JP7592284B2 - Footwear and its manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to footwear having a heel portion that comes into contact with the heel of the foot when worn, and a method for manufacturing the same.

Traditionally, a sheet material made of natural or synthetic leather, known as a slipper, has been used on the inside of the heels of women's and men's shoes, but a more reliable method of preventing the heels from slipping off has been proposed (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

The above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe a method of opening a hole in the lining leather that constitutes the inside of the shoe on at least one of the left and right sides of the inside of the heel part of the shoe, and protruding a horizontally elongated cushioning material covered with a cover member that is larger than the cushioning material through the opening.

Patent Document 3 also proposes shoes with anti-slip heels that have a pattern of acrylic resin protrusions with a height of 0.1 to 2.0 mm on the inside surface of the heel, improving design without causing discomfort on the side of the heel.

JP 2011-41590 A JP 2013-48852 A Utility Model Registration No. 3198269

However, in the solutions described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the cushioning material is provided only locally, so to speak, in one or two places on the inside of the heel of the shoe, and a fairly thick material is used. Therefore, the cushioning material makes localized contact with the side of the heel of the foot, causing discomfort.

In addition, the manufacturing costs are significantly increased because it is necessary to produce the cushioning material and the cover member, to make an opening in the lining leather, and to cover the cushioning material with the cover member and sew it to the inside surface of the heel. Furthermore, the design of the shoe is impaired because the cushioning material protrudes from the inside surface of the heel.

The shoe described in Patent Document 3 has a complex structure, as it has acrylic resin protrusions in a pattern on the entire heel area to prevent slipping. In addition, the anti-slip effect is not consistent depending on the shape of the pattern, and the protrusions on the entire heel area can make the anti-slip effect too strong, making it difficult to put on and take off the shoes.

The present invention aims to provide footwear with a high anti-slip effect, and a manufacturing method thereof, with a simple structure that provides long, thin anti-slip elements in the width direction of the footwear.

Footwear according to one aspect of the present invention is footwear comprising an upper and a sole with a heel portion that comes into contact with the heel of the foot when worn, and is characterized in that an inner surface member is provided on the inner surface including the heel portion of the upper, the inner surface member being configured to extend downward from near the top line, and a sheet-like anti-slip element that is elongated in the width direction is provided on the inner surface member below the top line and in the center of the heel portion of the upper by heat fusion along the top line.

In this way, the anti-slip element is attached by thermal fusion of resin, so it is very thin, and a high anti-slip effect can be obtained without compromising the design. Also, in the heel part of the upper, an inner surface member is provided extending downward from near the top line, and a sheet-like anti-slip element is attached to the inner surface member by thermal fusion along the top line, so that when worn, the heel part of the upper fits the heel part of the foot, feels comfortable, it is easy to walk, and the anti-slip element does not get in the way when putting on or taking off the shoes.

Therefore, a high level of anti-slip effect can be achieved with a simple structure in which a sheet-like anti-slip element that is long in the width direction is provided along the top line. The inner surface member may be constructed separately from the lining that constitutes the inner surface of the upper, or the lining may be used as the inner surface member.

In another aspect of the present invention, footwear comprises an upper and a sole with a heel portion that comes into contact with the heel of the foot when worn, the heel portion of the upper being configured in a belt-like shape, and a sheet-like anti-slip element that is elongated in the width direction is provided on the inner surface of the heel portion of the upper at the center of the heel portion along the top line by heat fusion.

In this way, footwear with a belt-like heel, such as sandals, can be made thin and have a high anti-slip element without compromising design, and the same effect as above can be obtained.

In addition, it is desirable for the anti-slip elements of these footwear to be transparent or translucent. In this way, the anti-slip elements are integrated with the inner surface member, making them less noticeable and further improving the design.

The anti-slip element is preferably made of a silicone resin having a siloxane bond. By using a silicone resin, it is possible to obtain a very high anti-slip effect with the anti-slip element having the above-mentioned configuration. In addition, there are many types of materials that can be used to make the anti-slip element, and the inventors of the present application have conducted repeated tests on multiple resins and found that by using a silicone resin, a very high anti-slip effect can be obtained with the above-mentioned configuration. Acrylic resin has poor anti-slip effect and is also low in durability.

The anti-slip element has a thickness of 0.1 to 1.0 mm. By using a silicone resin having a siloxane bond for the anti-slip element, an anti-slip element with a thinner thickness than before can be attached only near the opening, providing a sufficient anti-slip effect. This also prevents damage to the design. From the standpoint of design and comfort, a thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 mm is more preferable.

The height of the anti-slip element is higher in the center than on either side. This shape makes it possible to enhance the anti-slip effect in the center of the back of the heel compared to the sides. The anti-slip element may also be in a generally elliptical shape that is long in the width direction. In this case, it is desirable for the anti-slip element to be approximately 50 mm to 80 mm wide and 15 mm to 25 mm high in the center. In this way, a sufficient anti-slip effect can be obtained.

The anti-slip element is also configured as a generally rectangular shape that is long in the width direction. Even with this configuration, a sufficiently high anti-slip effect can be obtained. In this case, the anti-slip element can also be sized to have a width of about 50 mm to 80 mm and a height of about 5 mm to 10 mm. In this way, a sufficient anti-slip effect can be obtained.

The method for manufacturing footwear according to one aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing footwear comprising an upper and a sole with a heel portion that contacts the heel of the foot when worn, and an inner surface member that extends downward from near the top line on the inner surface including the heel portion of the upper, and is characterized by comprising the steps of: applying resin to the inner surface member or a sheet material that will become the inner surface member by thermal fusion so as to form an anti-slip element that extends in the width direction of the footwear; and punching out the sheet material to obtain the inner surface member of a predetermined size.

In this way, footwear equipped with a thin anti-slip element that provides a high degree of anti-slip performance can be manufactured through a simple process. In addition, since the anti-slip element is heat fused to the inner surface member in advance, the attachment of the anti-slip element is easier than when the anti-slip element is attached after the footwear is manufactured, and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

Furthermore, if a separate tape-like anti-slip material is attached after manufacturing, a certain thickness of anti-slip element is inevitably required. However, by injecting resin and applying it by heat welding, the anti-slip element can be made thin and still achieve a sufficient anti-slip effect. This also results in footwear that does not impair the design. Note that it is possible to decide whether the process of applying the resin by heat welding or the process of punching out the sheet material to cut out the inner surface member is performed first.

A manufacturing method for footwear according to another aspect of the present invention is a manufacturing method for footwear comprising an upper and a sole with a heel portion that contacts the heel of the foot when worn, the heel portion of the upper being configured in a belt-like shape, characterized by comprising a step of applying resin by thermal fusion to the belt-like heel portion or a sheet material that will become the heel portion, so as to form an anti-slip element that extends in the width direction of the footwear, and a step of punching out the sheet material to cut out the belt-like heel portion of a predetermined size.

In this way, footwear with a belt-shaped heel portion equipped with a thin anti-slip element that provides a high degree of anti-slip effect can be manufactured through a relatively simple process. It is also possible to determine which of the process of applying the resin by heat fusion and the process of punching out the sheet material to create the belt-shaped heel portion can be carried out first.

In addition, in the manufacturing method of these footwear, the step of applying the resin by thermal welding is preferably a step of injecting the resin onto the inner surface member or the belt-like heel portion or the sheet material while moving the injection device, so that the resin becomes an anti-slip element extending in the width direction of the footwear, and applying the resin by thermal welding.

This allows the anti-slip elements to be applied more smoothly and simplifies the footwear manufacturing process. It is also very suitable for mass production of footwear.

In addition, in the manufacturing method of these footwear, the step of applying the resin is preferably a step of intermittently injecting the resin onto the sheet material and applying the resin by heat fusion so that a plurality of the anti-slip elements are arranged at regular intervals.

In this way, the anti-slip elements are applied at intervals to the sheet material that will become the inner surface member and belt-like heel portion after punching, and then the sheet material is punched out to create the inner surface member and belt-like heel portion, further simplifying the manufacturing process when producing multiple footwear items.

In addition, the process of applying the anti-slip elements is preferably performed at a heat fusion temperature of around 80°C. In addition, in the manufacturing method of these footwear, it is preferable that the resin that becomes the anti-slip elements is transparent or translucent.

The resin that forms the anti-slip element is preferably a silicone resin with siloxane bonds. By using a silicone resin with siloxane bonds and applying the silicone resin so that the thickness of the anti-slip element is 0.1 to 1.0 mm, a sufficient anti-slip effect can be obtained despite the thin thickness. From the standpoint of design and comfort, a thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 mm is more preferable.

Footwear according to the present invention can be made to have a high anti-slip effect without compromising design. Furthermore, the manufacturing method for footwear according to the present invention can efficiently manufacture footwear with a high anti-slip effect without compromising design.

FIG. 1(a) shows a first embodiment of footwear according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1(a) is a perspective view showing the entire shoe, FIG. 1(b) is a perspective view showing the inside of the heel portion of the shoe from the front, and FIG. 1(c) is a front view of an anti-slip element. FIG. 2(a) shows a second embodiment of footwear according to the present invention, in which FIG. 2(a) is a perspective view showing the entire shoe, FIG. 2(b) is a perspective view showing the inside of the heel portion of the shoe from the front, and FIG. 2(c) is a front view of an anti-slip element. 3(a) to (c) are diagrams illustrating the test results for the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing another example of an anti-slip element. 5(a) to 5(c) are diagrams showing examples of shoes to which the present invention is applied. 3A to 3C are diagrams showing an example of a resin coating step in the footwear manufacturing method according to the present invention.

Footwear according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment.

<Embodiment 1>

Figure 1 shows a shoe according to embodiment 1 of the footwear of the present invention, where Figure 1(a) is a perspective view of the entire shoe, Figure 1(b) is a perspective view of the inside of the heel portion of the shoe from the front, and Figure 1(c) is a front view of the anti-slip element.

As shown in Figures 1(a), (b), and (c), the women's shoe 1 of this embodiment 1 has an inner surface member 4 provided in the center of the heel portion 3 of the upper 2, and both left and right sides of the inner surface member 4 extend forward. In other words, the inner surface member 4 is provided in the center of the heel portion 3 of the upper 2.

Except for the heel portion 3, the upper 2 is joined at the top line 2a (opening) with the upper edges of the outer skin 5 and the lining 6 folded inward. At the heel portion 3, an inner surface member 4 is provided instead of the lining 6, and the upper edges are joined together with the upper edges folded inward. Note that the left and right portions of the lining 6 are joined to each other at the top line 2a by a string-like portion that is part of the lining 6 in the portion where the inner surface member 4 is provided.

In other words, in the heel portion 3, the inner surface member 4 is connected to the outer skin 5 instead of the lining 6, and functions as the lining. Therefore, in the heel portion 3, the inner surface member 4 is provided so as to extend downward from the vicinity of the top line 2a, and the left and right front edges of the inner surface member 4 are connected to the lining 6 by sewing with two rows of stitches 7. The lower edge portion of the inner surface member 4 is folded under the insole 8, just like the lining 6.

In this embodiment, the inner surface member 4 and the lining 6 are separate bodies, but the entire lining 6 can also be configured as the inner surface member. In that case, the lining 6 becomes the inner surface member, and there is no stitch 7 or boundary between the inner surface member 4 and the lining 6 in FIG. 1.

An anti-slip element 9A, which is roughly elliptical and elongated in the width direction and has a constant thickness (approximately 0.1 to 0.5 mm), is attached by heat fusion along the top line 2a onto the inner surface member 4. The anti-slip element 9A is made of silicone resin containing 99% silicon with siloxane bonds, and has a width W1 of approximately 80 mm and a height H1 of approximately 20 mm at the center. In other words, the height of the anti-slip element 9A is higher at the center than at either side, and gradually decreases toward the left and right ends.

The anti-slip element 9A is bonded integrally to the inner surface member 4 by heat fusion, so that the anti-slip element 9A is attached to a predetermined position by attaching the inner surface member 4. In other words, the central part of the inner surface member 4 is positioned approximately in the center of the heel portion 3, and is provided symmetrically with respect to the center of the heel portion 3, so that the anti-slip element 9A is also provided symmetrically with respect to the center of the heel portion 3.

The anti-slip element 9A may be colored, but if it is translucent or transparent, the anti-slip element 9A will not stand out when the shoe is in the women's shoe 1. Therefore, if it is translucent or transparent, the anti-slip element 9A will not be recognized as a foreign object and will not spoil the appearance.

When wearing the women's shoes 1, the inner surface member 4 is provided, and the anti-slip element 9A is simply formed from a thin resin and arranged horizontally below the top line of the heel portion, so that the women's shoes 1 can be put on smoothly even though the anti-slip element 9A is located on the inner surface of the heel portion of the upper 2. In addition, the heel portion of the foot fits into the heel portion 3 with the anti-slip element 9A in between, so the anti-slip element 9A partially provided on the inner surface of the heel portion 3 of the upper 2 provides a significant anti-slip effect.

When wearing women's shoes 1, the anti-slip element 9A is in constant contact with the heel of the foot, restricting the up and down movement of the heel of the foot while walking and making it difficult for the shoe to slip off. Therefore, when wearing women's shoes 1, the heel of the foot is in constant contact with the anti-slip element 9A, and the heel part 3 fits the heel of the foot, creating a sense of unity, allowing the wearer to walk with less discomfort.

When taking off the women's shoes 1, the long, thin anti-slip element 9A is only in contact with the opening, so the women's shoes 1 can be taken off smoothly. However, if the anti-slip element 9A was provided on the entire inner surface, the socks would get caught too much when putting on and taking off the women's shoes 1, and the socks would be left behind, making it difficult to take off the shoes smoothly.

In addition, because only a thin anti-slip element 9A is provided on the inside of the upper 2, the outer surface of the upper 2 of the women's shoe 1 does not bulge, and the shoe has an appearance that is no different from that of a normal women's shoe. In addition, because the anti-slip element 9A is made of a silicone resin having a siloxane bond, even though it is a long, thin anti-slip element near the opening, it can provide a sufficient anti-slip effect. In addition, because it is a long, thin anti-slip element near the opening, it does not impair the design and is also highly durable.

Next, a method for manufacturing the women's shoe 1 will be described.
First, anti-slip elements 9A having a certain size are applied at certain intervals by heat fusion using an injection device 100 that injects a silicon resin having siloxane bonds while moving it onto a large sheet material 10 that will become the inner surface member 4 (see FIG. 6(a)). During production, the heat fusion temperature for bonding the anti-slip elements 9A to the large sheet material (inner surface member 4) is around 80° C. It is to be noted that instead of applying resin, it is also possible to place a thin resin sheet that has been cut in advance on the sheet material and heat fusion this by pressing or the like to provide the anti-slip elements.

Then, the periphery of the anti-slip element 9A is punched out and removed from the large sheet material to form the inner surface member 4 of the specified shape. Note that this process and the above process can be reversed, so that the inner surface member 4 is punched out and removed from the large sheet material, and then the anti-slip element is applied to the inner surface member 4 by heat fusion.

Then, the left and right front edges of the inner surface member 4 to which the anti-slip element 9A is heat-sealed are attached by sewing to the part that will become the inner surface of the heel part 3 of the upper 2. As a result, the inner surface member 4 to which the anti-slip element 9A is heat-sealed becomes part of the lining 6.

The lining 6 including the inner surface member 4 and the separately formed outer surface 5 are joined together with their surfaces in contact. After joining, the shoe is turned inside out to form the upper 2 with its upper edge joined.

In this way, the upper 2 is manufactured, with the inner surface member 4 located at the heel portion of the lining 6. The inner surface member 4 is sewn symmetrically to the inside of the upper 2 (lining 6) in advance, so that the inner surface member 4 is integrated with the upper 2 as part of the lining 6.

Then, the upper 2 is placed on a known shoe last, the shape of the upper 2 is adjusted, and the sole is attached to the bottom of the upper 2 to complete the women's shoe 1.

When manufactured in this manner, the inner surface member 4 is sewn to the heel portion of the lining 6 that constitutes the upper 2, and the anti-slip element 9A is adhered to the inner surface member 4, so that simply attaching the upper 2 also attaches the inner surface member 4 and the anti-slip element 9A to the upper 2. This simplifies the manufacturing process.

<Embodiment 2>
FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the shoe according to the present invention, in which FIG. 2(a) is a perspective view showing the entire shoe, FIG. 2(b) is a perspective view showing the inside of the heel portion of the shoe from the front, and FIG. 2(c) is a front view of the anti-slip element.

As shown in Figures 2(a), (b), and (c), a women's shoe 11, which is a second embodiment of the shoe according to the present invention, is similar to the women's shoe 1 of the first embodiment in that an inner surface member 4 made of a nonwoven fabric or the like is provided symmetrically on the heel portion 3 of the upper 2 so that it extends forward from the center of the heel.

The difference from the first embodiment is that the anti-slip element 9B (silicone resin) attached by thermal fusion to the inner surface member 4 is a generally rectangular shape that is elongated in the width direction (see FIG. 6(b)). The anti-slip element 9B has a width W2 of about 60 mm and a height H2 of about 10 mm.

The manufacturing process for this women's shoe 11 is the same as that for the women's shoe 1 described above, but the resin is applied so that the shape of the anti-slip element is an elongated rectangle. When applying the anti-slip element to a different type of footwear, such as the sandal shown in FIG. 5(b), the resin is applied to a large sheet material in the same manner as above, and then when punching, the inner surface member 4 is punched out into an elongated belt shape and attached to the inner surface of the strap of the sandal.

(Test contents and results)
Next, a test was conducted to confirm the anti-slip effect, etc., using this women's shoe 11. When this women's shoe 11 was worn and walked, it was found that force (contact pressure) from the heel of the wearer's foot was acting on the shoe at three points, P1, P2, and P3 (see Fig. 3 (a), (b), and (c)). In particular, the force was acting most strongly on two points, P1 and P3, on both sides, where the anti-slip element 9B and the heel of the foot came into close contact with each other, preventing the heel from slipping.

Since the sheet-like anti-slip elements 9B are only partially provided in correspondence with the three locations P1 to P3 where force is applied, the anti-slip elements 9B can be made thinner and smaller without compromising the appearance, compared to the prior art (Patent Document 3) where anti-slip elements (protrusions) are provided over the entire surface.

Of the three points P1 to P3, the point where the contact between the heel of the foot and the women's shoe 11 is weakest is P2. In the case of the women's shoe 11, since the contact at P2 is weak, it is considered that in terms of shape, an elliptical anti-slip element 9A that is higher at P2 is more suitable for increasing contact than a rectangular anti-slip element 9B with a constant height.

(others)
In addition to the above-described embodiment, the present invention can be modified and carried out as appropriate, as exemplified below.

(i) The anti-slip elements 9A and 9B are generally elliptical or rectangular in shape and elongated in the width direction, but the present invention is not limited thereto. As described above, it is desirable to increase the height of the anti-slip elements at point P2. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the anti-slip element 9C may be a mountain-shaped element that protrudes upward in the center.

(ii) The left and right front edges of the inner surface member 4 are attached to the lining 6 by sewing, but they may be attached by other means such as adhesive, double-sided tape, etc.

(iii) Silicone resin is a suitable material for the anti-slip elements 9A to 9C, but elastomer, elastic rubber, or other synthetic resin materials may also be used if the anti-slip effect is sufficient.

(iv) The footwear to which the present invention is applicable may be any shoe whose upper has a heel portion that comes into contact with the heel of the foot when worn, and there are no particular limitations on the type of shoe. In addition to the women's shoes 21 (see FIG. 5(a)) described above, the present invention may also be applied to women's sandals 22 (see FIG. 5(b)), men's shoes 23 (see FIG. 5(c)), etc. In addition, in FIGS. 5(a) to (c), 9 is an anti-slip element.

Reference Signs List 1 Women's shoe 2 Upper 2a Top line 3 Heel 4 Inner surface member 5 Outer skin 6 Back skin 7 Stitching 9, 9A, 9B, 9C Anti-slip element 10 Sheet material 21 Women's shoe 22 Women's sandal 23 Men's shoe 100 Injection device

Claims (15)

A footwear comprising an upper and a sole, the upper having a heel portion that contacts the heel of a foot when the footwear is worn,
An inner surface member is provided on an inner surface including a heel portion of the upper, the inner surface member being configured to extend downward from a vicinity of a top line,
a sheet-like anti-slip element having no protrusions long in a width direction is provided on the inner surface member by heat fusion along the top line, below the top line and at a center of a heel portion of the upper ;
The anti-slip element is characterized in that the height of the center portion is higher than the height of the left and right side portions, and the anti-slip element has a generally elliptical shape that is elongated in the width direction.
footwear. The anti-slip element is transparent or translucent.
Footwear according to claim 1. The anti-slip element is made of a silicone resin having a siloxane bond.
Footwear according to claim 1. The anti-slip element has a thickness of 0.1 to 1.0 mm;
Footwear according to claim 1. The anti-slip element has a width of 50 mm to 80 mm and a height of 15 mm to 25 mm in the central part.
Footwear according to claim 1. The anti-slip element is formed to cover a point (P2) close to the top line at the center in the width direction of the heel part of the inner surface member, and points (P1, P3) located at a predetermined interval on both the left and right sides of the point (P2) and lower than the point (P2).
Footwear according to claim 1. A method for manufacturing footwear comprising an upper and a sole having a heel portion with which the heel portion of a foot comes into contact when the footwear is worn, and an inner surface member configured to extend downward from a top line on an inner surface including the heel portion of the upper, comprising:
A step of providing the inner surface member or the sheet material that will become the inner surface member with a resin by thermal fusion so as to form a sheet -like anti-slip element that does not have protrusions extending in the width direction of the footwear;
punching out a sheet material to obtain the inner surface member of a predetermined size;
Equipped with
A method for manufacturing footwear, characterized in that in the step of providing the resin by heat fusion, the resin is heat fused to the sheet material so that the anti-slip element has a height that is higher in the central portion than on either side and has a generally elliptical shape that is elongated in the width direction . The step of providing the resin by thermal welding includes:
a step of injecting resin onto the inner surface member, the belt-like heel portion, or the sheet material while moving the injection device, so as to form an anti-slip element extending in the width direction of the footwear, and providing the anti-slip element by thermal fusion;
A method for manufacturing the footwear according to claim 7 . The step of providing the resin by thermal fusion includes:
A process of intermittently injecting the resin onto the sheet material and coating the sheet material by heat fusion so that a plurality of the anti-slip elements are arranged at regular intervals.
A method for manufacturing the footwear according to claim 7 or 8 . In the step of providing the resin by heat fusion , the heat fusion temperature is about 80° C.
A method for manufacturing the footwear according to claim 7 or 8 . The resin that serves as the anti-slip element is transparent or translucent.
A method for manufacturing the footwear according to claim 7 or 8 . The resin that serves as the anti-slip element is a silicone resin having a siloxane bond.
A method for manufacturing the footwear according to claim 7 or 8 . The silicone resin is applied so that the thickness of the anti-slip element is 0.1 to 1.0 mm.
A method for manufacturing the footwear according to claim 12 . The anti-slip element has a width of 50 mm to 80 mm and a height of 15 mm to 25 mm in the central part.
A method for manufacturing the footwear according to claim 7 or 8. The step of providing the resin by thermal fusion includes:
a step of providing the resin by thermal fusion so that the anti-slip element covers a point (P2) close to the top line at the center of the width direction of the heel part, and points (P1, P3) located lower than the point (P2) at a predetermined interval on both the left and right sides of the point (P2);
A method for manufacturing the footwear according to claim 7 or 8.

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