JP7832506B2 - Upper, shoe, and method for manufacturing the upper - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to an upper, a shoe equipped with this upper, and a method for manufacturing the upper.

Conventionally, numerous techniques have been developed to make the upper fit snugly to the foot by applying tension to the upper. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which, in an upper in which multiple eyelets are formed on the left and right side edges of the throat portion, shoelaces are passed alternately through the left and right eyelets, and inlay strands are passed between the mesh of the knit base material of the upper.

The inlay strands disclosed in Patent Document 1 are arranged one on each side of the throat area. Each inlay strand extends from the outer edge of the upper toward the throat area, then passes around one eyelet hole and returns to the outer edge of the upper, repeating this process. One inlay strand passes around multiple eyelets provided on one side edge of the throat area. The other inlay strand passes around multiple eyelets provided on the other side edge of the throat area. In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, tension can be easily applied to a wide area of the upper by pulling the shoelaces and applying tension to the inlay strands.

Patent No. 6302478

However, in the upper disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the shoelace is pulled from the heel end, tension is less easily applied to the toe-side portion of the inlay strand. Therefore, it is necessary to separately pull the shoelace from the toe side to apply tension to the inlay strand.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide an upper that can apply tension to the upper in a single action, rather than having to pull it sequentially from the toe side.

To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the upper according to the present invention comprises a cloth-like base material having at least one layer, and a plurality of linear members formed independently of each other. Each of the plurality of linear members comprises a first portion provided at least at one end along the longitudinal direction of the linear member and fixed to the layer, and a second portion provided on the portion of the linear member other than the first portion and not fixed to the layer. At least one of the second portions is exposed to the outside of the base material.

The upper according to the present invention has the effect of allowing tension to be applied to the upper in a single action, rather than having to pull it sequentially from the toe side.

Figure 1 is an exploded view showing the upper of a shoe according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a shoe according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along the line III-III shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV shown in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line V-V shown in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line VI-VI shown in Figure 1. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along the line VII-VII shown in Figure 1. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the linear material, cord lock, and cord tip in Embodiment 1. Figure 9 is an exploded view showing the upper of a shoe according to a first modified example of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along the line X-X shown in Figure 9. Figure 11 shows the upper of a shoe according to a second modification of Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and shows an opening formed on the outer edge of the base material. Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the linear material, cord, cord lock, and cord tip of a shoe according to a third modified example of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 13 is an exploded view showing the upper of a shoe according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view along the line XIV-XIV shown in Figure 13. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view along the line XV-XV shown in Figure 13. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view along the line XVI-XVI shown in Figure 13. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view along the line XVII-XVII shown in Figure 13. Figure 18 is an exploded view showing the upper of a shoe according to a modified example of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view along the line XIX-XIX shown in Figure 18. Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view along the line XX-XX shown in Figure 18. Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view along the line XXI-XXI shown in Figure 18. Figure 22 is an exploded view showing the upper of a shoe according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

The following describes in detail, with reference to the drawings, embodiments of the upper, shoe, and method for manufacturing the upper according to the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

(Embodiment 1)
Figure 1 is an unfolded view showing the upper 2 of a shoe 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Each figure, including Figure 1, shows only the shoe 1 for the left foot. Since the shoe 1 has a symmetrical structure for the left and right feet, this embodiment will only describe the shoe 1 for the left foot, and the description of the shoe 1 for the right foot will be omitted. Furthermore, in the following description, the direction in which the shoe center axis C, which is a perpendicular line passing through the center of the shoe 1 when the shoe 1 is viewed from above, extends will be referred to as the front-to-back direction, and the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction when the shoe 1 is viewed from above will be referred to as the foot width direction.

Furthermore, within the front-to-back direction, the direction from the heel to the toe of shoe 1 is referred to as the front, and the direction from the toe to the heel of shoe 1 is referred to as the rear.

Furthermore, the midline side of the foot in its anatomically correct position is called the medial foot, and the side of the foot opposite the midline in its anatomically correct position is called the lateral foot. In other words, the side closer to the midline in its anatomically correct position is called the medial foot, and the side further from the midline in its anatomically correct position is called the lateral foot.

Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the "up and down direction" refers to the direction perpendicular to both the front-to-back direction and the foot-width direction.

The upper 2 comprises an upper forefoot R1 covering the forefoot of a wearer with a standard build, an upper midfoot R2 covering the midfoot of a wearer with a standard build, an upper rearfoot R3 covering the hindfoot of a wearer with a standard build, and an upper sole R4 covering the sole of a wearer with a standard build. The upper forefoot R1, upper midfoot R2, and upper rearfoot R3 are arranged in this order from the front to the back of the upper 2. The upper sole R4 is formed continuously with the upper midfoot R2 and upper rearfoot R3. The upper sole R4 is connected to the lower edges on the medial side of the upper midfoot R2 and upper rearfoot R3. The upper sole R4 becomes the insole covering the lower opening formed by being surrounded by the lower edge of the upper forefoot R1, the lower edge of the upper midfoot R2, and the lower edge of the upper rearfoot R3.

A first boundary line S1 is defined as a line along the width of the foot that passes from the front end of the upper 2 to a position corresponding to approximately 25% of the anterior-posterior dimension of the upper 2, and a second boundary line S2 is defined as a line along the width of the foot that passes from the front end of the upper 2 to a position corresponding to approximately 66% of the anterior-posterior dimension of the upper 2. The first boundary line S1 is a line that roughly follows the MP joint of a wearer with a standard build. The second boundary line S2 is a line that roughly follows the Chopart joint of a wearer with a standard build. The forefoot R1 of the upper is the part located forward of the first boundary line S1. The midfoot R2 of the upper is the part located between the first boundary line S1 and the second boundary line S2. The rearfoot R3 of the upper is the part located backward of the second boundary line S2.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a shoe 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The shoe 1 can be used, for example, as a running shoe, other sports shoe, walking shoe, mountaineering shoe, or casual shoe. The shoe 1 comprises an upper 2, a sole 3, a cord lock 4, and a cord tip 5.

The upper 2 is located above the sole 3. The upper 2 comprises a fabric-like base material 20 having at least one layer 20a, and a plurality of linear materials 21 formed independently of each other. In this embodiment, a monosock structure upper 2 will be described as an example.

The base material 20 covers the instep portion of the foot. An opening 22 for inserting the wearer's foot is formed at the top of the base material 20. The material of the base material 20 can be, for example, a knitted fabric made by rolling yarn into a chain shape and interlocking the chain-shaped parts to form a cloth, a woven fabric made by crossing warp and weft threads at a certain angle to form a cloth, or a braided fabric made by crossing three or more braided threads and running them diagonally to form a cloth. Warp knit is preferably used as the material for the base material 20 in order to run the linear material 21 at multiple angles with respect to the knitting direction. Note that the material of the base material 20 is not limited to the materials exemplified. Details of the base material 20 and the linear material 21 will be described later.

The sole 3 is located below the upper 2. The sole 3 covers the sole of the foot. The sole 3 comprises an outsole 30 and a midsole 31. The sole 3 is fixed to the base material 20 by stitching, welding, bonding, or a combination thereof. The lower surface of the outsole 30 is the contact surface 30a that touches the ground. The midsole 31 is located on the upper surface of the outsole 30 and has cushioning properties. The outsole 30 may be integrated with the midsole 31. An outsole 30 integrated with the midsole 31 is also called a "unisole".

Next, the base material 20 and the linear material 21 will be described in detail.

As shown in Figure 1, the base material 20 comprises an upper forefoot portion R1, an upper midfoot portion R2, an upper rearfoot portion R3, and an upper sole portion R4. The upper sole portion R4 is fixed to the upper surface of the midsole 31 shown in Figure 2 by adhesive or welding. Although not shown, the shoe 1 may also have an insole. If the shoe 1 has an insole, the insole is placed inside the upper 2 on top of the upper sole portion R4. When assembling the upper 2, the upper sole portion R4 is bent using the boundary between the upper midfoot portion R2 and the upper rearfoot portion R3 and the upper sole portion R4 as a starting point, so that the lower opening formed by the lower edge of the upper forefoot portion R1, the lower edge of the upper midfoot portion R2, and the lower edge of the upper rearfoot portion R3 is covered by the upper sole portion R4. When the upper 2 is assembled, the edge of the upper sole R4 adjacent to the boundary between the upper midfoot R2 and the upper rearfoot R3 becomes the medial edge of the upper sole R4, and the edge of the upper sole R4 opposite to the medial edge in the width direction becomes the lateral edge.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along the line III-III shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3, the substrate 20 includes a first layer 20b, a second layer 20c positioned with a gap between it and the first layer 20b, and a third layer 20d connecting the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c. The first layer 20b, the second layer 20c, and the third layer 20d are integrally formed from a single material.

In the upper forefoot R1, upper midfoot R2, and upper rearfoot R3 shown in Figure 1, the first layer 20b shown in Figure 3 faces outward from the upper 2, and the second layer 20c faces inward from the upper 2. In the upper sole R4 shown in Figure 1, the second layer 20c shown in Figure 3 faces inward from the upper 2, and the first layer 20b faces outward from the upper 2. The third layer 20d is provided to move back and forth multiple times between the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c.

As shown in Figure 1, the base material 20 has a first region 20e and a second region 20f formed therein. In Figure 1, dot hatching is applied to the first region 20e to clarify its extent. The first region 20e is formed on the root of the second portion 21b of the linear material 21, which will be described later. As shown in Figure 4, the first region 20e is provided with a first layer 20b and a second layer 20c, but not a third layer 20d. In the first region 20e, a curved passage 20k is formed between the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c.

As shown in Figure 1, the second region 20f is the region of the substrate 20 other than the first region 20e. As shown in Figure 3, the second region 20f is provided with the first layer 20b, the second layer 20c, and the third layer 20d.

The linear material 21 shown in Figure 1 is, for example, a yarn made by bundling multiple fibers, a linear form of resin, or a twisted yarn. Materials used for the linear material 21 include, for example, polyurethane-based thermoplastic elastomers, polyurethane, nylon, spandex, Kevlar®, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, and SCY (Single Covered Yarn) or DCY (Double Covered Yarn) covered with polyurethane.

In this embodiment, the linear material 21 is positioned everywhere except the upper forefoot R1, but it may also be positioned across the entire upper forefoot R1, upper midfoot R2, upper rearfoot R3, and upper sole R4. That is, the linear material 21 may be positioned across the entire base material 20. The linear material 21 is also positioned in the heel and upper portions of the shoe 1.

The number of linear members 21 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment there are eight. Hereinafter, when distinguishing between the eight linear members 21, the linear members 21 from the front on the outer foot side of the shoe center axis C will be referred to as linear member 21c, linear member 21d, linear member 21e, and linear member 21f, and the linear members 21 from the front on the inner foot side of the shoe center axis C will be referred to as linear member 21g, linear member 21h, linear member 21i, and linear member 21j. Note that in Figure 1, each of the linear members 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f, 21g, 21h, 21i, and 21j is represented with the same wire type and wire thickness, but in Figure 2, they are represented with different wire types and wire thicknesses.

The linear members 21c, 21d, and 21e extend in a curved manner from the lower edge of the outer foot side of the upper 2 toward the central part of the upper 2 in the width direction of the foot, then extend linearly toward the rear, and then extend in a curved manner toward the heel portion of the inner foot side of the upper 2. The linear member 21f extends in a curved manner from the lower edge of the outer foot side of the upper 2 toward the central part of the upper 2 in the width direction of the foot, then extend linearly toward the rear, and then extend in a curved manner toward the lower edge of the inner foot side of the upper 2. Furthermore, the linear member 21f extends beyond the lower edge of the inner foot side of the upper 2, from the edge of the inner foot side to the edge of the outer foot side of the upper sole R4. In the midfoot portion R2 of the upper, linear members 21c, 21d, 21e, and 21f are arranged in order from front to back in the portion of the midfoot portion R2 of the upper, and linear members 21f, 21e, 21d, and 21c are arranged in order from front to back in the portion of the midfoot portion R2 of the upper, and linear members 21f, 21e, 21d, and 21c are arranged in order from front to back in the portion of the midfoot portion R2 of the upper, and linear members 21c, 21d, and 21e are arranged in order from top to bottom in the portion of the rearfoot portion R3 midfoot portion R2 of the upper, and linear members 21c, 21d, 21e, and 21f are arranged in order of the midfoot portion R2 of the upper, and linear members 21f, 21e, 21f, and 21f are arranged in order of the midfoot portion R2 of the upper, and linear members 21f, 21e, 21f, and 21f are arranged in order of the midfoot portion R2 of the upper, and linear members 21f, 21e

In this embodiment, the linear members 21g, 21h, 21i, and 21j extend from the outer edge to the inner edge of the upper sole R4, reaching the lower edge of the inner side of the upper 2. Furthermore, the linear members 21g, 21h, and 21i extend in a curved manner from the lower edge of the inner side of the upper 2 towards the center of the upper 2 in the foot width direction, then extend linearly towards the rear, and then extend in a curved manner towards the heel portion of the outer side of the upper 2. The linear member 21j extends in a curved manner from the lower edge of the inner side of the upper 2 towards the center of the upper 2 in the foot width direction, then extend linearly towards the rear, and then extend in a curved manner towards the lower edge of the outer side of the upper 2. In the midfoot portion R2 of the upper, linear members 21g, 21h, 21i, and 21j are arranged in order from front to back in the portion of the midfoot portion R2 of the upper, and linear members 21j, 21i, 21h, and 21g are arranged in order from front to back in the portion of the midfoot portion R2 of the upper, and linear members 21j, 21i, 21h, and 21g are arranged in order from top to bottom in the portion of the rearfoot portion R3 of the upper, and linear members 21g, 21h, and 21i are arranged in order from top to bottom in the portion of the rearfoot portion R3 of the upper. Each linear member 21 extends from one side of the shoe 1 (medial or lateral) to the other, crossing over the instep portion of the shoe 1.

The linear members 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f and the parts of the linear members 21g, 21h, 21i, 21j located outside the upper sole R4 are arranged symmetrically on either side of the shoe's center axis C. In other words, in the upper forefoot R1, upper midfoot R2, and upper rearfoot R3, multiple linear members 21 are arranged symmetrically on either side of the shoe's center axis C. The linear members 21c, 21d, 21e, 21g, 21h, 21i are located in the heel portion of the shoe 1. The linear members 21c and 21g are located around the opening 22. The linear members 21c and 21g are arranged on either side of the opening 22.

Each of the multiple linear members 21 comprises a first portion 21a provided at least at one end along the length of the linear member 21 and fixed to the layer 20a, and a second portion 21b provided on the portion of the linear member 21 other than the first portion 21a and not fixed to the layer 20a. In this embodiment, the first portion 21a of all linear members 21 is provided at both ends along the length of the linear member 21. In Figure 1, the first portion 21a is shown with a thicker dashed line than the second portion 21b to clarify the extent of the first portion 21a and the second portion 21b.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line V-V shown in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line VI-VI shown in Figure 1. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along the line VII-VII shown in Figure 1. In Figures 5 and 6, the linear material 21 is represented by a dashed line for ease of understanding. As shown in Figure 5, the first portion 21a of the linear material 21, which is placed in the upper forefoot R1, upper midfoot R2, and upper rearfoot R3, is intertwined with the second layer 20c. As shown in Figure 6, the first portion 21a of the linear material 21, which is placed in the upper sole R4, is intertwined with the second layer 20c. In this specification, "the first portion 21a of the linear material 21 is intertwined" includes the linear material 21 being knitted, woven, or incorporated. The first portion 21a of the linear material 21 may also be intertwined with the third layer 20d. As shown in Figure 7, the second portion 21b of the linear material 21 is located between the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c, without being entangled with the first layer 20b, the second layer 20c, and the third layer 20d.

As shown in Figure 1, a portion of the second portion 21b of each linear material 21 is concentrated in one location in the center of the foot width direction and is exposed to the outside of the base material 20. Hereinafter, the portion where a portion of the second portion 21b of each linear material 21 is concentrated in one location may be referred to as the concentrated portion 21k. In this embodiment, the concentrated portion 21k is located in the center of the upper midfoot portion R2 in the foot width direction, in front of the opening 22. The remaining portions of the second portion 21b of each linear material 21 are dispersed amongst themselves. Each second portion 21b of each linear material 21 includes a linear portion 21m that extends in a straight line and a curved portion 21n that passes through a curved passage 20k formed in the base material 20. The linear portion 21m is the portion of the second portion 21b of the linear material 21 that coincides with the concentrated portion 21k and extends in a straight line along the front-to-back direction. The curved portion 21n is the portion of the second portion 21b of the linear material 21 other than the concentrated portion 21k, and extends in a curved shape.

The base material 20 has a hole 20g formed therein to expose the second portion 21b of the linear material 21 to the outside of layer 20a. The hole 20g only needs to be formed in at least one of the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c. In this embodiment, the hole 20g is formed in the upper part of the shoe 1 and is positioned to overlap with the concentration portion 21k in the vertical direction. The hole 20g is formed in the upper part of the shoe 1 adjacent to the opening 22. In this embodiment, there is one hole 20g. The shape of the hole 20g is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment it is elliptical. In this embodiment, a part of the second portion 21b of each linear material 21, i.e., the concentration portion 21k, is exposed to the outside of the base material 20 through the hole 20g. Note that it is sufficient that a part or all of the second portion 21b of at least one linear material 21 is exposed to the outside of the base material 20. The portion of the second part 21b that is exposed to the outside of the base material 20 is the portion for pulling the second part 21b. The second part 21b of the linear material 21 may also include a portion formed by a separate cord or the like, which is different from the other second parts 21b. That is, a separate member such as a cord may be provided as part of the second part 21b of the linear material 21, and only this separate member may be exposed to the outside of the base material 20 and pulled. In this case, the separate member such as a cord becomes the portion of the second part 21b that is exposed to the outside of the base material 20.

The upper 2 can be manufactured in a single process using a dedicated machine, which involves forming the base material 20 and the linear material 21. While it is preferable to manufacture the upper 2 in a single process, the formation of the base material 20 and the linear material 21 may be carried out in separate processes.

Next, the code lock 4 and code tip 5 will be described with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the linear material 21, code lock 4, and code tip 5 in Embodiment 1.

The shoe 1 includes a cord lock 4 that immobilizes the linear material 21 and a cord tip 5 that prevents the linear material 21 from coming out of the cord lock 4. The cord lock 4 is provided with an insertion hole 4a through which the linear material 21, which is exposed to the outside of the base material 20, is inserted. In this embodiment, the shape of the insertion hole 4a is circular. In this embodiment, there are two insertion holes 4a. The cord tip 5 is attached to the linear material 21 that is exposed to the outside of the base material 20. The thickness of the cord tip 5 is greater than the inner circumference of the insertion hole 4a.

Next, the effects of the shoe 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the upper 2 comprises a cloth-like base material 20 having at least one layer 20a, and a plurality of linear members 21 formed independently of each other. Each of the plurality of linear members 21 comprises a first portion 21a provided at least at one end along the length direction and fixed to the layer 20a, and a second portion 21b provided on the portion of the linear member 21 other than the first portion 21a and not fixed to the layer 20a. Furthermore, at least one part or all of the second portion 21b of one of the linear members 21 is exposed to the outside of the base material 20. With this configuration, when the second portion 21b of the linear member 21 exposed to the outside of the base material 20 is pulled upward from the state shown in Figure 1, tension is applied to each linear member 21 and also to the base material 20 to which each linear member 21 is fixed. Therefore, in this embodiment, tension can be applied to the entire upper 2 in a single action. In other words, in this embodiment, tension can be applied to the entire upper 2 by pulling the linear material 21 only once, eliminating the need to repeatedly pull the shoelaces from the toe side. Furthermore, since each linear material 21 is connected via the base material 20, pulling at least one linear material 21 will apply tension to the other linear materials 21 via the base material 20, thus applying tension to the entire upper 2. Therefore, the time required to apply tension to the entire upper 2 and make it fit snugly to the foot can be shortened. In particular, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, a portion of the second portion 21b of each linear material 21 is concentrated in one place and exposed to the outside of the base material 20. Therefore, by pulling the portions of the second portion 21b of each linear material 21 that are concentrated in one place upwards, it becomes easier to apply tension directly to each linear material 21.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the remaining portions of the second part 21b of each linear material 21 are dispersed amongst themselves, so that tension can be applied to the entire upper 2 by the linear materials 21 stretched over a wide area of the base material 20. In other words, in this embodiment, tension can be applied to the entire upper 2 by pulling at least one linear material 21 just once.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, each linear member 21 extends from one side of the shoe 1 (inner or outer foot) to the other, straddling the instep portion of the shoe 1, thereby allowing for balanced tension to be applied to both the inner and outer sides of the upper 2. Alternatively, each linear member 21 may be positioned only on either the inner or outer side of the shoe 1, without straddling the instep portion of the shoe 1. For example, the linear member 21c shown in Figure 1 may extend in a curved manner from the lower edge of the outer side of the upper 2 towards the center of the upper 2 in the foot width direction, then in a straight line towards the rear, and finally in a curved manner towards the heel portion of the outer side of the upper 2, similar to the route of the linear member 21g shown in Figure 1. On the other hand, the linear material 21g may extend in a curved manner from the lower edge of the inner side of the upper 2 toward the central part of the upper 2 in the width direction of the foot, then extend in a straight line toward the rear, and then extend in a curved manner toward the heel portion of the inner side of the upper 2, similar to the route of the linear material 21c shown in Figure 1.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, layer 20a includes a first layer 20b and a second layer 20c positioned with a gap between it and the first layer 20b. Since the second portion 21b of the linear material 21 is located between the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c, layer 20a can protect the second portion 21b of the linear material 21.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 7, at least one of the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c has a hole 20g formed therein to expose a portion of the second portion 21b of each linear material 21 to the outside of layer 20a. This allows a portion of the second portion 21b located between the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c to be exposed through the hole 20g, and the exposed portion can be pulled from the outside of the shoe 1, thereby preventing the linear material 21 from touching the wearer's foot.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the linear material 21 runs at multiple angles with respect to the knitting direction, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in selecting the direction of tension applied to the upper 2.

In this embodiment, since the formation of the base material 20 and the linear material 21 shown in Figure 1 can be performed in a single process, the number of manufacturing steps and the amount of waste material for the upper 2 can be reduced, thereby reducing costs and environmental impact. In other words, in this embodiment, an upper 2 that can be tensioned in any direction in a single action can be obtained while reducing costs and environmental impact.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, some of the multiple linear members 21 are positioned around the opening 22 at the heel of the shoe 1. This allows the wearer to loosen the linear members 21 when putting on the shoe 1, thereby loosening the area around the opening 22 and making it easier to put on the shoe 1. Conversely, after putting on the shoe 1, the wearer can tighten the area around the opening 22 by pulling the linear members 21. In other words, this embodiment achieves both ease of putting on the shoe 1 and the ability to tighten the area around the opening 22 of the shoe 1.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 5, the first portion 21a positioned on the upper forefoot R1, upper midfoot R2, and upper rearfoot R3 is intertwined with the second layer 20c, which faces inward when the upper 2 is assembled, and is therefore positioned on the wearer's foot side. Similarly, as shown in Figures 1 and 6, the first portion 21a positioned on the upper sole R4 is intertwined with the second layer 20c, which faces inward when the upper 2 is assembled, and is therefore positioned on the wearer's foot side. Therefore, damage to the fixing points between the linear material 21 and the base material 20 due to friction is prevented, and the fixing points between the linear material 21 and the base material 20 are not exposed to the outside of the shoe 1, thereby enhancing the design of the shoe 1.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the upper 2 is provided with an upper sole portion R4, but the upper sole portion R4 may be omitted. In such a structure, the sole 3 may be provided with an insole that covers the lower opening of the upper 2.

In this embodiment, the base material 20 has two layers 20a as shown in Figure 4, etc., but the base material 20 may have only one layer 20a. When the base material 20 has only one layer 20a, the second portion 21b of the linear material 21 is positioned on one of the surfaces of the layer 20a that faces outward from the upper 2 and the surface that faces inward from the upper 2. At least one part or all of the second portion 21b of the linear material 21 should be exposed on the surface of the layer 20a, that is, on one of the surfaces of the layer 20a that faces outward from the upper 2 and the surface that faces inward from the upper 2. By making the base material 20 have only one layer 20a in this way, the weight of the shoe 1 can be reduced.

Preferably, at least a portion of the layer 20a shown in Figure 4, etc., is transparent. When the linear material 21 is hidden by the layer 20a, the transparent layer 20a allows the linear material 21 to be visible from the outside of the upper 2. This enhances the design of the shoe 1 by showing the linear material 21. It also allows for visual confirmation of the tightness of the upper 2.

The extension direction, number, and material of the linear material 21 shown in Figure 1 may be appropriately changed depending on the intended use of the shoe 1. For example, if the shoe 1 is a casual shoe, the number of linear materials 21 may be reduced. Also, for example, if the shoe 1 is a performance shoe such as a running shoe, a material with low elasticity may be used for the linear material 21.

Furthermore, the arrangement of the linear material 21 is not limited to the illustrated example and may be changed as appropriate depending on the intended use of the shoe 1. For example, if the shoe 1 is a casual shoe, the linear material 21 does not need to be placed on the upper sole R4. Also, for example, if the shoe 1 is a core performance shoe for basketball or volleyball, it is necessary to attach a counter to the heel of the shoe 1 to provide heel stability, so the linear material 21 does not need to be placed all the way to the heel of the shoe 1.

Each of the multiple linear members 21 shown in Figure 1 may have the same elasticity and tensile strength, or some of the multiple linear members 21 may have different elasticity and tensile strength from the rest. When the wearer of the shoe 1 moves, distortion such as shrinkage and twisting occurs in the skin of the midfoot of the foot, causing the upper midfoot R2 to undergo shear deformation in the width direction of the foot. For this reason, for example, the elasticity of the linear members 21f and 21i extending in the width direction of the foot in the upper midfoot R2 may be made higher than that of the other linear members 21. In this way, the linear members 21f and 21i can more easily undergo shear deformation in the width direction of the foot in accordance with the distortion of the skin of the foot, thereby alleviating the pressure on the foot from the upper 2 and suppressing the occurrence of wrinkles in the upper 2. By changing the material of the linear members 21 or the number of fibers constituting the linear members 21, the elasticity and tensile strength of the linear members 21 can be made different from each other.

As shown in Figure 1, the position where the linear material 21 is exposed, i.e., the position where the linear material 21 is pulled, affects which parts of the upper 2 are susceptible to tension and which are not. Therefore, the position where the linear material 21 is pulled should be appropriately changed depending on the intended use of the shoe 1.

Figure 9 is an exploded view showing the upper 2 of a shoe 1 according to a first modification of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In Figure 9, the second portion 21b is represented by a solid or dashed line, and the first portion 21a is represented by a dashed line that is thicker than the second portion 21b. For example, the hole 20g may be formed in the heel portion of the shoe 1. The hole 20g is formed in the rear foot portion R3 of the upper. In this modification, there are a total of two holes 20g, one on the inner foot side and one on the outer foot side in the width direction of the foot, flanking the opening 22. In this modification, a part of the second portion 21b of the three linear members 21 is exposed to the outside of the base material 20 from each hole 20g. In this modification, the upper 2 has a structure that includes a throat portion 23 that communicates with the opening 22 and extends forward from the opening 22, and a shoe tongue (not shown) that covers the throat portion 23 inside the upper 2. Note that since the throat portion 23 is formed by cutting the upper portion 2, the base material 20 and linear material 21 do not actually exist in the portion that overlaps with the throat portion 23. However, for the sake of explanation, Figure 9 shows the base material 20 and linear material 21 in the portion that overlaps with the throat portion 23.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along the line X-X shown in Figure 9. As shown in Figure 10, the first portion 21a of the linear material 21, which is positioned to overlap with the throat portion 23, is intertwined with the second layer 20c. In this modified example, when the second portions 21b of the six linear materials 21 exposed to the outside of the base material 20 shown in Figure 9 are pulled upward, tension is applied to the pulled linear material 21 and also to the base material 20 to which the pulled linear material 21 is fixed. Therefore, in this modified example, tension can be applied to the entire upper 2 in a single action. In particular, by pulling the linear material 21 from the heel side, tension can be applied to the upper 2 simultaneously in the front-to-back direction and the width direction of the foot. Furthermore, in this modified example, by pulling the linear material 21 from the heel side, tension is more easily applied to the heel portion of the shoe 1, thereby improving the wearer's heel hold. Furthermore, in this modified example, the second portion 21b located between the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c is exposed to the outside of the base material 20 through the hole 20g, and the exposed portion can be pulled from the outside of the shoe 1, thereby preventing the linear material 21 from coming into contact with the wearer's foot.

Figure 11 shows the upper 2 of a shoe 1 according to a second modification of Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and shows an opening 20h formed on the outer edge of the base material 20. The linear material 21 may be exposed to the outside of the base material 20 through an opening 20h formed by separating the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c at the outer edge of the base material 20. An opening 20h is formed on the outer edge of the base material 20, communicating with the gap between the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c, to expose a second portion 21b of at least one linear material 21 to the outside of layer 20a. The opening 20h is formed on a part of the outer edge of the base material 20. In this modification, the second portion 21b located between the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c is exposed to the outside of the base material 20 through the opening 20h, and the exposed portion can be pulled from the outside of the shoe 1, thereby preventing the linear material 21 from touching the wearer's foot. Furthermore, if the second portion 21b is to be exposed to the outside of the base material 20 through an opening 20h formed on the outer edge of the base material 20, then the second portion 21b provided at one end of the linear material 21 along its length should be exposed to the outside of the base material 20 through the opening 20h. In such a structure, the first portion 21a will be provided at least at one end of the linear material 21 along its length.

Figure 12 is a perspective view showing a linear member 21, cord 6, cord lock 4, and cord tip 5 of a shoe 1 according to a third modification of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the above embodiment, the linear member 21 is directly connected to the cord lock 4 and the cord tip 5 is attached to the linear member 21. However, as shown in Figure 12, the linear member 21 may be indirectly connected to the cord lock 4 via the cord 6 and the cord tip 5 may be attached to the cord 6. The cord lock 4 fixes the cord 6 and the linear member 21 so that they cannot move. The cord tip 5 prevents the cord 6 from coming out of the cord lock 4. One cord 6 is inserted through the two insertion holes 4a of the cord lock 4. The one cord 6 passes through one insertion hole 4a, makes a U-turn, and then passes through the other insertion hole 4a. Multiple linear members 21 are connected to the folded portion 6a of the cord 6. One cord tip 5 is attached to one end and one end along the length of the cord 6. In this modified example, the code 6 allows multiple linear members 21 to be pulled together.

(Embodiment 2)
Figure 13 is an exploded view showing the upper 2A of shoe 1A according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view along the line XIV-XIV shown in Figure 13. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view along the line XV-XV shown in Figure 13. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view along the line XVI-XVI shown in Figure 13. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view along the line XVII-XVII shown in Figure 13. The shoe 1A according to Embodiment 2 differs from the shoe 1 according to Embodiment 1 in the configuration of the base material 20 and the linear material 21. Note that in Figure 13, the first part 21a is represented by a dashed line and the second part 21b is represented by a solid line.

As shown in Figure 13, the base material 20 has a first region 20m and a second region 20n formed therein. The first region 20m is formed on the root of the first portion 21a of the linear material 21. Furthermore, the first region 20m is formed along the outer edge of the base material 20, that is, along the outer edge of the upper 2A. In other words, the first region 20m is formed along the outer edges of the upper forefoot R1, upper midfoot R2, upper rearfoot R3, and upper sole R4. Note that in Figure 13, dot hatching is applied to the first region 20m formed along the outer edge of the upper 2A. As shown in Figure 14, the first region 20m is provided with a first layer 20b, a second layer 20c, and a third layer 20d.

As shown in Figure 13, the second region 20n is the region of the substrate 20 other than the first region 20m. As shown in Figure 15, the second region 20n is provided with the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c, but the third layer 20d is not provided.

As shown in Figure 13, in this embodiment, the second portion 21b of all linear members 21 is provided in the central part along the length of the linear member 21, and the first portion 21a of all linear members 21 is provided in the part of the linear member 21 other than the central part along the length. The second portion 21b of each linear member 21 is concentrated in one location and is exposed to the outside of the base material 20.

As shown in Figure 16, the first portion 21a of the linear material 21 is provided to reciprocate multiple times between the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c. The first portion 21a of the linear material 21 is intertwined with the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c. The first portion 21a of the linear material 21 may also be intertwined with the third layer 20d. As shown in Figure 17, the second portion 21b of the linear material 21 is located between the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c without being intertwined with either layer. This embodiment can also achieve the same effects as the first embodiment described above.

Figure 18 is an exploded view showing the upper 2A of a shoe 1A according to a modified example of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view along the line XIX-XIX shown in Figure 18. Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view along the line XX-XX shown in Figure 18. Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view along the line XXI-XXI shown in Figure 18. In Figure 18, the first part 21a is represented by a dashed line, and the second part 21b is represented by a solid or dashed line. Also in Figure 18, the dashed line representing the first part 21a is thicker than the dashed line representing the second part 21b.

As shown in Figure 18, for example, the hole 20g may be formed in the heel portion of the shoe 1A. The hole 20g is formed in the rear foot portion R3 of the upper. In this modified example, there are a total of two holes 20g, one on the inner foot side and one on the outer foot side in the width direction of the foot, flanking the opening 22. In this modified example, a part of the second portion 21b of the three linear members 21 is exposed to the outside of the base material 20 through each hole 20g. In this modified example, the upper 2A has a structure that includes a throat portion 23 that communicates with the opening 22 and extends forward from the opening 22, and a shoe tongue (not shown) that covers the throat portion 23 inside the upper 2A. Note that since the throat portion 23 is formed by cutting the upper portion 2A, the base material 20 and linear material 21 do not actually exist in the portion that overlaps with the throat portion 23. However, for the sake of explanation, Figure 18 shows the base material 20 and linear material 21 in the portion that overlaps with the throat portion 23.

As shown in Figure 18, the base material 20 has a first region 20m and a second region 20n formed therein. The first region 20m is formed on the root of the first portion 21a of the linear material 21. Furthermore, the first region 20m is formed along the outer edge of the base material 20, i.e., the outer edge of the upper 2A. In Figure 18, dot hatching is applied to the first region 20m formed along the outer edge of the upper 2A.

In this modified example, the first portion 21a and the second portion 21b of all the linear members 21 are provided alternately along the length of the linear member 21. The first portion 21a is provided in the portion of the linear member 21 that extends from the outer edge of the upper 2A toward the throat portion 23, the portion corresponding to the edge of the throat portion 23, and the portion corresponding to the throat portion 23. The second portion 21b is provided in the portion of the linear member 21 that is near the edge of the throat portion 23 and the portion corresponding to the hole 20g. As shown in Figure 19, the first portion 21a provided in the portion of the linear member 21 that extends from the outer edge of the upper 2A toward the throat portion 23 is provided so as to reciprocate multiple times between the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c, and is intertwined with the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c. As shown in Figure 20, the first portion 21a of the linear material 21, which is provided in the portion corresponding to the throat portion 23 and the portion corresponding to the edge of the throat portion 23, is intertwined with the second layer 20c. As shown in Figure 21, the second portion 21b of the linear material 21 is located between the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c, without being intertwined with the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c.

In this modified example, when the second portion 21b of the six linear members 21 exposed to the outside of the base material 20 shown in Figure 18 is pulled upward, tension is applied to the pulled linear member 21 and also to the base material 20 to which the pulled linear member 21 is fixed. Therefore, in this modified example, tension can be applied to the entire upper 2A in a single action. In particular, by pulling the linear member 21 from the heel side, tension can be applied to the upper 2A simultaneously in the front-to-back direction and the width direction of the foot. Furthermore, in this modified example, by pulling the linear member 21 from the heel side, tension is more easily applied to the heel portion of the shoe 1A, thereby improving the wearer's heel hold. Furthermore, in this modified example, the second portion 21b located between the first layer 20b and the second layer 20c is exposed to the outside of the base material 20 through the hole 20g, and the exposed portion can be pulled from the outside of the shoe 1A, thereby preventing the linear material 21 from coming into contact with the wearer's foot.

(Embodiment 3)
Figure 22 is an exploded view showing the upper 2B of the shoe 1B according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. The shoe 1B according to Embodiment 3 differs from the shoe 1 according to Embodiment 1 in that the elasticity of the base material 20 is partially changed.

As shown in Figure 22, layer 20a has a first stretchable portion 20i provided in the upper midfoot portion R2 and a second stretchable portion 20j provided in the upper forefoot portion R1. In Figure 22, different diagonal hatching is applied to the first stretchable portion 20i and the second stretchable portion 20j to clearly define their respective areas. The stretchability of the first stretchable portion 20i is higher than that of the second stretchable portion 20j. For example, the stretchability of layer 20a can be varied by partially changing the material of layer 20a.

In this embodiment, the same effects as in Embodiment 1 described above can be achieved. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the midfoot portion R2 of the upper is more flexible than the forefoot portion R1 of the upper, so when putting on the monosock-structured shoe 1B, the midfoot portion R2 of the upper stretches appropriately, making it easier to put on the shoe 1B.

The configurations shown in the above embodiments are merely examples of the content of the present invention, and it is possible to combine them with other known technologies, combine different embodiments, and omit or modify parts of the configuration without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In each of the above embodiments, a structure for locking the movement of the linear material 21 using a cord lock 4 and a cord tip 5 was illustrated, but the structure for locking the movement of the linear material 21 can be modified as appropriate.

1, 1A, 1B Shoes, 2, 2A, 2B Upper, 3 Sole, 4 Cord lock, 4a Through hole, 5 Cord tip, 6 Cord, 6a Folded-over part, 20 Base material, 20a Layer, 20b First layer, 20c Second layer, 20d Third layer, 20e, 20m First region, 20f, 20n Second region, 20g Hole, 20h Opening, 20i First expandable part, 20j Second expandable part, 20k Curved passage, 21, 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f, 21g, 21h, 21i, 21j Linear material, 21a First part, 21b Second part, 21k Concentration part, 21m Straight part, 21n Curved part, 22 Opening, 23 Throat part, 30 Outsole, 30a Contact surface, 31 Midsole, C: shoe center axis, R1: upper forefoot, R2: upper midfoot, R3: upper rearfoot, R4: upper sole, S1: first boundary line, S2: second boundary line.

Claims (18)

A cloth-like base material having at least one layer,
It comprises a plurality of linear members formed independently of each other,
Each of the multiple linear members is
A first portion is provided at least at one end of the linear material along its length and fixed to the layer,
The linear material comprises a second portion provided on the portion other than the first portion and not fixed to the layer,
At least one of the linear materials has part or all of the second portion exposed to the outside of the substrate.
Some of the multiple linear members extend across the instep of the shoe from the inner side to the outer side.
The remaining portion of the multiple linear members extends across the upper part of the shoe, from the outer side to the inner side.
An upper, wherein the first portion of at least one of the linear members is provided at at least both ends of the linear member along its length. The upper according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the second portion of each of the linear materials is concentrated in one location and is exposed to the outside of the base material. The upper according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, when the shoe is viewed in plan, a perpendicular line passing through the center of the shoe in the width direction and along the front-to-back direction of the shoe is defined as the shoe center axis, and a portion of the plurality of linear materials and the remainder of the plurality of linear materials are arranged symmetrically on either side of the shoe center axis. The upper according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a portion of the second part of each of the linear members is concentrated in one location in the central part in the width direction of the foot. The upper according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the remaining portions of the second part of each of the linear materials are arranged in a dispersed manner. The aforementioned layer is a single layer,
The upper according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the second portion of the linear material is exposed on the surface of the layer. The aforementioned layer includes a first layer and a second layer that is positioned with a gap between it and the first layer.
The upper according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the second portion of the linear material is located between the first layer and the second layer. The upper according to claim 7, wherein the second portion of the linear material includes a linear portion that extends in a straight line. A curved passage extending in a curved shape is formed between the first layer and the second layer.
The upper according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the second portion of the linear material includes a curved portion passing through the curved passage. The upper according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer has a hole formed therein for exposing the second portion of at least one of the linear material to the outside of the layer. At least one of the linear members extends to the heel portion of the shoe,
The upper according to claim 10, wherein the hole is formed in the heel portion of the shoe. The upper according to claim 10, wherein the holes are formed in the upper portion of the shoe. The upper according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein an opening is formed on the outer edge of the substrate, communicating with the gap between the first layer and the second layer, for exposing the second portion of at least one of the linear material to the outside of the layer. The upper according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein a portion of the plurality of linear materials and the remainder of the plurality of linear materials differ in at least one of elasticity and tensile strength. The upper according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein at least a portion of the aforementioned layer is permeable. The base material comprises an upper forefoot portion that covers the forefoot portion of the wearer's foot, an upper midfoot portion that covers the midfoot portion of the wearer's foot, and an upper rearfoot portion that covers the rearfoot portion of the wearer's foot.
The layer has a first stretchable portion provided in the midfoot portion of the upper and a second stretchable portion provided in the forefoot portion of the upper.
The upper according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the elasticity of the first stretchable portion is higher than that of the second stretchable portion. An upper according to any one of claims 1 to 16,
A shoe comprising a sole located below the upper. A method for manufacturing an upper according to any one of claims 1 to 16,
A method for manufacturing an upper, wherein the formation of the base material and the formation of the linear material are performed in a single step.