CN103687506A

CN103687506A - An item of footwear

Info

Publication number: CN103687506A
Application number: CN201280035556.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: K·班
Original assignee: NAME DROP SARL
Current assignee: NAME DROP SARL
Priority date: 2011-07-18
Filing date: 2012-07-18
Publication date: 2014-03-26
Also published as: GB2493036B; WO2013011304A1; GB2493036A; EP2734073A1; US20140290097A1; GB201112362D0; GB201119822D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to an item of footwear having a sole, comprising two or more materials of different compressive resistances, flexibility or densities arranged as a frontal/toe region, a mid foot region and a heel region. The item of footwear comprises: a securing means for securing the item of footwear to a foot of a wearer; and a sole having a midsole which has a frontal/toe region, a mid- foot region and a heel region, the mid-foot region of the midsole being formed from a material different to the material used for the heel region such that the mid-foot region has a lower compressive resistance and/or a lower density and/or a higher flexibility than the heel region, wherein the mid-sole is thin and tapered.

Description

Article of footwear

Technical field

The present invention relates to a kind of article of footwear, it has sole, and sole comprises two or more materials with different resistance to compressions, flexibility or density, and is arranged to front portion/toe region, mesopodium region and heel area.

Background technology

Most footwear are because it is attractive in appearance or its comfortableness and purchased.Comfortable footwear are configured to user comfortable Walking and Standing are provided, and generally include rational inner liner, arch support part and comfortable sole.During normal use, the pin that the footwear of prior art are user provides good stable basis, and therefore when keeping good balance, reduces the size of user's required muscle strength when planting oneself or walk.

Before the inventor, have been found that by providing in article of footwear slightly but the unstability of security measurement, user in walking or the difficulty of carrying out balance when standing increase, and therefore need more muscle activity to realize be equal to when using prior technical shoes well balanced.Particularly, have been found that, when dress has slight instable article of footwear, for example the muscle of the rectus femoris of leading portion shin bone, tibialis posterior, quadriceps muscle of thigh and gluteus maximus is worked harder.Therefore, WO2008/132478 discloses a kind of article of footwear, and it is stood or contribute to muscle to regulate and reinforcement during walking everywhere (doing like that as it is daily) user.

Be sure of that the sole of article of footwear described above is only realized the unstability that is enough to provide muscular training effect if sole has very large thickness (being significantly greater than conventional article of footwear) before.Applicant be sure of to have at heel place that at least the middle end of 40mm thickness provides unstable effect so far.But thicker, sole is heavier, and cost is higher, and it has been generally acknowledged that not too attractive.

Summary of the invention

The invention provides the claimed article of footwear of a kind of claim 1.

The inventor have been found that comprise there is heel, front portion/toe and the mesopodium region of different physical characteristics and have between 18-28mm, preferably from 23mm-25mm and most preferably be about 24mm heel thickness the end favourable unstable effect can be provided.

Accompanying drawing explanation

Now, the preferred embodiment of the present invention will only be described by example and with reference to accompanying drawing, in accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is according to the top plan view of the sole of article of footwear of the present invention, and this figure has the feature of article of footwear that additional line is described the top surface below of sole;

Fig. 2 illustrates along the cross section of the article of footwear of Fig. 1 of the line A1-A2 intercepting of Fig. 5;

Fig. 3 and 4 is side elevation views of the article of footwear of Fig. 1, represents respectively outer side view and the inner side view of article of footwear;

Fig. 5 is the bottom plan view of the outer bottom of article of footwear; And

Fig. 6,7 and 8 is respectively along the cross-sectional view of the article of footwear of Fig. 1-5 of line B1-B2, the C1-C2 of Fig. 5 and D1-D2 intercepting.

The specific embodiment

The present invention relates to a kind of article of footwear, for example slippers, slippers or enclosed-style footwear.In the accompanying drawings, show the sole of article of footwear, but should be understood that sole will conventionally arrange frenulum and arrange that (not shown) or upper of a shoe are to be fixed to sole by pin.

As shown in Figure 4, the preferred embodiment of the present invention have by top substrate 2A, in the sole 2 that forms of end 2B and outer bottom 2C.Top substrate 2A is incorporated into middle end 2B, and middle end 2B is incorporated into outer bottom 2C to the sole 2 of one is provided.Top substrate 2A is configured to receive wearer's pin, and forms texture and think that wearer's pin provides grip surface.Top substrate 2A can be the coating that is applied to the upper surface of middle end 2B, for example fabric coating or be attached to the fibrage of the upper surface of middle end 2B; More firmly, the end, can replace top substrate to use.Top substrate 2A(or the interior end) can be integral with middle end 2B.Outer bottom 2C provide foot bottom surface, i.e. the surface of kiss the earth, and one or more spines can be set or groove (not shown) grasps to provide.Outer bottom 2C was preferably molded into single parts before being combined with middle end 2B.Because its kiss the earth, outer bottom 2C forms by having the material of good wear resistance.Outer bottom 2C preferably has the constant thickness of about 4.5mm.

Middle end 2B is preferably formed three zoness of different, as shown in the cross section of Fig. 2.Front portion/toe region represents by Reference numeral 4.Mesopodium region represents by Reference numeral 5.Heel area represents by Reference numeral 6.Three regions of middle end 2B are formed by two or more materials with different resistance to compressions and/or flexibility and/or density, and wherein territory, middle base area 5 is provided by the flexible material with minimum resistance to compression and/or density and/or maximum.Therefore sole 2 is arranged so that weight that wearer applies in the process of walking causes the unstability of sole, and this needs user to carry out balance correction.The instable amount causing is slight, but is enough to carry out little balance correction by wearer's leg muscle.

The mesopodium region 5 at the middle end comprises having the first resistance to compression and/or density and/or the first flexible material; Front portion/toe region 4 comprises having higher than the resistance to compression of the first material and/or higher than the density of the first material and/or lower than the second flexible material of the first material.In addition, heel area 6 has the 3rd material that is different from the first and second materials, and it comprises higher than the resistance to compression of the first material and/or higher than the density of the first material and/or lower than the flexibility of the first material.Preferably sole 2 has than the hard heel area 6 in mesopodium region 5 and front portion/toe region.It is also preferred that front portion/toe region 4 is slightly more soft than heel area 6, but heel area 6 and front portion/toe region 4 are all hard than mesopodium region 5.By example, the hardness of the regional of middle end 2B is used Shore tolerance to measure, and heel area has 48 Shore hardness, and mesopodium region has 28 Shore hardness, and front portion/toe region has 31 Shore hardness.

In the preferred embodiment of article of footwear 1 according to the present invention, front portion/toe region 4 is at the most front 15%-24% of the length of sole 2, preferably approximately extend on 18%, mesopodium region 5 is on the middle 37%-53% of the length of sole 2, preferably at the middle 47%-53% of the length of sole 2 and most preferably be on about 50% and extend, and heel area 6 is at the last 29%-39% of the length of sole 2, preferably approximately extend on 32%.The length in these regions represents with A, B and C respectively in Fig. 2.

Although preferably the material in mesopodium region 5 has than the lower resistance to compression in front portion/toe region 4 and/or lower density and/or larger flexibility, when very thin in front portion/toe region 4 (in the situation that it is inclination sole), these relative performances are not too important.But in inclination sole, importantly heel area 6 has than the higher resistance to compression in mesopodium region 5 and/or higher density and/or lower flexibility all the time.

Middle end 2B preferably manufactures by multistage molding process.At first, mesopodium region 5 is molded into the individual components of anterior face and the posterior face with inclination, is trapezoidal shape while observing in side elevation view.Then, mesopodium region is loaded in mould, with material granule, forms front portion/toe region and heel area, and applies heat and melt particle, and in mould, forms front portion/toe region and heel area, is fused to preformed mesopodium region.Alternatively, fluent material can be ejected in mould to form front portion/toe region and heel area.When removing from mould, the volume expansion at the middle end of initial coarse moulding.The grinding on surface and side surface thereon of the middle end, and top substrate is applied to upper surface.The assembly at top substrate and the middle end is placed in the second mould, in the second mould, this assembly is heated and remains on the time cycle that reaches selection at rising temperature, then before discharging from mould, make for example cooling fluid of water reach the time of selection around through mould, make it cooling in mould.The d/d assembly at top substrate and the middle end has required net shape and the surface characteristics of hope, and is ready to make outer bottom to be attached to the lower surface at the middle end.

The thickness 19 of heel area 6 is measured usually used as minimum thickness, i.e. the thickness of the minimum point place heel area of heel area, and this finds in middle body in heel area conventionally when plane is observed.According to the thickness of the heel area 6 at the middle end of the present invention in the scope of 18mm-28mm, preferably from 23mm-25mm and most preferably be about 24mm.Have been found that within the scope of this, if this layer is following, describe, can obtain suitable training effect.On this scope, the thickness of layer will be enough large, thereby not need this inclination to realize this effect.At this below scope, the thickness of layer is too small, and can not realize training effect.

From Fig. 2-4, can see, sole tilts to front portion/toe region 4 along its length from heel area 6.Not to be the degree of depth reduce along the linearity of sole length in this inclination, but the overall attenuation of sole from heel to toe.In fact, attenuation will not be continuous, and the some parts of sole will have constant thickness.Importantly wearer's pin tilts by footwear, makes wearer's toe lower than wearer's heel.

Sole 2 has the inner side shown in the outside shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.When wearing by wearer, the big toe of wearer's pin is positioned on the inner side of sole 2.

The inclination of multi-density material layer is described with reference to effective back height conventionally, the thickness difference between the thickness at the middle end of the toe ball of the thickness of the center that effective back height is heel area 6 and supporting wearer's pin.The toe ball of wearer's pin will be supported in the middle end near the transition part between front portion/toe region 4 and arch area 5.In fact, have the situation that the toe ball of wearer's pin extends on the transition part between these regions.For the preferred embodiment of the present invention, effectively back height is between 6mm-18mm, preferably in the scope between 6mm and 10mm or between 12mm and 16mm.Effectively the preferred value of back height is at approximately 8mm or approximately 15.5mm.

In a preferred embodiment, sole comprises the recessed recess 15 being formed at middle the end, as shown in Fig. 1 and 5, and see by the cross section (front portion/toe region and the heel area through sole intercepts respectively) of comparison diagram 7 and 10 and the cross section (through recessed mesopodium region intercepting) of Fig. 8.Recess 15 extends to front portion/toe point of aiming at the toe sole of the foot joint (being also known as the first ray of pin) of pin wearer region from the part of the calcaneum front portion of the pin that is tightly positioned at wearer of heel area 6.In illustrated embodiment, this means that recess extends rearward to before sole rear portion about 20% point along the inner surface at the middle end about 40% point from sole forepart.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the narrowest width of the lowest surface at the middle end in recess 15 will be 61mm-67mm, and by contrast, the width of the upper space at the middle end that identical point place is measured is 67mm-84mm and more preferably from 67mm-75mm.Preferably, while measuring through the lowest surface of outer bottom at its narrowest some place, recess 15 has the width of 61.5mm, and by contrast, the width that the identical point place on the upper space at the middle end is measured is 71mm.Consider further embodiment, while wherein measuring through the lowest surface of outer bottom at its narrowest some place, recess 15 has the width of 64mm, and by contrast, the width that the identical point place on the upper space at the middle end is measured is 81mm.

Between the width of the lowest surface at the middle end at its narrowest some place can be than the width of the upper space at the middle end at respective point place narrow 10% and 30%, and between preferred narrow 10% and 20%, and most preferably narrow by 13%, and adversely do not affect the wearer of footwear.The minimal slope of the sidepiece of recess 15 is in the scope at 45 °-80 °, and is preferably 75 °.

The inventor has been found that wearer is by the attitude walking with following, in normal paces, first this attitude gets middle being applied in heel area 6 by build-up of pressure, then along the outside in the mesopodium region of sole, and finally gets and is applied in front portion/toe region 4 middlely.The mesopodium region 5 of sole therefore need to be on the whole width of sole 2 but only along the outside supporting user's in mesopodium region 5 pin.The weight and the cost that this means sole 2 can be by reducing at the mesopodium region 5 less material of interior use.Advantageously, as mentioned above, by the width at the end reducing from its upper space to its lowest surface, make the width of upper space be greater than the width of lowest surface, in the normal plane view outline of the upper space at sole of the present invention end in maintenance, realized and having reduced.Width is herein restricted at the end perpendicular in conjunction with front portion/toe region 4 and from outside to inner side, passes through the distance of sole on the direction of the nose of the end of heel area 6, as shown in the line 33 in Fig. 5.

Therefore recess 15 is set in the inner surface in mesopodium region, and the instable effect providing by sole has been provided, and allows the heel width that reduces.

Recessed recess in the inner surface at the middle end will form conventionally in the final stage of the molding process as above forming, and it is arranged to the feature of the second mould.Sole will have piece material form, until it is placed in the second mould.

As seen from Figure 5, except recess 15 is set, on its whole periphery, in the lowest surface of middle end 2B ratio, the outmost surface of end 2B is narrow.In some embodiments, lowest surface can be than the narrow 1.5mm-2.5mm of outmost surface, and the about 2mm of preferred narrow.

But more preferably, because middle end 2B tilts, this situation is more obvious than front portion/toe region 4 in heel area 6.In this embodiment, the periphery of outer bottom in heel area 6 from upper space to lowest surface indentation 2mm-6mm, and between the interior indentation 1mm in front portion/toe region 4 and 2.5mm.The size of outer bottom is identical with the lowest surface at the middle end.

Can in Fig. 2, see, front portion/toe region 4 along interface 7 in abutting connection with in territory, base area 5.7 places at interface, the material in front portion/toe region 4 is fused to the material in mesopodium region 5.In a similar manner, the interface between mesopodium region 5 and heel area 6 is arranged on 8 places, interface.Although

interface

7,8 can be vertical in itself, preferably has tilted interface.Particularly, the sloping portion 4A in front portion/toe region 4 and the sloping portion 5A in mesopodium region 5 are overlapping, wherein mesopodium region 5 on mesopodium toe region 4 above and above extend.In addition, the sloping portion 5B in mesopodium region 5 and the sloping portion 6A of heel area 6 are overlapping, wherein mesopodium region on heel area 6 and above extend.Preferably, the interface between each region tilts, to increase the Surface Contact between region.In this case, the size in region will change between the upper surface at middle end 2B and lower surface.Preferably front portion/toe region 4 the most front 18% and lower surface of top surface 24% on extend, mesopodium region 5 the centre 52% of top surface and lower surface 37% on extend, and heel area 6 last 30% and lower surface of top surface 39% on extend.

When sole is positioned on horizontal surface, interface is preferably with respect to 45 ° of horizontal tilts.

Advantageously, can see in the accompanying drawings, sole 2 is shaped according to anatomy.The material of front portion/toe region 4, territory 5, middle base area and heel 6 is arranged to provide and waves effect (slight unstability), makes slightly to wave when pin is trampled through sole from heel 6 to toe 4, changes the equilbrium position of user's pin.Waving effect can be interior-outer or anterior-posterior or anterior-posterior and interior-outer instable combination.Particularly, pressure is the outside through mesopodium region 5 from heel 6 gradually, and then to front portion/toe region 4, causes mesopodium region flexible, waves, and cause slight unstability to form.

The embodiment of sole 2 shown in the drawings is preferably made by ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA).According to the present invention, utilize the EVA(of three different stages to there is different resistance to compressions and/or density and/or flexibility) for the zones of different at the middle end, to provide, wave effect.But, will appreciate that other material will provide the effect being equal to, and the example of these materials is other elastomer, silicon rubber, natural or synthetic rubber and/or polyurethane.

The instable effect of before having considered footwear needs wide sole when user revises its balance, to support user's pin.Before, the Breadth Maximum of supposing the upper surface at the middle end in heel area must be at least 75mm.

The Breadth Maximum of the upper surface at the middle end in similarly, supposing in front portion/toe region and arch area in the upper surface at the end must be at least 98mm.

But the inventor has been found that user can compensate unstability, even and if in the situation that narrower footwear also can be realized suitable training effect.

In fact, have been found that Breadth Maximum in the upper surface at the middle end in its heel area article of footwear in the scope of 55mm-68mm also can realize training effect.

Similarly, the article of footwear of the Breadth Maximum of upper surface that has been found that the middle end in its front portion/toe region and arch area in the scope of 80mm-92mm also can be realized training effect.

Inclination sole as above is particularly conducive to and uses in enclosed-style footwear (footwear for example with the upper cover of the pin that encapsulates toe and/or arch of foot front portion).This is to be needs attractive in appearance (comparing with open footwear) because enclosed-style footwear narrows down.Narrow footwear are limited in wearer's toe in the cavity limiting between sole and vamp.In order to realize this narrow structure, need to increase the volume of cavity, by sole is tilted, at the front end place of footwear, realizing volume increases.

Claims

1. an article of footwear, comprising:

For article of footwear being fixed to the fixture on wearer's pin; And

Sole, it has the middle end that comprises front portion/toe region, mesopodium region and heel area, the mesopodium region at the middle end is formed by the material being different from for the material of heel area, and mesopodium region is had than the low resistance to compression of heel area and/or low density and/or high flexibility, wherein:

The middle end in heel area, has the thickness in the scope of 18mm-28mm; And

The middle end is for supporting the thickness that has in wearer's the part in region of toe ball of pin between 6mm and 18mm, and is less than the thickness at the middle end in heel area.

2. article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein, front portion/toe region forms by having than the high resistance to compression in mesopodium region and/or high density and/or low flexible material.

3. article of footwear according to claim 1 and 2, wherein, the thickness at the middle end in heel area is 23mm-25mm.

4. according to the article of footwear described in the claims any one, wherein, for supporting the end in front portion/toe region in wearer's the part of toe ball of pin, between 12mm and 16mm, be less than the thickness at the middle end in heel area.

5. according to the article of footwear described in the claims any one, also comprise the recess in the inner surface that is formed on the middle end, it reduces the middle bottom width degree at the lowest surface place at the middle end, wherein in bottom width degree therefrom narrow to the lowest surface at the middle end downwards in the upper space at the end.

6. article of footwear according to claim 5, wherein, recess narrows to the narrowest width by the lowest surface at the middle end, and this narrowest width is 14mm at the most, is less than the narrowest width of the upper space at the middle end.

7. according to the article of footwear described in claim 5 or 6, wherein, recess narrows down the lowest surface at the middle end, make this lowest surface have the narrowest width of the upper space at the middle end 80% and 90% between the narrowest width.

8. according to the article of footwear described in claim 5-7 any one, wherein, recess extends back through the whole mesopodium region of sole to the point in the heel area of sole before heel rear portion along the point in front portion/toe region of inner side sole from sole forepart at the middle end.

9. according to the article of footwear described in claim 5-8 any one, wherein, recess is recessed recess.

10. according to the article of footwear described in the claims any one, wherein, sole also comprises the outer bottom for ground-engaging.

11. according to the article of footwear described in the claims any one, and wherein, sole also comprises on the upper space that is arranged on the middle end and the top substrate that can engage by wearer's pin.

12. according to the article of footwear described in the claims any one, and wherein, sole also comprises on the upper space that is arranged on the middle end and the interior end that can engage by wearer's pin.

13. according to the article of footwear described in the claims any one, and wherein, in heel area, the middle base thickness degree of 18mm-28mm is the minimum thickness at the middle end in heel area.

14. according to the article of footwear described in the claims any one, and wherein, in heel area, the middle base thickness degree of 18mm-28mm is the average thickness at the middle end in heel area.

15. according to the article of footwear described in the claims any one, wherein, and the most front 15-24% that front portion/toe region of sole is sole, the middle 37-53% that mesopodium region is sole, and the heel area last 29-39% that is sole.

16. according to the article of footwear described in the claims any one, and wherein, in heel area, the upper space at the middle end has the surface area larger than the lowest surface at the middle end, and the periphery at the middle end is from upper space to lowest surface indentation 2mm-6mm.

17. 1 kinds of article of footwear, comprising:

For article of footwear being fixed to the fixture on wearer's pin; And

Sole, it has the middle end that comprises front portion/toe region, mesopodium region and heel area, the mesopodium region at the middle end is formed by the material being different from for the material of heel area, and mesopodium region is had than the low resistance to compression of heel area and/or low density and/or high flexibility

In wherein in heel area, the Breadth Maximum of the upper surface at the end is in the scope of 55mm-68mm.

18. 1 kinds of article of footwear, comprising:

For article of footwear being fixed to the fixture on wearer's pin; And

In in its middle front part/toe region and arch area, the Breadth Maximum of the upper surface at the end is in the scope of 80mm-92mm.

19. according to the article of footwear described in the claims any one, and wherein, fixture is for encapsulating the lid of wearer's toe.

20. 1 kinds of article of footwear, comprising:

Article of footwear is fixed to the fixture on wearer's pin; And

Sole in heel area has the thickness within the scope of 18mm-28mm; And

Sole in front portion/toe region has the thickness between 6mm and 10mm for supporting in wearer's the part in region of toe ball of pin, and this thickness is less than the thickness of the sole in heel area.

21. 1 kinds of article of footwear, comprising:

For article of footwear being fixed to the fixture on wearer's pin; And

Sole, it has the middle end that comprises front portion/toe region, mesopodium region and heel area, the mesopodium region at the middle end is formed by the material being different from for one or more materials of front portion/toe region and heel area, mesopodium region is had than front portion/toe region and the low resistance to compression of heel area and/or low density and/or high flexibility, wherein:

Sole in heel area has the thickness in the scope of 18mm-28mm; And

22. according to the article of footwear described in claim 20 or 21, and wherein, the thickness of the sole in heel area is 23mm.

23. according to the article of footwear described in claim 20-22 any one, and wherein, the sole in front portion/toe region, being 8mm for supporting in wearer's the part of toe ball of pin, is less than the thickness of the sole in heel area.

24. according to the article of footwear described in claim 20-23 any one, also comprise the recess in the inner surface that is formed on the middle end, this recess reduces the middle bottom width degree at the lowest surface place at the middle end, and the middle bottom width degree therefrom upper space at the end narrows to the lowest surface at the middle end downwards.

25. article of footwear according to claim 24, wherein, recess narrows to the narrowest width by the lowest surface at the middle end, and this narrowest width is 14mm-20mm, is less than the narrowest width of the upper space at the middle end.

26. according to the article of footwear described in claim 24 or 25, and wherein, recess narrows down the lowest surface at the middle end, make this lowest surface have the narrowest width of the upper space at the middle end 70% and 80% between the narrowest width.

27. according to the article of footwear described in claim 24-26 any one, wherein, recess extends back through the whole mesopodium region of sole to the point in the heel area of sole before heel rear portion along the point in front portion/toe region of inner side sole from sole forepart at the middle end.

28. according to the article of footwear described in claim 24-27 any one, and wherein, recess is recessed recess.

29. according to the article of footwear described in claim 20-28 any one, and wherein, sole also comprises the outer bottom for ground-engaging.

30. according to the article of footwear described in claim 20-29 any one, and wherein, sole also comprises on the upper space that is arranged on the middle end and the top substrate that can engage by wearer's pin.

31. according to the article of footwear described in claim 20-30 any one, and wherein, sole also comprises on the upper space that is arranged on the middle end and the interior end that can engage by wearer's pin.

32. according to the article of footwear described in claim 20-31 any one, and wherein, in heel area, the sole thickness of 18mm-28mm is the minimum thickness of the sole in heel area.

33. according to the article of footwear described in claim 20-32 any one, and wherein, in heel area, the sole thickness of 18mm-28mm is the average thickness of the sole in heel area.

34. according to the article of footwear described in claim 20-33 any one, wherein, and the most front 15-21% that front portion/toe region of sole is sole, the middle 47-53% that mesopodium region is sole, and the heel area last 20-35% that is sole.

35. according to the article of footwear described in claim 20-34 any one, and wherein, the upper space at the middle end has the surface area larger than the lowest surface at the middle end, and the periphery at the middle end is from upper space to lowest surface indentation 1.5mm-2.5mm.