US20180199666A1 - Shoe having shoe sole with divided forefoot portion - Google Patents
Shoe having shoe sole with divided forefoot portion Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20180199666A1 US20180199666A1 US15/735,534 US201515735534A US2018199666A1 US 20180199666 A1 US20180199666 A1 US 20180199666A1 US 201515735534 A US201515735534 A US 201515735534A US 2018199666 A1 US2018199666 A1 US 2018199666A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- inclined surface
- divide
- main sole
- sole
- bridging
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B13/00—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units
- A43B13/14—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units characterised by the constructive form
- A43B13/18—Resilient soles
- A43B13/181—Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B13/00—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units
- A43B13/02—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units characterised by the material
- A43B13/12—Soles with several layers of different materials
- A43B13/125—Soles with several layers of different materials characterised by the midsole or middle layer
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B13/00—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units
- A43B13/14—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units characterised by the constructive form
- A43B13/141—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units characterised by the constructive form with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B13/00—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units
- A43B13/14—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units characterised by the constructive form
- A43B13/16—Pieced soles
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B23/00—Uppers; Boot legs; Stiffeners; Other single parts of footwear
- A43B23/02—Uppers; Boot legs
- A43B23/0245—Uppers; Boot legs characterised by the constructive form
- A43B23/028—Resilient uppers, e.g. shock absorbing
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B3/00—Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
- A43B3/0036—Footwear characterised by the shape or the use characterised by a special shape or design
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B5/00—Footwear for sporting purposes
- A43B5/06—Running shoes; Track shoes
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B1/00—Footwear characterised by the material
- A43B1/02—Footwear characterised by the material made of fibres or fabrics made therefrom
- A43B1/04—Footwear characterised by the material made of fibres or fabrics made therefrom braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a shoe having a shoe sole with a divided forefoot portion.
- Shoes allowing users to run with a barefoot feel have recently been gaining popularity among some fans. These shoes are made to pursue a barefoot feel.
- JP3,119,977U discloses a shoe that aims at accommodating changes in the foot length during walk. This prior technique discloses grooves that allow for flexion at two locations in the front half of the shoe sole.
- the upper is provided with an axis of flexion so that the insole stretches upon flexion.
- the lengths of toes and the joint heights of humans vary significantly.
- the axis of flexion is provided at a particular position of the upper, and the center of flexion of the foot of the wearer often does not coincide with the axis of flexion.
- the axis of flexion is arranged at a high position away from the upper surface of the shoe sole. Therefore, the insole needs to stretch significantly upon flexion, which will be a resistance against flexion.
- WO2013/168259A1 proposes a shoe allowing the user to run without stress while maintaining its shock-absorbing property. This shoe is expected to suppress pronation of the heel portion occurring during the landing period while running, while maintaining its shock-absorbing property.
- One aspect of the present invention is directed to a shoe including an upper 3 wrapping around an instep of a foot, an insole 4 being continuous with the upper 3 and covering a sole of the foot, and a main sole MS covering the insole 4 from below and supporting the sole of the foot, wherein:
- the bridging portion 5 F that connects between the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 is arranged between the insole 4 and the first portion 11 and is arranged between the insole 4 and the second portion 12 . Therefore, the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 , which are connected together via the bridging portion 5 F, can easily be positioned with respect to each other. This as a result improves the positioning precision between the main sole MS and the upper 3 , and the performance will be unlikely to vary from one product to another.
- the second inclined surface 12 F of the second portion 12 rotates at the first divide portion D 1 .
- the second inclined surface 12 F extends in an upper-front diagonal direction, and the second portion 12 will therefore rotate upward smoothly without being jammed between the road surface and the first portion 11 .
- the MP joints will flex smoothly, thereby realizing a running feel that is close to a barefoot feel.
- the rear end portion of the first portion 11 receives a large compressive load applied thereto at the heads of the metatarsal bones. Such a load will be easily supported by the first portion 11 as the inclined surface 11 F of the first portion 11 extends in an upper-front diagonal direction.
- the minimum value of the distance between these surfaces when not worn is preferably greater than 0.0 mm and less than 2.0 mm, and more preferably less than 1.0 mm, and most preferably less than 0.5 mm.
- the second aspect of the present invention is directed to a shoe including an upper 3 wrapping around an instep of a foot, an insole 4 being continuous with the upper 3 and covering a sole of the foot, and a main sole MS covering the insole 4 from below and supporting the sole of the foot, wherein:
- the second portion 12 and the third portion 13 can rotate relative to each other with the second divide portion D 2 therebetween. This rotation will likely allow rotation of the subtalar joint STJ and the midtarsal joint MTJ of the foot.
- the divided main sole MS allows flexion and rotation of various joints. As a result, one is likely to enjoy a running feel that is close to a barefoot feel.
- the third and fourth inclined surfaces 12 B, 13 B of the second divide portion D 2 extend in an upper-rear diagonal direction, and the third portion 13 , which receives the load immediately after landing, therefore has a shape that flares downward. Therefore, the load will be easily supported by the third portion 13 .
- FIG. 1 is a medial side view showing a shoe according to one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a lateral side view showing the same. Note that in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , areas where mesh fabric is exposed is dotted.
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a shoe sole as seen from the bottom surface side.
- FIG. 4 shows a bottom surface of the shoe sole.
- FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a midsole.
- FIG. 6A , FIG. 6B , FIG. 6C , FIG. 6D , FIG. 6E , FIG. 6F and FIG. 6G are cross-sectional views taken along respective lines shown in FIG. 4 .
- FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a midsole showing a first portion to a third portion separated from each other.
- FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing an insole separated from a main sole. Note that in FIG. 8 , the surface of the paddle is dotted.
- FIG. 9 is a lateral side view showing the shoe at heel-rise.
- FIG. 10 is a lateral side view showing the shoe at heel-contact.
- FIG. 11A , FIG. 11B and FIG. 11C are a medial side view, a plan view and a lateral side view, respectively, showing the foot bone structure.
- FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B are a back view and a perspective view of a worn shoe showing pronation and internal (medial) rotation of the foot, respectively.
- FIG. 13A , FIG. 13B , FIG. 13C , FIG. 13D and FIG. 13E are schematic lateral side views showing respective test samples. Note that in these figures, flexible portions are dotted.
- FIG. 14A , FIG. 14B and FIG. 14C are graphs showing test results.
- FIG. 15A , FIG. 15B and FIG. 15C are graphs showing test results.
- FIG. 16 is a lateral side view showing a shoe according to an alternative embodiment.
- FIG. 17A , FIG. 17B , FIG. 17C , FIG. 17D , FIG. 17E , FIG. 17F and FIG. 17G are cross-sectional views showing other alternative embodiments.
- the bridging portion 5 F is formed from a plate-shaped member that is separate (a different member) from the main sole MS.
- the shoe further includes first and second engagement portions 11 E and 12 E for positioning the bridging portion 5 F with respect to the main sole MS, wherein the first engagement portion 11 E is formed on an upper surface of the first portion 11 , and the second engagement portion 12 E is formed on an upper surface of the second portion 12 .
- the bridging portion 5 F can easily be positioned with respect to the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 . As a result, the positioning precision between the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 will further improve.
- the first portion 11 defines a first depression and the second portion 12 defines a second depression; the bridging portion 5 F fits into the first depression and the second depression; and the first depression forms the first engagement portion 11 E and the second depression forms the second engagement portion 12 E.
- the bridging portion 5 F fits in the depressions of the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 , and it is therefore easy to position the bridging portion 5 F. As a result, the positioning precision between the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 will further improve.
- an elastic modulus of the bridging portion 5 F is equal to or greater than an elastic modulus of the insole 4 .
- the bridging portion 5 F having a large elastic modulus (Young's modulus) will suppress the inadvertent upward warping of the first portion 11 .
- the first divide portion D 1 has a shape that is protruding toward a front direction DF as seen in a plan view.
- the first divide portion D 1 having such a protruding shape improves the positioning precision between the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 .
- the bridging portion 5 F defines a through hole 511 , the through hole 511 being arranged so as to extend from the first portion 11 to the second portion 12 .
- the main sole MS can easily flex at the bridging portion 5 F.
- a width 5 W of the bridging portion 5 F at the first divide portion D 1 is set to be 25% to 100% of a width W of the main sole MS in (corresponding to) the first divide portion D 1 .
- the bridging portion 5 F having a large width 5 W improves the positioning precision.
- a thickness of the bridging portion 5 F is set to be 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm.
- the bridging portion 5 F being thin contributes to maintaining a light weight, and awkwardness is unlikely to be felt on the sole of the foot.
- a position of a medial edge 1 M of an upper end of the first divide portion D 1 is set in a range of 65% to 75% from a rear end 1 B of the main sole MS, with respect to a maximum length Lm from a front end 1 F to the rear end 1 B of the main sole MS, along a center axis S extending in a front-rear direction FB of the main sole MS;
- the first divide portion D 1 is likely to extend along a virtual line that connects together the heads of the metatarsal bones, as seen in a plan view.
- a line obtained by aligning (tracing) an upper end of the first divide portion D 1 with a width direction DW of the main sole MS is adapted to be arranged posterior DB to metatarsal phalangeal joints MP of a first toe B 1 to a fifth toe B 5 and is adapted to be arranged anterior DF to bases B 11 , B 51 of first to fifth metatarsal bones.
- the first divide portion D 1 is more likely to extend along the virtual line.
- the first portion 11 is continuous without being divided from the first divide portion D 1 to a tip of the main sole MS.
- the first portion 11 defines a groove 11 G, the groove 11 G being shallower than a depth of the first divide portion D 1 and extending in a width direction DW of the main sole MS.
- the main sole MS includes an outsole 2 to be in contact with a road surface and a midsole 1 arranged on the outsole 2 ;
- the main sole MS includes a third portion 13 arranged posterior DB to the second portion 12 ;
- the upper 3 includes a reinforcement portion 36 obtained by reinforcing a midfoot portion of a side surface 31 , 32 extending below (downward of) a wearing opening (topline) 39 , through which the foot is inserted; and
- the flexible portion 35 of the upper 3 improves the degree of freedom in the flexion of the main sole MS at the first divide portion D 1 .
- the flexible portion 35 allows the inclined surface 12 F of the second portion 12 to rotate while moving diagonally. Therefore, the first divide portion D 1 will flex in accordance with the individual differences between wearers.
- the middle foot portion of the upper 3 includes the reinforcement portion 36 whose rigidity is greater than that of the flexible portion 35 , and the function of the upper 3 of stably wrapping around the foot is unlikely to be lost.
- Embodiment 1 of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 10 .
- the present embodiment is directed to a shoe sole of a shoe for running or walking, for example.
- a main sole MS shown in FIG. 1 includes a rubber-made outsole 2 and a resin-made midsole 1 .
- An upper 3 wrapping around the instep of the foot is provided over the main sole MS.
- the midsole 1 includes a midsole body made of a resin-made foamed material such as EVA, for example, and may further include a reinforcement device.
- the term “made of resin” means that a resin component such as a thermoplastic component is contained, and may include any other suitable component.
- the outsole 2 of FIG. 1 is a tread sole having a higher abrasion resistance than the foamed material of the midsole body, and typically has a higher hardness than the foamed material of the midsole body.
- the term “made of rubber” means that it contains a natural rubber component or a synthetic rubber component, and it may contain any other component.
- the midsole 1 of the present embodiment and the insole 4 of FIG. 8 generally cover the entire surface of the sole of the foot.
- the outsole 2 is attached to the lower surface of the midsole 1 and partially covers the sole of the foot. That is, the main sole MS of FIG. 8 including the midsole 1 and the outsole 2 covers the insole 4 from below and supports the sole of the foot.
- the insole 4 of FIG. 8 and FIG. 6B to FIG. 6G is continuous with the upper 3 of FIG. 2 .
- the upper 3 is shaped so as to wrap around the instep of the foot.
- the shoe may include a shoelace for fitting the upper 3 to the foot.
- the main sole MS is divided into a toe-side first portion 11 , a second portion (rear portion) 12 arranged posterior DB to the first portion, and a third portion 13 (rear end portion) on the rear end side.
- the rear surface of the first portion 11 includes a first inclined surface 11 F extending in an upper-front diagonal direction.
- the front surface of the second portion 12 includes a second inclined surface 12 F extending in an upper-front diagonal direction.
- the first inclined surface 11 F and the second inclined surface 12 F together define a first divide portion D 1 at which the surfaces 11 F, 12 F are in contact with each other or are capable of contacting each other.
- the rear surface of the second portion 12 includes a third inclined surface 12 B extending in an upper-rear diagonal direction.
- the front surface of the third portion 13 includes a fourth inclined surface 13 B extending in an upper-rear diagonal direction.
- the third inclined surface 12 B and the fourth inclined surface 13 B together define a second divide portion D 2 at which the surfaces 12 B, 13 B are in contact with each other or are capable of contacting each other.
- the midsole 1 and the outsole 2 are each divided into parts in a front-rear direction at the first and second divide portions D 1 , D 2 (see FIG. 7 ).
- the second inclined surface 12 F of the second portion 12 is configured so that it can rotate relative to the first inclined surface 11 F of the first portion 11 in such a manner that the lower portion of the first divide portion D 1 opens.
- the fourth inclined surface 13 B of the third portion 13 is configured so that it can rotate relative to the third inclined surface 12 B of the second portion 12 in such a manner that the lower portion of the second divide portion D 2 opens.
- the position of the medial edge 1 M of the upper end of the first divide portion D 1 is set in the range of 65% to 75%, from the rear end 1 B of the main sole MS, of the maximum length Lm from the front end 1 F to the rear end 1 B of the main sole MS, along the center axis S ( FIG. 4 ) extending in the front-rear direction FB of the main sole MS.
- the position of the lateral edge 1 L of the upper end of the first divide portion D 1 is set in the range of 60% to 70%, from the rear end 1 B of the main sole MS, of the maximum length Lm of the main sole MS, along the center axis S of the main sole MS.
- the line obtained by aligning the upper end of the first divide portion D 1 with the width direction DW of the main sole MS is arranged posterior DB to the metatarsal phalangeal joints MP of the first toe B 1 to the fifth toe B 5 and is arranged anterior DF to the bases B 11 , B 51 of the first to fifth metatarsal bones B 1 , B 5 .
- the line is arranged posterior DB to the heads B 12 , B 52 of the metatarsal bones.
- the base refers to a portion of each bone that is close to a joint posterior thereto and that is slightly expanding to a greater thickness, and it is referred to also as the proximal head.
- the head refers to a portion of each bone that is close to a joint anterior thereto and that is slightly expanding to a greater thickness, and it is referred to also as the distal head.
- the first divide portion D 1 has a shape that is protruding toward the front direction DF as seen in a plan view.
- the second divide portion D 2 has a shape that is protruding toward the rear direction DB as seen in a plan view.
- the first portion 11 is continuous without being divided from the first divide portion D 1 to the tip of the main sole MS.
- the first portion 11 defines a groove 11 G, the groove 11 G of FIG. 1 being shallower than the depth of the first divide portion D 1 and extending in the width direction DW of the main sole MS of FIG. 4 .
- the second portion (rear portion) 12 extends toward the front direction DF from the rear surface.
- the second portion 12 defines a groove 12 G anterior DF to the rear surface.
- the groove 12 G is shallower than the depth of the second divide portion D 2 ( FIG. 1 ) and extends in the width direction W of the main sole MS.
- the paddle 5 is formed from a member different from the main sole MS.
- the elastic modulus of the paddle 5 is greater than or equal to the elastic modulus of the insole 4 and, more preferably, greater than the elastic modulus of the insole 4 .
- the paddle 5 is formed from a resin-made flat plate having a thickness of 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm, more preferably 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm.
- the paddle 5 is arranged so as to extend across the first to third portions 11 to 13 .
- the paddle 5 is sandwiched between the upper surface of the midsole 1 and the lower surface of the insole 4 .
- the paddle 5 includes a bridging portion 5 F on the forefoot side, and a bridging portion 5 B on the rear foot side.
- a portion of the bridging portion 5 F on the forefoot side of FIG. 8 is arranged between the insole 4 and the first portion 11 .
- another portion of the bridging portion 5 F is arranged between the insole 4 and the second portion 12 .
- a portion of the bridging portion 5 B on the rear foot side is arranged between the insole 4 and the second portion 12 .
- another portion of the bridging portion 5 B is arranged between the insole 4 and the third portion 13 .
- the first engagement portion 11 E is formed on the upper surface of the first portion 11 and the second engagement portion 12 E is formed on the upper surface of the second portion 12 .
- the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 of FIG. 7 define the first depression and the second depression, respectively, into which the bridging portion 5 F ( FIG. 8 ) fits, wherein the first depression and the second depression form the first and second engagement portions 11 E and 12 E, respectively.
- the second engagement portion 12 E is formed on the upper surface of the second portion 12 and the third engagement portion 13 E is formed on the upper surface of the third portion 13 .
- the second portion 12 and the third portion 13 of FIG. 7 each define a depression into which the bridging portion 5 B ( FIG. 8 ) fits, wherein the depressions form the respective engagement portions 11 E, 12 E.
- the widths 5 Wf, Wb of the bridging portions 5 F, 5 B of the first and second divide portions D 1 , D 2 are each set to be 25% to 100% of the width W of the main sole MS.
- the bridging portions 5 F, 5 B define a plurality of through holes 511 .
- the through holes 511 on the forefoot side are arranged so as to extend from the first portion 11 to the second portion 12 .
- the through holes 511 on the rear foot side are arranged so as to extend from the second portion 12 to the third portion 13 .
- the through holes 511 on the rear foot side are so structured that the third portion 13 can easily be displaced in the width direction DW.
- the bridging portion 5 F on the forefoot side of FIG. 8 is provided so as to bridge between the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 across the first divide portion D 1 , and the bridging portion 5 F connects between the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 so that the inclined surface 12 F of the second portion 12 is rotatable relative to the inclined surface 11 F of the first portion 11 , as shown in FIG. 9 .
- the bridging portion 5 B on the rear foot side of FIG. 8 is provided so as to bridge between the second portion 12 and the third portion 13 across the second divide portion D 2 , and the bridging portion 5 B connects between the second portion 12 and the third portion 13 so that the inclined surface 12 B of the second portion 12 is rotatable relative to the inclined surface 13 B of the third portion, as shown in FIG. 10 .
- the second divide portion D 2 includes a diagonal portion 131 that extends toward the lateral side in a diagonal forward direction DF from a central portion 13 C between the medial side and the lateral side.
- the angle ⁇ formed between a virtual transverse (horizontal) line VL that is perpendicular to the center axis S extending in the front-rear direction FD of the main sole MS and the diagonal portion 131 of the second divide portion D 2 is set in a range of 10° to 40°.
- the medial edge 1 M of the second divide portion D 2 is arranged posterior DB to the lateral edge 1 L of the second divide portion D 2 .
- a medial side surface 31 of the upper 3 of FIG. 1 includes a medial-side high rigidity portion 3111 and a medial-side flexible portion 31 S that is more flexible than the medial-side high rigidity portion 3111 , which are separated from each other in the front-rear direction.
- a lateral side surface 32 of the upper 3 of FIG. 2 includes a lateral-side high rigidity portion 3211 and a lateral-side flexible portion 32 S that is more flexible than the lateral-side high rigidity portion 3211 .
- the front edge portion of the medial-side high rigidity portion 3111 and/or the medial-side flexible portion 31 S of FIG. 1 extend in an upper-rear diagonal direction from the upper end portion of the medial edge 1 M of the second divide portion D 2 .
- the front edge portion of the lateral-side high rigidity portion 3211 and/or the lateral-side flexible portion 32 S of FIG. 2 extend in an upper-rear diagonal direction from the upper end portion of the lateral edge 1 L of the second divide portion D 2 .
- the term “from the upper end portion” means from the upper end or a vicinity thereof.
- the high rigidity portions may each be formed from a synthetic-resin plate, for example.
- the low rigidity portions may each be formed from a fabric (cloth) such as a mesh fabric, a knit fabric, a woven fabric or a non-woven fabric, for example.
- a plurality of strip-shaped restraining members 34 M are arranged on the medial-side flexible portion 31 S of FIG. 1 for restraining the stretch of the medial-side flexible portion 31 S in the front-rear direction FB.
- Another plurality of strip-shaped restraining members 34 L are arranged on the lateral-side flexible portion 32 S of FIG. 2 for restraining the stretch of the lateral-side flexible portion 32 S in the front-rear direction FD.
- the restraining members may be a comb-shaped thin film bonded or welded (including transfer printing) on the surface of the mesh fabric.
- the flexible portion 35 of the upper 3 is formed from a low rigidity material, e.g., a cloth-like fabric such as a mesh fabric, a knit fabric, a woven fabric or a non-woven fabric, for example.
- a low rigidity material e.g., a cloth-like fabric such as a mesh fabric, a knit fabric, a woven fabric or a non-woven fabric, for example.
- the flexible portion 35 as described above allows the inclined surface 12 F of the second portion 12 to rotate while moving in an upper-front diagonal direction as shown in FIG. 9 .
- the paddle 5 is adapted to the engagement portions 11 E to 13 E, which are depressions in the first, second and third portions 11 to 13 , thereby attaching (bonding) the paddle 5 to the upper surface of the midsole 1 .
- the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 are positioned with respect to each other, and the second portion 12 and the third portion 13 are positioned with respect to each other.
- the midsole 1 which is made integral by means of the paddle 5 , is bonded to the reverse surface of the insole 4 , which is integral with the upper 3 (not shown; FIG. 1 ).
- the midsole 1 is not divided in the front-rear direction as described above so that the midsole 1 can easily be positioned with respect to the insole 4 at the time of bonding.
- the first inclined surface 11 F and the second inclined surface 12 F of the first divide portion D 1 are partly in contact with each other, and there may be a slight gap between the first inclined surface 11 F and the second inclined surface 12 F of the first divide portion D 1 due to manufacturing errors.
- the first inclined surface 11 F and the second inclined surface 12 F contact each other with a strong pressure due to compressive deformation of the midsole 1 , etc. Therefore, it will be possible to stably support the foot.
- the upper 3 and the main sole MS flex as shown in FIG. 9 , and the second portion 12 is displaced so as to rotate relative to the first portion 11 .
- the midsole 1 is attached to the upper 3 via the paddle 5 ( FIG. 8 ). Therefore, the second portion 12 rotates, relative to the first portion 11 , about the vicinity of the upper end of the first divide portion D 1 .
- the flexible portion 35 of the upper 3 directly above, and anterior/posterior to, the first divide portion D 1 of the present embodiment is formed from a flexible material such as a mesh fabric described above, for example, and the flexible portion 35 can easily be creased 35 W, thereby making it unlikely that the rotation is inhibited.
- the flexible portion 35 has no defined center of flexion, and therefore the inclined surface 12 F of the second portion 12 rotates while moving in the upper-front diagonal direction in accordance with the flexion of the foot.
- the subtalar joint (STJ) and the midtarsal joint (MTJ) exist below the ankle. These joints STJ and MTJ can rotate about the axis Ss and the axis Sm, respectively.
- These axes Ss and Sm are orthogonal to intersecting planes Bs, Bm.
- the intersecting planes Bs, Bm are inclined planes that are inclined by about 42° and 15° with respect to the vertical plane in FIG. 11A and FIG. 11C .
- the intersecting planes Bs, Bm are also inclined planes that are inclined by about 20° and 9° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the foot in FIG. 11B .
- the angle ⁇ 2 formed between the inclined surfaces 12 B, 13 B of the second divide portion D 2 of FIG. 2 and the vertical plane is preferably about 5° to 45° on the lateral side of the foot, more preferably about 10° to 40°, and most preferably about 15° to 35°.
- the angle ⁇ 1 between the inclined surfaces 12 F, 13 F of the first divide portion D 1 of FIG. 2 and the vertical plane is preferably about 20° to 70° on the lateral side of the foot, more preferably about 25° to 65°, and most preferably about 30° to 60°.
- the joint STJ of FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C rotates, and the heel thereby pronates as shown in FIG. 12A .
- the joint MTJ rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the joint STJ of FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C , and the lower leg thereby medially rotates as shown in FIG. 12B .
- pronation occurs.
- a shoe structure that allows, without inhibiting, the action of the joints STJ, MTJ, the pronation and the internal rotation.
- the second divide portion D 2 of the rear foot section extends in an upper-rear diagonal direction
- the second divide portion D 2 of FIG. 5 includes the diagonal portion 131 on the lateral side. Therefore, immediately after landing such as first strike of FIG. 10 , the lower portion of the second divide portion D 2 is displaced so as to open, and it is unlikely to inhibit the action of the joints STJ, MTJ of FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C , the pronation of FIG. 12A and the internal rotation of FIG. 12B . Therefore, it is likely to realize an action of pronation that is proximate to that during barefoot running.
- the main sole MS flexes, and the third portion 13 is displaced so as to rotate relative to the second portion 12 .
- the midsole 1 is attached to the upper 3 via the paddle 5 ( FIG. 8 ). Therefore, the third portion 13 rotates, relative to the second portion 12 , about the vicinity of the upper end of the second divide portion D 2 .
- the heel of the foot is likely to rise inside the upper 3 .
- the restraining members 34 L, 34 M are provided on the flexible portions 32 S, 31 S ( FIG. 1 ). Therefore, it is possible to restrain the stretch of the flexible portion of the upper 3 at heel-rise, and it is as a result possible to prevent the heel from rising inside the upper 3 .
- test sample T 1 of FIG. 13A was provided that did not have the divide portions D 1 , D 2 .
- test samples T 2 to T 5 of FIG. 13B to FIG. 13E were provided as test examples.
- sample T 2 the main sole MS is divided along a plane that is orthogonal to the axis Ss ( FIG. 11A ).
- sample T 3 the main sole MS is divided at four divide portions D 1 , D 2 , D 11 , D 21 along planes that are orthogonal to the axis Ss ( FIG. 11A ) and the axis Sm ( FIG. 11A ).
- diagonal flexible portions 33 S are provided on the medial side and the lateral side of the upper 3 so as to function in conjunction with the divide portions D 1 , D 2 of samples T 2 and T 3 . Note that sample T 1 is not provided with the divide portions and the flexible portions.
- a test experiment was conducted with one subject at a running speed of 4 min/km. Comparisons were made between running with shoes of FIG. 13A to FIG. 13E and running barefoot. The flexion/extension angle of the foot joint was measured while running, and the ground reaction force was measured in the front-rear direction and in the vertical direction.
- FIG. 14C shows a comparison result for the work of the foot joint required for push-off. As can be seen from the figure, the amount of work is greater for samples T 2 , T 3 , T 4 , T 5 provided with the divide portions than for barefoot and sample T 1 . It can be seen that this resulted in a greater load on the lower leg.
- FIG. 15A and FIG. 15B were calculated from the flexion/extension angle. The results are shown in FIG. 15A and FIG. 15B .
- sample T 1 has a greater absolute value of the pronation angle ⁇ than barefoot, whereas samples T 2 , T 3 , T 4 , T 5 have joint angles closer to barefoot running.
- sample T 1 has a smaller absolute value of the internal rotation angle ⁇ than barefoot, whereas samples T 2 , T 3 , T 4 , T 5 have joint angles closer to barefoot running.
- Samples T 2 to T 5 of FIG. 13B to FIG. 13E were produced by modifying the main sole MS and the upper 3 of existing shoes. Therefore, they do not have the paddle ( FIG. 8 ).
- a shoe of the present invention may have a structure like those of samples T 2 to T 5 , or may have a structure of samples T 2 to T 5 with the paddle ( FIG. 8 ) added thereto.
- the bridging portions 5 F, 5 B of the paddle 5 of FIG. 8 may be separated from each other.
- the paddle 5 being continuous from the first portion 11 to the third portion 13 has a greater Young's modulus than the midsole 1 , and will be useful as a reinforcement device of the second portion 12 .
- the through holes 511 do not need to be provided in the paddle 5 .
- protruding portions may be formed on the upper surface of the midsole 1 so as to correspond to the through holes 511 , so that the upper surface of the midsole 1 in the through holes 511 is set to be at about the same level (height) as the upper surface of the paddle 5 .
- this shoe may be provided with grooves Gm arranged in a staggered pattern on the lower surface of the main sole MS and on the upper surface of the main sole MS.
- FIG. 17A to FIG. 17D show alternative examples.
- the sections 11 , 12 , 13 of the main sole may be in contact with each other via bridging portions 5 F, 5 B that are protruding downward.
- the bridging portions 5 F, 5 B may be such that the midsoles are not in direct contact with each other, but outsoles are in direct or indirect contact with each other.
- FIG. 17E to FIG. 17G show other alternative examples.
- the upper surface of the midsole 1 is attached to the lower surface of the insole 4 , and the paddle 5 ( FIG. 8 ) is absent.
- the midsoles 1 may be bound together in areas other than the divide portions D 1 , D 2 via a bonded or welded attachment portion 19 that is dotted in the figure. That is, the midsole 1 may form the bridging portions 5 F, 5 B.
- the midsole may be provided with gel or pod-like shock-absorbing parts.
- the main sole may be formed solely from a flexible midsole-like material or solely from an outsole.
- the present invention is applicable to various shoes for running, walking, training, etc.
- 1 B Rear end
- 1 F Front end
- 1 L Lateral edge
- 1 M Medial edge
- 11 First portion, 11 E: First engagement portion, 11 F: First inclined surface, 11 G: Groove
- 12 Second portion, 12 B: Third inclined surface, 12 E: Second engagement portion, 12 F: Second inclined surface, 12 G: Groove
- 13 Third portion
- 13 B Fourth inclined surface
- 13 C Central portion
- 32 Lateral side surface
- 32 H Lateral-side high rigidity portion
- 32 S Lateral-side flexible portion
- 33 S Flexible portion
- 34 L Restraining member
- 34 M Restraining member
- 35 Flexible portion
- 36 Reinforcement portion
- 5 Paddle
- 5 B (Second) bridging portion
- 5 F (First) bridging portion
- 5 H Through hole
- 5 W Width
- B 1 First toe
- B 5 Fifth toe
- Bc Calcaneal bone
- D 1 First divide portion
- D 2 Second divide portion
- D 11 Divide portion
- DB Posterior
- DF Anterior
- DW Width direction
- FB Front-rear direction
- MP Metatarsal phalangeal joint
- MS Main sole
- V 1 Transverse line
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a shoe having a shoe sole with a divided forefoot portion.
- Shoes allowing users to run with a barefoot feel have recently been gaining popularity among some fans. These shoes are made to pursue a barefoot feel.
- A shoe sole is required to have various functions such as a flexible property and a shock-absorbing property. As one such flexible property, a shoe sole is required to flex in response to flexion of MP (metatarsal phalangeal) joints and IP (interphalangeal) joints of the forefoot section.
- First Patent Document: JP3,119,977U (front page)
- Second Patent Document: JP2007-89734A (front page)
- Third Patent Document: JP2000-197503A (front page)
- Fourth Patent Document: JP11-123101A (front page)
- Fifth Patent Document: JP2001-70004A (front page)
- Sixth Patent Document: JP2010-504839W (front page)
- Seventh Patent Document: WO2013/168259A1 (front page)
- JP3,119,977U discloses a shoe that aims at accommodating changes in the foot length during walk. This prior technique discloses grooves that allow for flexion at two locations in the front half of the shoe sole.
- With this prior technique, the upper is provided with an axis of flexion so that the insole stretches upon flexion.
- However, the lengths of toes and the joint heights of humans vary significantly. With the prior technique, the axis of flexion is provided at a particular position of the upper, and the center of flexion of the foot of the wearer often does not coincide with the axis of flexion.
- Moreover, the axis of flexion is arranged at a high position away from the upper surface of the shoe sole. Therefore, the insole needs to stretch significantly upon flexion, which will be a resistance against flexion.
- Moreover, it is not easy to precisely position a midsole and an outsole, which are divided into three parts in the front-rear direction, with respect to the upper. Therefore, the performance is likely to vary from one product to another.
- It is an object of the present invention to provide a shoe that easily flexes in response to flexion of joints in the forefoot section while running barefoot and whose performance is unlikely to vary from one product to another.
- WO2013/168259A1 proposes a shoe allowing the user to run without stress while maintaining its shock-absorbing property. This shoe is expected to suppress pronation of the heel portion occurring during the landing period while running, while maintaining its shock-absorbing property.
- However, this prior technique is not a proposal that pursues a barefoot feel. Therefore, it is not possible to realize barefoot-running joint movements.
- Therefore, it is another object of the present invention to provide a shoe that realizes joint movements close to barefoot-running joint movements while realizing a better shock-absorbing property than when running barefoot.
- One aspect of the present invention is directed to a shoe including an upper 3 wrapping around an instep of a foot, an
insole 4 being continuous with the upper 3 and covering a sole of the foot, and a main sole MS covering theinsole 4 from below and supporting the sole of the foot, wherein: -
- the main sole MS includes a toe-side
first portion 11, and asecond portion 12 arranged posterior DB to thefirst portion 11; - a rear surface of the
first portion 11 includes oneinclined surface 11F extending in an upper-front diagonal direction; - a front surface of the
second portion 12 includes anotherinclined surface 12F extending in the upper-front diagonal direction; - the one
inclined surface 11F of thefirst portion 11 and the otherinclined surface 12F of thesecond portion 12 together define a first divide portion D1 at which thesurfaces - a
bridging portion 5F is provided, wherein thebridging portion 5F is provided so as to bridge between thefirst portion 11 and thesecond portion 12 across the first divide portion D1, and thebridging portion 5F connects between thefirst portion 11 and thesecond portion 12 so that the otherinclined surface 12F of thesecond portion 12 is rotatable relative to the oneinclined surface 11F of thefirst portion 11; - a part of the
bridging portion 5F is arranged between theinsole 4 and thefirst portion 11; and - another part of the
bridging portion 5F is arranged between theinsole 4 and thesecond portion 12.
- the main sole MS includes a toe-side
- In this aspect, the
bridging portion 5F that connects between thefirst portion 11 and thesecond portion 12 is arranged between theinsole 4 and thefirst portion 11 and is arranged between theinsole 4 and thesecond portion 12. Therefore, thefirst portion 11 and thesecond portion 12, which are connected together via thebridging portion 5F, can easily be positioned with respect to each other. This as a result improves the positioning precision between the main sole MS and the upper 3, and the performance will be unlikely to vary from one product to another. - When transitioning from foot-flat to heel-rise, the second
inclined surface 12F of thesecond portion 12 rotates at the first divide portion D1. Herein, the secondinclined surface 12F extends in an upper-front diagonal direction, and thesecond portion 12 will therefore rotate upward smoothly without being jammed between the road surface and thefirst portion 11. As a result, the MP joints will flex smoothly, thereby realizing a running feel that is close to a barefoot feel. - At heel-rise, the rear end portion of the
first portion 11 receives a large compressive load applied thereto at the heads of the metatarsal bones. Such a load will be easily supported by thefirst portion 11 as theinclined surface 11F of thefirst portion 11 extends in an upper-front diagonal direction. - As used in the present specification, inclined surfaces being in contact with each other means that at least a portion of one inclined surface is in contact with at least a portion of the other inclined surface when not worn. In this case, the load of the forefoot section when worn can easily be supported by the main sole MS.
- On the other hand, inclined surfaces being capable of contacting each other means that during the transition from heel-contact to heel-rise when worn, preferably at least at the stationary standing position ((load/shoe size)=1 kgf/cm), at least a portion of one inclined surface is in contact with at least a portion of the other inclined surface. In this case, the minimum value of the distance between these surfaces when not worn is preferably greater than 0.0 mm and less than 2.0 mm, and more preferably less than 1.0 mm, and most preferably less than 0.5 mm.
- The second aspect of the present invention is directed to a shoe including an upper 3 wrapping around an instep of a foot, an
insole 4 being continuous with the upper 3 and covering a sole of the foot, and a main sole MS covering theinsole 4 from below and supporting the sole of the foot, wherein: -
- the main sole MS includes a toe-side
first portion 11, asecond portion 12 arranged posterior DB to the first portion, and athird portion 13 on a rear end side; - a rear surface of the
first portion 11 includes a firstinclined surface 11F extending in an upper-front diagonal direction, and a front surface of thesecond portion 12 includes a secondinclined surface 12F extending in the upper-front diagonal direction; - the first
inclined surface 11F and the secondinclined surface 12F together define a first divide portion D1 at which thesurfaces - a rear surface of the
second portion 12 includes a thirdinclined surface 12B extending in an upper-rear diagonal direction, and a front surface of thethird portion 13 includes a fourthinclined surface 13B extending in the upper-rear diagonal direction; and - the third
inclined surface 12B and the fourthinclined surface 13B together define a second divide portion D2 at which thesurfaces
- the main sole MS includes a toe-side
- In this aspect, during the period of transitioning from heel-contact, where only the heel contacts the ground, to foot-flat, where the sole of the foot entirely contacts the ground, the
second portion 12 and thethird portion 13 can rotate relative to each other with the second divide portion D2 therebetween. This rotation will likely allow rotation of the subtalar joint STJ and the midtarsal joint MTJ of the foot. - On the other hand, during the period of transitioning from foot-flat to heel-rise, it will allow smooth flexion of the MP joints as described above.
- Thus, the divided main sole MS allows flexion and rotation of various joints. As a result, one is likely to enjoy a running feel that is close to a barefoot feel.
- Note that the third and fourth
inclined surfaces third portion 13, which receives the load immediately after landing, therefore has a shape that flares downward. Therefore, the load will be easily supported by thethird portion 13. -
FIG. 1 is a medial side view showing a shoe according to one embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 2 is a lateral side view showing the same. Note that inFIG. 1 andFIG. 2 , areas where mesh fabric is exposed is dotted. -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a shoe sole as seen from the bottom surface side. -
FIG. 4 shows a bottom surface of the shoe sole. -
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a midsole. -
FIG. 6A ,FIG. 6B ,FIG. 6C ,FIG. 6D ,FIG. 6E ,FIG. 6F andFIG. 6G are cross-sectional views taken along respective lines shown inFIG. 4 . -
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a midsole showing a first portion to a third portion separated from each other. -
FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing an insole separated from a main sole. Note that inFIG. 8 , the surface of the paddle is dotted. -
FIG. 9 is a lateral side view showing the shoe at heel-rise. -
FIG. 10 is a lateral side view showing the shoe at heel-contact. -
FIG. 11A ,FIG. 11B andFIG. 11C are a medial side view, a plan view and a lateral side view, respectively, showing the foot bone structure. -
FIG. 12A andFIG. 12B are a back view and a perspective view of a worn shoe showing pronation and internal (medial) rotation of the foot, respectively. -
FIG. 13A ,FIG. 13B ,FIG. 13C ,FIG. 13D andFIG. 13E are schematic lateral side views showing respective test samples. Note that in these figures, flexible portions are dotted. -
FIG. 14A ,FIG. 14B andFIG. 14C are graphs showing test results. -
FIG. 15A ,FIG. 15B andFIG. 15C are graphs showing test results. -
FIG. 16 is a lateral side view showing a shoe according to an alternative embodiment. -
FIG. 17A ,FIG. 17B ,FIG. 17C ,FIG. 17D ,FIG. 17E ,FIG. 17F andFIG. 17G are cross-sectional views showing other alternative embodiments. - In each of the aspects above, it is preferred that the bridging
portion 5F is formed from a plate-shaped member that is separate (a different member) from the main sole MS. - In this preferred example, it will be easier to manufacture the shoe sole as compared with a case where the bridging
portion 5F is formed from the main sole MS. - In each of the aspects above, it is more preferred that the shoe further includes first and
second engagement portions bridging portion 5F with respect to the main sole MS, wherein thefirst engagement portion 11E is formed on an upper surface of thefirst portion 11, and thesecond engagement portion 12E is formed on an upper surface of thesecond portion 12. - In this case, the bridging
portion 5F can easily be positioned with respect to thefirst portion 11 and thesecond portion 12. As a result, the positioning precision between thefirst portion 11 and thesecond portion 12 will further improve. - More preferably, the
first portion 11 defines a first depression and thesecond portion 12 defines a second depression; the bridgingportion 5F fits into the first depression and the second depression; and the first depression forms thefirst engagement portion 11E and the second depression forms thesecond engagement portion 12E. - In this case, the bridging
portion 5F fits in the depressions of thefirst portion 11 and thesecond portion 12, and it is therefore easy to position the bridgingportion 5F. As a result, the positioning precision between thefirst portion 11 and thesecond portion 12 will further improve. - In each of the aspects above, an elastic modulus of the bridging
portion 5F is equal to or greater than an elastic modulus of theinsole 4. - In this case, the bridging
portion 5F having a large elastic modulus (Young's modulus) will suppress the inadvertent upward warping of thefirst portion 11. - In each of the aspects above, it is preferred that the first divide portion D1 has a shape that is protruding toward a front direction DF as seen in a plan view.
- The first divide portion D1 having such a protruding shape improves the positioning precision between the
first portion 11 and thesecond portion 12. - In each of the aspects above, it is preferred that the bridging
portion 5F defines a through hole 511, the through hole 511 being arranged so as to extend from thefirst portion 11 to thesecond portion 12. - In such a case, the main sole MS can easily flex at the bridging
portion 5F. - In each of the aspects above, it is preferred that a
width 5W of the bridgingportion 5F at the first divide portion D1 is set to be 25% to 100% of a width W of the main sole MS in (corresponding to) the first divide portion D1. - The bridging
portion 5F having alarge width 5W improves the positioning precision. - In each of the aspects above, it is preferred that a thickness of the bridging
portion 5F is set to be 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm. - In this case, the bridging
portion 5F being thin contributes to maintaining a light weight, and awkwardness is unlikely to be felt on the sole of the foot. - In each of the aspects above, it is preferred that a position of a
medial edge 1M of an upper end of the first divide portion D1 is set in a range of 65% to 75% from arear end 1B of the main sole MS, with respect to a maximum length Lm from afront end 1F to therear end 1B of the main sole MS, along a center axis S extending in a front-rear direction FB of the main sole MS; and -
- a position of a
lateral edge 1L of the upper end of the first divide portion D1 is set in a range of 60% to 70% from therear end 1B of the main sole MS, with respect to the maximum length Lm of the main sole MS, along the center axis S of the main sole MS.
- a position of a
- In this case, the first divide portion D1 is likely to extend along a virtual line that connects together the heads of the metatarsal bones, as seen in a plan view.
- In each of the aspects above, it is preferred that a line obtained by aligning (tracing) an upper end of the first divide portion D1 with a width direction DW of the main sole MS is adapted to be arranged posterior DB to metatarsal phalangeal joints MP of a first toe B1 to a fifth toe B5 and is adapted to be arranged anterior DF to bases B11, B51 of first to fifth metatarsal bones.
- In this case, the first divide portion D1 is more likely to extend along the virtual line.
- In each of the aspects above, it is preferred that the
first portion 11 is continuous without being divided from the first divide portion D1 to a tip of the main sole MS. - In this case, it is possible to prevent the bending feel at the toe from being discontinuous.
- More preferably, the
first portion 11 defines agroove 11G, thegroove 11G being shallower than a depth of the first divide portion D1 and extending in a width direction DW of the main sole MS. - In this case, it is possible to realize smooth flexion of interphalangeal joints whose angle of flexion is smaller than that of MP joints.
- In each of the aspects above, it is preferred that the main sole MS includes an
outsole 2 to be in contact with a road surface and amidsole 1 arranged on theoutsole 2; and -
- the
midsole 1 and theoutsole 2 are each divided into parts in a front-rear direction at the first divide portion D1.
- the
- The above-described advantages are likely to be realized as the
midsole 1 and theoutsole 2 are each divided at the firstdivide portion D 1. - In the first aspect, it is preferred that the main sole MS includes a
third portion 13 arranged posterior DB to thesecond portion 12; -
- a rear surface of
second portion 12 and a front surface ofthird portion 13 respectively include otherinclined surfaces - the
inclined surface 12B of thesecond portion 12 and theinclined surface 13B of thethird portion 13 together define a second divide portion D2 at which thesurfaces
- a rear surface of
- In this case, it is possible to more easily realize a feel that is close to barefoot running, as described above.
- In each of the aspects above, it is preferred that the upper 3 includes a
reinforcement portion 36 obtained by reinforcing a midfoot portion of aside surface -
- a
flexible portion 35 obtained by forming a forefoot portion of a side surface extending above (upward of) the first divide portion D1 so that theflexible portion 35 is more flexible than thereinforcement portion 36 so as to allow for rotation of thesecond portion 12 while theinclined surface 12F of thesecond portion 12 moves in the upper-front diagonal direction.
- a
- In this case, the
flexible portion 35 of the upper 3 improves the degree of freedom in the flexion of the main sole MS at the first divide portion D1. Theflexible portion 35 allows theinclined surface 12F of thesecond portion 12 to rotate while moving diagonally. Therefore, the first divide portion D1 will flex in accordance with the individual differences between wearers. - On the other hand, the middle foot portion of the upper 3 includes the
reinforcement portion 36 whose rigidity is greater than that of theflexible portion 35, and the function of the upper 3 of stably wrapping around the foot is unlikely to be lost. - Any feature illustrated and/or depicted in conjunction with one of the aforementioned aspects or the following embodiments may be used in the same or similar form in one or more of the other aspects or other embodiments, and/or may be used in combination with, or in place of, any feature of the other aspects or embodiments.
- The present invention will be understood more clearly from the following description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Note however that the embodiments and the drawings are merely illustrative and should not be taken to define the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention shall be defined only by the appended claims. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals denote like components throughout the plurality of figures.
-
Embodiment 1 of the present invention will now be described with reference toFIG. 1 toFIG. 10 . - The present embodiment is directed to a shoe sole of a shoe for running or walking, for example.
- A main sole MS shown in
FIG. 1 includes a rubber-madeoutsole 2 and a resin-mademidsole 1. An upper 3 wrapping around the instep of the foot is provided over the main sole MS. - The
midsole 1 includes a midsole body made of a resin-made foamed material such as EVA, for example, and may further include a reinforcement device. The term “made of resin” means that a resin component such as a thermoplastic component is contained, and may include any other suitable component. Apaddle 5 ofFIG. 8 made of a high-resilience material, for example, is provided on the upper surface of themidsole 1. - The
outsole 2 ofFIG. 1 is a tread sole having a higher abrasion resistance than the foamed material of the midsole body, and typically has a higher hardness than the foamed material of the midsole body. Note that the term “made of rubber” means that it contains a natural rubber component or a synthetic rubber component, and it may contain any other component. - As shown in
FIG. 3 toFIG. 5 , themidsole 1 of the present embodiment and theinsole 4 ofFIG. 8 generally cover the entire surface of the sole of the foot. On the other hand, as shown inFIG. 1 andFIG. 2 , theoutsole 2 is attached to the lower surface of themidsole 1 and partially covers the sole of the foot. That is, the main sole MS ofFIG. 8 including themidsole 1 and theoutsole 2 covers theinsole 4 from below and supports the sole of the foot. - The
insole 4 ofFIG. 8 andFIG. 6B toFIG. 6G is continuous with the upper 3 ofFIG. 2 . The upper 3 is shaped so as to wrap around the instep of the foot. Note that the shoe may include a shoelace for fitting the upper 3 to the foot. - The main sole MS is divided into a toe-side
first portion 11, a second portion (rear portion) 12 arranged posterior DB to the first portion, and a third portion 13 (rear end portion) on the rear end side. - The rear surface of the
first portion 11 includes a firstinclined surface 11F extending in an upper-front diagonal direction. The front surface of thesecond portion 12 includes a secondinclined surface 12F extending in an upper-front diagonal direction. The firstinclined surface 11F and the secondinclined surface 12F together define a first divide portion D1 at which thesurfaces - The rear surface of the
second portion 12 includes a thirdinclined surface 12B extending in an upper-rear diagonal direction. - The front surface of the
third portion 13 includes a fourthinclined surface 13B extending in an upper-rear diagonal direction. The thirdinclined surface 12B and the fourthinclined surface 13B together define a second divide portion D2 at which thesurfaces - The
midsole 1 and theoutsole 2 are each divided into parts in a front-rear direction at the first and second divide portions D1, D2 (seeFIG. 7 ). - As shown in
FIG. 9 , the secondinclined surface 12F of thesecond portion 12 is configured so that it can rotate relative to the firstinclined surface 11F of thefirst portion 11 in such a manner that the lower portion of the first divide portion D1 opens. As shown inFIG. 10 , the fourthinclined surface 13B of thethird portion 13 is configured so that it can rotate relative to the thirdinclined surface 12B of thesecond portion 12 in such a manner that the lower portion of the second divide portion D2 opens. - In
FIG. 5 , the position of themedial edge 1M of the upper end of the first divide portion D1 is set in the range of 65% to 75%, from therear end 1B of the main sole MS, of the maximum length Lm from thefront end 1F to therear end 1B of the main sole MS, along the center axis S (FIG. 4 ) extending in the front-rear direction FB of the main sole MS. - The position of the
lateral edge 1L of the upper end of the first divide portion D1 is set in the range of 60% to 70%, from therear end 1B of the main sole MS, of the maximum length Lm of the main sole MS, along the center axis S of the main sole MS. - With the first divide portion D1 set in such a range, the line obtained by aligning the upper end of the first divide portion D1 with the width direction DW of the main sole MS is arranged posterior DB to the metatarsal phalangeal joints MP of the first toe B1 to the fifth toe B5 and is arranged anterior DF to the bases B11, B51 of the first to fifth metatarsal bones B1, B5. More preferably, the line is arranged posterior DB to the heads B12, B52 of the metatarsal bones. Note that the base refers to a portion of each bone that is close to a joint posterior thereto and that is slightly expanding to a greater thickness, and it is referred to also as the proximal head. On the other hand, the head refers to a portion of each bone that is close to a joint anterior thereto and that is slightly expanding to a greater thickness, and it is referred to also as the distal head.
- In
FIG. 4 , the first divide portion D1 has a shape that is protruding toward the front direction DF as seen in a plan view. On the other hand, the second divide portion D2 has a shape that is protruding toward the rear direction DB as seen in a plan view. - In the present embodiment, the
first portion 11 is continuous without being divided from the first divide portion D1 to the tip of the main sole MS. Thefirst portion 11 defines agroove 11G, thegroove 11G ofFIG. 1 being shallower than the depth of the first divide portion D1 and extending in the width direction DW of the main sole MS ofFIG. 4 . - The second portion (rear portion) 12 extends toward the front direction DF from the rear surface. The
second portion 12 defines agroove 12G anterior DF to the rear surface. Thegroove 12G is shallower than the depth of the second divide portion D2 (FIG. 1 ) and extends in the width direction W of the main sole MS. - Next, the
paddle 5 ofFIG. 8 will be described. - The
paddle 5 is formed from a member different from the main sole MS. The elastic modulus of thepaddle 5 is greater than or equal to the elastic modulus of theinsole 4 and, more preferably, greater than the elastic modulus of theinsole 4. Thepaddle 5 is formed from a resin-made flat plate having a thickness of 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm, more preferably 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. - The
paddle 5 is arranged so as to extend across the first tothird portions 11 to 13. Thepaddle 5 is sandwiched between the upper surface of themidsole 1 and the lower surface of theinsole 4. Thepaddle 5 includes a bridgingportion 5F on the forefoot side, and a bridgingportion 5B on the rear foot side. - A portion of the bridging
portion 5F on the forefoot side ofFIG. 8 is arranged between theinsole 4 and thefirst portion 11. On the other hand, another portion of the bridgingportion 5F is arranged between theinsole 4 and thesecond portion 12. - A portion of the bridging
portion 5B on the rear foot side is arranged between theinsole 4 and thesecond portion 12. On the other hand, another portion of the bridgingportion 5B is arranged between theinsole 4 and thethird portion 13. - In order for the bridging
portion 5F on the forefoot side ofFIG. 8 to be positioned with respect to the main sole MS, thefirst engagement portion 11E is formed on the upper surface of thefirst portion 11 and thesecond engagement portion 12E is formed on the upper surface of thesecond portion 12. Thefirst portion 11 and thesecond portion 12 ofFIG. 7 define the first depression and the second depression, respectively, into which thebridging portion 5F (FIG. 8 ) fits, wherein the first depression and the second depression form the first andsecond engagement portions - In order for the bridging
portion 5B on the rear foot side ofFIG. 8 to be positioned with respect to the main sole MS, thesecond engagement portion 12E is formed on the upper surface of thesecond portion 12 and thethird engagement portion 13E is formed on the upper surface of thethird portion 13. Thesecond portion 12 and thethird portion 13 ofFIG. 7 each define a depression into which the bridgingportion 5B (FIG. 8 ) fits, wherein the depressions form therespective engagement portions - In
FIG. 5 , the widths 5Wf, Wb of thebridging portions - In
FIG. 8 , the bridgingportions first portion 11 to thesecond portion 12. The through holes 511 on the rear foot side are arranged so as to extend from thesecond portion 12 to thethird portion 13. - Note that it is preferred that the through holes 511 on the rear foot side are so structured that the
third portion 13 can easily be displaced in the width direction DW. - The bridging
portion 5F on the forefoot side ofFIG. 8 is provided so as to bridge between thefirst portion 11 and thesecond portion 12 across the first divide portion D1, and the bridgingportion 5F connects between thefirst portion 11 and thesecond portion 12 so that theinclined surface 12F of thesecond portion 12 is rotatable relative to theinclined surface 11F of thefirst portion 11, as shown inFIG. 9 . - The bridging
portion 5B on the rear foot side ofFIG. 8 is provided so as to bridge between thesecond portion 12 and thethird portion 13 across the second divide portion D2, and the bridgingportion 5B connects between thesecond portion 12 and thethird portion 13 so that theinclined surface 12B of thesecond portion 12 is rotatable relative to theinclined surface 13B of the third portion, as shown inFIG. 10 . - In
FIG. 4 , the second divide portion D2 includes adiagonal portion 131 that extends toward the lateral side in a diagonal forward direction DF from acentral portion 13C between the medial side and the lateral side. The angle α formed between a virtual transverse (horizontal) line VL that is perpendicular to the center axis S extending in the front-rear direction FD of the main sole MS and thediagonal portion 131 of the second divide portion D2 is set in a range of 10° to 40°. - The
medial edge 1M of the second divide portion D2 is arranged posterior DB to thelateral edge 1L of the second divide portion D2. - In the rear foot portion, a
medial side surface 31 of the upper 3 ofFIG. 1 includes a medial-side high rigidity portion 3111 and a medial-sideflexible portion 31S that is more flexible than the medial-side high rigidity portion 3111, which are separated from each other in the front-rear direction. Alateral side surface 32 of the upper 3 ofFIG. 2 includes a lateral-side high rigidity portion 3211 and a lateral-sideflexible portion 32S that is more flexible than the lateral-side high rigidity portion 3211. - The front edge portion of the medial-side high rigidity portion 3111 and/or the medial-side
flexible portion 31S ofFIG. 1 extend in an upper-rear diagonal direction from the upper end portion of themedial edge 1M of the second divide portion D2. The front edge portion of the lateral-side high rigidity portion 3211 and/or the lateral-sideflexible portion 32S ofFIG. 2 extend in an upper-rear diagonal direction from the upper end portion of thelateral edge 1L of the second divide portion D2. Note that the term “from the upper end portion” means from the upper end or a vicinity thereof. - The high rigidity portions may each be formed from a synthetic-resin plate, for example. The low rigidity portions may each be formed from a fabric (cloth) such as a mesh fabric, a knit fabric, a woven fabric or a non-woven fabric, for example.
- A plurality of strip-shaped
restraining members 34M are arranged on the medial-sideflexible portion 31S ofFIG. 1 for restraining the stretch of the medial-sideflexible portion 31S in the front-rear direction FB. Another plurality of strip-shapedrestraining members 34L are arranged on the lateral-sideflexible portion 32S ofFIG. 2 for restraining the stretch of the lateral-sideflexible portion 32S in the front-rear direction FD. - The restraining members may be a comb-shaped thin film bonded or welded (including transfer printing) on the surface of the mesh fabric.
- In the forefoot portion, including directly above the first divide portion D1, the
flexible portion 35 of the upper 3 is formed from a low rigidity material, e.g., a cloth-like fabric such as a mesh fabric, a knit fabric, a woven fabric or a non-woven fabric, for example. Theflexible portion 35 as described above allows theinclined surface 12F of thesecond portion 12 to rotate while moving in an upper-front diagonal direction as shown inFIG. 9 . - Next, a part of a shoe manufacturing process will be described.
- As shown in
FIG. 8 , thepaddle 5 is adapted to theengagement portions 11E to 13E, which are depressions in the first, second andthird portions 11 to 13, thereby attaching (bonding) thepaddle 5 to the upper surface of themidsole 1. Thus, thefirst portion 11 and thesecond portion 12 are positioned with respect to each other, and thesecond portion 12 and thethird portion 13 are positioned with respect to each other. - The
midsole 1, which is made integral by means of thepaddle 5, is bonded to the reverse surface of theinsole 4, which is integral with the upper 3 (not shown;FIG. 1 ). At this point, although theinsole 4 and the upper 3 are surrounded by a last well known in the art, themidsole 1 is not divided in the front-rear direction as described above so that themidsole 1 can easily be positioned with respect to theinsole 4 at the time of bonding. - Next, the behavior of the forefoot portion of the shoe while running will be described.
- When not worn (
FIG. 2 ), the firstinclined surface 11F and the secondinclined surface 12F of the first divide portion D1 are partly in contact with each other, and there may be a slight gap between the firstinclined surface 11F and the secondinclined surface 12F of the first divide portion D1 due to manufacturing errors. However, at the standstill position with the shoe on or at foot-flat while running, the firstinclined surface 11F and the secondinclined surface 12F contact each other with a strong pressure due to compressive deformation of themidsole 1, etc. Therefore, it will be possible to stably support the foot. - At heel-rise, the upper 3 and the main sole MS flex as shown in
FIG. 9 , and thesecond portion 12 is displaced so as to rotate relative to thefirst portion 11. As described above, themidsole 1 is attached to the upper 3 via the paddle 5 (FIG. 8 ). Therefore, thesecond portion 12 rotates, relative to thefirst portion 11, about the vicinity of the upper end of the first divide portion D1. - On the other hand, although the forefoot portion of the upper 3 is compressed, the
flexible portion 35 of the upper 3 directly above, and anterior/posterior to, the first divide portion D1 of the present embodiment is formed from a flexible material such as a mesh fabric described above, for example, and theflexible portion 35 can easily be creased 35W, thereby making it unlikely that the rotation is inhibited. For example, theflexible portion 35 has no defined center of flexion, and therefore theinclined surface 12F of thesecond portion 12 rotates while moving in the upper-front diagonal direction in accordance with the flexion of the foot. - Next, the structure of the rear foot section of a human will be described briefly with reference to
FIG. 11A toFIG. 12B . - As shown in
FIG. 11A toFIG. 11C , the subtalar joint (STJ) and the midtarsal joint (MTJ) exist below the ankle. These joints STJ and MTJ can rotate about the axis Ss and the axis Sm, respectively. These axes Ss and Sm are orthogonal to intersecting planes Bs, Bm. The intersecting planes Bs, Bm are inclined planes that are inclined by about 42° and 15° with respect to the vertical plane inFIG. 11A andFIG. 11C . The intersecting planes Bs, Bm are also inclined planes that are inclined by about 20° and 9° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the foot inFIG. 11B . - Considering the angles of the intersecting planes, the angle α2 formed between the
inclined surfaces FIG. 2 and the vertical plane is preferably about 5° to 45° on the lateral side of the foot, more preferably about 10° to 40°, and most preferably about 15° to 35°. - On the other hand, the angle α1 between the
inclined surfaces FIG. 2 and the vertical plane is preferably about 20° to 70° on the lateral side of the foot, more preferably about 25° to 65°, and most preferably about 30° to 60°. - Next, the mechanism of the pronation occurring while running will be described briefly.
- After landing while running, first, the joint STJ of
FIG. 11A toFIG. 11C rotates, and the heel thereby pronates as shown inFIG. 12A . Then, the joint MTJ rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the joint STJ ofFIG. 11A toFIG. 11C , and the lower leg thereby medially rotates as shown inFIG. 12B . Thus, pronation occurs. In order to realize movements of joints that are close to barefoot running, it is believed that there is a need for a shoe structure that allows, without inhibiting, the action of the joints STJ, MTJ, the pronation and the internal rotation. - Next, the behavior of the rear foot portion of the foot while running will be described.
- In the main sole MS of the embodiment of
FIG. 1 , the second divide portion D2 of the rear foot section extends in an upper-rear diagonal direction, the second divide portion D2 ofFIG. 5 includes thediagonal portion 131 on the lateral side. Therefore, immediately after landing such as first strike ofFIG. 10 , the lower portion of the second divide portion D2 is displaced so as to open, and it is unlikely to inhibit the action of the joints STJ, MTJ ofFIG. 11A toFIG. 11C , the pronation ofFIG. 12A and the internal rotation ofFIG. 12B . Therefore, it is likely to realize an action of pronation that is proximate to that during barefoot running. - On the other hand, immediately after landing, a large impact load is applied to the
third portion 13 ofFIG. 10 . However, at the second divide portion D2, thethird portion 13 and thesecond portion 12 are in contact with each other and are separated from each other. Therefore, thethird portion 13, which is separated from thesecond portion 12, will easily deform after landing. Therefore, a good shock-absorbing property will be realized. - During the transition from heel-contact of
FIG. 10 to foot-flat ofFIG. 2 , thesecond portion 12 is in contact with thethird portion 13. Therefore, the transition will go smoothly. Thus, it is likely that movements of joints during barefoot running will be realized. - Immediately after landing as shown in
FIG. 10 , the main sole MS flexes, and thethird portion 13 is displaced so as to rotate relative to thesecond portion 12. As described above, themidsole 1 is attached to the upper 3 via the paddle 5 (FIG. 8 ). Therefore, thethird portion 13 rotates, relative to thesecond portion 12, about the vicinity of the upper end of the second divide portion D2. - On the other hand, as can be seen from a comparison between
FIG. 2 andFIG. 10 , at heel-contact immediately after landing, an area of the upper 3 that is in an upper-rear diagonal direction of the second divide portion D2 is compressed as the third portion rotates relative to thesecond portion 12. Since the upper 3 of the present embodiment includes theflexible portions FIG. 1 ), theflexible portions FIG. 1 ) ofFIG. 2 will easily contract (creating creases) as shown inFIG. 10 . Thus, the rotation at the second divide portion D2 is unlikely to be inhibited. - At heel-rise of
FIG. 9 , the heel of the foot is likely to rise inside the upper 3. In the present embodiment, while theflexible portions FIG. 1 ) are present, the restrainingmembers FIG. 1 ) are provided on theflexible portions FIG. 1 ). Therefore, it is possible to restrain the stretch of the flexible portion of the upper 3 at heel-rise, and it is as a result possible to prevent the heel from rising inside the upper 3. - Next, a reference example and test examples will be illustrated in order to elucidate the advantageous effects of the present embodiment.
- First, as a reference example, test sample T1 of
FIG. 13A was provided that did not have the divide portions D1, D2. On the other hand, test samples T2 to T5 ofFIG. 13B toFIG. 13E were provided as test examples. - In sample T2, the main sole MS is divided along a plane that is orthogonal to the axis Ss (
FIG. 11A ). In sample T3, the main sole MS is divided at four divide portions D1, D2, D11, D21 along planes that are orthogonal to the axis Ss (FIG. 11A ) and the axis Sm (FIG. 11A ). In samples T4 and T5, diagonalflexible portions 33S are provided on the medial side and the lateral side of the upper 3 so as to function in conjunction with the divide portions D1, D2 of samples T2 and T3. Note that sample T1 is not provided with the divide portions and the flexible portions. - A test experiment was conducted with one subject at a running speed of 4 min/km. Comparisons were made between running with shoes of
FIG. 13A toFIG. 13E and running barefoot. The flexion/extension angle of the foot joint was measured while running, and the ground reaction force was measured in the front-rear direction and in the vertical direction. - Then, the maximum propulsion force and the propulsion impulse (impulse product) were calculated from the angle and the ground reaction force in the front-rear direction. The values are shown in
FIG. 14A andFIG. 14B . These graphs indicated that samples T2, T3, T4, T5 having the divide portions, as compared with barefoot and sample T1, required a greater maximum propulsion force and a greater propulsion impulse while running at the same speed. -
FIG. 14C shows a comparison result for the work of the foot joint required for push-off. As can be seen from the figure, the amount of work is greater for samples T2, T3, T4, T5 provided with the divide portions than for barefoot and sample T1. It can be seen that this resulted in a greater load on the lower leg. - The reason for such results is assumed to be because the triceps of the lower leg, which are important for running, are used more due to the significant decrease in the rigidity of the main sole MS. Therefore, by running with these shoes on, one can expect a high effectiveness in training.
- Then, the heel portion pronation angle β and the lower leg internal rotation angle γ of
FIG. 12A andFIG. 12B were calculated from the flexion/extension angle. The results are shown inFIG. 15A andFIG. 15B . As a result of comparing the heel portion pronation angle β, it can be seen that sample T1 has a greater absolute value of the pronation angle β than barefoot, whereas samples T2, T3, T4, T5 have joint angles closer to barefoot running. As for the lower leg internal rotation angle γ, sample T1 has a smaller absolute value of the internal rotation angle γ than barefoot, whereas samples T2, T3, T4, T5 have joint angles closer to barefoot running. - Therefore, it can be seen that with the provision of the second divide portion D2 of
FIG. 10 , more preferably with the provision of thegroove 12G and theflexible portions FIG. 1 ), it is possible to realize a shoe with which joint movements are closer to barefoot running. - Then, the value of the impact load was calculated by dividing the ground reaction force in the vertical direction by the unit time. The results are shown in
FIG. 15C . It can be seen from the figure that samples T2, T3, T4, T5 have an equivalent shock-absorbing property to sample T1, and have a good shock-absorbing property with a smaller impact value than barefoot. - Samples T2 to T5 of
FIG. 13B toFIG. 13E were produced by modifying the main sole MS and the upper 3 of existing shoes. Therefore, they do not have the paddle (FIG. 8 ). - A shoe of the present invention may have a structure like those of samples T2 to T5, or may have a structure of samples T2 to T5 with the paddle (
FIG. 8 ) added thereto. - The bridging
portions paddle 5 ofFIG. 8 may be separated from each other. However, thepaddle 5 being continuous from thefirst portion 11 to thethird portion 13 has a greater Young's modulus than themidsole 1, and will be useful as a reinforcement device of thesecond portion 12. - When the
paddle 5 ofFIG. 8 is provided, the through holes 511 do not need to be provided in thepaddle 5. When the through holes 511 are provided, protruding portions may be formed on the upper surface of themidsole 1 so as to correspond to the through holes 511, so that the upper surface of themidsole 1 in the through holes 511 is set to be at about the same level (height) as the upper surface of thepaddle 5. - As in the alternative example of
FIG. 16 , this shoe may be provided with grooves Gm arranged in a staggered pattern on the lower surface of the main sole MS and on the upper surface of the main sole MS. -
FIG. 17A toFIG. 17D show alternative examples. - As shown in the examples of these figures, at the divide portions D1, D2, the
sections portions portions -
FIG. 17E toFIG. 17G show other alternative examples. - In these figures, the upper surface of the
midsole 1 is attached to the lower surface of theinsole 4, and the paddle 5 (FIG. 8 ) is absent. In these cases, themidsoles 1 may be bound together in areas other than the divide portions D1, D2 via a bonded or weldedattachment portion 19 that is dotted in the figure. That is, themidsole 1 may form thebridging portions - While preferred embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, various obvious changes and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the present specification.
- For example, the midsole may be provided with gel or pod-like shock-absorbing parts. The main sole may be formed solely from a flexible midsole-like material or solely from an outsole.
- Thus, such changes and modifications are deemed to fall within the scope of the present invention.
- The present invention is applicable to various shoes for running, walking, training, etc.
- 1: Midsole, 2: Outsole
- 1B: Rear end, 1F: Front end, 1L: Lateral edge, 1M: Medial edge
- 11: First portion, 11E: First engagement portion, 11F: First inclined surface, 11G: Groove
- 12: Second portion, 12B: Third inclined surface, 12E: Second engagement portion, 12F: Second inclined surface, 12G: Groove
- 13: Third portion, 13B: Fourth inclined surface, 13C: Central portion,
- 13E: Engagement portion
- 131: Diagonal portion, 19: Attachment portion
- 3: Upper, 31: Medial side surface, 31H: Medial-side high rigidity portion, 31S: Medial-side flexible portion
- 32: Lateral side surface, 32H: Lateral-side high rigidity portion, 32S: Lateral-side flexible portion, 33S: Flexible portion
- 34L: Restraining member, 34M: Restraining member, 35: Flexible portion, 36: Reinforcement portion
- 39: Wearing opening
- 4: Insole
- 5: Paddle, 5B: (Second) bridging portion, 5F: (First) bridging portion, 5H: Through hole, 5W: Width
- B1: First toe, B5: Fifth toe, Bc: Calcaneal bone
- Bs, Bm: Intersecting plane
- D1: First divide portion, D2: Second divide portion, D11, D21: Divide portion
- DB: Posterior, DF: Anterior, DW: Width direction, FB: Front-rear direction
- Lm: Maximum length
- MP: Metatarsal phalangeal joint, MS: Main sole
- STJ, MTJ: Joint
- S: Center axis, Ss, Sm: Axis
- V1: Transverse line
- W, Wb: Width
- α, β, γ: Angle
Claims (17)
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PCT/JP2015/068509 WO2016208061A1 (en) | 2015-06-26 | 2015-06-26 | Shoe having sole having divided forefoot section |
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US20180199666A1 true US20180199666A1 (en) | 2018-07-19 |
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US15/735,534 Abandoned US20180199666A1 (en) | 2015-06-26 | 2015-06-26 | Shoe having shoe sole with divided forefoot portion |
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JP (1) | JP6454784B2 (en) |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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WO2016208061A1 (en) | 2016-12-29 |
JP6454784B2 (en) | 2019-01-16 |
JPWO2016208061A1 (en) | 2018-02-01 |
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