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).

  • Publication number: 20170282022
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Joel B. Erickson
  • Patent number: 9776057
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
  • Patent number: 9687701
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson
  • Patent number: 9682295
    Abstract: A multiple-material golf club head with an improved scarf joint between the crown and the body is disclosed herein. The golf club preferably is a driver that has a metal body comprising a striking face, a sole, a return portion, a front flange, and a rear flange, and a composite crown having a scarf joint region, a transitional thickness region directly behind the scarf joint region, and a constant thickness region directly behind the transitional thickness region. The thickness distribution along the crown, in combination with the tapered edge of the scarf joint and its intersection with the front flange, greatly reduces the stress placed on critical portions of the club head and improves overall golf club head durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Patrick Dawson, William C. Watson, Brandon D. DeMille, Bradley C. Rice
  • Publication number: 20170028273
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
  • Patent number: 9486677
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson
  • Patent number: 9468819
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
  • Patent number: 9387373
    Abstract: A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a composite sole or a composite body patch with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the composite sole or composite body patch, and each of the weight ports include a weight receiving region for receiving a weight and a screw receiving region for receiving a screw that secures the weight in the weight port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Brandon D. DeMille, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson
  • Publication number: 20160166890
    Abstract: A novel material comprising collections of prepreg plies and a variable thickness core material such as sheet molding compound or metal, methods of forming said material, and golf clubs comprising said material are disclosed herein. Golf club heads having faces made of multiple materials, including a composite layer at least partially sandwiched between two metal layers, are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Brandon D. DeMille, William C. Watson
  • Patent number: 9333404
    Abstract: A golf club having features that permit easy customization by consumers is disclosed herein. The golf club includes at least one weight port, at least one removable weight port insert, which may be a weight port ring or one or more weight port medallions, and at least one weight screw. The weight port of the golf club head preferably is non-circular and asymmetric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: CALLOWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventors: Craig E. Abbott, William C. Watson, Wee Joung Kim, Bradley C. Rice, Irina Ivanova, Catherine Brookshire, Scott Manwaring
  • Patent number: 9283449
    Abstract: A novel material comprising collections of prepreg plies and a variable thickness core material such as sheet molding compound or metal, methods of forming said material, and golf clubs comprising said material are disclosed herein. Golf club heads having faces made of multiple materials, including a composite layer at least partially sandwiched between two metal layers, are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Brandon D. DeMille, William C. Watson
  • Publication number: 20150080146
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
  • Patent number: 8979671
    Abstract: A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a composite sole or a composite body patch with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the composite sole or composite body patch, and each of the weight ports include a weight receiving region for receiving a weight and a screw receiving region for receiving a screw that secures the weight in the weight port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Brandon D. DeMille, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson
  • Patent number: 8956242
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
  • Patent number: 8926448
    Abstract: A golf club head having a center of gravity located at a point close to the face and the sole is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body including a weight lip and face component, and the weight lip extends from the sole inside the body towards the face component without making contact with the face component. The golf club head is preferably a wood-type or hybrid-type golf club head. In other embodiments, the golf club head comprises a weight bar disposed within the hollow body proximate the face component, and the weight bar bridges at least a portion of the sole. The weight bar may be movable within the hollow body to allow for center of gravity adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Irina Ivanova, Joel B. Erickson, Bradley C. Rice, Brandon D. DeMille, Patrick Dawson, William C. Watson
  • Patent number: 8858362
    Abstract: A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a sole or a body patch with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the sole or body patch, and each of the weight ports includes an upper edge, a lower edge, and a wall having a variable thickness and varying radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Mark Leposky, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova
  • Patent number: 8858360
    Abstract: 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. 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Steven M. Ehlers
  • Publication number: 20140248975
    Abstract: A golf club having features that permit easy customization by consumers is disclosed herein. The golf club includes at least one weight port, at least one removable weight port insert, which may be a weight port ring or one or more weight port medallions, and at least one weight screw. The weight port of the golf club head preferably is non-circular and asymmetric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventors: Craig E. Abbott, William C. Watson, Wee Joung Kim, Bradley C. Rice, Irina Ivanova, Catherine Brookshire, Scott Manwaring
  • Patent number: 8753225
    Abstract: A golf club having features that permit easy customization by consumers is disclosed herein. The golf club includes at least one weight port, at least one removable weight port insert, which may be a weight port ring or one or more weight port medallions, and at least one weight screw. The weight port of the golf club head preferably is non-circular and asymmetric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Craig E. Abbott, Kevin Weejoung Kim, Bradley C. Rice, Irina Ivanova, Patrick Dawson, William C. Watson
  • Patent number: 8753226
    Abstract: A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a composite sole or a composite body patch with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the composite sole or composite body patch, and each of the weight ports includes an upper edge, a lower edge, and a wall having a variable thickness and varying radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova