U.S. patent application number 10/594438 was filed with the patent office on 2007-10-25 for footwear.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sumiko Yamaguchi. Invention is credited to Kazuma Yamaguchi, Sumiko Yamaguchi, Takumichi Yamaguchi.
Application Number | 20070245592 10/594438 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35063453 |
Filed Date | 2007-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070245592 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yamaguchi; Takumichi ; et
al. |
October 25, 2007 |
Footwear
Abstract
Each (1) of sandals, comprising an outer frame (9) forming the
outline of a sole (3) and an inside member (15) formed of bar-like
or plate-like crosspiece elements (13) installed in the outer frame
(9) at specified intervals (11). Also each (21) of sandals (21)
comprises a plurality of tilted hole parts (27) in a sole (3) so
that bottom openings (23) are horizontally displaced from top
openings (25). In each (31) of sandals, opening parts (33)
partitioned by an outer frame (9) and an inside member (15) are
formed aslant so that bottom openings (23) are horizontally
displaced from top openings (25).
Inventors: |
Yamaguchi; Takumichi;
(Fuji-shi, JP) ; Yamaguchi; Sumiko; (Fuji-shi,
JP) ; Yamaguchi; Kazuma; (Fuji-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OLIFF & BERRIDGE, PLC
P.O. BOX 19928
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22320
US
|
Assignee: |
Yamaguchi; Sumiko
Fuji-shi
JP
Yamaguchi; Sumiko
Fuji-shi
JP
Yamaguchi; Kazuma
Fuji-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
35063453 |
Appl. No.: |
10/594438 |
Filed: |
March 28, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
March 28, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP05/05707 |
371 Date: |
October 2, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/11.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 3/108 20130101;
A43B 7/08 20130101; A43B 7/087 20130101; A43B 13/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
036/011.5 |
International
Class: |
A43B 3/12 20060101
A43B003/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 30, 2004 |
JP |
2004-099271 |
Nov 9, 2004 |
JP |
2004-324569 |
Claims
1. Footwear comprising a sole that supports a foot, and a cover
that is attached to said sole, and covers at least a part of the
instep of the foot, wherein said sole comprises an outer frame
forming the outline of said sole, and an inside member formed by
combining, in an appropriate manner, bar-like or plate-like
crosspiece elements installed in said outer frame at appropriate
intervals.
2. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the intervals between
said crosspiece elements next to each other are set to 1/3 to 3
times of the width of said crosspiece element.
3. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein peripheral surface
shapes of said outer frame and said crosspiece elements are formed
into an easily separating shape that facilitates easy separation of
attached sands and the like.
4. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said
crosspiece elements are provided at an even interval along the
lengthwise direction of said sole.
5. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein said crosspiece
elements are made of a transparent or half-transparent synthetic
resin material, and the synthetic resin material contains an
ingredient providing a design effect.
6. Footwear comprising a sole that supports a foot, and a cover
that is attached to said sole, and covers at least a part of the
instep of the foot, wherein a plurality of tilted hole parts are
provided aslant in said sole such that bottom openings thereof are
horizontally displaced from top openings thereof.
7. The footwear according to claim 6, wherein the diameter of said
tilted hole part is at least 3 mm.
8. Footwear comprising a sole that supports a foot, and a cover
that is attached to said sole, and covers at least a part of the
instep of the foot, wherein said sole comprises an outer frame
forming the outline of said sole, and an inside member formed by
combining, in an appropriate manner, bar-like or plate-like
crosspiece elements installed in said outer frame at appropriate
intervals, and an opening part delimited by said outer frame and
said inside member is formed aslant such that a bottom opening
thereof is horizontally displaced from a top opening thereof.
9. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the footwear is a
sandal.
10. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the footwear is an
indoor shoe.
11. The footwear according to claim 10, wherein a ventilation hole
is formed on said cover.
12. The footwear according to claim 6, wherein the footwear is a
sandal.
13. The footwear according to claim 6, wherein the footwear is an
indoor shoe.
14. The footwear according to claim 13, wherein a ventilation hole
is formed on said cover.
15. The footwear according to claim 8, wherein the footwear is a
sandal.
16. The footwear according to claim 8, wherein the footwear is an
indoor shoe.
17. The footwear according to claim 16, wherein a ventilation hole
is formed on said cover.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to footwear including a sole
which supports a foot, and a cover which covers the instep of a
foot such as an upper, and more particularly relates to sandals and
highly permeable shoes which have a sole structure suitable for
wearing on a sandy beach and the like.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] As beach sandals are used on a sandy beach and the like,
sands containing water may lump up, and may attach to a bottom
surface of a sole thereof, or dry sand may be piled up on a top
surface of the sole. When a person goes into shallow water at a
waterside or a poolside while wearing beach sandals, the person
feels resistance from water more than expected, and has difficulty
in walcing or possibly is mired and slips. Moreover, when a person
wears beach sandals on the wet feet, the bottom of the feet comes
in close contact with a top surface of a sole of the sandals, and
there arises a problem that the feet tend to become sweaty.
[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses getas, Japanese wooden footwear,
having numerous ventilation holes passing through from a front
surface to a rear surface of a geta sole, thereby providing an
acupressure effect. However, these sandals and getas are mainly
intended for the acupressure effect and the like, and are not
examples applied to beach sandals. Even if sandals having small
recesses and protrusions or holes are used on a sandy beech and the
like, there still arises the problem of the adhesion of sands, and
holes with a small diameter does not reclaim the problem of the
resistance from water and the sweaty feet.
[0004] If a large number of holes with a small diameter as
disclosed in Patent Document 1 are applied to sandals, straight
holes 105 pass through a sole 103 of a sandal 101 from a top
surface to a bottom surface thereof as shown in FIG. 12. Thus, when
a person steps on a protruded object 107 by mistake as shown in the
drawing, and the protruded object 107 fits in a hole 105, even if
the sole 103 is stiff enough to prevent the protruded object 107
from entering, the protruded object 107 passes through the sole
103, and reaches the top surface of the sole 103.
[0005] The above problem of sweaty feet is particularly remarkable
in shoes whose upper covers the entire instep of the foot. For
example, doctors and nurses often wear shoes in the hospital, and
continuously work for a long time. Their feet thus tend to become
sweaty inside the shoes, and they feel quite uncomfortable.
[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese unexamined Utility Model
Publication No. H07-39501
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention is devised in view of the background
art and the problems of the background art, and has an object to
provide footwear such as sandals which is capable of eliminating
adhesion of sands and the like, resistance from water used in the
water, getting the sweaty bottom of a foot, providing an
acupressure effect, preventing a protruded object from penetrating
through thereof, and providing a high design effect.
MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS
[0008] To solve the above problems, according to a first aspect of
the present invention, there is provided footwear including a sole
which supports a foot, and a cover which is attached to the sole,
and covers at least a part of the instep of the foot, where the
sole includes an outer frame forming the outline of the sole, and
an inside member formed by combining, in an appropriate manner,
bar-like or plate-like crosspiece elements installed in the outer
frame at appropriate intervals.
[0009] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there
is provided the footwear according to the first aspect, where the
intervals between the crosspiece elements next to each other are
set to 1/3 to 3 times of the width of the crosspiece element.
[0010] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there
is provided the footwear according to the first or second aspect,
where peripheral surface shapes of the outer frame and the
crosspiece elements are formed into an easily separating shape
which facilitates easy separation of attached sands and the
like.
[0011] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there
is provided the footwear according to any of the first to third
aspects, where a plurality of the crosspiece elements are provided
at an even interval along the lengthwise direction of the sole.
[0012] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there
is provided the footwear according to any of the first to fourth
aspects, where the crosspiece elements are made of a transparent or
half-transparent synthetic resin material, and the synthetic resin
material contains an ingredient providing a design effect.
[0013] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there
is provided footwear including a sole which supports a foot, and a
cover which is attached to the sole, and covers the instep of the
foot, where a plurality of tilted hole parts are provided aslant in
the sole such that bottom openings thereof are horizontally
displaced from top openings thereof.
[0014] According to a seventh aspect of the present invention,
there is provided the footwear according to the sixth aspect where
the diameter of the tilted hole parts is at least 3 mm.
[0015] According to an eighth aspect of the present invention,
there is provided footwear including a sole which supports a foot,
and a cover which is attached to the sole, and covers at least a
part of the instep of the foot, where the sole includes an outer
frame forming the outline of the sole, and an inside member formed
by combining, in an appropriate manner, bar-like or plate-like
crosspiece elements installed in the outer frame. at appropriate
intervals, and opening parts delimited by the outer frame and the
inside member are formed aslant such that bottom openings thereof
are horizontally displaced from top openings thereof
[0016] According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there
is provided the footwear according to any of the first to eighth
aspects, where the footwear are sandals.
[0017] According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there
is provided the footwear according to any of the first to ninth
aspects, where the footwear are indoor shoes.
[0018] According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention,
there is provided the footwear according to the ninth aspect where
ventilation holes are formed on the cover.
EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0019] Even if sandals, which are footwear according to the present
invention, are used as beach sandals on a sandy beach, adhesion of
sands to the soles are largely reduced by the intervals with a
large opening area formed between the crosspiece elements, and the
easily separating shape of the crosspiece elements. Moreover, sands
do not deposit on the top surface of the sole, and even if a person
walks into the water while wearing the sandals, the sandals receive
only small resistance from the water, resulting in easy walk, and
thus a small possibility of tumble and the like. Moreover, even if
a person wears the sandals while the feet are wet, the bottom of
the feet never becomes sweaty.
[0020] If the material constituting the crosspiece elements
contains an ingredient such as beads, it is possible to add a
design effect to the sandals. When tilted hole parts or opening
parts formed aslant are provided in the sole, even if a person
steps on a protruded object, the protruded object will not reach
the top surface of the sole. Moreover, the presence of the opening
parts with a large diameter reduces the raw material cost and the
weight of the sandals.
[0021] Shoes, which are footwear according to the present
invention, can prevent the bottom of the feet from becoming sweaty,
and when tilted hole parts or opening parts formed aslant are
provided on the sole, even if a person steps on a protruded object,
the protruded object will not reach the top surface of the sole.
Moreover, the presence of the opening parts with a large diameter
reduces the raw material cost, and the weight thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a sandal according to a
first embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the sandal according to the first
embodiment:
[0024] FIG. 3 is a side cross sectional view of the sandal
according to the first embodiment;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a sandal according to a
second embodiment;
[0026] FIG. 5(a) is a side cross sectional view, and FIG. 5(b) is a
partially enlarged cross sectional view showing the sandal
according to the. second embodiment;
[0027] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a sandal according to a
third embodiment;
[0028] FIG. 7(a) is a side cross sectional view, and FIG. 7(b) is a
partially enlarged cross sectional view showing the sandal
according to the third embodiment;
[0029] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing variations different in shape
and arrangement of crosspiece elements of the sandals according to
the first and third embodiments;
[0030] FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view showing variations of an
easily separating shape applied to the outer frame and the
crosspiece elements of the sandals according to the first and third
Embodiments;
[0031] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a shoe according to a
fourth embodiment;
[0032] FIG. 11(a) is a side cross sectional view, and FIG. 11(b) is
a partially enlarged cross sectional view showing the shoe
according to the fourth embodiment; and
[0033] FIG. 12 is a side cross sectional view showing a problem of
holes formed in a sandal
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0034] A description will now be given of first to third
illustrated embodiments.
[0035] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a sandal according to
the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the sandal
according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side cross sectional
view of the sandal according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a
perspective view showing a sandal according to the second
embodiment, and FIG. 5(a) is a side cross sectional view and FIG.
5(b) is a partially enlarged cross sectional view showing the
sandal according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective
view showing a sandal according to the third embodiment, and FIG.
7(a) is a side cross sectional view and FIG. 7(b) is a partially
enlarged cross sectional view showing the sandal according to the
third embodiment. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing variations
different in shape and arrangement of crosspiece elements of the
sandals according to the first and third embodiments. FIG. 9 is a
cross sectional view showing variations of an easily separating
shape applied to an outer frame and the crosspiece elements of the
sandals according to the first and third embodiments. FIG. 10 is a
perspective view showing a shoe according to the fourth embodiment,
and FIG. 11(a) is a side cross sectional view and FIG. 11(b) is a
partially enlarged cross sectional view showing the shoe according
to the fourth embodiment.
[0036] A sandal 1 which is footwear according to the first
embodiment is constructed by attaching an upper 5 or a thong 7 as a
cover, which covers the instep of a foot, to a sole 3, which
supports the fool Materials having proper elasticity and rigidity
such as rigid urethane or synthetic rubber may be used for the sole
3, and more rigid wood or other rigid plastic material may also be
used. According to the present embodiment, a transparent or
half-transparent synthetic resin material is used as the material
of the sole 3. The material includes beads 17 in various colors
dispersed therein as an example of an ingredient providing a design
effect.
[0037] It should be noted that the above description also applies
to the second and third embodiments described later.
[0038] The sole 3 includes an outer frame 9 forming the outline
thereof, and an inside member 15 formed by combining, in an
appropriate manner, barlike or plate-like crosspiece elements 13
installed in the outer frame 9 at appropriate intervals 11. The
outer frame 9 and the crosspiece elements 13 are not necessarily
solid, and may be hollow.
[0039] The outer frame 9 is formed into a curved shape
corresponding to the shape of the foot, thereby constituting a
contour of the sole 3. In the outer frame 9 are provided five
crosspiece elements 13 at an equal interval along the lengthwise
direction left/right direction in FIG. 2) of the sole 3.
[0040] The dimension C of the interval 11 between the neighboring
crosspiece elements 13 is relatively wide, and is set to a range
from 1/3 to 3 times of the width dimension B of the crosspiece
element 13. This configuration prevents sands A from attaching from
the bottom surface side of the sole 3, and promoting discharge of
the sands A which have entered from the top surface side of the
sole 3.
[0041] Moreover, the peripheral surfaces of the outer frame 9 and
the crosspiece elements 13 are formed into easily separating shapes
which promote separation and removal of the attached sands k
According to the present embodiment, the outer frame 9 and the
crosspiece elements 13 are formed into an oblong circle shape as an
example of the easily separating shape.
[0042] Attached to the sole 3 configured in this way are the upper
5 indicated by phantom lines in FIG. 1 or the thong 7 indicated by
solid lines in FIG. 1, resulting in the sandal 1. Employed as the
upper 5 may be one which completely covers the instep of the foot
as well as one configured so as not to cover a part of the instep
such as toes or the like.
[0043] The thong 7 and the upper 5 may be combined together. The
upper 5 may be obtained by meshing multiple upper elements in a
webbing form.
[0044] Asandal 21 as footwear according to the second embodiment is
different from the first embodiment in configuration of the sole 3.
Namely, though the sole 3 is formed as an approximately flat plate
as ordinary sandal, multiple tilted hole parts 27 are provided
aslant in the sole 3 such that bottom openings 23 thereof are
horizontally displaced from top openings 25 thereof as shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5.
[0045] Moreover, the bore diameter D of the tilted hole parts 27 is
relatively large, and is set to 3 mm or more, preferably 5 mm or
more.
[0046] By providing these tilted hole parts 27, even if a protruded
object 29 enters from the bottom opening 23 into the tilted hole
part 27 as shown in the enlarged view in FIG. 5(b), more entrance
thereof is prevented by a tilted inner wall surface of the tilted
hole part 27, thereby preventing the protruded object 29 from
penetrating through the top opening 25 to the top surface of the
sole 3.
[0047] Moreover, by setting the bore diameter D of the tilted hole
parts 27 relatively large, the sands A are prevented from
attaching, the ventilation is secured, and the resistance from
water in the water is reduced, in addition to the above-mentioned
effect.
[0048] A sandal 31 as footwear according to the third embodiment
has a configuration obtained by combining the configuration of the
sandal 1 according to the first embodiment in combination with the
configuration of the sandal 21 according to the second embodiment,
and the configuration of the sole 3 thereof is different from the
first and second embodiments. The sole 3 includes the outer frame 9
forming the outline thereof, and the inside member 15 formed by
combining, in an appropriate manner, bar-like or plate-like
crosspiece elements 13 installed in the outer frame 9 at
appropriate intervals 11 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 as the first
embodiment.
[0049] However, the configuration of the opening parts 33
partitioned by the outer frame 9 and the inside member 15 is
different from the first embodiment, and the opening parts 33
employ the configuration of the tilted hole parts 27 employed in
the second embodiment.
[0050] Namely, the crosspiece elements 13 more or less tilted with
respect to the longitudinal axis thereof are attached to the outer
frame 9 inside the outer frame 9.
[0051] With this configuration, the opening parts 33 are formed
aslant so that the bottom openings 23 thereof are horizontally
displaced from the top openings 25 thereof.
[0052] With this configuration, the protruded object 29 is also
prevented from penetrating to the top surface of the sole 3 as
shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 7(b) as in the second
embodiment.
[0053] A description will now be given of a shoe 41 as footwear
according to the fourth embodiment.
[0054] The shoe 41 is an indoor type shoe worn by doctors and
nurses in the hospital, and includes a sole 42 and an upper 43 as a
cover attached to the sole 42.
[0055] Multiple tilted hole parts 45 are formed in the sole 42, and
the tilted hole parts 45 are formed aslant so that the bottom
openings 47 thereof are horizontally displaced from the top
openings 49 thereof.
[0056] Moreover, a number of ventilation holes 51 are formed on the
upper 43.
[0057] Since the tilted hole parts 45 and ventilation holes 51 are
formed on this shoe 41, the air smoothly communicates therein. The
sweaty feet can thus be prevented.
[0058] Since the tilted hole parts 45 are formed aslant such that
the bottom openings 47 are horizontally displaced from the top
openings 49, a protruded object is prevented from penetrating to
the top surface of the sole 42 as in the second and third
embodiments.
[0059] Though the description has been given of the best modes for
carrying out the present invention and the embodiments thereof,
specific configuration are not limited to these modes and
embodiments, and the present invention includes changes in the
design within a scope without departing from the gist of the
present invention.
[0060] For example, the shape and arrangement of the crosspiece
elements 13 are not respectively limited to the linear shape and
the crossbar arrangement according to the first and third
embodiments as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, and the crosspiece
elements 13 in a curved shape may be used to provide arrangements
taking after various designs as shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b). WiLth
this configuration, three-dimensional designs and the like can be
provided for sandals, which tend to be designed two-dimensionally,
resulting in an increased design effect.
[0061] Moreover, in the first and third embodiments, the
easily-separating shapes provided for the outer frame 9 and the
crosspiece elements 13 may be an ellipsis as shown in FIG. 9(a), a
rectangle with rounded corners as shown in FIG. 9(b), a shape like
a plant leaf as shown in FIG. 9(c), and a lozenge as shown in FIG.
9(d) as well as the oblong circle as described above.
[0062] Further, the ingredient scattered in the material of the
sole 3 may be fractions of seashells, pebbles and sands, scales of
fishes, flakes of colored paper (including ones made of soft
vinyl), flakes of gold foil and aluminum foil, flakes of reflection
tapes, artificial flowers, liquid such as colored oil, and other
various materials as well as the beads 17.
[0063] Though the tilted hole parts 45 of the shoe 41 according to
the fourth embodiment have a round hole shape with the bottom
opening 47 horizontally displaced from the top opening 49, the sole
of the shoe may be formed by combining, in an appropriate manner,
an outer frame forming the outline thereof, and bar-like or
plate-like crosspiece elements installed in the outer frame at
appropriate intervals as the sole of the sandals according to the
first and the third embodiments.
[0064] Moreover, when a sole of a sandal or a shoe is formed by
combining, in an appropriate manner, an outer frame forming the
outline thereof, and bar-like or plate-like crosspiece elements
installed in the outer frame at appropriate intervals, at least one
rib which connects parts of the outer periphery with each other,
connects the outer frame and the crosspiece element with each
other, or connects the crosspiece elements with each other may be
provided in order to increase the strength of the sole.
[0065] The shoe is not limited to indoor shoes, and the present
invention can apparently be applied to shoes worn outdoors.
* * * * *