Sole mounting body

Abstract

Provided is a sole mounting body that is usable as an insole, a sandal, a sock, or the like. A sole mounting body 30 includes: a sole body (or a sole main body supporting a sole) 11 on which a sole is placed; and a first protrusion 13 protruding from the sole body (or the sole main body) 11 toward a foot underside. The first protrusion 13 primarily supports a center part 51c of a first metatarsal 51. The sole mounting body 30 may comprise a second protrusion 15 and a third protrusion 17 projecting from the sole body (or the sole main body) 11 toward the foot underside. In this case, the second protrusion 15 primarily supports the navicular bone 55, and the third protrusion 17 primarily supports the cubic bone 57.

Description

Sole attachment Related Applications

[0001] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-099185, filed on June 19, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a footwear that can be used as an insole, a sandal, a sock, or the like.

[0003] The sole attachment has a specific shape to exert some effect on the sole of the foot. The sole attachment can be inserted into a shoe to be used as an insole, or the sole attachment with a specific shape can be worn as a sandal or slipper.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 (Patent No. 6966078) discloses a foot orthotic used as the midsole of footwear or as an insole inserted into footwear, which has a first protruding portion that protrudes to press against the ball of the big toe, a second protruding portion that protrudes to press against the ball of the little toe, and a base portion on which the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion are arranged, and which is characterized in that the first protruding portion presses against the ball of the big toe and the second protruding portion presses against the ball of the little toe, allowing the user to walk with the toes raised higher than the heel.

[0005] With this foot correction device, when walking, the first protrusion of the foot correction device presses against the ball of the big toe, and the second protrusion presses against the ball of the little toe, thereby properly maintaining the arch of the sole of the foot, thereby eliminating the difficulty in walking caused by collapse of the arch.

[0006] Patent No. 6966078

[0007] However, although the insole in Patent Document 1 allows the user to walk with the toes raised higher than the heels, the raised toes cause the center of gravity to shift from the toes to the heels. As a result, wearing this insole and leaning forward causes excessive tension in the foot muscles.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a sole mounting body that can reduce the burden on the wearer even when in a forward leaning position.

[0009] The inventors of the present invention have found that by using a sole body having a convex portion that centrally supports the center of the first metatarsal, the convex portion can alleviate muscle activity in a forward-leaning posture.Furthermore, the inventors of the present invention have found that in a preferred embodiment, by combining a first convex portion that centrally supports the center of the first metatarsal, a second convex portion that supports the cuboid bone at its center, and a third convex portion that supports the navicular bone at its center, it is possible not only to alleviate muscle activity in a forward-leaning posture but also to reduce fluctuations in the center of gravity in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions when standing upright.

[0010] The present invention may include the following aspects. [Aspect 1] A sole fitting comprising: a sole body on which the sole of the foot is placed or a sole body that supports the sole of the foot; and a first convex portion that protrudes from the sole body or the sole body toward the sole of the foot, wherein the first convex portion centrally supports the center of the first metatarsal. [Aspect 1-1] A sole fitting comprising: a sole body on which the sole of the foot is placed; and a first convex portion that protrudes from the sole body toward the sole of the foot, wherein the first convex portion centrally supports the center of the first metatarsal. [Aspect 1-2] A sole fitting comprising: a sole body that supports the sole of the foot; and a first convex portion that protrudes from the sole body toward the sole of the foot, wherein the first convex portion centrally supports the center of the first metatarsal. [Aspect 2] A sole fitting according to Aspect 1, wherein the center of the first metatarsal is pressed more strongly than the second proximal phalanx. [Aspect 3] The sole wear article according to Aspect 1, further comprising a second convex portion and a third convex portion protruding from the sole body or the sole body toward the sole of the foot, the second convex portion supporting the navicular bone at its center and the third convex portion supporting the cuboid bone at its center. [Aspect 4] The sole wear article according to Aspect 3, wherein the second convex portion and the third convex portion are connected via a valley portion, and the valley portion existing between the second convex portion and the third convex portion is located at a higher position than the sole body or the sole body in the thickness direction toward the sole of the foot. [Aspect 5] The sole wear article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 4, wherein the sole wear article is an insole, sandals, shoes, indoor shoes, tabi, socks, tights, or foot cover.

[0011] In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the terms "protruding" and "protruding" refer to a protrusion from the reference plane of the sole body toward the sole of the foot, and a protrusion means sticking out higher than the surrounding area.

[0012] Furthermore, "centrally supporting" a specific part means that when the sole attachment is worn, the wearer feels stronger pressure on the specific part.

[0013] The term "upward" refers to the direction from the reference surface of the sole body toward the sole side, regardless of the vertical relationship, and "downward" refers to the direction from the sole side toward the reference surface of the sole body.

[0014] The term "longitudinal direction of the foot" means a direction substantially identical to the direction of the third metatarsal bone that forms the middle toe. "Substantially identical" means a direction that is within a range of inclination of about ±10 degrees, preferably about ±5 degrees, and more preferably about ±3 degrees relative to a given direction.

[0015] The term "inner" refers to the side closer to the median plane when the plane that forms the axis of symmetry is considered to be the midline when the human body is considered to be roughly symmetrical, and the term "outer" refers to the side farther from the median plane.

[0016] When the position of the protrusion of the sole fitting body is explained using the bone parts of the foot, the position of the protrusion of the sole fitting body means the position of the corresponding bone part projected vertically onto the reference surface of the sole body.

[0017] As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms "at least one," unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, the terms "and / or," "at least one," and "one or more" include any and all combinations of the associated listed items.

[0018] It should be noted that any combination of at least two elements disclosed in the claims and / or the specification and / or the drawings is included in the present invention, and in particular any combination of two or more of the claims set forth in the claims is included in the present invention.

[0019] The first convex portion reduces the amount of muscle activity in the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles when the wearer of the sole attachment maintains an upright posture, performs bending and stretching exercises, or maintains a load-lifting posture. As a result, muscle tension that occurs when working while standing, lifting loads, or in a forward-leaning posture can be alleviated, allowing the wearer to work in a more relaxed manner.

[0020] 1 is a plan view showing an example of an insole used as a sole fitting body superimposed on the foot skeleton. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing another example of an insole used as a sole fitting body superimposed on the foot skeleton. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing another example of an insole used as a sole fitting body superimposed on the foot skeleton. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing another example of an insole used as a sole fitting body superimposed on the foot skeleton. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing another example of an insole used as a sole fitting body superimposed on the foot skeleton. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing another example of an insole used as a sole fitting body superimposed on the foot skeleton. FIG. 7 is a photograph showing electromyographs attached to the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles below the knee on the right and left feet of a man. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating an upright position. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the action of bending the foot. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the action of lifting a load. FIG. 11 is a photograph showing a device for measuring foot height attached to the foot. FIG. 12 is a graph showing the fluctuation in the center of gravity position when an adult male lifts a load while wearing the insole of Comparative Example 1. 1 is a graph showing the change in the center of gravity position when an adult male lifts a load while wearing the insole of Example 2. FIG. 2 is a graph showing the change in the center of gravity position when another adult male lifts a load while wearing the insole of Comparative Example 1. FIG. 3 is a graph showing the change in the center of gravity position when another adult male lifts a load while wearing the insole of Example 2.

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the footwear of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensions of each part in the drawings used in the following description are not necessarily the same as the actual dimensions and can be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, the same reference numerals will be used to designate parts that are the same in multiple drawings, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0022] An example of a foot sole attachment used as an insole is shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a plan view of an insole with the foot skeleton superimposed thereon.

[0023] 1, the sole wearing body 10 includes a sole body 11 on which the sole of the foot rests, and a first convex portion 13 that protrudes toward the sole of the foot from the sole body 11. The first convex portion 13 centrally supports the center portion 51c of the first metatarsal 51. By centrally supporting the center portion of the first metatarsal with the first convex portion, the first metatarsal can be lifted, and the muscle activity of the tibialis anterior can be alleviated.

[0024] The first convex portion 13 protrudes from a reference surface (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as the reference surface) of the sole body 11. The reference surface of the sole body 11 may be flat, but may also have a gently curved surface (for example, a curved surface in which the outer edge of the sole body 11 gently rises) within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0025] In Figure 1, the area where the first convex portion 13 is formed on the reference surface of the sole body 11 is shown by an approximately circular dotted line, but as long as it centrally supports the center portion 51c of the first metatarsal 51, the area where the first convex portion 13 is formed and its shape are not particularly limited.

[0026] For example, the first convex portion 13 of the sole fitting body 10 may have a protruding shape having one apex protruding from the reference plane. The apex may centrally support the center portion 51c of the first metatarsal 51. As long as the apex centrally supports the center portion 51c of the first metatarsal 51, the apex may be point-like or planar when viewed from the sole of the foot.

[0027] The first convex portion 13 may have side surfaces that extend downward from the top toward the bones surrounding the first metatarsal bone 51 or toward the head portion 51a and base portion 51b of the first metatarsal bone 51. The downward-extending side surfaces may be slanted in a direction that widens from the top, or may be slanted vertically downward from the top. The inclination may also be multi-stepped toward the reference plane.

[0028] For example, the first convex portion 13 of the sole fitting body 10 may have an apex and a portion that slopes downward toward the surrounding bones, or the first convex portion 13 of the sole fitting body 10 may be substantially dome-shaped, protruding toward the sole of the foot from a substantially circular shape of a predetermined size on the reference plane of the sole body 11. Alternatively, the first convex portion 13 of the sole fitting body 10 may be substantially conical, polygonal pyramidal, truncated conical, or truncated polygonal pyramidal shape, etc., having an apex and a portion that slopes downward toward the surrounding bones.

[0029] Here, the central portion 51c of the first metatarsal 51 refers to the central portion obtained by dividing the first metatarsal 51 into three equal parts in the longitudinal direction. The base portion 51b of the first metatarsal 51 is a portion extending from the heel-side end portion 51b1 of the first metatarsal 51 to one-third of the total length of the first metatarsal 51. The head portion 51a of the first metatarsal 51 is a portion extending from the toe-side end portion 51a1 of the first metatarsal 51 to one-third of the total length of the first metatarsal 51.

[0030] Supporting the center 51c of the first metatarsal 51 centrally means that the wearer feels stronger pressure on the center 51c when wearing the shoe. For example, the wearer may also feel pressure on the bones around the center 51c, but relatively speaking, the wearer feels stronger pressure on the center 51c.

[0031] For example, due to the presence of the first protrusion 13, the wearer may feel stronger pressure on the central portion 51c of the first metatarsal 51 than on the head portion 51a (excluding the sesamoid portion) of the first metatarsal 51 and the base portion 51b of the first metatarsal 51. Furthermore, due to the presence of the first protrusion 13, the wearer may feel stronger pressure on the central portion 51c of the first metatarsal 51 than on the medial cuneiform 53i. Furthermore, due to the presence of the first protrusion 13, the wearer may feel stronger pressure on the central portion 51c of the first metatarsal 51 than on the second proximal phalanx 54.

[0032] When the sole body 11 of the insole fitting body 10 is raised at the arch portion 12, the first convex portion 13 may be formed separately from the arch portion 12, on the toe side of the tip of the arch portion 12 indicated by the dashed line on the reference plane. Note that the arch portion 12 is typically formed between the base 51b of the first metatarsal 51 and the talus 56.

[0033] A modified example of the sole fitting body 10 used as an insole is shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the insole with the foot skeleton superimposed thereon.

[0034] 2, the sole wearing body 20 includes a sole body 11 on which the sole of the foot rests, and a first protrusion 23 that protrudes toward the sole of the foot from the sole body 11. The first protrusion 23 centrally supports the center 51c of the first metatarsal 51.

[0035] For example, due to the presence of the first protrusion 23, the wearer may feel stronger pressure on the central portion 51c of the first metatarsal 51 than on the head portion 51a (excluding the sesamoid portion) of the first metatarsal 51 and the base portion 51b of the first metatarsal 51. Furthermore, due to the presence of the first protrusion 23, the wearer may feel stronger pressure on the central portion 51c of the first metatarsal 51 than on the medial cuneiform 53i. Furthermore, due to the presence of the first protrusion 23, the wearer may feel stronger pressure on the central portion 51c of the first metatarsal 51 than on the second proximal phalanx 54.

[0036] For example, as one example of various configurations that can be employed as the first protrusion 23, the first protrusion 23 may be a generally triangular pyramidal protrusion having an apex 23t and a base extending in the longitudinal direction of the foot. The bottom surface of this protrusion and the ridge line from the apex 23t of the generally triangular pyramid are indicated by dotted lines. The generally triangular base of the generally triangular pyramid may be, for example, a generally isosceles triangle with the longest base on the outer side and the apex on the inner side in the reference plane of the sole body 11. Furthermore, the first protrusion 23 may be, when rotated 180 degrees, a generally isosceles triangle with the longest base on the inner side and the apex on the outer side in the reference plane of the sole body 11.

[0037] For example, the first protrusion 23 may have a portion (arrow 23a) that slopes downward from the center 51c of the first metatarsal 51 toward the femoral head 51a of the first metatarsal 51. The first protrusion 23 may also have a portion (arrow 23b) that slopes downward from the center 51c of the first metatarsal 51 toward the medial cuneiform 53m and / or intermediate cuneiform 53i. The first protrusion 23 may also have a portion (arrow 23c) that slopes downward from the center 51c of the first metatarsal 51 toward the medial outer edge 11b of the sole body 11 near the center 51c. Although not shown in FIG. 2 , the sole body 11 may or may not have an arch portion 12, as in FIG. 1 .

[0038] Fig. 3 shows a modified example of the sole fitting body 10 used as an insole. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the insole with the foot skeleton superimposed thereon.

[0039] As shown in Figure 3, the sole attachment body 30 has, in addition to the first convex portion 13, a second convex portion 15 and a third convex portion 17 protruding from the sole body 11 toward the sole of the foot, and the second convex portion 15 centrally supports the navicular bone 55, and the third convex portion 17 centrally supports the cuboid bone 57.

[0040] Supporting the navicular bone 55 centrally means that when the wearer wears the support, they feel stronger pressure on the navicular bone 55. For example, the wearer may also feel pressure on the bones around the navicular bone 55, but relatively speaking, they feel stronger pressure on the navicular bone 55.

[0041] For example, due to the presence of the second protrusion 15, the wearer may feel stronger pressure on the navicular bone 55 than on the calcaneus 58. Furthermore, due to the presence of the second protrusion 15, the wearer may feel stronger pressure on the navicular bone 55 than on the base 52b1 of the third metatarsal bone 52.

[0042] 3, the location where the second convex portion 15 is formed on the reference plane of the sole body 11 is indicated by a substantially circular dotted line, but the location and shape of the second convex portion 15 are not particularly limited as long as it supports the navicular bone 55 around its center. For example, the second convex portion 15 of the sole fitting body 30 may be substantially dome-shaped, protruding from a substantially circular shape of a predetermined size on the reference plane of the sole body 11 toward the sole of the foot. Alternatively, the second convex portion 15 of the sole fitting body 30 may be substantially conical or polygonal pyramidal, having an apex and a portion sloping downward toward the surrounding bone.

[0043] Furthermore, the location where the third convex portion 17 is formed on the reference plane of the sole body 11 is indicated by a substantially circular dotted line, but as long as support is provided with the cuboid bone 57 as the center, the location and shape of the third convex portion 17 are not particularly limited. For example, the third convex portion 17 of the sole fitting body 30 may be substantially dome-shaped, protruding from a substantially circular shape of a predetermined size on the reference plane of the sole body 11 toward the sole of the foot. Alternatively, the third convex portion 17 of the sole fitting body 30 may be substantially conical or polygonal pyramidal, having an apex and a portion sloping downward toward the surrounding bones.

[0044] Supporting the cuboid bone 57 centrally means that, when the wearer wears the brace, the wearer feels stronger pressure on the cuboid bone 57. For example, the wearer may also feel pressure on the bones around the cuboid bone 57, but relatively speaking, the wearer feels stronger pressure on the cuboid bone 57.

[0045] For example, due to the presence of the third protrusion 17, the wearer may feel stronger pressure on the cuboid bone 57 than on the calcaneus 58. Furthermore, due to the presence of the third protrusion 17, the wearer may feel stronger pressure on the cuboid bone 57 than on the base 52b1 of the third metatarsal 52.

[0046] The third convex portion 17 protrudes from the reference plane of the sole body 11. For example, the third convex portion 17 may have a portion that slopes upward from the base 52b1 of the third metatarsal 52 toward the cuboid bone 57. The third convex portion 17 may also have a portion that slopes upward from the center 58c of the calcaneus 58 toward the cuboid bone 57.

[0047] In relation to the arch portion 12, the sole fitting body 30 may have an apex of the first convex portion 13 formed separately from the arch portion 12, closer to the toes than the tip of the toe side of the arch portion 12. Also, a second convex portion 15 may be formed from the center of the arch portion 12 toward the heel. Furthermore, the third convex portion 17 may be formed in a position that at least partially overlaps with the second convex portion in the longitudinal direction of the foot.

[0048] By combining the first convex portion, the second convex portion, and the third convex portion, the overall balance is improved, and it is also possible to reduce the strain on the lower back, especially when lifting luggage.

[0049] Fig. 4 shows a modified example of a sole mounting body 30 used as an insole. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the insole with the foot skeleton superimposed thereon.

[0050] 4, the sole wearing body 40 includes a sole body 11 on which the sole of the foot rests, a first convex portion 23 protruding from the sole body 11 toward the sole of the foot, and a second convex portion 25 and a third convex portion 27 protruding from the sole body 11 toward the sole of the foot, the second convex portion 25 supporting the navicular bone 55 as its center, and the third convex portion 27 supporting the cuboid bone as its center. In this shape, for example, when the heel side edge of the bottom surface of the first convex portion and the toe side edge of the bottom surface of the second convex portion are positioned approximately parallel to each other, the provision of multiple convex portions can reduce any discomfort that may occur when wearing the sole wearing the shoe.

[0051] The second convex portion 25 is a generally triangular pyramid-shaped convex portion having a vertex 25t and a base extending toward the medial-lateral edge of the foot, and the bottom surface and the ridge line from the vertex 25t of the generally triangular pyramid are indicated by dotted lines. The generally triangular base of the generally triangular pyramid may be, for example, a generally isosceles triangle with the longest base on the inner side and the vertex on the outer side in the reference plane of the sole body 11.

[0052] For example, the second convex portion 25 may have a portion (arrow 25a) that slopes downward from the navicular 55 toward the intermediate cuneiform 53m. The second convex portion 25 may also have a portion (arrow 25b) that slopes downward from the navicular 55 toward the talus 56. The second convex portion 25 may also have a portion (arrow 25c) that slopes downward from the navicular 55 toward the medial outer edge portion 11b of the sole body 11 near the navicular 55.

[0053] Although not shown in FIG. 4, the sole body 11 may or may not have an arch portion 12, similar to that shown in FIG.

[0054] For example, the third convex portion 27 is an approximately triangular pyramid having an apex 27t at the part corresponding to the cuboid bone 57 on the reference plane of the sole body 11 and an approximately triangular base, and the ridge line from the base and the apex 27t of the approximately triangular pyramid is shown by a dotted line.

[0055] For example, the area of ​​the bottom of the second convex portion 25 on the reference plane of the sole body 11 may be larger than the area of ​​the bottom of the third convex portion 27 on the reference plane.

[0056] Fig. 5 shows a modified example of a sole mounting body 40 used as an insole. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the insole with the foot skeleton superimposed thereon.

[0057] As shown in Figure 5, the sole mounting body 50 has a first convex portion 23 and a first composite protrusion 28 in which a second convex portion 25 and a third convex portion 27 are connected via a valley portion 28v. The outline of the first composite protrusion 28 in the reference plane surrounds the second convex portion 25 and the third convex portion 27 and has a valley portion 28v that narrows between the second convex portion 25 and the third convex portion 27, as shown by a dashed dotted line. The first composite protrusion 28 as a whole protrudes from the reference plane of the sole body 11. Note that as long as the second convex portion 25 and the third convex portion 27 centrally support the navicular bone 55 and the cuboid bone 57, respectively, the surface of the first composite protrusion 28 may be provided with an uneven surface such as a grained shape.

[0058] In the valley portion 28v, for example, a portion that slopes downward from the navicular bone 55 toward the lateral cuneiform bone 53l and a portion that slopes downward from the cuboid bone 57 toward the lateral cuneiform bone 53l may be connected. In addition, the valley portion 28v preferably protrudes from the reference plane of the sole body 11.

[0059] Fig. 6 shows a modified example of a sole fitting body 50 used as an insole. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the insole with the foot skeleton superimposed thereon.

[0060] 6, the sole mounting body 60 may have a fourth protrusion 22 that centrally supports the third metatarsal 52. The fourth protrusion 22 may have a generally flat portion on its upper surface and may have a gently rising protrusion shape (for example, a generally frustum shape) overall. Furthermore, the bottom surface of the fourth protrusion 22 in the reference plane of the sole body 11 may have a generally teardrop shape with an obtuse angle on the toe side and an acute angle on the heel side.

[0061] Furthermore, the fourth protrusion 22 may form a second composite raised portion 29 together with the first protrusion 23. The outline of the second composite raised portion 21 on the reference plane is shown by a dashed line, and the second composite raised portion 29 as a whole protrudes from the reference plane of the sole body 11. The bottom surface of the first protrusion 23 and the bottom surface of the fourth protrusion 22 may partially overlap, and the overlapping portion may form a valley portion 29v.

[0062] 1 to 6 have been described using an insole as an example, the footwear can be used for various footwear as long as it has the above-mentioned shape on the side facing the sole. For example, in addition to insoles, footwear includes sandals, zori, geta, shoes, indoor shoes, tabi socks, socks, foot covers, etc.

[0063] The sandals, zori, and geta may be any type of sandals as long as they can achieve the effects of the present invention, but low-heeled sandals with wide toes are preferred, and examples of preferred sandals include sports sandals, beach sandals, clog sandals, clog sandals, comfort sandals, recovery sandals, etc. Of these, comfort sandals and recovery sandals are particularly preferred.

[0064] The shoes may be short boots or rubber boots, and examples include various sneakers (low-cut sneakers, mid-cut sneakers, high-cut sneakers, high-tech sneakers, low-tech sneakers, lace-up sneakers, slip-ons, band-type sneakers, etc.), leather shoes (natural leather shoes, synthetic leather shoes), work shoes, etc. The work shoes may be safety shoes equipped with a toe cap with a specified strength in the toe area for the purpose of protecting the wearer's feet when used in workplaces involving foot hazards, or may be work shoes for light work without a toe cap.

[0065] The insole mounting body of the present invention can be effectively used particularly as work shoes, since it can relieve muscle tension of the wearer when maintaining an upright posture or lifting loads.

[0066] Indoor shoes refer to all indoor shoes worn indoors, including slippers, shoes, boots, sandals, and the like.

[0067] In tabi socks, socks, foot covers, and the like, instead of a sole body, a convex portion may be provided on a sole body that supports the sole. In this case, the sole fitting body includes a sole body that supports the sole, and a first convex portion that protrudes from the sole body toward the sole, and the first convex portion supports the center of the first metatarsal bone. Other convex portions (second convex portion, third convex portion, etc.) may also be formed with reference to the description of the convex portions above.

[0068] For example, in a footwear used as tabi socks, socks, foot covers, etc., a sole body that supports the sole of the foot is provided instead of a sole body, and the sole side of the sole body is used as a reference plane. In a footwear used as tabi socks, socks, foot covers, etc., the first convex portion may protrude toward the sole side from the reference plane of the sole body that supports the sole.

[0069] The sole attachment may also have any other convex and / or concave portions relative to the reference surface, as long as the first convex portion and, if necessary, the second convex portion and the third convex portion can support each of the above-mentioned bone portions.

[0070] The sole body can be made of known or commonly used materials. For example, the sole body of the sole body may be molded from rubber or synthetic resin (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, silicone resin, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), etc.).

[0071] The sole body and at least one convex portion selected from the group consisting of the first convex portion, the first convex portion, the first convex portion, and the first convex portion may be made of the same material or different materials. If made of different materials, the sole body may be made of a relatively soft material and the at least one convex portion may be made of a relatively hard material. Furthermore, if necessary, the sole attachment body may have a surface material disposed on the side that comes into contact with the sole of the foot.

[0072] When the footwear is a sandal, shoe, or indoor slipper, it may have an upper on top of the sole body into which the foot is inserted, and an outsole below the sole body that serves as the sole of the shoe. The upper and outsole can be integrated with the sole body by a known or conventional method. However, the sole body may or may not be fixed to the outsole.

[0073] Alternatively, if the insole garment is a tabi, sock, or foot cover, an instep portion that wraps around the foot may be provided continuously from the sole body, and, if necessary, an ankle portion may also be provided. The insole garment may be made of a woven or knitted fabric. Materials for the woven or knitted fabric include natural fibers (e.g., wool, cotton, linen, silk, etc.) and synthetic fibers (nylon, polyester, acrylic, polyurethane). These fibers may be used alone or in combination of two or more. If necessary, the convex portion may be filled with an inner member to increase its thickness. Furthermore, in tabi such as jika-tabi, the sole body may have a rubber sole on the surface that comes into contact with the ground. In this case, various convex portions, such as a first convex portion, may be formed on the sole side of the rubber sole of the sole body, and various convex portions may be formed protruding from the sole body toward the sole side.

[0074] Furthermore, in the case of footwear such as socks and foot covers, the sole body may be formed from a knitted fabric formed by stockinette knitting or the like. In this case, the convex portions may be formed by protruding pile yarn from the knitted fabric serving as the base fabric. Alternatively, the convex portions may be formed by overlapping multiple knitted fabrics. In this case, an inner member may be formed in the overlapping portions as necessary. Alternatively, the convex portions may be formed by sewing and / or gluing rubber, synthetic resin, cloth, or the like to the sole body.

[0075] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the following examples and comparative examples, various physical properties were measured by the following methods.

[0076] Example 1 An insole was made of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and had first convex portions at the locations shown in FIG. 2 on the sole body.

[0077] Example 2 An insole was produced using ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and having a first convex portion, a second convex portion, and a third convex portion at the locations shown in FIG. 4 relative to the sole body.

[0078] Comparative Example 1 An insole was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that no convex portions were formed.

[0079] Comparative Example 2 An insole was produced in the same manner as in Example 2, except that the first convex portion was not formed.

[0080] (Muscle Activity) An adult male was fitted with the insoles of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1 in athletic shoes and wore them. Electromyographs were attached to the tibialis anterior (CH1 and CH3 in the figure) and gastrocnemius (CH2 and CH4 in the figure) of the male's right and left feet below the knee, as shown in Fig. 7 , and muscle activity was measured when the male maintained an upright posture for 30 seconds as shown in Fig. 8 , when the male performed one bending and stretching exercise for 20 seconds as shown in Fig. 9 , and when the male maintained a posture of lifting a load (20 kg) from the floor for 15 seconds as shown in Fig. 10 .

[0081] The amplitude of the electromyogram waveform obtained by the electromyograph was calculated as an absolute value for the positive (+) and negative (-) waveforms, and the muscle activity (μmV·s) was evaluated using the integral value.

[0082] (Center of Gravity Stability) An adult male was asked to wear the insoles of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1 in athletic shoes. The subject then performed the same movements as those used to measure muscle activity on a stabilometer to measure center of gravity sway. The data was recorded at a sampling frequency of 60 Hz, and the area of ​​a convex polygon containing the set of center of gravity points was defined as the perimeter area, and the length of the entire trajectory of the center of gravity points was defined as the total trajectory length.

[0083] (Bone Position) An adult male was asked to wear the insoles of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1 in athletic shoes. As shown in Figure 11, reflective markers were attached to the first metatarsal, navicular, and cuboid bones, and the change in height from the ground was measured.

[0084] (Sensory test related to load-lifting action) Regarding the burden on the lower back when wearing the insoles, five men and women were each fitted with athletic shoes and wore the insoles of Example 2 and Comparative Example 1. Then, they performed the action of lifting a 20 kg load from the ground, and evaluated the discomfort felt in the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, quadriceps, biceps femoris, and the lower back around the lumbar vertebrae on a 5-point scale, with 5 representing the most strain, and the average score was used for evaluation.

[0085] (Center of gravity sway test during load-lifting) Two adult males were fitted with the insoles of Example 2 and Comparative Example 1 in their athletic shoes. A floor reaction force meter was used to conduct a center of gravity sway test to confirm the effect of the insoles during the lifting of a 20 kg load. The time when the lifting began was designated as 0 seconds, and the load was lifted over 2-3 seconds. The subject maintained this posture while the coordinate values ​​of the center of gravity changed over a 16-second period from the time the load was lifted were used to evaluate the center of gravity sway. Three measurements were taken, and the average value was used.

[0086]

[0087] As shown in Table 1, in all cases of maintaining an upright posture, performing bending and stretching exercises, and maintaining a load-lifting posture, Examples 1 and 2 were able to reduce the integrated values ​​of muscle activity in both the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles compared to Comparative Example 1. Because muscle activity in both the tibialis anterior muscle on the front side of the foot and the gastrocnemius muscle on the back side can be reduced, the foot can be put into a more relaxed state, and the burden on the foot can be reduced.

[0088] In particular, when bending and stretching and lifting a load were maintained, muscle activity tended to decrease in Example 1. On the other hand, when an upright posture was maintained, muscle activity tended to decrease in Example 2.

[0089]

[0090] As shown in Table 2, when maintaining an upright posture, performing bending and stretching exercises, and maintaining a load-lifting posture, Examples 1 and 2 were able to raise the positions of the first metatarsal, navicular, and cuboid bones compared to Comparative Example 1.

[0091]

[0092] As shown in Table 3, in the leaning forward posture, in Example 1, there was little swaying of the center of gravity, and the movement of the center of gravity was also small, as the outer peripheral area and total trajectory length in the upright posture in Example 1 were small, and it was shown that the center of gravity swayed only slightly, allowing the subject to stand upright stably.

[0093] In addition, in Example 2, the outer peripheral area and total trajectory length were small during bending and stretching exercises and when lifting and holding a load from the floor, so there was little fluctuation in the center of gravity, and it was shown that the user could stand upright stably.

[0094]

[0095] As shown in Table 4, five adult males and females evaluated that for all of the muscles examined, Example 2, which had protrusions, caused less discomfort in the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, quadriceps femoris, biceps femoris, and lower back around the lumbar vertebrae when lifting an object than Comparative Example 1, which had no protrusions.

[0096] 12A and 12B, which show data obtained by measuring the change in the center of gravity of an adult male wearing the insole, it was found that for both COPx and COPy, when the insole of the example of FIG. 12B was worn, the coordinates for each of COPx and COPy tended to be closer to 0, i.e., the change in the center of gravity tended to be smaller, compared to when the insole of the comparative example of FIG. 12A was worn. This trend was also observed in the graphs of FIG. 13A and 13B, which show data obtained by measuring the change in the center of gravity of another adult male wearing the insole. When the insole of the example of FIG. 13B was worn, the coordinates for each of COPx and COPy tended to be closer to 0, i.e., the change in the center of gravity tended to be smaller, compared to when the insole of the comparative example of FIG. 13A was worn.

[0097] 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60: sole attachment body, 11: sole body, 13, 23: first convex portion, 15, 25: second convex portion, 17, 27: third convex portion, 22: fourth convex portion, 28: first compound protuberance, 29: second compound protuberance, 51: first metatarsal, 51a: head portion of first metatarsal, 51b: base portion of first metatarsal, 51c: center portion of first metatarsal, 55: navicular bone, 57: cuboid bone

Claims

1. A sole attachment comprising: a sole body on which the sole of the foot rests or a sole body that supports the sole of the foot; and a first convex portion that protrudes from the sole body or the sole body toward the sole of the foot, wherein the first convex portion centrally supports the center of the first metatarsal bone.

2. The insole mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the central portion of the first metatarsal bone is pressed more strongly than the second proximal phalanx.

3. The footwear according to claim 1, further comprising a second convex portion and a third convex portion protruding from the sole body or the sole body toward the sole of the foot, the second convex portion providing central support for the navicular bone, and the third convex portion providing central support for the cuboid bone.

4. A footwear as described in claim 3, wherein the second convex portion and the third convex portion are connected via a valley portion, and the valley portion existing between the second convex portion and the third convex portion is located at a higher position than the sole body or the sole body in the thickness direction toward the sole of the foot.

5. The footwear according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is an insole, sandals, shoes, indoor shoes, tabi socks, socks, or foot covers.

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