Upper Structure for a Sports Shoe

Abstract

An upper structure for a sports shoe is provided that can not only enhance holdability as an upper but also improve wearer's touch on a foot. In the upper structure for the sports shoe, the upper is formed of a knitted fabric having thermally fusible yarn and another knitted fabric having no thermally fusible yarn. In the knitted fabric having the thermally fusible yarn, the thermally fusible yarn is disposed on an outer surface side of the upper, and on an inner surface side of the upper, a front yarn and a back yarn are arranged in a parallel relationship. The thermally fusible yarn is fusion-bonded and cured in the knitted fabric by heat treatment and the outer surface side of the upper 1 is thus hardened than the inner surface side of the upper.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An upper structure for a sports shoe that includes an upper for covering a foot of a shoe wearer,
 wherein said upper is formed of a knitted fabric, said knitted fabric includes thermally fusible yarn, and said thermally fusible yarn is disposed on an outer surface side of said upper, and   wherein said thermally fusible yarn is fusion-bonded in said knitted fabric by carrying out heat treatment of said knitted fabric including thermally fusible yarn, and said knitted fabric including thermally fusible yarn is harder on said outer surface side of said upper than on an inner surface side of said upper by said heat treatment.   
     
     
         2 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said knitted fabric including thermally fusible yarn comprises a front yarn and a back yarn that are arranged in a parallel relationship, said front yarn and said back yarn disposed on said inner surface side of said upper. 
     
     
         3 . The upper structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said knitted fabric including thermally fusible yarn is disposed at a region of less elasticity that includes either one of a heel outer periphery portion, a midfoot outer periphery portion, or a forefoot outer periphery portion of said upper. 
     
     
         4 . The upper structure according to  claim 2 , wherein said knitted fabric including thermally fusible yarn is disposed at a region of less elasticity that includes either one of a heel outer periphery portion, a midfoot outer periphery portion, or a forefoot outer periphery portion of said upper. 
     
     
         5 . A manufacturing method of an upper structure for a sports shoe that includes an upper for covering a foot of a shoe wearer, said method comprising:
 forming said upper of a knitted fabric including thermally fusible yarn in such a way that said thermally fusible yarn is disposed on an outer surface side of said knitted fabric of said upper, and   carrying out heat treatment of said knitted fabric at a temperature equal to or higher than melting point of said thermally fusible yarn so that said thermally fusible yarn is fusion-bonded in said knitted fabric, whereby said knitted fabric including thermally fusible yarn is harder on said outer surface side of said upper than on an inner surface side of said upper by said heat treatment.   
     
     
         6 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 5 , wherein said heat treatment is conducted by heat press of a side surface of said upper.