Structure for front foot portion of upper of shoe
First Claim
1. A structure for a front foot portion of an upper of a shoe comprising:
- soles adapted to support a foot sole; and
the upper adapted to cover an instep, wherein;
the front foot portion of the upper includes a low rigidity region and a high rigidity region that has a rigidity higher than a rigidity of the low rigidity region;
the low rigidity region is formed by a first member that forms the upper, the first member including at least one of a mesh fabric, a knitted fabric, a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, a synthetic leather, and a natural leather;
the high rigidity region is formed by the first member and a second member that is layered on a surface of the first member and is less stretchable than the first member; and
the low rigidity region is adapted to cover a portion of tips of toes of a foot, and is more stretchable and bendable than the high rigidity region, the low rigidity region comprising;
a main portion extending in a front-back direction of the foot and in a transverse direction perpendicular to the front-back direction in a middle between a medial side and a lateral side of the front foot portion, and adapted to include a portion of an area from a shaft of a first proximal phalanx to a shaft of a second proximal phalanx;
a medial first flexible portion adapted to cover a portion of an area from the shaft of the first proximal phalanx to a head of a first metatarsal bone, extending toward the medial side of the foot from the main portion in the transverse direction or in a diagonally posterior direction, and being continuous with the main portion;
a lateral first flexible portion adapted to cover a portion of an area from a shaft to a base of a third proximal phalanx or a fourth proximal phalanx, extending toward the lateral side of the foot from the main portion in the transverse direction or in a diagonally posterior direction, and being continuous with the main portion; and
at least one diagonal portion arranged anterior to the first flexible portions in the front-back direction of the foot and, extending from the main portion in a diagonally anterior direction toward the lateral side or in a diagonally anterior direction toward the medial side, and being continuous with the main portion, wherein;
the medial first flexible portion and the lateral first flexible portion are arranged along a virtual straight line extending across the main portion in the transverse direction or along a virtual forwardly-protruding curved line extending across the main portion; and
the high rigidity region is adapted to cover another portion of the tips of the toes around the main portion, and is less stretchable and bendable than the low rigidity region, the high rigidity region comprising;
a peripheral portion continuous with the soles, and adapted to cover a periphery around the tips of the toes on the medial side of the foot, on the lateral side of the foot, and in a tip of the foot;
a medial posterior reinforcement portion being in contact with a posterior edge of the medial first flexible portion, being continuous with the peripheral portion, and adapted to cover a portion of the head of the first metatarsal bone;
a medial anterior reinforcement portion being in contact with an anterior edge of the medial first flexible portion, being continuous with the peripheral portion, extending from the peripheral portion toward the main portion, and adapted to cover a portion of the shaft of the first proximal phalanx;
a lateral posterior reinforcement portion being in contact with a posterior edge of the lateral first flexible portion, and being continuous with the peripheral portion;
a lateral anterior reinforcement portion being in contact with an anterior edge of the lateral first flexible portion, being continuous with the peripheral portion, and extending from the peripheral portion toward the main portion;
a portion provided on an anterior edge and a posterior edge of the diagonal portion and in contact with the anterior edge and the posterior edge of the diagonal portion;
the medial first flexible portion is sandwiched between the medial posterior reinforcement portion and the medial anterior reinforcement portion in the front-back direction of the foot; and
the lateral first flexible portion is sandwiched between the lateral posterior reinforcement portion and the lateral anterior reinforcement portion in the front-back direction of the foot.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A low rigidity region being more stretchable and bendable than a high rigidity region, includes a main portion, and a medial first flexible portion and a lateral first flexible portion extending from the main portion in the medial and lateral directions. The main portion covers a portion of the area from the shaft of the first proximal phalanx to the shaft of the second proximal phalanx, the medial first flexible portion covers a portion of the area from the shaft of the first proximal phalanx to the head of the first metatarsal bone, and the lateral first flexible portion extends to the lateral side of the foot from the main portion. When pushing off the foot onto the medial/lateral side in a diagonally forward direction, the upper bends along the diagonal bend lines. Therefore, the diagonal portions and the main portion serve as the bend lines.
39 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A structure for a front foot portion of an upper of a shoe comprising:
- soles adapted to support a foot sole; and
the upper adapted to cover an instep, wherein;the front foot portion of the upper includes a low rigidity region and a high rigidity region that has a rigidity higher than a rigidity of the low rigidity region; the low rigidity region is formed by a first member that forms the upper, the first member including at least one of a mesh fabric, a knitted fabric, a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, a synthetic leather, and a natural leather; the high rigidity region is formed by the first member and a second member that is layered on a surface of the first member and is less stretchable than the first member; and the low rigidity region is adapted to cover a portion of tips of toes of a foot, and is more stretchable and bendable than the high rigidity region, the low rigidity region comprising; a main portion extending in a front-back direction of the foot and in a transverse direction perpendicular to the front-back direction in a middle between a medial side and a lateral side of the front foot portion, and adapted to include a portion of an area from a shaft of a first proximal phalanx to a shaft of a second proximal phalanx; a medial first flexible portion adapted to cover a portion of an area from the shaft of the first proximal phalanx to a head of a first metatarsal bone, extending toward the medial side of the foot from the main portion in the transverse direction or in a diagonally posterior direction, and being continuous with the main portion; a lateral first flexible portion adapted to cover a portion of an area from a shaft to a base of a third proximal phalanx or a fourth proximal phalanx, extending toward the lateral side of the foot from the main portion in the transverse direction or in a diagonally posterior direction, and being continuous with the main portion; and at least one diagonal portion arranged anterior to the first flexible portions in the front-back direction of the foot and, extending from the main portion in a diagonally anterior direction toward the lateral side or in a diagonally anterior direction toward the medial side, and being continuous with the main portion, wherein; the medial first flexible portion and the lateral first flexible portion are arranged along a virtual straight line extending across the main portion in the transverse direction or along a virtual forwardly-protruding curved line extending across the main portion; and the high rigidity region is adapted to cover another portion of the tips of the toes around the main portion, and is less stretchable and bendable than the low rigidity region, the high rigidity region comprising; a peripheral portion continuous with the soles, and adapted to cover a periphery around the tips of the toes on the medial side of the foot, on the lateral side of the foot, and in a tip of the foot; a medial posterior reinforcement portion being in contact with a posterior edge of the medial first flexible portion, being continuous with the peripheral portion, and adapted to cover a portion of the head of the first metatarsal bone; a medial anterior reinforcement portion being in contact with an anterior edge of the medial first flexible portion, being continuous with the peripheral portion, extending from the peripheral portion toward the main portion, and adapted to cover a portion of the shaft of the first proximal phalanx; a lateral posterior reinforcement portion being in contact with a posterior edge of the lateral first flexible portion, and being continuous with the peripheral portion; a lateral anterior reinforcement portion being in contact with an anterior edge of the lateral first flexible portion, being continuous with the peripheral portion, and extending from the peripheral portion toward the main portion; a portion provided on an anterior edge and a posterior edge of the diagonal portion and in contact with the anterior edge and the posterior edge of the diagonal portion; the medial first flexible portion is sandwiched between the medial posterior reinforcement portion and the medial anterior reinforcement portion in the front-back direction of the foot; and the lateral first flexible portion is sandwiched between the lateral posterior reinforcement portion and the lateral anterior reinforcement portion in the front-back direction of the foot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- soles adapted to support a foot sole; and
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20. A method of using a shoe,
a structure for a front foot portion of an upper of the shoe comprising: - soles adapted to support a foot sole; and
the upper adapted to cover an instep, wherein;the front foot portion of the upper includes a low rigidity region and a high rigidity region that has a rigidity higher than a rigidity of the low rigidity region; the low rigidity region is formed by a first member that forms the upper, the first member including at least one of a mesh fabric, a knitted fabric, a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, a synthetic leather, and a natural leather; the high rigidity region is formed by the first member and a second member that is layered on a surface of the first member and is less stretchable than the first member; and the low rigidity region is adapted to cover a portion of tips of toes of a foot, and is more stretchable and bendable than the high rigidity region, the low rigidity region comprising; a main portion extending in a front-back direction of the foot and in a transverse direction perpendicular to the front-back direction in a middle between a medial side and a lateral side of the front foot portion, and adapted to include a portion of an area from a shaft of a first proximal phalanx to a shaft of a second proximal phalanx; a medial first flexible portion adapted to cover a portion of an area from the shaft of the first proximal phalanx to a head of a first metatarsal bone, extending toward the medial side of the foot from the main portion in the transverse direction or in a diagonally posterior direction, and being continuous with the main portion; a lateral first flexible portion adapted to cover a portion of an area from a shaft to a base of a third proximal phalanx or a fourth proximal phalanx, extending toward the lateral side of the foot from the main portion in the transverse direction or in a diagonally posterior direction, and being continuous with the main portion; and at least one diagonal portion arranged anterior to the first flexible portions in the front-back direction of the foot and, extending from the main portion in a diagonally anterior direction toward the lateral side or in a diagonally anterior direction toward the medial side, and being continuous with the main portion, wherein; the medial first flexible portion and the lateral first flexible portion are arranged along a virtual straight line extending across the main portion in the transverse direction or along a virtual forwardly-protruding curved line extending across the main portion; and the high rigidity region is adapted to cover another portion of the tips of the toes around the main portion, and is less stretchable and bendable than the low rigidity region, the high rigidity region comprising; a peripheral portion continuous with the soles, and adapted to cover a periphery around the tips of the toes on the medial side of the foot, on the lateral side of the foot, and in a tip of the foot; a medial posterior reinforcement portion being in contact with a posterior edge of the medial first flexible portion, being continuous with the peripheral portion, and adapted to cover a portion of the head of the first metatarsal bone; a medial anterior reinforcement portion being in contact with an anterior edge of the medial first flexible portion, being continuous with the peripheral portion, extending from the peripheral portion toward the main portion, and adapted to cover a portion of the shaft of the first proximal phalanx; a lateral posterior reinforcement portion being in contact with a posterior edge of the lateral first flexible portion, and being continuous with the peripheral portion; a lateral anterior reinforcement portion being in contact with an anterior edge of the lateral first flexible portion, being continuous with the peripheral portion, and extending from the peripheral portion toward the main portion; a portion provided on an anterior edge and a posterior edge of the diagonal portion and in contact with the anterior edge and the posterior edge of the diagonal portion; the medial first flexible portion is sandwiched between the medial posterior reinforcement portion and the medial anterior reinforcement portion in the front-back direction of the foot; and the lateral first flexible portion is sandwiched between the lateral posterior reinforcement portion and the lateral anterior reinforcement portion in the front-back direction of the foot, the method comprising; providing the shoe; and wearing the shoe, the wearing comprising; adapting the main portion to include the portion of the area from the shaft of the first proximal phalanx to the shaft of the second proximal phalanx; adapting the medial first flexible portion to cover the portion of the area from the shaft of the first proximal phalanx to the head of the first metatarsal bone; adapting the lateral first flexible portion to cover the portion of the area from the shaft to the base of the third proximal phalanx or the fourth proximal phalanx; adapting the medial posterior reinforcement portion to cover the portion of the head of the first metatarsal bone; and adapting the medial anterior reinforcement portion to cover the portion of the shaft of the first proximal phalanx.
- soles adapted to support a foot sole; and
Specification