Shoe sole and shoe with said sole

Abstract

To provide a sole and a shoe, capable of improving a wearer's walking speed.SOLUTION: A sole comprises a load guiding unit 11 arranged at a rear end on the side of a grounding surface. The load guiding unit 11 comprises at least a load reception part 17 that is provided so as to be arranged unevenly on the side of one end in the width direction of the whole sole and extend behind and receive a load at the time of grounding. The load reception part 17 is configured so that the center line C2 in the width direction of the load reception part 17 is more apart from the center line C1 in the width direction of the whole sole 3 as it is on the rearer side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a shoe sole and a shoe equipped with the sole. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventionally known shoe sole is the sole of a shoe described in Patent Document 1. The sole is arranged on the inside in the width direction of the foot at a position corresponding to the rear foot part on the ground contact side, and is provided with a deformable part that is compressively deformable in the thickness direction of the sole, and the deformable part is arranged at the rear end of the rear foot part, and a non-deformable part that is arranged adjacent to the deformable part in the front-to-rear direction and has higher rigidity against compressive deformation in the thickness direction of the sole than the deformable part.

[0003] With the above-described shoe sole, when the entire sole of the foot is stepped on, the load is applied to the entire sole, so that the load can be supported by the less deformable portion, and the foot can be supported in a natural state. On the other hand, when the heel is placed on the sole during walking, the more deformable portion elastically deforms and the medial side of the sole compresses and deforms, causing the rear part of the sole to tilt inward in the width direction of the foot, so that the load applied to the heel is guided inward. This prevents the knee from moving outward, and is said to reduce the strain on the knee caused by so-called bow legs. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6868513 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In order to increase walking speed, it is important to shorten the time from when the part of the shoe sole corresponding to the lower part of the calcaneus touches the ground (initial contact) to when the toe part leaves the ground (toe-off). However, although the shoe sole described in Patent Document 1 can reduce the burden on the knees, it does not focus on shortening the time from initial contact to toe-off to increase walking speed.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a shoe sole and a shoe that can increase the walking speed of the wearer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The sole of the present invention comprises a load guide portion arranged at the rear end on the ground contact surface side, the load guide portion being biased towards at least one end of the sole in the width direction and extending rearward, and comprising a load receiving portion that receives a load when the shoe comes into contact with the ground, the center line of the load receiving portion in the width direction being configured to move further rearward from the center line of the entire sole in the width direction.

[0008] With this configuration, the load-receiving portion is positioned offset toward one end in the width direction, and the center line of the load-receiving portion is configured to move further rearward from the center line of the entire sole, so that when the heel touches the ground with the load biased toward one end in the width direction, the load is concentrated on the load-receiving portion, and the reaction force of this load applies a force toward the other end in the width direction. Therefore, the load can be guided toward the center of the sole when the foot touches the ground, which helps the load pass through the center of the sole and move forward, making it possible to provide a sole that can shorten the time from initial contact to toe-off.

[0009] Furthermore, the shoe of the present invention is a shoe having the above-mentioned sole.

[0010] With this configuration, the load-receiving portion is positioned offset toward one end in the width direction, and the center line of the load-receiving portion is configured to move further rearward from the center line of the entire sole, so that when the heel touches the ground with the load biased toward one end in the width direction, the load is concentrated on the load-receiving portion, and the reaction force of this load applies a force toward the other end in the width direction. Therefore, the load can be guided toward the center of the sole when touching the ground, which helps the load pass through the center of the sole and move forward, providing a shoe that can shorten the time from initial contact to toe-off. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a shoe sole and a shoe that can increase the walking speed of the wearer. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a left side view of a shoe sole according to an embodiment of the present invention and a shoe equipped with the sole. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the sole shown in FIG. 3 is cut at the center in the width direction. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] A shoe 1 and a sole 3 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. In this embodiment, the foot refers to the lower part of the leg from the ankle down. The foot skeleton will be described as the skeleton of a person with a standard build for the wearer's race and gender. The directions of front, back, left, right, and up and down will be described based on the directions shown in the drawings. Specifically, the directions of front, back, left, right, and up and down will be described as referring to the front, back, left, right, and up and down relative to the wearer. In the following description, the term "load" refers to the force resulting from the weight of the wearer acting on the load center point, i.e., the center of gravity.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, shoe 1 comprises a wearing part 2 (upper) that covers the wearer's foot, and a sole 3 that is connected to the lower part of the wearing part 2. The sole 3 also comprises an outsole 4 whose lower end surface forms a ground contact surface 3a, and a midsole 5 that is provided between the wearing part 2 and the outsole 4. The shoe 1 of this embodiment is a walking shoe that assists walking. Note that walking refers to the movement of the foot for moving forward and backward, including a series of movements from contact of the calcaneus with the ground (initial contact) to pushing off with the toes (toe-off).

[0015] The wearing part 2 is a bag-shaped part that covers the wearer's foot and has an opening 2a formed therein for the wearer to put the foot in and out. The wearing part 2 is configured to have a shape that conforms to the outer shape of the foot as a whole. Specifically, the bottom surface of the wearing part 2 conforms to the shape of the sole (bottom surface) of the wearer's foot. The bottom surface of the wearing part 2 is also bonded to the midsole 5.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the sole 3 is a portion provided below the wearing part 2. The sole 3 also has a wearing connector 6 that connects to the wearing part 2 and a ground contact surface 3a that comes into contact with the ground. In this embodiment, the wearing connector 6 is provided on the upper surface of the midsole 5. The wearing connector 6 has a shape that matches the shape of the bottom surface of the wearing part 2. In other words, the inner edge of the wearing connector 6 has a shape that matches the shape of the sole (bottom) of the wearer's foot (see FIG. 6).

[0017] The midsole 5 is a portion that is compressible at least in the vertical direction. The midsole 5 extends from the front end to the rear end of the sole 3. The midsole 5 absorbs impacts received by the outsole 4 from the ground, preventing the impacts from reaching the foot. The midsole 5 is made of multiple materials with different resilience moduli. Specifically, the midsole 5 includes a high-elasticity portion 7 made of a high-elasticity material with a high resilience moduli, and an intermediate layer portion 8 made of a material with a lower resilience moduli than the high-elasticity material. In this embodiment, the high-elasticity portion 7 is made of a soft foam material, such as EVA, TPU, TPE, TPAE, PO, or foamed rubber. In this embodiment, the rear end of the midsole 5 has a two-layer structure in which the high-elasticity portion 7 and the intermediate layer portion 8 are laminated. Specifically, the rear end of the midsole 5 has a two-layer structure in which the intermediate layer portion 8 is disposed above the high-elasticity material. In this embodiment, the high-elasticity portion 7 and the intermediate layer portion 8 are bonded together by adhesive.

[0018] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the outsole 4 is a part configured as a ground contact surface 3a whose bottom surface comes into contact with the ground. The outsole 4 is also provided with an uneven portion 9 that engages with the ground and prevents the sole 3 from slipping on the ground. The uneven portion 9 has, for example, multiple protrusions and depressions that extend in a direction intersecting with a center line C1 in the width direction of the entire sole 3. The center line C1 in the width direction of the entire sole 3 refers to the center line in the lateral direction of the wearing connection part 6. In other words, the center line C1 in the width direction of the entire sole 3 is located in a position that corresponds to the center line in the width direction of the wearer's foot.

[0019] The sole 3 includes a load guide portion 11, a midway guide portion 12, and a curved portion 13. The load guide portion 11, the midway guide portion 12, and the curved portion 13 are arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction. The sole 3 also includes a low-rigidity portion 14 that is arranged midway in the width direction and extends in the front-to-rear direction.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the low-rigidity portion 14 is a portion configured to have relatively lower rigidity against compression in the thickness direction (vertical direction) compared to other portions of the sole 3. That is, the low-rigidity portion 14 is a portion that is more likely to sink and deform when subjected to a force that compresses the thickness direction compared to other portions of the sole 3. Specifically, the low-rigidity portion 14 is a portion that extends in the front-to-rear direction in a mid-width portion of the sole 3 and is configured to have lower rigidity against compression in the thickness direction than one end and the other end in the width direction. The low-rigidity portion 14 is also provided to extend forward from the rear end of the sole 3. Specifically, the low-rigidity portion 14 is provided to extend from the rear end of the load guide portion 11, via the mid-width guide portion 12, to a mid-width portion of the curved portion 13 in the front-to-rear direction. That is, the low-rigidity portion 14 extends from the rear end of the sole 3 to a position that is more rearward than the front end of the sole 3. This configuration prevents a decrease in rigidity at the tip portion, which is more susceptible to impact. Furthermore, the low-rigidity portion 14 is configured so that its rear end has lower rigidity against compression in the thickness direction than its front end. In this embodiment, the low-rigidity portion 14 is configured to be thinner than other portions of the sole 3. That is, since the low-rigidity portion 14 has a smaller thickness than other portions, its rigidity against compression in the thickness direction is lower. Furthermore, the low-rigidity portion 14 of this embodiment is provided so that its rear end has a longer (larger) length (width) in the width direction of the entire sole 3 than its front end. That is, the low-rigidity portion 14 is configured to have a tapered shape. Furthermore, the low-rigidity portion 14 of this embodiment is arranged so as to extend along the center line C1 of the entire width direction of the sole 3. That is, the low-rigidity portion 14 of this embodiment is arranged so as to extend in line with the center line of the wearer's foot in the width direction.

[0021] The low-rigidity portion 14 is formed with a recess 15 recessed upward from the bottom surface and a hollow portion 16 recessed from the rear end toward the front at a position spaced above the bottom surface. That is, the low-rigidity portion 14 is configured so that its thickness (the thickness of the sole 3) is reduced by the recess 15 and the hollow portion 16. In addition, the length of the low-rigidity portion 14 in the width direction of the sole 3 in this embodiment is set to a range of 15% to 50% of the entire width direction length of the sole 3. Within this range, the low-rigidity portion 14 can be reliably deformed by compression, and the deformation moves from rear to front, allowing the load to be guided within the intended range in the width direction. In addition, the low-rigidity portion 14 in this embodiment is configured to extend continuously in the front-to-rear direction of the sole 3. Note that the low-rigidity portion 14 may also be provided discontinuously in the front-to-rear direction of the sole 3.

[0022] The recess 15 is a recess formed to recess upward from the bottom surface of the sole 3. That is, the recess 15 is a portion of the ground-contact surface 3a that is located above the ground (floating from the ground) when the sole 3 touches the ground. The recess 15 is a groove-like recess that extends along the center line C1 of the width direction of the entire sole 3. The recess 15 is formed so that the rear end is recessed upward more than the front end. Specifically, the recess 15 is formed so that it gradually becomes shallower from the rear to the front. The width of the recess 15 (the length along the width direction of the entire sole 3) is larger at the rear end than at the front end. That is, the recess 15 is formed in a tapered shape. Specifically, the width of the rear end of the recess 15 (the length along the width direction of the entire sole 3) is set to be 15% to 30% of the maximum length of the width of the load guide portion 11 (the length along the width direction of the entire sole 3) described below. The width of the front end of the recess 15 is configured to be half or less of the width of the rear end.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the hollow portion 16 is a cavity formed at a position spaced upward from the bottom surface and extending from the rear end toward the front. The hollow portion 16 is also a cavity formed between the high-elasticity portion 7 and the mid layer portion 8. In this embodiment, the hollow portion 16 is a cavity extending from the rear end of the sole 3 to a position rearward of the position corresponding to the lower part of the wearer's calcaneus. Furthermore, the hollow portion 16 is formed to extend from the rear end toward the front along the center line C1 in the width direction of the entire sole 3. That is, the hollow portion 16 is formed so as not to communicate with the outer edges of one and the other widthwise ends of the sole 3. In this embodiment, the thickness direction length (vertical length) of the hollow portion 16 is configured to be smaller than the depth of the recess 15 at the rear end.

[0024] In this embodiment, both the recess 15 and the hollow portion 16 are formed at the rear end of the low-rigidity portion 14. Specifically, both the recess 15 and the hollow portion 16 are formed in the low-rigidity portion 14 in a range rearward of a position corresponding to the lower part of the calcaneus of the wearer of the sole 3. The recess 15 and the hollow portion 16 are formed at the same position in the width direction. In other words, the hollow portion 16 is formed above the recess 15.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 , the load guide portion 11 is a portion that constitutes the rear end of the sole 3. In this embodiment, the load guide portion 11 is provided in a range from the rear end of the sole 3 to the rear side of a position corresponding to the lower part of the metatarsal bones of the wearer (a range up to the front end of the tarsal bones). That is, the load guide portion 11 is provided in the portion where the sole 3 first touches the ground when walking. The load guide portion 11 also includes load receiving portions 17 that are respectively disposed on one side and the other side of the low rigidity portion 14 in the width direction. Furthermore, at the rear end of the load guide portion 11, a rimming recess 22 is formed between the load receiving portions 17 in the width direction of the entire sole 3, recessed from rear to front. In the midsole 5 of this embodiment, a high elasticity portion 7 is disposed within the range where the load guide portion 11 is located in the front-to-rear direction. That is, the load guide portion 11 of this embodiment is configured to have a higher rebound resilience than other portions. Specifically, the load guide portion 11 of this embodiment is configured to have a resilience modulus that is 3% or more higher than that of other portions (the measurement method conforms to JIS K 6400-3). The rear end of the load guide portion 11 is configured to protrude rearward from the wearing connector 6. In this embodiment, the width end position A of the load guide portion 11, which is located at the position furthest to one end or the other end in the width direction of the entire sole 3, is located rearward from the rear end of the wearing connector 6. Specifically, the width end position A is the position of the load guide portion 11 that is furthest from the center of the entire width direction of the sole 3 to one end in the width direction and the position of the load guide portion 11 that is furthest from the center of the entire width direction of the sole 3 to the other end in the width direction. Furthermore, the load guide portion 11 is configured to have a tapered shape forward of the width end position A.

[0026] The load guide portion 11 is configured so that its lower portion is located more outside of the sole 3 than its upper portion. Specifically, the load guide portion 11 is configured so that its bottom surface extends further outward than its upper surface in the width direction of the entire sole 3. Furthermore, the load guide portion 11 is configured so that its bottom surface extends further rearward than its upper surface. In this way, the load guide portion 11 is configured so that its lower portion is located more outside of the sole 3 than its upper portion. Therefore, when a load is concentrated on the outer edge of the bottom surface of the load guide portion 11 due to a heel-on ground contact with the ground while the load is biased to one end in the width direction, the load guide portion 11 is easily deformed to guide the load toward the center in the width direction. Specifically, when a load is concentrated on the outer edge of the bottom surface of the load guide portion 11, the outer edge portion at one end in the width direction deforms so that it comes into contact with the ground. This deformation converts the load applied to the outer edge portion into a force that rotates the entire sole 3 around the outer edge in a direction in which the sole 3 contacts the ground. This allows the portion closer to the center than the outer edge to contact the ground, thereby guiding the load toward the center in the width direction.

[0027] The load receiving portion 17 is a portion provided at one end and the other end of the load guide portion 11 in the width direction. The load receiving portion 17 is also a portion provided at the rear end of the load guide portion 11. Furthermore, the load receiving portion 17 is configured so that a center line C2 of the load receiving portion 17 in the width direction is spaced farther rearward from a center line C1 of the entire sole in the width direction. In this embodiment, the load receiving portion 17 is provided to include either one of the two width end positions A of the load guide portion 11. That is, the load receiving portion 17 is configured to include the portion of the load guide portion 11 located at the furthest one end or the furthest other end in the width direction. Furthermore, the rearmost position (rear end position B) of the load receiving portion 17 is located inward of the width end position A. Specifically, the portion of the load receiving portion 17 rearward of the width end position A is configured to have a tapered shape in which the width decreases toward the rear, and the rear end is located inward of the width end position A in the width direction. As shown in FIG. 2, a bellows portion 18 extending in the vertical direction is formed on the outer edge of the load-receiving portion 17. The bellows portion 18 is a portion in which outwardly protruding portions and inwardly recessed portions of the sole 3 are arranged continuously in the vertical direction. Because such bellows portion 18 is formed on the outer edge, the outer edge of the load-receiving portion 17 is more likely to deform when a load is applied. Furthermore, the load-receiving portion 17 of this embodiment is configured to extend outward beyond both ends of the wearing part 2 in the width direction and to extend rearward beyond the rear end of the wearing part 2 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0028] 3 and 6, the load receiving portion 17 of this embodiment includes an outer edge 19 that extends along the outer side of the sole 3 in the width direction, a rear edge 20 that extends along the rear end of the sole 3, and an inner edge 21 that extends along the inner side of the sole 3 in the width direction. The outer edge 19 and the inner edge 21 of this embodiment are edges that extend in a substantially straight line. The rear edge 20 of this embodiment is also an edge that extends in a substantially straight line from the outer edge 19 toward the inner edge 21 and is positioned more rearward as it approaches the inner edge 21. Furthermore, the load receiving portion 17 of this embodiment has corners formed at the connection portion between the inner edge 21 and the rear edge 20 and at the connection portion between the outer edge 19 and the rear edge 20. Specifically, the corner formed at the connection between the inner edge 21 and the rear edge 20 is the rear end position B, which is the rear end of the sole 3, and the corner formed at the connection between the outer edge 19 and the rear edge 20 is the width end position A. That is, in the load-receiving portion 17 of this embodiment, the rear end position B and the width end position A are configured as corners. Note that the corners (rear end position B and width end position A) of this embodiment are chamfered. Also, in this embodiment, the width end position A is an obtuse angle, and the rear end position B is an acute angle.

[0029] In this embodiment, the pair of load receiving portions 17 are arranged symmetrically in the width direction with respect to the center line C1 of the entire width of the sole 3. That is, when a load is applied to a position close to the center line C1 of the entire width of the sole 3, the load is applied approximately equally to both of the pair of load receiving portions 17. With this configuration, when the load is applied to a position close to the center line C1 of the entire width of the sole 3, the load can be guided closer to the center line C1 while preventing it from being guided to one or the other side in the width direction, thereby ensuring that the load is applied closer to the center in the width direction. Furthermore, the inner edge portion of the load receiving portion 17 is configured to contact one end of the recess 15 in the width direction. That is, the load receiving portion 17 in this embodiment is a portion that extends in the width direction from one end or the other end of the sole 3 to the recess 15.

[0030] The edge cutting recess 22 is a recess formed between a pair of load receiving portions 17 and recessed from rear to front. In this embodiment, the edge cutting recess 22 is provided so as to form a space between the rear ends of the pair of load receiving portions 17. The edge cutting recess 22 is also a portion that suppresses the transmission of a load received by one load receiving portion 17 to the other load receiving portion 17. In other words, the edge cutting recess 22 insulates the load receiving portion 17 from transmitting a load in the width direction when the load receiving portion 17 is grounded. The edge cutting recess 22 in this embodiment also forms a space between the pair of load receiving portions 17 in the width direction and in the range from the rear end of the load guide portion 11 to the low rigidity portion 14 in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the recess formed by the edge cutting recess 22 and the recessed portion 15 are formed so as to be continuous in the front-rear direction. In this way, the depression and the low-rigidity portion 14 are formed continuously, and the low-rigidity portion 14 can be deformed to sink while insulating the load applied to one load receiving portion 17 from being transmitted to the other load receiving portion 17, so that the load can be reliably guided toward the center in the width direction and the state in which the load is applied to the middle part in the width direction can be maintained.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 2, the rear end of the load guide portion 11 is formed with an inclined surface 23, with the rear side positioned upward and the front side positioned downward. The inclined surface 23 is configured so that when the portion of the ground contact surface 3a of the sole 3 forward of the inclined surface 23 (in this embodiment, the mid-way guide portion 12) is placed on the horizontal ground, it is inclined at an angle between 0 and 15 degrees relative to the ground. The inclined surface 23 is also positioned behind a position corresponding to the lower part of the wearer's calcaneus. In other words, the inclined surface 23 is formed at the portion that first touches the ground when the heel touches the ground.

[0032] Here, the smaller the angle of the inclined surface 23 with respect to the ground, the earlier the sole 3 touches the ground. Specifically, when the sole 3 touches the ground, the entire sole 3 approaches the ground with its front end tilted upward, and the rear end of the sole 3 comes into contact with the ground. In this way, when the entire sole 3 is tilted with its front end tilted upward, the smaller the angle of the inclined surface 23 with respect to the ground, the smaller the distance between the rear end of the sole 3 and the ground, and the greater the angle of the inclined surface 23 with respect to the ground, the greater the distance between the rear end of the sole 3 and the ground.

[0033] The curved portion 13 is a portion provided at the front end portion of the sole 3. The curved portion 13 is curved so that its front end is positioned upward. The curved portion 13 is provided so as to extend forward in the front-to-back direction from a range from the center of the head (front end) of the first metatarsal bone. That is, the rear end of the curved portion 13 is located in a range from the head (front end) of the first metatarsal bone to the center of the head (front end) of the first metatarsal bone in the front-to-back direction. The rear end of the curved portion 13 is located within a range of 55% to 70% of the front-to-back length of the wearing connector 6 from the rear end of the wearing part 2. The curved portion 13 of this embodiment is provided so as to extend all the way to the front end of the sole 3.

[0034] The midway guide portion 12 is a portion extending from the load guide portion 11 to the curved portion 13. The midway guide portion 12 is a portion that receives a load when the heel has completely touched the ground and the entire sole 3 has touched the ground. The midway guide portion 12 is a portion that comes into contact with the ground and receives a load when the foot is standing (when the foot is standing without walking). The midway guide portion 12 of this embodiment is configured so that its bottom surface extends parallel to the ground when the sole 3 is placed on level ground. As described above, the midway guide portion 12 is configured so that its bottom surface extends parallel to the ground when the sole 3 is placed on level ground. Therefore, the entire midway guide portion 12 can touch the ground after the heel has completely touched the ground, thereby ensuring a sufficient contact area and improving walking stability.

[0035] Walking while wearing the shoe 1 having the sole 3 as described above will be described with reference to Fig. 7. In this embodiment, the movement during walking from the state immediately before one foot touches the ground until the other foot leaves the ground will be described.

[0036] As shown in Figure 7(a), from just before one foot touches the ground to when it touches the ground, the sole 3 is tilted so that the rear side is positioned downward. Specifically, just before touching the ground, the heel side of the sole 3 is close to the ground and the toe side is far from the ground. When the sole 3 touches the ground, the heel side touches the ground first.

[0037] Here, the angle of the inclined surface 23 formed at the rear end of the sole 3 with respect to the ground is in the range of 0 to 15 degrees, so the timing at which the rear end of the sole 3 touches the ground can be made earlier than with typical walking shoes (which have a larger corresponding angle). Specifically, because the angle of the inclined surface 23 with respect to the ground is small, the distance between the rear end of the sole 3 and the ground is smaller than when the angle of the inclined surface 23 with respect to the ground is large. Therefore, the timing of touching the ground can be made earlier. Note that earlier timing of touching the ground means that the tip end (toe portion) of the sole 3 can touch the ground at a distance from the ground.

[0038] The position where the rear end of the sole 3 first touches the ground differs depending on whether the load is biased toward the inside of the foot, (2) the load is biased toward the outside of the foot, or (3) the load is distributed approximately evenly on the inside and outside of the foot. Each of these cases will be explained using the example of the shoe 1 being worn on the left foot.

[0039] (1) When the load is biased toward the medial side of the foot, the load is biased toward the right side of the shoe 1. For example, the load may be biased toward the medial side of the foot when walking with the toes pointing inward, a so-called "knee-toe walking" state. When the load is biased toward the right side, the right side of the shoe 1 touches the ground first. Specifically, of the pair of load receivers 17, the load receiver 17 located on the right side touches the ground first. Furthermore, when the load is biased toward the medial side of the foot, the outer edge 19 of the right load receiver 17 touches the ground first. In this embodiment, the width end position A of the right load receiver 17 touches the ground first. In other words, when the load is biased toward the medial side of the foot, the end of the pair of load receivers 17 located on the side corresponding to the medial side of the foot in the width direction touches the ground first.

[0040] When the right load receiving portion 17 first touches the ground, the load is concentrated on the right side of the rear end of the sole 3. Furthermore, when the load is concentrated on the right side, a force from the right side to the left side (a force from the ground contact point to the left front) is applied to the sole 3 due to a load reaction force generated by the load receiving portion 17. This load reaction force generated by the load receiving portion 17 shifts the load that was biased to the right side to the left side. Here, the pair of load receiving portions 17 are insulated from each other by the edge cut-off recess 22 from the transmission of the load in the width direction. Therefore, the load reaction force generated by the load receiving portion 17 is not transferred to the left load receiving portion 17, but is instead concentrated on the right load receiving portion 17. Furthermore, a portion of the outer edge 19 of the right load receiving portion 17 touches the ground, and with the outer edge 19 in contact with the ground, a force is applied from the right side to the left side. Therefore, a force is applied such that the entire width of the sole 3 rotates around the part of the outer edge 19 that touches the ground as an axis in the direction of contacting the ground. Therefore, the reaction force of the load generated by the load receiving portion 17 concentrated on the right side allows both one end and the other end in the width direction of the load guide portion 11 to touch the ground. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the width direction ends are configured as corners, when the width direction ends touch the ground first, the entire sole 3 becomes unstable with respect to the ground. Therefore, a force is applied to the unstable sole 3 to guide it from the right side to the left side, so both one end and the other end in the width direction of the load guide portion 11 can reliably touch the ground.

[0041] Therefore, (1) when the load is biased toward the inside of the foot, the load biased to the right shifts to the left due to the reaction force of the load generated by the load receiving portion 17 biased to the right. In addition, due to the shift of the load, both one end and the other end in the width direction of the load guide portion 11 come into contact with the ground.

[0042] (2) When the load is biased to the outside of the foot, the load is biased to the left side of the shoe 1. For example, the load may be biased to the outside of the foot when walking with the toes pointing outward, a so-called out-legged gait. When the load is biased to the outside, the movement is symmetrical to the case (1) where the load is biased to the inside of the foot. Specifically, the left side of the shoe 1, specifically the load receiving portion 17 located on the left side of the pair of load receiving portions 17, touches the ground first. Therefore, when (2) the load is biased to the outside of the foot, the load reaction force generated by the load receiving portion 17 biased to the left shifts the load biased to the left to the right. Furthermore, due to the shift of the load, both the other end and one end in the width direction of the load guide portion 11 touch the ground.

[0043] (3) When the load is distributed approximately evenly on the medial and lateral sides of the foot, the load is not biased to the right or left side of the foot, but is distributed approximately evenly across the center of the foot in the width direction. For example, when walking with the toes pointing in the direction of travel, the load is distributed approximately evenly on the medial and lateral sides of the foot. When the load is distributed approximately evenly on the medial and lateral sides of the foot, the rear side of the sole 3 touches the ground first. Specifically, both rear ends (rear end position B) of the pair of load receiving portions 17 touch the ground approximately simultaneously. When the load is distributed approximately evenly on the medial and lateral sides of the foot, the rear end edges 20 of both load receiving portions 17 touch the ground first. In addition, since the rear end position B in this embodiment is located more inward in the width direction than the width end position A, when the load is distributed approximately evenly on the medial and lateral sides of the foot, the rear end position B can reliably touch the ground first.

[0044] When the pair of load receivers 17 contact the ground at approximately the same time, a load is applied approximately evenly to both sides of the rear end of the sole 3 in the width direction. Therefore, the reaction force of the load generated by the load receivers 17 is applied approximately evenly to the right and left sides of the sole 3, and the force from one side of the sole 3 to the other in the width direction and the force from the other side to the one side cancel each other out. Meanwhile, the reaction force of the load generated by the load receivers 17 applies a force from the rear side to the front side of the sole 3. Therefore, the rear end edge 20 contacts the ground and a force from the rear side to the front is applied, so that the entire area of ​​the sole 3 in the front-to-rear direction is forced to rotate in the direction of contacting the ground, with the part of the rear end edge 20 that contacts the ground as the axis. Therefore, the reaction force of the load generated by the load receivers 17 encourages the entire sole 3 to contact the ground. Furthermore, in this embodiment, because the rear end position B is configured as a corner, when the rear end position B first contacts the ground, the entire sole 3 has a small contact area with the ground, resulting in an unstable state. Therefore, a force from the rear to the front is applied to the unstable sole 3, which reliably encourages the entire sole 3 to touch the ground. Furthermore, because rear end position B has an acute angle, it is easily deformed by the load when rear end position B touches the ground.

[0045] As described above, when the rear end of the sole 3 of this embodiment touches the ground, the load is applied closer to the center in the width direction of the sole 3 in any of the following cases: (1) the load is biased toward the medial side of the foot, (2) the load is biased toward the lateral side of the foot, or (3) the load is applied approximately evenly to the medial and lateral sides of the foot. In other words, the center of gravity of the walker's foot is positioned closer to the center in the width direction of the sole 3. Furthermore, because the low-rigidity portion 14 is provided within the range in the axial direction of the sole 3 where the load guide portion 11 is located, it is possible to prevent the load positioned closer to the center of the sole 3 from shifting in the width direction.

[0046] As shown in Figure 7(b), during the intermediate stage from when the part of the sole 3 corresponding to the calcaneus makes contact with the ground (initial contact) until the toe kicks off and takes off (toe-off), the entire intermediate guide portion 12 makes contact with the ground.

[0047] Here, when the load is guided by the load guide portion 11 to the midway portion of the sole 3 in the width direction, a force is applied to the low-rigidity portion 14 in a direction compressing it in the thickness direction of the sole 3. When a compressive force is applied to the low-rigidity portion 14, the low-rigidity portion 14 deforms so as to sink downward. Specifically, when a compressive force is applied to the low-rigidity portion 14, the space formed by the recess 15 and the hollow portion 16 is crushed, and as a result, the low-rigidity portion 14 sinks downward. When the low-rigidity portion 14 sinks downward, the load is guided so as to be concentrated on the low-rigidity portion 14. In other words, the load guided to the midway portion of the sole 3 in the width direction by the load guide portion 11 is maintained by the low-rigidity portion 14, and the load is prevented from shifting to one side or the other in the width direction of the sole 3.

[0048] The low rigidity portion 14 of this embodiment extends in the front-to-rear direction from the load guide portion 11 to at least the intermediate guide portion 12, so that the load guide portion 11 can maintain a state in which it guides the load to the intermediate portion in the width direction of the sole 3. That is, the intermediate guide portion 12 of this embodiment also enables the load to be applied to the intermediate portion in the width direction of the sole 3. Furthermore, the low rigidity portion 14 is provided so as to extend continuously forward from the rear end of the sole 3, so that the load can be transferred smoothly from rear to front.

[0049] 7(a), if the load has not been transferred sufficiently and is biased to the right or left side, the low rigidity portion 14 will compress and deform in the thickness direction of the sole 3, causing the central portion of the sole 3 in the width direction to sink downward, and the load will be guided to be applied to the middle portion in the width direction. In other words, the load can be guided to the middle portion in the width direction while the load guide portion 11 and the middle guide portion 12 of the sole 3 are in contact with the ground.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 7( c), just before the toe pushes off the ground and takes off, the curved portion 13 touches the ground. Specifically, just before the toe pushes off the ground and takes off, a load is applied forward in the front-to-back direction of the sole 3. When the load is applied forward, the curved portion 13, which is curved upward, touches the ground, and the load guide portion 11 and the mid-way guide portion 12 are lifted off the ground. Furthermore, when the load moves forward, the bottom surface of the curved portion 13 moves from the rear to the front, as if rolling on the ground. Specifically, when a load is applied to the front end of the curved portion 13 to push off the ground with the toe, the front end moves so that it approaches the ground. The curved portion 13 converts the energy of this downward movement of the front end into a rolling force. The curved portion 13 moves in a rolling manner from the rear to the front, thereby assisting the forward movement of the foot. Specifically, when the toe kicks off the ground, the forward momentum caused by the rolling of the curved portion 13 is applied to the foot, and therefore, after the toe kicks off the ground, when the foot moves forward, the rolling momentum of the curved portion 13 is applied to the foot, improving walking speed.

[0051] In the sole 3 of this embodiment, the low-rigidity portion 14 is provided at least up to the front end of the midway guide portion 12, so that the load can be maintained in a state where it is applied to the midway portion of the sole 3 in the axial direction until just before the toe begins to push off the ground. Furthermore, in the sole 3 of this embodiment, the low-rigidity portion 14 is provided up to the midway portion of the curved portion 13. Therefore, even when the curved portion 13 rolls on the ground, the low-rigidity portion 14 can deform so as to sink downward, thereby preventing the load position in the width direction from shifting to one end or the other (load fluctuation). This can improve the walking speed of the wearer. Furthermore, by repeatedly walking with the load moving along the vicinity of the center of the width of the sole 3, the toe can be guided to face the direction of travel as the load on the sole 3 moves from rear to front, so that the walking speed of the wearer can be further improved.

[0052] According to the sole 3 described above, the load receiving portion 17 is positioned offset toward one end in the width direction, and the center line C2 of the load receiving portion 17 is configured to move away from the center line C1 of the entire sole 3 toward the rear. Therefore, when the heel touches the ground with the load biased toward one end in the width direction, the load receiving portion 17 touches the ground, concentrating the load on the load receiving portion 17. The reaction force of the load exerts a force toward the other end in the width direction. This allows the load to be guided toward the center of the sole 3 upon contact, helping the load pass through the center of the sole 3 and move forward. This also prevents the sole 3 from swinging in the width direction when the load moves from rear to front, thereby shortening the time from initial contact to toe-off. Furthermore, because the center line C2 of the load receiving portion 17 is configured to move away from the center line C1 of the entire sole 3 toward the rear, the load moves from rear to front along the load receiving portion 17, ensuring that the load is guided toward the center line C1 of the entire sole 3.

[0053] Furthermore, the load receiving portions 17 are provided at least at one end and the other end of the entire width direction of the sole 3, and are configured so that the load receiving portions are insulated from each other in the width direction from the transmission of the load received when the shoe comes into contact with the ground. With this configuration, the load receiving portions 17 are provided at both width direction ends and are configured so that the transmission of the load is insulated from each other. Therefore, even if the load is biased toward either the one end or the other end in the width direction, the insulation makes it difficult for the load to be applied to the center of the entire width direction of the sole 3. As a result, the load is concentrated on the load receiving portions 17, and the reaction force of this load acts in the direction opposite to the side where the shoe comes into contact with the ground in the width direction. Therefore, the reaction force of the load applied to the load receiving portions 17 can reliably guide the load toward the center of the sole 3.

[0054] Furthermore, the sole 3 is provided with a low-rigidity section 14 that is configured to have a relatively lower rigidity against compression in the thickness direction compared to other sections, and the low-rigidity section 14 is configured to be located in the middle of the width direction of the entire sole 3, extending forward from the rear end. With this configuration, when a compressive force in the thickness direction is applied to the low-rigidity section 14, the low-rigidity section 14 can deform so as to sink more than other sections. This allows the load to be maintained in the middle of the width direction, helping the load to pass smoothly along the low-rigidity section 14 and shortening the time from initial contact to toe-off.

[0055] Further, a recess 15 recessed upward from the bottom surface is formed in the low rigidity portion 14. According to this configuration, the recess 15 having a space recessed upward from the bottom surface is formed, which makes it easier for the low rigidity portion 14 to deform when the ground surface 3a comes into contact with the ground.

[0056] Furthermore, recess 15 is configured so that the widthwise length of the entire sole 3 at the rear end of recess 15 is 15% to 30% of the maximum widthwise length of load guide portion 11. With this configuration, recess 15 has a widthwise length of 15% to 30% of the maximum widthwise length of load guide portion 11, which ensures deformation when a load is applied in the thickness direction and ensures a sufficient contact area of ​​contact surface 3a with the ground when the shoe touches the ground.

[0057] Furthermore, the recess 15 is configured to be deeper at the rear end than at the front end. With this configuration, the recess 15 is configured to be deeper at the rear end and shallower at the front end, allowing the rear end to deform more and the front end to deform less. Therefore, when the heel touches the ground, the recess 15 deforms reliably, guiding the load to a position closer to the center of the sole 3, and ensuring stability at the front end.

[0058] Furthermore, the low rigidity portion 14 is configured to have a hollow portion 16 recessed from the rear end toward the front at a position spaced above the bottom surface. With this configuration, the hollow portion 16 is formed at a position spaced above the bottom surface, which reduces the rigidity of the low rigidity portion 14 while suppressing a decrease in the contact area with the ground. Therefore, when a load is applied in the thickness direction, deformation can be ensured, and the contact area of ​​the contact surface 3a with the ground can be secured when the vehicle comes into contact with the ground.

[0059] Furthermore, curved portion 13 is formed at a position corresponding to the lower part of the wearer's forefoot on the ground-contact surface 3a side, with its front end positioned upward, and the rear end of curved portion 13 is configured to be located at a position corresponding to the lower part of the wearer's forefoot within a range from the head of the first metatarsal bone to the center in the front-to-back direction. With this configuration, curved portion 13 is configured at a position corresponding to the lower part of the wearer's forefoot, and the rear end of curved portion 13 is located at a position corresponding to the lower part of the wearer's forefoot within a range from the head of the first metatarsal bone to the center, so that curved portion 13 can induce the action of kicking off the ground with the forefoot at an early stage when walking, thereby improving walking speed.

[0060] Furthermore, a slope 23 is formed at the rear end on the contact surface 3a side, with the rear end positioned upward, and the slope 23 is configured to have an angle of inclination ranging from 0 to 15 degrees with respect to the ground when the portion of contact surface 3a in front of slope 23 is placed on the horizontal ground. With this configuration, the slope 23 has an angle of inclination ranging from 0 to 15 degrees with respect to the ground, so that the rear end touches the ground at an early stage during walking. This allows the load guide 11 to guide the load at an early stage, shortening the time from initial contact to toe-off.

[0061] Furthermore, the load guide 11 is configured so that at least the position below the heel of the wearer has a high-elastic material with a higher resilience than other parts. With this configuration, the shock generated when the heel lands can be converted into a repulsive force, which can induce a kicking motion, thereby increasing walking speed.

[0062] Furthermore, the sole 3 is configured so that the rebound resilience of the rear end is higher than that of other parts, and includes an outsole 4 having a ground contact surface 3a on its bottom surface, and a midsole 5 provided above the outsole 4. The midsole 5 includes a high-elasticity section 7 made of a high-elasticity material with a high rebound resilience, and an intermediate layer section 8 made of a material with a lower rebound resilience than the high-elasticity material, and the rear end of the midsole 5 has a two-layer structure in which the high-elasticity section 7 and the intermediate layer section 8 are laminated. With this configuration, the rebound resilience of the rear end of the midsole 5 can be increased by forming the rear end into a two-layer structure of the high-elasticity section 7 and the intermediate layer section 8. This makes it easy to increase the rebound resilience of the rear end. Note that the rebound resilience of the sole 3 is not limited to being configured so that it differs in the front-to-rear direction, but can also be configured so that it differs in the width direction.

[0063] Furthermore, the load receiving portion 17 has a width end position A of the load guide portion 11 that is located at the position closest to one end or the other end in the width direction of the entire sole 3, and the width end position A is configured to be located behind the rear end of the wearing connection portion 6 to which the wearing portion 2 that covers the wearer's foot is connected. With this configuration, since the width end position A is located behind the rear end of the wearing connection portion 6, when the load is biased to one side or the other in the width direction, the width end position A can come into contact with the ground at an early stage, so the load guide portion 11 can guide the direction of the toes at an early stage, and the load can be guided to be applied to a position closer to the center of the sole 3 at the time of initial contact.

[0064] Furthermore, the load receiving portion 17 has a width end position A located at the position closest to one end or the other end of the width of the load guide portion 11, and since the width end position A is located behind the position corresponding to the underside of the wearer's calcaneus, the load receiving portion 17 can reliably come into contact with the ground behind the calcaneus, and the reaction force can reliably guide the load to be applied to a position closer to the center of the sole 3 at the time of initial contact.

[0065] Furthermore, the load-receiving portion 17 has a rear end position B located at the rearmost position of the sole 3, and the rear end position B is located widthwise inward of the widthwise end position A, so that when the foot strikes the ground with the load being applied approximately evenly to the left and right in the width direction of the sole 3, the foot can strike the ground from the rear end position B, thereby preventing the load near the center in the width direction from shifting to one or the other end in the width direction. Furthermore, the rear end position B is located rearward and inward of the widthwise end positions, and the rear end edge 20 extends linearly between the widthwise end position A and the rear end position B. Therefore, when the heel strikes the ground with the foot angle tilted relative to the direction of travel (with the toes pointing outward or inward), the rear end edge 20 can strike the ground, thereby preventing uneven wear at the corners such as the widthwise end position A and the rear end position B.

[0066] Furthermore, with the shoe 1 described above, the load receiving portion 17 is positioned offset toward one end in the width direction, and the center line C2 of the load receiving portion 17 is configured to move away from the center line C1 of the entire sole 3 toward the rear. Therefore, when the heel touches the ground with the load biased toward one end in the width direction, the load receiving portion 17 touches the ground, concentrating the load on the load receiving portion 17, and a force is applied toward the other end in the width direction due to the reaction force of the load. Therefore, the load can be guided toward the center of the sole 3 upon contact, which helps the load pass through the center of the sole 3 and shortens the time from initial contact to toe-off. Furthermore, since the center line C2 of the load receiving portion 17 is configured to move away from the center line C1 of the entire sole 3 toward the rear, the load can be reliably guided toward the center line C1 of the entire sole 3.

[0067] The above describes an embodiment of the present invention using an example, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0068] For example, while the midsole 5 has been described as having a two-layer structure, the present invention is not limited to this configuration and may instead have a single-layer structure or may be configured with three or more layers. Additionally, the sole 3 has been described as including an outsole 4 and a midsole 5, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration and may instead be configured as a so-called uni-sole, which does not include an outsole 4. When the sole 3 is configured as a uni-sole, the bottom surface of the midsole 5 becomes the ground surface.

[0069] Furthermore, although the load receiving portion 17 has been described as having a pair of load guide portions 11 arranged symmetrically, it is not limited to this configuration. For example, as a specialized measure to deal with the concentration of load on either the medial or lateral side of the foot, it may be configured to have only one load guide portion 11 arranged biased to one side in the width direction, or a pair of load guide portions 11 may be provided asymmetrically. The number of load guide portions 11 may also be three or more.

[0070] Furthermore, although the load guide portion 11 has been described as having an angular shape with multiple sides and corners, it may also be configured, for example, as a rounded shape extending in an arc, or may be configured so that the rear end position B protrudes rearward at a sharper angle than in this embodiment. If the rear end position B is configured to protrude rearward at a sharper angle, the amount of rearward extension of the load guide portion 11 can be increased, thereby making it possible to hasten the timing of contact with the ground.

[0071] Furthermore, although the load-receiving portion 17 has been described as extending rearward beyond the rear end of the wearing portion 2, it is not limited to this configuration and can also be configured so that it is provided only in a range forward of the rear end of the wearing portion 2.

[0072] Furthermore, although the case where the recesses 15 and the hollows 16 are formed in the low-rigidity portion 14 has been described, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the low-rigidity portion 14 may be configured so that only either the recesses 15 or the hollows 16 are formed. In addition, the number of recesses 15 and hollows 16 formed can be set arbitrarily.

[0073] In addition, while the low-rigidity portion 14 has been described as being thin, thereby reducing its rigidity against compression compared to other portions, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and it may be configured to have a lower rigidity against compression compared to other portions by, for example, using a different material from other portions. Furthermore, if the sole 3 is made of a foam, the foaming rate of the portion corresponding to the low-rigidity portion 14 may be made higher than the foaming rate of other portions, thereby reducing the rigidity of the low-rigidity portion 14 compared to other portions.

[0074] Furthermore, although the low rigidity portion 14 has been described as being provided from the rear end of the sole 3 to the middle of the curved portion 13, it is not limited to this configuration, and for example, the low rigidity portion 14 can be arranged only in the load guide portion 11, or can be arranged so as to extend from the front end to the rear end of the sole 3.

[0075] Furthermore, although the low rigidity portion 14 has been described as extending along the center line C1 in the width direction of the sole 3, it is not limited to this configuration and can be placed at any position in the width direction where it is desired to apply a load.

[0076] Furthermore, although the pair of load receiving portions 17 have been described as being insulated from the transmission of load in the width direction by the edge cutting recesses 22, this is not limiting, and for example, a portion with low rigidity against compression in the width direction can be provided between the pair of load receiving portions 17 to insulate the transmission of load between the pair of load receiving portions 17. Furthermore, when edge cutting recesses 22 are provided, the length of the edge cutting recesses 22 in the width direction can be set arbitrarily as long as it is sufficient to insulate the transmission of load between the load receiving portions 17.

[0077] Furthermore, the materials constituting the shoe 1 and the sole 3 are not limited to the materials exemplified in this embodiment. For example, although the load guide 11 has been described as being made of a soft foam material, it may also be made of a material other than a soft foam material. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1...shoe, 2...wearing portion, 3...sole, 3a...ground contact surface, 4...outsole, 5...midsole, 6...wearing connection portion, 7...high elasticity portion, 8...intermediate layer portion, 9...concave and concave portion, 11...load guide portion, 12...midway guide portion, 13...curved portion, 14...low rigidity portion, 15...recess, 16...hollow portion, 17...load receiving portion, 18...bellows portion, 19...outer edge, 20...rear end edge, 21...inner edge, 22...edge cut recess, 23...inclined surface, A...width end position, B...rear end position

Claims

1. The shoe has a load guide portion disposed at the rear end portion on the ground contact surface side, a low rigidity portion configured to have a relatively low rigidity against compression in the thickness direction compared to other portions, and a curved portion disposed at the front end portion of the sole and curved so that the front side is positioned higher than the rear side, the load guide portion is provided so as to be biased toward one end in the width direction of the entire sole and extend rearward, and includes at least one load receiving portion that receives a load when the shoe comes into contact with the ground; the at least one load receiving portion is configured such that a center line in a width direction of each load receiving portion is spaced farther rearward from a center line in a width direction of the entire sole, The low-rigidity portion is disposed in a widthwise midsection of the entire sole, extending from the rear end to a front-rear midsection of the curved portion.

2. The load receiving portion is provided at least at one end and the other end in the width direction of the entire shoe sole, 2. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the load-receiving portions are configured to insulate each other from each other in the width direction from the load received when the shoe is in contact with the ground.

3. The shoe sole according to claim 1 , wherein the low-rigidity portion has a recessed portion recessed upward from the bottom surface.

4. The shoe sole according to claim 3, wherein the recess is configured so that the length of the rear end of the recess in the width direction of the entire shoe sole is 15% to 30% of the maximum length of the load guide portion in the width direction.

5. The shoe sole according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the recess is formed so that the rear end side is deeper than the front end side.

6. The shoe sole according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the low-rigidity portion has a cavity recessed from the rear end toward the front at a position spaced above the bottom surface.

7. The curved portion is disposed at a position corresponding to a position below the wearer's forefoot on the ground contact surface side, The sole according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the rear end of the curved portion is configured to be located at a position corresponding to a lower portion within a range from the head of the first metatarsal bone of the wearer in the front-to-back direction.

8. The rear end of the tire on the ground contact side is formed with an inclined surface so that the rear end is positioned upward, 8. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the inclination angle of the inclined surface is configured to be in the range of 0 degrees to 15 degrees with respect to the ground when a portion of the ground surface forward of the inclined surface is placed in contact with the horizontal ground.

9. The shoe sole according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the load guide portion is configured so that at least a position corresponding to the lower part of the heel of the wearer has a high-elastic material having a higher resilience modulus than other portions.

10. A shoe comprising the sole according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

Images