U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`
`
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`______________________________________________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`______________________________________________
`
`
`
`
`THERABODY, INC.
`Petitioner
`
`
`v.
`
`HYPERICE IP SUBCO, LLC
`Patent Owner.
`
`
`_________________________
`
`Case No. PGR2025-00013
`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`_________________________
`
`
`
`PETITION FOR POST-GRANT REVIEW
`OF U.S. PATENT NO. 11,938,082
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`
`Page
`
`
`INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 1 
`I. 
`II.  MANDATORY NOTICES UNDER 37 C.F.R. §42.8 ................................... 1 
`III. 
`FEE AUTHORIZATION ............................................................................... 3 
`IV.  GROUNDS FOR STANDING ....................................................................... 3 
`V. 
`PRECISE RELIEF REQUESTED ................................................................. 4 
`VI.  THE CHALLENGED PATENT .................................................................... 4 
`VII.  PROSECUTION HISTORY OF THE ’082 PATENT ................................. 11 
`VIII.  LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART .......................................... 13 
`IX.  PRIORITY DATE ........................................................................................ 13 
`X. 
`CLAIM CONSTRUCTION ......................................................................... 13 
`XI.  DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE UNPATENTABILITY
`GROUNDS UNDER 35 U.S.C. § 112 ......................................................... 15 
`A. 
`Claims 1-18 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 112 based on
`lack of written description support. .................................................... 15 
`1. 
`Ground 1A: The specification fails to enable the full
`scope of the recited “quick-connect system” limitation. ......... 16 
`Ground 1B: The specification fails to disclose the
`“substantially cylindrical bore” recited in dependent
`Claim 13. .................................................................................. 19 
`Ground 1C: The specification fails to disclose the “a
`proximal end of the first massaging head has a pocket to
`receive the distal end of the piston” recited in dependent
`Claim 17. .................................................................................. 21 
`Ground 2: Claims 13-16 are unpatentable as indefinite under
`35 U.S.C. § 112. ................................................................................. 23 
`XII.  BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE APPLIED PRIOR ART ......................... 25 
`A.  U.S. Patent No. 4,513,737 (“Mabuchi”) (Ex-1005) ........................... 25 
`B. 
`U.S. Patent No. 6,432,072 (“Harris”) (Ex-1006) ............................... 28 
`C. 
`U.S. Patent No. 6,682,496 (“Pivaroff”) (Ex-1007) ............................ 29 
`
`2. 
`
`3. 
`
`B. 
`
`i
`
`

`

`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`(continued)
`
`Page
`
`
`
`D.  U.S. Published Patent App. No. 2007/0150004 (“Colloca”) (Ex-
`1009) ................................................................................................... 31 
`U.S. Patent No. 3,007,504 (“Clark”) (Ex-1014) ................................ 33 
`E. 
`XIII.  DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE UNPATENTABILITY
`GROUNDS UNDER 35 U.S.C. § 103 ......................................................... 34 
`A.  Ground 3: Claims 1, 7, 9-11, 13, and 18 Are Unpatentable
`Under 35 U.S.C. § 103 As Obvious Over Mabuchi In View Of
`Colloca. ............................................................................................... 34 
`1. 
`A POSITA Would Have Been Motivated to Combine
`Mabuchi’s Teachings With Colloca and Would Have
`Had a Reasonable Expectation of Success. ............................. 34 
`Independent Claim 1 ................................................................ 36 
`a. 
`Element 1[pre]: “A percussive massager
`comprising:” .................................................................. 36 
`Element 1[a]: “a housing;” ........................................... 36 
`Element 1[b]: “a piston having a proximal end and
`a distal end, the distal end of the piston having a
`bore;” ............................................................................. 36 
`Element 1[c]: “a motor operatively connected to
`the proximal end of the piston, wherein the motor
`is configured to cause the piston to reciprocate at a
`first speed;” .................................................................... 39 
`Element 1[d]: “a drive mechanism that controls a
`predetermined stroke length of the piston; and” ........... 40 
`Element 1[e]: “a quick-connect system comprising
`the distal end of the piston and a first massaging
`head, wherein the quick-connect system is
`configured to have a proximal end of the first
`massaging head inserted into or removed from the
`bore while the piston reciprocates the
`predetermined stroke length at the first speed.” ............ 40 
`Claim 7: “The percussive massager of claim 1, wherein
`
`b. 
`c. 
`
`d. 
`
`e. 
`
`f. 
`
`2. 
`
`3. 
`
`ii
`
`

`

`
`
`4. 
`
`5. 
`
`6. 
`
`7. 
`
`8. 
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`(continued)
`
`Page
`
`the motor has an output shaft configured to rotate about a
`rotation axis, and wherein
`the drive mechanism
`comprises: a flywheel operatively connected to the
`output shaft of the motor to rotate about a flywheel axis,
`the output shaft extending into the flywheel along the
`flywheel axis; and a crank pin extending from the
`flywheel, the crank pin being operatively connected to
`the piston.” ............................................................................... 45 
`Claim 9: “The percussive massager of claim 7, further
`comprising a handle, wherein the motor and the handle
`are on a same side of a plane perpendicular to the
`flywheel axis that extends through the flywheel.” ................... 47 
`Claim 10: “The percussive massager of claim 7, wherein
`an offset between the flywheel axis and an axis of the
`crank pin controls the predetermined stroke length of the
`piston.” ..................................................................................... 48 
`Claim 11: “The percussive massager of claim 7, wherein
`the motor is directly connected to the flywheel, and
`wherein the crank pin is directly connected to the
`flywheel.” ................................................................................. 49 
`Claim 13: “The percussive massager of claim 1, wherein
`the bore comprises a substantially cylindrical bore.” .............. 49 
`Independent Claim 18 .............................................................. 50 
`a. 
`Element 18 [pre]: “A method of assembling a
`percussive massager, the method comprising:” ............ 50 
`Element 18 [a]: “operatively connecting a motor
`to a proximal end of a piston, wherein the motor is
`configured to cause the piston to reciprocate at a
`first speed, wherein a distal end of the piston has a
`bore,”.............................................................................. 50 
`Element 18 [b]: “providing a drive mechanism
`configured to control a predetermined stroke
`length of the piston;” ..................................................... 50 
`
`b. 
`
`c. 
`
`iii
`
`

`

`
`
`B. 
`
`C. 
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`(continued)
`
`Page
`
`Element 18 [c]: “providing a quick-connect
`system comprising the distal end of the piston and
`a first massaging head, wherein a proximal end of
`the first massaging head is configured to be
`inserted into or removed from the bore while the
`piston reciproctes the predetermined stroke length
`at the first speed.” .......................................................... 51 
`Ground 4: Claims 2-4 Are Unpatentable Under 35 U.S.C.
`§ 103 As Obvious Over Mabuchi and Colloca, further in view
`of Harris .............................................................................................. 51 
`1. 
`A POSITA would have been motivated to combine
`Mabuchi, Colloca, and Harris’s teachings and would
`have had a reasonable expectation of success ......................... 51 
`Claim 2: “The percussive massager of claim 1, wherein
`the motor is configured to cause the piston to reciprocate
`at a second speed.” ................................................................... 53 
`Claim 3: “The percussive massager of claim 1, further
`comprising: a control panel positioned on an exterior of
`the housing.” ............................................................................ 54 
`Claim 4: “The percussive massager of claim 3, wherein
`the control panel is configured to display one or more
`visual indicators.”..................................................................... 55 
`Ground 5: Claims 1, 7, 9-11, 13, and 18 Are Unpatentable
`Under 35 U.S.C. § 103 As Obvious Over Pivaroff In View of
`Clark. .................................................................................................. 55 
`1. 
`A POSITA would have been motivated to combine
`Pivaroff and Clark’s teachings and would have had a
`reasonable expectation of success ............................................ 55 
`Independent Claim 1 ................................................................ 58 
`a. 
`Element 1[pre]: “A percussive massager
`comprising:” .................................................................. 58 
`Element 1[a]: “a housing;” ........................................... 58 
`
`2. 
`
`3. 
`
`4. 
`
`2. 
`
`d. 
`
`b. 
`
`iv
`
`

`

`
`
`3. 
`
`4. 
`
`5. 
`
`6. 
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`(continued)
`
`Page
`
`c. 
`
`d. 
`
`Element 1[b]: “a piston in the housing having a
`proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the
`piston having a bore;” .................................................... 59 
`Element 1[c]: “a motor operatively connected to
`the proximal end of the piston, wherein the motor
`is configured to cause the piston to reciprocate at a
`first speed;” .................................................................... 60 
`Element 1[d]: “a drive mechanism that controls a
`predetermined stroke length of the piston; and” ........... 61 
`Element 1[e]: “a quick-connect system comprising
`the distal end of the piston and a first massaging
`head, wherein the quick-connect system is
`configured to have a proximal end of the first
`massaging head inserted into or removed from the
`bore while the piston reciprocates the
`predetermined stroke length at the first speed.” ............ 62 
`Claim 7: “The percussive massager of claim 1, wherein
`the motor has an output shaft configured to rotate about a
`rotation axis, and wherein
`the drive mechanism
`comprises: a flywheel operatively connected to the
`output shaft of the motor to rotate about a flywheel axis,
`the output shaft extending into the flywheel along the
`flywheel axis; and a crank pin extending from the
`flywheel, the crank pin being operatively connected to
`the piston.” ............................................................................... 65 
`Claim 9: “The percussive massager of claim 7, further
`comprising a handle, wherein the motor and the handle
`are on a same side of a plane perpendicular to the
`flywheel axis that extends through the flywheel.” ................... 67 
`Claim 10: “The percussive massager of claim 7, wherein
`an offset between the flywheel axis and an axis of the
`crank pin controls the predetermined stroke length of the
`piston.” ..................................................................................... 68 
`Claim 11: “The percussive massager of claim 7, wherein
`
`e. 
`
`f. 
`
`v
`
`

`

`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`(continued)
`
`Page
`
`
`
`7. 
`
`1. 
`
`b. 
`
`the motor is directly connected to the flywheel, and
`wherein the crank pin is directly connected to the
`flywheel.” ................................................................................. 69 
`Claim 13: “The percussive massager of claim 1, wherein
`the bore comprises a substantially cylindrical bore.” .............. 70 
`Independent Claim 18 .............................................................. 70 
`a. 
`Element 18 [pre]: “A method of assembling a
`percussive massager, the method comprising:” ............ 70 
`Element 18 [a]: “operatively connecting a motor
`to a proximal end of a piston, wherein the motor is
`configured to cause the piston to reciprocate at a
`first speed, wherein a distal end of the piston has a
`bore,”.............................................................................. 71 
`Element 18 [b]: “providing a drive mechanism
`configured to control a predetermined stroke
`length of the piston;” ..................................................... 71 
`Element 18 [c]: “providing a quick-connect
`system comprising the distal end of the piston and
`a first massaging head, wherein a proximal end of
`the first massaging head is configured to be
`inserted into or removed from the bore while the
`piston reciproctes the predetermined stroke length
`at the first speed.” .......................................................... 71 
`D.  Ground 6: Claims 2-4 Are Unpatentable Under 35 U.S.C.
`§ 103 As Obvious Over Pivaroff in View of Clark, Further In
`View of Harris. ................................................................................... 72 
`1. 
`A POSITA would have been motivated to combine
`Pivaroff and Clark with Harris’s teachings and would
`have had a reasonable expectation of success ......................... 72 
`Claim 2: “The percussive massager of claim 1, wherein
`the motor is configured to cause the piston to reciprocate
`at a second speed.” ................................................................... 74 
`Claim 3: “The percussive massager of claim 1, further
`
`c. 
`
`d. 
`
`1. 
`
`2. 
`
`vi
`
`

`

`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`(continued)
`
`Page
`
`
`
`3. 
`
`comprising: a control panel positioned on an exterior of
`the housing.” ............................................................................ 74 
`Claim 4: “The percussive massager of claim 3, wherein
`the control panel is configured to display one or more
`visual indicators.”..................................................................... 75 
`XIV.  THE BOARD SHOULD NOT EXERCISE ITS DISCRETION
`UNDER §325(D) TO DENY HEARING THESE INVALIDITY
`ISSUES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS PETITION .............................. 75 
`XV.  THE BOARD SHOULD NOT DENY INSTITUTION UNDER
`FINTIV .......................................................................................................... 78 
`XVI.  CONCLUSION ............................................................................................. 79 
`
`
`vii
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`LIST OF EXHIBITS1
`
`Ex. No.
`
`Description
`
`Ex-1001 U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082 (“the ’082 Patent”)
`
`Ex-1002 Declaration of John D. Pratt, Ph.D., In Support of Petition for Post
`Grant Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`
`Ex-1003 Curriculum Vitae of Dr. John Pratt
`
`Ex-1004 Prosecution History of the ’082 Patent (Application No. 18/515,112)
`
`Ex-1005 U.S. Patent No. 4,513,737 (“Mabuchi”)
`
`Ex-1006 U.S. Patent No. 6,432,072 (“Harris”)
`
`Ex-1007 U.S. Patent No. 6,682,496 (“Pivaroff”)
`
`Ex-1008 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0195443 (“Miller”)
`
`Ex-1009 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0150004 (“Colloca”)
`
`Ex-1010 Taiwanese Patent Number 9,720,7752U (“Wang”)
`
`Ex-1011 Certified English Translation of Wang
`
`Ex-1012 U.S. Patent No. 2,550,775 (“Clark ’775”)
`
`Ex-1013 Prosecution History of U.S. Patent No. 11,857,482 (Application No.
`17/681,367)
`
`Ex-1014 U.S. Patent No. 3,007,504 (“Clark”)
`
`Ex-1015 Hyperice’s P.R. 4.2 Exchange of Claim Terms for Construction and
`Extrinsic Evidence, Hyper Ice Inc. v. Joicom Corporation, No. 8:24-
`
`
`1 Four-digit pin citations that begin with 0 are to the branded numbers added by
`Petitioner in the bottom right corner of the exhibits. All other pin citations are to
`original page, column, paragraph, or line numbers.
`
`viii
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`
`Ex. No.
`
`Description
`cv-00098-JWH-DFM (C.D. Cal. Nov. 25, 2024)
`
`Ex-1016 Defendant Therabody, Inc.’s First Amended P.R. 4-2 Identification
`of Preliminary Claim Constructions, Hyper Ice, Inc. et al v.
`Therabody, Inc., No. 8:24-cv-00390-JWH-DFM (C.D. Cal Dec. 17,
`2024)
`
`Ex-1017 Appendix B1 – Claim Mapping Chart
`
`Ex-1018 Appendix B2 – Claim Mapping Chart
`
`
`ix
`
`

`

`I.
`
`INTRODUCTION
`Therabody, Inc. (“Petitioner”) requests post grant review (“PGR”) of Claims
`
`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`
`1-18 (“challenged claims”) of U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082 (“the ’082 Patent”) (Ex-
`
`1001), currently assigned to Hyperice IP Subco, LLC (“PO”).
`
`II. MANDATORY NOTICES UNDER 37 C.F.R. §42.8
`Real Parties-in-Interest: Petitioner identifies the following real parties-in-
`
`interest: Therabody, Inc.
`
`Related Matters: PO has asserted the ’082 Patent against Petitioner in
`
`Hyper Ice, Inc. v. Therabody, Inc., 8:24-cv-00390-JWH-(DFMx) (C.D. Cal.). PO
`
`has also asserted the ’082 Patent in the following matters that remain pending:
`
` Hyper Ice, Inc. v. Macy's, Inc., 8:24-cv-00391-JWH-(DFMx) (C.D. Cal.);
`
` Hyper Ice, Inc. v. Bob and Brad, LLC, 2:24-cv-03212-JWH-DFM (C.D.
`Cal.);
`
` Hyper Ice Inc. v. Joicom Corp., 8:24-cv-00098-JWH-(DFMx) (C.D.
`Cal.);
`
` Hyper Ice, Inc. v. Kohl's Inc., 6:24-cv-00032-OLG (W.D. Tex.);
`
` Hyper Ice, Inc. v. MerchSource, LLC, 8:24-cv-00410-JWH-(DFMx)
`(C.D. Cal.);
`
` Hyper Ice, Inc. v The TJX Co., Inc., 2:24-cv-00258-JRG-RSP (E.D.
`Tex.);
`
` Hyper Ice, Inc. v. Lowes Co., Inc., 2:24-cv-00073-JRG-RSP (E.D. Tex.);
`
` Hyper Ice, Inc. et al v. Worldwide Golf Shops LLC, 6:24-cv-00034-OLG
`(W.D. Tex.);
`
` Hyper Ice, Inc. v. Walgreen Co., 6:24-cv-00031-OLG (W.D. Tex.);
`
`1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
` Hyper Ice, Inc. v. Home Depot U.S.A., 6:24-cv-00035-OLG (W.D. Tex.);
`
` Hyper Ice, Inc. v. Emory Peak Wellness, LLC, 6:24-cv-00028-OLG
`(W.D. Tex.);
`
` Hyper Ice, Inc. v. Costco Wholesale Corp., 6:24-cv-00029-OLG (W.D.
`Tex.);
`
` Hyper Ice Inc. v. Dacorm, 8:24-cv-00097-JWH-(DFMx) (C.D. Cal.);
`
` Hyper Ice, Inc. v. CVS Pharm. Inc., 2:24-cv-115-JRG-RSP (E.D. Tex.);
`and
`
` Shenzhen Kelaisiman Trading Co., Ltd. v. Hyper Ice, Inc., 8:24-cv-
`01472-JWH-(DFMx) (C.D. Cal.);
`
` Hyper Ice, Inc. et al v. Target Corporation, 2:24-cv-00102-JRG-RSP
`(E.D. Tex.);
`
` Hyper Ice, Inc. et al v. Toloco Inc., 8:24-cv-00099-JWH-DFM (C.D.
`Cal.).
`Lead and Back-Up Counsel:
`
` Lead Counsel:
`
`Marc J. Pensabene (Reg. No. 37,416)
`O’Melveny & Myers LLP
`1301 Avenue of the Americas, 17th Floor
`New York, NY 10019
`Telephone: (212) 326-2000
`Fax: (212) 326-2061
`Email: mpensabene@omm.com
`
` Backup Counsel:
`
`Brett J. Williamson (pro hac vice anticipated)
`O’Melveny & Myers LLP
`610 Newport Center Drive, 17th Floor
`Newport Beach, CA 92660
`Telephone: (949) 823-6900
`
`2
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`
`Fax: (949) 823-6994
`Email: bwilliamson@omm.com
`
`Cameron W. Westin (Reg. No. 66,188)
`O’Melveny & Myers LLP
`610 Newport Center Drive, 17th Floor
`Newport Beach, CA 92660
`Telephone: (949) 823-6900
`Fax: (949) 823-6994
`Email: cwestin@omm.com
`
`Service Information: Petitioner consents to electronic service by email to
`
`
`
`
`
`the following addresses:
`
` mpensabene@omm.com
` cwestin@omm.com
` bwilliamson@omm.com
` kgodfrey@omm.com
`
`III. FEE AUTHORIZATION
`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. §42.15(a) and §42.103(a), the PTO is authorized to
`
`charge any and all fees to Deposit Account No. LA500639.
`
`IV. GROUNDS FOR STANDING
`Petitioner certifies that the ’082 Patent is available for review, and Petitioner
`
`is not barred or estopped from requesting review. “A petition for a post-grant
`
`review may only be filed not later than the date that is 9 months after the date of
`
`the grant of the patent.” 35 U.S.C. § 321(c); 37 C.F.R. § 42.202(a). The ’082
`
`Patent was issued on March 26, 2024, which is less than nine months prior to the
`
`filing date of this Petition. Further, the ’082 Patent does not claim priority to an
`
`3
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`effective filing date before March 16, 2013, or to any patent or application that
`
`contains or contained at any time such a claim. See Tricam Indus., Inc. v. Little
`
`Giant Ladder Sys., LLC, PGR2021-00044, Paper No. 10 at 14 (PTAB Aug. 3,
`
`2021). Therefore, the ’082 Patent is eligible for PGR.
`
`V.
`
`PRECISE RELIEF REQUESTED
`Petitioner requests review and cancellation of Claims 1-18 as unpatentable
`
`based on the following grounds, supported by a declaration from Dr. John Pratt.
`
`Ex-1002; Ex-1003.
`
`2
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`Ground Summary
`1
`Claims 1-18 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 112 based on lack of
`written description support.
`Claims 13-16 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 112 as indefinite.
`Claims 1, 7, 9-11, 13, and 18 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103
`as obvious over U.S. Patent No. 4,513,737 (“Mabuchi”) (Ex-1005) in
`view of U.S. Publication No. 2007/0150004 (“Colloca”) (Ex-1009).
`Claims 2-4 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as obvious over
`Mabuchi in view of Colloca, further in view of U.S. Patent No.
`6,432,072 (“Harris”) (Ex-1006).
`Claims 1, 7, 9-11, 13, and 18 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103
`as obvious over U.S. Patent No. 6,682,496 (“Pivaroff”) (Ex-1007) in
`view of U.S. Patent No. 3,007,504 (“Clark”) (Ex-1014).
`Claims 2-4 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as obvious over
`Pivaroff in view of Clark, further in view of Harris.
`
`
`VI. THE CHALLENGED PATENT
`The ’082 Patent is titled “Massage Device Having Variable Stroke Length.”
`
`
`
`Ex-1001, Cover. As reflected in the title, the application from which it stems
`
`largely focuses on a percussive massager with a “lost motion system” 700 that can
`
`4
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`be used “to adjust the throw or the stroke length of the massaging head to work on
`
`larger or smaller muscle groups, or deeper or shallower points of stress or soreness
`
`in the muscles.” Id. at 7:20-27. As described further below, however, the claims
`
`of the ’082 Patent are directed to a different aspect of the percussive massage
`
`device: a “quick-connect system” where an end of a massaging head attachment is
`
`inserted into or removed from a reciprocating piston of the device while the device
`
`is in operation.
`
`The ’082 Patent describes a massaging device 100 with a housing that
`
`includes a main housing 102 and upper housing 104, first and second handles 106,
`
`108, and a massaging head 130 attached to a piston, as shown below in Figure 1.
`
`Id. at 3:34-41. A “control panel” 124 contains two pushbuttons 126, 128 that are
`
`described as adjusting between preset speeds and turning the device on and off. Id.
`
`at 3:45-4:3.
`
`
`
`5
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`
`
`
`Ex-1001, Fig. 1
`
`As shown in Figure 2 below, internally, massage device 100 includes a
`
`motor 210 connected to a flywheel 212 that drives the piston 230, which in turn
`
`drives the massaging head 130. Id. at 4:41-51; see also Fig. 4 (showing exploded
`
`view of piston 230 and flywheel 212). The rotation of flywheel 212 causes the
`
`piston 230 to move reciprocally in a longitudinal direction. Id. at 4:63-5:2.
`
`6
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`
`Ex-1001, Fig. 2
`
`
`
`The ’082 Patent’s description of a “quick-connect system” for connecting a
`
`massaging head to the piston consists of four paragraphs and three figures. Id.,
`
`6:47-7:19, Figs. 6, 6A, 6B. The ’082 Patent explains that “it may be desirable to
`
`switch massaging heads to work on different muscles or different portions of
`
`muscles during the massage.” Id. at 6:49-53. To this end, the ’082 Patent
`
`discloses a “quick-connect system [that] allows a user to quickly switch massaging
`
`heads,” even “without turning off the massaging device.” Id. at 6:53-56.
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`7
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`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`The ’082 Patent’s “quick-connect system” uses magnets, as shown in
`
`Figures 6, 6A, and 6B, below.2 In that quick-connect system, the piston 602 “has a
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`hollow-end bore 608 for receiving the shaft 621 of a massaging head 620.” Id. at
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`6:57-59. A “cylindrical seat 604” located within piston 602 and a “cylindrical
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`pocket 622” of the massaging head 620 each contain magnets (606, 624,
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`respectively, labeled with “NS” to show polarity). Id. at 6:60-67. The ’082 Patent
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`describes that, “when the shaft 621 of massaging head 620 is slid into opening in
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`bore 608 [of piston 602], the magnets 606 and 624 are attracted to one another and
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`magnetically hold massaging head 620 firmly in place.” Id. at 6:67-7:3.
`
`
`2 The massaging head embodiment 630 shown in Figure 6B is described as
`“substantially the same as massaging head 620 [in Figure 6A] except that the head
`portion 639 has a different shape than head portion 629 of massaging head 620.”
`Id. at 7:15-19.
`
`8
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`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`
`Ex-1001, Figs. 6, 6A, 6B
`
`
`
`The ’082 Patent describes that, in this “quick-connect system,” the “strength
`
`of the magnets 606, 624 are sized to prevent the massaging head 620 from
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`separating from the piston 602 during normal use, and yet allow a user to quickly
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`remove and replace the massaging head.” Id. at 7:6-9. Accordingly, to “remove
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`massaging head 620, a user need only apply a sufficient amount of force to
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`separate the two magnets 606, 624.” Id. at 7:4-6. Additionally, the end of the
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`massaging head 620 may be “rounded, pointed or tapered . . . to allow it to easily
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`slip into the opening 608 even while the piston 608 is moving.” Id. at 7:9-14.
`
`9
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`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`Challenged independent Claim 1 of the ’082 Patent recites a percussive
`
`massager that includes a piston with a bore in a distal end, and a “quick-connect
`
`system” comprising the distal end of the piston and a first massaging head. Ex-
`
`1001, 9:63-10:12. Specifically, Claim 1 recites:
`
`1. A percussive massager comprising:
`[a] a housing;
`[b] a piston having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of
`the piston having a bore;
`[c] a motor operatively connected to the proximal end of the piston,
`wherein the motor is configured to cause the piston to
`reciprocate at a first speed;
`[d] a drive mechanism that controls a predetermined stroke length
`of the piston; and
`[e] a quick-connect system comprising the distal end of the piston
`and a first massaging head, wherein the quick-connect system
`is configured to have a proximal end of the first massaging
`head inserted into or removed from the bore while the piston
`reciprocates the predetermined stroke length at the first speed.
`Id. Dependent Claim 2 recites that the motor is “configured to cause the piston to
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`reciprocate at a second speed.” Dependent Claims 3 and 4 recite various aspects of
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`a control panel for the percussive massager. Dependent Claims 5-12 relate to
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`aspects of the motor and drive mechanism. And dependent Claims 13-17 recite
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`aspects of the bore in the piston, including Claim 13’s requirement that “the bore
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`comprises a substantially cylindrical bore.” Id., 10:13-11:3. Independent Claim 18
`
`recites a “method of assembling a percussive massager” that includes the motor,
`
`10
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`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`piston, and drive mechanism recited in Claim 1, along with a similar “quick-
`
`connect system” where “a proximal end of the first massaging head is configured
`
`to be inserted into or removed from the bore while the piston reciprocates the
`
`predetermined stroke length at the first speed.” Id. 11:4-17.
`
`VII. PROSECUTION HISTORY OF THE ’082 PATENT
`The ’082 Patent was filed on November 20, 2023 as U.S. Patent App. No.
`
`18/515,112. It claims priority to several related applications and to provisional
`
`application No. 61/841,693, filed on July 1, 2013. Ex-1001, Cover.
`
`During prosecution, the Examiner did not reject any of the challenged claims
`
`based on prior art references. Ex-1002 ¶52. Instead, the Examiner rejected the
`
`majority of the claims based on nonstatutory double patenting over claims of the
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`’482 Patent, which the Applicants overcame with a terminal disclaimer. Ex-1004
`
`at 90-93, 121; Ex-1002 ¶51. The Examiner also rejected a pending claim directed
`
`to a “method of assembling a percussive massager” as indefinite, which the
`
`Applicants overcame by amending the claim as suggested by the Examiner. Ex-
`
`1004 at 90-91, 117-120; Ex-1002 ¶52.
`
`Despite making no substantive prior art rejections during prosecution, the
`
`Examiner included certain statements about what he considered to be the “closest
`
`prior art of record”: U.S. Patent No. 6,682,496 (“Pivaroff,” Ex-1007); U.S.
`
`Published Patent App. No. 2008/0243039 (“Rhoades”); and U.S. Published Patent
`
`11
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`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`Application No. 2007/0150004 (“Colloca,” Ex-1009). Ex-1004 at 1894-1895; Ex-
`
`1002 ¶53.
`
`For Pivaroff, the Examiner acknowledged that it disclosed the majority of
`
`the claim elements for Claim 1, but stated that “Pivaroff does not disclose a quick-
`
`connect system configured to allow a massaging head to be secured or connected
`
`to the percussive massager while the piston reciprocates as required by Claims 1
`
`and 18,” because the “quick connect system of Pivaroff uses a threading system
`
`between its piston and its massaging head which would prevent the user from
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`inserting or removing the massaging head while the piston reciprocates.” Id. at
`
`1894.
`
`For Rhoades, the Examiner stated that it “discloses a quick-connect system
`
`that uses magnetic coupling that might allow for a massage head to attach to a
`
`piston while the piston reciprocates,” but did not disclose “a bore at the distal end
`
`of the piston” where a “massaging head is configured to be inserted into or
`
`removed from the bore.” Id. at 1895.
`
`For Colloca, the Examiner stated that it “does not disclose the bore as
`
`located at the distal end of a piston,” and also “does not disclose inserting or
`
`removing the impact head from the bore while a piston reciprocates.” Id.
`
`Sections XI and XIII of this Petition present new arguments not considered
`
`during prosecution, and in particular for the “quick-connect system” that applicants
`
`12
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`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`relied upon to distinguish Claims 1 and 18 and their dependents. As discussed in
`
`Section XIV, nothing precludes considering them in the first instance under 35
`
`U.S.C. §325(d). All challenged claims are invalid as failing to satisfy 35 U.S.C.
`
`§ 112(a), and Claims 1-4, 7, 9-11, 13, and 18 are also invalid as obvious over the
`
`prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 103. Ex-1002 ¶4.
`
`VIII. LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART
`A person of ordinary skill in the art at the relevant time (“POSITA”) would
`
`have had a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, or a related field, and
`
`two-to-three years of experience in the research, design, development, or testing of
`
`rotating or reciprocating mechanisms, with additional education substituting for
`
`experience and vice versa. Ex-1002 ¶37.
`
`IX. PRIORITY DATE
`The ’082 Patent is entitled to a priority date no earlier than July 1, 2013 (the
`
`filing of provisional application No. 61/841,693). Based on this priority date, all
`
`references relied upon in this Petition are prior art. Furthermore, based on this
`
`priority date, the claims are subject to the provisions of the America Invents Act,
`
`including 35 U.S.C. § 102(a) therein.
`
`X. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION
`Petitioner interprets the claims according to Phillips. 37 C.F.R. §42.100(b).
`
`To resolve this Petition, Petitioner does not believe that any term requires
`
`construction.
`
`13
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`

`

`U.S. Patent No. 11,938,082
`Petition for Post-Grant Review
`In the related district court proceeding, Patent Owner has taken the position
`
`that Claim Element 1[e]—“a quick-connect system comprising the distal end of the
`
`piston and a first massaging head, wherein the quick-connect system is configured
`
`to have a proximal end of the first massaging head inserted into or removed from
`
`the bore while the piston reciprocates the predetermined stroke length at the first
`
`speed”—should be construed to mean “a quick-connect system comprising the
`
`distal end of the piston and a first messaging [sic] head, wherein the quick-connect
`
`system allows a proximal end of the first massaging head to be inserted into or
`
`rem