Upper and shoes equipped with same

Abstract

To provide an upper capable of locally reduce rigidity of the upper as compared to a conventional technology.SOLUTION: An upper 2 includes an upper body 20 covering a top of a foot. The upper body 20 includes: a first layer; a second layer arranged so as to be spaced from the first layer; and a third layer connecting the first layer and the second layer. The upper body 20 is formed with a standard region 9, a no-hole region 8, and a low rigidity region 4. In the no-hole region 8, the third layer is not provided, and no hole is formed in the first layer and the second layer. In the low rigidity region 4, the third layer is not provided and at least one hole is formed in each of the first layer and the second layer. At least one hole formed in each of the first layer and the second layer of the low rigidity region 4 is formed at positions corresponding to each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an upper and a shoe including the upper. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, shoes having uppers have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an upper having a first layer, a second layer spaced apart from the first layer, and a third layer disposed between the first and second layers. The upper disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a portion where the third layer is provided and a portion where the third layer is not provided. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2017-537715 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the upper disclosed in Patent Document 1, the rigidity of the area where the third layer is not provided is lower than the rigidity of the area where the third layer is provided. However, there is a demand for further localized reduction in the rigidity of the upper in order to improve the ability of the upper to follow the bending and twisting of the foot during movement.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has an object to provide an upper that can locally reduce the rigidity of the upper compared to conventional uppers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the upper according to the present invention comprises an upper body covering the instep, the upper body comprising a first layer, a second layer disposed with a gap therebetween, and a third layer connecting the first layer and the second layer. The upper body is formed with a standard region, a non-perforated region having lower rigidity than the standard region, and a low-rigidity region having lower rigidity than the non-perforated region, the standard region has no holes in the first and second layers, the non-perforated region has no third layer, and the first and second layers in the non-perforated region have no holes, the low-rigidity region has no third layer, and at least one hole is formed in each of the first and second layers in the low-rigidity region, and the at least one hole in the first layer and the at least one hole in the second layer in the low-rigidity region are formed side by side at corresponding positions in the first and second layers. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The upper according to the present invention has the effect of locally reducing the rigidity of the upper compared to conventional uppers. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a shoe according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the outer side of the foot of the shoe according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a development view of the upper according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing a part of the low-rigidity region. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged plan view of a low-rigidity region of an upper according to a first modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged plan view of a low-rigidity region of an upper according to a second modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a shoe according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a side view of the outer side of the foot of a shoe according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a development view of the upper according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII shown in FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV shown in FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XV-XV shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of an upper and a shoe including the same according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, although the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0010] In the embodiments described below, the direction in which the shoe center axis, which is a perpendicular line passing through the center of the shoe when viewed in a plan view, extends is referred to as the front-to-rear direction, and the direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction when viewed in a plan view is referred to as the foot width direction.

[0011] In addition, in the front-to-back direction, the direction from the end of the upper where the part covering the hind foot is located to the end of the upper where the part covering the forefoot is located is called the forward direction, and the direction from the end of the upper where the part covering the forefoot is located to the end of the upper where the part covering the hind foot is located is called the rear direction.

[0012] The side of the foot that is closest to the midline in the anatomical orthogonal position is called the medial side, and the side of the foot that is opposite the midline in the anatomical orthogonal position is called the lateral side. In other words, the side closest to the midline in the anatomical orthogonal position is called the medial side, and the side farthest from the midline in the anatomical orthogonal position is called the lateral side.

[0013] Furthermore, if the first boundary line is a line along the foot width direction that passes from the front end of the upper to a position equivalent to 25% to 50% of the front-to-back dimension of the upper, and the second boundary line is a line along the foot width direction that passes from the front end of the upper to a position equivalent to 55% to 80% of the front-to-back dimension of the upper, the part located in front of the first boundary line is called the upper forefoot part, the part sandwiched between the first and second boundary lines is called the upper midfoot part, and the part located behind the second boundary line is called the upper rearfoot part.

[0014] The upper forefoot portion corresponds to the portion covering the forefoot of a wearer with a standard body type, the upper midfoot portion corresponds to the portion covering the midfoot of a wearer with a standard body type, and the upper rearfoot portion corresponds to the portion covering the rearfoot of a wearer with a standard body type. That is, the first boundary line is a line that roughly follows the MP joint of a wearer with a standard body type, and the second boundary line is a line that roughly follows the Chopart joint of a wearer with a standard body type.

[0015] Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the height direction means the direction perpendicular to both the front-to-back direction and the foot width direction, and the thickness means the dimension in the height direction unless otherwise specified.

[0016] (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a plan view of shoe 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of shoe 1 according to the first embodiment on the outer side of the foot. FIGS. 1 and 2 show only shoe 1 for the left foot. Since shoe 1 has a symmetrical structure for left and right feet, only shoe 1 for the left foot will be described in this embodiment, and description of shoe 1 for the right foot will be omitted. Shoe 1 may be, for example, a shoe for running, walking, mountain climbing, or a shoe for sports such as tennis or basketball. As shown in FIG. 2, shoe 1 comprises an upper 2 and a sole 3 located below upper 2.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the upper 2 includes an upper body 20, a shoe tongue 21, and shoelaces 22.

[0018] The upper body 20 covers the instep side of the foot. An opening 20a for inserting the wearer's foot and an opening 20b that communicates with the opening 20a and extends forward from the opening 20a are formed at the top of the upper body 20. A plurality of lace-threading sections 20c that are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction are provided on both side edges of the opening 20b in the width direction of the foot. The lace-threading sections 20c are not particularly limited in configuration as long as they can pass the shoelaces 22 through them, but in this embodiment they are through-holes that penetrate the upper body 20 in the up-down direction. A low-rigidity region 4 is formed in a portion of the upper body 20. Details of the low-rigidity region 4 will be described later.

[0019] The shoe tongue 21 is a component that protects the instep of the wearer. The shoe tongue 21 covers the opening 20b inside the upper body 20. The shoe tongue 21 is fixed to the upper body 20 by stitching, welding, bonding, or a combination of these. The upper body 20 and shoe tongue 21 are made of materials such as woven fabric, knitted fabric, synthetic leather, or resin. In shoes 1 that require particular breathability and lightness, the upper body 20 and shoe tongue 21 are preferably made of double raschel warp knitted fabric made from knitted polyester yarn. The materials for the upper body 20 and shoe tongue 21 are not limited to the materials exemplified above.

[0020] The shoelace 22 is a string-like member that is threaded alternately through lace-insertion sections 20c provided on both side edges of the opening 20b in the foot width direction, and is detachably attached to the upper body 20.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the sole 3 covers the sole of the foot. The sole 3 includes an outsole 30 and a midsole 31. The sole 3 is fixed to the upper body 20 by stitching, welding, adhesion, or a combination of these. The lower surface of the outsole 30 forms a contact surface 30a that is placed on the ground. The midsole 31 is located on the upper surface of the outsole 30 and has cushioning properties. The outsole 30 may be integrated with the midsole 31. The midsole 31 integrated with the outsole 30 is also called a "unisole."

[0022] The sole 3 is provided with a midsole (not shown) that covers the lower opening of the upper body 20. The midsole is fixed to the upper surface of the midsole 31 by adhesive or welding. The midsole is also fixed to the lower edge of the upper body 20 by stitching. The sole 3 may have a structure that omits the midsole. The shoe 1 may also have an insole. If the shoe 1 has an insole, the insole is placed on the sole 3 inside the upper 2.

[0023] Next, the configuration of the upper 2 will be described in more detail with reference to Figs. 3 to 7. Fig. 3 is a development view of the upper 2 according to embodiment 1. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing a portion of the low-rigidity region 4. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII shown in Fig. 3.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 3, the upper body 20 includes an upper forefoot section 23 that covers the forefoot of a wearer with a standard build, an upper midfoot section 24 that covers the midfoot of a wearer with a standard build, and an upper rearfoot section 25 that covers the rearfoot of a wearer with a standard build. The upper forefoot section 23, upper midfoot section 24, and upper rearfoot section 25 are connected in this order in the front-to-rear direction from the front of the upper body 20. The upper forefoot section 23 is located forward of the first boundary line S1. The upper midfoot section 24 is located between the first boundary line S1 and the second boundary line S2. The upper rearfoot section 25 is located rearward of the second boundary line S2. In the region of the upper forefoot portion 23 forward of the low-rigidity region 4, a line extending in the front-to-rear direction and passing through a position corresponding to 50% of the dimension in the foot width direction from the shoe center axis C to the edge closest to the lateral side is defined as a third boundary line S3, and a line extending in the front-to-rear direction and passing through a position corresponding to 50% of the dimension in the foot width direction from the shoe center axis C to the edge closest to the lateral side is defined as a fourth boundary line S4. In this case, the portion located on the lateral side of the third boundary line S3 is referred to as the lateral side surface portion 20d of the upper body 20, the portion sandwiched between the third boundary line S3 and the fourth boundary line S4 is referred to as the central portion 20e of the upper body 20, and the portion located on the medial side of the fourth boundary line S4 is referred to as the medial side surface portion 20f of the upper body 20.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 4, the upper body 20 includes a first layer 20g, a second layer 20h spaced from the first layer 20g, and a third layer 20i connecting the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h. The first layer 20g, the second layer 20h, and the third layer 20i are integrally formed from a single material. The first layer 20g faces the exterior of the upper body 20. The second layer 20h faces the interior of the upper body 20. The third layer 20i includes multiple linear bodies 20j. Each linear body 20j is arranged to travel back and forth between the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h multiple times. The linear bodies 20j are, for example, fibers or threads formed by bundling multiple fibers. Hereinafter, the direction in which the first layer 20g, the second layer 20h, and the third layer 20i are stacked is referred to as the stacking direction.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 3 , the upper body 20 is formed with a low-rigidity region 4, a plurality of first through-holes 6, a plurality of second through-holes 7, and a plurality of non-perforated regions 8. In FIG. 3 , the non-perforated region 8 is illustrated with dotted hatching to clarify the extent of the non-perforated region 8. The number of first through-holes 6 and the number of second through-holes 7 may be increased or decreased as appropriate, and FIG. 3 illustrates a case where the numbers of first through-holes 6 and second through-holes 7 are different from those in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 . The low-rigidity region 4 is disposed in the upper forefoot portion 23 and extends in the foot width direction. The low-rigidity region 4 extends from the boundary between the upper body 20 and the sole 3 on the lateral side of the foot, passing in front of the opening 20b, to the boundary between the upper body 20 and the sole 3 on the medial side of the foot. The planar shape of the low-rigidity region 4 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, it is generally strip-shaped.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 5 , the third layer 20i is not provided in the low-rigidity region 4. That is, in this embodiment, the third layer 20i is not provided throughout the low-rigidity region 4. A plurality of holes 5 are formed in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h of the low-rigidity region 4 in portions corresponding to the locations where the third layer 20i is not provided. As shown in FIG. 6 , the holes 5 have substantially the same shape in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h at corresponding positions in the stacking direction. In this embodiment, the planar shape of the holes 5 is a rhombuses. Note that in this specification, the term "substantially the same shape" refers to a state in which the shape and opening area of ​​the holes 5 are completely identical in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h, a state in which the shape and opening area of ​​the holes 5 are slightly different from each other due to manufacturing errors, or a state in which the opening areas of the holes 5 are intentionally made different in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h from the beginning.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3 , the plurality of first through holes 6 are formed in the upper forefoot portion 23 forward of the low-rigidity region 4. The plurality of first through holes 6 are spaced apart from one another in the front-to-rear direction and the foot width direction. The planar shape of the first through holes 6 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, they are circular or elliptical. Here, the total opening area of ​​the plurality of first through holes 6 located in the central portion 20e of the upper body 20 in the foot width direction is defined as a first total opening area, and the total opening area of ​​the plurality of first through holes 6 located in the lateral foot side lateral portion 20d and the medial foot side lateral portion 20f of the upper body 20 in the foot width direction is defined as a second total opening area. The first total opening area is larger than the second total opening area. As shown in FIG. 4 , the first through holes 6 are formed only in the first layer 20g. The third layer 20i is provided at a position corresponding to the first through holes 6 in the stacking direction.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3 , the plurality of second through-holes 7 are formed in the upper midfoot portion 24, rearward of the low-rigidity region 4. The second through-holes 7 are arranged on both sides of the opening 20b and the shoe opening 20a in the foot width direction. The second through-holes 7 are arranged from near the rear end of the low-rigidity region 4 to rearward of the rearmost non-perforated region 8. The second through-holes 7 are not formed in the portion where the non-perforated region 8 exists. The plurality of second through-holes 7 are arranged spaced apart from one another in the front-to-rear direction and the foot width direction. The shape of the second through-holes 7 in a plan view is not particularly limited, but is circular or elliptical in this embodiment. Although not shown, like the first through-holes 6, the second through-holes 7 are also formed only in the first layer 20g, and the third layer 20i is provided at a position corresponding to the second through-holes 7 in the stacking direction. In the low rigidity region 4, holes 5 are formed in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h, and there is no third layer 20i at a position corresponding to the holes 5 in the stacking direction, so the rigidity of the low rigidity region 4 is lower than the rigidity of the region in which the first through hole 6 and the second through hole 7 are formed.

[0030] The non-perforated regions 8 are disposed in the upper midfoot portion 24 and extend in the foot width direction. The non-perforated regions 8 are disposed on both sides of the opening 20b in the foot width direction. The non-perforated regions 8 are disposed in positions symmetrical on either side of the opening 20b. The number of non-perforated regions 8 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, there are four non-perforated regions, two on the lateral foot side and two on the medial foot side of the opening 20b. The two non-perforated regions 8 located on the lateral foot side are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-back direction. The two non-perforated regions 8 located on the medial foot side are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-back direction. As shown in FIG. 7 , in the non-perforated region 8, the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h have no holes, and the third layer 20i is not provided over the entire area. In the low rigidity region 4, holes 5 are formed in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h, and there is no third layer 20i at a position corresponding to the hole 5 in the stacking direction, so the rigidity of the low rigidity region 4 is lower than the rigidity of the non-hole region 8.

[0031] 3, in a standard region 9 other than the low-rigidity region 4, the first through-holes 6, the second through-holes 7, and the non-perforated region 8, the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h have no holes, and a third layer 20i is provided. In this embodiment, the low-rigidity region 4 is adjacent to the standard region 9. The low-rigidity region 4 has lower rigidity than the adjacent standard region 9.

[0032] Next, the effects of the upper 2 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0033] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper 2 includes an upper body 20 that covers the instep. As shown in FIG. 4, the upper body 20 includes a first layer 20g, a second layer 20h that is spaced apart from the first layer 20g, and a third layer 20i that connects the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h. As shown in FIG. 5, a low-rigidity region 4 that is lower in rigidity than adjacent regions is formed in a portion of the upper body 20, and the third layer 20i is not provided in the low-rigidity region 4. A plurality of holes 5 are formed in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h in the low-rigidity region 4 in portions that correspond to the locations of the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h where the third layer 20i is not provided. With this configuration, the rigidity of the low-rigidity region 4 is lower than in conventional technology in which the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h do not have holes 5, thereby locally reducing the rigidity of the upper body 20 compared to conventional technology. Furthermore, by arranging the low rigidity region 4 in a portion where bending and twisting of the foot occurs during movement, the ability of the upper body 20 to follow the bending and twisting of the wearer's foot can be improved.

[0034] When the upper rear foot portion 25 is lifted off the ground while the upper forefoot portion 23 shown in FIG. 3 is in contact with the ground, the forefoot portion bends, creating a bent portion in the upper forefoot portion 23. In this embodiment, the low-rigidity region 4 is located in the upper forefoot portion 23 where the bent portion occurs, thereby reducing the bending rigidity of the portion of the upper forefoot portion 23 where the bent portion occurs. This reduces the bending resistance of the upper main body 20 when the foot bends. Furthermore, the low-rigidity region 4 is more likely to deform in response to the bending of the foot, thereby easing the feel of the upper main body 20 on the foot and preventing wrinkles from forming in the upper main body 20.

[0035] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the holes 5 have substantially the same shape at corresponding positions in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h, which makes it easier to deform the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h in the low rigidity region 4 in the same way.

[0036] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6 , the diamond-shaped holes 5 in a planar view allow the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h to easily stretch so that the distance between the opposing vertices of the holes 5 increases, and the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h to easily contract so that the distance between the opposing vertices of the holes 5 decreases. Therefore, the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h in the low-rigidity region 4 are easily deformed in response to the expansion and contraction of the foot skin during movement. This improves the fit of the upper body 20 to the foot. This effect can also be achieved by forming the holes 5 in a planar view with a 2n-gon (n is an integer greater than or equal to 2) other than a diamond. Note that when the opening area of ​​a diamond-shaped hole 5 is the same as that of a hole 5 with a 2n-gon other than a diamond, the diamond-shaped hole 5 has the advantage of being the largest in mechanical deformation between the opposing vertices and being the easiest to manufacture using a manufacturing machine that knits the upper body 20, compared to a hole 5 with a 2n-gon other than a diamond.

[0037] In this embodiment, the upper body 20 shown in FIG. 4 is formed from a single material, and therefore the upper body 20 having the holes 5 can be easily manufactured.

[0038] Although the present embodiment illustrates an example in which the hole 5 has a diamond shape in plan view, this is not intended to limit the shape of the hole 5. FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged plan view of the low-rigidity region 4 of the upper 2 according to a first modified example of the first embodiment. The shape of the hole 5 in plan view may be, for example, a circle as shown in FIG. 8. Although all the holes 5 in FIG. 8 are the same size, some or all of the holes 5 may have different sizes. FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged plan view of the low-rigidity region 4 of the upper 2 according to a second modified example of the first embodiment. The shape of the hole 5 in plan view may be, for example, an ellipse as shown in FIG. 9. Although some of the holes 5 in FIG. 9 are different sizes, all of the holes 5 may have the same or different sizes. Even if the hole 5 has a circular or elliptical shape in plan view, the same effect as when the hole 5 has a 2n-gon shape in plan view can be achieved. Two or more types of holes 5, namely, circular, elliptical, and 2n-gon, may be mixed in the low-rigidity region 4.

[0039] 6, all of the holes 5 have substantially the same shape in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h at corresponding positions in the stacking direction, but it is sufficient that at least one of the holes 5 has substantially the same shape in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h at corresponding positions in the stacking direction. Note that the greater the number of holes 5 that have substantially the same shape in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h at corresponding positions in the stacking direction, the easier it is to deform the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h in the low rigidity region 4 in the same way.

[0040] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the third layer 20i is not provided over the entire low rigidity region 4, but it is sufficient if there is at least a portion of the low rigidity region 4 where the third layer 20i is not provided.

[0041] (Embodiment 2) Fig. 10 is a plan view of shoe 1A according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. Fig. 11 is a side view of shoe 1A according to embodiment 2 on the lateral side of the foot. An upper 2A of shoe 1A according to embodiment 2 differs from upper 2 according to embodiment 1 in that the configuration of low-rigidity region 4A and the second through-holes 7 and non-hole region 8 are omitted. In embodiment 2, parts that overlap with those in embodiment 1 described above are designated by the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0042] The low-rigidity region 4A includes a first low-rigidity region 40, a second low-rigidity region 41, and a third low-rigidity region 42. The holes 5 include a plurality of first holes 50, a plurality of second holes 51, and a plurality of third holes 52. The first holes 50 are formed in the first low-rigidity region 40, aligned in the front-to-back direction and the foot width direction. The planar shape of the first holes 50 is not particularly limited, but is rhombic in this embodiment. The second holes 51 are formed in the second low-rigidity region 41, aligned in the foot width direction. The planar shape of the second holes 51 is not particularly limited, but is square or rectangular in this embodiment. The third holes 52 are formed in the third low-rigidity region 42, aligned in the front-to-back direction and the foot width direction. The planar shape of the third holes 52 is not particularly limited, but is rhombic in this embodiment.

[0043] FIG. 12 is a development view of an upper 2A according to the second embodiment. The number of first through-holes 6 may be increased or decreased as appropriate, and the number of first through-holes 6 is illustrated as being different between FIG. 12, FIG. 10, and FIG. 11. For ease of explanation, FIG. 12 illustrates the first low-rigidity region 40 with dotted hatching. The first low-rigidity region 40 is disposed in the upper forefoot portion 23 and extends in the foot width direction. The first low-rigidity region 40 extends from the boundary between the sole 3 and the lateral side of the upper body 20A shown in FIG. 11, passing in front of the opening 20b, to the boundary between the sole 3 and the medial side of the upper body 20A. The shape of the first low-rigidity region 40 in a plan view is not particularly limited, but is generally band-shaped in this embodiment. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. 12. As shown in FIG. 13, the first low-rigidity region 40 includes a portion where the third layer 20i is provided and a portion where the third layer 20i is not provided. A plurality of first holes 50 are formed in portions of the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h of the first low-rigidity region 40 corresponding to locations where the third layer 20i is not provided. The first holes 50 have substantially the same shape in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h at positions corresponding to each other in the stacking direction.

[0044] The shade of the dot hatching in FIG. 12 represents the change in density of the linear bodies 20j shown in FIG. 13 in the first low-rigidity region 40. In this embodiment, the density of the linear bodies 20j increases from the front to the rear. For example, by setting the number of linear bodies 20j to zero at the front end of the first low-rigidity region 40 and narrowing the front-to-rear spacing between adjacent linear bodies 20j from the front to the rear, the density of the linear bodies 20j can be increased from the front to the rear. In this embodiment, the density of the linear bodies 20j increases from the front to the rear, so that the rigidity of the first low-rigidity region 40 increases from the front to the rear. A region in which the first through holes 6 are formed is adjacent to the front of the first low-rigidity region 40, and a standard region 9 is adjacent to the rear of the first low-rigidity region 40. Because the rigidity of the first low-rigidity region 40 increases from the front to the rear, the difference in rigidity between the first low-rigidity region 40 and the region where the first through holes 6 are formed can be reduced, and the difference in rigidity between the first low-rigidity region 40 and the standard region 9 can be reduced. The density of the linear bodies 20j may be increased from the rear to the front. That is, the density of the linear bodies 20j may be increased from one side to the other in the front-to-rear direction. The density of the linear bodies 20j may be appropriately adjusted so as to reduce the difference in rigidity between the first low-rigidity region 40 and the regions adjacent to the front and rear of the first low-rigidity region 40.

[0045] The second low-rigidity region 41 is disposed in the upper midfoot portion 24 and extends in the foot width direction. The second low-rigidity region 41 is formed on both sides of the opening 20b and the shoe opening 20a in the foot width direction. The planar shape of the second low-rigidity region 41 is not particularly limited, but is generally band-shaped in this embodiment. The second low-rigidity region 41 located on the lateral side of the opening 20b extends from the lateral edge of the opening 20b to the lateral boundary of the upper body 20A with the sole 3. The number of second low-rigidity regions 41 located on the lateral side of the opening 20b is not particularly limited, but is five in this embodiment. The five second low-rigidity regions 41 are disposed spaced apart from one another in the front-to-rear direction. The second low-rigidity region 41 located on the medial side of the opening 20b extends from the lateral edge of the opening 20b to the medial boundary of the upper body 20A with the sole 3. The number of second low-rigidity regions 41 located on the inner foot side of the opening 20b is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, the number is four. The four second low-rigidity regions 41 are arranged at intervals from one another in the front-to-rear direction.

[0046] Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in Fig. 12. As shown in Fig. 14, the third layer 20i is not provided in the second low-rigidity region 41. That is, in this embodiment, the third layer 20i is not provided throughout the entire second low-rigidity region 41. A plurality of second holes 51 are formed in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h of the low-rigidity region 4A in portions corresponding to the locations where the third layer 20i is not provided. The second holes 51 have substantially the same shape in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h at positions corresponding to each other in the stacking direction.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 12 , the third low-rigidity region 42 is disposed in the upper midfoot portion 24 and extends in the foot width direction. The third low-rigidity region 42 is formed on the medial side of the opening 20b. The third low-rigidity region 42 extends from the medial side edge of the opening 20b to the medial boundary of the upper body 20A with the sole 3. The planar shape of the third low-rigidity region 42 is not particularly limited, but is triangular in this embodiment. The width of the third low-rigidity region 42 in the front-to-rear direction increases from the shoe center axis C side toward the medial side. The number of third low-rigidity regions 42 is not particularly limited, but is one in this embodiment. The third low-rigidity region 42 is disposed between the second second low-rigidity region 41 from the front and the third second low-rigidity region 41 from the front. That is, two second low-rigidity regions 41 are disposed on the front and rear sides of the third low-rigidity region 42.

[0048] Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XV-XV in Fig. 12. As shown in Fig. 15, the third low-rigidity region 42 includes a portion where the third layer 20i is provided and a portion where the third layer 20i is not provided. In the third low-rigidity region 42, the portions where the third layer 20i is provided and the portions where the third layer 20i is not provided are alternately arranged along the foot width direction. A plurality of third holes 52 are formed in the third low-rigidity region 42 at portions of the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h corresponding to the portions where the third layer 20i is not provided. The third holes 52 have substantially the same shape in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h at corresponding positions in the stacking direction.

[0049] Next, the effects of the upper 2A according to this embodiment will be described.

[0050] 12, in this embodiment, the low-rigidity region 4A includes a first low-rigidity region 40 disposed in the upper forefoot portion 23 where the bending point occurs, thereby reducing the bending rigidity of the portion of the upper forefoot portion 23 where the bending point occurs. This reduces the bending resistance of the upper main body 20A when the foot bends. Furthermore, because the first low-rigidity region 40 is more likely to deform in accordance with the bending of the foot, the feel of the upper main body 20A on the foot can be alleviated and the occurrence of wrinkles in the upper main body 20A can be suppressed.

[0051] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11 , the holes 5 include a plurality of first holes 50 formed in the first low-rigidity region 40, aligned in the front-to-rear direction and the foot width direction, and the first holes 50 are diamond-shaped. This allows the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h shown in FIG. 13 to easily stretch so that the distance between the opposing vertices of the first holes 50 increases, while the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h to easily contract so that the distance between the opposing vertices of the first holes 50 decreases. Therefore, the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h in the first low-rigidity region 40 can deform in response to the expansion and contraction of the foot skin during movement. This improves the fit of the upper body 20A to the foot. A similar effect can be achieved in the third low-rigidity region 42, in which diamond-shaped third holes 52 are formed, as shown in FIG. 12 .

[0052] 13, the third layer 20i includes a plurality of linear bodies 20j, and the density of the linear bodies 20j in the first low-rigidity region 40 increases from one side to the other in the front-to-rear direction, thereby reducing the difference in rigidity between the first low-rigidity region 40 and the regions adjacent to the front and rear of the first low-rigidity region 40. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a change in the feel of the upper body 20A on the foot between the first low-rigidity region 40 and the regions adjacent to the first low-rigidity region 40 on the front and rear.

[0053] During movement, the skin of the midfoot region twists, causing shear deformation in the upper midfoot portion 24 shown in Fig. 12. In this embodiment, the low rigidity region 4A includes the second low rigidity region 41 and the third low rigidity region 42 disposed in the upper midfoot portion 24, thereby reducing the torsional rigidity of the upper midfoot portion 24. This allows the second low rigidity region 41 and the third low rigidity region 42 to more easily deform in response to the twisting of the skin of the foot, thereby mitigating the feel of the upper main body 20A on the foot and suppressing the occurrence of wrinkles in the upper main body 20A.

[0054] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 12, the holes 5 include a plurality of second holes 51 formed in the second low-rigidity region 41, aligned in the front-to-back direction and the foot width direction, and the second holes 51 are square or rectangular in shape. This facilitates shear deformation of the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h in the second low-rigidity region 41 shown in Fig. 14. This allows the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h in the second low-rigidity region 41 to deform in response to twisting of the skin of the foot during movement. This improves the fit of the upper body 20A to the foot.

[0055] 12 can be manufactured from a single material, and by using a manufacturing machine that can change the shape of the holes 5, the shape of the first through-holes 6, and the patterns of the layers 20g, 20h, and 20i, the upper body 20A can be manufactured without adding any new components, thereby reducing the weight of the shoe 1A and the environmental impact.

[0056] The planar shapes of the first hole 50, the second hole 51 and the third hole 52 are not limited to the examples shown in the figures, and may be, for example, circular, elliptical, or a 2n-gon other than a rhombus, square or rectangle.

[0057] 13, it is sufficient that at least one of the first holes 50 has substantially the same shape in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h at corresponding positions in the stacking direction. Note that the greater the number of first holes 50 that have substantially the same shape in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h at corresponding positions in the stacking direction, the easier it is to deform the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h of the first low-rigidity region 40 in the same way.

[0058] 14, it is sufficient that at least one of the second holes 51 has substantially the same shape in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h at corresponding positions in the stacking direction. Note that the greater the number of second holes 51 that have substantially the same shape in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h at corresponding positions in the stacking direction, the easier it is to deform the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h of the second low-rigidity region 41 in the same way.

[0059] 15, it is sufficient that at least one of the third holes 52 has substantially the same shape in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h at corresponding positions in the stacking direction. Note that the greater the number of third holes 52 that have substantially the same shape in the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h at corresponding positions in the stacking direction, the easier it is to deform the first layer 20g and the second layer 20h of the third low-rigidity region 42 in the same way.

[0060] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14 , the third layer 20i is not provided throughout the entire second low-rigidity region 41, but it is sufficient that the third layer 20i is not provided in at least a portion of the second low-rigidity region 41. In this case, it is preferable that the second low-rigidity region 41 has portions where the third layer 20i is provided and portions where the third layer 20i is not provided alternately along the foot width direction. Also, in this embodiment, the first low-rigidity region 40 shown in FIG. 13 and the third low-rigidity region 42 shown in FIG. 15 each have portions where the third layer 20i is not provided, but it is not necessary that the third layer 20i is not provided throughout the entire first low-rigidity region 40 or the third low-rigidity region 42.

[0061] The configurations shown in the above embodiments are merely examples of the content of the present invention, and may be combined with other known technologies, and parts of the configurations may be omitted or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention. In the above-described first and second embodiments, the upper bodies 20, 20A are formed from a single material, but the upper bodies 20, 20A may be formed from a combination of multiple materials. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1,1A shoe, 2,2A upper, 3 sole, 4,4A low rigidity region, 5 hole, 6 first through hole, 7 second through hole, 8 non-perforated region, 9 standard region, 20,20A upper body, 20a shoe opening, 20b opening, 20c lace guide portion, 20d outer foot side portion, 20e central portion, 20f inner foot side portion, 20g first layer, 20h second layer, 20i third layer, 20j linear body, 21 shoe tongue, 22 shoelace, 23 upper forefoot portion, 24 upper midfoot portion, 25 upper rearfoot portion, 30 outsole, 30a ground contact surface, 31 midsole, 40 first low rigidity region, 41 second low rigidity region, 42 third low rigidity region, 50 first hole, 51 second hole, 52 third hole.

Claims

1. It has an upper body that covers the instep, the upper body includes a first layer, a second layer disposed with a gap therebetween, and a third layer connecting the first layer and the second layer, The upper body is formed with a standard region, a non-perforated region having lower rigidity than the standard region, and a low-rigidity region having lower rigidity than the non-perforated region, In the standard region, no holes are formed in the first layer and the second layer, the third layer is not provided in the non-perforated region, and no holes are formed in the first layer and the second layer in the non-perforated region; the third layer is not provided in the low-rigidity region, and at least one hole is formed in each of the first layer and the second layer in the low-rigidity region; An upper, wherein at least one hole in the first layer and at least one hole in the second layer in the low rigidity region are formed side by side at corresponding positions in the first layer and the second layer.

2. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the at least one aperture in the first layer and the at least one aperture in the second layer are substantially the same shape.

3. The upper according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shape of the hole is a circle, an ellipse, or a 2n-sided polygon (n is an integer of 2 or more).

4. the upper body has an upper forefoot portion that covers a forefoot portion of a foot, The upper according to claim 1 , wherein the low-rigidity region includes a first low-rigidity region disposed in the upper forefoot portion.

5. The first layer has a plurality of through holes formed therein, the through holes being spaced apart from one another in the front-rear direction and the foot width direction, 5. The upper according to claim 1, wherein the total opening area of ​​the through holes in the central portion of the upper body in the foot width direction is larger than the total opening area of ​​the through holes in the side portions of the upper body in the foot width direction.

6. The holes include a plurality of first holes formed in the first low-rigidity region and aligned in the front-rear direction and the foot width direction, The upper according to claim 4 , wherein the first holes are diamond-shaped.

7. The upper body has an upper midfoot portion that covers a midfoot portion of a foot, The upper according to claim 4 or 6, wherein the low stiffness region includes a second low stiffness region disposed in the upper midfoot portion.

8. 8. The upper according to claim 7, wherein in the second low-rigidity region, areas where the third layer is provided and areas where the third layer is not provided are alternately arranged along the foot width direction.

9. The holes include a plurality of second holes formed in the second low-rigidity region and aligned in the front-rear direction and the foot width direction, The upper according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the second hole has a square or rectangular shape.

10. the third layer includes a plurality of linear bodies, The upper according to claim 1 , wherein the density of the linear bodies in the low-rigidity region increases from one side to the other in the front-to-rear direction.

11. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the upper body is formed from a single material.

12. A shoe comprising the upper according to any one of claims 1 to 11 and a sole positioned below the upper.

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