CN201104530Y - Footwear for fencing - Google Patents

Abstract

An article of footwear includes a multilayer upper. A bootie configured to fit comfortably around the wearer's foot forms the interior of the upper. An outer covering substantially encloses the bootie and is attached to the bootie only along the lateral side of the upper. The outer covering includes slits forming openings on the lateral side of the upper, the slits in the outer covering extending into a little toe region of the upper. The opening is adjustable to fasten the shoe around the wearer's foot, thereby providing a lacing system with the opening. Beneath the opening, a flap is interposed between the outer cover and the bootie. The flap is secured to the outer cover and the fleece on the outer side of the opening.

Description

Footwear for fencing

technical field

The utility model mainly relates to a shoe product, and in particular to an asymmetrical shoe product.

Background technique

In many sports, athletes use their feet in an asymmetric manner, where different parts of the foot are used at different times for different purposes, intentionally or not. For example, a runner develops a unique pattern of wear on the outsoles of his running shoes due to the way a particular runner impacts and crushes the shoe on the ground with each step. Every runner will wear it slightly differently, depending on how the runner subconsciously chooses to control the motion of his or her feet for a comfortable and stable running workout.

In another example, the movement of the feet is asymmetrical for a more intentional purpose, such as fencing. The basic movement of fencing consists of thrusting forward from an upright position. The direction of forward movement is chosen by the leading foot, which is raised during the thrust and then impacts the fencing surface. The trailing foot anchors and stabilizes the fencer, and usually glides on the fencing ground due to the multiple thrusting action. When stepping back, both feet usually drag across the fencing ground. During a fencing bout, the front foot guides the game by turning, telescoping and dragging in many directions. The rear foot also flexes and drags, but to a lesser extent. The toe area of the forefoot in particular flexes and drags, with the medial side of the toe area dragging more than the lateral side of the toe area.

These typical and asymmetrical foot movements of the sport of fencing lead to different wear patterns of the shoe. A shoe on the forefoot will wear on the heel from impact and the medial side of the toe area from drag. The shoe on the rear foot will experience more even wear.

The asymmetrical foot action isn't just used by athletes. For orthopedic reasons, the foot may drag more on one side than the other. For example, if a person restricts the use of one foot or leg, that foot may drag, causing one side of the shoe to wear more significantly than the other. This can happen due to accidents, illness, childhood conditions such as varus or crooked legs, etc.

Efforts have been made to compensate for the asymmetrical action between the feet in fencing shoes. For example, US Pat. No. 6,430,847 discloses the use of different shoes for the front and rear feet to compensate for the asymmetrical motion of one foot relative to the other. This allows optimal movement of each foot.

However, there remains a need in the art for a shoe that compensates for the asymmetrical motion of the foot, eg, how a fencer's forefoot tends to drag more on the medial side of the toe area and drag on the outer side of the toe area.

Utility model content

The utility model provides a shoe product with an asymmetric design. One aspect of the present invention provides an article of footwear comprising: a bootie forming an interior of a shoe upper, substantially covering an outer layer of the bootie. The outer layer includes openings on the outer side of the article of footwear, and the bootie is attached to the outer layer only on the outer side of the article of footwear. The fleece may be movable relative to the outer layer.

In another aspect, a portion of the opening is adjustable.

In another aspect, a lacing system is provided on or around the opening.

In another aspect, the opening extends to the sole of the article of footwear in the toe area.

In another aspect, the bootie is configured to fit comfortably around the wearer's foot.

In another aspect, a flap is further provided between the outer layer and the fleece. The flap is attached to the bootie and outer layer on one side of the opening.

In another aspect, the flap is attached to the bootie on the inner side of the opening.

In another aspect, the utility model provides a fencing shoe, which includes:

an upper comprising an outer covering having a split extending to the toe area of the lateral side of the fencing shoe;

A cup outsole connected to the upper, the cup outsole having a rim extending beyond a portion of the upper. The extended portion of the outsole extends at least partially across the toe area of the medial side of the fencing shoe and forms a gap in the cup-shaped outsole to expose the slit.

In another aspect, the outsole is arc-shaped and thickened in the heel area of the fencing shoe.

In another aspect, the extension of the outsole is rounded and smooth.

In another aspect, the outsole is made of a smooth elastic material.

In another aspect, the outsole is made of TPU.

In another aspect, an adjustment system is arranged on or near the slit for adjusting the opening of the slit.

In another aspect, the adjustment system includes at least one of a lacing system, a hook-and-eye closure system, or a slide fastener.

In another aspect, a part of the opening of the slit is fixed. The slits may extend to a small toe area of the upper

In another aspect, the utility model provides a multilayer upper for footwear, which includes:

an inner layer configured to substantially enclose the foot;

an outer layer covering at least a portion of said inner layer,

The outer layer has openings disposed on a lateral side of the upper. An intermediate layer is disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer, wherein the intermediate layer is placed below the opening.

In another aspect, the opening extends to the upper-sole interface. The opening may extend to a little toe area of the upper.

In another aspect, the inner layer is movable relative to the outer layer.

In another aspect, the inner layer is connected to the outer layer only on the outer side of the opening.

In another aspect, the inner layer is joined to the intermediate layer at the inner and outer sides of the opening.

Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the present invention will be or become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such other systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this specification and this summary, be within the scope of this invention, and be protected by the following claims.

Description of drawings

The utility model can be better understood by referring to the following drawings and descriptions. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but rather illustrate the principles of the utility model. Also, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic top view of a preferred embodiment of an asymmetrical article of footwear;

Figure 2 is a schematic front view of a preferred embodiment of an asymmetrical article of footwear;

Figure 3 is a schematic lateral side view of a preferred embodiment of an asymmetrical article of footwear;

Figure 4 is a schematic medial side view of a preferred embodiment of an asymmetrical article of footwear;

Figure 5 is a schematic view of disassembled components of a preferred embodiment of an asymmetrical article of footwear, shown from the lateral side;

Figure 6 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the lateral side of a preferred embodiment of an asymmetrical article of footwear;

Figure 7 is a schematic rear view of the lateral side of a preferred embodiment of the asymmetrical article of footwear; and

Figure 8 is a schematic bottom view of a preferred embodiment of an asymmetrical article of footwear.

Detailed ways

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of an asymmetrical article of footwear 100 . In one embodiment, article of footwear 100 is an athletic shoe, used in sports that require asymmetrical motion of the foot, such as fencing, but article of footwear 100 may be used for other purposes as well. The figures show only a right shoe; a pair of shoes is formed by adding a left shoe which is essentially a symmetry of said right shoe.

Article of footwear 100 generally includes an upper attached to outsole 104 by any means, such as using an adhesive. Both the upper 102 and the outsole 104 are asymmetrical in design to provide sliding ability and abrasion resistance while maintaining flexibility, particularly in the toe region 106 of the article of footwear 100, and maintaining impact absorption, especially The impact absorbing capability of the heel region 108 of the article of footwear 100 is maintained. Outsole 104 is preferably a cup-shaped outsole having rim 129 that extends around the perimeter of article of footwear 100 at least slightly beyond upper 102 . In other embodiments, outsole 104 extends across upper 102 only at selected locations or does not extend across upper 102 at all.

Upper 102 is preferably composed of three layers: bootie 116, which forms the interior of sock-like upper 102, outer covering 114, which covers a major portion of bootie 116 and forms the outer surface of upper 102, and an intermediate layer. Flap 118 between fleece 116 and outer cover 114 . The layers of upper 102 will be described more fully below with reference to FIG. 5 .

Upper 102 is asymmetrically divided by slits or openings 120 formed in outer covering 114 on lateral side 110 of article of footwear 100 . Opening 120 is preferably a cutout formed completely through outer cover 114 such that forefoot region 107 is divided into medial side portion 113 and lateral side portion 115 . The openings 120 increase the flexibility of the outer cover 114 in the toe region 106 to allow the wearer's toes to move more easily through a greater range of motion. Preferably, opening 120 extends from the lateral side of foot-entry opening 105 to upper-sole interface 121 near little toe region 119 of article of footwear 100 . Little toe region 119 generally corresponds to the wearer's little toe. The location of opening 120 relative to little toe region 119 may vary. However, the location of opening 120 is preferably such that the wearer's little toe is positioned under lateral side portion 115 and the wearer's other toes are positioned under medial side portion 113 .

In this embodiment, the first portion 125 of the opening 120 is adjustable. For example, a wearer may wish to enlarge opening 120 during insertion of a foot, or to make article of footwear 100 more comfortable. Likewise, a wearer may wish to reduce the size of opening 120 in order to tighten article of footwear 100 after placement in the foot. In this embodiment, the edges of the medial side portion 113 and the lateral side portion 115 are not in contact, but in other embodiments, the edges may be drawn together to contact each other. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , flap 118 is visible between the edges of medial side portion 113 and lateral side portion 115 . An adjustment system 126 is provided to draw the medial side portion 113 and the lateral side portion 115 together and maintain the relative positioning of the medial side portion 113 and the lateral side portion 115 . In this embodiment, adjustment system 126 is a lacing system that includes a series of eyelets 109 through which lace 111 is threaded. However, in other embodiments, adjustment system 126 may comprise a hook-and-eye closure system, such as Velcro(R), a slide closure system, such as a zipper, or the like.

In some embodiments, the overall length of opening 120 is adjustable. In this embodiment, however, a portion 117 of the opening 120 near the sole-upper interface is fixed in place. In fixed portion 117 , inner side portion 113 and outer side portion 115 are attached to at least one of flap 118 and fleece 116 . The medial side portion 113 and the lateral side portion 115 may be secured in place by any means known in the art, such as with adhesive or by stitching.

In this embodiment, a portion or extension 122 of outsole 104 extends across the medial side of toe region 106 . Extension 122 is preferably a smooth extension of outsole 104 that allows the wearer to more easily slide or drag medial side 112 across the ground. This type of sliding is seen in competitive sports such as stabbing in fencing. Extended portion 122 also prevents abrasion or damage to the upper when the article of footwear is dragged in the manner described above. Extensions 122 added to upper 102 increase the stiffness of upper 102 . The increased flexibility provided by opening 120 may be used to counteract the decrease in flexibility on medial side 112 of the article of footwear.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the asymmetry of upper 102 and outsole 104 are complementary on opposite sides of midline 228 . Stiffening of medial side 112 due to the extension of outsole 104 is compatible with increased flexibility of lateral side 110 due to opening 120 and/or decreased coverage of upper 102 by outsole 104 . Since outsole 104 in this embodiment is preferably a cup-shaped outsole, rim 129 of outsole 104 extends across upper 102 . Notch 124 is preferably formed in outsole 104 to reduce stiffness of outsole 104 in little toe region 119 and to accommodate and expose opening 120 . The notch 124 is preferably a notch or cutout formed in the rim 129 .

The asymmetry of article of footwear 100 is further illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 , which show lateral side 110 and medial side 112 of article of footwear 100 , respectively. On the lateral side 110 , the edge of the outsole 104 includes notches 124 for increased flexibility, while the medial side 112 is stiffened by the outsole extension 122 . Further, the outer cover 114 includes openings 120 for added flexibility on the outer side 110, exposing the flaps 118, while the inner side 112 includes optional vents 430 for increased breathability of the footwear.

In this embodiment, the vent 430 may be formed by removing a portion of material from the outer covering 114, but in other embodiments, the outer covering 114 may be split or cut without removing material. Vent 430 may be left open to expose a portion of bootie 116 , or vent 430 may be filled with a porous material 432 that allows air to flow in and out of article of footwear 100 . For example, material 432 may be a natural or synthetic woven material such as cotton, wool or nylon that is attached to the outer covering, such as by stitching or using adhesives. Finally, an optional decorative element 434 can be added to both sides 110, 112 or one side. In this embodiment, the decorative element 434 is embroidery that is stitched only on the medial side 112 of the article of footwear 100 . However, the decorative element 434 can be any type of decorative element known in the art, such as a decal attached to the outer cover 114 by stitching or adhesive, printed onto the outer cover 114 stamps or similar dye-based designs, etc.

As discussed above and shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , in which the laces have been removed from the drawings for clarity, upper 102 preferably includes a multi-layer construction to enhance the flexibility of article of footwear 100 and by allowing the shoe to Greater freedom of movement in product 100 increases the range of motion of the wearer's foot. In this embodiment, bootie 116 preferably snugly fits and substantially surrounds the wearer's foot to form the interior of article of footwear 100 . The bootie 116 is constructed like a sock in that the bootie 116 is able to hug the contours of the wearer's foot. The fleece 116 is preferably made from at least two layers of woven material, with separate materials attached together, such as by stitching, or a single piece of material folded over and joined at the free ends, such as by stitching. For example, the fleece 116 may be made from a knitted synthetic material, such as nylon, or from a natural material, such as cotton or wool. The bootie 116 also preferably includes a padded collar 540 that surrounds the footwell 105 for added comfort. The padded collar 540 is preferably made of the same material as the remainder of the bootie 116, using low density foam or similar padding, placed between the layers of the bootie 116 and held in place, such as by stitching or Use adhesive.

In this embodiment, the bootie 116 is preferably substantially covered by the outer cover 114, leaving a portion of the padded collar 540 exposed. The outer cover 114 is preferably made of a non-woven material that is able to withstand wear and keep the foot from exposure. For example, the outer covering 114 may be made from a natural material (such as leather or suede), a synthetic material (such as vinyl), or a combination of materials. As discussed above, the stiffness provided by the outer cover 114 is reduced by the addition of the openings 120 .

Flap 118 is a portion of material disposed between outer cover 114 and fleece 116 . On the lateral side 110 , a flap 118 is shaped and contoured to match the shape of the outer covering 114 from the toe area 106 to a location near the foot-entry opening 105 . However, on the medial side 112 , the flap 118 is preferably smaller, having an irregular shape that does not extend into the toe region 106 . The flap 118 is preferably made of a non-woven material, similar to that of the outer cover 114 . More preferably, the flap 118 is made of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). The flap 118 protects the wearer's foot and the bootie 116 from the adjustment system 126 and the relative movement of the medial and lateral side portions 113,115. In addition, for protection and aesthetic considerations, the flap 118 is disposed under the opening 120 to prevent the fleece 116 from being exposed through the opening 120 .

Preferably, the individual layers of upper 102 are relatively free to move relative to each other. For example, it is preferred that the fleece 116 is relatively free floating within the outer cover 114 , with the fleece 116 attached to the outer cover 114 only on the outer side portion 115 of the opening 120 . The flap 118 is also preferably attached to the outer cover 114 at the same location. As shown in FIG. 6 , which is a partial cross-sectional view of the lateral side of article of footwear 100 , exaggerating the layers for clarity, a series of stitches 652 connect all three layers 114 , 116 , 118 on lateral side portion 115 . In other embodiments, the joining of the layers 114, 116, 118 can be effected by any means known in the art, such as the use of adhesives.

Referring again to FIG. 5 , the fleece 116 is preferably attached to the outer cover 114 only by stitching 652, while the flap 118 is preferably also sewn or otherwise attached to the outer cover 114 simultaneously in the securing portion 117. Medial and lateral side portions 113,115. In this way, fleece 116 remains loosely bound by outer cover 114 . Accordingly, the wearer is able to retract and move the foot within the bootie 116 , which may move and shift slightly relative to the outer cover 114 . Thus, the wearer has a greater degree of mobility using the article of footwear 100 than would be possible if the movement were entirely directly manipulated by the stiffer outer covering 114 material. Optionally, the fleece 116 may be attached to the flap 118 on the inner side 112 of the flap 118, such as using stitches 544, or by any means known in the art, such as using an adhesive. This connection helps the flap 118 maintain position on the bootie 116 to protect the bootie 116 and the wearer's foot from irritation or abrasion through the opening 120 .

As seen in FIG. 7, outsole 104 includes a relatively thick and rounded heel 760 for absorbing the impact of the heel, such as when a fencer lunges forward. When the foot hits the floor, the thickness of the heel 760 cushions the impact for comfort. The rounded shape of heel 760 facilitates recontact of outsole 104 with the floor as the foot is encouraged to rock forward into a stable position.

As seen in FIG. 8 , outsole 104 includes ground-engaging surface 870 . Ground-contacting surface 870 is preferably smooth so that the wearer can easily slide article of footwear 100 across the floor, track, or playing surface while also absorbing shock from the foot striking the ground. This functionality is expected in sports such as fencing, where a combination of sliding on the floor and impacting the ground contacting surface 870 is common. Upper 104 is preferably made from a material such as rubber or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which can be easily molded, cut, or otherwise formed into individual asymmetric pieces that vary in thickness along the contour of the piece. . A suitable TPU is Desmopan(R) 9370AU from Bayer MaterialScience, which is injection moldable, free of plasticizers and phthalates, and available with a hardness of 70 Shore A.

In some embodiments, no tread elements are provided. However, optional forefoot traction elements 872 and optional heel portion traction elements 874 may be added for aesthetic purposes or to reduce the weight of outsole 104 . Optional traction elements 872 , 874 are preferably indentations of any shape formed in ground engaging surface 870 . The optional forefoot traction element and the optional heel portion traction element 874 may be similar or identically shaped, or have different shapes as shown in FIG. 8 .

Construction of the article of footwear 100 is accomplished by any means known in the art. For example, each component part of article of footwear 100 may be produced separately and eventually assembled using known techniques to form the parts into any number of sizes and shapes, either for custom fit, or to conform to standard sizes. The components are then secured to each other using known methods as described above, such as sewing, using adhesives, heat welding, and the like.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been described, this description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many other embodiments and implementations are possible, and in this disclosure within the scope of utility models. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in consideration of the appended claims and their equivalents. Also, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (22)

1. A shoe product, characterized in that it comprises: Forms the wool cover inside the upper; substantially covering the outer layer of the fleece; the outer layer includes openings on a lateral side of the article of footwear; and The bootie is attached to the outer layer on the outer side of the article of footwear such that the bootie is movable relative to the outer layer. 2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein a portion of the opening is adjustable. 3. The article of footwear according to claim 2, further comprising a lacing system disposed over or about said opening. 4. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the opening extends to a sole of the article of footwear in the toe area. 5. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the bootie is configured to fit comfortably around a wearer's foot. 6. The product of footwear according to claim 1, further comprising a flap disposed between the outer layer and the bootie; the flap is connected to the opening on one side of the opening. the fleece and the outer layer. 7. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein the flap is attached to the bootie on the inner side of the opening. 8. A fencing shoe, characterized by comprising: an upper including an outer covering having slits extending to the toe area of the lateral side of the fencing shoe; a cup-shaped outsole attached to the upper, a portion of the outsole extending at least partially across the toe area of the medial side of the fencing shoe; and A notch is formed in the cup-shaped outsole to expose the slit. 9. The fencing shoe according to claim 8, characterized in that the outsole is arc-shaped and thickened in the heel area of the fencing shoe. 10. The fencing shoe according to claim 8, characterized in that the portion of the outsole extending beyond the toe area is rounded and smooth. 11. The fencing shoe according to claim 8, characterized in that the outsole is made of smooth elastic material. 12. The fencing shoe according to claim 11, characterized in that the outsole is made of TPU. 13. The fencing shoe according to claim 8, further comprising an adjustment system disposed on or near the slit for adjusting the opening of the slit. 14. The fencing shoe according to claim 13, characterized in that the adjustment system comprises a lacing system, a hook and eye closure system or a sliding fastener. 15. The fencing shoe according to claim 8, characterized in that a part of the opening of the slit is fixed. 16. The fencing shoe of claim 8, wherein the slits extend to the little toe area of the upper. 17. A multi-layer upper for footwear, characterized by comprising: an inner layer configured to substantially enclose the foot; an outer layer covering at least a portion of the inner layer; The outer layer has an opening disposed on the outer side of the upper; an intermediate layer disposed between said inner layer and said outer layer; and The intermediate layer is disposed under the opening. 18. The article of footwear according to claim 17, wherein the opening extends to a little toe area of the upper. 19. The article of footwear of claim 18, wherein the opening extends to the upper-sole interface. 20. The article of footwear according to claim 17, wherein the inner layer is movable relative to the outer layer. 21. The article of footwear according to claim 20, wherein said inner layer is joined to said outer layer only on the lateral side of said opening. 22. The article of footwear recited in claim 17, wherein the inner layer is joined to the middle layer at medial and lateral sides of the opening.

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