force applied from the upper part to the heel part, but has a function of preventing excessive lateral inclination of the heel part by supporting from the side of the heel part. However, the heel counter of the present invention has a structure that can withstand a strong force from the upper part of the heel by the heel support body including the foot part. Thereby, the heel part, the middle sole, and the outsole are integrated, and the structure of the entire footwear can be strengthened. Also, since the heel counter of the present invention can be manufactured by injection molding using a mold, it can be manufactured in large quantities at low cost.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028]

Figure 1

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0029] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention can be implemented in various forms. Hereinafter, examples in the case where the present invention is applied to shoes will be described. Naturally, the present invention can also be applied to footwear other than shoes. A shoe having an elastic heel counter at the heel part of the present invention includes, as shown in FIG. 1, an upper part 2, an insole 5, a midsole 4, and an outsole 3. The upper part 2 is composed of an opening 6, upper side parts 26 on the inner and outer sides of the opening, a front half part 27 of the upper in front of the opening 6, and a heel part 7 behind the opening 6. The heel counter 10 of the present invention is attached to the heel part 7.

[0030] First, the heel counter 10 used for the heel of the shoe of the present invention will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the heel counter 10, FIG. 3(a) is a front view thereof, and (b) is a right side view thereof. The heel counter 10 is composed of a head arch portion 110, a neck arch portion 120, an abdominal arch portion 130, and a foot portion 140. As shown in FIG. 3(a), the heel counter 10 is formed in an arc shape with an open front, and the opening width thereof is such that the head arch portion 110 extends in a substantially arc shape from the top of the head to the neck arch portion 120, and the opening width of the neck arch portion 120 is formed to be equal to or slightly narrower than the opening width of the head arch portion 110. The opening width of the abdominal arch portion 130 gradually increases from the connecting portion with the neck arch portion 120, and the lower half from the central portion has substantially the same opening width.

[0031] The top of the head of the head arch portion 110 of the heel counter 10 extends obliquely rearward upward in an arc shape as shown in the side view of FIG. 3(b). The head arch portion 110 is formed in a concave shape with a lower central portion and a higher outer edge portion, forming an arch-shaped tray portion 111. The neck arch portion 120 mimics the shape of the Achilles tendon portion of the heel of the foot, and is formed in a substantially arc-shaped V shape with a narrower rear portion and a wider front portion. The width of this V-shaped horizontal opening 121 is formed to be slightly narrower than the width of the heel of the foot. When illustrated, it has a shape as shown in FIG. 4(a). FIG. 4(a) is an end view when the heel counter 10 is cut at the position of A-A' in FIG. 3(a). That is, the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 is the central opening of the neck arch portion, and is the portion sandwiched between the right end portion 121R and the left end portion 121L in the front view of FIG. 3(a) and the end view of FIG. 4(a).

[0032] The abdominal arch portion 130 mimics the shape of the calcaneus of the heel of the foot and is formed in a hemispherical shell structure so as to wrap the calcaneus. That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the abdominal arch portion 130 is formed in a substantially semicircular shape with the opening width of the abdominal arch portion 130 as the diameter with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0033] The feet 140 are arranged in a plurality of substantially square shapes along the lower bottom of the abdominal arch portion 130. And the feet 140 are formed thinner than the thickness of the abdominal arch portion 130 for bending and fixing to the outsole.

[0034] Figure 4(C) is an end view when cut along B-B‘ of Figure 3. As shown in Figure 4(C), the heel counter 10 is curved in a substantially S shape that is flat in the vertical direction and is curved in an arc shape in the horizontal direction as shown in Figure 4(a). And the head arch portion 110, the neck arch portion 120, and the abdominal arch portion 130 are formed with a substantially uniform thickness. The edge portions 150 of each part are formed to be gradually thinner from the inside to the outside. This is shown in Figure 4(b). Figure 4(b) is an enlarged view of the end face of the edge portion 150 of the heel counter 10. By making the thickness of the heel counter 10 uniform, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of stress concentration points, and thereby, it is possible to sufficiently withstand the repeated pressure applied from the heel of the foot. Also, by chamfering the edge portion 150 in this way, the contour of the heel counter 10 can be made less noticeable on the surface of the shoe, and when the user wears the shoe, even if the edge portion 150 of the heel counter 10 hits the ankle of the foot, the discomfort caused by the hardness of the heel counter 10 can be reduced.

[0035] When a downward pressure is applied to the tray portion 111 of the head arch portion 110 of the heel counter 10, the tray portion 111 deforms so as to warp according to the pressure. This deformation force is transmitted to the neck arch portion 120, and the neck arch portion deforms so that the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 widens. This state is shown in FIG. 5. When a pressure P is applied to the heel counter 10, the tray portion 111 of the head arch portion deforms in the D direction so as to warp, and at the same time, the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 of the neck arch portion deforms so as to widen in the R and L directions. That is, when the user wears shoes, when the pressure P from the heel of the foot is applied to the tray portion 111, the tray portion 111 deforms in the D direction so as to warp. The change in the height of the heel counter 10 due to this is preferably about 10 to 20% lower. The deformation of the head arch portion 110 decreases the height of the upper part of the heel where the heel counter 10 is attached and at the same time increases the opening area of the entrance, so that the user can easily put on the shoes hands-free.

[0036] FIG. 6 is an end view when cut at the position of A-A' in FIG. 3(a), showing the state where the pressure P is applied and the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 of the neck arch portion 120 widens and deforms. A shows the state before the pressure P is applied, and B shows the state when the pressure P is applied. Then, when the user's foot is inserted into the shoe and the pressure P disappears, it tries to instantaneously return to the state of A, giving the user a feeling of fit. The widening of the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 at this time is preferably 5 to 15%.

[0037] The heel counter 10 needs to be of different sizes according to the size of the shoes. FIG. 7 is an example of its lineup. In one embodiment, when the shoe size is 24.0 cm to 25.5 cm, the height of the heel counter 10 is 9 cm, the width of the maximum opening of the head arch portion is 42 mm, the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 of the neck arch portion is 41.5 mm, abdomen the maximum opening of the part arch portion is 80 mm. The head arch portion, the neck arch portion, and abdomenThe thicknesses of all the arch parts are uniform at 2 mm, and the thickness of the foot part is 0.8 mm. When this heel counter 10 receives pressure from the user's foot, as shown in Fig. 8(a), due to the deformation of the head arch part 110, the height changes to 77 mm, the width of the maximum opening of the head arch part changes to 48 mm, the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 of the neck arch part changes to 46.1 mm, abdomen the maximum opening of the arch part hardly changes to 80 mm. Fig. 8 is a front view showing this change, and Fig. 9 is a side view. Considering the differences in shoe sizes and the thickness of the heel counter 10, etc., these changes preferably result in a 10 - 20% decrease in the height of the heel counter and a 5 - 15% increase in the width of the maximum opening of the head arch portion and the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening portion 121 of the neck arch portion.

[0038] Various devices for attaching the heel counter 10 to the shoe can be devised. The conventional heel counter has a problem that its surface is smooth and it is difficult to attach an adhesive. However, in one embodiment, the surface of the heel counter 10 of the present invention is provided with a fine texture of an appropriate depth in order to enhance the adhesiveness of the adhesive. This texture can be in various forms such as linear, reticular, dot-shaped, wavy, speckled, concave-convex, spiral, or granular, and its depth and height are preferably within a range of up to 0.5 mm, but other depths and heights may also be used.

[0039] In yet another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, several notches 160 are provided at the bottom of the abdominal arch portion 130 of the heel counter 10. This creates a space for convergence, and the pulling-in force of the upper part 2 during shoe manufacturing can easily fit the heel counter 10 to the shape of the heel part of the last or mold. Also, by making the thickness of the region below the horizontal line of the apex of the notch 160 slightly thinner than other parts, the bottom part of the heel counter 10 becomes more easily deformable and can further fit the shape of the last or mold. Conventionally, a heel counter corresponding to the shoe design was required, and it was ideal to make a last or mold according to its shape. However, since the creation of the last or mold involves high costs, many shoe manufacturers have been in a situation where they have to use existing lasts or molds. As a result, the shape of the heel counter often does not match the last or mold, and many adjustments and modifications are required in the manufacturing process, resulting in the problem of reduced production efficiency. By adopting this structure, flexibility to easily fit existing lasts or molds can be obtained, and manufacturing costs can be reduced and production efficiency can be improved.

[0040] In yet another embodiment, the heel counter 10 can include a center positioning mark 170 for aligning with the central position of the heel portion of the footwear. In the shoe manufacturing process, by visually or tactilely identifying the center positioning mark 170, the heel counter 10 can be accurately aligned with the central position of the heel portion 7 of the footwear. The positioning mark 170 is provided at the central position of the heel counter 10 in the form of a protrusion or a recess, and the shape can be rectangular, circular, triangular, or linear, etc. The size, height, or depth needs to be distinguishable and not cause discomfort to the foot. An example is shown in FIG. 10.

[0041] Next, a method for manufacturing footwear having an elastic heel counter 10 at the heel will be sequentially described. First, a method for manufacturing the heel counter 10 will be described. Since the heel counter 10 of the present invention has a uniform form as described above, it can be integrally formed by an injection molding process manufacturing method. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, it can be integrally formed by an injection molding process manufacturing method using a mold made of a chromium-nickel-molybdenum alloy. In FIG. 11, a mold capable of manufacturing four heel counters 10 in one mold is shown. The use of a chromium-nickel-molybdenum alloy mold material can ensure the accuracy and consistency of the product, and has excellent durability, is less likely to deteriorate and deform, and has a long service life. Thereby, the production efficiency of the heel counter 10 can be improved, mass production can be achieved, and significant cost reduction can be achieved.

[0042] Next, a method for attaching the heel counter 10 to the heel of the shoe will be described. The heel counter 10 is attached between the upper material 21 and the inner material 22 of the heel portion 7 of the shoe as shown in FIGS. 12, 13, and 14. Since the heel counter 10 is made of resin and reduces pressure and friction on the heel of the foot due to its hardness and improves the fit to the foot, it is preferable to use a filling material. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 16, a filling material is inserted between the heel counter 10 and the inner material 22, and as shown in FIGS. 15(a) and (b), the head arch portion, the neck arch portion edge portion, and the lateral edge portion of the abdominal arch portion of the heel counter 10, which are the portions where the foot may come into contact from the upper part of the heel counter 10 and the opening 6, are covered so that the covering filling material extends from the lower end of the Achilles tendon of the foot to the depression of the heel. This portion is the filling material insertion portion 23.

[0043] The heel counter originally does not support the force applied to the heel portion 7 from above, but has a function of preventing excessive lateral inclination of the heel portion 7 by supporting it from the side of the heel portion 7. However, the heel counter 10 of the present invention widens the opening edge 6 and lowers the height of the heel portion 7 by the action of the force from above, so that the user can easily put on the shoes while standing. Therefore, it is assumed that the heel portion 7 receives a strong force from the foot. For this reason, the heel portion 7 is required to have a structure that supports a strong force from above. The heel counter 10 of the present invention includes a foot portion 140 and can serve as this support. That is, as shown in FIG. 16, the heel counter 10 forms a heel support 8 integrally with the filler insertion portion 23. Thus, the heel counter 10 is required to have appropriate elastic characteristics and strong support strength characteristics.

[0044] As materials for the heel counter 10 having the elastic recovery characteristics of the present invention, there are TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer), TPEE (Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer), silicone, neoprene, etc. However, in terms of abrasion resistance, oil resistance, chemical resistance, elastic recovery, and flex resistance, etc., TPU, TPE, and TPEE are preferable.

[0045] The filling material is preferably a low-density material having an impact-absorbing function. Specifically, PU (polyurethane) foamed sponge, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam, polystyrene foam, polyethylene foam, etc. can be mentioned. In this embodiment, a soft sponge with cushioning having a thickness of 1.0 to 2.0 is used.

[0046] Next, a method for attaching the heel counter 10 to the heel of a shoe will be described. The midsole 4 is roughly divided into two types. In the case of shoes with good flexibility and softness, such as sneakers and sports shoes, the midsole 4 needs to be made of a soft material such as textiles or fabric. In this case, since the midsole 4 is soft, the inlay method cannot be used, and the California method is required. In the case of shoes that do not require flexibility, such as business shoes and loafers, the inlay method with strong tensile strength is suitable to ensure the beautiful shape of a well-shaped last. In this case, since the midsole 4 needs to be hard, cardboard or leather is used.

[0047] Figures 16(a) and 17 show a method for attaching the heel counter 10 of the present invention to the heel of a shoe by the California method. In the California method, first, the upper part 2 and the midsole 4 are sewn together integrally, and the last is inserted into the shoe and shaped. The heel counter 10 is disposed between the upper material 21 and the inner material 22 formed by the main seam of the upper part 2 and the midsole 4 at the heel part 7. Then, the midsole 4 is set to be shorter by the length of the foot part, and when the inlay margin 24 is pulled to the bottom surface of the last, the foot part bends, and a heel part 7 that fits exactly to the last can be formed. Then, it is fixed to the outsole 3 with an adhesive. Thereby, a strong heel support 8 is formed, the heel part 7, the midsole 4, and the outsole 3 are integrated, and the structure of the entire shoe is strengthened.

[0048] Figures 16(b) and 18 show a method for attaching the heel counter 10 of the present invention to the heel of a shoe by the inlay method. In the inlay method, first, the midsole is temporarily fixed to the bottom surface of the last. The heel counter 10 is disposed between the upper material 21 and the inner material 22 at the heel part 7, and the inlay margin including the foot part 140 is pulled by an inlay machine and glued with paste to the bottom surface of the edge part of the midsole on the bottom surface of the last and fixed between the midsole 4 and the outsole 3. Thereby, a strong heel support 8 is formed, the heel part 7, the midsole 4, and the outsole 3 are integrated, and the structure of the entire shoe is effectively strengthened.

[0049] As described above, in both the California method and the hooked method, the presence of the foot portion 140 plays an epoch-making role in strengthening the structure of the entire shoe. Here, the California method and the hooked method have been described, but of course, they can also be applied to other shoe manufacturing methods.

[0050] Also, in another aspect, as shown in FIG. 19, the heel support 8 of the heel portion can be attached to the inner side in the mouth direction of the heel portion of the footwear.

[0051] When the user wears the shoe, when the heel of the foot engages with the tray portion 111 of the head arch portion 110 and a downward force is applied to the tray portion 111, the tray portion 111 bends as described above. As a result, the opening area of the mouth increases, the height of the heel decreases, the insertion angle of the foot into the shoe becomes smaller, and the head arch portion 110 functions as a slide for sliding the heel of the foot into the shoe, and the user can easily insert the heel of the foot into the shoe. Also, at this time, since the neck arch portion 120 deforms so that the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 widens, the heel of the foot passes through the neck arch portion 120 and smoothly slides into the abdominal arch portion 130, and the heel of the foot can be easily inserted into the shoe.

[0052] When the heel of the foot slides into the abdominal arch portion 130, the bending of the tray portion 111 of the head arch portion 110 returns to its original state, and thereby the area of the mouth of the shoe and the height of the heel return to their original states. At the same time, the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 of the widened neck arch portion is restored and narrowed. For this reason, the heel portion of the shoe equipped with the heel counter 10 of the present invention fits properly to the heel of the foot and is less likely to fall off during natural walking or exercise. Also, when taking off the shoe, by pulling up the instep of the foot, since the neck arch portion has appropriate elasticity, the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 widens, and the shoe can be easily taken off. Also, as when wearing the shoe, by applying a downward force, the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening 121 of the neck arch portion 120 widens, and the shoe can be easily taken off.

[0053] As the best mode for manufacturing the heel counter 10 of the present invention, integral molding has been described by an injection molding process manufacturing method, but a conventional manufacturing method of a heel counter may also be adopted. For example, the following manufacturing methods can be adopted. Engrave the shape set on the heel part of the last, fix the vamp 2 equipped with a hot melt synthetic sheet (in the case of a chemical sheet, it is necessary to soak it in a solvent) to the last, and heat it. After the hot melt synthetic sheet becomes soft and adheres perfectly to the shape of the last, put it into a cooling and shaping machine to shape it (in the case of a chemical sheet, shape it after the solvent has completely dried). Since the head arch part of the heel counter 10 is stepped on by the heel of the foot, a better effect can be obtained by using a resin material with excellent support strength and elasticity.

[0054] The attachment method is to sandwich a synthetic sheet formed simultaneously with the molding of the shoe between the top material 21 and the bottom material 22 of the heel part, or wrap it with a stretch material and attach it to the inside in the direction of the opening of the heel part 1. Also, according to the use and specifications of the footwear, the thickness and number of hot melt or chemical sheets may be adjusted. When the elasticity of the synthetic sheet is insufficient, it can also be combined with a resin part with excellent elasticity at the head arch part by means such as sewing or adhesion.

[0055] The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the form shown in this embodiment, and as long as it does not go against the gist of the present invention, which is a footwear having a heel counter 10 utilizing elastic characteristics and support strength characteristics, and can quickly put on and take off shoes hands - free, another form may be adopted.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0056] 1 Shoe 2 Vamp 3 Outsole 4 Midsole 5 Insole 6 Opening 7 Heel Part 8 Heel Support 10 Heel Counter 110 Head Arch Part 111 Tray Part 120 Head arch part 121 V-shaped horizontal opening 121R Right end part 121L Left end part 130 Abdomen arch part 140 Foot part 150 Edge part 160 Notch part 170 Center positioning mark 21 Top material 22 Back material (lining) 23 Filling material insertion part 24 Tucking allowance 25 Sewing part 26 Top side part 27 Front half of the top 71 Upper heel part

Claims

1. An elastic heel counter used for the heel part of footwear, wherein the heel counter includes a head arch part, a neck arch part, an abdominal arch part and a foot part, the thicknesses of the head arch part, the neck arch part and the abdominal arch part are substantially uniform, the heel counter has elastic characteristics and support characteristics, the head arch part is smoothly connected to the neck arch part, and the neck arch part is smoothly connected to the abdominal arch part, the upper end part of the head arch part is obliquely upwardly arcuately inclined in a direction away from the heel part of the footwear, and the central part is recessed inward to form an arcuate tray part, the horizontal opening width of the neck arch part is equal to or slightly narrower than the maximum horizontal opening width of the head arch part, the neck arch part has a substantially arcuate V-shaped shape that is narrow at the rear and wide at the front, and the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening part thereof is formed narrower than the width of the heel of the foot, the abdominal arch part has a hemispherical structure, and its horizontal opening width gradually increases from the connection part with the neck arch part, along the lower part of the abdominal arch part, the foot part that is formed thinner than the lower part of the abdominal arch part and is bent and fixed to the outsole is distributed and connected, when a downward pressure is applied to the tray part, the tray part is deformed so as to warp according to the pressure, increasing the opening area of the wearing opening, and the head arch part functions as a sliding base for sliding the heel of the foot into the footwear, furthermore, the neck arch part formed narrower than the width of the heel of the foot is deformed so that the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening part widens, the heel of the foot passes through the neck arch part and smoothly slides into the abdominal arch part, and when the pressure is released, immediately, the warping of the tray part returns to its original state, and at the same time, due to the restoring force of the widened V-shaped horizontal opening part, the heel part of the footwear is properly adhered to the heel of the foot, is difficult to fall off during natural walking or exercise, and gives the user a sense of fit. A heel counter characterized by this.

2. The heel counter according to Claim 1, wherein when a downward pressure is applied to the tray part, the height of the heel counter becomes 10 to 20% lower, the width of the maximum opening of the head arch part and the width of the V-shaped horizontal opening part of the neck arch part widen by 5 to 15%, and the maximum opening width of the abdominal arch part hardly changes.

3. The heel counter according to Claim 1, wherein the heel counter includes a center positioning mark.

4. The heel counter according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the heel counter has a fine texture.

5. The heel counter according to claim 1, wherein the bottom of the heel counter has a notch.

6. Footwear comprising the heel counter according to claim 1.

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