Sole Structure and Shoe with the Sole Structure

Abstract

A sole structure includes a plate placed between an outsole and a midsole. The plate includes a plate body and first openings. The plate body is made of a material less stretchable than the material of the outsole and is in the form of a thin plate. Each of the first openings extends through a part of the plate body in the vertical direction. The first openings are disposed at a position corresponding to the forefoot and the midfoot on the medial side of a wearer's foot and is covered by the outsole from below.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sole structure for a shoe, comprising:
 an outsole;   a midsole made of an elastic material that is less rigid than a material of the outsole and placed on the outsole; and   a plate placed between the outsole and the midsole and disposed at a position corresponding to at least a forefoot and a midfoot of a wearer's foot, wherein   the plate includes   a plate body that is made of a material less stretchable than the material of the outsole and is in the form of a thin plate thinner than the midsole, and   at least one first opening extending through a part of the plate body in a vertical direction, and   the first opening is disposed at a position corresponding to at least one of the forefoot and the midfoot on a medial side of the wearer's foot and is covered by the outsole from below.   
     
     
         2 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first opening is longer in a longitudinal direction of the sole structure than in a lateral direction of the sole structure.   
     
     
         3 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 the plate has a plurality of the first openings, and   the plurality of first openings are disposed at a position corresponding to the forefoot and the midfoot on the medial side of the wearer's foot.   
     
     
         4 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 the plate further has at least one second opening extending through a part of the plate body in the vertical direction, and   the second opening is disposed at a position corresponding to the midfoot on a lateral side of the wearer's foot and is covered by the outsole from below.   
     
     
         5 . The sole structure of  claim 4 , wherein
 the second opening is longer in the longitudinal direction of the sole structure than in the lateral direction of the sole structure.   
     
     
         6 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 the plate further has at least one third opening extending through a part of the plate body in the vertical direction,   the third opening is disposed so as to correspond to a position including the forefoot on the lateral side of the wearer's foot and is covered by the outsole from below, and   the first opening has a larger opening area than the third opening area.   
     
     
         7 . The sole structure of  claim 4 , wherein
 the plate further has at least one third opening extending through a part of the plate body in the vertical direction,   the third opening is disposed so as to correspond to a position including the forefoot on the lateral side of the wearer's foot and is covered by the outsole from below, and   the second opening has a larger opening area than the third opening area.   
     
     
         8 . A shoe comprising the sole structure of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . A shoe comprising the sole structure of  claim 2 . 
     
     
         10 . A shoe comprising the sole structure of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         11 . A shoe comprising the sole structure of  claim 4 . 
     
     
         12 . A shoe comprising the sole structure of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         13 . A shoe comprising the sole structure of  claim 6 . 
     
     
         14 . A shoe comprising the sole structure of  claim 7 .