JP2010042079A - Footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide footwear (shoe) in which fit feeling and cushioning properties can be obtained corresponding to an individual shoe last and in which a stress from the shoe to the foot can be controlled in accordance with a pressure on the shoe. <P>SOLUTION: The shoe 10 consists at least of a sole 1 and an upper 2. In the shoe, in the inner surface 2a of the upper 2 in contact with the foot 5 of a user, there is arranged in a matrix stress-imparting means 3 which senses an external pressure to impart to the foot 5 a stress according to the pressure. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to footwear, and more particularly to footwear with an improved fit and cushioning.

  In order to improve the athletic performance and comfort of shoes, it is common to adjust the tightness of shoelaces, straps, thin wires and the like. However, when using shoelaces, straps, thin wires, etc., pressure is applied only to the back and sides of the foot, so it is not comfortable for people who are injured or wearers, and it is difficult to wear for a long time. It can be difficult to keep on wearing. Also, even if you adjust by tightening shoelaces, straps, thin wires, etc., there are individual differences in the unevenness of the foot and the shape of the arch, and it is not possible to follow the change in the shape of the foot due to exercise The performance of fitting to the foot of the shoe is insufficient.

  In order to improve the fit performance of a shoe with respect to a foot, for example, in Patent Document 1, an air chamber called an inflatable bladder is inflated by putting air into at least one of the outside and inside of the shoe, and the bladder is inflated. A shoe having a small pump mechanism is disclosed. In the shoe disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, by placing a bladder on the instep of the foot and appropriately inflating the bladder after wearing the shoe, it is possible to achieve fit performance suitable for each individual. it can.

  Further, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses a shoe having a chamber called a bladder that encloses gas, liquid, gel, or the like inside the shoe. In the shoe disclosed in Patent Document 2, the bladder is deformed by weight, and has a function of improving fit and cushioning.

  However, in the shoe disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, if the number of bladders arranged in the shoe is small, it is possible to apply stress uniformly to a wide area of the foot, but each foot part is independent. Stress cannot be applied. In order to apply an independent stress to each part, a large number of bladders are required. For this purpose, the number of the pump mechanisms is equal to the number of bladders, or the number of pump mechanisms is one, but complicated air piping and many valves are required. As a result, the weight increases, making it unsuitable as a shoe. In addition, because the number of bladders increases, the number of valves increases, and it takes time to adjust the pressure of all bladders, sensing the pressure from the outside in real time, and the shoe pressure accordingly. It is difficult to adjust.

Further, in the shoe disclosed in Patent Document 2, stress cannot be applied to each part of the foot independently. Therefore, when a person wearing the shoe performs some kind of exercise, the optimum stress is matched to the movement. Cannot be given at the optimal timing.
JP 2005-532115 A JP 2002-538866 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, can provide a fit and cushioning suitable for each individual's foot shape, and controls the stress applied from the footwear to the foot according to the pressure applied to the footwear. It aims to provide footwear that can be done.

The footwear according to claim 1 of the present invention is footwear comprising at least a bottom portion and an upper portion,
Stress applying means for sensing pressure from the outside and applying stress corresponding to the pressure to the foot is arranged in a matrix on the inner surface of the upper portion that comes into contact with the user's foot.
The footwear according to claim 2 of the present invention is characterized in that, in claim 1, a member for absorbing an impact is disposed on the heel portion of the bottom portion.
The footwear according to claim 3 of the present invention is characterized in that, in claim 1 or 2, the stress applying means is a soft actuator element.
The footwear according to claim 4 of the present invention is characterized in that, in claim 3, the soft actuator element comprises a dielectric elastomer and counter electrodes disposed on both sides of the dielectric elastomer.
The footwear according to claim 5 of the present invention is characterized in that, in claim 3, the soft actuator element comprises an ion exchange membrane and counter electrodes arranged on both sides of the ion exchange membrane.
The footwear according to claim 6 of the present invention is the footwear according to claim 3, wherein the soft actuator element includes an electrolyte, a conductive polymer disposed on one surface of the electrolyte, and an electrode disposed on the other surface of the electrolyte. It is characterized by comprising.
According to claim 7 of the present invention, the footwear according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the potential dose measuring device detects a change in potential capacity of the stress applying means due to an external pressure, and changes in the potential capacity. And a control circuit comprising: a computer for calculating the stress applied to the stress applying means, a power source for applying stress to the stress applying means, and a switching circuit for switching input / output of electrical signals to the stress applying means. The apparatus and each of the stress applying means are electrically connected.
The footwear according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the footwear according to the seventh aspect, wherein the computer determines the direction of movement from the change in potential capacity of the stress applying means in a minute time, and applies a stress corresponding to the movement. It is characterized by that.

  According to the footwear of the present invention, on the inner surface of the upper part of the footwear, since stress applying means for generating stress according to the pressure from the outside is arranged, appropriate stress corresponding to the pressure applied to each part of the footwear is arranged. Can be added to the foot. Therefore, it is possible to provide a shoe that is less likely to get tired and that can provide an appropriate fit according to the motion and shape of the foot.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. In this specification, an ankle to toe is referred to as a “foot”, and an ankle to pelvis is referred to as a “leg”.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a footwear 10A (10) according to a first embodiment of the present invention and a foot 5 inserted into the footwear 10A.
The footwear 10A according to the present embodiment is generally composed of a bottom portion 1 and an upper portion 2, and the inner surface 2a of the upper portion 2 that is in contact with the user's foot 5 senses pressure from the outside and applies stress according to the pressure. Stress applying means 3 to be applied to the legs 5 are arranged in a matrix. Details will be described below.

The footwear comprising at least the bottom portion 1 and the upper portion 2 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include shoes and sandals.
The shoes are not particularly limited, and are particularly limited for daily use, for sports such as athletics, ball games, skiing, snowboarding, etc., for medical use for rehabilitation, and for business use such as safety shoes and boots. It is not a thing.
The sandals are not particularly limited, and examples include sandals that cover the ankles 5 h, insteps 5 g, and parts that cover the insteps. In the present embodiment, a case where shoes are used as an example of the footwear 10 will be described.

The stress applying means 3 is arranged in a matrix on the inner surface 2a of the upper part 2 of the footwear 10A, detects pressure from the outside, and applies stress corresponding to the pressure to the foot 5. The shape is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a cylindrical shape and a quadrangular prism shape. The size can be changed as appropriate according to the pressure to be detected and the stress to be applied. It is 05 mm or more and 10 mm or less.
On the inner surface 2a of the upper portion 2, the size and shape thereof may be changed depending on the position where the stress applying means 3 is disposed. For example, a large stress applying means 3 is arranged on the upper part 2c around the sole 5c (especially the upper part 2b around the heel 5b) where the pressure applied from the outside is large, and the upper part around the ankle 5h where an ankle 5h or the like is desired. In 2h, the small stress applying means 3 can be arranged at high density.

In the footwear 10A of the present invention, the pressure is sensed and the stress is generated by the same stress applying means 3, so that the cost can be reduced. Further, when the matrix is formed on the inner surface 2a of the upper part 2 of the footwear 10A, it is possible to increase the density and to apply appropriate stress to each part of the foot 5. Therefore, according to the movement of the foot 5, it is possible to apply stress to an appropriate location, and to improve the fit. Therefore, it is possible to improve athletic ability and balance as compared with conventional shoes.
In particular, since the pressure applied to the stress applying means 3 is generated by the force from the outside of the footwear 10A and the force from the foot 5 inside the footwear 10A, a pressure peculiar to each individual foot type is generated. Since the stress applied from the stress applying means 3 to the foot 5 is generated according to the pressure, a stress specific to each individual foot pattern can be applied. Therefore, according to the footwear 10 of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a fit suitable for each individual's foot pattern, for example, when suffering from an open leg, hallux valgus, club vulva, ankle epiphysis, etc. However, it is possible to obtain an optimal fit without pain and to exercise without pain due to footwear. Moreover, even when the foot 5 is swollen and the size of the foot 5 changes, an appropriate fit can be obtained according to the changed size of the foot.
Furthermore, since the site | part which senses pressure and the site | part which gives stress to the leg | foot 5 are the same, an appropriate stress can be provided to the place which the user thought.

When the footwear 10A of the present embodiment is applied to sports shoes by taking advantage of good fit performance, it is possible to apply stress optimal for various actions. Not only when you run and stop suddenly, but also when you jump, land, start running, change body orientation, swing clubs, kick balls etc. Granting is possible. Therefore, since it is excellent in motility and fit performance corresponding to the exercise is obtained, damage caused to the ankle 5h, the sole 5c and the like can be suppressed.
Also, when applied to medical shoes, it can be used for rehabilitation shoes such as walking training to support the foot appropriately according to the movement of the foot, thus efficiently assisting recovery from injury. can do.
In addition, when applied to sandals, it is possible to provide a sandal with excellent fit and support that cannot be obtained conventionally.

For example, FIG. 2A is a view schematically showing a stress application state when the foot 5 is landed on the ground 11 as a result of some exercise while wearing the footwear 10A of the present invention. FIG. 2B is a diagram schematically showing a stress application state when the foot 5 kicks off the ground 11 and takes off in order to wear the footwear 10A of the present invention and cause some motion. The arrow in the figure indicates the stress applied to the foot 5, and the greater the arrow (the thicker), the greater the stress.
In FIG. 2 (a), it is assumed that the user touches the ground 11 from the ridge 5b.

As shown in FIG. 2 (a), according to the footwear 10A of the present invention, when landing from the heel part 1a of the bottom 1, the stress suitable for the pressure generated on the footwear 10A is instantaneously applied to the upper part around the heel 5b. 2b and the stress applying means 3b and 3h arranged on the upper part 2h around the ankle 5h, and the shift between the heel portions 1a and 2b of the footwear 10A and the foot 5 generated upon landing is corrected to a desired positional relationship. Can land. Therefore, the foot 5 can land at an appropriate position in the footwear 10A, and the impact of the foot 5 can be reduced by sufficiently utilizing the arch of the foot 5 to reduce fatigue of the foot 5. Moreover, since it is suppressed that the foot | leg 5 slip | deviates within footwear 10A, a water bubble, an atheroma, a chicken eye, etc. become difficult to produce.
Further, when landing, if the toes 5f are in strong contact with the upper part 2 of the footwear 10A, the nails and fingers are damaged. Normally, when landing on the ground 11 from the heel 5b, the pressure applied to the upper part 2f around the toe 5f is small. For this reason, the application of stress to the toe 5f is minimized, and damage to the toe 5f can be reduced.

  On the other hand, when the foot 5 kicks off the ground 11 and takes off, the ground 11 is kicked off at the portion from the toe 5d to the toe ball 5e, so that a large grip is required at this portion. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), the stress corresponding to the pressure change from the upper part 2d around the toe 5d to the upper part 2e around the toe ball 5e, that is, from the upper part 2d around the toe finger 5d to around the toe ball 5e. If the footwear 5d has a large stress generated from the stress-applying members 3d, 3e, 3g disposed on the upper part 2e of the foot and the upper part 2g around the upper part 5g of the foot facing the thumb ball 5e, Friction between the portion extending from the thumb ball 5e and the upper parts 2d and 2e in contact with the thumb ball 5e from the toe 5d is increased, and a large grip is obtained. Accordingly, it is possible to take off efficiently, and the burden on the foot 5 is small, and the foot 5 (sole 5c) is prevented from shifting in the footwear 10A. It becomes difficult to occur.

<Second Embodiment>
FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing footwear 10B (10) according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
The footwear 10B of the present embodiment is different from the footwear 10A of the first embodiment in that a member 4 for absorbing an impact is disposed on the heel portion 1a of the bottom portion 1.

  The member 4 for absorbing the impact is not particularly limited, and a conventionally known member can be used. For example, a member in which gas is trapped in a balloon-like member, urethane, EVA resin, silicon, A silicon gel etc. are mentioned.

  According to the footwear 10B of the present embodiment, in addition to the effects obtained with the footwear 10A of the first embodiment 10 described above, it is possible to more effectively buffer the impact during exercise.

Generally, in conventional shoes, a member for absorbing the impact of landing is often placed in the bag. As a member for absorbing the impact of landing, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, a cushion in which gas or the like is trapped in a balloon-like member, or a deformation of the member itself for absorbing the impact It is something that diffuses the impact and various.
In order to make these work effectively, it is desirable to land on the ground in a state where the foot and the member for absorbing the impact are in an optimal positional relationship.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a stress application state when the footwear 10B of the present embodiment is worn and the foot 5 is landed on the ground 11 as a result of some exercise. In the present embodiment, as in the case of using the footwear 10A of the first embodiment described above, a shift between the heel portions 1a and 2b of the footwear 10B caused by the movement and the position of the foot 5 in the footwear 10B is desired. You can modify and land on the relationship. Therefore, the impact generated at the time of landing can be efficiently buffered by the member 4, and the burden on the foot 5 can be effectively reduced.
Even when landing from the toes 5f (parts from the toes 5d to the toes 5b), the impact at the time of landing is increased by the heel 5b, so that the impact can be effectively reduced by the member 4, It is possible to reduce the burden on the legs 5 and the legs such as knees and thighs.

  In the footwear 10 of the first to second embodiments described above, it is preferable to use a soft actuator element as the stress applying means 3. By using soft actuator elements, even when a plurality of soft actuator elements are arranged in a matrix, the footwear 10 does not become excessively heavy, and the stress applied to the foot 5 independently is adjusted at a number of parts of the footwear 10. It becomes possible to do. Since this soft actuator element is operated by an electrical signal, the electrical wiring can be made smaller in volume than the conventional air piping used in, for example, Patent Document 1, and the footwear 10 does not become excessively large. , Both design and functionality can be achieved.

When a ceramic actuator element such as PZT or an electromagnetic motor, for example, is used as a stress source instead of a soft actuator element, these actuator elements generate strong stress and the element itself is strong, so It can cause pain. For example, if the actuator element runs away, the ankle may be excessively tightened, resulting in injury such as cutting the Achilles tendon.
When the soft actuator element is used as in the present invention, since the soft actuator element itself is made of a polymer, the touch of the foot 5 is good, and the foot 5 is not damaged even if it is in contact for a long time. Even if the soft actuator element runs away, the polymer constituting the soft actuator element has a lower yield stress than the human body, so the soft actuator element itself yields before it is tightened to the extent that the foot 5 is damaged. , Strong stress will not occur.

  As the soft actuator element, a conventionally known element can be used. For example, the soft actuator element includes a dielectric elastomer and counter electrodes disposed on both sides of the dielectric elastomer, an ion exchange membrane, and both sides of the ion exchange membrane. Or a conductive polymer and a counter electrode disposed on both sides of the conductive polymer.

FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing a soft actuator element 3α (3) including a dielectric elastomer 31 and counter electrodes 32 and 33 disposed on both sides of the dielectric elastomer 31. FIG. 5A shows the soft actuator element 3α in a normal state, and FIG. 5B schematically shows the soft actuator element 3α in a compressed state when pressure is applied. FIG. 5C is a diagram schematically showing the mechanism of action.
In response to external pressure, the potential capacity changes as the distance between the counter electrodes 32 and 33 changes as shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C. The pressure can be detected by measuring the change in the potential capacity. Further, regarding the generation of stress, the stress can be generated by the Coulomb force between the counter electrodes 32 and 33.
Examples of such dielectric elastomer 31 include silicon, acrylic, urethane, and the like. Further, the thickness can be appropriately adjusted according to the magnitude of pressure to be detected, the stress to be generated, etc., and is, for example, 0.05 mm or more and 10 mm or less.
The counter electrodes 32 and 33 are not particularly limited, and conventionally known electrodes can be used, and examples thereof include copper and copper-containing alloys.

  In a soft actuator element that requires an electrolyte, the electrolyte is often a liquid, and a structure for sealing the electrolyte is required, resulting in an increase in cost. In addition, the sealing structure may be deteriorated by repeated movement and may be damaged, so that reliability may be lowered. When the dielectric elastomer 31 and the counter electrodes 32 and 33 are used, an electrolyte is not required, so that the cost can be reduced and the reliability when repeatedly used can be improved. In particular, since the footwear 10 is repeated many times, it is very useful to keep the reliability high.

FIG. 6A is a diagram schematically showing a soft actuator element 3β (3) including an ion exchange membrane 34 and counter electrodes 32 and 33 arranged on both sides of the ion exchange membrane 34. FIG. (B) is the figure which showed the action mechanism typically.
The ion exchange membrane 34 is made of an ion exchange resin and has a thickness of, for example, 0.05 mm or more and 10 mm or less. Similar to the dielectric elastomer 31, the ion exchange membrane 34 is compressed by receiving pressure from the outside, the potential capacity is changed by changing the distance between the counter electrodes 22 and 23, and the change in the potential capacity is measured to measure the pressure. Can be detected. Regarding the generation of stress, as shown in FIG. 6B, when a voltage is applied to the ion exchange membrane 34, the ions 41 and 42 and the polymer electrolyte 43 in the ion exchange membrane 34 are charged to the charges of the ions 41 and 42. Accordingly, it moves in the direction of the counter electrode 32 or the counter electrode 33. At that time, since the water molecules 44 are also moved by the ions 41 and 42, the ion exchange membrane 34 is partially swollen and expanded, and stress is generated.
As such an ion exchange membrane 34, a conventionally known one can be used, and both a cation exchange resin and an anion exchange resin can be applied. For example, a styrene type or an acrylic type is mentioned. More specifically, for example, those having a matrix made of a copolymer of styrene / divinylbenzene, those having a matrix made of a copolymer of acrylic acid / divinylbenzene, polyethylene, fluororesin, etc. And those having a hydrophilic functional group such as a group introduced therein.
The counter electrodes 32 and 33 are not particularly limited, and conventionally known electrodes can be used, and examples thereof include copper and copper-containing alloys.

  Since this type of soft actuator element 3β can be driven with a small voltage of about 1.5V DC, there is an advantage that it is safe when used in the footwear 10 of the present invention.

FIG. 7A schematically shows a soft actuator element 3γ (3) including an electrolyte 35, a conductive polymer 36 disposed on one surface 35a of the electrolyte 35, and an electrode 37 disposed on the other surface 35b of the electrolyte 35. FIG. 7B schematically shows the mechanism of action.
Similarly to the dielectric elastomer 31, the electrolyte 35 is compressed by receiving pressure from the outside, and the potential capacity is changed by changing the distance between the conductive polymer 36 and the electrode 37, and the change in the potential capacity is measured. Can detect pressure. With respect to the generation of stress, as shown in FIG. 7B, when a voltage is applied to the conductive polymer 36, the anion 51 (or cation 52) in the electrolyte 35 enters or desorbs into the conductive polymer 36. Occurs, the volume changes and stress is generated. When ions enter and desorb, the ions may enter and desorb with water molecules, or may be accompanied by oxidation / reduction reactions. FIG. 7B schematically shows a state where the anion 51 in the electrolyte 35 has entered the conductive polymer 35.
Examples of the conductive polymer 36 include polypyrrole and polyaniline.
The electrode 37 is not particularly limited, and a conventionally known electrode can be used, and examples thereof include copper and an alloy containing copper.

  When the soft actuator element 3γ using the conductive polymer 36 is applied to the footwear 10 of the present invention, after the soft actuator element changes to a certain shape, the shape is maintained even if the applied voltage is released. There is an advantage that it can be driven with low power consumption.

  Depending on the position of the inner surface of the footwear 10 on which the soft actuator element is disposed, the material comprising the dielectric elastomer 31 and the counter electrodes 32, 33 disposed on both sides of the dielectric elastomer 21, the ion exchange membrane 34 and the ion exchange A counter electrode 32, 33 disposed on both sides of the membrane 34, or an electrolyte 35, a conductive polymer 36 disposed on one surface 35a of the electrolyte 35, and an electrode 37 disposed on the other surface 35b of the electrolyte 35. You can also use what consists of.

FIG. 8A is a diagram in which the wiring 61 is connected to the footwear 10A of the first embodiment, and FIG. 8B is an example of a control device 60 that controls the stress applying means 3 and a schematic diagram thereof. .
The control device 60 includes a switching circuit 62, a digital multimeter 63, a DC power supply 64, and a computer 65. The control device 60 and each stress applying means 3 are electrically connected by a wiring 61.
The change in potential capacity due to the pressure applied to each stress applying means 3 is output as an analog current signal via the wiring 61 and input to the digital multimeter 63, and the pressure is sensed. As the digital multimeter 63, for example, a capacitance measuring device can be used.
The value of the change in potential capacity measured by the digital multimeter 63 is taken into the computer 65, the applied voltage for applying an appropriate stress is calculated according to a predetermined algorithm, output from the DC power supply 64 and via the wiring 61. An analog current signal is output to the stress applying means 3. In the stress applying means 3, a stress corresponding to the current signal from the DC power supply 64 is generated.
Switching between the output to each stress applying means 3 (stress application) and the input from each stress applying means 3 (pressure measurement) can be switched using the switching circuit 62. Therefore, the wiring 61 that connects each stress applying means 3 and the switching circuit 62 can perform the pressure measurement and the stress applying with the same wiring 61.

  The control device 60 can be placed on the clothing of a person wearing the footwear 10 or placed in a bag or the like. Further, the wiring 61 is arranged along the legs and connected to each stress applying means 3. At this time, the wiring 61 can also be arranged in the clothing in advance.

  According to the shoe 10 of the present invention, it is possible to determine the direction of movement from the pressure fluctuation (change in potential capacity) generated in the stress applying means 3 in a very short time by the computer 65 and apply a stress corresponding to the movement. it can. In addition, although it depends on the exercise | movement to perform here, minute time means 0.001 second or more and 1 second or less for example.

For example, in FIG. 2A described above, the stress corresponding to the pressure fluctuation is measured by measuring the pressure fluctuation in the stress applying means 3 generated when landing from the ridge 5b in a minute time of 0.1 second interval, for example. Is instantaneously applied to the stress applying means 3b, 3h arranged around the heel 5b and the upper portions 2b, 2h around the ankle 5h, and the shift between the footwear 10 and the foot 5 caused by the movement is corrected to a desired positional relationship. And can land. Therefore, it is possible to land at an appropriate position, to fully utilize the arch of the foot 5 to buffer the impact, and to reduce the fatigue of the foot 5. Moreover, in the footwear 10B of 2nd Embodiment in which the member 4 for absorbing an impact was distribute | arranged, an impact can be absorbed efficiently. Furthermore, since it is suppressed that the foot | leg 5 slips within the footwear 10, a water bubble, an atheroma, a chicken eye, etc. become difficult to produce.
Further, when landing, if the toe 5f is strongly in contact with the footwear 10, it will hurt the nails and fingers. However, when landing, the stress applied to the upper portion 2f around the toe 5h of the footwear 10 is minimized. As described above, by programming the computer 65, damage to the toes 5f can be reduced.

  Further, in FIG. 2B described above, the pressure fluctuation from the toe 5d part to the toe ball 5e is measured in a minute time such as 0.1 second, and the stress suitable for the pressure fluctuation, that is, the toe part. 5f (upper parts 2d, 2e from the toes 5d to the toes 5b) makes the footwear large in stress, the friction between the part from the toes 5d to the toes 5e and the bottom 1 of the footwear 10 increases, A big grip is obtained. Accordingly, it is possible to take off efficiently, and the burden on the foot 5 is small, and the foot 5 is prevented from being displaced in the footwear 10, so that it is difficult for water bubbles, atheroma, chicken eyes, etc. to occur on the sole 5c.

When the footwear 10 of the present invention is used, when performing some kind of exercise, it is possible to give an optimum stress at an optimum timing according to the movement. For example, when jogging, if the running person runs at a rate of one step per second, the computer 35 may be programmed to repeat pressure sensing and stress application every 0.1 second. It is possible to apply stress suitable for jogging and reduce the load on the foot.
As another example, in the boots for skis and snowboards, the force due to the change in the snow surface is always applied to the foot 5, so that the burden on the foot is increased. By applying the present invention to these boots, it is possible to obtain an appropriate fit for various situations and to reduce foot fatigue.

  The present invention can be applied to various footwear such as daily use, sports use, medical use, and business use.

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing footwear according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is the figure which showed typically the mode at the time of putting on the footwear which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention, and landing on the ground, and the mode at the time of taking off from the ground. It is sectional drawing which showed typically the footwear which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed typically the mode at the time of putting on the footwear which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention, and landing on the ground. It is sectional drawing which showed typically an example of the soft actuator element applied to the footwear of this invention. It is sectional drawing which showed typically another example of the soft actuator element applied to the footwear of this invention. It is sectional drawing which showed typically another example of the soft actuator element applied to the footwear of this invention. It is the figure which showed typically the footwear of this invention, and the control apparatus electrically connected with this footwear.

Explanation of symbols

  1 Bottom, 2 Upper, 2a Inner surface, 2b Upper area around the heel, 2c Upper area around the sole, 2d Upper area around the toes, 2e Upper area around the toes, 2f Upper area around the toes, 2g Around the instep Upper part, 2h upper part around the ankle, 3 stress applying means, 4 member for absorbing impact, 5 foot, 5b heel, 5c sole, 5d toe finger, 5e toe ball, 5f toe, 5g foot height, 5h ankle, 10 (10A, 10B) footwear, 11 ground, 31 conductive elastomer, 32, 33 counter electrode, 34 ion exchange membrane, 35 electrolyte, 36 conductive polymer, 37 electrode, 41 anion, 42 anion, 43 Polymer electrolyte, 44 Water molecule, 51 Anion, 52 Cation, 60 Controller, 61 Wiring, 62 Switching circuit, 63 Digital multimeter, 64 DC , 65 computer.

Claims (8)

Footwear comprising at least a bottom and a top,
Footwear characterized in that stress applying means for sensing pressure from the outside and applying stress corresponding to the pressure to the foot is arranged in a matrix on the inner surface of the upper portion that comes into contact with the user's foot. .   The footwear according to claim 1, wherein a member for absorbing an impact is disposed on the heel portion of the bottom portion.   The footwear according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the stress applying means is a soft actuator element.   The footwear according to claim 3, wherein the soft actuator element includes a dielectric elastomer and counter electrodes arranged on both sides of the dielectric elastomer.   The footwear according to claim 3, wherein the soft actuator element comprises an ion exchange membrane and counter electrodes arranged on both sides of the ion exchange membrane.   The footwear according to claim 3, wherein the soft actuator element includes an electrolyte, a conductive polymer disposed on one surface of the electrolyte, and an electrode disposed on the other surface of the electrolyte.   A potential dose measuring device for detecting a change in potential capacity of the stress applying means due to an external pressure, a computer for calculating a stress applied to the stress applying means in accordance with a change in the potential capacity, and applying stress to the stress applying means And a control device comprising a switching circuit for switching input / output of an electrical signal to and from the stress applying means and each of the stress applying means are electrically connected to each other. Item 7. Footwear according to any one of Items 1 to 6.   The footwear according to claim 7, wherein a direction of movement is determined by the computer from a change in potential capacity of the stress applying unit in a minute time, and stress corresponding to the movement is applied.

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