Sichuan Qianli-Beoka Medical Technology Inc. v. Hyper Ice Inc. et al.

Sichuan Qianli-Beoka Medical Technology Inc. initiated patent infringement litigation against Hyper Ice Inc. and its intellectual property holding entity, Hyperice IP Subco, LLC, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The plaintiff, Sichuan Qianli-Beoka, is a Chinese national high-tech enterprise specializing in the research, development, production, and sale of intelligent rehabilitation and fitness equipment, including various massage devices. The defendants, Hyper Ice Inc. (operating as Hyperice) and Hyperice IP Subco, LLC, are a prominent American health technology company and its IP subsidiary, respectively, known for developing and marketing recovery and movement enhancement technologies such as percussion massage devices (e.g., Hypervolt line), vibration therapy, and compression systems for athletes and consumers globally. The dispute centers on U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082, which generally covers a "Massage device having variable stroke length" and pertains to innovations in percussive massage device technology, commonly known as massage guns. While the specific accused products were not detailed in the provided case metadata, Hyperice's line of massage guns is the likely target, given the nature of the patent and the defendants' core business in that sector.

The case, assigned to Judge John W. Holcomb, was filed on March 7, 2025, and remarkably, administratively closed on May 9, 2025, indicating a swift resolution, likely through voluntary dismissal or a confidential settlement. The Central District of California is a frequently chosen venue for intellectual property disputes, particularly by international companies, owing to its reputation for a speedy average time to trial, a flexible alternative dispute resolution system, and an experienced, diverse judicial bench. Furthermore, the district's absence of universal patent local rules for all judges can provide procedural flexibility that attracts litigants.

This case is notable within the context of the highly competitive and rapidly expanding percussive massage device market. The involvement of a Chinese manufacturer, Sichuan Qianli-Beoka, against a major U.S. brand like Hyperice highlights the intense global competition and intellectual property enforcement in this consumer electronics segment. The rapid administrative closure, consistent with other short-lived patent actions involving the same patent against Hyperice, suggests a pattern of early settlements or product adjustments, rather than prolonged litigation to judgment. This approach allows the patent to remain unadjudicated on the merits, thereby preserving its enforceability against other potential infringers in the market.

The patent infringement litigation Sichuan Qianli-Beoka Medical Technology Inc. v. Hyper Ice Inc. et al. (8:25-cv-00452-JWH) was filed on March 7, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The case was administratively closed a short time later, on May 9, 2025.

Here's a chronological breakdown of the key legal developments and outcome:

• Filing & Initial Pleadings (2025-03-07): Sichuan Qianli-Beoka Medical Technology Inc. filed a patent infringement complaint against Hyper Ice Inc. and Hyperice IP Subco, LLC, asserting U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082, which relates to massage gun technology. The complaint included a demand for a jury trial and sought declaratory judgment under 28 U.S.C. § 2201. Hyperice IP Subco, LLC and Hyper Ice Inc. were also listed as counter-claimants, with Sichuan Qianli-Beoka Medical Technology Inc. as the counter-defendant, indicating that counterclaims were likely filed or intended to be filed as part of the initial responsive pleadings.

• Administrative Closure and Consolidation (2025-05-09): The case was administratively closed on May 9, 2025. This closure was not due to a settlement or a merits ruling, but rather a judicial consolidation order. The court merged this case (8:25-cv-00452) with at least one companion docket (8:25-cv-00260) into a lead case, 8:25-cv-00260-JWH, for coordinated pretrial proceedings, including claim construction (Markman) hearings. The consolidation aimed to promote judicial efficiency given significant factual and legal overlap across related actions concerning massage gun technology and U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082. While administratively closed, the underlying claims from case 8:25-cv-00452 survive and are being litigated within the consolidated lead case.

• Claim Construction Schedule in Lead Case (2025-05-23 onwards): Following consolidation, a claim construction schedule was set in the lead case 8:25-cv-00260-JWH. Key dates included:

  • Disclosure of Asserted Claims and Infringement Contentions: June 20, 2025
  • Invalidity Contentions: August 1, 2025
  • Exchange of Proposed Terms for Construction: August 15, 2025
  • Exchange of Preliminary Claim Constructions and Extrinsic Evidence: September 5, 2025
  • Joint Claim Construction and Prehearing Statement and Expert Reports: November 7, 2025
  • Completion of Claim Construction Discovery: December 5, 2025
  • Simultaneous Opening Claim Construction Briefs: December 19, 2025
  • Simultaneous Responsive Claim Construction Briefs: January 9, 2026
  • Claim Construction Hearing (in person): January 27, 2026, at 10:00 AM.

• Parallel PTAB IPR/PGR Proceedings: There is no specific public record found that Hyper Ice Inc. initiated an IPR/PGR against U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082 in relation to this specific case (8:25-cv-00452). However, Hyperice has been involved in other PTAB proceedings for its own patents related to percussive massage devices. U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082 has been asserted in other patent infringement actions in the Central District of California, some of which also saw quick resolutions, including consolidation or voluntary dismissal.

• Current Posture: While 8:25-cv-00452 is administratively closed, the substantive litigation concerning U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082 is proceeding under the lead consolidated case, 8:25-cv-00260-JWH. An appeal related to "Qianli-Beoka Medical Technology Inc. v. Hyperice, Inc." (case 26-1563) was filed at the Federal Circuit on March 24, 2026, indicating ongoing legal activity potentially stemming from the consolidated cases. The Federal Circuit docket for case 26-1563 lists Qianli-Beoka Medical Technology Inc. as Plaintiff and HYPERICE, INC. and DATAFEEL, INC. as Defendants, and is noted as a Patent Infringement (Fed. Qst.) case.

The counsel of record representing Sichuan Qianli-Beoka Medical Technology Inc. in Sichuan Qianli-Beoka Medical Technology Inc. v. Hyper Ice Inc. et al., case number 8:25-cv-00452-JWH, is not explicitly listed in the readily available public docket summaries from Justia Dockets or PacerMonitor. These summaries confirm the case was filed on March 7, 2025, and administratively closed on May 9, 2025. While there is mention of related cases, including an appeal to the Federal Circuit (26-1563), the specific attorneys for the plaintiff in the initial district court case (8:25-cv-00452-JWH) are not detailed in the provided search results.

Without direct access to the PACER docket for specific entry details like the initial complaint or appearances, identifying the counsel of record for the plaintiff at this time is not possible. Filings detailing counsel may be sealed or not publicly indexed in the summary data.

The defendant(s) in Sichuan Qianli-Beoka Medical Technology Inc. v. Hyper Ice Inc. et al. (8:25-cv-00452-JWH) were represented by:

• Name and role: Benjamin Herbert, Lead Counsel
• Firm and office location: Procopio, Irvine, California
• Relevant patent litigation experience: Benjamin Herbert specializes in patent infringement and trade secret misappropriation litigation, with experience leading multi-district patent litigation campaigns and representing clients in proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He has served as lead counsel for Hyper Ice, Inc. in litigation concerning percussive massage devices across the United States. Prior to joining Procopio in January 2026, he was co-leader of the intellectual property practice at Miller Barondess in Los Angeles.

Although the case 8:25-cv-00452-JWH was administratively closed on May 9, 2025, Benjamin Herbert, representing Hyper Ice, Inc. and Hyperice IP Subco, LLC, filed a "NOTICE of Related Case(s)" in a closely associated matter (8:25-cv-01224) on June 10, 2025, specifically listing 8:25-cv-00452 as a related case. This indicates his representation of the defendants in the broader cluster of percussive massage device patent disputes.