JP2024058573A - Footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide footwear that can ensure good sliding between the foot of a wearer. [Solution] Footwear 1A includes a footbed portion 21. The footbed portion 21 has a support region 26 on its upper surface that supports the sole of the wearer's foot, and the support region 26 includes an upper surface side projection forming region 30a in which a plurality of upper surface side projections are arranged side by side. The maximum outer dimension in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction of each of the plurality of upper surface side projections is 3.0 mm or less. The protruding length of each of the plurality of upper surface side projections is 4.0 mm or more and 13.0 mm or less, and the arrangement density of the plurality of upper surface side projections in the upper surface side projection forming region 30a is 10% or more and 100% or less in terms of area ratio. The elastic modulus of the material constituting the plurality of upper surface side projections is 0.1 MPa or more and 100 MPa or less. [Selected Figure] FIG. 1

Description

This disclosure relates to footwear such as sandals and shoes.

For example, JP 2018-187363 A (Patent Document 1) discloses a footwear sole manufactured by three-dimensional additive manufacturing. The sole disclosed in this publication is composed of a three-dimensional mesh structure with a three-dimensional lattice structure as a unit structure.

JP 2018-187363 A

In footwear, if the contact area between the footbed and the wearer's foot is large, friction between the footbed and the wearer's foot increases. This causes a problem of the footbed not sliding easily between the wearer's foot and the footbed when the wearer puts the foot into the footwear. This problem is particularly noticeable, for example, when the footwear is manufactured using a three-dimensional additive manufacturing method, which has limited freedom in material selection due to manufacturing constraints.

Therefore, the present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide footwear that can ensure good sliding between the foot of the wearer.

Footwear according to the present disclosure includes a footbed portion. The footbed portion has a support region on its upper surface that supports the sole of the wearer's foot, and the support region includes, at least in part, an upper surface side protrusion forming region in which a plurality of upper surface side protrusions are arranged in a row. The maximum outer dimension in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction of each of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions is 3.0 mm or less. Furthermore, the protruding length of each of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions is 4.0 mm or more and 13.0 mm or less, and the arrangement density of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions in the upper surface side protrusion forming region is 10% or more and 100% or less in terms of area ratio. Furthermore, the elastic modulus of the material constituting the plurality of upper surface side protrusions is 0.1 MPa or more and 100 MPa or less.

Here, the arrangement density of multiple upper surface side protrusions in the upper surface side protrusion formation region means the proportion of the area of the root portions of the upper surface side protrusions per ^cm2 in the upper surface side protrusion formation region when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the upper surface side protrusion formation region.

This disclosure makes it possible to provide footwear that ensures good slippage between the wearer's feet.

1 is a perspective view of footwear according to a first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the footwear shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shell shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a plan view of the shell shown in FIG. 1 . 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the shell shown in FIG. 1 taken along line VV shown in FIG. 4. 2 is a perspective view of the sole body shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from an upper right front side. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sole body shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from a diagonally lower rear left side. FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the sole body shown in FIG. 1 . 7 is a diagram for explaining the shape of an upper surface side protrusion of the sole body shown in FIG. 6 . FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the distribution of the upper surface side protrusion formation region of the sole body shown in FIG. 1. 7 is a schematic diagram for explaining a method of mounting the sole body shown in FIG. 6 to the shell shown in FIG. 3 . FIG. FIG. 13 is a schematic plan view showing the distribution of the upper surface side protrusion formation regions of the sole body according to the first to third modified examples. FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an upper surface side protrusion of a sole body according to a fourth modified example. 13A to 13C are schematic cross-sectional views of upper surface side protrusions of a sole body according to fifth to twentieth modified examples. A bottom view of footwear related to the 21st variant example. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of a lower surface side projection and a lower surface side projection forming area of a sole body of footwear according to embodiment 2. FIG. FIG. 23 is a schematic plan view showing the distribution of the underside protrusion formation regions of the sole body according to the twenty-second and twenty-third modified examples.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments described below, identical or common parts are given the same reference numerals in the drawings, and their description will not be repeated.

(Embodiment 1)
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of footwear according to a first embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the footwear shown in Fig. 1. First, a schematic configuration of footwear 1A according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, footwear 1A comprises a shell 10 and a sole body 20 including a footbed portion 21 that supports the sole of the wearer's foot. Footwear 1A is used with the sole body 20 attached to the shell 10 as described below, thereby attaching the footbed portion 21 to the shell 10. Footwear 1A in this embodiment is a sandal.

When the footwear 1A is worn, the sole of the wearer's foot is placed on the upper surface of the sole body 20. Therefore, the sole body 20 is sandwiched between the shell 10 and the sole of the wearer's foot, and the sole body 20 supports the wearer's foot.

As shown in FIG. 2, when viewed in a plan view, the footwear 1A is divided along the front-to-rear direction (the up-down direction in FIG. 2) that corresponds to the length direction of the wearer's foot into a forefoot portion R1 that supports the toes and plantar part of the wearer's foot, a midfoot portion R2 that supports the arch of the wearer's foot, and a rearfoot portion R3 that supports the heel of the wearer's foot.

Here, if the front end of the footwear 1A is taken as a reference, the position corresponding to 33.2% of the dimension of the footwear 1A in the front-rear direction from the front end is taken as the first boundary position, and the position corresponding to 68.5% of the dimension of the footwear 1A in the front-rear direction from the front end is taken as the second boundary position, the forefoot R1 corresponds to the portion included between the front end and the first boundary position along the front-rear direction, the midfoot R2 corresponds to the portion included between the first boundary position and the second boundary position along the front-rear direction, and the rearfoot R3 corresponds to the portion included between the second boundary position and the rear end of the footwear 1A along the front-rear direction. The first boundary position extends roughly along the MP joint of a wearer with a standard body type, and the second boundary position extends roughly along the Chopart joint of a wearer with a standard body type.

When viewed in a plan view, the footwear 1A is divided along the left-right direction (left-right direction in the figure) that corresponds to the width direction of the wearer's foot into an inner foot part (the S1 side part shown in the figure) that corresponds to the midline side (i.e. the side closer to the midline) of the anatomical orthogonal position of the foot, and an outer foot part (the S2 side part shown in the figure) that corresponds to the side opposite the midline side of the anatomical orthogonal position of the foot (i.e. the side farther from the midline).

The vertical direction of the footwear 1A, which will be described later, refers to the direction that coincides with the thickness direction of the base 12 (described later) of the flat-shaped outsole portion 11 (i.e., the vertical direction in FIG. 5) and the thickness direction of the sole body 20, and more specifically, the direction that is perpendicular to both the front-rear direction, which is the direction that coincides with the length direction of the wearer's foot as described above, and the left-right direction, which is the direction that coincides with the width direction of the wearer's foot as described above.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the shell shown in Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a plan view of the shell shown in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the shell taken along line V-V shown in Figure 4. Next, the detailed configuration of the shell 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 5 and the above-mentioned Figures 1 and 2.

As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the shell 10 includes an outsole portion 11 having a ground contact surface 12a (see Figure 5) and a foot cover portion 15 that covers the instep of the wearer's foot.

The outsole portion 11 has a flat base portion 12 and a peripheral wall portion 13 standing upright from the periphery of the base portion 12. The lower bottom surface of the base portion 12 defines a ground contact surface 12a that contacts the ground or floor surface. When worn, the inner surface 13a of the peripheral wall portion 13 covers the peripheral surface 22 (see FIG. 6, etc.) of the footbed portion 21 of the sole body 20.

The foot cover portion 15 is a portion that covers the instep of the wearer's foot and is located above the outsole portion 11. In the footwear 1A according to this embodiment, the foot cover portion 15 has two strap-like (i.e., belt-like) portions.

The foot cover portion 15 extends in the left-right direction so that it has a generally arched shape when viewed in the front-rear direction. One end of the foot cover portion 15 is connected to a portion of the peripheral wall portion 13 located on the inner foot side, and the other end of the foot cover portion 15 is connected to a portion of the peripheral wall portion 13 located on the outer foot side.

As a result, the peripheral wall 13 located behind the foot cover 15 and the rear end of the foot cover 15 form the opening 16, and a hollow space is provided between the outsole 11 and the foot cover 15. Therefore, when the sole body 20 is attached, the wearer's foot is inserted into the hollow space through the opening 16, allowing the footwear 1A to be worn.

The base 12 is provided with a number of through holes 12c that reach the portion that defines the ground contact surface 12a and the portion that defines the upper bottom surface 12b. These multiple through holes 12c are provided for the purpose of ensuring breathability when the footwear 1A is worn, and details thereof will be described later. In this embodiment, two through holes 12c are provided in the base 12.

The two through holes 12c are located in the center in the width direction of the foot, in an area where air tends to stagnate when the footwear 1A is in use, and are arranged in an area corresponding to the foot's tread area and heel area of the wearer's foot.

As shown in Figures 3 and 5, a plurality of engaged parts 14 are provided on the inner surface 13a of the peripheral wall part 13 of the outsole part 11. In this embodiment, a total of four engaged parts 14 are provided: a front engaged part 14a, a rear engaged part 14b, an inner foot side engaged part 14c, and an outer foot side engaged part 14d.

The front engaged portion 14a and the rear engaged portion 14b are provided on the front and rear portions of the outsole portion 11, respectively, and are configured as protrusions that protrude toward the inside of the shell 10 along a direction substantially parallel to the ground contact surface 12a of the outsole portion 11. The front engaged portion 14a and the rear engaged portion 14b are portions that engage with the front engaging portion 23a and the rear engaging portion 23b, described later, provided on the sole body 20, respectively.

The inner foot side engaged portion 14c and the outer foot side engaged portion 14d are provided on the inner foot side and the outer foot side of the outsole portion 11, respectively, and are configured as holes as cutouts that penetrate the peripheral wall portion 13 along a direction approximately parallel to the ground surface 12a. The inner foot side engaged portion 14c and the outer foot side engaged portion 14d are portions that engage with the inner foot side engaging portion 23c and the outer foot side engaging portion 23d, which are provided on the sole body 20 and will be described later.

The shell 10 may be made of any material as long as it is flexible, but it is preferable that the material has a suitable strength. From this viewpoint, the shell 10 is preferably made of a resin material or a rubber material. More specifically, when the shell 10 is made of a resin, it can be made of, for example, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), polyolefin resin, polyamide thermoplastic elastomer (TPA, TPAE), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), or polyester thermoplastic elastomer (TPEE). On the other hand, when the shell 10 is made of rubber, it can be made of, for example, butadiene rubber.

The method for manufacturing the shell 10 is not particularly limited, and it can be manufactured by, for example, injection molding, cast molding, or modeling using a three-dimensional additive manufacturing device.

6 and 7 are perspective views of the sole body shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the upper right front side and the lower left rear side, respectively. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the sole body shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the shape of the upper surface side protrusion of the sole body shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 9(A) is an enlarged perspective view of a main part in which a part of the upper surface side protrusion forming region of FIG. 6 is enlarged, and FIG. 9(B) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line VIIIIB-VIIIIB shown in FIG. 9(A). FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing the distribution of the upper surface side protrusion forming region of the sole body shown in FIG. 1. Next, the detailed configuration of the sole body 20 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to these FIGS. 6 to 10 and the above-mentioned FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, 6 to 10, the sole body 20 has a flat shape, and its outer shape in a plan view generally matches the outer shape of the space defined by the base 12 and peripheral wall 13 of the outsole portion 11. The sole body 20 is composed of a three-dimensional mesh structure made of a single member, and is a modeled object produced by a three-dimensional additive manufacturing method using a photolithography system.

The sole body 20 is removably attached to the shell 10 and includes a footbed portion 21 that supports the sole of the wearer's foot when the sole is worn.

The footbed portion 21 has a support area 26 on its upper surface that supports the sole of the wearer's foot when the footbed is worn, and a supported area 27 on its lower surface that is supported by the upper bottom surface 12b of the base portion 12 of the shell 10 when the footbed is worn.

The peripheral edge of the footbed 21 is configured so that its height in the thickness direction is greater than the height of the peripheral wall 13 of the outsole 11 at the portion corresponding to said peripheral edge. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, when worn, the upper end of the peripheral edge of the footbed 21 is positioned higher than the upper end of the peripheral wall 13 of the outsole 11, and as a result, the upper end portion of the peripheral surface 22 of the footbed 21 is exposed to the outside.

This configuration gives the footwear 1A an excellent design. In addition, since the peripheral wall 13 of the outsole 11 has a moderate strength and is erected facing upward, if it comes into contact with the sole of the wearer's foot, it may cause a decrease in foot comfort. In this regard, by positioning the upper end of the peripheral edge of the flexible footbed 21 above the upper end of the peripheral wall 13 of the outsole 11, it is possible to prevent the sole of the wearer's foot from directly contacting the peripheral wall 13, resulting in an improvement in foot comfort. Note that the upper end portion of the peripheral surface 22 of the footbed 21 does not necessarily need to be exposed to the outside when worn, and the peripheral surface may be configured to be completely covered by the peripheral wall 13 of the outsole 11.

As shown in Figures 1, 6 to 8, a plurality of engagement parts 23 are provided on the peripheral surface 22 of the footbed part 21. In this embodiment, a total of four engagement parts 23 are provided: a front engagement part 23a, a rear engagement part 23b, an inner foot side engagement part 23c, and an outer foot side engagement part 23d.

The front engaging portion 23a and the rear engaging portion 23b are provided on the front and rear portions of the footbed portion 21, respectively, and are configured as recesses that are recessed toward the inside of the sole body 20. The front engaging portion 23a and the rear engaging portion 23b are portions that engage with the front engaged portion 14a and the rear engaged portion 14b, respectively, provided on the outsole portion 11.

The inner foot side engaging portion 23c and the outer foot side engaging portion 23d are provided on the inner foot side and the outer foot side of the footbed portion 21, respectively, and are configured as protrusions that protrude toward the outside of the sole body 20. The inner foot side engaging portion 23c and the outer foot side engaging portion 23d are portions that engage with the inner foot side engaged portion 14c and the outer foot side engaged portion 14d provided on the outsole portion 11, respectively.

As shown in Figures 6, 8 to 10, the support area 26 of the footbed portion 21 includes, as a part thereof, an upper surface side protrusion forming area 30a in which a plurality of upper surface side protrusions 30 are arranged in a row. This makes it possible to provide footwear 1A that can ensure good sliding between the foot of the wearer, but this point will be described in detail later.

The material of the sole body 20 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a resin material or a rubber material that can be molded by a three-dimensional additive manufacturing method using a photolithography method and that allows the molded sole body 20 to have appropriate flexibility, extensibility, durability, elasticity, stability, etc. More specifically, when the sole body 20 is made of resin, it can be, for example, polyolefin resin, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), polyamide thermoplastic elastomer (TPA, TPAE), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), or polyester thermoplastic elastomer (TPEE). On the other hand, when the sole body 20 is made of rubber, it can be, for example, butadiene rubber (BR).

The sole body 20 may also be made of a polymer composition. In this case, examples of the polymer contained in the polymer composition include olefin-based polymers such as olefin-based elastomers and olefin-based resins. Examples of olefin-based polymers include polyethylene (for example, linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), etc.), polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymers, propylene-1-hexene copolymers, propylene-4-methyl-1-pentene copolymers, propylene-1-butene copolymers, ethylene-1-hexene copolymers, ethylene-4-methyl-pentene copolymers, ethylene-1-butene copolymers, 1-butene-1-hexene copolymers, 1-butene-4-methyl-pentene, ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymers, ethylene-methyl methacrylate ... Examples of polyolefins include ethyl methacrylate copolymer, ethylene-butyl methacrylate copolymer, ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-butyl acrylate copolymer, propylene-methacrylic acid copolymer, propylene-methyl methacrylate copolymer, propylene-ethyl methacrylate copolymer, propylene-butyl methacrylate copolymer, propylene-methyl acrylate copolymer, propylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, propylene-butyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and propylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

The polymer may be an amide-based polymer, such as an amide-based elastomer or an amide-based resin. Examples of amide-based polymers include polyamide 6, polyamide 11, polyamide 12, polyamide 66, and polyamide 610.

The polymer may be an ester-based polymer, such as an ester-based elastomer or an ester-based resin. Examples of ester-based polymers include polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate.

The polymer may be a urethane-based polymer, such as a urethane-based elastomer or a urethane-based resin. Examples of urethane-based polymers include polyester-based polyurethane and polyether-based polyurethane.

The polymer may be a styrene-based polymer such as a styrene-based elastomer or a styrene-based resin. Examples of styrene-based elastomers include styrene-ethylene-butylene copolymer (SEB), styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer (SBS), hydrogenated SBS (styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene copolymer (SEBS)), styrene-isoprene-styrene copolymer (SIS), hydrogenated SIS (styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene copolymer (SEPS)), styrene-isobutylene-styrene copolymer (SIBS), styrene-butadiene-styrene-butadiene (SBSB), styrene-butadiene-styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBSBS), etc. Examples of styrene-based resins include polystyrene, acrylonitrile styrene resin (AS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin (ABS), etc.

The polymer may be, for example, an acrylic polymer such as polymethyl methacrylate, a urethane acrylic polymer, a polyester acrylic polymer, a polyether acrylic polymer, a polycarbonate acrylic polymer, an epoxy acrylic polymer, a conjugated diene polymer acrylic polymer and its hydrogenated product, a urethane methacrylic polymer, a polyester methacrylic polymer, a polyether methacrylic polymer, a polycarbonate methacrylic polymer, a polyester urethane acrylate, a polycarbonate urethane acrylate, a polyether urethane acrylate, an epoxy methacrylic polymer, a conjugated diene polymer methacrylic polymer and its hydrogenated product, a polyvinyl chloride resin, a silicone elastomer, butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber (IR), chloroprene rubber (CR), natural rubber (NR), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), butyl rubber (IIR), etc.

The sole body 20 is preferably made of a material that provides a flexible fit, and is therefore preferably made of urethane acrylate among the above-mentioned materials. When the sole body 20 is made of urethane acrylate, not only does it have excellent durability and stretchability, but it also has sufficient elasticity. As mentioned above, the sole body 20 is manufactured by a three-dimensional additive manufacturing method using a photolithography method.

The sole body 20 is composed of a three-dimensional mesh structure. A three-dimensional mesh structure is a structure in which a plurality of unit structures each having a hollow portion therein are repeatedly arranged adjacent to each other. Examples of such unit structures include a three-dimensional lattice structure having a three-dimensional shape in which a plurality of columnar portions extending in a predetermined direction are connected to each other, a three-dimensional wall structure having a three-dimensional shape in which a plurality of wall portions extending in a predetermined direction are connected to each other, and a structure having a three-dimensional shape in which hollow portions are regularly arranged inside.

As a three-dimensional lattice structure that defines the unit structure, a structure in which each of the multiple columnar parts is configured so that the extension direction intersects with the adjacent columnar parts can be used. As such a three-dimensional lattice structure, various structures can be applied, such as a rectangular lattice, a diamond lattice, an octahedral lattice, a double pyramid lattice, a fluorite lattice, or these lattices to which various supports are added.

The three-dimensional wall structure that defines the unit structure may be a three-dimensional shape formed by walls whose outer shape is defined by a pair of parallel curved surfaces, and specific examples of such a structure include a gyroid structure, a Schwarz P structure, a Schwarz D structure, or other triple periodic minimal surface with added thickness. Furthermore, the three-dimensional wall structure that defines the unit structure may be a three-dimensional shape formed by walls whose outer shape is defined by a pair of parallel flat surfaces, and specific examples of such a structure include an octet structure, a cubic structure, or other structure with added thickness.

When constructing the sole body 20 from a three-dimensional mesh structure as described above, it is preferable to distort each unit structure as necessary so that the external shape of the three-dimensional mesh structure matches the external shape of the sole body 20. In this way, it is possible to make the outer surface of the sole body 20 into a smooth shape.

By configuring the sole body 20 from a three-dimensional mesh structure in this way, it is possible to give the sole body 20 high deformability. This makes it possible to provide a sole with excellent cushioning performance and a comfortable fit, as well as a sole with increased stability when wearing the footwear 1A. Furthermore, because the sole body 20 has the above configuration, it is possible to provide a sole that is lightweight compared to its size, and furthermore, a sole with excellent breathability.

The sole body 20 is made of an elastic material with an elastic modulus of 0.1 MPa or more and 100 MPa or less. This allows the footbed portion 21 to exhibit high cushioning performance when a load is applied to the footbed portion 21 of the sole body 20 (i.e., when landing or stepping out, etc.), making it possible to effectively distribute foot pressure.

As shown in Figures 6, 8 to 10, the support area 26 of the footbed portion 21 of the sole body 20 includes, as a part thereof, an upper surface side protrusion forming area 30a in which a plurality of upper surface side protrusions 30 are arranged in a row.

As shown in Figures 9(A) and 9(B), each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a tapered shape that becomes thinner from the base side toward the tip side and has a rounded tip. The cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the protruding direction of each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 is approximately circular, but is not limited to this and may be approximately elliptical, approximately rectangular, polygonal, etc.

The angle between the upper surface of the footbed portion 21 and each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 is 90°. This improves the molding accuracy of the upper surface side protrusions 30.

The maximum outer dimension (see dimension D in FIG. 9B) of each of the upper surface side protrusions 30 in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction is 3.0 mm or less.

Furthermore, in the case where each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a tapered shape with a rounded tip, as in the sole body 20 according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the minimum outer dimension in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction is 0.5 mm or more in a portion included within 90% from the base side of the total length in the protruding direction of each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30. This makes it possible to improve the molding accuracy of the upper surface side protrusions 30. This effect is also achieved in the sole bodies 20A4, 20A11-20A13, 20A15-20A18, and 20A20 according to the fourth, 11th to 13th, 15th to 18th, and 20th modified examples described later.

The upper surface side protrusions 30 each have a protruding length H (see FIG. 9(B)) of 4.0 mm or more and 13.0 mm or less.

As shown in FIG. 10, the upper surface protrusion forming region 30a is disposed in the entire support region 26 except for the portions of the periphery of the support region 26 that are located on the front end side, the rear end side, and the outer foot side.

The arrangement density of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 in the upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a is set to be 10% or more and 100% or less in terms of area ratio.

The arrangement density of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 means the proportion of the area of the base portions of the upper surface side protrusions ³⁰ per cm2 in the upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a.

The upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a includes a dense region 30a1, which is a region where the arrangement density of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 is relatively high, and a sparse region 30a2, which is a region where the arrangement density is relatively low. The sparse region 30a2 is located in a region of the upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a that straddles the forefoot portion R1, the midfoot portion R2, and the rearfoot portion R3 and is located on the medial side of the foot (i.e., the region that corresponds to the medial side of the arch of the wearer), and the dense region 30a1 is located in the remaining region.

The footbed portion 21 has a defining member that defines the upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a, and in this embodiment, the defining member constitutes a part of the sole body 20, which is a single object formed by the above-mentioned three-dimensional additive manufacturing method. As described above, the sole body 20 is made of an elastic material with an elastic modulus of 0.1 MPa or more and 100 MPa or less.

That is, the material that constitutes the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 is made of an elastic material with an elastic modulus of 0.1 MPa or more and 100 MPa or less, similar to the sole body 20.

Figure 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining how to attach the sole body shown in Figure 6 to the shell shown in Figure 3. Next, with reference to Figure 11, a method for attaching the sole body 20 of the footwear 1A according to this embodiment to the shell 10 will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 11, when the footwear 1A is used, the sole body 20 is inserted into the hollow portion of the shell 10 through the opening 16 provided on the shell 10. By inserting the sole body 20 into the shell 10 in this manner, the supported area 27 (see FIG. 7) located on the underside of the footbed portion 21 is placed on and supported by the upper bottom surface 12b of the base 12 of the outsole portion 11, and the peripheral surface 22 of the footbed portion 21 is disposed so as to face the inner surface 13a of the peripheral wall portion 13 of the outsole portion 11. In addition, the multiple through holes 12c provided in the base 12 of the outsole portion 11 face the underside of the footbed portion 21.

When the sole body 20 is inserted into the shell, the front engaging portion 23a of the sole body 20 engages with the front engaged portion 14a of the outsole portion 11 at the front part of the footwear 1A, and the rear engaging portion 23b of the sole body 20 engages with the rear engaged portion 14b of the outsole portion 11 at the rear part of the footwear 1A. Furthermore, the inner foot engaging portion 23c of the sole body 20 engages with the inner foot engaged portion 14c of the outsole portion 11 at the inner foot part of the footwear 1A, and the outer foot engaging portion 23d of the sole body 20 engages with the outer foot engaged portion 14d of the outsole portion 11 at the outer foot part of the footwear 1A.

The engagement between the multiple engaging portions 23 and the multiple engaged portions 14 makes it possible to firmly fix the sole body 20 to the shell 10. This allows the footwear 1A to be assembled without using adhesive, with the sole body 20 being made of a three-dimensional mesh structure.

As described above, in the footwear 1A according to this embodiment, the maximum outer dimension in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction of each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 is 3.0 mm or less. In addition, the protruding length of each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 is 4.0 mm or more and 13.0 mm or less, and the arrangement density of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 in the upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a is 10% or more and 100% or less in terms of area ratio. Furthermore, the elastic modulus of the material constituting the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 is 0.1 MPa or more and 100 MPa or less.

By meeting these conditions, it is possible to dramatically reduce the contact area between the upper surface side protrusion forming area 30a and the wearer's foot. Furthermore, by meeting these conditions, the upper surface side protrusions 30 have a suitable softness, so that they deform appropriately when the wearer puts his or her foot on.

Therefore, when the wearer puts his/her foot into the footwear 1A, the wearer's foot can move smoothly over the upper surface side protrusion forming area 30a, making it possible to put the foot into the footwear 1A easily and comfortably.

Therefore, by configuring it in this way, it is possible to provide footwear that can ensure good sliding between the wearer's feet.

In addition, in the footwear 1A according to this embodiment, the contact area is reduced as described above not only when the foot is put on but also after it is worn, so that the breathability of the footwear 1A when in use can be improved. This also makes it possible to prevent heat from building up in the space between the upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a and the wearer's foot.

Furthermore, in the footwear 1A according to this embodiment, as described above, a plurality of through holes 12c are provided in the base 12 of the outsole portion 11, and these plurality of through holes 12c face the underside of the footbed portion 21 made of a three-dimensional mesh structure.

By configuring it in this way, multiple through holes 12c are positioned below the highly breathable footbed portion 21. Therefore, when the footwear 1A is in use, air trapped between the base 12 of the outsole portion 11 and the sole of the wearer's foot can be discharged not only from above but also from below the footbed portion 21, thereby ensuring good breathability when the footwear 1A is in use.

As described above, these multiple through holes 12c are located in the center in the width direction of the foot, in areas where air tends to stagnate when the footwear 1A is in use, and are arranged in areas that correspond to the footwear area and heel area of the wearer's foot. This makes it possible to make the footwear 1A more breathable.

The through hole 12c may have a tapered shape that tapers from the upper bottom surface 12b toward the ground surface 12a. When configured in this way, it is possible to effectively prevent foreign matter from entering from the ground surface 12a.

Furthermore, in the footwear 1A according to this embodiment, a sparse region 30a2, in which the arrangement density of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 is relatively low, is arranged in the region of the upper surface side protrusion formation region 30a that corresponds to the inner part of the wearer's arch.

This configuration ensures good sliding over the entire support area 26, while reducing the discomfort felt by the wearer by reducing contact between the arch, which is a particularly sensitive part of the sole of the wearer's foot, and the upper surface side protrusions 30. This configuration also makes it possible to reduce the weight of the sole body 20 compared to when the entire upper surface side protrusion forming area 30a is made into a dense area 30a1.

As described above, the footwear 1A according to this embodiment is used as a sandal. Sandals are a product that is frequently put on and taken off by the wearer, and as such, they are required to be easy to put on and comfortable to wear. Therefore, by ensuring good slippage in the footwear 1A as a sandal as described above, it is possible to dramatically improve the added value of the product.

In the above-described footwear 1A according to the present embodiment, the sole body 20 is manufactured by a three-dimensional additive manufacturing method using photolithography. However, the manufacturing method of the sole body 20 is not particularly limited to this, and the sole body 20 may be manufactured by, for example, injection molding, cast molding, etc.

In addition, in the above-described footwear 1A according to the present embodiment, a sparse region 30a2 is arranged in the region of the upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a that corresponds to the inner part of the wearer's arch, but this region does not necessarily have to be a sparse region 30a2, and the arrangement density of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 in this region may be changed as appropriate depending on the arch height of the wearer's foot, etc.

(First to third modified examples)
12A to 12C are schematic plan views showing the distribution of the upper surface side protrusion formation regions of the sole body according to the first to third modified examples, respectively. Hereinafter, sole bodies 20A1 to 20A3 used in the footwear according to the first to third modified examples based on the above-mentioned embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in Figures 12(A) to 12(C), the sole bodies 20A1 to 20A3 used in the footwear according to the first to third modified examples based on the first embodiment differ from the sole body 20 used in the footwear 1A according to the first embodiment described above only in the distribution of the upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a. Note that in the sole bodies 20A1 to 20A3, the upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a includes only the dense region 30a1 described above.

As shown in FIG. 12(A), in the sole body 20A1 used in the footwear according to the first modification, the upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a is arranged only in the rear foot portion R3 (see FIG. 2). The rear foot portion R3 is the area that is most likely to come into contact with the sole of the wearer when putting on the foot, and is also the area that is subjected to the greatest load, so it is an area that is particularly required to ensure good slip resistance from the perspective of making the foot put on easily and comfortably.

Therefore, even with this configuration, the same effects as those described in the first embodiment can be obtained, and it is possible to provide footwear that can ensure good slippage between the foot of the wearer.

As shown in FIG. 12(B), in the sole body 20A2 used in the footwear according to the second modified example, the upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a is also arranged in the region that straddles the boundary between the rear foot portion R3 and the front foot portion R1 and the midfoot portion R2, which are regions that support the sole of the wearer's foot at the part corresponding to the MP joint. These regions are the areas of the support region 26 that receive the greatest load when the foot is put on, and therefore are areas where good slip resistance is particularly required from the perspective of making the foot put on easily and comfortably.

Therefore, even with this configuration, the same effects as those described in the first embodiment can be obtained, and it is possible to provide footwear that can ensure good slippage between the foot of the wearer.

As shown in FIG. 12(C), in the sole body 20A3 used in the footwear according to the third modified example, the upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a is disposed across the forefoot portion R1, the midfoot portion R2, and the rearfoot portion R3.

Even with this configuration, the same effects as those described in the first embodiment can be obtained, and it is possible to provide footwear that can ensure good slippage between the foot of the wearer.

(Fourth Modification)
Fig. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the upper surface side protrusion of the sole body according to the fourth modified example. Hereinafter, with reference to Fig. 13, a sole body 20A4 used in footwear according to the fourth modified example based on the above-mentioned embodiment 1 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 13, the sole body 20A2 used in the footwear according to the fourth modified example has a different shape of the upper surface side protrusion 30 compared to the sole body 20 used in the footwear 1A according to the above-described first embodiment.

More specifically, in the sole body 20A4, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 is inclined from the rear end side to the front end side of the footwear as it moves from the base side to the tip side. In addition, the smaller angle between the upper surface of the footbed portion 21 and each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 (i.e., the angle θ shown in FIG. 13) is equal to or greater than 20° and less than 90°.

Even with this configuration, the same effects as those described in the first embodiment can be obtained, and it becomes possible to provide footwear that can ensure good slippage between the foot of the wearer.

In addition, by configuring it in this way, when the wearer puts on or takes off the footwear, the multiple upper surface side projections 30 protrude in a direction that resists the direction in which the wearer's feet put on or take off the footwear. Therefore, the multiple upper surface side projections 30 apply a resistance force to the soles of the wearer's feet, making it difficult to put on or take off the footwear. As a result, it is possible to create footwear that is easy to put on and that effectively prevents unintentional putting on or taking off.

The upper surface side protrusions 30 that are inclined as described above may be provided only on either the midfoot portion R2 or the rearfoot portion R3, which are the areas that the sole of the foot is most likely to come into contact with when the wearer puts on or takes off the footwear. In addition, the inclination direction and angle of the upper surface side protrusions 30 can be changed as appropriate for each position where they are placed.

(Fifth to Twentieth Modifications)
14(A) to 14(P) are schematic cross-sectional views of the upper surface side protrusions of the sole body according to the fifth to twentieth modified examples, respectively. Hereinafter, sole bodies 20A5 to 20A20 used in footwear according to the fifth to twentieth modified examples based on the above-mentioned embodiment 1 will be described with reference to this Fig. 14.

As shown in Figures 14(A) to 14(P), the sole bodies 20A5 to 20A20 used in the footwear according to the fifth to twentieth modified examples based on the first embodiment have different shapes of the upper surface side protrusions 30 compared to the sole body 20 used in the footwear 1A according to the first embodiment described above.

As shown in FIG. 14(A), in the sole body 20A5 used in the footwear according to the fifth modified example, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a tapered shape that becomes thinner from the base side toward the tip side and has a sharp tip.

As shown in FIG. 14(B), in the sole body 20A6 used in the footwear according to the sixth modified example, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a constant outer shape when viewed in a plane from the base side to the tip side.

As shown in FIG. 14(C), in the sole body 20A7 used in the footwear according to the seventh modified example, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a constant external shape when viewed in a plane from the base to a predetermined position located toward the tip side of the base, and has a shape that becomes thinner from the predetermined position toward the tip. In addition, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a pointed tip.

As shown in FIG. 14(D), in the sole body 20A8 used in the footwear according to the eighth modified example, the outer shape of each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 in a plan view becomes larger as it moves from the base toward a predetermined position located toward the tip side of the base, and the outer shape becomes smaller as it moves from the predetermined position toward the tip. In addition, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a flat tip.

As shown in FIG. 14(E), in the sole body 20A9 used in the footwear according to the ninth modification, the outer shape of each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 in a plan view becomes smaller as it moves from the base toward a predetermined position located toward the tip side of the base, and the outer shape becomes larger as it moves from the predetermined position toward the tip.

As shown in FIG. 14(F), in the sole body 20A10 used in the footwear according to the tenth modified example, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a base portion, a tip portion, and an intermediate portion located between them.

The base portion has an outer shape that becomes larger in a plan view from the base toward the tip. The tip portion has an outer shape that becomes smaller from the base toward the tip. The intermediate portion has a constant outer shape in the protruding direction of the upper surface side protrusion 30.

As shown in FIG. 14(G), in the sole body 20A11 used in the footwear according to the eleventh modified example, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a constant external shape in a plan view from the base to a predetermined position located toward the tip side of the base, and has a shape that becomes thinner from the predetermined position toward the tip. In addition, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a rounded tip.

As shown in FIG. 14(H), in the sole body 20A12 used in the footwear according to the twelfth modified example, the outer shape of each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 in a plan view becomes larger as it moves from the base to a predetermined position located on the tip side of the base, and the outer shape becomes smaller as it moves from the predetermined position to the tip. In addition, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a rounded tip.

As shown in FIG. 14(I), in the sole body 20A13 used in the footwear according to the thirteenth modified example, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a base portion and a tip portion.

When viewed from above, the base portion has a shape in which the outer shape of the center is larger than the outer shape of both ends in the protruding direction. Similarly, the tip portion has a shape in which the outer shape of the center is larger than the outer shape of both ends in the protruding direction.

As shown in FIG. 14(J), in the sole body 20A14 used in the footwear according to the fourteenth modification, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a base portion and a tip portion. The tip portion protrudes from the tip side of the base portion in a direction perpendicular to the protruding direction of the base portion.

As shown in FIG. 14(K), in the sole body 20A15 used in the footwear according to the fifteenth modification, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a base portion and a tip portion, and the tip portion has a hemispherical shape.

As shown in FIG. 14(L), in the sole body 20A16 used in the footwear according to the 16th modified example, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a base portion and a tip portion, and the tip portion has a spherical shape.

As shown in FIG. 14(M), in the sole body 20A17 used in the footwear according to the seventeenth modification, each of the multiple upper surface side projections 30 has a base portion and a tip portion. The tip portion has a semispherical shape, and the base portion includes ridge portions that protrude in a direction perpendicular to the protruding direction at two points in the protruding direction. The tips of the ridge portions have a rounded shape.

As shown in FIG. 14(N), in the sole body 20A18 used in the footwear according to the 18th modified example, each of the multiple upper surface side projections 30 includes a base portion and three ridge portions that protrude from the base portion in a direction that is not perpendicular to the protruding direction of the base portion but intersects with the protruding direction. The tips of the three ridge portions have a flat shape.

As shown in FIG. 14(O), in the sole body 20A19 used in the footwear according to the 19th modified example, each of the multiple upper surface side projections 30 includes a base portion and three ridge portions that protrude from the base portion in a direction perpendicular to the protruding direction of the base portion. One of the three ridge portions is disposed at the tip side portion of the base portion. The tips of the three ridge portions have a flat shape.

As shown in FIG. 14(P), in the sole body 20A20 used in the footwear according to the 20th modified example, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a base portion and a tip portion. The tip portion has a generally oval spherical shape. The base portion has a shape in which the outer shape in a plan view increases with increasing distance from the tip portion. Therefore, the upper surface side protrusions 30 in this modified example have a constricted portion at the boundary between the base portion and the tip portion.

Even when the footwear is configured as in the fifth to twentieth modified examples, the same effects as those described in the first embodiment can be obtained, and it is possible to provide footwear that can ensure good slippage between the foot of the wearer.

In addition, when the footwear is configured as in the fifth to seventh modified examples, each of the upper surface side protrusions 30 is tapered or has a constant outer shape when viewed in plan from the base to the tip. This reduces the contact area between the upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a and the wearer's foot, making it possible to provide footwear that can better ensure slippage between the wearer's foot and the upper surface side protrusions 30 and has better breathability. Here, if the hardness of each of the upper surface side protrusions 30 is made lower, the tip becomes more easily deformed, allowing the wearer to feel softness on the sole of the foot. On the other hand, if the hardness of each of the upper surface side protrusions 30 is made higher, the wearer can feel localized stimulation on the sole of the foot.

Furthermore, when the footwear is configured as in the eighth to tenth, twelfth, thirteenth and twentieth variants, each of the upper surface side projections 30 has a constricted portion. This makes it easier for each of the upper surface side projections 30 to deform from the constricted portion, allowing the wearer to feel softness on the sole of the foot.

In addition, when the footwear is configured as in the 11th, 15th, 16th, and 20th variants, the tips of the upper surface side protrusions 30 each have a rounded shape. This makes it possible to reduce the irritation felt by the wearer on the soles of the feet.

Furthermore, when configured as footwear according to the 14th modified example, the outer shape of each of the multiple upper surface projections 30 in a plan view is maximized at the tip. This makes the contact area with the sole of the wearer's foot relatively large, and as a result, the irritation felt by the wearer on the sole of the foot can be alleviated.

When configured as in the footwear of the 17th and 18th modified examples, each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions 30 has a rounded tip and a narrowed portion. This not only reduces the irritation felt by the wearer on the sole of the foot, but also provides a feeling of softness.

Furthermore, when configured as footwear according to the 19th modified example, the outer shape of each of the upper surface side protrusions 30 in a plan view is maximized at the tip, and each of the upper surface side protrusions 30 has a constricted portion. This not only reduces the irritation felt by the wearer on the sole of the foot, but also provides a feeling of softness.

In addition, when each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions has a tapered shape with a pointed tip, as in the footwear of the fifth and seventh modified examples, it is preferable that the minimum outer dimension in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction be 0.5 mm or more in a portion that is within 80% of the total length of each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions in the protruding direction from the base side. This makes it possible to improve the molding accuracy of the upper surface side protrusions.

Furthermore, when each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions does not have a tapered tip, such as in the footwear according to the sixth, eighth to tenth, fourteenth and nineteenth modified examples, it is preferable that the minimum outer dimension in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction over the entire length of each of the multiple upper surface side protrusions in the protruding direction is 0.5 mm or more. This makes it possible to improve the molding accuracy of the upper surface side protrusions.

(21st Modified Example)
Fig. 15 is a bottom view of footwear according to the 21st modified example. Hereinafter, a shell 10A21 used in footwear 1A21 according to the 21st modified example based on the above-mentioned embodiment 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 15.

As shown in FIG. 15, the shell 10A21 used in the footwear 1A21 according to the 21st modified example based on the first embodiment has a different configuration of the base 12 compared to the shell 10 used in the footwear 1A according to the first embodiment described above.

More specifically, in the shell 10A21 used in the footwear 1A21 according to the 21st modified example, in addition to the multiple through holes 12c described above, multiple auxiliary through holes 12d are provided in the base 12.

The multiple auxiliary through holes 12d, like the multiple through holes 12c, are provided in the base 12 so as to reach the portion that defines the ground surface 12a of the base 12 and the portion that defines the upper bottom surface 12b. These multiple auxiliary through holes 12d are scattered and arranged over the entire surface of the base 12.

Even with this configuration, the same effects as those described in the first embodiment can be obtained, and it becomes possible to provide footwear that can ensure good slippage between the foot of the wearer.

This configuration also ensures better breathability when the footwear is in use.

(Embodiment 2)
Fig. 16 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the lower projection and the lower projection forming region of the sole body of the footwear according to the second embodiment, Fig. 16(A) is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the shape of the lower projection, and Fig. 16(B) is a schematic plan view showing the distribution of the lower projection forming region of the sole body. Hereinafter, the sole body 20B used in the footwear according to the present embodiment will be explained with reference to Fig. 16. Note that Fig. 16(B) shows only the lower surface of the footbed portion 21 located on the back side of the page in a see-through manner (the same applies to Fig. 17 described later).

As shown in Figures 16(A) and 16(B), the sole body 20B used in the footwear according to this embodiment differs from the footwear 1A according to the above-mentioned embodiment 1 in that the above-mentioned supported area 27 (see Figure 7) that the footbed portion 21 has on its underside includes as a part thereof a lower surface side protrusion forming area 40a in which a plurality of lower surface side protrusions 40 are arranged in a row.

As shown in FIG. 16(A), each of the lower surface side protrusions 40 has a generally cylindrical shape. The maximum outer dimension of each of the lower surface side protrusions 40 in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction is 3.0 mm or more. Each of the lower surface side protrusions 40 has a protruding length H1 of 2.0 mm or less. The shape of the lower surface side protrusions 40 is not limited to a generally cylindrical shape, and may be a generally conical shape, a generally pyramidal shape, a generally prism shape, or the like.

As shown in FIG. 16B, the lower surface projection forming region 40a is disposed on the periphery of the rear foot portion R3. The arrangement density of the multiple lower surface projections 40 in the lower surface projection forming region 40a is set to be 50% or more and 100% or less in terms of area ratio.

Here, the defining member that defines the above-mentioned upper surface side protrusion forming region 30a also defines the lower surface side protrusion forming region 40a, and in this embodiment, the defining member constitutes a part of the sole body 20B, which is a single object formed by the above-mentioned three-dimensional additive manufacturing method. In addition, the sole body 20B is made of an elastic material with an elastic modulus of 0.1 MPa or more and 100 MPa or less.

That is, the material that constitutes the multiple lower surface side protrusions 40 is made of an elastic material with an elastic modulus of 0.1 MPa or more and 100 MPa or less.

Even with this configuration, the same effects as those described in the first embodiment can be obtained, and it is possible to provide footwear that can ensure good slippage between the foot of the wearer.

In addition, by configuring the lower surface projections 40 and the lower surface projection forming area 40a as described above, a relatively large contact area can be ensured between the multiple lower surface projections 40 and the upper bottom surface 12b of the base 12 of the outsole part 11 when the footwear is worn. Furthermore, since the multiple lower surface projections 40 are considered to have a suitable degree of softness, they come into pressure contact with the upper bottom surface 12b in a state where they are crushed by the wearer's weight when the footwear is worn.

Therefore, by configuring it in this way, it is possible to effectively prevent the sole body 20B from slipping against the base 12 of the outsole portion 11, resulting in footwear with improved stability when worn.

(22nd and 23rd Modifications)
17(A) and 17(B) are schematic plan views showing the distribution of the underside protrusion formation regions according to the 22nd and 23rd modified examples, respectively. Hereinafter, with reference to Fig. 17, a sole body 20B22, 20B23 used in the footwear according to the 22nd and 23rd modified examples based on the above-mentioned embodiment 2 will be described.

As shown in Figures 17(A) and 17(B), the sole bodies 20B22 and 20B23 used in the footwear according to the 22nd and 23rd modified examples based on the second embodiment differ only in the distribution of the lower surface side protrusion forming region 40a when compared with the sole body 20B used in the footwear according to the second embodiment described above.

As shown in FIG. 17(A), in the sole body 20B22 used in the footwear according to the 22nd modified example, the lower surface side protrusion forming region 40a is disposed across the forefoot portion R1, the midfoot portion R2, and the rearfoot portion R3.

As shown in FIG. 17B, in the sole body 20B23 used in the footwear according to the 23rd modified example, the lower surface side protrusion forming region 40a is arranged so as to go around the periphery of the footbed portion 21. This region is a region of the supported region 27 where the foot pressure of the wearer is relatively low.

Even when the footwear is configured as in the 22nd and 23rd modified examples, the same effects as those described in the first embodiment can be obtained, and it is possible to provide footwear that can ensure good slippage between the foot of the wearer.

Furthermore, even when the footwear is configured as in the 22nd and 23rd modified examples, the same effect as that described in the above-mentioned embodiment 2 can be obtained, and the sole bodies 20B22, 20B23 can be effectively prevented from slipping against the base 12 of the outsole portion 11, resulting in footwear with improved stability when worn.

(Aspects)
The characteristic configurations of the footwear disclosed in the above-described embodiments can be summarized as follows.

[Aspect 1]
A footwear according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a footbed portion,
The footbed portion has a support area on its upper surface for supporting the sole of the wearer's foot,
the support region includes, at least in a portion thereof, an upper surface side protrusion forming region in which a plurality of upper surface side protrusions are arranged in a line;
A maximum outer dimension in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction of each of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions is 3.0 mm or less;
The protruding length of each of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions is 4.0 mm or more and 13.0 mm or less,
The arrangement density of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions in the upper surface side protrusion formation region is 10% or more and 100% or less in terms of area ratio,
The elastic modulus of the material constituting the plurality of upper surface side protrusions is not less than 0.1 MPa and not more than 100 MPa.

This configuration makes it possible to dramatically reduce the contact area between the upper surface side protrusion forming area and the wearer's foot. Furthermore, this configuration makes the multiple upper surface side protrusions moderately soft, so they deform appropriately when the wearer puts his or her foot on. Therefore, when the wearer puts his or her foot on the footwear, the wearer's foot can move smoothly over the upper surface side protrusion forming area, making it possible to put the foot on the footwear easily and comfortably. Therefore, this configuration makes it possible to provide footwear that can ensure good sliding between the wearer's foot and the upper surface side protrusion forming area.

[Aspect 2]
In the footwear according to the above-mentioned aspect 1, a minimum outer dimension in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction of each of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions may be 0.5 mm or more.

By configuring it in this way, it is possible to improve the molding accuracy of the upper surface side protrusion portion.

[Aspect 3]
In the footwear according to the above-mentioned aspect 1 or 2, the footbed portion has at least a defining member that defines the upper surface side projection forming region including the plurality of upper surface side projections,
The defining member may be made of a single object formed by a three-dimensional additive manufacturing method.

By configuring it in this way, the number of parts that make up the footwear can be reduced.

[Aspect 4]
The footwear according to any one of the above aspects 1 to 3 has a forefoot portion supporting the toes and the plantar fascia of the wearer's foot, a midfoot portion supporting the arch of the wearer's foot, and a rearfoot portion supporting the heel of the wearer's foot,
The upper surface side protrusion forming region may be disposed on the rear foot portion.

The rear foot area is the area that is most likely to come into contact with the sole of the wearer's foot when putting the shoe on, and is also the area that is subjected to the greatest load, so from the perspective of making the shoe easy and comfortable to put on, it is an area that particularly requires good slip resistance. Therefore, by configuring the shoe in this way, it is possible to provide footwear that can ensure good slip resistance between the shoe and the wearer's foot.

[Aspect 5]
The footwear according to any one of the above aspects 1 to 3 has a forefoot portion supporting the toes and the plantar fascia of the wearer's foot, a midfoot portion supporting the arch of the wearer's foot, and a rearfoot portion supporting the heel of the wearer's foot,
The upper surface protrusion forming region may be positioned in a region that straddles the boundary between the forefoot and midfoot, which is a region that supports the sole of the wearer's foot at the area corresponding to the MP joint.

Of the support areas, these areas are the areas that receive the greatest load when the foot is put on, and so from the perspective of making the putting on easy and comfortable, it is particularly important that slippage be ensured in these areas. Therefore, by configuring in this way, it is possible to provide footwear that can ensure slippage between the foot of the wearer and the foot.

[Aspect 6]
The footwear according to any one of the above aspects 1 to 3 has a forefoot portion supporting the toes and the plantar fascia of the wearer's foot, a midfoot portion supporting the arch of the wearer's foot, and a rearfoot portion supporting the heel of the wearer's foot,
The upper surface side protrusion forming region may be disposed across the forefoot portion, the midfoot portion and the rearfoot portion.

This configuration makes it possible to provide footwear that ensures good sliding between the wearer's feet.

[Aspect 7]
In the footwear according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, an angle formed between the upper surface and each of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions may be 90°.

This configuration makes it possible to improve the molding accuracy of the upper surface side protrusion.

[Aspect 8]
In the footwear according to any one of the above aspects 1 to 6, each of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions is inclined from the rear end side to the front end side of the footwear as it moves from the base side to the tip side,
The smaller of the angles formed between the upper surface and each of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions may be equal to or greater than 20° and less than 90°.

In this configuration, when the wearer puts on or takes off the footwear, the multiple upper surface projections will protrude in a direction that resists the direction in which the wearer's feet put on or take off the footwear. Therefore, by configuring it in this way, the resistance force exerted by the multiple upper surface projections on the soles of the wearer's feet makes it difficult to put on or take off the footwear, and as a result, it is possible to create footwear that is easy to put on and that effectively prevents unintentional putting on or taking off.

[Aspect 9]
In the footwear according to any one of Aspects 1 to 8, each of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions may have a tapered shape that becomes thinner from the base side toward the tip side.

This configuration reduces the contact area between the upper protrusion formation area and the wearer's foot, ensuring better slippage between the upper protrusion formation area and the wearer's foot and making the footwear more breathable.

[Aspect 10]
The footwear according to any one of the above aspects 1 to 9 further comprises a shell to which the footbed portion is attached in a worn state, the shell including at least an outsole portion having a ground contact surface and a foot cover portion covering the instep of the wearer's foot,
the footbed portion has a supported area on its underside that is supported by the shell in the worn state,
The supported region includes at least a lower surface side protrusion forming region in which a plurality of lower surface side protrusions are arranged in a line,
The maximum outer dimension of each of the lower surface side protrusions in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction is 3.0 mm or more;
The protruding length of each of the plurality of lower surface side protrusions is 2.0 mm or less,
The density of the lower surface side protrusions in the lower surface side protrusion formation region is 50% or more and 100% or less in terms of area ratio,
The material constituting the plurality of lower surface side protrusions may have an elastic modulus of 0.1 MPa or more and 100 MPa or less.

This configuration ensures that the multiple lower projections have a relatively large contact area with the outsole when the footwear is worn. Furthermore, since these multiple lower projections have an appropriate softness, they come into pressure contact with the outsole when crushed by the wearer's weight when the footwear is worn. Therefore, this configuration effectively prevents the footbed from slipping relative to the outsole, resulting in footwear with increased stability when worn.

[Aspect 11]
In the footwear according to the above-mentioned aspect 10, the footbed portion has at least a defining member that defines the upper surface side projection forming region including the plurality of upper surface side projections and the lower surface side projection forming region including the plurality of lower surface side projections,
The defining member may be made of a single object formed by a three-dimensional additive manufacturing method.

By configuring it in this way, the number of parts that make up the footwear can be reduced.

[Aspect 12]
The footwear according to the above-mentioned aspect 10 or 11 has a forefoot portion supporting the toes and the plantar part of the wearer's foot, a midfoot portion supporting the arch of the wearer's foot, and a rearfoot portion supporting the heel of the wearer's foot,
The lower surface side protrusion forming region may be disposed at least on the periphery of the rear foot portion.

This configuration effectively prevents the footbed from slipping against the outsole, resulting in footwear that is more stable when worn.

[Aspect 13]
The footwear according to the above-mentioned aspect 10 or 11 has a forefoot portion supporting the toes and the plantar part of the wearer's foot, a midfoot portion supporting the arch of the wearer's foot, and a rearfoot portion supporting the heel of the wearer's foot,
The lower surface side protrusion forming region may be disposed across the forefoot portion, the midfoot portion and the rearfoot portion.

This configuration effectively prevents the footbed from slipping against the outsole, resulting in footwear that is more stable when worn.

[Aspect 14]
In the footwear according to the above-mentioned aspect 10 or 11, the lower surface side protrusion forming region may be arranged so as to go around the periphery of the footbed portion.

This configuration effectively prevents the footbed from slipping against the outsole, resulting in footwear that is more stable when worn.

[Aspect 15]
In the footwear according to any one of Aspects 10 to 14 above, each of the plurality of lower surface side projections may have a generally cylindrical shape.

This configuration makes it possible to improve the molding accuracy of the underside protrusion.

(Other forms, etc.)
In the above-described embodiment and its modified examples, the footwear is a sandal composed of a shell and a sole body, and the sole body is provided with a footbed portion. However, the present disclosure may also be applied to footwear in the form of a shoe composed of a sole having an approximately flat shape overall, a bag-like upper that covers the wearer's foot except for the sole, and an insole with a footbed portion.

Furthermore, the shape, configuration, size, number, material, etc. of each part shown in the above-mentioned embodiment of the present disclosure and its modified examples may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

Furthermore, the characteristic configurations shown in the above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure and their variations can naturally be combined with each other without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

As such, the above-described embodiments and their variations disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not restrictive. The technical scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and includes all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to those described in the claims.

1A, 1A21 Footwear, 10, 10A21 Shell, 11 Outsole portion, 12 Base portion, 12a Ground contact surface, 12b Upper bottom surface, 12c Through hole, 12d Auxiliary through hole, 13 Circumferential wall portion, 13a Inner surface, 14 Engaged portion, 14a Front engaged portion, 14b Rear engaged portion, 14c Inner foot side engaged portion, 14d Outer foot side engaged portion, 15 Foot cover portion, 16 Opening, 20, 20A1 to 20A20, 20B, 20B22, 20B23 Sole body, 21 Footbed portion, 22 Circumferential surface, 23 Engagement portion, 23a Front engaged portion, 23b Rear engaged portion, 23c Inner foot side engaged portion, 23d Outer foot side engaged portion, 26 Support area, 27 Support area, 30 Upper surface side protrusion, 30a upper surface side protrusion forming region, 30a1 dense region, 30a2 sparse region, 40 lower surface side protrusion, 40a lower surface side protrusion forming region, R1 front foot portion, R2 midfoot portion, R3 rear foot portion.

Claims (15)

Footwear having a footbed portion,
The footbed portion has a support area on its upper surface for supporting the sole of the wearer's foot,
the support region includes, at least in a portion thereof, an upper surface side protrusion forming region in which a plurality of upper surface side protrusions are arranged in a line;
The maximum outer dimension of each of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction is 3.0 mm or less;
The protruding length of each of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions is 4.0 mm or more and 13.0 mm or less,
the density of the upper surface side protrusions in the upper surface side protrusion formation region is 10% or more and 100% or less in terms of area ratio;
The elastic modulus of a material constituting the plurality of upper surface side protrusions is not less than 0.1 MPa and not more than 100 MPa. Footwear according to claim 1, in which the minimum outer dimension of each of the upper surface side protrusions in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction is 0.5 mm or more. the footbed portion has at least a defining member that defines the upper surface side protrusion forming region including the plurality of upper surface side protrusions,
The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the defining member is made of a single object formed by a three-dimensional additive manufacturing method. The footwear has a forefoot portion supporting the toes and plantar fascia of the wearer's foot, a midfoot portion supporting the arch of the wearer's foot, and a rearfoot portion supporting the heel of the wearer's foot,
The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the upper surface side projection forming region is disposed in the rear foot portion. The footwear has a forefoot portion supporting the toes and plantar fascia of the wearer's foot, a midfoot portion supporting the arch of the wearer's foot, and a rearfoot portion supporting the heel of the wearer's foot,
The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface side protrusion forming region is arranged in a region that straddles the boundary between the forefoot and the midfoot, which is a region that supports the sole of the wearer's foot at a portion corresponding to the MP joint. The footwear has a forefoot portion supporting the toes and plantar fascia of the wearer's foot, a midfoot portion supporting the arch of the wearer's foot, and a rearfoot portion supporting the heel of the wearer's foot,
The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the upper surface side protrusion forming region is disposed across the forefoot portion, the midfoot portion, and the rearfoot portion. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein the angle between the upper surface and each of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions is 90°. Each of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions is inclined from the rear end side to the front end side of the footwear as it moves from the base side to the tip side,
2. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the smaller of the angles formed between said upper surface and each of said plurality of upper surface side protrusions is equal to or greater than 20 degrees and less than 90 degrees. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of upper surface side protrusions has a tapered shape that becomes thinner from the base side toward the tip side. The footbed is attached to the shoe when the shoe is worn, and the shoe further includes at least an outsole having a ground contact surface and a shell including a foot cover for covering the instep of the wearer's foot.
the footbed portion has a supported area on its underside that is supported by the shell in the worn state,
the supported region at least partially includes a lower surface side protrusion forming region in which a plurality of lower surface side protrusions are arranged in a line;
The maximum outer dimension of each of the lower surface side protrusions in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction is 3.0 mm or more;
The protruding length of each of the plurality of lower surface side protrusions is 2.0 mm or less,
the density of the lower surface side protrusions in the lower surface side protrusion formation region is 50% or more and 100% or less in terms of area ratio;
2. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the elastic modulus of a material constituting the lower surface side projections is not less than 0.1 MPa and not more than 100 MPa. the footbed portion has at least a defining member that defines the upper surface side protrusion forming region including the plurality of upper surface side protrusions and the lower surface side protrusion forming region including the plurality of lower surface side protrusions;
The footwear according to claim 10 , wherein the defining member is made of a single object formed by a three-dimensional additive manufacturing method. The footwear has a forefoot portion supporting the toes and plantar fascia of the wearer's foot, a midfoot portion supporting the arch of the wearer's foot, and a rearfoot portion supporting the heel of the wearer's foot,
The footwear according to claim 10, wherein the lower surface side projection forming region is disposed at least on a periphery of the rear foot portion. The footwear has a forefoot portion supporting the toes and plantar fascia of the wearer's foot, a midfoot portion supporting the arch of the wearer's foot, and a rearfoot portion supporting the heel of the wearer's foot,
The footwear according to claim 10, wherein the lower surface side protrusion forming region is disposed across the forefoot portion, the midfoot portion, and the rearfoot portion. Footwear according to claim 10, wherein the lower side protrusion forming area is arranged to go around the periphery of the footbed portion. The footwear according to claim 10 , wherein each of the lower surface side projections has a generally cylindrical shape.

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