Upper Structure for a Shoe

Abstract

The upper structure for a shoe includes an upper body formed of stretchable material and covering at least the tiptoe of the foot of a shoe wearer. The structure further includes a toe pressing member located at a position corresponding to toes of the foot, surrounded by the upper body, and formed of non-stretchable material. The toe pressing member presses the toes of the foot from above when the toes of the foot come into contact with the backside of the upper body at the time of dorsal flexion of the foot.

1 . An upper structure for a shoe comprising:
 an upper body that is formed of stretchable material and that covers at least a tiptoe of a foot of a shoe wearer; and   a toe pressing member that is located at a position of said upper body corresponding to toes of the foot, that is surrounded by said upper body, that is formed of non-stretchable material, and that presses the toes of the foot from above when the toes of the foot come into contact with said upper body at the time of dorsal flexion of the foot.   
     
     
         2 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said toe pressing member is composed of a plurality of elements, each of said plurality of elements being disposed at a position corresponding to each of the toes of the foot. 
     
     
         3 . The upper structure according to  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of elements are coupled to each other through a connecting portion interposed between adjacent elements. 
     
     
         4 . The upper structure according to  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of elements are provided separately. 
     
     
         5 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said toe pressing member is composed of a continuous element that covers a position corresponding to each of the toes of the foot and that extends continuously along a width of the foot. 
     
     
         6 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said toe pressing member is provided at a position corresponding to each distal end of the toes of the foot. 
     
     
         7 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said toe pressing member is located at a position that at least covers a distal phalanx and a head portion of a proximal phalanx of a great toe and a bottom portion of a distal phalanx and a middle phalanx of a second toe of the foot. 
     
     
         8 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said toe pressing member is formed of material of a greater hardness than hardness of said upper body. 
     
     
         9 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said toe pressing member is formed of material of a greater stiffness than stiffness of said upper body. 
     
     
         10 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said toe pressing member is fitted to an outside surface of said upper body. 
     
     
         11 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said toe pressing member is interposed between an outside surface and an inside surface of said upper body. 
     
     
         12 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein a reinforcement member is fitted to a distal end portion of said upper body, said toe pressing member being provided separately from said reinforcement member.