Sole Structure and Shoe with the Sole Structure

Abstract

A sole structure includes a plate placed between an outsole and a midsole and disposed at the position corresponding to at least the forefoot and the midfoot of a wearer's foot, and a cushioning body disposed so as to face the sole of the wearer's foot at the position corresponding to the midfoot and the hindfoot of the wearer's foot and capable of absorbing a vertical impact on the upper surface of the cushioning body. The cushioning body and the plate body overlap each other in the vertical direction at the position corresponding to the midfoot of the wearer's foot.

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;   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; and   a cushioning body disposed so as to face a sole of the wearer's foot at a position corresponding to at least the midfoot and a hindfoot of the wearer's foot and capable of absorbing a vertical impact on an upper surface of the cushioning body, 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   the cushioning body and the plate body overlap each other in a vertical direction at a position corresponding to the midfoot of the wearer's foot.   
     
     
         2 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 a front end of the cushioning body is located at the position corresponding to the midfoot of the wearer's foot.   
     
     
         3 . The sole structure of  claim 2 , wherein
 the cushioning body has a tilted portion that is formed so that at least the front end is tilted downward toward rear.   
     
     
         4 . The sole structure of  claim 2 , wherein
 the front end of the cushioning body has such a stepped shape that the front end is gradually withdrawn rearward as it gets closer to a bottom of the cushioning body.   
     
     
         5 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 the plate body is made of a material that is more rigid than the material of the outsole.   
     
     
         6 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 the plate body includes a protruding portion protruding upward from a peripheral edge on at least one of medial and lateral sides of the plate body, and   the protruding portion is disposed at a position corresponding to at least the midfoot of the wearer's foot.   
     
     
         7 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 the plate has at least one opening extending through a part of the plate body in the vertical direction, and   the opening is covered by the outsole from below.   
     
     
         8 . The sole structure of  claim 7 , wherein
 the opening is longer in a longitudinal direction of the sole structure than in a lateral direction of the sole structure.   
     
     
         9 . A shoe, comprising the sole structure of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . A shoe comprising the sole structure of  claim 2 . 
     
     
         11 . A shoe comprising the sole structure of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         12 . A shoe comprising the sole structure of  claim 4 . 
     
     
         13 . A shoe comprising the sole structure of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         14 . A shoe comprising the sole structure of  claim 6 . 
     
     
         15 . A shoe comprising the sole structure of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         16 . A shoe comprising the sole structure of  claim 8 .