Shoe having shoe sole with divided rear foot portion

Abstract

A sole includes a rear end portion on a rear end side, and a rear portion arranged anterior to the rear end portion; a rear surface of the rear portion includes one inclined surface extending in an upper-rear diagonal direction; a front surface of the rear end portion includes another inclined surface extending in an upper-rear diagonal direction; the inclined surface of the rear portion and the inclined surface of the rear end portion together define a first divide portion at which the surfaces are in contact with each other or are capable of contacting each other; and the inclined surface of the rear end portion is set so that the inclined surface is rotatable relative to the inclined surface of the rear portion in such a manner that a lower portion of the divide portion opens.

1 . A shoe comprising: an upper configured to wrap around an instep of a foot; and a main sole configured to support a sole of the foot, wherein:
 the main sole includes a rear end portion on a rear end side, and a rear portion arranged anterior to the rear end portion;   a rear surface of the rear portion includes one inclined surface extending in an upper-rear diagonal direction;   a front surface of the rear end portion includes another inclined surface extending in the upper-rear diagonal direction;   the one inclined surface of the rear portion and the other inclined surface of the rear end portion together define a divide portion at which the one and other surfaces are in contact with each other or are capable of contacting each other; and   the other inclined surface of the rear end portion is set so that the other inclined surface is rotatable relative to the one inclined surface of the rear portion in such a manner that a lower portion of the divide portion opens.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the divide portion includes a diagonal portion extending, from a central portion in a medial-lateral direction, in an anterior lateral diagonal direction. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe according to  claim 2 , wherein an angle formed between (i) a virtual transverse line perpendicular to a central axis, which extends in a front-rear direction of the main sole, and (ii) the diagonal portion of the divide portion is set in a range of 10° to 40°. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein a medial edge of the divide portion is arranged rearward of a lateral edge of the divide portion. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an insole being continuous with the upper and configured to cover the sole of the foot, the main sole covering the insole from below; and   a bridging portion provided on the rear portion and the rear end portion so as to bridge the divide portion, wherein the bridging portion connects between the rear portion and the rear end portion so that the one inclined surface of the rear portion is rotatable relative to the other inclined surface of the rear end portion, wherein:   a part of the bridging portion is arranged between the insole and the rear portion; and   another part of the bridging portion is arranged between the insole and the rear end portion.   
     
     
         6 . The shoe according to  claim 5 , wherein the bridging portion is formed from a plate-shaped member that is different from the main sole. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe according to  claim 6 , further comprising one engagement portion and another engagement portion for positioning the bridging portion, wherein the one engagement portion is formed on an upper surface of the rear portion, and the other engagement portion is formed on an upper surface of the rear end portion. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe according to  claim 7 , wherein the rear portion and the rear end portion define respective depressions into which the bridging portion fits, the depression of the rear portion forms the one engagement portion and the depression of the rear end portion forms the other engagement portion. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe according to  claim 6 , wherein an elastic modulus of the bridging portion is equal to or greater than an elastic modulus of the insole. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe according to  claim 6 , wherein the bridging portion defines a through hole, the through hole being arranged so as to extend from the rear portion to the rear end portion. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe according to  claim 6 , wherein a width of the bridging portion in the divide portion is set to be 25% to 100% of a width of the main sole. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe according to  claim 6 , wherein a thickness of the bridging portion is set to be 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear portion extends toward a front direction from the rear surface, the rear portion defines a groove anterior to the rear surface, and the groove is shallower than a depth of the divide portion and extends in a width direction of the main sole. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a medial surface of the upper includes a medial high-rigidity portion and a medial flexible portion that bends more easily than the medial high-rigidity portion, wherein the medial high-rigidity portion and the medial flexible portion are separated from each other in a front-rear direction;   a lateral surface of the upper includes a lateral high-rigidity portion and a lateral flexible portion that bends more easily than the lateral high-rigidity portion, wherein the lateral high-rigidity portion and the lateral flexible portion  32 S are separated from each other in the front-rear direction;   at least one of (i) a front edge portion of the medial high-rigidity portion and (ii) the medial flexible portion extend in an upper-rear diagonal direction from an upper end portion of a medial edge of the divide portion; and   at least one of (i) a front edge portion of the lateral high-rigidity portion and (ii) the lateral flexible portion extend in the upper-rear diagonal direction from an upper end portion of a lateral edge of the divide portion.   
     
     
         15 . The shoe according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 a strip-shaped restraining member is arranged on the medial-side flexible portion for restraining stretch of the medial-side flexible portion in the front-rear direction; and   another strip-shaped restraining member is arranged on the lateral-side flexible portion for restraining stretch of the lateral-side flexible portion in a front-rear direction.