Shoe having shoe sole with divided forefoot portion

Abstract

A main sole includes a toe-side first portion, a second portion arranged posterior to the first portion, and a third portion on a rear end side; and a first divide portion is defined by a first inclined surface extending in an upper-front diagonal direction at a rear surface of the first portion and a second inclined surface extending in an upper front diagonal direction at a front surface of the second portion.

1 . A shoe comprising: an upper configured to wrap around an instep of a foot; an insole being continuous with the upper and configured to cover a sole of the foot; and a main sole covering the insole from below and configured to support the sole of the foot, wherein:
 the main sole includes a toe-side first portion, and a second portion arranged posterior to the first portion;   a rear surface of the first portion includes one inclined surface extending in an upper-front diagonal direction;   a front surface of the second portion includes another inclined surface extending in the upper-front diagonal direction;   the one inclined surface of the first portion and the other inclined surface of the second portion together define a first divide portion at which the surfaces are in contact with each other or are capable of contacting each other;   a bridging portion is provided, wherein the bridging portion is provided on the first portion and the second portion so as to bridge the first divide portion, and the bridging portion connects between the first portion and the second portion so that the other inclined surface of the second portion is rotatable relative to the one inclined surface of the first portion;   a part of the bridging portion is arranged between the insole and the first portion; and   another part of the bridging portion is arranged between the insole and the second portion.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the bridging portion is formed from a plate-shaped member that is separate from the main sole. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe according to  claim 2 , further comprising a first engagement portion and a second engagement portion both for positioning the bridging portion with respect to the main sole, wherein the first engagement portion is formed on an upper surface of the first portion, and the second engagement portion is formed on an upper surface of the second portion. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe according to  claim 3 , wherein the first portion and the second portion define a first depression and a second depression, respectively, into which the bridging portion fits, and the first depression and the second depression form the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe according to  claim 2 , to wherein an elastic modulus of the bridging portion is equal to or greater than an elastic modulus of the insole. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe according to  claim 2 , wherein the first divide portion has a shape that is protruding toward a front direction as seen in a plan view. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe according to  claim 2 , wherein the bridging portion defines a through hole, the through hole being arranged so as to extend from the first portion to the second portion. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe according to  claim 2 , wherein a width of the bridging portion in the first divide portion is set to be 25% to 100% of a width of the main sole in the first divide portion. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe according to  claim 2 , wherein a thickness of the bridging portion is set to be 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a position of a medial edge of an upper end of the first divide portion is set in a range of 65% to 75% from a rear end of the main sole, with respect to a maximum length from a front end to the rear end of the main sole, along a center axis extending in a front-rear direction of the main sole; and   a position of a lateral edge of the upper end of the first divide portion is set in a range of 60% to 70% from the rear end of the main sole, with respect to the maximum length of the main sole, along the center axis of the main sole.   
     
     
         11 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a line obtained by aligning an upper end of the first divide portion with a width direction of the main sole is adapted to be arranged posterior to metatarsal phalangeal joints of a first toe to a fifth toe and is adapted to be arranged anterior to bases of first to fifth metatarsal bones.   
     
     
         12 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion  11  is continuous without being divided from the first divide portion to a tip of the main sole. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe according to  claim 12 , wherein the first portion defines a groove, the groove being shallower than a depth of the first divide portion and extending in a width direction of the main sole. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the main sole includes an outsole to be in contact with a road surface and a midsole arranged on the outsole; and   the midsole and the outsole are each divided into parts in a front-rear direction at the first divide portion.   
     
     
         15 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the main sole includes a third portion arranged posterior to the second portion;   a rear surface of the second portion and a front surface of the third portion each include still another inclined surface extending in an upper-rear diagonal direction; and   the still other inclined surface of the second portion and the still other inclined surface of the third portion together define a second divide portion at which the still other surfaces are in contact with each other or are capable of contacting each other.   
     
     
         16 . A shoe comprising: an upper configured to wrap around an instep of a foot; an insole being continuous with the upper and configured to cover a sole of the foot; and a main sole covering the insole from below and configured to support the sole of the foot, wherein:
 the main sole includes a toe-side first portion, a second portion arranged posterior to the first portion, and a third portion on a rear end side;   a rear surface of the first portion comprises a first inclined surface extending in an upper-front diagonal direction, and a front surface of the second portion comprises a second inclined surface extending in the upper-front diagonal direction;   the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface together define a first divide portion at which the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are in contact with each other or are capable of contacting each other;   a rear surface of the second portion comprises a third inclined surface extending in an upper-rear diagonal direction, and a front surface of the third portion comprises a fourth inclined surface extending in the upper-rear diagonal direction; and   the third inclined surface and the fourth inclined surface together define a second divide portion at which the third inclined surface and the forth inclined surface are in contact with each other or are capable of contacting each other.   
     
     
         17 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper includes:
 a reinforcement portion obtained by reinforcing a midfoot portion of a side surface extending below a wearing opening, configured so that the foot is inserted therethrough; and   a flexible portion obtained by forming a forefoot portion of a side surface extending above the first divide portion so that the flexible portion is more flexible than the reinforcement portion so as to allow for rotation of the second portion while the inclined surface of the second portion moves in the upper-front diagonal direction.