Shoe Upper Structure, Shoe having the Same and Method for Manufacturing Shoe

Abstract

The object is to improve fitting and supporting properties relative to the midfoot region of the foot of the wearer. The upper structure 2 for the shoe 1 includes a stretchable inner upper portion 20 that has a forefoot part F to cover the forefoot region of the foot of the shoe wearer and a midfoot part M to cover the midfoot region of the foot, and an outer upper portion 21 that is less stretchable than the inner upper portion 20 and that is disposed outside the inner upper portion 20 and overlapped with the inner upper portion 20 . In the state of a free length that the inner upper portion 20 is extended without slackening via its own weight when the upper structure 2 is inverted upside down, the inner upper portion 20 has a clearance e relative to the outer upper portion 21 at least at the midfoot part M.

1 . An upper structure for a shoe comprising:
 an inner upper portion that has a stretchability, and that is disposed at an inner side of said upper structure, and that has a forefoot part to cover a forefoot region of a foot of a shoe wearer and a midfoot part to cover a midfoot region of the foot; and   an outer upper portion that has a stretchability less than the stretchability of said inner upper portion, and that is disposed at an outer side of said upper structure, and that is overlapped with said inner upper portion;   wherein said upper structure has at least one feature selected from the group consisting of:   a first feature wherein, in an upside-down state in which said upper structure is disposed upside down and said inner upper portion is at a free length in such a way as to hang downwardly without slackening via a self-weight thereof, said inner upper portion has a clearance relative to said outer upper portion at least at said midfoot part,   a second feature wherein, in a state in which said inner upper portion and said outer upper portion are developed on a plane, a foot-width measurement of said inner upper portion is smaller than a foot-width measurement of said outer upper portion at least at said midfoot part, and   a third feature wherein, in a state in which said inner upper portion, said outer upper portion, and a last for said upper structure are developed on a plane, a foot-width measurement of said inner upper portion that corresponds to a foot-width measurement of the last is smaller than said foot-width measurement of the last at least at said midfoot part.   
     
     
         2 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , having said first feature;
 wherein a longitudinally extending throat portion is formed opening in connection with a foot entry of said shoe at a foot dorsum top part of said outer upper portion; and   wherein in said upside-down state of said upper structure and in the state that an opening end edge portion of said throat portion of said outer upper portion is in contact with an external surface of said inner upper portion, there is formed a clearance at least either between a lateral-side part of said outer upper portion and a lateral-side part of said inner upper portion on a lateral-side of said throat portion, or between a medial-side part of said outer upper portion and a medial-side part of said inner upper portion on a medial-side of said throat portion.   
     
     
         5 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , having said first feature;
 wherein a longitudinally extending throat portion is formed opening in connection with a foot entry of said shoe at a foot dorsum top part of said outer upper portion; and   wherein in said upside-down state of said upper structure and in the state that an opening end edge portion of said throat portion of said outer upper portion is in contact with an external surface of said inner upper portion, in a cross section of said forefoot part and said midfoot part of said upper structure, at least either at a medial-side part or at a lateral-side part of said throat portion, the perimeter extending from a bottom end of an internal surface of said outer upper portion to said opening end edge portion of said throat portion is longer than the perimeter extending from a bottom end of an external surface of said inner upper portion to a position in contact with said opening end edge portion of said throat portion.   
     
     
         6 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a longitudinally extending throat portion is formed opening in connection with a foot entry of said shoe at a foot dorsum top part of said outer upper portion and a tightening member for tightening the foot is provided at said throat potion; and   wherein said inner upper portion extends circumferentially from a medial-side part through said foot dorsum top part to a lateral-side part at said forefoot part and said midfoot part, and in the state that the outer upper portion is tightened through said tightening member and an opening end edge portion of said throat portion of said outer upper portion is in contact with an external surface of said inner upper portion, said inner upper portion is stretchable inside said outer upper portion.   
     
     
         7 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said stretchability of said inner upper portion is greater at said midfoot part than at said forefoot part. 
     
     
         8 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said inner upper portion has a substantially flat surface at a region extending from said forefoot part to said midfoot part. 
     
     
         9 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said inner upper portion includes a body part and a stretch part having a stretchability and there is no difference in level at a boundary part between said body part and said stretch part. 
     
     
         10 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said inner upper portion includes a body part and a stretch part having a stretchability and said body part is structured in such a way that a plurality of parts divided in a foot-width direction or a foot-length direction are connected to one another. 
     
     
         11 . A shoe comprising said upper structure according to  claim 1  and a sole, wherein a bottom portion of said upper structure is fixedly attached to said sole. 
     
     
         12 . A method of manufacturing a shoe that includes an upper and a sole fixedly attached to a bottom part of said upper, wherein said upper comprises an inner upper portion having a stretchability, wherein said inner upper portion is disposed at an inner side of said upper, and includes a forefoot part to cover a forefoot region of a foot of a shoe wearer and a midfoot part to cover a midfoot region of the foot, wherein said upper further comprises an outer upper portion having a stretchability less than the stretchability of said inner upper portion, and wherein said outer upper portion is disposed at an outer side of said upper and is overlapped with said inner upper portion,
 said method comprising the steps: 
 preparing said inner upper portion and said outer upper portion; 
 assembling said upper by sewing said outer upper portion onto an outer periphery edge of said inner upper portion; 
 putting said upper on a last for said shoe to stretch said inner upper portion, and fixedly attaching said sole to a bottom part of said upper; and 
 removing said upper from said last to cause said inner upper portion, which has been in a stretched state, to contract and return to an unstretched state that existed prior to the stretched state, such that thereby a clearance is formed between said inner upper portion and said outer upper portion. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein in the state that said inner upper portion, said outer upper portion and said last are developed on a plane, a foot-width measurement of said inner upper portion that corresponds to a foot-width measurement of said last is smaller than said foot-width measurement of said last at least at said midfoot part. 
     
     
         14 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , having said first feature. 
     
     
         15 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , having said second feature. 
     
     
         16 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , having said third feature.