Tongue for footwear and footwear comprising said tongue

Abstract

To provide a footwear tongue and footwear equipped with the tongue, which can effectively prevent the tongue from breaking or slipping down inside the footwear, and can support not only footwear having a structure that can be put on without using a shoehorn but also ordinary footwear, allowing the foot to be easily put on by sliding the foot into the footwear without using a shoehorn or hands, and which is easy to put on when putting on, can prevent the tongue from slipping off after putting on, and also allows the shoelaces to be loosened or tightened. [Solution] The tongue portion 10 is formed of a hard resin, has an uneven pattern 11 on the inner surface Q of the tongue portion 10, and has a pair of linear protrusions 12 that extend linearly in the longitudinal direction of the tongue portion 10 and are taller than the protrusions 11b that make up the uneven pattern 11, and are arranged symmetrically in the lateral direction from the center of the tongue portion 10, and further has a plurality of through holes 13 that are arranged symmetrically in the lateral direction from the center of the tongue portion 10 outside the pair of linear protrusions 12 in the lateral direction of the tongue portion 10.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] To provide a footwear tongue that can effectively prevent the foot from breaking or slipping off inside the footwear, thereby supporting easy putting on of the foot by sliding the foot into the footwear without using a shoehorn or hands, and footwear equipped with the tongue. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, when putting on footwear, it has been common to open the opening, insert the foot, place a shoe horn in the heel part, and place the heel part of the foot against the shoe horn to put the foot into the footwear. However, such conventional footwear requires the user to keep a shoehorn on hand, and also requires bending over or using one's hands, making it difficult to put on the footwear smoothly. In order to solve this problem, various types of footwear have been developed in recent years that can be put on without using a shoehorn (using hands). Conventional footwear that can be put on without using a shoehorn is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1 below. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3238534 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The conventional technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 has the advantage that shoes can be easily put on without the need for a separate shoehorn and without damaging the leather part of the shoe. However, the footwear shown in Patent Document 1 has a structure that connects the heel guide portion 400 to the insole 300, which means that the footwear tends to cause a foreign body sensation when and after putting on the footwear, resulting in a poor wearing comfort. Furthermore, conventional footwear that can be put on without using a shoehorn typically has a distinctive heel structure, and the tongue of the footwear is typically made of thin leather or thin soft resin. The reason for this is that the purpose of the tongue of footwear is to protect the instep of the upper and prevent mud and debris from getting into the footwear, and this purpose can be achieved with thin leather or thin soft resin. Furthermore, such tongues are typically sewn to the upper only at a portion of the tip end, which is the toe side. Therefore, in conventional footwear characterized by the ability to be put on without the use of a shoehorn, if the tongue breaks or slips off inside the footwear, it becomes necessary to use one's hands to return the tongue to its original position and hold it in place, which can often result in the need to put on the footwear using one's hands.To address this problem, some footwear has a structure in which the entire tongue is sewn and fixed to a pair of intermediate covering portions provided on the upper, but this configuration, particularly in footwear with shoelaces, makes it impossible for the wearer to adjust the width of the pair of intermediate covering portions to the desired width, thereby negating the advantage of footwear with shoelaces, which is that the distance between the pair of intermediate covering portions can be adjusted to the desired width by loosening or tightening the shoelaces.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to solve the problems of the above-mentioned conventional technology and to provide a footwear tongue and footwear equipped with the tongue, which can effectively prevent the tongue from breaking or slipping off inside the footwear, and which can support not only footwear with a structure that allows it to be put on without using a shoehorn (or the hands), but also regular footwear, allowing the foot to be easily put on by simply sliding the foot into the footwear without using a shoehorn or the hands, and which is easy to put on when putting on footwear, prevents the tongue from slipping off after putting on, and allows the shoelaces to be loosened or tightened. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a footwear tongue that is disposed between a pair of intermediate coverings that are provided on a footwear upper, and is formed of a hard resin, and has an inner surface that has a concave-convex pattern formed by a regular arrangement of a plurality of identical basic patterns formed of concave and convex portions, and also has a pair of linear convex portions that extend linearly in the longitudinal direction of the tongue and are higher than the convex portions that constitute the concave-convex pattern, and is symmetrically disposed in the lateral direction from the center of the tongue, and further has a plurality of through holes that are symmetrically disposed in the lateral direction from the center of the tongue, outward of the pair of linear convex portions in the lateral direction of the tongue. A recess deeper than the recesses constituting the uneven pattern is formed in a predetermined region on the inner surface of the tongue portion slightly rearward of the longitudinal center position, and the region in the tongue portion where the recess is formed is gradually thinner toward the center of the recess. This is the first characteristic. In addition to the first feature, the tongue for footwear of the present invention has a second feature in that a pair of linear convex portions are arranged continuously from the tip to the rear end in the longitudinal direction of the tongue. The tongue of the footwear of the present invention is 2 In addition to the features of The tongue portion is formed so that its thickness gradually decreases from the front end to the rear end in the longitudinal direction, and the thickness of the region sandwiched between the pair of linear protrusions is formed thinner than the thickness of the other region in the lateral direction. This is the third characteristic. Furthermore, the tongue for footwear of the present invention has, in addition to the first or second feature, The tongue has both longitudinal edges curved inward and both lateral edges curved outward. The fourth characteristic is that 。 Ma The footwear of the present invention is characterized by comprising a tongue for footwear according to claim 1 or 2. 5 It is characterized by the following. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the footwear tongue of claim 1, since it is made of a hard resin, the tongue can be effectively prevented from breaking or slipping off inside the footwear. Therefore, the tongue can be made to support easy putting on of not only footwear that is designed to be put on without using a shoehorn (hands), but also regular footwear by simply sliding the foot into the footwear without using a shoehorn or hands. Furthermore, the inner surface of the tongue is provided with a textured pattern consisting of a plurality of identical basic patterns formed by recesses and protrusions arranged in a regular pattern, and is also configured to have a pair of linear protrusions that extend linearly in the longitudinal direction of the tongue and are taller than the protrusions that make up the textured pattern, symmetrically arranged on both sides from the center of the tongue in the lateral direction.This allows the textured pattern and linear protrusions to come into contact with the foot so that they catch on it after the footwear is put on, thereby preventing the tongue from shifting (swaying) back and forth or side to side. Furthermore, by providing linear convex portions that extend linearly in the longitudinal direction of the tongue and are taller than the convex portions that make up the uneven pattern, the instep of the foot can be placed along the linear convex portions when putting on the footwear. Thus, the linear convex portions can be used like rails that indicate the direction in which to put on the foot, resulting in a tongue that makes it easy to put on footwear. Furthermore, by providing a plurality of through-holes symmetrically in the transverse direction from the center of the tongue on the outer side of the pair of linear protrusions in the transverse direction of the tongue, the tongue can be made to have good breathability. In addition, when used in footwear with shoelaces, the shoelaces can be inserted through the through-holes, thereby making it possible to more effectively prevent the tongue from breaking or slipping off inside the footwear. Furthermore, a recess that is deeper than the recesses that make up the uneven pattern is formed in a specified region on the inner surface of the tongue, slightly rearward of the longitudinal center position, and the region of the tongue where the recess is formed is configured to gradually become thinner toward the center of the recess.This allows the recess, which has a certain area, to abut against the foot after the footwear is put on, thereby making it possible to create a tongue that can effectively prevent the footwear from wobbling when walking.

[0008] Furthermore, according to the footwear tongue described in claim 2, in addition to the advantageous effects of the configuration described in claim 1, a pair of linear convex portions are arranged in a continuous manner from the tip to the rear end of the tongue in the longitudinal direction, so that after the footwear is put on, the range of contact that catches on the foot can be effectively widened, and the tongue can be made to be even more capable of preventing the tongue from shifting (swaying) from side to side. Furthermore, by increasing the overall length of the linear convex portion, the linear convex portion can be used more like a rail that indicates the direction in which to put your foot when putting on the footwear, making it possible to create a tongue that makes it even easier to put on the footwear.

[0009] According to the tongue for footwear described in claim 3, 2 In addition to the effects of the configuration described above, The tongue is configured so that its thickness gradually decreases from the front end to the rear end in the longitudinal direction, which effectively prevents the foot from getting caught in the tongue when putting on the shoe.It may be a tongue.

[0010] Also, The tongue is configured such that the thickness of the area sandwiched between the pair of linear protrusions is thinner than the thickness of the other areas in the short direction. This allows the entire area sandwiched between the pair of linear protrusions to be used as a recess, and after wearing the footwear, the tongue is This makes it possible to make the tongue portion more capable of preventing slippage (shaking).

[0011] Also, claims 4 According to the tongue for footwear described above, in addition to the advantageous effects of the configuration described in claim 1 or 2, The tongue is configured so that both longitudinal edges are curved inward and both lateral edges are curved outward, making it possible to realize footwear that is easier to put on. It may be a tongue.

[0012] Also, claims 5 Described in footwear According to Footwear comprising the tongue for footwear according to claim 1 or 2, which allows the foot to be easily put on by sliding the foot into the footwear without using a shoehorn or hands. It can be said that:

[0013] Also, Footwear that can prevent the tongue from moving back and forth or side to side after wearing the footwear It can be said that:

[0014] Change Furthermore, the footwear can be made to be easy to put on and have good breathability. In addition, when shoelaces are provided, the footwear can be made to be able to more effectively prevent the tongue from slipping down inside the footwear. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing footwear and a tongue for the footwear according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view of the footwear, (b) is a perspective view showing the main parts of the tongue, and (c) is a perspective view of the tongue. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a tongue for footwear according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a diagram showing the outer surface side of the tongue, (b) is a perspective view of the tongue from the rear end side, and (c) is a schematic diagram showing the main parts of the rear end of the tongue. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing tongues for footwear according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention, where (a) is a diagram showing the back side of the tongue according to the first embodiment, (b) is a side view of the tongue according to the first embodiment, and (c) is a diagram showing the back side of the tongue according to the second embodiment. [Figure 4]1A and 1B are diagrams showing tongues for footwear according to the third and fourth embodiments of the present invention, where (a) is a diagram showing the back side of the tongue according to the third embodiment, and (b) is a diagram showing the back side of the tongue according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 5] 5A and 5B are diagrams showing tongues for footwear according to the fifth and sixth embodiments of the present invention, where (a) is a diagram showing the back side of the tongue according to the fifth embodiment, (b) is a diagram showing the back side of the tongue according to the sixth embodiment, and (c) is a side view of the tongue according to the sixth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, a footwear tongue and a footwear including the footwear tongue according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to facilitate understanding of the present invention. However, the following description does not limit the present invention as defined in the claims.

[0017] First, a footwear tongue 10 and footwear 1 including the tongue 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3(a) and 3(b). Referring to FIG. 1( a ), footwear 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is a so-called sneaker comprising an upper 2 , a sole 3 , and shoelaces 4 . The upper 2 also includes a toe covering portion 2a that covers the toe, a pair of intermediate covering portions 2b that cover the instep, and a heel covering portion 2c that covers the heel, and the pair of intermediate covering portions 2b are provided with a plurality of shoelace insertion through holes 2d for inserting shoelaces 4 therethrough. Since the upper 2, sole 3, and shoelaces 4 are similar to the upper 2, sole 3, and shoelaces 4 that make up commonly used footwear, detailed explanations will be omitted below, and only the tongue 10, which is an important component of the present invention, will be explained in detail below.

[0018] 1 to 3(a) and 3(b), the tongue 10 of the footwear 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is disposed between a pair of intermediate covering parts 2b, and not only protects the pair of intermediate covering parts 2b (the instep parts of the upper 2) and prevents mud and dirt from getting into the footwear 1, but also supports easy putting on of not only footwear that is designed to be put on without using a shoehorn (using hands), but also regular footwear by simply sliding the foot into the footwear without using a shoehorn or hands.

[0019] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1(c) and 2(a), the overall shape is a substantially rectangular shape whose width in the short direction gradually increases from the front end F to the rear end B, and the rear end B is configured to use a tongue 10 that is configured with wavy sides with a recessed central portion. Note that in this and the following description, "front end" refers to the toe side of the footwear when the tongue is attached to the footwear, and "rear end" refers to the heel side of the footwear when the tongue is attached to the footwear.

[0020] As shown in Figures 1(c) and 2, the outer surface P is configured to have a convex portion 15 that is approximately V-shaped and bulges upward near the rear end B, and a convex portion 17 that is approximately elongated and trapezoidal in shape and located closer to the front end F than the convex portion 15. 1(c), 2(a), and 2(b), a plurality of through holes 13 (eight through holes in this embodiment) are provided symmetrically in the short direction from the center of the tongue portion 10 outward from the protrusion 17. More specifically, four elliptical through holes 13 are provided on one side outward from the protrusion 17 at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the tongue portion 10, from the through hole 13 on the rear end B side to the through hole 13 on the front end F side, so that the arrangement positions of the through holes 13 gradually move toward the center of the tongue portion 10. Furthermore, a pair of elongated elliptical through holes 17 extending in the longitudinal direction of the tongue portion 10 are provided in the protrusion 17, slightly toward the tip side of the longitudinal center of the tongue portion 10, symmetrically arranged in the lateral direction from the center of the tongue portion 10. These through holes 17 are provided mainly to improve breathability.

[0021] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1(c) and 2(b), in this embodiment, the tongue portion 10 is configured such that both longitudinal edges are curved toward the inner surface Q, and both lateral edges are curved toward the outer surface P. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2(c), which schematically shows only the thickness of the tongue portion 10 in the vertical direction, the thickness of the tongue portion 10 is gradually reduced from the front end F to the rear end B in the longitudinal direction.

[0022] 2(b), 3(a), and 3(b), the inner surface Q of the tongue portion 10 is provided with a concave-convex pattern 11 formed by regularly arranging a plurality of the same basic patterns formed by concave portions 11a and convex portions 11b, and is also configured to include a pair of linear convex portions 12 extending linearly in the longitudinal direction of the tongue portion 10 and higher than the convex portions 11b forming the concave-convex pattern 11, symmetrically arranged in the lateral direction from the center of the tongue portion 10. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the tongue portion 10 is configured to include a concave-convex pattern 11 formed by regularly arranging a plurality of the same basic patterns formed by circular concave portions 11a and convex portions 11b formed by approximately diamond-shaped convex portions with each side curved inward and elliptical convex portions arranged around the approximately diamond-shaped convex portions (the approximately diamond-shaped convex portions and the elliptical convex portions have the same height). Furthermore, a pair of linear protrusions 12 are provided symmetrically in the short direction with respect to a perpendicular line (shown by a dashed line in FIG. 3(a)) passing through the center of the tongue portion 10 as the axis of symmetry. Note that the shapes, sizes, and positions of the recesses 11a and protrusions 11b are not limited to those in this embodiment and can be changed as appropriate. In addition, in this embodiment, the pair of linear protrusions 12 are configured to be provided continuously from the tip F to the rear end B in the longitudinal direction of the tongue portion 10. More specifically, the pair of linear protrusions 12, which are linear and have a gently curved shape that bulges slightly toward the center of the tongue portion 10, are configured to be provided continuously with the same width from the tip F to the rear end B in the longitudinal direction of the tongue portion 10 (the width in the lateral direction of the tongue portion 10 is the same). Also, with regard to the length between the pair of linear protrusions 12, the length on the rear end B side is longer than the length on the tip F side. In addition, as shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the linear protrusions 12 are configured such that recesses 12a and protrusions 12b are alternately provided in the length direction of the tongue portion 10 so as to create heights and depressions in the thickness direction of the tongue portion 10. For ease of explanation, the recesses and protrusions of the uneven pattern 11 are not shown in Figure 3(b). Furthermore, the shape, depth, height, and length of the recesses 12a and protrusions 12b are not limited to those in this embodiment and can be changed as appropriate. As mentioned above, a plurality of oval through-holes 13 (eight through-holes 13 in this embodiment) are provided symmetrically in the transverse direction of the tongue 10 from the center of the tongue 10, further outward from the pair of linear protrusions 12. As shown in FIG. 1(b), these through-holes 13 can be used to secure the tongue 10 at an upper position on the upper 2 (at an upper position within the space where the foot is inserted into the footwear 1) by inserting the shoelace 4 through them. However, it is not necessary to insert the shoelace 4 through the through-holes 13 as in this embodiment, and the tongue 10 may be used without inserting the shoelace 4 through the through-holes 13. The shape, size, and placement of the through holes 13 are not limited to those in this embodiment and can be changed as appropriate. However, considering that the shoelace 4 may be inserted through the through holes 13, it is desirable to provide at least two or more through holes 13, and the size and shape of the through holes 13 are desirably such that the shoelace 4 can be inserted therethrough. The placement of the through holes 13 is desirably in the vicinity of the shoelace insertion through hole 2d provided in the intermediate covering part 2b when the tongue 10 is attached to the footwear 1. Furthermore, various methods can be used to insert the shoelace 4 into the through-holes 13. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 1(b), for two through-holes 13 aligned in the longitudinal direction of the tongue 10, the shoelace 4 is passed through the shoelace insertion through-hole 2d in the intermediate covering part 2b and inserted into the first through-hole 13 from the outer surface P to the inner surface Q of the tongue 10, and then inserted into the second through-hole 13 from the inner surface Q to the outer surface P of the tongue 10, and then passed through the other shoelace insertion through-hole 2d in the intermediate covering part 2b. Furthermore, in this embodiment, in the lateral direction of the tongue portion 10, the thickness of the region sandwiched between the pair of linear protrusions 12 is formed to be thinner than the thickness of the other region.

[0023] It is necessary to use a hard resin such as EVA resin, ABS resin, or polyethylene as the material for the tongue portion 10. In addition, although the present embodiment is configured to integrally mold the tongue portion 10 using a mold, any other method may be used as long as it is a method that can form the tongue portion 10 using a hard resin.

[0024] The footwear tongue 10 and footwear 1 including the tongue 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above have the following advantages.

[0025] Tongue 10 is formed from a hard resin, which effectively prevents tongue 10 from breaking or slipping off inside footwear 1. Therefore, tongue 10 can be made to support not only footwear that has a structure that allows it to be put on without using a shoehorn (hands), but also regular footwear, allowing the wearer to easily put on the footwear by simply sliding their foot into it without using a shoehorn or hands. Furthermore, the inner surface of the tongue 10 is provided with a textured pattern 11 consisting of a plurality of identical basic patterns formed by recesses 11a and protrusions 11b arranged in a regular pattern, and a pair of linear protrusions 12 extending linearly in the longitudinal direction of the tongue 10 and higher than the protrusions 11b that make up the textured pattern 11 are provided symmetrically in the lateral direction from the center of the tongue 10.This allows the textured pattern 11 and linear protrusions 12 to come into contact with the foot so that they catch on to the foot after the footwear 1 is worn, thereby preventing the tongue 10 from shifting (swaying) back and forth or side to side. Furthermore, by providing linear protrusions 12 that extend linearly in the longitudinal direction of tongue 10 and are higher than protrusions 11b that make up textured pattern 11, the foot can be put on by aligning the instep along linear protrusions 12. Thus, linear protrusions 12 can be used like a rail that indicates the direction in which to put on foot, and tongue 10 can be made to realize footwear 1 that is easy to put on. Furthermore, by providing a plurality of through-holes 13 symmetrically in the transverse direction from the center of the tongue 10 outside the pair of linear protrusions 12 in the transverse direction of the tongue 10, the tongue 10 can be made to provide footwear 1 with good breathability. In addition, by inserting the shoelaces 4 through the through-holes 13, the tongue 10 can be fixed at an upper position in the upper 2 (at an upper position within the space where the foot is inserted into the footwear 1). This more effectively prevents the tongue 10 from breaking or slipping down within the footwear 1.

[0026] Furthermore, by arranging the pair of linear convex portions 12 in a continuous manner from the tip to the rear end of the tongue portion 10 in the longitudinal direction, the area over which the tongue portion 12 catches on the foot can be effectively widened after the footwear 1 is put on, and the tongue portion 10 can be made to be even more capable of preventing the tongue portion 10 from shifting (swaying) from side to side. Furthermore, by increasing the overall length of the linear convex portion 12, the linear convex portion 12 can be used more like a rail that indicates the direction in which to put the foot when putting on the footwear 1, making it possible to make the tongue portion 10 even easier to put on the footwear 1. Furthermore, by forming the pair of linear protrusions 12 into a gently curved shape that bulges slightly toward the center of the tongue 10, the tongue 10 can be made to feel good on the foot and to be comfortable to wear. Additionally, by configuring the length between the pair of linear protrusions 12 so that the length on the rear end B side is longer than the length on the front end F side, it is possible to effectively prevent the foot from getting caught on the tongue 10 when putting on the foot. Therefore, it is possible to make the tongue 10 capable of preventing the tongue 10 from getting caught inside the footwear 1 when putting on the foot.

[0027] Furthermore, by configuring the linear convex portion 12 so that the recesses 12a and the convex portions 12b are arranged alternately in the longitudinal direction, it is possible to increase the grip on the foot after putting on the footwear 1, thereby making it possible to make the tongue portion 10 more capable of preventing the tongue portion 10 from shifting (swaying) back and forth or side to side.

[0028] Furthermore, the tongue 10 is configured so that its thickness gradually decreases in the longitudinal direction from the front end F to the rear end B, which effectively prevents the foot from getting caught on the tongue 10 when putting on the shoe. This makes it possible to provide a tongue 10 that can further prevent the tongue 10 from getting caught inside the footwear 1 when putting on the shoe. Furthermore, the tongue portion 10 is configured such that the thickness of the area sandwiched between a pair of linear protrusions 12 is thinner in the short direction than the thickness of other areas, so that the entire area sandwiched between the pair of linear protrusions 12 can be used as a recess, making it possible to make the tongue portion 10 even more preventable from shifting (swaying) from side to side after the footwear 1 is worn.

[0029] Furthermore, by configuring the tongue portion 10 so that both longitudinal edges are curved inward and both lateral edges are curved outward, the tongue portion 10 can be made to be even easier to put on the footwear 1.

[0030] Furthermore, by providing the tongue portion 10 that can achieve the above-mentioned effect, the footwear 1 can be easily put on by simply sliding the foot into the footwear 1 without using a shoehorn or hands. Furthermore, the footwear 1 can be made easy to put on, comfortable to wear, and breathable.

[0031] Next, a tongue portion 5 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3(c). The tongue portion 5 according to the second embodiment differs from the tongue portion 10 according to the first embodiment described above only in the configuration of the linear convex portions. Therefore, the same members and parts that perform the same functions as the tongue portion 10 according to the first embodiment are assigned the same numbers, and in the following, descriptions of the same members and parts that perform the same functions as the tongue portion 10 will be omitted.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 3(c), in the tongue portion 5, the linear protrusions 20 are configured such that outwardly bulging protrusions 21 and inwardly bulging protrusions 22 are alternately arranged in the length direction. Specifically, the structure is such that the generally U-shaped protrusions 21 that bulge outward and the generally U-shaped protrusions 22 that bulge inward are alternately arranged with the same width in the length direction. Moreover, the linear protrusions 20 are configured so that the linear protrusions 20 have the same height over the entire length thereof, with no difference in height in the height direction (thickness direction of the tongue portion 10). This configuration makes it possible to increase the grip on the foot in the front, back, left, and right directions after wearing the footwear 1, thereby making it possible to provide a tongue 5 that can further prevent the tongue 5 from shifting (swaying) in any direction, thereby providing footwear 1 with even greater wearing comfort.

[0033] Next, a tongue portion 6 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4(a). The tongue portion 6 according to the third embodiment differs from the tongue portion 10 according to the first embodiment described above only in the configuration of the linear convex portions. Therefore, the same members and parts that perform the same functions as the tongue portion 10 according to the first embodiment are assigned the same numbers, and in the following, descriptions of the same members and parts that perform the same functions as the tongue portion 10 will be omitted.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 4(a), in the tongue portion 6, the linear protrusions 30 are configured so that protrusions 31 bulging outward and protrusions 32 bulging inward are alternately arranged in the length direction. Specifically, arc-shaped protrusions 31 bulging outward and arc-shaped protrusions 32 bulging inward are arranged alternately with the same width in the longitudinal direction, so that the linear protrusions 30 as a whole have a wave-like shape. Moreover, the linear protrusions 30 are configured so that the linear protrusions 30 have the same height over the entire length thereof, with no difference in height in the height direction (thickness direction of the tongue portion 10). This configuration makes it possible to increase the grip on the foot in the front, back, left, and right directions after putting on the footwear 1, thereby making it possible to provide a tongue 6 that can further prevent the tongue 6 from shifting (swaying) in the front, back, left, and right directions, thereby providing footwear 1 with even greater wearing comfort.

[0035] Next, a tongue portion 7 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4(b). The tongue portion 7 according to the fourth embodiment differs from the tongue portion 10 according to the first embodiment described above only in the configuration of the concave-convex pattern and the linear convex portions. Therefore, the same members and parts that perform the same functions as those of the tongue portion 10 according to the first embodiment are assigned the same numbers, and in the following, descriptions of the same members and parts that perform the same functions as those of the tongue portion 10 will be omitted.

[0036] Referring to Figure 4(b), the tongue portion 7 is configured to have a textured pattern 50 consisting of a plurality of identical basic patterns formed by diamond-shaped recesses 51 and diamond-shaped protrusions 52 arranged in a regular pattern. In addition, the linear protrusions 40 are configured as a pair of linear protrusions 40 that are of the same height and width with no difference in height in the height direction (thickness direction of the tongue portion 10), and have a gently curved shape that bulges slightly toward the center of the tongue portion 10. With this configuration, after the footwear 1 is worn, the uneven pattern 50 and the linear protrusions 40 come into contact with the foot so as to catch on the foot, thereby preventing the tongue 7 from moving back and forth or side to side (swaying).As a result, the footwear 1 is comfortable to wear.

[0037] Next, a tongue portion 8 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 5(a). The tongue portion 8 according to the fifth embodiment differs from the tongue portion 7 according to the fourth embodiment described above only in the configuration of the concave-convex pattern. Therefore, the same members and parts that perform the same functions as the tongue portion 7 according to the fourth embodiment are assigned the same numbers, and in the following, descriptions of the same members and parts that perform the same functions as the tongue portion 7 will be omitted.

[0038] Referring to Figure 5(a), the tongue portion 8 has a textured pattern 60 that is made up of a plurality of identical basic patterns regularly arranged, each of which is made up of seven elongated rod-shaped protrusions 62 with semicircular ends arranged diagonally in parallel, and recesses 61 with recesses around the protrusions. With this configuration, after the footwear 1 is worn, the uneven pattern 60 and the linear protrusions 40 come into contact with the foot so as to catch on the foot, thereby preventing the tongue 8 from moving back and forth or side to side (swaying).As a result, the footwear 8 is comfortable to wear.

[0039] Next, a tongue portion 9 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5(b) and 5(c). The tongue portion 9 according to the sixth embodiment differs from the tongue portion 10 according to the first embodiment described above only in the configuration of the concave-convex pattern and the linear convex portions. Therefore, the same members and parts that perform the same functions as the tongue portion 10 according to the first embodiment are assigned the same numbers, and in the following, descriptions of the same members and parts that perform the same functions as the tongue portion 10 will be omitted.

[0040] 5(b) and 5(c), the tongue portion 9 has the same configuration as the uneven pattern 11 and linear protrusions 12 of the tongue portion 10, but a recess 14 that is deeper and larger than the recesses that make up the uneven pattern 11 is formed in a predetermined region slightly toward the rear end B from the longitudinal center position on the inner surface Q of the tongue portion 9. More specifically, one oval-shaped recess 14 is formed. As shown by the arrow in FIG. 5(b), the area of ​​the tongue 9 where the recess 14 is formed is gradually thinner toward the center of the recess 14. For the sake of convenience, the unevenness of the uneven pattern 11 is not shown in FIG. 5(c), and the difference in thickness of the recesses 14 is not shown either. With this configuration, after the footwear 1 is put on, the recess 14 having a certain area can be brought into contact with the foot so as to bite into it, thereby making the tongue 9 capable of effectively preventing the footwear 1 from slipping when walking. As a result, the footwear 1 can be made to be comfortable to wear.

[0041] Although the protrusion 15 of the tongue portion 10 according to the first embodiment described above is a protrusion that bulges upward as a whole, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this configuration. For example, the configuration of the protrusion 15 may be a protrusion that has a recess in the center. With this configuration, when it becomes necessary to grip the tongue portion 10 with the hand (for example, when fine-tuning the position of the tongue portion 10), the tongue portion 10 can be easily gripped with the hand, resulting in a tongue portion 10 that is easy to work with.

[0042] Furthermore, although the footwear 1 according to the embodiment described above is configured as sneakers, the footwear according to the present invention is not limited to sneakers and may be configured as other footwear. [Industrial Applicability]

[0043] According to the present invention, by effectively preventing the tongue from breaking or slipping off inside the footwear, it is possible to support not only footwear that has a structure that allows it to be put on without using a shoehorn (or the hands), but also regular footwear, making it easy to put on by simply sliding the foot into the footwear without using a shoehorn or the hands.Furthermore, it is possible to provide a footwear tongue and footwear equipped with the tongue that is easy to put on, prevents the tongue from slipping off after putting on, and allows the shoelaces to be loosened and tightened.Therefore, the present invention is useful in industrial fields related to footwear and has great industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1. Footwear 2 Upper 2a Toe covering part 2b Intermediate coating section 2c Heel covering part 2D shoelace insertion holes 3 Soles 4 shoelaces 5 Tongue 6 Tongue 7 Tongue 8 Tongue 9 Tongue 10 Tongue 11 Textured pattern 11a Recess 11b Convex part 12 Linear convex part 12a recess 12b Convex place 13 Through hole 14 Recess 15 Convex place 16 Convex place 17 Through hole 20 Linear convex part 21 Outward bulging convexity 22 Inward-bulging convexity 30 Linear convex part 31 Outwardly bulging convexity 32 Inward-bending convexity 40 Linear convex part 50 Textured 51 Recess 52 Convex part 60 Textured Pattern 61 Recess 62 Convex part B Rear end F tip P External surface Q Inner surface

Claims

1. a tongue for footwear to be placed between a pair of intermediate covering parts provided on a footwear upper, the tongue being made of hard resin, the tongue having an inner surface on which a relief pattern is formed by a regularly arranged plurality of identical basic patterns formed of recesses and protrusions, the tongue also having a pair of linear protrusions extending linearly in the longitudinal direction of the tongue and higher than the protrusions that make up the relief pattern, the pair of linear protrusions being symmetrically arranged in the lateral direction from the center of the tongue, the linear protrusions being taller than the protrusions that make up the relief pattern, the tongue also having a plurality of through holes symmetrically arranged in the lateral direction from the center of the tongue, the through holes being outward in the lateral direction of the tongue than the pair of linear protrusions, the tongue also having a recess that is deeper than the recesses that make up the relief pattern, in a predetermined region on the inner surface of the tongue slightly rearward of the longitudinal center position, the recess being deeper than the recesses that make up the relief pattern, and the region of the tongue on which the recess is formed is gradually thinner toward the center of the recess.

2. 2. The footwear tongue according to claim 1, wherein the pair of linear protrusions are arranged continuously from the front end to the rear end in the longitudinal direction of the tongue.

3. A tongue for footwear as described in Claim 2, characterized in that the tongue is formed so that its thickness gradually decreases from the tip to the rear end in the longitudinal direction, and that the thickness of the area sandwiched between a pair of linear convex portions is thinner than the thickness of other areas in the lateral direction.

4. A tongue for footwear as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that both longitudinal edges of the tongue are curved inward and both lateral edges are curved outward.

5. Footwear characterized by having a tongue for footwear as described in claim 1 or 2.

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