CN107334185B

CN107334185B - Socks and shoes

Info

Publication number: CN107334185B
Application number: CN201710285992.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 马尔滕·多米尼克·威廉默斯·哈皮尔茨; 大卫·约瑟夫·加雷思·奥马宏尼; 詹姆斯·塔瑞尔; 康斯坦丁·茨维克
Original assignee: Adidas AG
Current assignee: Adidas AG
Priority date: 2016-04-29
Filing date: 2017-04-27
Publication date: 2020-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 2037-04-27
Also published as: CN107334185A; DE102016207387B4; JP6499224B2; JP2017206802A; US20170311650A1; DE102016207387A1; EP3245888A2; EP3245888A3

Abstract

Sock (200), in particular sports sock, comprising: (a.) at least one first portion (210 a; 210 b; 210c) comprising synthetic fibers having a diameter of less than 1 micron, (b.) wherein the at least one first portion (210 a; 210 b; 210c) is at least partially arranged at a heel portion of the athletic sock (200), and (c.) wherein the at least one first portion (210 a; 210 b; 210c) comprises more than 30%, preferably more than 50%, more preferably more than 80% of a surface of the athletic sock (200) surrounding a foot.

Description

Socks and shoes

Technical Field

The present invention relates to socks, particularly athletic socks. The invention also relates to a shoe, in particular a sports shoe.

Background

Socks, particularly athletic socks, typically provide some function to the wearer of the sock, for example, the sock provides an interface between the foot and the shoe and also provides protection to the skin of the foot. In particular, socks have also significantly contributed to enhancing the stability of the foot within the wearer's shoe.

One option for enhancing foot stability is to provide the sock with gripping elements. It is known that different socks use different gripping elements, as shown for example in US 2012/0058316a1, US 2015/0275422a1, US 7748240B 1, US2005/0144703a1, US 2004/0221371a1, US 8544300B 2, EP 2043466B 1, WO 98/20758a1 and DE 20219015U 1.

However, conventional socks that employ gripping elements can produce skin irritation, such as: the blister is formed at the portion where the gripping element is arranged. In addition, conventional socks are not adapted to provide increased sliding resistance to high pressure loading activities that occur during certain sports.

Didi corporation provides a trademark name of Nanofront with a thickness of 700nm^TMThe synthetic fiber of (1). From a news article by the company (http:// www.teijin.com/news/2012/ebd120110_00.html) it is known to produce socks with such fibres, wherein the toe, heel and welt areas do not use such fibres. Furthermore, according to another news article by the company (http:// www.teijin.com/news/2012/ebd120704 — 01.html), it is also known to use such fibres on insoles and laces of running shoes.

Further, Nike, Inc. provides a sock that includes nanofibers (http:// news. nike. com/news/grip-socks).

However, none of the prior art socks adequately overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages. As a result, excessive slipping of the foot within the shoe is not effectively prevented, which in turn can lead to blistering and also lack of control over foot motion.

The problems underlying the present invention are therefore at least partly overcome by the above-mentioned drawbacks.

Disclosure of Invention

The above mentioned problems are at least partially solved by the sports sock of the present invention. In one embodiment, the athletic sock comprises (a) at least one first portion comprising synthetic fibers having a diameter of less than 1 μm, (b) wherein the at least one first portion is at least partially disposed at a heel portion of the athletic sock and (c) wherein the at least one first portion comprises greater than 30%, preferably greater than 50%, and more preferably greater than 80% of a surface of the athletic sock surrounding a foot.

Whereas in the prior art, the present invention is based on a different approach to providing an improved sliding resistance of the foot in shoes by including such fibers primarily in the mid-foot portion: here, the sports sock comprises one or more first portions comprising the above-mentioned fibres, which are arranged at least partially in the heel portion of the sports sock. The inventors have found that the heel area of the foot represents an important initial point of contact during movement of the wearer. Stabilizing the foot against sliding movement within the shoe is therefore particularly important in this part of the shoe. Furthermore, the inventors have also found that important properties of the surface of the sports sock are required in order to achieve improved gliding properties by including the above-mentioned fibers. Thus, the athletic sock surface according to embodiments of the present invention provides a significantly increased sliding resistance of greater than 30%, preferably greater than 50%, and more preferably greater than 80%. The features provide stability to the foot within the shoe during particular movements, such as acceleration, deceleration, and lateral movements. Furthermore, since the sliding resistance is more evenly distributed, certain parts of the foot inside the shoe are no longer loaded at any point. Thus, the present invention reduces the risk of skin irritation, such as blisters, and thus provides improved protection for the wearer.

The fibers have a diameter at least 60 times smaller than the diameter of human hair. Thus, the synthetic fibers can be woven into a material that provides a better surface than conventional fibers that result in increased sliding resistance. At the same time, the use of said fibres does not greatly restrict the possibility of optimising the sports sock in the same way as with conventional fibres.

In one embodiment, the athletic sock further includes at least one second portion having no synthetic fibers with a diameter less than 1 μm. The inventors have found that certain areas of the foot need to be movable within the shoe, for example, these areas need not have increased sliding resistance to provide sufficient flexibility of the foot in the direction of motion. For example, if a wearer, such as a soccer player, is in play with other soccer players, the athletic sock can provide sufficient stability due to the increased sliding resistance provided in the heel area of the foot, and can provide the necessary flexibility in other portions.

In one embodiment, the athletic sock further includes at least two first portions in the heel and toe regions of the foot. In a particular embodiment, the first portion is disposed beneath the big toe of the foot in the toe region.

This arrangement of the first portion further increases the sliding resistance of the foot within the shoe, particularly since the toe region of the foot exhibits another important point of contact during movement of the wearer. The toe region is located at the furthest distance from the heel region, i.e., improving the sliding resistance of these two regions can be sufficient to control any sliding of the foot within the shoe.

In one embodiment, the at least one first portion is disposed on an inner surface and an outer surface of the athletic sock. The inventors have found that the increased sliding resistance concept of the present invention can be applied on both surfaces, i.e. on the foot and the surface of the sports sock and the surface of the shoe. Such an arrangement of a plurality of first portions can provide better stability.

In one embodiment, the athletic sock further includes a shin portion, wherein the shin portion includes at least one first portion. Such a first portion at the shin portion of the athletic sock can provide increased sliding resistance and thus reduced motion of any shin guard portion. While maintaining high wearing comfort while also ensuring maximum protection for the wearer.

In one embodiment, the athletic sock further includes at least one first portion at the mouth portion of the sock. If the welt portion of the sports sock provides the first portion with increased sliding resistance, the sock can be prevented from sliding down unnecessarily at the ankle or lower leg.

In one embodiment, the synthetic fibers are incorporated into yarns having a linear mass density of 100-. The inventors have found that such yarns provide good compatibility between improving the sliding resistance and the stability and stretch of the sports sock, so that the yarns conform closely and securely to the wearer's foot.

In one embodiment, the synthetic fibers are adapted to provide greater friction to the first portion in the athletic shoe in the wet state than in the athletic shoe in the dry state. This effect is enhanced especially during sports where the wearer sweats and/or is exposed to inclement weather conditions, since the absorption of moisture can contribute positively to the friction.

Furthermore, the inventors have discovered that the novel concept of using such fibers to increase the sliding resistance of the foot within the shoe can also be applied in shoes. According to a further aspect of the invention, a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, comprises at least one first portion having synthetic fibers with a diameter of less than 1 μm. As discussed above, such fibers provide an unprecedented possibility of increasing the sliding resistance of the foot within the shoe, or between the shoe and other items such as a ball. The shoe according to the invention, with or without an athletic sock, the wearer of such a shoe can experience greatly improved stability of the foot during movement. Furthermore, wearing such shoes further prevents the risk of blisters, or at least reduces the risk of blisters, thus significantly improving the wearing comfort.

In one embodiment, the at least one first portion is disposed on an interior of the shoe. In a more detailed embodiment, the at least one first portion is disposed in a heel portion of the shoe. Furthermore, the at least one first portion can be arranged at a toe portion of the shoe. Furthermore, the at least one first portion can be arranged below the big toe of the toe portion.

All of these embodiments follow the same concept of providing increased sliding resistance to the foot in the shoe during movement. As noted above, the inventors have measured that the heel and toe regions, particularly under the big toe of the toe region, exhibit high pressure load points or areas. The stability here is particularly effective. High shear forces may occur during certain movements of the wearer, such as acceleration or deceleration. By providing multiple first portions with enhanced gripping properties in such areas of the shoe, significantly improved sliding resistance of the entire foot can be achieved.

In one embodiment, the at least one first portion is arranged on an upper of the shoe, for example on the inner side of the upper. In a particular embodiment, said at least one first portion is arranged inside a heel portion of said upper. Further, the at least one first step portion may alternatively or additionally be disposed inboard of a toe portion of the upper.

The upper of the shoe covers a substantial portion of the surface of the interface between the foot and the shoe. Thus, by providing said first portion at the inner side of said upper, the sliding resistance of the foot is further increased. As a result, the wearer of such footwear can achieve tightening of the upper without sacrificing stability of the footwear. It is even conceivable to provide the shoe with the first part, for example by knitting the fibres during knitting of the upper, without the use of laces, since the friction force itself is already sufficient to provide stability to the foot.

In one embodiment, the at least one first portion is disposed medial to an instep region of the upper. The inventors have found that such footwear provides enhanced control of the foot within the footwear. For example, many basic sports in soccer require the use of the instep of the foot to accurately pass a ball to a teammate or to achieve a goal.

In one embodiment, the at least one first portion is disposed on a lateral side of the upper. In a particular embodiment, said at least one first portion can be arranged outside said instep region of said upper. Such an embodiment not only provides the above-mentioned advantages of increased sliding resistance and motion control, but further provides control of an object, such as a ball, in contact with the instep. For example, if a first portion is arranged on the outside of the instep, a soccer player can better control the ball when shooting and passing. Furthermore, due to the high friction on the surface of the upper of such embodiments, soccer players are able to specifically perform revolving shots.

In one embodiment, the at least one portion can be disposed at a last of the midsole shoe. Such an embodiment provides increased sliding resistance, but without the need for a midsole.

According to another aspect, the invention relates to a sock, in particular a sports sock, comprising a shin portion, wherein the shin portion comprises synthetic fibres having a diameter of less than 1 μm.

Brief description of the drawings

Possible embodiments of the invention will be further described below with reference to the following description and with reference to the following drawings:

FIG. 1: presenting a thermal map of the sole with average foot pressure load data;

FIGS. 2A-2D: presenting possible embodiments of the sports sock according to the invention; and

FIG. 3: a schematic view of a possible embodiment of a shoe according to another aspect of the invention is presented.

Detailed Description

In particular, possible embodiments of the invention and variants thereof with respect to socks and shoes are described below. However, the concepts of the present invention can be applied equally or similarly to any sports equipment, such as a functional sports suit or some sports equipment. For example, providing the above-described fibers on the surface of the sporting goods can result in improved gripping performance. Thus, increasing the friction of the wearer's skin for wearable applications (e.g. belts, such as chest belts with sensors, for sports clothing, such as wrist bands) can provide better adaptation. In further embodiments, providing better gripping performance in one or more regions of the glove can be advantageous in: football in cold weather situations, such as the throwing of a ball outside the boundary for goalkeepers or field players, football, such as the throwing, catching, holding of a ball for field players, american football, such as the catcher for controlling the quarter guards of a ball or catching a ball, baseball, such as for throwing a ball or field players for catching/pitching and picking up a bat, archery, such as the control of arrows, javelin, such as the provision of additional spin for throwing a javelin, racing, such as for racers or back service personnel, bicycling, for controlling bicycle handles, fencing, such as for controlling fencing weapons, kayaking, or rowing, such as the control of grout, equestrian, such as the control of halters, shooting, such as the control of weapons, golf, such as the control of golf clubs, surfing standing upright in cold conditions before falling into a water, sailing movements, for example in order to hold the steering wheel and/or the rope, and diving movements, for example to hold objects under water, for example a camera. In further embodiments, the exterior surface of the sporting device can have such fibers, for example, a ball, such as a football, a soccer ball, a basketball, a volleyball, or the like, or a portion of the surface of the sporting device, such as a tennis racket, a golf club, a baseball bat, a badminton racket, a paddle bat, a hockey stick, a squash racket, a table racket, or the like. In further embodiments, outdoor equipment such as travel bags, which are provided with certain gripping areas comprising such fibers, can facilitate securing the travel bag.

Furthermore, only a limited number of embodiments are described below for the sake of brevity. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications and different combinations can be made with reference to specific features of these embodiments, and that certain aspects of the detailed description can also be omitted. Further, it is noted that aspects described in detail below can be combined with the above summary.

Fig. 1 represents a thermal map of a foot sole 100, particularly the right foot. The thermal map of the foot sole 100 shows data measured from four key soccer games of 20 players under an average foot pressure load. As can be seen, the foot sole 100 includes a heel region 110, a midfoot region 120, a ball 130 and a toe region 140 in the foot region. According to the thermal map, the heel region 110, the ball 130 of the foot region, and the toe region 140 (particularly under the big toe of the area) each include a portion 150, the portion 150 exhibiting the highest value for average foot pressure loading. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present invention can provide increased sliding resistance at these portions so that the above-described advantages of the present invention can be obtained.

Figures 2A-2D illustrate various embodiments of an athletic sock 200 according to the present invention.

As can be seen in FIG. 2A, the athletic sock 200 includes a first portion 210a, the first portion 210a including synthetic fibers having a diameter of less than 1 μm (the fibers are too small to be shown in this figure), wherein the first portion 210a is at least partially disposed in a heel portion of the athletic sock 200. Such fibers are available from a number of manufacturers, such as the imperial company mentioned above. The first portion 210a substantially surrounds the entire heel portion of the athletic sock 200. In addition, the first portion 210a can encompass the ankle portion and/or other portions of the athletic sock 200. Because the heel area of the foot is relatively rigid, it requires special support and frictional control for foot motion, such as in soccer. Alternatively, the first portion 210a can only wrap around the heel area of the athletic sock 200 below the heel portion. Such an arrangement of the first portion 210a is used to achieve selective adhesion of the foot within the shoe, for example, an arrangement that allows the remainder of the sock to slip within the shoe.

In addition, the athletic sock 200 further includes a second first portion 210b, the second first portion 210b being disposed at a ball of the foot portion of the athletic sock 200 and also at a toe portion of the athletic sock 200. In summary, the first portions 201a and 201b can comprise about 30% of the outer surface of the athletic sock 200 to provide sufficient gripping properties to the wearer. As shown in FIG. 1, the average foot pressure load maximum occurs in the corresponding foot region. Thus, the increased gripping properties provided in the heel, ball and toe portions described above enable significant improvements in sliding resistance. This enables to maximize the performance of the soccer player in training and/or gaming situations, since the soccer player obtains a better stability and pressure transmission from the foot to the shoe.

In one embodiment, the synthetic fibers can be made of a plastic material, such as polyester. It is conceivable to use other suitable materials known to the person skilled in the art for manufacturing the synthetic fibres.

The athletic sock 200 further includes a second portion 220 that does not have synthetic fibers with a diameter less than 1 μm. As discussed above, certain portions of the athletic sock 200 (e.g., the upper side of the instep portion) can be designed to provide less sliding resistance to be movable and thus provide the desired flexibility for the foot within the shoe. It is also contemplated that the

first portions

210a, 210b can include different thicknesses. This differential thickness is effective to provide a snug fit of the athletic sock 200 to the surface of the wearer's foot. In addition, in certain areas (e.g., toe areas) where a soccer player contacts the ball, the thicker portion can provide some cushioning to protect the toe area of the soccer player and can prevent the soccer player from being injured. In addition to providing different thicknesses in the first portion, it is possible that one of the first portion and the second portion comprises a different thickness to obtain the same advantage.

In the embodiment of fig. 2A, the first portions 210a, 201b can be disposed on both the inner and outer surfaces of the athletic sock 200. As described above, such fiber arrangements between the foot and the athletic sock 200 and between the athletic sock 200 and the shoe can provide increased sliding resistance and thus better stability of the foot within the shoe.

The athletic sock 200 further includes a shank portion, which also includes a first portion (not shown in fig. 2). As mentioned above, many soccer players wear shin guards. By providing the first portion in the shin portion, particularly below the knee of the wearer, the shin guard can be more reliably positioned. This results in improved wearing comfort, since the sports sock 200 is able to prevent slipping down. Furthermore, the risk of losing the shin guard and thus the shin guard protection is reduced. It is conceivable that the first portion could extend around the entire shank portion of the sports sock according to the invention, which could further enhance the above-mentioned advantages.

According to the embodiment of fig. 2A, the synthetic fibers are adapted to provide a greater friction for the

first part

210a, 210b in the sports shoe in the wet state than in the dry state. The nano-scale imbalance of such fibers can provide a larger surface for the athletic sock 200, which can result in greater friction. The effect is enhanced if the soccer player sweats or is exposed to inclement weather conditions, as the absorption of moisture can create additional friction. In other words, moisture acts as an adhesive between the athletic sock 200 and the foot and between the athletic sock 200 and the shoe.

Fig. 2B shows a further embodiment. Here, the athletic sock 200 includes a first portion 210a in the heel portion, a first portion 210b in the toe portion, and finally a first portion 210c in the midfoot portion. In addition, the sports sock 200 also comprises two second portions 220 between the first portions 201a, 201b and 201 c. In summary, the first portions 201a, 201b and 201c can comprise about 50% of the surface of the athletic sock 200. Such a fibre arrangement with increased gripping properties can be adapted to jumping movements, which require a high longitudinal sliding resistance.

As shown in FIG. 2C, another embodiment of the athletic sock 200 includes a first portion 210 that encompasses the entire ball of the foot, e.g., the first portion includes greater than 80% of the surface of the athletic sock 200. In addition, the athletic sock 200 includes a second portion 220. Such an arrangement of the first portion 210 provides the greatest possible sliding resistance for the pressure transmission of the entire ball of a soccer player. Such a sports sock 200 is capable of providing high sliding resistance in any movement of a soccer player in any direction.

Fig. 2D shows a front and rear view of a further embodiment. Here, the athletic sock 200 is included in the portion of the athletic sock surrounding the foot, and the athletic sock 200 includes a first portion 210 extending from a toe portion along a ball portion (i.e., along a mid-foot lower surface) to a heel portion of the athletic sock 200. In addition, the first portion 210 can also extend from the heel portion along the achilles tendon portion. Additionally, the first portion can extend along a sock portion that includes a leg lower portion. For example, as can be seen in FIG. 2D, the first portion 210 of the upper of the athletic sock 200 can encompass the entire lower calf. In addition, the sports sock 200 includes a second portion 220 having no synthetic fibers with a diameter less than 1 μm, the second portion 220 covering the upper surface of the midfoot portion. Such an arrangement of first portion 210 can provide enhanced stability to a foot in an athletic shoe, such as shoe 300 described below. Therefore, possible injuries such as ankle joint injury or achilles tendon injury in the heel portion can be prevented by the enhanced stability.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic view of a possible embodiment of a shoe 300, in particular a football shoe, according to another aspect of the invention. The football shoe 300 includes an upper 310 and a first portion 320a, the first portion 320a including synthetic fibers having a diameter of less than 1 μm. The first portion 320a is disposed outboard of an instep portion of the upper 310. As mentioned above, such grip enhancing fiber arrangements can provide enhanced sliding resistance and motion control on one side. For example, it allows for better control of sports equipment such as balls, e.g. soccer. Other types of athletic shoes can benefit from the arrangement of the first portion 320a outside the upper 310, such as for climbing shoes, where the first portion increases the sliding resistance of the outsole on rocks.

As seen in section a-a, the shoe 300 further comprises a first portion 320b, said 320b being arranged in the toe portion of the insole 315 of the shoe 300, in particular under the big toe of said toe portion. In addition, the first portion 320b is also disposed at a toe portion of the upper 310. The same can be applied to the footwear 300 with respect to increasing the sliding resistance of the athletic sock 200. The fine fibers with the increased surface provide more friction and thus prevent undesirable sliding of the foot within the shoe.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, section B-B shows that footwear 300 further includes a first portion 320c disposed in the midfoot region of insole 315 of footwear 300. Consistent with fig. 2C, the midfoot region can be supported by fiber-reinforced gripping properties to provide sufficient friction for acceleration of a soccer player.

As seen in section C-C, the shoe 300 includes two first portions 320d disposed inside the heel of the upper 310 and one first portion 320C disposed in the heel portion of the insole 315 of the shoe 300. The above-mentioned stability advantages also apply to the heel portion of a football player's foot. In addition, the possibility of injury such as bad joint injury at the heel portion can be prevented due to the increased stability of the foot inside the shoe 300. Shoes are also conceivable which provide a

first portion

320b, 320c and 320d which is capable of supporting barefoot sports, for example for soccer and/or barefoot sports such as running. In addition, the increased stability of the wearer's foot during kicking and/or sprinting can help the wearer improve their performance. Furthermore, the fibers can be woven in a particular direction, for example, in a direction from the heel portion to the toe portion of the foot, to better secure the foot in that direction. By providing improved gripping properties, it is possible to have sufficient stability without the need for a special insole foot.

Finally, it is noted that combinations of socks and shoes as described above are also conceivable. The invention therefore covers combinations thereof in which the contributions of said sock and said first portion of the shoe can particularly correspond to each other and/or complement each other in order to provide a maximum sliding resistance.

Claims

1. An athletic sock (200), comprising:

a. at least one first portion (210 a; 210 b; 210c) comprising synthetic fibers having a diameter of less than 1 micron,

b. wherein the at least one first portion (210 a; 210 b; 210c) is arranged at least partially at a heel portion of the sports sock (200), and

c. wherein the at least one first portion (210 a; 210 b; 210c) comprises more than 30% of the surface of the athletic sock (200), the athletic sock (200) enclosing the foot, wherein the sock further comprises at least two first portions (210 a; 210 b; 210c) in the heel region (110) and toe region (140) of the foot (100), wherein the at least one first portion (210 a; 210 b; 210c) is arranged under the big toe of the foot (100) in the toe region (140), and wherein the sock further comprises at least one first portion (210 a; 210 b; 210c) in the ankle portion of the athletic sock (200), and wherein the sock further comprises at least one second portion (220), the second portion (220) having no synthetic fibers with a diameter of less than 1 micrometer, the at least one second portion being arranged under the first portion of the heel region and the big toe of the foot in the toe region And (3) removing the solvent.

2. The athletic sock (200) of claim 1, wherein the at least one first portion (210 a; 210 b; 210c) comprises greater than 50% of the surface of the athletic sock (200), the athletic sock (200) surrounding a foot.

3. The athletic sock (200) of claim 1, wherein the at least one first portion (210 a; 210 b; 210c) comprises greater than 80% of the surface of the athletic sock (200), the athletic sock (200) surrounding a foot.

4. Sports sock (200) according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein said at least one first portion (210 a; 210 b; 210c) is arranged on the inner and outer surfaces of said sports sock (200).

5. The athletic sock (200) of one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a shin portion, wherein the shin portion comprises at least one first portion (210 a; 210 b; 210 c).

6. Sports sock (200) according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein said synthetic fibres are incorporated in a yarn having a linear mass density of 100 and 200 dtex.

7. The sports sock (200) according to claim 6, wherein the yarn has a linear mass density of 120-180 dtex.

8. The athletic sock (200) of claim 6, wherein the yarn has a linear mass density of 130-170 dtex.

9. Sports sock (200) according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein said synthetic fibres are adapted to provide a greater friction to said first portion (210 a; 210 b; 210c) of the inside of the sports shoe in the wet state than in the dry state.