Plantar Arch Support Shoe

Abstract

A shoe providing support for the plantar arch of a foot is disclosed herein. The shoe includes a belt, guide members, and a dial unit. The belt includes a base end section fixed to an outsole at a position equivalent to a plantar arch of a foot of a user, and a leading end section covering a pair of blades. Both side edges of the belt can be separated from an upper of the shoe along a longitudinal direction of the shoe. The guide members are fixed to the leading end section of the belt, and engage with a wire, which engages the dial unit. The dial unit is used to wind the wire, thereby tightening or loosening the belt, and therefore the shoe to a wearer's foot, and is fixed to an outer side surface of the upper.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A shoe comprising:
 an outsole comprising a plantar arch portion;   an upper affixed to the outsole, the upper comprising first and second blades, an outer side surface, a toe box, and a bending line;   a belt comprising a base end section fixed to the plantar arch portion and a leading end section extending over at least a portion of the upper to cover the pair of blades;   at least one first guide member fixed to the leading end section;   a wire; and   a dial unit comprising first and second openings facing the leading end section, the dial unit fixed to the outer side surface,   wherein the wire extends through the at least one guide member and into each of the first and second openings,   wherein the leading end section is not directly fixed to the upper, and   wherein the dial unit can be adjusted to tighten or loosen the wire.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the belt is entirely disposed behind the bending line. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the belt covers an area of the upper equivalent to an area from the plantar arch portion to an instep. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the belt comprises a rear edge and a front edge, wherein at least one of the rear edge and the front edge is curved. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe of  claim 4 , wherein a width of the base end section of the belt expands toward the outsole. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe of  claim 4 , wherein neither the rear edge nor the front edge is fixed to the upper. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the front edge is composed of a first front edge extending along a width of the shoe and a second front edge extending toward a rear portion of the shoe from the first front edge. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe of  claim 1 , further comprising a holding member disposed between the first and second blades, wherein the holding member creates a clearance between the first and second blades. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe of  claim 8 , wherein the holding member is fixed to each of the first and second blades. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one second guide member fixed to the outer side surface, wherein the wire further extends through the at least one second guide member. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one first guide member comprises front, central, and rear first guide members, wherein the at least one second guide member comprises front and rear second guide members, wherein the front first guide member faces the front second guide member, wherein the central first guide member faces the rear second guide member, and wherein the rear first guide member faces the dial unit. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one first guide member comprises front and rear first guide members, wherein the at least one second guide member comprises a front second guide member, wherein the front first guide member faces the front second guide member, and wherein the rear first guide member faces the dial unit. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein tightening the wire pulls the leading end section towards the outer side section and thereby increases pressure placed on a plantar arch of a wearer's foot, and wherein loosening the wire decreases pressure placed on the plantar arch of a wearer's foot. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe of  claim 1 , further comprising a tongue disposed proximate the first and second blades. 
     
     
         15 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the base end section is covered with a decorative material. 
     
     
         16 . A golf shoe comprising:
 an outsole comprising a plantar arch portion and an irregular bottom surface;   an upper affixed to the outsole, the upper comprising first and second blades, an outer side surface, a toe box, and a bending line;   a belt comprising a base end section fixed to the plantar arch portion and a leading end section extending over at least a portion of the upper to cover the pair of blades;   a plurality of first guide members fixed to the leading end section;   at least one second guide member fixed to the outer side surface;   a holding member disposed between the first and second blades;   a wire; and   a dial unit comprising first and second openings facing the leading end section, the dial unit fixed to the outer side surface,   wherein the wire extends through each of the plurality of first guide members and the at least one second guide member and into each of the first and second openings,   wherein the holding member creates a clearance between the first and second blades,   wherein the leading end section is not directly fixed to the upper,   wherein the belt is entirely disposed behind the bending line, and   wherein the dial unit can be adjusted to tighten or loosen the wire.   
     
     
         17 . The golf shoe of  claim 16 , wherein the holding member is fixed to each of the first and second blades. 
     
     
         18 . The golf shoe of  claim 16 , further comprising a tongue, wherein the holding member is disposed between the tongue and the leading end section. 
     
     
         19 . The golf shoe of  claim 16 , wherein the belt covers an area of the upper equivalent to an area from the plantar arch portion to an instep. 
     
     
         20 . The golf shoe of  claim 16 , wherein tightening the wire increases pressure placed on a plantar arch of a wearer's foot.