Plate, sole, and shoe

Abstract

A plate is used for a sole that forms a part of a shoe. The plate includes a mid- and rear-foot support portion in a shape extending from a position superimposed on a rear end portion of a metatarsal bone of a wearer of the shoe in a thickness direction of the sole to a position superimposed on a heel bone of the wearer, the mid- and rear-foot support portion supporting a midfoot portion and a rear foot portion of the wearer. The mid- and rear-foot support portion is in a shape convex upward in a cross-section in a foot width direction.

1 . A sole that forms a part of a shoe, comprising:
 a plate including a mid- and rear-foot support portion in a shape extending from a position configured to be superimposed on a rear end portion of a metatarsal bone of a wearer of the shoe in a thickness direction of the sole to a position configured to be superimposed on a heel bone of the wearer, the mid- and rear-foot support portion configured to support a midfoot portion and a rear foot portion of the wearer;   the plate further including a forefoot support portion extending forward from the mid- and rear-foot support portion and configured to support a forefoot portion of the wearer, wherein the forefoot support portion is formed flat in a cross-section in a foot width direction; and   a midsole including a lower midsole and an upper midsole connected to the lower midsole, the entire forefoot support portion and the mid- and rear-foot support portion positioned between the lower midsole and the upper midsole;   wherein the mid- and rear-foot support portion is in a shape convex upward in a cross-section along an entire width of the plate in a foot width direction at the position configured to be superimposed on the heel bone of the wearer; and   wherein the upper midsole has a greater width than the mid- and rear-foot support portion of the plate in the foot width direction.   
     
     
         2 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the mid- and rear-foot support portion includes a top portion located at a position highest in the thickness direction, and   the top portion is located at a position configured to overlap with a heel center of the wearer in the thickness direction.   
     
     
         3 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the mid- and rear-foot support portion includes a top portion located at a position highest in the thickness direction, and   the top portion is located on an inner side in the foot width direction relative to a heel center of the wearer.   
     
     
         4 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the mid- and rear-foot support portion includes a top portion located at a position highest in the thickness direction; and   the top portion is located on an outer side in the foot width direction relative to a heel center of the wearer.   
     
     
         5 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The sole according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the lower midsole includes a lower heel region configured to be superimposed on a heel portion of the wearer in the thickness direction;   the upper midsole includes an upper heel region configured to be superimposed on the heel portion of the wearer in the thickness direction;   a thickness of the lower heel region is larger than a thickness of the upper heel region; and   when viewed in the cross-section in the foot width direction, the mid- and rear-foot support portion has a width that is less than that of the lower midsole.   
     
     
         10 . The sole according to  claim 1 ,
 the midsole including an accommodation portion that defines a space where the plate is accommodated.   
     
     
         11 . The sole according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the accommodation portion includes:
 a bonded portion bonded to the forefoot support portion; and 
 a non-bonded portion formed at a position adjacent to the bonded portion in the foot width direction and not bonded to the forefoot support portion. 
   
     
     
         12 . The sole according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the accommodation portion includes an opposing portion opposed to the forefoot support portion in the foot width direction, and   the opposing portion is distant from the forefoot support portion in the foot width direction while a load is not applied to the forefoot support portion.   
     
     
         13 . The sole according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the accommodation portion includes:
 a contact portion in contact with the forefoot support portion; and 
 a recess portion in a shape recessed from the contact portion in a direction away from the forefoot support portion in the thickness direction. 
   
     
     
         14 . The sole according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the accommodation portion includes:
 a contact portion in contact with the forefoot support portion; and 
 a recess portion in a shape recessed from the contact portion in a direction away from the forefoot support portion in the thickness direction. 
   
     
     
         15 . A shoe comprising:
 the sole according to  claim 9 ; and   an upper connected to the sole and located above the sole.   
     
     
         16 . A shoe comprising:
 the sole according to  claim 10 ; and   an upper connected to the sole and located above the sole.   
     
     
         17 . The plate according to  claim 1 , wherein the wherein the mid- and rear-foot support portion is in a shape convex upward in a cross-section in a foot width direction throughout an entire area from a position configured to be superimposed on a rear end portion of the metatarsal bone of the wearer in the thickness direction to a position configured to be superimposed on a rear end portion of a heel bone of the wearer.