Shoe opening structure

Abstract

To provide shoes that are easy to put on and difficult to take off, do not feel cramped when worn, and cause little fatigue. [Solution] An opening is formed at the top end of the upper part, and a guide section 11 is formed at the top end of the heel side of the opening to guide heel insertion and is made of an elastic member consisting of an inner soft layer 11A and an outer hard layer 11B overlapped together. The soft layer and hard layer are integrally covered in a bag-like shape with outer skins 11a, 11b, and 11c, and a first stitch 19 is applied to sew and secure the outer skins 11a, 11b, and 11c together at the top end of the overlapping surfaces of the soft and hard layers, and a second stitch 21 is applied midway through the guide section, penetrating the hard layer 11B and sewing the outer skin 11b on the back surface of the hard layer 11B to the outer skin 11c on the overlapping surface of the soft layer 11A, compressing the hard layer 11B from both the inside and outside, so that the inner surface at the top end of the cross section of the soft layer 11A is curved backward at the heel. The outer surface 11c of the overlapping surface of the soft layer 11A and the hard layer 11B is shared by a single sheet.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a shoe opening structure in which a guide is provided at the opening including the heel portion in order to improve ease of putting on and a comfortable fit when wearing various shoes such as casual shoes, leather shoes, and safety shoes. [Background technology]

[0002] Known shoe opening structures for the above-mentioned shoes include, for example, those shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in which the heel part of the upper opening is formed slightly higher, the outside is made of a hard material with a certain degree of rigidity, and the inside that comes into contact with the foot is made of a soft material with cushioning (elasticity) such as foam. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7638580 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7659938 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The shoes shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have an upper with a high, curved heel that acts as a guide for the heel of the foot when inserting it, and once worn, the soft inner layer elastically contacts the back of the heel, making the shoes less likely to come off.

[0005] However, all of the above heel guides are made up of a hard layer of highly rigid leather or the like on the outside all the way to the top end, or have a crescent-shaped core made of plastic or the like inserted into its cross section. As a result, although the heel is guided into the shoe when it is put on, there is resistance due to the hardness, and even after putting the shoe on, there are problems such as a feeling of tightness or fatigue when walking uphill or doing delicate exercise.

[0006] In addition, the shoes in all of the above documents have a moon-shaped core material made of plastic or a hard outer layer material made of leather or the like inserted or covered over the entire heel portion, which poses problems such as the need for a strong jig or the like to maintain the position when sewing the heel portion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The shoe opening guide of the present invention for solving the above problems is a shoe opening structure in which an opening 13 is formed at the top end of the upper part 2 of the shoe body 1, and a guide part 11 is formed at the top end of the heel side of the opening 13 to guide the insertion of the heel of the wearer's foot, and the guide part 11 is made of an elastic material in which an inner soft layer 11A and an outer hard layer 11B are overlapped, and the soft layer 11A and the hard layer 11B are each integrally covered in a bag-like shape with outer skins 11a, 11b, and 11c. The shoe is characterized in that a first stitch 19 is applied to sew together and fix the outer skins 11a, 11b, and 11c at the upper end side of the overlapping surface of the soft layer 11A and the hard layer 11B, and a second stitch 21 is applied to penetrate the hard layer 11B at the middle of the guide section to sew together the outer skin 11b on the back surface of the hard layer 11B and the outer skin 11c on the overlapping surface of the soft layer 11A, compressing the hard layer 11B from both the inside and outside, and the inner surface at the upper end of the cross section of the soft layer 11A is curved backward at the heel.

[0008] Secondly, the outer surface 11c of the overlapping surface of the soft layer 11A and the hard layer 11B is made of a single sheet.

[0009] Thirdly, a core material 17 having a predetermined rigidity and flexibility is inserted into the cross section of the guide portion 11, and the upper end of the core material 17 is interposed between the lower ends of the hard layer 11B and the soft layer 11A, and a third stitch 22 is applied to sew and fix the hard layer 11B and the soft layer 11A through the upper end of the core material 17.

[0010] Fourthly, the outer skin 11a of the soft layer 11A of the guide section 11 is extended as a lining material 18 that covers the inner surface of the shoe body 1 at least up to the sole section 3 of the heel section and comes into contact with the wearer's foot, and an elastic member made of foamed plastic material is integrally attached to the cross section of the lining material 18 at the lower position of the heel section beyond the guide section 11.

[0011] Fifth, a counter portion 6 made of a sheet-like material and forming the outer surface of the upper portion 2 is formed on the back side of the heel cross section of the upper portion 2, and a third stitch 22 is provided close to the upper end peripheral edge of the counter portion 6. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the shoe opening structure of the present invention configured as described above, an elastic shoe opening guide is provided at the top end of the shoe opening of the upper part that makes up the shoe body. Therefore, even when guiding the heel insertion when putting on the shoe, the entire cross section of the guide part of the shoe opening elastically deforms to guide the heel, so the shoe can be put on with almost no resistance. Even after putting on the shoe, because the inside of the guide part is made of a soft elastic material, the shoe can be worn with ease while maintaining a resilient fit without feeling tight, and can fully perform its slip-off prevention function.

[0013] The hard layer is then placed on the back side of the soft layer on the inside of the shoe, and the upper end of the overlapping surface is sewn together with a first stitch, and below that, the outer skin and the outer hard layer, which form the boundary between the two overlapping surfaces, are sewn together with a second stitch, causing the soft layer to curve backward and overhang the hard layer, forming a smooth outward curve of the guide surface.

[0014] Furthermore, at the lower end of the guide section, the upper end of the core material is inserted between the lower ends of the soft layer and the hard layer and sewn together with a third stitch, so that the soft layer bulges inward and protrudes, which not only increases the effectiveness in preventing the shoe from slipping off, but also has the advantage of preventing downward shifting of the elastic material inside the lower end of the soft layer and the lining part which is molded integrally with the inner leather on the inside of the cross section.

[0015] Furthermore, although the lower end of the guide portion of the opening is sewn to the upper end of the flexible core material, the guide portion is not inserted over its entire height, so sewing the guide is easy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall side view of a shoe to which the shoe opening guide of the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a general cross-sectional view of a shoe showing an outline of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the shoe opening guide according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a rear development view of an upper portion and an opening guide showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view (photograph) of an entire shoe opening showing an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Figures 1 to 5 show one embodiment of the present invention, and in this example show a casual shoe with laces and an open lacing system in which the upper part 2 of the shoe body 1 is made of synthetic leather and the sole part 3 made of a resilient EVA foam material or the like is molded together with the upper part 2.

[0018] The upper part 2 is made of a sheet-like synthetic leather (or leather material) with a certain degree of rigidity and elasticity that maintains the upper structure of the shoe body 1, and is equipped with a counter part (heel counter) 6 that forms the outside of the instep 4 and the heel, and sides 7 that connect the two. At the rear of the upper part 4, left and right wings 8 through which shoelaces are threaded are attached to the upper front extension ends of the sides 7, and a tongue 9 made of an elastic material that covers the instep of the wearer's foot below them are sewn to the upper part 4.

[0019] Additionally, a guide portion 11, which is U-shaped in plan view and has an elastic material such as foam inserted inside, is attached by stitching to the upper periphery of the counter portion 6 and the side portion 7, and its front open end is stitched to both the left and right sides of the tongue 9 via gore portions 12. In this example, the gore portions 12 are formed in a U- or V-shape and are made of a stretchable material such as rubber cloth, and together with the tongue 9, form a loop-shaped opening 13 of the shoe body 1, which elastically fits tightly around the ankle and instep of the wearer when inserted, allowing the shoe itself to fit the foot.

[0020] In the illustrated embodiment, the front end of the guide portion 11 is connected to the tongue 9, but since it covers the rear outer circumference of the heel of the inserted foot and, as will be described later, smoothly guides the insertion of the heel of the foot when worn, ensuring an elastic fit and anti-slip function after wearing, the front end does not necessarily have to be connected to both sides of the tongue 9, and the guide portion 11 itself does not need to form a closed loop-shaped opening.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the heel-side counter portion 6 of the upper portion 2 is formed by cutting out the curved portion of the rear extension end of the side 7 in a mountain shape, and the upper peripheral edge of the mountain-shaped reinforcing counter 16 that covers this cutout portion 14 and the overlapping portion of the side 7 are sewn together, and a mountain-shaped sheet-like core material 17 made of a thermoplastic material or the like that has a certain level of rigidity and flexibility is inserted inside the counter portion 6, and the entire cross section is adhesively fixed together with the lining material 18 that forms the inner surface of the shoe body 1.

[0022] The lining material 18 is formed of a fabric material in which an elastic material such as urethane foam is attached to the inner surface of a nylon fiber fabric, and in this example, it is a single homogeneous material that is an extension of the outer skin 11a of the soft layer 11A, which is the inner layer of the guide portion 11 described later.

[0023] In contrast, as shown in Figure 3, the guide portion 11 is constructed by integrally superimposing a soft layer 11A and a hard layer 11B having different hardness (or density) on the inside and outside of the cross section, and the inner soft layer 11A and the outer hard layer 11B are covered (or wrapped) and sealed on the surface side by bag-shaped outer skins 11a and 11b, respectively.

[0024] In this example, the soft layer 11A has a density of 20 kg / m 3 Polyurethane foam, hard layer 11B has a density of 32 kg / m 3 The outer skins 11a and 11b are made of nylon fabric, which is the same as the lining material 18, with EVA foam (foam material) attached to the inner surface.

[0025] However, outer skin 11c between the overlapping surfaces that forms the boundary between soft layer 11A and hard layer 11B is made of a single sheet material and is made of a thicker nonwoven fabric that is stronger (more rigid) than outer skins 11a and 11b. Furthermore, depending on the functions required of soft layer 11A and hard layer 11B, different materials can be used, such as nylon fabric for outer skin 11a on the soft layer 11A side to improve heel insertion guidance, and synthetic leather for outer skin 11b on the hard layer 11B side to take into consideration shape retention, waterproofness, appearance, etc.

[0026] The outer skins 11a, 11b of the soft layer 11A and the hard layer 11B and the outer skin 11c on the overlapping surface are sewn together at one point by a first stitch 19 that overlaps and sews the three together at their upper ends. Also, halfway down the outer hard layer 11B, a second stitch 21 is made that penetrates the inside of the hard layer 11B and sews together the outer skin 11c at the boundary with the outer skin 11b on the outer side (back side) of the hard layer 11B in a direction that pulls them together (pulls them together).

[0027] Due to the difference in hardness between the hard layer 11B and the soft layer 11A of the guide section 11 above the counter section 6, the upper end of the soft layer 11A is pulled in the direction of the second stitch 19, i.e., downward and outward, and is warped outward by the difference in hardness between the hard layer 11B and the soft layer 11A above the counter section 6. This warped state is maintained as a guide surface for foot insertion while maintaining the elasticity of the surface due to the compression of the soft layer 11A's interior. As a result, the heel is guided more smoothly when the foot is inserted.

[0028] In addition, the upper end of the core material 17 described above is inserted into the lower end of the cross section of the guide portion 11 so as to contact the inner surface of the lower end of the outer skin 11c, and the lower end position of the hard layer 11B (outer skin 11b) close to the upper end of the counter portion 6 on the outer surface side and the midpoint below the outer skin 11a of the soft layer 11A are sewn together by a third stitch 22 that passes through the cross section including the upper end of the core material 17.

[0029] This third stitch elastically pulls the lower end of soft layer 11A toward core material 17 and counter portion 6, compressing and securing it in place. As a result, the lower end of 11A is secured to shoe body 1, which makes it easier for the inner surface of the upper end to bend outward due to the first stitch 19 and second stitch 21 described above, and also prevents the lower end of soft layer 11A and the lining material 18 below it from shifting downward when the shoe is worn. In addition, the lower part of the bent soft layer 11A bulges inward and elastically presses against the outer periphery of the ankle, thereby preventing it from slipping off when walking.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, the second stitches 21 are provided in a limited range in the circumferential direction on the back of the heel, and a reinforcing leather 25 made of synthetic leather is sewn and fixed as the outer skin of the guide part 11 between the second stitches 21 and the gore part 12 on the outer periphery of the forward extension end of the remaining guide part 11.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4, the core material 17 is divided into left and right halves at the center of the back side of the heel portion and sewn together, so that it maintains rigidity while also having sufficient flexibility to maintain the freedom of movement of the counter portion 6.

[0032] In addition to the above, a texon board 23 made of a hard material, a hard nonwoven fabric sheet 24, etc., are integrally glued and fixed onto the sole portion 3 inside the shoe body 1 in Figure 2 to keep the shape inside the shoe stable, and an insole 26 with excellent cushioning and a three-dimensional shape whose upper surface fits the curved surface of the sole of the foot is removably inserted on the upper surface of the texon board 23. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1. Shoes 2 Upper part 3 Sole 6 Counter section 11 Guide section 11A Soft layer 11B Hard layer 11a,11b,11c outer skin 13 Opening 17 Core material 18 Lining material 19 First stitch 21 Second stitch 22 Third stitch

Claims

1. A shoe opening structure in which an opening (13) is formed at the top end of the upper part (2) of a shoe body (1), and a guide part (11) is formed at the top end of the heel side of the opening (13) to guide the insertion of the heel of the wearer's foot, and is made of an elastic material in which an inner soft layer (11A) and an outer hard layer (11B) are overlapped, and the soft layer (11A) and the hard layer (11B) are integrally covered in a bag-like shape with outer skins (11a), (11b), and (11c), and the overlapping of the soft layer (11A) and the hard layer (11B) is formed. A first stitch (19) is applied to sew and fix the outer skins (11a), (11b), and (11c) together at the upper end sides of the mating surfaces, and a second stitch (21) is applied to pierce the hard layer (11B) at the midpoint of the guide section and sew together the outer skin (11b) on the back surface of the hard layer (11B) and the outer skin (11c) on the overlapping surface of the soft layer (11A), compressing the hard layer (11B) from both the inside and outside, thereby creating a shoe opening structure in which the inner surface at the upper end side of the cross section of the soft layer (11A) is curved backward at the heel.

2. 2. The shoe opening structure according to claim 1, wherein the outer skin (11c) of the overlapping surface of the soft layer (11A) and the hard layer (11B) is made of a single sheet.

3. 3. The shoe opening structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a core material (17) having a predetermined rigidity and flexibility is inserted into the cross section of the guide portion (11), the upper end of the core material (17) is interposed between the lower ends of the hard layer (11B) and the soft layer (11A), and a third stitch (22) is applied to sew and fix the hard layer (11B) and the soft layer (11A) through the upper end of the core material (17).

4. 3. A shoe opening structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer skin (11a) of the soft layer (11A) of the guide portion (11) is extended as a lining material (18) that covers the inner surface of the shoe body (1) at least up to the sole portion (3) of the heel portion and comes into contact with the wearer's foot, and an elastic member made of foamed plastic material is integrally attached to the cross section of the lining material (18) at a lower position of the heel portion beyond the guide portion (11).

5. 4. The shoe opening structure according to claim 3, wherein a counter portion (6) made of a sheet-like material and forming the outer surface of the upper portion (2) is formed on the back side of the heel cross section of the upper portion (2), and the third stitch (22) is provided close to the upper end peripheral edge of the counter portion (6).

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