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U.S. International Trade Commission Moves Forward on Exercise Equipment Patent Investigation

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The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) announced it will not review a recent initial determination. This decision comes from Investigation No. 337-TA-1419. The case is about claims by Balanced Body, Inc. of Sacramento, California. Balanced Body says some companies imported exercise equipment and subassemblies that infringe on their patents.

Who is Involved?

  • Guangzhou Oasis, LLC, also known as trysauna.com, from Boulder, Colorado
  • Shandong Tmax Machinery Technology Co., Ltd., China
  • Shandong VOG Sports Products Co., Ltd., China
  • Dezhou Bodi Fitness Equipment Co., Ltd., China
  • Suzhou Selfcipline Sports Goods Co., Ltd., China

A company called Ciga Pilates from Hong Kong was also named at first. The complaint against Ciga Pilates was later withdrawn.

What Patents Are Claimed?

Balanced Body claims some of these companies violated the Tariff Act of 1930. The patents involved are:

  • Claims 1-15, 19-21, and 23-26 from U.S. Patent No. 8,721,511
  • The claim of U.S. Patent No. D659,205
  • The claim of U.S. Patent No. D659,208

Later, the investigation for some patent claims was ended. Only claim 1 and claim 19 of the ‘511 patent and the claims of the D’205 and D’208 patents remain.

Investigation Status

  • On April 9, 2025, five companies were found in default (not defending themselves).
  • On April 16, 2025, some patent claims were removed from the investigation.

Balanced Body asked for two types of orders:

  • A General Exclusion Order (GEO), which would stop all imports of infringing products, from anyone.
  • A Limited Exclusion Order (LEO), which would stop just those companies from importing.

They also asked for a 100% bond on the value of any products imported during a Presidential review period.

ALJ and Commission Decisions

An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) issued a ruling on April 30, 2025. The ALJ granted some of Balanced Body’s motion. The ALJ found that VOG Sports, Dezhou, and Selfcipline violated claim 1 of the ‘511 patent and the D’208 patent. The ALJ said the domestic industry requirement was met. The ALJ also said there was strong evidence to support these findings.

The ALJ said Balanced Body should get a General Exclusion Order (GEO) for claim 1 of the ‘511 patent and the D’208 patent, and a 100% bond. But, this relief was seen as premature because some issues were still open.

On May 9, 2025, Balanced Body withdrew its request for a GEO on some other patent claims. This made the investigation ready to move forward to the “remedy phase.” On May 12, 2025, the ALJ supported issuing a GEO for claim 1 of the ‘511 patent and the D’208 patent, along with a 100% bond.

No company requested a review of the ALJ’s initial determination. The Commission voted on May 30, 2025, not to review the decision.

Next Steps: Seeking Input

The Commission may use its authority to issue orders that:

  • Exclude the products from the U.S.
  • Order companies to stop unfair acts in importing and selling the products.

The USITC is asking parties and the public to send written comments. They want to know:

  • What remedies should be ordered
  • How any remedy could affect the public health and welfare
  • How it could affect U.S. producers, consumers, and competition
  • What the bond amount should be

Balanced Body must provide:

  • The remedy they want
  • Draft remedial orders
  • When the patents expire
  • Importer details
  • Product category information

The deadline for submissions is June 13, 2025. Replies are due June 20, 2025. Extra details on submitting documents are included in the notice.

Bond and Presidential Review

If a remedy is put in place, a 60-day Presidential review follows. During this time, the products can still enter the U.S., but only under a set bond.

Confidential Information

Parties can ask for confidential treatment of their submissions. Redacted versions must be filed for public access.

Authority

The Commission’s authority is based on Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and USITC rules.

Contact and More Information

Namo Kim, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, USITC, can be reached at (202) 205-3459 for questions. More information and documents are available at https://edis.usitc.gov.

This notice was issued by Lisa Barton, Secretary to the Commission, on May 30, 2025.


Legal Disclaimer

This article includes content collected from the Federal Register (federalregister.gov). The content is not an official government publication. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For case-specific consultation, please contact us. Read our full Legal Disclaimer, which also includes information on translation accuracy.