Bowling shoes

Abstract

A bowling shoe according to the present invention comprises an upper ( 40 ), an insole ( 30 ) joined to a lower edge of the upper ( 40 ) by stitching, and an outsole ( 10 ) attached to a lower surface of the insole ( 30 ), further comprising: an outsole body that forms a part of the outsole ( 10 ) and is provided on a front part of a lower surface thereof with a plurality of grooves ( 11 a ) for allowing the outsole body to bend easily; and a front pad that is attached to the front part of the lower surface of the outsole body ( 11 ) and is formed as an integrated body without being divided into several parts, and is provided with a plurality of weak portions for allowing the front pad to bend easily.

1 . A bowling shoe comprising an upper ( 40 ), an insole ( 30 ) joined to a lower edge of the upper ( 40 ) by stitching, and an outsole ( 10 ) attached to a lower surface of the insole ( 30 ), further comprising:
 an outsole body that forms a part of the outsole ( 10 ) and is provided on a front part of a lower surface thereof with a plurality of grooves ( 11   a ) for allowing the outsole body to bend easily; and   a front pad that is attached to the front part of the lower surface of the outsole body ( 11 ) and is formed as an integrated body without being divided into several parts, and is provided with a plurality of weak portions for allowing the front pad to bend easily.   
     
     
         2 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the weak portions of the front pad comprise a plurality of slots ( 12   a ) that are formed through the front pad. 
     
     
         3 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the weak portions of the front pad comprise a plurality of grooves ( 12   b ) that are formed in a lower surface of the front pad by grooving, or a plurality of grooves ( 12   c ) that are formed in an upper surface of the front pad by grooving. 
     
     
         4 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the front pad is divided into an integrated edge part and a central part, in which the central part of the front pad is provided with the plurality of weak portions for allowing the front pad to bend easily. 
     
     
         5 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the weak portions of the front pad are transversely formed when the front pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the weak portions of the front pad are inclinedly formed in such a way that inside ends thereof are placed at lower positions and outside ends thereof are placed at higher positions when the front pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the weak portions of the front pad are formed in such a way that centers thereof are placed at higher positions and inside and outside ends thereof are placed at lower positions when the front pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof, so that each of the weak portions forms a reversed V-shaped appearance. 
     
     
         8 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the weak portions of the front pad are formed exclusively in a portion corresponding to a big toe of a foot. 
     
     
         9 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the central part of the front pad is attached to the outsole by separated pieces of Velcro. 
     
     
         10 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein, in order to allow the front pad to be detachably attached to the outsole body ( 11 ), opposing pieces of Velcro ( 20 ) are attached to the front pad ( 12 ) and to the outsole body ( 11 ), in which each of the opposing pieces of Velcro is separated into several parts by lines corresponding both to the transverse grooves ( 11   a ) of the outsole body ( 11 ) and to the weak portions of the front pad ( 12 ). 
     
     
         11 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein, in order to allow the front pad to be detachably attached to the outsole body ( 11 ), opposing pieces of Velcro ( 20 ′) are attached to the front pad ( 12 ) and to the outsole body ( 11 ), in which each of the opposing pieces of Velcro is an integrated body having slots ( 23 ) that are partially formed through the piece of Velcro at positions corresponding both to the transverse grooves ( 11   a ) of the outsole body ( 11 ) and to the weak portions of the front pad ( 12 ). 
     
     
         12 . A bowling shoe comprising an upper ( 40 ), an insole ( 30 ) joined to a lower edge of the upper ( 40 ) by stitching, and an outsole ( 10 ) attached to a lower surface of the insole ( 30 ), further comprising:
 an outsole body that forms a part of the outsole ( 10 ) and has no groove which allows the outsole body to bend easily; and   a front pad that is attached to the front part of the lower surface of the outsole body and is formed as an integrated body without being divided into several parts, and is provided with a plurality of slots ( 12   a ) which are formed through the front pad or with a plurality of grooves ( 12   c ) which are formed in an upper surface of the front pad, the slots or grooves allowing the front pad to bend easily.   
     
     
         13 . A bowling shoe comprising an upper ( 40 ), an insole ( 30 ) joined to a lower edge of the upper ( 40 ) by stitching, and an outsole ( 10 ) attached to a lower surface of the insole ( 30 ), further comprising:
 an outsole body that forms a part of the outsole ( 10 ); and   a front pad that is attached to a front part of a lower surface of the outsole body and is divided into several parts by a plurality of cut lines so as to bend easily, the cut lines being formed in angled directions within a range over a width of the front pad in such a way that, when the front pad is viewed from a lower surface thereof, inside ends of the cut lines are placed at lower positions, but outside ends are placed at higher positions.   
     
     
         14 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the weak portions of the front pad are transversely formed when the front pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the weak portions of the front pad are transversely formed when the front pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the weak portions of the front pad are transversely formed when the front pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the weak portions of the front pad are transversely formed when the front pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the weak portions of the front pad are inclinedly formed in such a way that inside ends thereof are placed at lower positions and outside ends thereof are placed at higher positions when the front pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the weak portions of the front pad are inclinedly formed in such a way that inside ends thereof are placed at lower positions and outside ends thereof are placed at higher positions when the front pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The bowling shoe as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the weak portions of the front pad are formed in such a way that centers thereof are placed at higher positions and inside and outside ends thereof are placed at lower positions when the front pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof, so that each of the weak portions forms a reversed V-shaped appearance.