SOLE AND FOOTWEAR HAVING THE SOLE

Abstract

A sole includes a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer stacked from bottom to top. A hardness of the first layer is greater than a hardness of the third layer, the hardness of the third layer is greater than a hardness of the second layer, and the hardness of the second layer is greater than a hardness of the fourth layer. A footwear having the sole is also provided.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit and priority to Chinese Patent Application Serial No. 202521405805.4, filed on Jul. 4, 2025, entitled “SOLE AND FOOTWEAR”, and the content of which is hereby fully incorporated by reference.

FIELD

The subject matter relates to a technical field of daily necessities, and in particular to a sole and a footwear having the sole.

BACKGROUND

Shoes are indispensable daily necessities for human beings, especially for those who love outdoor activities, who have higher requirements for shoes. Since they walk or stand for a longer time during outdoor activities, it is often very important to choose a pair of comfortable shoes.

How to improve the comfort of the shoes is thus problematic.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a sole, including a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer stacked from bottom to top. A hardness of the first layer is greater than a hardness of the third layer, the hardness of the third layer is greater than a hardness of the second layer, and the hardness of the second layer is greater than a hardness of the fourth layer.

The present disclosure further provides a footwear, including an upper and the above sole. The sole is connected to the upper.

Other aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure are also expected. The above summary and the following detailed description are not intended to limit the present disclosure to any particular embodiment, but are merely intended to describe some embodiments of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure, a brief introduction of the accompanying drawings of the embodiments is provided. The following drawings can illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure, and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein.

FIG. 1 is an exploded diagrammatic view of a footwear according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different FIGURES to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure.

Implementations of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of embodiments, with reference to the above FIGURES. The embodiments are obviously a portion but not all of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

Unless otherwise defined, the technical terms used in the present disclosure have the same meanings as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art. The terms used in the present disclosure are for describing specific embodiments but not intended to limit the scope of present disclosure. In addition, technical features involved in different embodiments of this application that are described below may be combined as long as they do not conflict with each other.

Referring to FIG. 1, a footwear 100 is provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The footwear 100 includes a sole 10 and an upper 20 connected to the sole 10.

The sole 10 includes a first layer 11, a second layer 12, a third layer 13 and a fourth layer 14 stacked from bottom to top. It can be understood that, during use, the fourth layer 14 is closer to the bottom surface of the foot than the first layer 11, and the first layer 11 is closer to the ground than the fourth layer 14. A hardness of the first layer 11 is greater than a hardness of the third layer 13, the hardness of the third layer 13 is greater than a hardness of the second layer 12, and the hardness of the second layer 12 is greater than a hardness of the fourth layer 14. In this application, the hardness is measured by a Shore hardness tester of type C.

The first layer 11 has the greatest hardness, providing support and framework stability to the entire sole 10 during use. As the first layer 11 is located at the bottom, its maximum hardness also helps to enhance the durability of the entire sole 10. The second layer 12, which is softer, is placed on a top of the first layer 11 to absorb the impact of body weight, reducing the shock to the knees and ankles during use, and thus reducing the fatigue and the discomfort of the user. The third layer 13 has a relatively high hardness and, in combination with the first layer 11, further enhances the stability of support. The layered structure of the first layer 11, the second layer 12 and the third layer 13 with different hardnesses not only achieves effective buffering but also ensures the stability of support. Moreover, the hardness of the third layer 13 is less than that of the first layer 11, which is beneficial to improving the user's foot feel and comfort. The fourth layer 14, being the top layer, has the least hardness, which can directly enhance the effect of shock absorption, thereby reducing fatigue from prolonged walking or standing. Therefore, through the mutual cooperation of the first layer 11, the second layer 12, the third layer 13 and the fourth layer 14 with different hardnesses, the overall support effect of the sole 10 is guaranteed while enhancing the buffering effect, achieving the goal of not getting tired from standing for a long time and saving effort when walking for a long time, and ultimately improving the overall comfort of the footwear 100.

In some embodiments, the hardness of the first layer 11 may be in a range of 51±3 degrees, the hardness of the second layer 12 may be in a range of 45±3 degrees, the hardness of the third layer 13 may be in a range of 49±3 degrees, and the hardness of the fourth layer 14 may be in a range of 35±3 degrees. The combination of these hardness ranges is more conducive to enhancing the overall buffering effect of the sole 10 while ensuring the overall support effect of the sole 10, thereby improving the overall comfort of the footwear 100.

In some embodiments, a difference in hardness between the first layer 11 and the second layer 12 may be 10 degrees, and a difference in hardness between the third layer 13 and the fourth layer 14 may be 15 degrees, which is more conducive to eliminating fatigue and discomfort.

In some embodiments, the hardness of the first layer 11 may be 50 degrees, the hardness of the second layer may be 45 degrees, the hardness of the third layer may be 49 degrees, and the hardness of the fourth layer may be 35 degrees.

The first layer 11 is at least located in a rearfoot area and an arch area of the second layer 12 to better support the bottom surface of the foot. In the illustrated embodiment, the first layer 11 is located in the rearfoot area and the arch area of the second layer 12. In some embodiments, the first layer 11 may further extend to a forefoot area of the second layer 12 to support the entire forefoot area of the second layer 12.

The third layer 13 may be but is not limited to a 4D printed layer. Due to its relatively high hardness, the layer formed by 4D printing is convenient for the third layer 13 to conform to the shape, thereby better supporting the bottom surface of the foot of the user.

In some embodiments, the sole 10 may further satisfy: a rebound rate of the second layer 12 may be greater than a rebound rate of the fourth layer 14, the rebound rate of the fourth layer 14 may be greater than a rebound rate of the first layer 11, and the rebound rate of the first layer 11 may be greater than a rebound rate of the third layer 13. Since the fourth layer 14 and the second layer 12 are softer, but usually the thickness of the first layer 11 is limited to be thinner, the second layer 12 with the largest rebound rate can be set to be thicker, which is beneficial for utilizing the rebound potential energy to enable the user to walk with less effort, thereby reducing fatigue. And since the fourth layer 14 is closest to the bottom surface of the human foot, a larger rebound rate can directly act on the bottom surface of the human foot to provide a boost, thereby allowing walk to be more effortless. The third layer 13, which is sandwiched between the fourth layer 14 and the second layer 12, has the lowest rebound rate, which is beneficial for better transmission of the rebound effect of the second layer 12 and also helps to improve the durability of the sole 10. The first layer 11 has a lower rebound rate, which enhance the support and the stability of the sole 10. The cooperation of the layers with different rebound rates is beneficial for further enhancing the rebound effect while ensuring the overall support effect of the sole 10, thereby further achieving the goal of not getting tired from standing for a long time and walking with less effort, and improving the overall comfort of the footwear 100. The rebound rate can be measured according to JIS K 6255.

In some embodiments, the rebound rate of the first layer 11 may be in a range of 55%±2%, the rebound rate of the second layer 12 may be in a range of 65%±2%, the rebound rate of the third layer 13 may be in a range of 50%±2%, and the rebound rate of the fourth layer 14 may be in a range of 60%±2%. The cooperation of the layers within the above rebound rate ranges is more beneficial for enhancing the overall rebound effect of the sole 10 while ensuring the overall support effect of the sole 10, thereby improving the overall comfort of the footwear 100.

In some embodiments, a difference in rebound rate between any two adjacent layers among the first layer 11, the second layer 12, the third layer 13, and the fourth layer 14 may be 10% to 15%, which is beneficial for better transmission of the rebound force and reduction of rebound force loss, thereby further improving the overall comfort of the footwear 100.

In some embodiments, the rebound rate of the first layer 11 may be 55%, the rebound rate of the second layer 12 may be 65%, the rebound rate of the third layer 13 may be 50%, and the rebound rate of the fourth layer 14 may be 60%.

In some embodiments, the sole 10 may further satisfy: a density of the first layer 11 is greater than a density of the third layer 13, the density of the third layer 13 is greater than a density of the second layer 12, and the density of the second layer 12 is greater than or equal to a density of the fourth layer 14. As the bottom layer, the first layer 11 with the maximum density is beneficial for providing better support effect, thereby providing better protection for the user. The third layer 13 in the middle layer with a higher density can provide better support for the upper layers and thus better protection. Meanwhile, the higher density of the first layer 11 and the third layer 13 is beneficial for improving the durability of the footwear 100, thereby enhancing the commercial value of the footwear 100. The lower density of the second layer 12 and the fourth layer 14 is beneficial for the lightweight of the sole 10, thereby improving the overall lightness of the footwear 100 and further enhancing the comfort of the footwear 100.

In some embodiments, the density of the first layer 11 may be in a range of 200 G/L to 260 G/L, the density of the second layer 12 may be in a range of 120 G/L to 160 G/L, the density of the third layer 13 may be in a range of 190 G/L to 250 G/L, and the density of the fourth layer 14 may be in a range of 120 G/L to 150 G/L. The cooperation of the layers within the above density ranges is more conducive to the lightweight of the sole 10 and helps to ensure the overall support effect of the sole 10, thereby enhancing the comfort of the footwear 100.

In some embodiments, a difference in the density between any two adjacent layers among the first layer 11, the second layer 12, the third layer 13, and the fourth layer 14 is greater than or equal to 50, which is beneficial for the sole 10 to achieve better stability and durability.

In some embodiments, the density of the first layer 11 may be 250 G/L, the density of the second layer 12 may be 150 G/L, the density of the third layer 13 may be 200 G/L, and the density of the fourth layer 14 may be 150 G/L.

In some embodiments, the first layer 11, the second layer 12, the third layer 13, and the fourth layer 14 may all be popcorn layers containing foamed thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, which is conducive to further reducing the weight of the sole 10 and further enhancing the comfort of the footwear 100. In other embodiments, the first layer 11, the second layer 12, the third layer 13, and the fourth layer 14 may also be other commonly used sole materials, which will not be elaborated in this application.

The sole 10 may further include an outsole 15. In this embodiment, the outsole 15 is located on a side of the first layer 11 facing away from the second layer 12 and in an area of a side of the second layer 12 facing away from the third layer 13, and the area is not supported by the first layer 11 (i.e., the forefoot area of the second layer 12). When the first layer 11 simultaneously supports the forefoot area of the second layer 12, the outsole 15 is only located on the side of the first layer 11 facing away from the second layer 12.

When using the above-mentioned footwear 100, the fourth layer 14 with the lowest hardness reduces the fatigue of long-term walking through buffering, and the softest fourth layer 14 is closest to the bottom surface of the foot, thereby providing a more comfortable usage experience. When the force is transmitted from the fourth layer 14 downward, the third layer 13 with greater hardness provides an upward support effect, and the force transmitted through the third layer 13 to the second layer 12 with lower hardness is further absorbed by the second layer 12, the second layer 12 buffers the third layer 13. When the force is transmitted from the second layer 12 downward, the first layer 11 with the greatest hardness provides sufficient upward support, thereby ensuring the overall stability of the footwear 100 while dissipating the force from top to bottom, achieving the effect of not getting tired from standing or walking for a long time and saving effort when walking, and thus enhancing the comfort of the footwear 100.

Even though information and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the present embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present embodiments to the full extent indicated by the plain meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A sole comprising:

a first layer,

a second layer,

a third layer, and

a fourth layer;

wherein the first layer, the second layer, the third layer, and the fourth layer are stacked from bottom to top, a hardness of the first layer is greater than a hardness of the third layer, the hardness of the third layer is greater than a hardness of the second layer, and the hardness of the second layer is greater than a hardness of the fourth layer.

2. The sole of claim 1, wherein the hardness of the first layer is in a range of 51±3 degrees, the hardness of the second layer is in a range of 45±3 degrees, the hardness of the third layer is in a range of 49±3 degrees, and the hardness of the fourth layer is in a range of 35±3 degrees.

3. The sole of claim 2, wherein a difference in hardness between the first layer and the second layer is 10 degrees, and a difference in hardness between the third layer and the fourth layer is 15 degrees.

4. The sole of claim 1, wherein a rebound rate of the second layer is greater than a rebound rate of the fourth layer, the rebound rate of the fourth layer is greater than a rebound rate of the first layer, and the rebound rate of the first layer is greater than a rebound rate of the third layer.

5. The sole of claim 4, wherein the rebound rate of the first layer is in a range of 55%±2%, the rebound rate of the second layer is in a range of 65%±2%, the rebound rate of the third layer is in a range of 50%±2%, and the rebound rate of the fourth layer is in a range of 60%±2%.

6. The sole of claim 5, wherein a difference in rebound rate between any two adjacent layers among the first layer, the second layer, the third layer, and the fourth layer is 10% to 15%.

7. The sole of claim 4, wherein a density of the first layer is greater than a density of the third layer, the density of the third layer is greater than a density of the second layer, and the density of the second layer is greater than or equal to a density of the fourth layer.

8. The sole of claim 7, wherein the density of the first layer is in a range of 200 G/L to 260 G/L, the density of the second layer is in a range of 120 G/L to 160 G/L, the density of the third layer is in a range of 190 G/L to 250 G/L, and the density of the fourth layer is in a range of 120 G/L to 150 G/L.

9. The sole of claim 8, wherein a difference in the density between any two adjacent layers among the first layer, the second layer, the third layer, and the fourth layer is greater than or equal to 50 G/L.

10. The sole of claim 1, wherein each of the first layer, the second layer, the third layer, and the fourth layer is a popcorn layer containing foamed thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer.

11. The sole of claim 10, wherein the third layer is a 4D printed layer.

12. The sole of claim 1, wherein the first layer at least support a rearfoot area and an arch area of the second layer.

13. The sole of claim 12, further comprising an outsole, wherein the outsole is located on a side of the first layer facing away from the second layer and in an area of a side of the second layer facing away from the third layer, the area of the side of the second layer is not supported by the first layer.

14. A footwear comprising:

an upper; and

a sole connected to the upper, the sole comprising: a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer; wherein the first layer, the second layer, the third layer, and the fourth layer are stacked from bottom to top, a hardness of the first layer is greater than a hardness of the third layer, the hardness of the third layer is greater than a hardness of the second layer, and the hardness of the second layer is greater than a hardness of the fourth layer.

15. The footwear of claim 14, wherein the hardness of the first layer is in a range of 51±3 degrees, the hardness of the second layer is in a range of 45±3 degrees, the hardness of the third layer is in a range of 49±3 degrees, and the hardness of the fourth layer is in a range of 35±3 degrees.

16. The footwear of claim 15, wherein a difference in hardness between the first layer and the second layer is 10 degrees, and a difference in hardness between the third layer and the fourth layer is 15 degrees.

17. The footwear of claim 14, wherein a rebound rate of the second layer is greater than a rebound rate of the fourth layer, the rebound rate of the fourth layer is greater than a rebound rate of the first layer, and the rebound rate of the first layer is greater than a rebound rate of the third layer.

18. The footwear of claim 17, wherein the rebound rate of the first layer is in a range of 55%±2%, the rebound rate of the second layer is in a range of 65%±2%, the rebound rate of the third layer is in a range of 50%±2%, and the rebound rate of the fourth layer is in a range of 60%±2%.

19. The footwear of claim 17, wherein a density of the first layer is greater than a density of the third layer, the density of the third layer is greater than a density of the second layer, and the density of the second layer is greater than or equal to a density of the fourth layer.

20. The footwear of claim 19, wherein the density of the first layer is in a range of 200 G/L to 260 G/L, the density of the second layer is in a range of 120 G/L to 160 G/L, the density of the third layer is in a range of 190 G/L to 250 G/L, and the density of the fourth layer is in a range of 120 G/L to 150 G/L.