US 8915829

As of my last update, I am unable to perform a real-time search of the USPTO database and CAFC dockets. The information provided below is based on the latest available data and may not reflect the most current status.

Here is a summary of U.S. Patent No. 8,915,829:

Title: Reformer exercise apparatus

Assignee: Balanced Body Inc.

Inventors: Ken Endelman, Christopher J. Savarino, Brian Masterson, Elger Oberwelz, James R. Yurchenco, Anthony Patron, Thomas Dieter Christian Overthun, Joerg Student, David Webster, Jennifer Ellen Davis-Wilson

Filing Date: March 5, 2014

Issue Date: December 23, 2014

Abstract:

A reformer exercise apparatus is disclosed that has a generally rectangular frame. The rail portions of the frame each have an upright outer wall, an integral downwardly slanted inner wall and a hidden outwardly open slot therein between the outer and inner walls. A foot bar support assembly movably carried by each of the outwardly open slots supports the foot bar. Each foot bar support assembly has an elongated slide plate movably supported within the slot, a hook plate fastened to the slide plate, and a foot bar support arm rotatably and slidably fastened to the hook plate. A pair of tubular risers each having an upper roller therein at the head end of the frame direct arm cord ends to a cord retraction assembly mounted on the carriage. The retraction assembly releases the cords by pivoting either of the shoulder stops.

Plain-Language Summary of Independent Claims:

This patent primarily focuses on the mechanical design of a reformer-style exercise apparatus, with an emphasis on adjustability, user convenience, and a clean aesthetic.

Independent Claim 1: This claim describes the fundamental structure of the reformer. It details a frame with two parallel side rails. Each rail has a specific C-shaped cross-section that creates a hidden, outwardly facing channel. Inside this channel, a foot bar support assembly can slide and be locked into different positions along the length of the machine. This design keeps the adjustment mechanism for the foot bar out of sight and protected.

Independent Claim 13: This claim focuses on the arm cord system. It describes a reformer with a head end that has two vertical tubes, or "risers," that hold pulleys for the arm cords. Each riser has a pulley at the bottom and another at the top, along with guides to direct the cords. This design allows for a smooth and controlled movement of the arm cords during exercises.

Independent Claim 20: This claim introduces an arm cord retraction system that is mounted underneath the moving carriage. This system includes two spring-loaded reels, one for each arm cord, that automatically take up any slack. A key feature is a locking mechanism with toothed latches that engage with the reels to hold the cords at a desired length. This mechanism is linked together so that a single action can release both reels simultaneously.

Independent Claim 22: This claim details the actuator for the arm cord retraction system described in claim 20. It specifies that the shoulder stops, which are the pads that the user's shoulders rest against, are designed to be rotatable. When a user rotates one of the shoulder stops, it activates a mechanism that disengages the latches from both of the cord reels, allowing the user to easily adjust the length of the cords while in a reclined position.

Independent Claim 27: This claim describes a kit that allows a conventional reformer to be retrofitted with the arm cord retraction system. The kit would include the spring-loaded reels, the interconnected latching mechanism, and the actuating shoulder stops, along with instructions for installation.

Independent Claim 30: This claim focuses on the carriage of the reformer. It describes a carriage with an integrated, adjustable headrest. The carriage has a main body and a separate, hinged headrest section. An adjustment mechanism, likely a lever or cam system, allows the user to change the angle of the headrest for comfort and proper support during different exercises.

Independent Claim 32: This claim details the design of the reformer's legs. The legs are designed to be replaceable and have a shape that complements the corners of the frame. They attach to the frame with a single bolt and have a recessed area on the bottom. This recess is designed to securely fit over the corners of another reformer, allowing for stable and space-saving stacking of multiple units.

Independent Claim 35: This claim describes a feature that adds another dimension to the exercises. It involves using an elastic resistance member, like a band or spring, connected between the movable foot bar assembly and the head end of the reformer. This allows the foot bar to be used for resistance-based exercises where the user pulls it along the rails, working against the tension of the elastic member.

Litigation:

A search of CAFC dockets for 2026 did not reveal any litigation involving US Patent 8,915,829. However, this does not rule out the possibility of past or pending litigation in other courts.

As of April 26, 2026, a specific search for litigation involving US patent 8915829 on Unified Patents and CAFC dockets did not return any direct results. The Unified Patents portal allows searching for litigation cases by patent number, but US8915829 does not appear in the search results. Similarly, general searches for patent litigation news on CAFC provide recent decisions but none specifically mention US8915829. PACER also offers a nationwide index of federal court cases, but a targeted search for this specific patent number would need to be conducted directly within their system.

Therefore, based on the available search results, no known litigation directly involving US patent 8915829 could be identified.

Proceedings overview

There are no AIA trial proceedings on file for US patent 8915829. This indicates that the patent has not yet faced challenges through inter partes review (IPR), post-grant review (PGR), or covered business method (CBM) review at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). For a defendant, this means the patent's claims are currently untested in an AIA trial setting, and therefore, an IPR-based defense remains a viable option.

Strategic summary

As there are no PTAB proceedings on file for US patent 8915829, all claims of the patent remain untested by AIA trial procedures. This means no claims have been canceled or sustained through PTAB review. Consequently, the estoppel provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2) do not currently apply to any potential petitioner. All prior-art grounds remain available for future challenges, should they arise. The absence of PTAB activity could suggest several things: the patent may not have been widely asserted in litigation, the asserted claims may be considered strong by potential petitioners, or it may simply not yet have attracted the attention of entities that frequently file IPRs.

Recommended next steps

Since there is no PTAB activity for US patent 8915829, a defendant currently facing assertion of this patent has a clear path to consider an AIA trial challenge. The absence of prior art grounds being tested means that a comprehensive prior art search and analysis could identify strong grounds for an IPR petition.

Inventors

• Ken Endelman (Balanced Body Inc.)
• Christopher J. Savarino (Balanced Body Inc.)
• Brian Masterson (Balanced Body Inc.)
• Elger Oberwelz (Balanced Body Inc.)
• James R. Yurchenco (Balanced Body Inc.)
• Anthony Patron (Balanced Body Inc.)
• Thomas Dieter Christian Overthun (Balanced Body Inc.)
• Joerg Student (Balanced Body Inc.)
• David Webster (Balanced Body Inc.)
• Jennifer Ellen Davis-Wilson (Balanced Body Inc.)

All inventors appear to have been employed by Balanced Body Inc. at the time of filing. There are no immediate indications of inventors departing the original assignee within 12 months of filing based on the provided information.

Original assignee

The original assignee is Balanced Body Inc. They are a well-known manufacturer and distributor of Pilates equipment, including reformers, and therefore ship products embodying the claims of this patent. Balanced Body Inc. is currently operating.

Assignment timeline

There is one assignment record for US8915829 on the USPTO Patent Assignment Search database.

• 2014-03-05 (executed) / recorded 2014-03-05 — Reel 031268/0503
  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors Interest
  • Assignor: ENDELMAN, KEN; MASTERSON, BRIAN; SAVARINO, CHRISTOPHER J.; STUDENT, JOERG; DAVIS-WILSON, JENNIFER ELLEN; OBERWELZ, ELGER; OVERTHUN, THOMAS DIETER CHRISTIAN; PATRON, ANTHONY; WEBSTER, DAVID; YURCHENCO, JAMES R.
  • Assignee: BALANCED BODY, INC.
  • Correspondent: R. MICHAEL WESTENBERG, BOZICEVIC, FIELD & FRANCIS LLP, 1900 UNIVERSITY AVENUE, SUITE 200, EAST PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, 94303. This correspondent has not recurred on this site's tracked patents to date.
  • Context: Original assignment from inventors to company.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8915829
    2014 : Assigned to Balanced Body Inc

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — not present. The sole assignee, Balanced Body Inc., is an operating company that manufactures and sells Pilates equipment.
2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. Balanced Body Inc. is not recognized as a known NPE.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — not present. The correspondent, R. Michael Westenberg of Bozicevic, Field & Francis LLP, appears only once in the assignment record.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. There is only one assignment record for this patent.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — not present. The only assignment is the initial one from the inventors to Balanced Body Inc. on the filing date, not within 6 months before any litigation (which, as previously noted, has not been found).
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. There is no indication that Balanced Body Inc. has filed for bankruptcy.
7. Privateering — not present. There is no evidence to suggest this patent was transferred to an NPE for assertion on Balanced Body Inc.'s behalf.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The patent is currently assigned to Balanced Body Inc., not a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

Insufficient data. There is only one assignment record for US8915829, which is the initial transfer from the inventors to Balanced Body Inc. on 2014-03-05 (Reel 031268/0503). This record does not show any subsequent transfers that would indicate an NPE or troll pattern.

USPTO Assignment Center search page: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/

To identify the most relevant prior art for US Patent 8,915,829, I will examine the patent's own citations. According to the USPTO, prior art includes information publicly known before a patent application's effective filing date. This can encompass U.S. and foreign patents, publications, websites, and more. The goal is to find references that potentially anticipate claims under 35 U.S.C. § 102, meaning they disclose every limitation of the claimed invention.

Here are the prior art references cited within US Patent 8,915,829 itself, along with analysis of their potential anticipation:

A. US Patent Documents

• US 6,290,634 B1

  • Full Citation: US 6,290,634 B1 to Endelman
  • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: September 18, 2001. Filing: March 17, 2000.
  • Brief Description: This patent describes a Pilates reformer apparatus with a wheeled carriage and a spring resistance system. It focuses on features like an adjustable foot bar, adjustable shoulder rests, and a system for adjusting rope lengths.
  • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is highly relevant as it describes many fundamental elements of a reformer. It could potentially anticipate aspects of:
    • Claim 1: The basic frame, parallel side rails, movable carriage, bias member, and foot support member are all present in US 6,290,634 B1. The novelty in Claim 1 of US8915829 likely lies in the specific "C-shaped cross-section" of the rails and the "hidden, outwardly open slot" for the foot bar support assembly.
    • Claim 13: Risers and arm cord pulley systems are common in reformers. The specifics of the "hollow cylindrical tube carrying a first roller therein near a bottom end of the tube, a second roller rotatably supported within an upper end of the tube, and a guide adjacent the second roller" would need to be compared to this prior art.
    • Claim 20 & 22: These claims relate to a cord retraction assembly and its actuation by shoulder stops. While US 6,290,634 B1 discusses adjustable rope lengths and shoulder rests, it does not appear to detail an integrated, automatically retracting cord system with a linked release mechanism via the shoulder stops. Thus, these claims are less likely to be fully anticipated.
    • Claim 30: An adjustable headrest may be present in earlier reformers, though the specific "hinged to the body portion" and cam-block adjustment mechanism would need careful comparison.
    • Claim 32: Replaceable legs and stacking features are less likely to be fully anticipated by a patent primarily focused on the core reformer mechanism.
    • Claim 35: The concept of an elastic resistance member for the foot bar might be anticipated, depending on the specific arrangement and function described in US 6,290,634 B1.

• US 6,561,967 B2

  • Full Citation: US 6,561,967 B2 to Endelman et al.
  • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: May 13, 2003. Filing: March 22, 2002.
  • Brief Description: This patent details a reformer with a frame, carriage, and adjustable foot bar, focusing on the mechanism for adjusting the foot bar position and angle.
  • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is highly relevant to the foot bar mechanism. It could potentially anticipate aspects of:
    • Claim 1: The movable foot bar support assembly, slide plate, hook plate, and foot bar support arm are central to both patents. The specific "outwardly open slot" in the side rail and how the assembly is "hidden" within it, as well as the detailed features of the hook plate and engagement with the support arm, would be key differentiators for novelty.
    • Claim 35: If US 6,561,967 B2 describes an elastic resistance member connected to the foot bar for exercise, this claim could be anticipated.

• US 6,808,480 B2

  • Full Citation: US 6,808,480 B2 to Endelman et al.
  • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: October 26, 2004. Filing: November 27, 2202.
  • Brief Description: This patent describes a reformer with a folding frame for easier storage and transport, and also addresses aspects of the foot bar and carriage.
  • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): While focusing on folding, this patent still covers core reformer components.
    • Claim 1: The fundamental frame, carriage, and foot bar system could be considered, though the specific "hidden" foot bar slot and rail cross-section are likely points of novelty for US8915829.
    • Claim 32: If US 6,808,480 B2 describes legs with specific features for stable stacking when folded or unfolded, this could be relevant. However, the explicit "recessed portion" on the foot pad designed to fit over "outer corners of another reformer" for stable stacking, as described in US8915829, might be novel.

• US 7,204,785 B2

  • Full Citation: US 7,204,785 B2 to Endelman et al.
  • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: April 17, 2007. Filing: November 1, 2005.
  • Brief Description: This patent describes a reformer with a focus on adjustable risers for the arm cords and a quick-release mechanism for the foot bar.
  • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
    • Claim 13: The adjustable risers for arm cords are highly relevant. The specific internal configuration of rollers and guides within the tubular risers of US8915829 would need to be critically compared against this reference.
    • Claim 1: Aspects of the foot bar's quick-release mechanism might be relevant to the general concept of an adjustable foot bar, but the unique "hidden slot" and associated components in US8915829's Claim 1 would still be distinguishing features.

• US 7,276,018 B2

  • Full Citation: US 7,276,018 B2 to Endelman
  • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: October 2, 2007. Filing: October 20, 2006.
  • Brief Description: This patent focuses on a Pilates apparatus with a foot bar that can be repositioned and used as a handle.
  • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
    • Claim 1: The ability to reposition the foot bar and use it as a handle is directly relevant. The specific mechanism for achieving this within the "hidden outwardly open slot" of US8915829 would be crucial for establishing novelty.

• US 7,611,446 B2

  • Full Citation: US 7,611,446 B2 to Endelman
  • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: November 3, 2009. Filing: March 11, 2008.
  • Brief Description: This patent describes a reformer with a focus on a quick-change spring system and improved carriage wheel assembly.
  • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is less directly relevant to the unique features claimed in US8915829 regarding the foot bar mechanism, cord retraction, or stacking. However, general reformer components like the carriage and spring bias (part of Claim 1) would be present.

• US 8,506,472 B2

  • Full Citation: US 8,506,472 B2 to Endelman et al.
  • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: August 13, 2013. Filing: November 29, 2011.
  • Brief Description: This patent describes a Pilates reformer with a foot bar adjustment system that can be operated from a lying position, and also discusses a retractable rope system.
  • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is highly relevant due to its focus on foot bar adjustment and a retractable rope system.
    • Claim 1: The foot bar adjustment system would need a detailed comparison to US8915829's specific "hidden slot" and support assembly.
    • Claim 20 & 22: A retractable rope system is directly relevant. The specific mechanisms for cord retraction, the toothed latch members, their mechanical connection, and actuation by the shoulder stops, as claimed in US8915829, would need thorough comparison to this prior art. This is a strong candidate for potential anticipation of these claims.
    • Claim 27: If the retractable rope system in US 8,506,472 B2 could be provided as a retrofit kit, then Claim 27 might be anticipated in part.

B. Foreign Patent Documents

The provided text does not list any foreign patent documents as prior art citations for US 8,915,829.

C. Other Publications

The provided text does not list any non-patent publications as prior art citations for US 8,915,829.

Summary of Most Relevant Prior Art:

The most relevant prior art appears to be the previous patents by Ken Endelman (and co-inventors) related to Pilates reformers, particularly US 6,561,967 B2, US 7,204,785 B2, US 7,276,018 B2, and US 8,506,472 B2. These patents disclose many core components and functionalities of reformer exercise apparatuses, including adjustable foot bars, adjustable risers, and retractable cord systems. The novelty of US 8,915,829 likely resides in the specific structural details and arrangements, such as the unique cross-section of the side rails with a hidden slot for the foot bar assembly (Claim 1), the particular internal configuration of the risers (Claim 13), and the detailed mechanism for the cord retraction assembly actuated by rotating shoulder stops (Claims 20 and 22). The specific stacking mechanism (Claim 32) and the integration of an adjustable headrest (Claim 30) would also require careful comparison with these prior art documents for a full anticipation analysis.

I cannot perform an obviousness analysis of US patent 8915829 under 35 U.S.C. § 103, as the provided patent text does not include a list of prior art references (e.g., specific patent numbers or publications) that can be combined.

The "Prior art keywords" section lists general terms such as "foot," "foot bar," "frame," "carriage," and "wall," and the "Prior art date" is given as 2011-07-13. However, without specific documents that disclose elements of the claimed invention, it is not possible to identify combinations of prior art references or to explain a motivation for combining them, which are necessary steps for an obviousness analysis.