US 12,349,767 B2
Sole and shoe
Kenta Tateno, Kobe (JP); Masanori Sakaguchi, Kobe (JP); and Hiroaki Nishimura, Kobe (JP)
Assigned to ASICS CORPORATION, Kobe (JP)
Filed by ASICS CORPORATION, Kobe (JP)
Filed on Sep. 1, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/241,795.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-140847 (JP), filed on Sep. 5, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0074530 A1, Mar. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. A43B 7/14 (2022.01); A43B 7/1425 (2022.01); A43B 7/143 (2022.01); A43B 7/1435 (2022.01); A43B 7/144 (2022.01); A43B 7/145 (2022.01); A43B 13/18 (2006.01)
CPC A43B 7/143 (2013.01) [A43B 7/14 (2013.01); A43B 7/1425 (2013.01); A43B 7/1435 (2013.01); A43B 7/144 (2013.01); A43B 7/145 (2013.01); A43B 13/186 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sole that constitutes a part of a shoe, the sole comprising a midsole including an upper connection surface to which an upper is connected and that is configured to support a wearer's foot, wherein the midsole includes:
a first support portion that is configured to support a front portion of an MP joint of the wearer's foot;
a second support portion that is configured to support a rear portion of the MP joint of the wearer's foot, the second support portion having a shape extending rearward from the first support portion in a foot length direction of the sole, the first support portion having an elastic modulus lower than an elastic modulus of the second support portion;
a thenar region surrounded by a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion, the first portion being located on a shoe center and located at a position rearward from a front end portion of the midsole in the foot length direction by a length of 15% of a total length of the upper connection surface; the second portion being located on the shoe center and located at a position rearward from the front end portion in the foot length direction by a length of 35% of a total length of the upper connection surface; the third portion corresponding to an intersection of a straight line that is orthogonal to the shoe center and passes through the first portion and an end portion on an inner foot side of the midsole in a foot width direction of the sole; and the fourth portion corresponding to an intersection of a straight line that is orthogonal to the shoe center and passes through the second portion and an end portion on an inner foot side of the midsole in the foot width direction;
a boundary portion between the first support portion and the second support portion passes through the thenar region; and
a buffer layer disposed above or below the first support portion and the second support portion, wherein the buffer layer has a shape extending along the foot length direction across the boundary portion.