US 7,611,424 · Granted 2009-11-03
The Sliding Weight That Let Golfers Tune Their Driver Mid-Round
Mizuno invented a wood-type golf club where you can slide a small weight back and forth along a groove on the back of the club head, then lock it in place with a fastener. By moving the weight, golfers can shift where the club's center of gravity sits, changing how the ball flies without buying a whole new club.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers the specific design of a golf club head with an interior cavity, a ball-striking face, and a ribbon extending backward from that face. What's protected here is the combination of an elongated groove running along that ribbon, plus a weight that slides inside the groove and can be locked in different positions using a fastener. Anyone making a wood-type club with this exact sliding-weight system on the back would be infringing.
Why it matters
This patent represents a shift in club design philosophy from static, one-size-fits-all geometry to user-adjustable performance. Rather than force golfers to buy multiple clubs or accept a fixed center of gravity, the sliding weight lets players tune their club's behavior on the fly. This kind of customization became increasingly common in premium golf equipment, giving manufacturers a way to add perceived value and extend product lifecycles through adjustment rather than replacement.
Real-world use
When a golfer feels their driver isn't performing quite right, they can loosen the fastener, slide the weight toward the heel or toe to adjust spin and launch angle, then lock it back down before the next shot.
Original USPTO abstract
A golf club head of the wood-type, including: a body defining an interior cavity and including a ball-striking face, a sole, a crown, and a ribbon extending rearwardly from the face; an elongated groove that extends along a portion of the ribbon; a weight slidably disposed in the elongated grove; and a fastener affixed to the weight capable of selectively fixing a location of the weight.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 7,611,424
- Filing date
- 2007-02-12
- Grant date
- 2009-11-03
- Assignee
- Mizuno Usa, Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- NAGAI MASAO, LLEWELLYN DAVID, KANAYAMA TETSUYA
- CPC class
- A63B53/0466
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