JP7703472B2 - Spacers and Healthy Shoes - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a spacer suitable for relieving and preventing foot pain caused by bunions, ingrown toenails, corns, etc., and to health shoes that use the spacer.

Wearing shoes with narrow tips or high heels for aesthetic reasons for many years places pressure on the bones of the toes, the nail of the big toe, and some of the bones of the little toe to support the body weight, which can lead to deformities such as bunions, bunions, ingrown toenails, and corns, making it difficult to walk. Countermeasures and treatments are needed to prevent these conditions from interfering with daily life, such as work and commuting.
Various techniques have been proposed for preventing toe pain from the viewpoint of footwear structure. Patent Document 1 proposes multipurpose shoes that hit the foot or toes and are easy to wear for disabled people with toe disorders, and that are easy for caregivers to help disabled people wear the shoes, and that meet various demands such as keeping the inside of the shoes clean and fixing the toes to the sole. Patent Document 2 describes footwear and insoles for preventing hallux valgus that have a big toe stabilizing recess, a heel stabilizing recess, an arch supporting protrusion, and a metatarsal supporting protrusion on the midsole.

JP 2006-130211 A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 09-140405

The shoes described in Patent Document 1 are said to be easy to wear for people with disabilities in the toes such as hallux valgus, because the upper is divided and each divided upper is equipped with a zipper, but the zippers are multiple and cumbersome to operate and easy to make mistakes. The insole is also provided with five toe straps, which are said to be effective in preventing or preventing hallux valgus and the like because they fix the toes, but it is not easy for a disabled person to insert five toes into each of the toe straps. Another problem is the high manufacturing cost. The footwear and insole for hallux valgus prevention described in Patent Document 2 has a midsole with a big toe stabilizing recess, a heel stabilizing recess, an arch supporting protrusion, and a metatarsal supporting protrusion, and the positions of the big toe and heel of the foot are fixed by the recesses, so the toes are less likely to move toward the toe side of the shoe, and the big toe is bent inward along the shape of the shoe, preventing hallux valgus or correcting hallux valgus. However, when performing large or complicated movements, the big toe cannot avoid moving widely and is subjected to impacts from all directions. Furthermore, the shoes described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not take into consideration prevention of irritation from the upper.
The object of the present invention is to provide a spacer that can prevent or reduce the impact and pressure on the toes when walking in shoes, and can reduce or eliminate pain caused by symptoms such as hallux valgus and ingrown toenails, and a health shoe equipped with the spacer. Another object of the present invention is to provide a health shoe that can be used as a sandal by separating the upper.

The invention of claim 1 is a spacer used between a sole and an upper,
The spacer is an elastic molded body having a protective wall formed on the outer peripheral edge of the toe portion of the sole from near the base of the big toe to near the base of the little toe, and the invention relates to a spacer characterized in that the height of the protective wall is approximately the same as or higher than the height of the big toe.

The invention of claim 2 relates to the spacer described in claim 1, in which the molded body is provided on the entire outer periphery of the sole, extending from the leading and trailing ends of the protective wall to the heel.

The protective wall forms a gap between the upper and the big toe, thereby reducing the frequency and magnitude of impacts that the upper gives to the toes. Also, the protective wall is made of an elastic molding, and even if the toes come into contact with the protective wall, the impact is mitigated and softened by the elastic molding, which exhibits shock absorption. The spacer may form a protective wall at the toe area where the toes are located, but when the front and rear ends of the protective wall are extended and installed on the entire outer periphery of the sole, a new elastic molding layer with shock absorption properties is formed between the sole and the upper.
In the present invention, the toe portion refers to the portion formed at the toe, running from near the base of the big toe across near the base of the little toe, the heel portion refers to the portion corresponding to the heel, and the arch portion refers to the portion from near the beginning of the medial longitudinal arch to its end, that is, the portion between the toe portion and the heel portion.

The invention of claim 3 is a health shoe that includes the spacer used between the sole and the upper, and the spacer is an invention related to a health shoe that uses the spacer described in claim 2.

The invention of claim 4 relates to the health shoe of claim 3, which has a thong shaft for determining the position of the toes in the area between the big toe and the second toe, and a thong consisting of the thong shaft and a thong string behind the thong shaft, and the thong shaft and the thong string are fixed to the spacer or the sole.

The elastic molded body placed between the sole and the upper has a protective wall at the toe part to protect the toes, and an elastic molded body layer of the molded body is formed on the entire outer periphery of the sole up to the heel part, providing a new health shoe with excellent shock absorption. This health shoe has a thong shaft that is held between the big toe and second toe and is fixed to the toe part, and this thong shaft determines the position of the big toe and other toes, so that the toes do not slip off when moving around while wearing the shoes, and the toes rarely come into contact with the inner wall of the shoe left and right, front and back, and the impact received from contacting the inner wall of the shoe is reduced, pain in the toes is also reduced, and comfort is greatly improved.
Many of the causes of pain caused by bunions, ingrown toenails, corns, etc. are body weight pressure on the toes, or external pressure and friction through the upper, but by modifying the shape of footwear, it is possible to prevent or alleviate pain in the toes.
If a protective wall is provided on the sole from the base of the big toe to the base of the little toe on the outer periphery of the toe side of the sole, the height of the big toe is approximately the same as or higher than that of the big toe when the shoe is worn, and the upper is attached to the upper surface of this protective wall, so that the toes are stored in the space. Also, by fixing the attachment position of the thong shaft provided in the crotch of the big toe and the second toe to a position where the big toe does not contact the surrounding wall, the movement of the toes is controlled by the thong shaft during walking and exercise, so that the toes are less likely to come into contact with the upper or the protective wall. Therefore, the toes are protected from pain caused by such contact. Also, when an impact is transmitted from the heel to the base of the big toe through the toe to the toe during walking, the balance of the walking can be maintained, and the unstable movement can be made more stable.
Foot pain is mainly caused by bunions, ingrown toenails, corns, etc., but since these pains occur mainly in the toes, as mentioned above, by providing a protective wall from the base of the big toe to the base of the little toe, it is possible to prevent the pain.

The invention of claim 5 is an invention relating to the health shoe described in claim 4, characterized in that the spacer and the upper are separably connected by a slide fastener.

The spacer and the upper are connected around the entire outer periphery with a slide fastener (hereinafter simply called a fastener), and if necessary, by opening the fastener all around, the spacer and the upper are separated, and the spacer side has a protective wall, and the sandals have a fixed thong shaft, making it possible to provide shoes that are gentle on people who suffer from pain in the toes due to hallux valgus or the like.

The present invention provides a spacer made of an elastic molded body having a protective wall that is fitted between the sole and the upper to prevent impact on the toes, and also provides a health shoe (hereinafter sometimes simply called a shoe) that is fitted with the spacer and has a thong with a thong shaft that is held between the big toe and the second toe. With the health shoe of the present invention, the toes hardly come into contact with the side wall of the protective wall or the inner wall of the upper, and the toes are fixed in the shoe even during exercise and do not shift position, effectively preventing impact on the toes from inside and outside the shoe. Therefore, the footwear is comfortable for users with diseases such as hallux valgus, little toe varus, ingrown toenails, and corns.
In addition, by separating the upper with a zipper and using the sole side portion equipped with the spacer of the present invention as a sandal, it is possible to provide a sandal with good breathability that can prevent shock to the toes in the same manner as the above-mentioned shoes.

With the health shoes of the present invention, in normal shoes, the shoe is fixed to the foot by tightening the instep, so there is no movement of the toes. However, the upper of the present invention is stretched just enough to cover the toes and instep, so the shoes can be used with the toes applying pressure from the thong as if holding the spacer sole.
The health shoes of the present invention have built-in straps like those used when walking in geta, which allows the wearer to walk by putting force into the toes and kicking the ground, making these health shoes characterized by their combined elements of being healthy and exercising the toes.

1 is a schematic diagram of a health shoe using a spacer according to the present invention, where (A) is a spacer type (X), (B) is a spacer type (Y), (C) is a spacer type (Z), and (D) is a health shoe using a spacer type (W) and equipped with a zipper. 1 is a schematic diagram showing various spacers (X), (Y), (Z), and (W) according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a spacer provided with a thong according to the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the health shoe of the present invention is worn. 1 is a schematic diagram of a sandal produced by separating the health shoe of the present invention with a zipper. 1 is a schematic side view of the health shoes of the present invention being worn;

The spacer and health use of the present invention will be explained using figures. However, the present invention is not limited to these.

In Figure 1, (A) shows a health shoe 1 in which a spacer 5 is fitted between the sole consisting of an outsole 2 and a midsole 3 and the upper 4, and type (X) of the spacer 5 is used, which has a height around the entire circumference that is approximately the same as the height of the protective wall 10. This spacer 5 does not have a bottom surface, and the midsole 3 is used as the foot placement surface. (B) shows a health shoe 1 in which a spacer 5 is fitted between the outsole 2 and the upper 4, and type (Y) of the spacer 5 is used, which has a protective wall 10 and a bottom surface 11, and the height of the protective wall 10 is made greater than the height of the big toe by the thickness of the bottom surface. In Figure 1(B), the dashed line of the spacer 5 represents the bottom surface 11, and the foot is placed on this bottom surface 11. In (C), the midsole 3 is attached to the outsole 2 in a type (Z) that gradually increases in thickness from the middle of the outsole 2 in accordance with the shape of the arch of the foot and becomes flat at the heel. The spacer 5 is attached along the shape of the midsole 3, and the height of the spacer 5 is small at the part where the height of the midsole 3 increases, such as the rear part 12 of the molded body, so that the combined height of the spacer 5 and the midsole 3 is kept approximately the same height over the entire circumference of the shoe 1. In (D), the spacer 5 is used in a type (W) that is formed to the minimum and forms a protective wall 10 at the toe part from the base of the big toe to the base of the little toe. The spacer 5 is made slightly higher than the height of the big toe in consideration of the thickness of the bottom surface. The end surface of the spacer 5 is in contact with the midsole 3, and the upper surface of the spacer 5 and the upper surface of the midsole 3 are aligned to the same height, and the end surface of the lower surface of the spacer 5 is aligned to the thickness of the midsole 3 at the same thickness as the bottom surface of the spacer 5, and the midsole 3 gradually increases in thickness in accordance with the arch of the foot and becomes flat at the heel, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 1(D). In addition, a removable fastener 6 is attached to the spacer 5 or between the spacer 5 and the upper surface of the sole 3 and the upper. One element is attached to the upper surface of the spacer 5 and the other element is attached to the lower surface of the upper by sewing the fastener tape portion, and an opening consisting of a butterfly pin and a box pin is attached near the lower part of the ankle. This fastener 6 can also be attached to other shoes (A), (B), or (C).

2 shows some examples of the spacers 5 used in the health shoes 1 according to the present invention. The usage of the spacers 5 was explained in paragraph 0017. These spacers 5 form a protective wall 10 at least in the part corresponding to the toe in order to reduce and relieve pain caused by impact on the big toe and other toes as much as possible. The toes are placed in the large space formed by the protective wall 10, the upper 4, and the surface of the sole 3 or the bottom surface 11 of the spacer 5.
The spacer 5 must protect the toes from shock and provide a comfortable fit, and is therefore made of a material that absorbs shock and has elasticity, such as nylon, ethylene vinyl acetate resin, urethane resin, silicone, synthetic rubber, or other elastomers.
The spacer 5 has an upper surface in contact with the upper 4, and by giving a rounded bulge to the toe shape of the upper 4, the space above the toes can be enlarged, and by providing a toe cap to the upper 4, the impact from the upper 4 can be reduced or made smaller.
The spacer 5 has a width of about 3 mm to about 10 mm at the top surface in contact with the upper, and the contact surface with the midsole 3 is preferably about 5 mm to about 15 mm for Type X. The thickness of the bottom surface of the spacer 5 is about 2 mm to 10 mm at the toe portion, and the thickness at the arch and heel portion is usually made approximately equal to the height of the protective wall, but if the purpose is to raise the heel portion, a thickness of several tens of mm is selected and used in consideration of the midsole 3. The spacer 5 can be molded from the above-mentioned material and integrated with the sole 3 and upper 4 by pressure bonding or adhesive bonding techniques used in the manufacture of shoes.
The spacer 5 forms a protective wall 10 at the toe to protect the toes from impact, but the remaining part excluding the protective wall (toe) is selected and used as a molded body of various shapes including the above types (X), (Y), (Z), and (W) based on structural, manufacturing, and design requirements. In Fig. 2, the inner wall of the spacer 5 is shown as standing, but it may be molded into a shape incorporating curves together with the bottom surface in pursuit of a comfortable fit, as seen in other insoles. In addition, a recess may be formed in the heel part to further maintain stability of the heel.

Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of the spacer 5 with a thong having a thong string 9 and a thong shaft 8 attached to the spacer bottom 11, and Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view showing the state when the health shoe 1 with a wide toe is worn. The thong shaft 8 is fixed to the back surface of the spacer 5 or the midsole 3 through a thong shaft hole provided in the toe portion so that the toes do not come into contact with the inner surface of the protective wall 10, etc., even when the user moves while wearing the shoe 1. Similarly, the thong string 9 is fixed behind the thong shaft 8.
Therefore, the movement range of the toes is limited within the shoe 1 during exercise such as walking, and the toes are protected from shocks from inside and outside the shoe. This makes it possible to eliminate pain caused by symptoms such as hallux valgus, ingrown toenails, and corns, as well as the causative factors of these symptoms.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a sandal in which the upper 4 portion is separated and removed from the spacer 5 and midsole 3 with a fastener 6, and the sole portion is used. A protective wall 10 that protects the toes and a strap shaft 8 that controls the movement of the toes are attached, so the toes are not irritated by the movement of the toes and the sandals can be used as well as having good ventilation.

Figure 6 is a side view showing the health shoe 1 when worn, with the midsole 3 being thin near the toes, thicker near the arch, and flat near the heel. Meanwhile, the toes of the spacer 5 are covered with a protective wall 10, the bottom of which rises along the shape of the midsole 3 and forms a thin bank-like rear part 12 near the heel. The upper part does not touch the toes, and is connected to the upper end of the spacer 5 via a fastener 6.

To provide health shoes and sandals that can be worn pain-free by people who suffer daily from pain caused by diseases such as hallux valgus, ingrown toenails, and corns, and that can be used for prevention and treatment, and also as fashion shoes.

1. Shoes 2. Outsole 3. Midsole 4. Upper
5 Spacer 6 Zipper 7 Opening 8 Strap shaft 9 Strap string 10 Protective wall 11 Spacer bottom surface 12 Rear part of molded body 13 Line indicating boundary between toe part and arch part 14 Flat fastener

Claims (1)

A health shoe having a spacer used between a sole and an upper,

The spacer is an elastic molding having a protective wall formed on the outer periphery of the toe portion of the sole from the vicinity of the base of the big toe to the vicinity of the base of the little toe, the height of the protective wall is approximately the same as or higher than the height of the big toe, and the molding is provided on the outer periphery of the sole extending from the front and rear ends of the protective wall to the heel portion,

A thong shaft for determining the position of the toes is provided between the crotch of the big toe and the second toe, and a thong is provided which is composed of the thong shaft and a thong string behind the thong shaft, and the thong shaft and the thong string are fixed to the spacer or the sole,

The health shoe is characterized in that the spacer and the upper are separably connected by a slide fastener .

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