Patents by Inventor William C. Watson
William C. Watson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20190201755Abstract: A golf club providing improved golf ball launch conditions is disclosed herein. The golf club includes a face component and a sole comprising an elongated recess disposed proximate the face component. The elongated recess preferably is tube shaped, and preferably has an opening with a smaller width than an innermost surface of the elongated recess. The elongated recess may be a separate piece that is permanently affixed within an opening in the sole. Some embodiments of the golf club also comprise a cover affixed to the sole and at least partially covering the opening of the elongated recess, while other embodiments comprise a filler material disposed within the elongated recess or between the elongated recess and an internal surface of the face.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2019Publication date: July 4, 2019Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
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Patent number: 10286263Abstract: The present invention relates to an iron-type golf club head having a lightweight hosel and a high, toe-ward located center of gravity. The golf club head preferably includes a hollow body with a hosel and an interior mold line that extends into the hosel and is separated from a shaft bore by a solid barrier that does not include any through-holes. An upper portion of the body may include a pocket to hold a high-density weight, and the hosel wall may include multiple through-bores to further lighten the hosel. The golf club head may also include one or more internal ribs extending from the hollow interior of the body into the interior of the hosel.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2018Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Irina Ivanova, Joshua D. Westrum, Scott R. Manwaring, Matthew T. Cackett, Brooks Roche, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Sean P. Griffin
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Patent number: 10279224Abstract: A multiple-material golf club head with an improved scarf joint between the crown and the body, and a method of finishing said golf club head is disclosed herein. The golf club preferably has a metal body comprising a striking face, a sole, a return portion, a bond flange, and a rear flange, and a composite crown having a scarf region, a step portion, and a constant thickness region directly behind the scarf region. The golf club is manufactured by providing a club head with a bond flange, providing a composite crown with a scarf region delineated by a front edge and a step portion and/or groove, bonding the scarf region to the bond flange to form an upper golf club head surface, and grinding the upper golf club head surface only from a location proximate the front edge to a location proximate the step portion and/or groove.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2017Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Brian Webb, Brandon D. DeMille, Dominic LeBlanc, Patrick Dawson, William C. Watson, Bradley C. Rice
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Patent number: 10245477Abstract: A golf club head having elevated internal weighting that improves ball speed, reduces backspin, and increases launch angle is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body with a face, sole, and elevated weight bar, which is disposed inside the body and is fixed to heel and toe sides of the body, preferably with mechanical fasteners such as screws or bolts. The weight bar bridges a central portion of the sole, and a central section of the weight bar, which preferably comprises at least 50% of the overall mass of the weight bar, extends towards the face without actually making contact with the face. The sole also includes at least one slot extending perpendicular to the face and underneath the central section of the weight bar, the slot having a front-to-back length that is greater than a maximum front-to-back length of the weight bar.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2018Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Brandon D. DeMille, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Irina Ivanova, Joel B. Erickson
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Patent number: 10213664Abstract: A golf club providing improved golf ball launch conditions is disclosed herein. The golf club includes a face component and a sole comprising an elongated recess disposed proximate the face component. The elongated recess preferably is tube shaped, and preferably has an opening with a smaller width than an innermost surface of the elongated recess. The elongated recess may be a separate piece that is permanently affixed within an opening in the sole. Some embodiments of the golf club also comprise a cover affixed to the sole and at least partially covering the opening of the elongated recess, while other embodiments comprise a filler material disposed within the elongated recess or between the elongated recess and an internal surface of the face.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2018Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
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Publication number: 20190022475Abstract: A golf club head having elevated internal weighting that improves ball speed, reduces backspin, and increases launch angle is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body with a face, sole, and elevated weight bar, which is disposed inside the body and is fixed to heel and toe sides of the body, preferably with mechanical fasteners such as screws or bolts. The weight bar bridges a central portion of the sole, and a central section of the weight bar, which preferably comprises at least 50% of the overall mass of the weight bar, extends towards the face without actually making contact with the face. The sole also includes at least one slot extending perpendicular to the face and underneath the central section of the weight bar, the slot having a front-to-back length that is greater than a maximum front-to-back length of the weight bar.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2018Publication date: January 24, 2019Inventors: Brandon D. DeMille, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Irina Ivanova, Joel B. Erickson
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Publication number: 20180318670Abstract: A golf club providing improved golf ball launch conditions is disclosed herein. The golf club includes a face component and a sole comprising an elongated recess disposed proximate the face component. The elongated recess preferably is tube shaped, and preferably has an opening with a smaller width than an innermost surface of the elongated recess. The elongated recess may be a separate piece that is permanently affixed within an opening in the sole. Some embodiments of the golf club also comprise a cover affixed to the sole and at least partially covering the opening of the elongated recess, while other embodiments comprise a filler material disposed within the elongated recess or between the elongated recess and an internal surface of the face.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2018Publication date: November 8, 2018Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
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Patent number: 10080932Abstract: A golf club head having elevated internal weighting that improves ball speed, reduces backspin, and increases launch angle is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body with a face, sole, and elevated weight bar, which is disposed inside the body and is fixed to heel and toe sides of the body, preferably with mechanical fasteners such as screws or bolts. The weight bar bridges a central portion of the sole, and a central section of the weight bar, which preferably comprises at least 50% of the overall mass of the weight bar, extends towards the face without actually making contact with the face. The sole also includes at least one slot extending perpendicular to the face and underneath the central section of the weight bar, the slot having a front-to-back length that is greater than a maximum front-to-back length of the weight bar.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2017Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Brandon D. DeMille, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Irina Ivanova, Joel B. Erickson
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Patent number: 10016664Abstract: A golf club providing improved golf ball launch conditions is disclosed herein. The golf club includes a face component and a sole comprising an elongated recess disposed proximate the face component. The elongated recess preferably is tube shaped, and preferably has an opening with a smaller width than an innermost surface of the elongated recess. The elongated recess may be a separate piece that is permanently affixed within an opening in the sole. Some embodiments of the golf club also comprise a cover affixed to the sole and at least partially covering the opening of the elongated recess, while other embodiments comprise a filler material disposed within the elongated recess or between the elongated recess and an internal surface of the face.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2017Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
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Patent number: 10010771Abstract: A golf club head comprising a body, an elevated weight bar, and at least one stiffening member is disclosed herein. The elevated weight bar is disposed within a hollow cavity portion of the body and bridges at least a portion of a bottom section of the body, and the at least one stiffening member is also disposed within the hollow cavity portion, extending from a top line section to bottom section of the body and passing through the elevated weight bar without making contact with the elevated weight bar. The elevated weight bar, which is preferably composed of a higher density material than that of the body, may be formed separately from the rest of the body and then affixed to the body by welding or a mechanical fastener.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2017Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson
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Publication number: 20180126229Abstract: The present invention relates to an iron-type golf club head having a lightweight hosel and a high, toe-ward located center of gravity. The golf club head preferably includes a hollow body with a hosel and an interior mold line that extends into the hosel and is separated from a shaft bore by a solid barrier that does not include any through-holes. An upper portion of the body may include a pocket to hold a high-density weight, and the hosel wall may include multiple through-bores to further lighten the hosel. The golf club head may also include one or more internal ribs extending from the hollow interior of the body into the interior of the hosel.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2018Publication date: May 10, 2018Inventors: Irina Ivanova, Joshua D. Westrum, Scott R. Manwaring, Matthew T. Cackett, Brooks Roche, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Sean P. Griffin
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Patent number: 9931549Abstract: A golf club head comprising a body, an elevated weight bar, and a plurality of carbon tubes is disclosed herein. The body comprises a hollow interior, a face section, a sole section, and a crown section, and the elevated weight bar bridges at least a portion of the sole and may be formed separately from the rest of the body and then affixed to the body by welding or a mechanical fastener. In one embodiment, each of the carbon tubes extends from the crown section and terminates at the elevated weight bar, while in another embodiment each of the carbon tubes extends from the crown section to the sole section and passes through the elevated weight bar without making contact with the floating weight bar.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2017Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: James A Seluga, Matthew Myers, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson
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Publication number: 20180071594Abstract: A golf club head comprising a body, an elevated weight bar, and at least one stiffening member is disclosed herein. The elevated weight bar is disposed within a hollow cavity portion of the body and bridges at least a portion of a bottom section of the body, and the at least one stiffening member is also disposed within the hollow cavity portion, extending from a top line section to bottom section of the body and passing through the elevated weight bar without making contact with the elevated weight bar. The elevated weight bar, which is preferably composed of a higher density material than that of the body, may be formed separately from the rest of the body and then affixed to the body by welding or a mechanical fastener.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2017Publication date: March 15, 2018Inventors: James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson
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Publication number: 20180021637Abstract: A golf club head having elevated internal weighting that improves ball speed, reduces backspin, and increases launch angle is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body with a face, sole, and elevated weight bar, which is disposed inside the body and is fixed to heel and toe sides of the body, preferably with mechanical fasteners such as screws or bolts. The weight bar bridges a central portion of the sole, and a central section of the weight bar, which preferably comprises at least 50% of the overall mass of the weight bar, extends towards the face without actually making contact with the face. The sole also includes at least one slot extending perpendicular to the face and underneath the central section of the weight bar, the slot having a front-to-back length that is greater than a maximum front-to-back length of the weight bar.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2017Publication date: January 25, 2018Inventors: Brandon D. DeMille, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Irina Ivanova, Joel B. Erickson
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Publication number: 20180021639Abstract: A golf club providing improved golf ball launch conditions is disclosed herein. The golf club includes a face component and a sole comprising an elongated recess disposed proximate the face component. The elongated recess preferably is tube shaped, and preferably has an opening with a smaller width than an innermost surface of the elongated recess. The elongated recess may be a separate piece that is permanently affixed within an opening in the sole. Some embodiments of the golf club also comprise a cover affixed to the sole and at least partially covering the opening of the elongated recess, while other embodiments comprise a filler material disposed within the elongated recess or between the elongated recess and an internal surface of the face.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2017Publication date: January 25, 2018Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
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Patent number: 9861863Abstract: The present invention relates to an iron-type golf club head having a lightweight hosel and a high, toe-ward located center of gravity. The golf club head preferably includes a hollow body with a hosel and an interior mold line that extends into the hosel and is separated from a shaft bore by a solid barrier that does not include any through-holes. An upper portion of the body may include a pocket to hold a high-density weight, and the hosel wall may include multiple through-bores to further lighten the hosel. The golf club head may also include one or more internal ribs extending from the hollow interior of the body into the interior of the hosel.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2016Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Irina Ivanova, Joshua D. Westrum, Scott R. Manwaring, Matthew T. Cackett, Brooks Roche, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Sean P. Griffin
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Patent number: 9855476Abstract: A golf club head having multiple structural columns is disclosed herein. A body comprises a face section, a sole section, and a crown or return section, and defines a hollow interior. Each of the structural columns extends from the crown or return section to the sole section within the hollow interior to reduce stresses placed on the face section during impact with a golf ball. The structural columns are all located within 1 inch of a rear surface of the face section measured along a plane normal to the center of the face, and are spaced a distance of 0.500 to 2.00 inch from one another within the hollow interior.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2017Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Joel B. Erickson
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Patent number: 9849349Abstract: The present invention relates to an iron-type golf club head having a hollow body cavity, a hosel with a shaft-receiving bore that communicates with the hollow body cavity to form a continuous cavity structure, and a center of gravity located closer to the toe than to the heel. The iron-type golf club head preferably includes a face component with a striking face and a rear extending sole portion, and may also include supporting ribs within the continuous cavity structure, a hosel cutout covered by a cover made from a lower-density material than that of the hosel, and through-holes extending through a wall of the hosel.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2016Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Joshua D. Westrum, Irina Ivanova, Scott R. Manwaring, Brooks Roche, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Broadus Perry Wall, Jr.
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Patent number: 9827469Abstract: A golf club head comprising a body, an elevated weight bar, and at least one stiffening member is disclosed herein. The elevated weight bar is disposed within a hollow cavity portion of the body and bridges at least a portion of a bottom section of the body, and the at least one stiffening member is also disposed within the hollow cavity portion, extending from a top line section to bottom section of the body and passing through the elevated weight bar without making contact with the elevated weight bar. The elevated weight bar, which is preferably composed of a higher density material than that of the body, may be formed separately from the rest of the body and then affixed to the body by welding or a mechanical fastener.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2017Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson
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Patent number: 9782642Abstract: A golf club head having elevated internal weighting that improves ball speed, reduces backspin, and increases launch angle is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body with a face, sole, and elevated weight bar, which is disposed inside the body and is fixed to heel and toe sides of the body, preferably with mechanical fasteners such as screws or bolts. The weight bar bridges a central portion of the sole, and a central section of the weight bar, which preferably comprises at least 50% of the overall mass of the weight bar, extends towards the face without actually making contact with the face. The sole also includes at least one slot extending perpendicular to the face and underneath the central section of the weight bar, the slot having a front-to-back length that is greater than a maximum front-to-back length of the weight bar.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2016Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Brandon D. DeMille, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Irina Ivanova, Joel B. Erickson