JP2012501207A - Garth-adjustable shoe structure - Google Patents

Abstract

  A shoe structure that provides an improved means for adjusting the girth dimensions of a shoe.

Description

  The present invention provides a means for holding the foot centered on the lateral axis of the shoe in fine adjustment of its girth (around the instep and its dimensions) and on the upper and lower side portions of both of them. Including a shoe structure with improved means for effectively adjusting the girth of the shoe to fit the foot reasonably therein.

  In order to optimally fit a shoe to the wearer's foot, it is often necessary to have a reasonably effective girth to provide not only the appropriate length but also a comfortable and snug fit. Are known. In the early days, this was mostly addressed by the tailoring of shoes by talented shoemakers, often with the addition of some specific so-called custom shoemakers. Due to the industrial revolution and in particular in the late 19th century, such custom shoes have become largely replaced by shoes manufactured mainly at low prices, often initially limited in the range of successive girths. It became available in a number of basic styles and was later called “Widths”, which was more inaccurate for each length dimension. (In general, the difference between such successive garths varies from 3/16 "to 1/4" depending on the range of shoe dimensions and the manufacturer's preferences.)

  None of these approaches described above are maximally adapted to the requirements for maximum adjustment of the girth of the shoe, especially on both the upper and lower sides of the shoe within its Fit Critical longitudinal center. It should be noted that not.

  In addition, in the 20th century, the appearance of shoe styles sold includes an ever-increasing diversification, especially the economic situation of this industry, each from the stock of cheap stores to the largest assortment of styles offered. For the length dimension, it has led to a retailer that now incorporates common conventions, which usually offer only one medium-width most shoe style. This approach is generally intended for wearers with moderate non-girth feet, and in particular including the loafers disclosed in this specification (which do not have girth adjustment means in conventional constructions). In the style of a casual shoe, it shows a problem of fitting like a girth.

  The present invention provides for the instep of the shoe against the instep of the wearer while retaining the foot in the center of the lateral axis of the shoe with fine dimensional adjustment around all insteps of the foot. Such girth adjustment means, including adjustment of the ball specific to the girth relationship (the base of the big toe and the most protruding part of the little finger base).

  With respect to the related prior art, to date, none of the above mentioned criteria, which is essential for a well-fitting optimal girth shoe that is worthy of their mass production, has clearly been able to be met. Such prior art includes, but is not limited to, the following US patent numbers: U.S. Pat.Nos. 2,691,227, 3,404,468, 3,442,031, 3,541,078, 3,618,235, 3,686,777, 4,279,083 4,858,341, 4,967,492, 4,969,277, 5,060,402, 5,123,181, 5,153,237, 5,203,096, 5,241,762, 5,325,514, 5,384,970, 6,725,575 B2, and 6,883,254 B2.

The aforementioned and other related prior art shortcomings are addressed herein by the improved girth adjustment means of the present invention.
The present invention further includes a shoe for optimal fit to the foot in the shoe, including both upper and lower portions, while holding the foot in the center of the lateral axis of the shoe with all fine adjustments of its girth. The present invention is directed to a shoe structure with adjustable girth that has improved means for effectively adjusting girth.

It is front sectional drawing of the side surface of the shoe 20 obtained along the centerline of the longitudinal direction of the shoe 20, and expressing the principle of this invention concretely. FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the elements of the shoe 20 of FIG. 1 taken along lines 2-2 and 3-3 of FIG. 1, showing these elements as seen by the shoe 20 adjusted to a larger girth. FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the elements of the shoe 20 of FIG. 1 taken along lines 2-2 and 3-3 of FIG. 1, showing their fine adjustment to the girth. FIG. 2 shows a right-side front cross-sectional view of the shoe 20 of FIG. 1 taken along lines 4-4 and 5-5 of FIG. 1, showing a cross-sectional view of the shoe 20 adjusted to a larger girth. FIG. 2 shows a right-side front cross-sectional view of the shoe 20 of FIG. 1 taken along lines 4-4 and 5-5 of FIG. 1, showing its fine adjustment to the girth.

The following definitions are used with reference to the terms and phrases used in the disclosure of this specification.
“Automatic girth adjustment”: Effective automatic adjustment of shoe girth.
“Balls against instep girth ratio” —the ratio of the effective girth of the ball wearer's foot to the instep portion of the wearer's foot.
"Bottom parts" ... Shoe parts mainly under the foot.
“Direct molding” —a shoe manufacturing process in which the unit sole is molded and attached to the upper assembly of a shoe in the same molding operation.
“Effective girth dimension”: Maximum girth dimension of the innermost part of the shoe.
“Elastic gore” —a woven gore (or gore) tape woven with rubber thread.
“Fit critical” —essential factor for optimal fit of a shoe to a foot in the shoe.
“Fixed shoe insole” —the insole part of a shoe that is fixedly attached to an adjacent part of the shoe.
“Adjustable girth”: Adjustable with effective girth dimensions.
“Heel-slip” —the vertical movement of the shoe back relative to the adjacent heel of the wearer's foot, as may occur during stride.
“Insole of shoe” —the lower part of the shoe placed under the foot of the shoe and on other parts of the shoe.
"Linging"-the part of the shoe, mainly the sheet material, placed in the top / bottom part outside the shoe.
“Loose” —never a continuous attachment to adjacent parts of a shoe.
“Lower part” —the lower 1-3 cm side part of the foot or shoe.
“Midportal” —a position centered relatively vertically in the longitudinal direction of the foot or shoe in the ball, torso, and instep part of the foot and area in particular.
“Shank” —the bottom of the foot or shoe bottom located between the instep and heel of the foot.
“Shoe”: A general term for shoes.
“Spandex fabric”: A fabric incorporating an elastic spandex component.
“Adjustable to tension”: Adjustable by applying tension.
“Topline” —the top edge region of the upper part of the shoe.
“Upper part” —a side part of a foot or shoe disposed on the lower part.
“Unitsole” —a single bottom part of a shoe.
“Sulfur-treated shoe structure” —a process for making a conventional shoe, in which the latex adhesive and the shoe bottom / top components are cured to the final rubber component by heat bonding.

  Referring to the drawings, a typical shoe design is shown in a structure that specifically represents the principles of the present invention, applicable to other shoe designs including those with conventional laces or straps.

  1 shows a shoe upper 24 attached to a plug 26, such as by a hand-sewn seam 28, and a cuff stitch 32, as well as a counter 36 attached to the back of the shoe upper 24 by a count stitch 38. And also a popular hand-sewn loafer-style casual with an upper assembly 22 including a cuff 30 attached to the shoe upper 24 by a top-line stitch 34 below (as best seen in the following figures). A shoe 20 is shown. FIG. 1 further shows a girth for adjusting the flexible tape 40 in the central portion. Flexible tapes 40 (which are preferably woven and inelastic fabrics) are stitched to the top line of the shoe upper 24 along with a loose lining 42 underneath the elastic, preferably spandex fabric. The loose lining 42 extends backward over the top of the loose shoe insole 44 with the insole of the plurality of shoes underneath. As shown, the three additional shoe insoles 46, 48 and 50 are below the loose shoe insole 44 and above the unit sole 52. The loose lining applies tension to the side portion of the shoe 20. Tension will generally vary from about 8 to about 12 ounces per longitudinal inch of the shoe 20 between its toe and heel portions, depending on the girth and tension preferred by the wearer.

  As shown, FIG. 1 shows the insole 48 and 50 of the shoe (if they can be combined into a single piece, if desired) and the insole 44 of the loose shoe (the shoe is designed). The narrowest shoe insole that defines the smallest girth) and the loose shoe insole 46 (which has the maximum maximum width for which the shoe can be designed).

  Manual girth adjustment means for the shoe 20 are incorporated into the insole of the shoe. The girth adjustment means preferably comprises a stainless steel circular cam 56 which is mounted on or embedded within a shoe inner sole 46, preferably in combination with a stainless steel manually adjusting screw 54. . The adjustment screw 54, shown for insertion into the shank surface of the bottom of the unit sole 52, is a variable which incorporates a lace hole 60 that extends downwardly through a longitudinal slot 62 in the inner bottom 48 of the fixed shoe. It is fixedly attached to a circular cam 56 which includes a cam slot 58 which is rounded. The vertical slot 62 allows adjustment of the lace hole 60 and holds the shank of the adjustment screw 54. The lace hole 60 is held by a washer 64 on the secured end of the lace hole 60. As best seen in FIGS. 2-3, the torso hole in the torso is relative to the centerline torso hole 68 that joins the insole 46 and 48 of the shoe to its attachment to the lower end of the tape 40. And around the torso, a string 66 that adjusts the girth extending therefrom is fixed and adjusted.

  As shown, a cam system with a single lace allows adjustment of shoe girths of about 3 (3) standard width / girth. A double string may be used to obtain a larger girth adjustment.

2 and 3 show the centerline of the torso that joins the insole 46 and 48 of the shoe to attachment of the end of the lace 66 to the lower torso portion of the tape 40, such as by knot 70 or equivalent means. A variablely rounded cam slot 58 and lacing hole taken from the top surface of the insole 46 of the shoe, with a girth adjustable lace 66 extending therefrom to and around the torso of the torso lacing 68 FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the parts of the shoe 20 showing a stainless steel circular cam 56 having 60 therein.
The top shoe insole 44 (in contact with the foot inserted into the shoe) is (a) a single girth shoe that fits the largest girth foot for which an adjustable girth shoe is designed. Fit the toe and heel portions of substantially the same dimensions and shape as the insole of the shoe that will be used in (b) and (b) the smallest girth foot for which the adjustable girth shoe is designed Side portions (especially the ball, torso, and instep area). The narrowed side portion of the shoe insole 44 provides full support for the bottom of the shoe 20 on which the horizontal weight load is applied in all girth adjustments.

  As a result, all the insole of the shoe 20 has a longitudinal centerline that matches all girth adjustments, which serves to safely hold the foot in the center of the horizontal axis in the shoe 20, Significant in shoe construction that was previously unavailable in conventional shoes with a relatively inelastic upper part, and especially required for athletics and other active wear uses With improvements.

  FIGS. 4 and 5 show the shoe upper 24 attached to the plug 26 by hand-sewn seam 28, and the girth adjusting tape 40 and loose lining 42 attached to the top line of the shoe upper 24 by seam 34. The cross-sectional view of the shoe 20 of FIG. 1 taken along lines 4-4 and 5-5 of FIG. 1 with both cross-sectional views showing the components of the shoe 20 of FIG. Show. The loose lining 42 spans the unit sole 52 attached to the upper assembly 22 such as by conventional direct shoe sole molding means, and thus rearwardly by the shoe inner soles 44, 46 and 48 and the butt stitch means 54. Together with the attached shoe upper 24, it is preferably joined to the top surface of the inner bottom 44 of the loose shoe.

The improved girth adjustment means of the shoe structure according to the present invention provides the ball, torso, and foot of the ball, the torso, and the foot in a unique girth relationship of the wearer's foot while safely holding the central foot in all girth adjustments. The girth and shoe tension to automatically adjust the instep girth, while providing the following fit for the upper and lower parts of both feet to comfortably fit the foot in it over the range of successive girth A manually operable girth adjusting means for adjusting both of the above is provided.
For the source and source, leather is available from Prime Tanning, Berwick, Maine. Synthetic leather and other sheet materials are available from Stalensier, Newburyport, Massachusetts. Elastic spandex fabrics and gore are available from Geo. C. It may be possible from Moore. Cellulose fiberboard shoe insole material is available from DerTex, Lawrence, Massachusetts. Inelastic flexible fabric tape and Dacron knitted girth adjustment straps may be possible from Textile Tapes, Inc. of Gonic, New Hampshire. String holes and washers may be provided by Trendward / Goldberg Footwear Components, Salem, Massachusetts.

Claims (7)

A shoe having a top, a bottom, and a lining element;
(A) an upper portion of the shoe component for providing a comfortable snug fit to the wearer's foot while holding the foot in the center of the shoe's transverse axis; and (b) A girth-adjustable shoe structure comprising girth adjusting means arranged to enable effective girth adjustment with the lower portion.   The shoe structure of claim 1, wherein the effective girth of the shoe is manually adjustable.   The shoe structure according to claim 2, wherein the girth adjusting means adjusts the tension of the shoe on the foot therein.   The shoe structure of claim 1, wherein the effective girth of the shoe is automatically adjustable.   The shoe of claim 1, wherein the girth relationship of the ball, torso, and instep portion of the shoe automatically adjusts to those of the wearer's foot. Construction.   The shoe structure according to claim 1, wherein the effective girth adjustment of the shoe is adjustable as much as possible over the girth adjustment width of the shoe.   The said girth adjusting means includes a cam slot that is variably rounded by combining a vertical slot inserted into a shank surface of the shoe bottom and a manually adjustable screw. The shoe structure according to 1.

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