JPH09173103A - Footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the footwear from easily coming off, further prevent the occurrence of a flapping sound, and improve a wearing comfort without deteriorating inherent wearing easiness and a wearing convenience, regarding the simplified footwear having no part to cover the heel, such as slippers. SOLUTION: A slipper 2 is formed out of a foot placement part 4 and a tiptoe cover part, and the foot placement part 4 is formed out of an upper surface layer 8 and a lower surface layer 10. In addition, a doglegged plastic sheet 12 as an elastic member is buried in an area between the upper surface layer 8 and the lower surface layer 10 for bending upward the heel part 14 of the foot placement part 4. In this case, the heel part 14 is displaced elastically at all times in response to the motion of a user's heel.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to footwear such as slippers, sandals, pegs, sandals, and geta, and more particularly to simple footwear having no part for covering or holding the heel of the foot.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art This type of simple footwear places emphasis on ease of use and usability, and although there are some structural differences, it is generally a flat foot that imitates the shape of the sole. And a hook portion for inserting and hooking the toe portion (including the concept of a bag-shaped member or a so-called band-shaped member having an open tip. The same applies hereinafter). It is very convenient because it can be worn simply by putting the front part of the foot into the hook portion, and it is well known that it is useful for traveling indoors and banquet rooms, but it is easy to wear. Therefore, it has various problems.

That is, this type of simple footwear cannot avoid problems such as easy removal and pattering due to its structure.
Cushioning, which is important from the viewpoint of "comfort", is a material (inner) technology, so it can be easily solved by using cushioning materials such as rubber, urethane foam, felt, and sponge. The current situation is also satisfactory for simple footwear. However, the above-mentioned problems such as easy detachment and rattling are due to shape reasons, and are not easily resolved.

Considering the problem of "easiness of taking off", this is a natural result of giving priority to the ease of wearing, but unconsciously putting force on the toes in order to make it hard to take off. Everybody has experienced the action of inflating the front part of the to remove the looseness between the toe and the toe, and it is very tired because of the tension on the tip of the foot.

In order to solve the problem of "easiness of detachment", Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-59402 discloses a plate-like elastic body made of a superelastic material embedded in the surface of the toe so that the surface corresponding to the tip of the toe is lifted upward. A technique is disclosed in which the toe portion is fitted to the toe portion by elastic force when a foot is put in.

On the other hand, considering the problem of "pattering", while "easiness of removal" is only a subjective problem of the user himself, it causes annoying noises around the user. This is an extremely important issue. Now, let us consider the cause of the “pattering sound” based on FIGS. 6 and 7. The slippers 50 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 include a footrest portion 56 formed of a cloth upper surface layer 52 and a rubber-based lower surface layer 54, and a bag-shaped hook portion 58 formed on the front side of the footrest portion 56. It is a general one composed of and.

As shown in FIG. 6 (a), when stepping on, first, the foot 16 is in a state where the toes are in a tip-to-toe position and the rear end edge of the toe portion 58 is compressed. In this state, the heel portion 60 of the slipper 50 remains on the floor surface S. Next, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), at the moment when the foot 16 moves forward, the heel portion 60 is instantaneously moved by the compression reaction of the toe portion 58, and the heel 16 of the foot 16 moves.
Impact sound is emitted when hitting a. This is the sound with a patter when stepping on. On the other hand, when the foot 16 is landed on the floor surface S, as shown in FIG. 7, the heel portion 6 is suspended from the heel 16a of the foot 16 in a suspended state, that is, in the unsupported state.
The bottom surface of 0 hits the floor surface S first and makes an impact sound.
This is the pattering sound when landing.

[0008] As slippers and the like used for household use, thick cloth is preferred from the viewpoint of respecting cushioning and interior characteristics, and since this cloth has a sound deadening effect,
The rattling sound is relatively small. However, in public places such as hospitals and banquet halls, vinyl-like thin ones are used from the viewpoint of dirt resistance and ease of cleaning, and they are also used as floor materials (P tiles, etc.) in hospitals. Together they make a very loud rattling sound. In a hospital or the like where a quiet environment is important, the pattering sound caused by the simple footwear is a very serious problem. It can be easily imagined by a person who has been hospitalized that the pattering sound that sounds when a doctor, a nurse, or the like walks in the corridor gives unnecessary psychological pressure to an inpatient.

In order to eliminate this rattling sound,
In Japanese Patent No. 57201, one of the surface fasteners is attached to the heel portion of the slipper, and the other of the surface fasteners is attached to the lower surface of the heel of the sock, and when the foot is placed, both fasteners are engaged to engage the heel of the foot and the heel of the slipper. A technique for integrally fixing the parts is disclosed.

[0010]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]
According to the technology described in the publication, since the front part of the foot and the toe part can be integrated without applying force to the toes, there is no need to make it difficult to remove them, but the heel part is still free. Since it is in such a state, the inconvenience caused by the rattling sound cannot be dealt with.

On the other hand, according to the technique disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 6-57201, since the heel portion of the slipper can be integrally fixed to the heel of the foot, the original hooking action of the toe hook portion is naturally exerted, and the whole is naturally exhibited. A good fit, and
Although it is possible to solve the problem of easy removal and the sound of rattling, various problems remain from the viewpoint of practicality.

That is, since the surface fastener is exposed on the upper surface of the heel, the appearance of the slippers is impaired, and the commercial value or interior quality is deteriorated. In addition, it is necessary to deal with different kinds of sock industry beyond the field of slippers, and when washing socks, dust is entangled in the surface fastener and easily gets dirty.

Therefore, the present invention has excellent practicability, while maintaining the original wearability and usability of simple footwear such as slippers and the like, ease of removal without spoiling the appearance, elimination of rattling noises, and the like. The purpose is to provide footwear of this kind.

[0014]

The present invention is "pattering"
Occurs when the heel of the footwear is separated from the heel of the foot, and if the heel has the function of following the heel of the foot, combined with the original hooking action of the toe pad, It is possible to remove the easiness of taking off and pattering at the same time, and you can get a comfortable feeling with a sense of unity.
It is based on this idea.

Based on this idea, in the invention according to claim 1, a flat footrest portion and a hook portion provided at the front of the footrest portion and covering at least a part of the front surface of the front portion of the foot are provided. In the formed footwear, the heel side of the footrest portion is bent upward through an elastic member, and is formed to be elastically displaced according to the movement of the heel of the foot. That is, due to the elastic force of the elastic member, the heel side of the footrest portion is displaced in accordance with the movement of the heel of the foot, and the heel and the footrest portion are substantially integrated with each other. Resolved.

In the present specification, the "flat foot rest" includes not only flat or flat ones but also undulations conforming to the shape of the sole of the foot. As such a thing, for example, an arch. The part where the part is placed is higher than the other parts. Further, the "toe pad" may be any one as long as it covers at least a part of the front surface of the front side of the foot, and even if it covers all of the toes of the foot, only a part of it covers the toes. You can use the one

The term "elastic member" in the present specification means that an object whose shape or volume has changed due to an external force recovers to its original state when the force is removed (including both volume elasticity and shape elasticity). ) Is referred to, and examples thereof include a leaf spring made of metal or synthetic resin, synthetic (natural) rubber, and the like. There are also shape memory alloys and the like as shown in Examples described later. The elastic member does not necessarily have to be a single member, and may be a plurality of members. As such a thing, for example, a plurality of elastic wires are replaced with the above-mentioned leaf springs, and a leaf spring of synthetic resin and a synthetic rubber are attached.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the structure according to the first aspect, the elastic member is formed in a plate shape having a "dogleg" -shaped side surface shape, and the front side of the footrest portion is closer to the heel side. It is buried over the entire length of the structure. Here, the "doglegged" shape may be any shape as long as the plate-shaped elastic member is bent. In other words, the "dog-legged" need only be a substantially dog-legged shape, and the "dog-legged"
Also, flat V-shaped and U-shaped, and arc-shaped ones are also included.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the configuration according to the first aspect, the elastic member is the footrest itself. That is, according to this configuration, there is no elastic member separately from the footrest portion, but the footrest member itself has elasticity and its heel side is bent upward, so that it elastically responds to the movement of the heel of the foot. It is formed to be displaced. For example, the footrest itself is made of synthetic rubber and is molded into a "dogleg" shape.

In the invention of claim 4, claim 1 or 2
Alternatively, in the configuration described in 3, the elastic member is made of a synthetic resin material. The synthetic resin material may be any material, but it is preferable to select a material having durability according to the useful life of the footwear.

According to the invention described in claim 5, claim 1 or 2
In the configuration described above, the elastic member is made of a superelastic alloy. Since this superelastic alloy has a significantly lower elastic modulus than conventional ones, it is possible to obtain a soft feel when worn. As such a material, for example, a Ni—Ti based alloy, a Cu—Zn alloy, or the like can be used.

According to the invention of claim 6, claim 1 or 2
In the configuration described above, the elastic member is formed of a shape memory alloy. The "shape memory alloy" in the present specification means a shape memory effect, that is, an alloy exhibiting a phenomenon in which even if a member is deformed, the shape automatically returns to its original shape when the temperature exceeds a certain temperature. It is an alloy that has a substantially flat shape, but returns to a dogleg shape due to body temperature transmitted from the sole of the foot and has elasticity.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the structure of the first aspect, the front side and the heel side of the footrest portion are separated, and the separated portion is connected by the elastic member.
The configuration is adopted. By adopting such a configuration, even when the footrest portion is made of a hard member (for example, a piece of wood), the front side and the heel side are separated and an elastic member is provided between them. The object of the present invention can be achieved thereby.

According to an eighth aspect of the invention, in the configuration of the seventh aspect, the elastic member is made of a material having rubber elasticity. Examples of such materials are natural rubber and synthetic rubber.

[0025]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment (application example to a slipper) of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2
As shown in FIG. 1, the slipper 2 includes a flat foot rest 4 and
A bag-shaped or pocket-shaped hook portion 6 formed in front of the footrest portion 4 is generally configured.

The footrest portion 4 is composed of an upper surface layer 8 made of cloth and a lower surface layer 10 made of a rubber-based material, as in the prior art. A plastic plate (elastic member) 12 having a dogleg-shaped side surface or a cross-sectional shape is embedded between the lower surface layer 10 and the lower surface layer 10 without being displaced.

The heel portion 14 of the footrest portion 4 is bent upward along the shape of the plastic plate 12 and maintains a shape having an angle θ with the floor surface S at all times when no external force acts. (The above are claims 1 and 2.
2, 4). On the lower surface layer 10, a V-shaped groove 10a is formed across the width direction at a position corresponding to the bent portion 12a of the plastic plate 12 so as to be easily bent. This groove 10a is unnecessary depending on the material of the lower surface layer 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the plastic plate 12 has a length extending from the front side of the footrest portion 4 to the heel portion 14 side.

The warp angle θ of the heel portion 14, that is, the inclination angle of the plastic plate 12 with respect to the floor surface S does not impair the ease of putting the foot into the hook portion 6 (wearability), and the slipper 2 It is appropriately set within a range in which the heel portion 14 lightly presses the heel of the foot when lifted from the floor surface S in the worn state. The same applies to a slipper having a cushion material such as felt or urethane foam inserted inside the upper surface layer 8 or a slipper having a single-layer structure.

As shown in FIG. 3, the foot 16 is attached to the hook portion 6.
When the heel 16a is lowered after the tip of the heel is inserted, the plastic plate 12 is flattened and the heel portion 14 is landed to be in a general use state. In this case, the shape itself is the same as the conventional slipper, but the pressing force F due to the elasticity of the plastic plate 12 is always acting on the back of the heel 16a of the foot 16, so that the user can feel a soft sense of unity. You will receive it from beginning to end.

Further, when the heel 16a is lowered, a pressing force F due to the elasticity of the plastic plate 12 is received, so that a good cushion feeling can be obtained until the landing, and after the landing, depending on the material of the heel portion 14 of the slipper 2. A cushioning feel is added to this. "Cushion feeling brought about by the change in shape of the plastic plate 12" obtained by landing
Is different from the material-like cushioning feeling of a sponge or the like, and gives a user a dynamic comfort to the sole of the foot.

When stepping out from the landing state shown in FIG. 3, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, the heel portion 14 follows the heel 16a by the elastic force of the plastic plate 12 in accordance with the toe-resting operation of the foot 16, and the heel 16a may be lifted from the floor surface S.
Maintain contact with. This prevents the generation of rattling sound. Further, since the heel portion 14 is constantly in contact with the heel 16a of the foot 16 by the elastic force, an easy shift to the front is prevented, and it is difficult to come off together with the hooking action of the toe portion 6. Also, the user will always get an integrated fit.

As a material of the plastic plate 12,
A synthetic resin material having a high hinge effect against repeated bending action is desirable. Further, polynorbornene, trans polyisoprene, or the like as the shape memory polymer material can also be adopted. In addition, as the elastic member, a superelastic alloy made of a Ni—Ti alloy that exhibits superelasticity at a body temperature of the human body or lower, or a titanium-based or copper-based shape memory alloy can be used. 6).

In the above embodiment, the plastic plate 12 as a separate member is embedded in the footrest portion 4, but the footrest portion 4 itself may be an elastic member (claim 3). . In this case, the footrest portion 4 may have a single-layer structure made of a synthetic resin material, or either the upper surface layer 8 or the lower surface layer 10 may be an elastic member.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment corresponding to claims 7 and 8. The pistol 20 shown in this embodiment is roughly composed of a wood-based footrest 22 and a vinyl-shaped band-shaped hook 24, and is generally used on a tile floor such as a washroom or a kitchen. Is what is used. The foot rest 22 is separated into a front part 26 and a heel part 28, and the separated parts are connected by a rubber 30 as an elastic member to maintain the heel part 28 in an inclined state. In this case as well, it is possible to obtain the same functions as those of the above-described embodiment (preventing easy detachment, preventing rattling noise), and obtaining an integrated fit.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the heel portion of the footwear is elastically displaced (follows) according to the movement of the heel of the foot, the original ease of wearing and usability are improved. It is possible to prevent the sound from coming off easily and to prevent the rattling noise from occurring without damaging it, and to always obtain a fit feeling and a cushion feeling due to the elastic force, so that the wearing comfort can be further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a slipper showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the toes are put in the toes and the heel is lowered.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a follow-up operation of a heel portion accompanied by a stepping operation.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment.

6A and 6B are diagrams showing a principle of generating a rattling sound in a conventional slipper, in which FIG. 6A is a vertical cross-sectional view in the start state of a stepping motion, and FIG. 6B is a heel part when the foot is lifted. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the hit state.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the principle of generation of a rattling sound when landing on a conventional slipper.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4,22 Footrest part 6,24 Toggle part 12 Plastic plate as elastic member 16 Feet 16a Heel 30 Rubber as elastic member

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. Footwear comprising a flat foot rest and a hook portion provided in front of the foot rest and covering at least a part of the front side of the foot, wherein the heel side of the foot rest is Footwear, which is bent upward through an elastic member and is elastically displaced according to the movement of the heel of the foot. 2. The elastic member is formed in a plate shape having a dogleg-shaped side surface shape, and is embedded from the front side to the heel side of the footrest portion. footwear. 3. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is the footrest itself. 4. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is made of a synthetic resin material. 5. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is formed of a superelastic alloy. 6. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is formed of a shape memory alloy. 7. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein a front side and a heel side of the footrest portion are separated, and the separated portions are connected by the elastic member. 8. Footwear according to claim 7, wherein the elastic member is formed of a material having rubber elasticity.