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: 20170282022Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2017Publication date: October 5, 2017Inventors: James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Joel B. Erickson
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Patent number: 9776057Abstract: 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 11, 2016Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
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Patent number: 9687701Abstract: 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: September 28, 2016Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson
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Patent number: 9682295Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 7, 2016Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Patrick Dawson, William C. Watson, Brandon D. DeMille, Bradley C. Rice
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Publication number: 20170028273Abstract: 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 11, 2016Publication date: February 2, 2017Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
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Patent number: 9486677Abstract: 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: September 8, 2015Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson
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Patent number: 9468819Abstract: 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: November 19, 2014Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
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Patent number: 9387373Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 13, 2015Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Brandon D. DeMille, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson
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Publication number: 20160166890Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2016Publication date: June 16, 2016Inventors: Brandon D. DeMille, William C. Watson
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Patent number: 9333404Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 16, 2014Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: CALLOWAY GOLF COMPANYInventors: Craig E. Abbott, William C. Watson, Wee Joung Kim, Bradley C. Rice, Irina Ivanova, Catherine Brookshire, Scott Manwaring
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Patent number: 9283449Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 19, 2014Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Brandon D. DeMille, William C. Watson
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Publication number: 20150080146Abstract: 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: November 19, 2014Publication date: March 19, 2015Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
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Patent number: 8979671Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Brandon D. DeMille, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson
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Patent number: 8956242Abstract: 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 19, 2012Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Brandon D. DeMille
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Patent number: 8926448Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 7, 2013Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Irina Ivanova, Joel B. Erickson, Bradley C. Rice, Brandon D. DeMille, Patrick Dawson, William C. Watson
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Patent number: 8858362Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 7, 2013Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Mark Leposky, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova
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Patent number: 8858360Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 21, 2012Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Steven M. Ehlers
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Publication number: 20140248975Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2014Publication date: September 4, 2014Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANYInventors: Craig E. Abbott, William C. Watson, Wee Joung Kim, Bradley C. Rice, Irina Ivanova, Catherine Brookshire, Scott Manwaring
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Patent number: 8753225Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 30, 2012Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Craig E. Abbott, Kevin Weejoung Kim, Bradley C. Rice, Irina Ivanova, Patrick Dawson, William C. Watson
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Patent number: 8753226Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2012Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova