AOB Products v. Nanyang Jianling: Default Judgment & Permanent Injunction in 370 Days
AOB Products Company sued Chinese trading company Nanyang Jianling Trading Co., Ltd. in the Northern District of Illinois for infringing US10514225, a patent covering the BOG® Deathgrip® tripod and Caldwell® shooting rest product lines. With no defense entered, the court granted a default judgment and issued a permanent injunction — barring manufacture, sale, and offer for sale of infringing products — within 370 days of filing.
Default judgment seals BOG® Deathgrip® tripod patent enforcement win
AOB Products Company, the US-based manufacturer and IP holder behind the BOG® Deathgrip® and Caldwell® product lines, filed suit on 18 January 2024 in the Northern District of Illinois against Nanyang Jianling Trading Co., Ltd., a Chinese trading entity. The complaint alleged infringement of US Patent No. 10,514,225, which protects the elevation and grip-locking technology central to BOG® Deathgrip® Elevation, Tripods, and Ultralite products, as well as the Caldwell® Precision Turret Shooting Rest.
Nanyang Jianling failed to appear or respond to the complaint, and AOB Products moved for default judgment under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. On 22 January 2025, Judge John F. Kness granted that motion, entering judgment on Count I for patent infringement and ordering the issuance of a permanent injunction. The injunction bars Nanyang Jianling from manufacturing, using, offering for sale, or selling any products found to infringe the ‘225 Patent, with a separate injunction order to follow per Fed. R. Civ. P. 65(d)(1)(C).
The 370-day timeline from filing to judgment is consistent with uncontested default proceedings, where the absence of any defense compresses what would otherwise be a multi-year litigation. The public record does not reveal whether AOB Products pursued monetary damages in addition to injunctive relief, nor whether any prior enforcement correspondence preceded the filing. The lack of defendant representation — and the absence of a US-domiciled party to enforce against domestically — are factors that typically shape the practical reach of such injunctions.
Filing to Default Judgment in 370 days
370 days from filing to default judgment — faster than average contested patent case resolution
Default judgment granted: what the ruling means for both parties
Default judgment: court rules without a contested hearing
When a defendant fails to appear or respond, a plaintiff may move for default judgment under Fed. R. Civ. P. 55. The court accepts well-pleaded allegations of liability as true but still independently assesses whether the complaint establishes a valid legal claim. Here, Judge Kness found AOB Products’ infringement allegations sufficient to sustain judgment on Count I of US10514225 without Nanyang Jianling ever contesting the merits.
Uncontested liability findingAOB Products secures injunction and confirms patent enforceability
The default judgment validates US10514225 as an enforceable patent and gives AOB Products a court order it can deploy against future infringers as precedent for injunctive relief. The permanent injunction specifically targets the full commercial lifecycle — manufacture, use, offer to sell, and sale — maximising its deterrent scope. The ruling strengthens AOB’s defensive posture across the BOG® and Caldwell® product ecosystems.
Permanent injunction securedNo defence entered: Nanyang Jianling faces injunction and uncontested liability
Nanyang Jianling’s failure to respond leaves it with no appellate arguments on the merits and exposes it to contempt proceedings if infringing conduct continues. Enforcement against a China-domiciled entity without US assets can be practically limited, but the judgment creates a permanent legal record. Any future US market entry — through distributors, e-commerce platforms, or re-branded products — would risk renewed enforcement action.
Uncontested; injunction bindingStrengthened IP moat around precision shooting rest and tripod technology
The court’s willingness to issue a permanent injunction on default reinforces that US10514225 covers commercially meaningful claim scope in the precision shooting rest and tripod segment. Competing manufacturers and importers — particularly those sourcing from Chinese trading companies — should treat this ruling as a signal that AOB Products actively monitors and enforces its IP. The permanent injunction standard met here, referencing MillerCoors LLC v. Anheuser-Busch, suggests the court found no adequate remedy at law.
Active patent enforcement signalFull party and counsel information
| Role | Name | Type | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plaintiff | AOB Products Company | Company | Outdoor sporting goods IP holder — manufacturer of BOG® Deathgrip® and Caldwell® shooting productsSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Defendant | Nanyang Jianling Trading Co., Ltd. | Company | Chinese trading company alleged to sell products infringing US10514225Search in Eureka ↗ |
| Plaintiff counsel | Devon Curtis Beane | Attorney | Counsel for AOB Products CompanySearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Plaintiff counsel | Jared Lund | Attorney | Counsel for AOB Products CompanySearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Plaintiff law firm | K&L Gates, LLP | Law Firm | Representing AOB Products CompanySearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Presiding judge | Judge John F. Kness | Judge | Illinois Northern District CourtSearch in Eureka ↗ |
Official order — verbatim text
The court’s grant of default judgment on Count I confirms that Judge Kness found AOB Products’ pleaded facts sufficient to establish infringement liability under 35 U.S.C. § 271 without a contested merits hearing. The separate issuance of a permanent injunction — citing MillerCoors LLC v. Anheuser-Busch and Fed. R. Civ. P. 65(d)(1)(C) — signals the court’s view that injunctive relief is the appropriate remedy, consistent with the eBay framework applied where no adequate legal remedy exists. The verdict language leaves open the quantum of any monetary relief awarded, if any was sought.
US10514225B2 — Adjustable shooting rest elevation and grip-locking mechanism
US Patent No. 10,514,225 (application no. US15/873,620) covers the mechanical elevation and locking technology at the core of the BOG® Deathgrip® product family and the Caldwell® Precision Turret Shooting Rest. The patent protects the structural and functional innovations that allow shooters to precisely adjust and lock the elevation of a firearm support — a critical performance feature in precision long-range shooting applications. The application number suggests a filing in the 2018 timeframe, placing it within a period of rapid product innovation in the portable shooting support market.
For competitors active in the adjustable shooting rest, bipod, and tripod segment, US10514225 represents a meaningful IP barrier. AOB Products’ willingness to pursue litigation — including against offshore trading companies — signals active portfolio monetisation and market protection. Any manufacturer or importer sourcing or selling adjustable shooting tripod products into the US market should treat this patent as a live enforcement risk, particularly given the permanent injunction now on record. Related continuations or family members may extend the coverage horizon beyond the ‘225 patent alone.
Should you run an FTO against US10514225B2?
If your company designs, manufactures, imports, or distributes adjustable shooting rests, tripods, bipods, or precision firearm support equipment for the US market, US10514225 is directly relevant to your FTO analysis. The permanent injunction issued in this case confirms the patent is enforceable and that AOB Products is actively willing to seek court orders — not just demand letters — against infringers. This is particularly urgent for e-commerce sellers sourcing products from Chinese manufacturers in this category.
PatSnap Eureka’s FTO Search Agent can map your product’s technical features against the claims of US10514225, identify relevant prior art that may support a validity challenge, and flag related family members or continuation applications that may extend the risk perimeter. Eureka’s claim-by-claim analysis gives your R&D and legal teams a structured, defensible FTO record — critical before any new product launch or supply chain commitment in the shooting accessories space.
Run a freedom-to-operate analysis on US10514225B2 to assess your product’s exposure
Run FTO in Eureka →Similar shooting accessories & outdoor sporting goods patent cases
Cases involving shooting accessory and firearm support patents in US district courts, including comparable default judgment and injunction proceedings in the N.D. Illinois.
What this case signals for the outdoor sporting goods IP landscape
AOB Products’ swift default judgment reveals a targeted enforcement strategy against offshore infringers in the shooting accessories market.
Default judgment is a viable enforcement tool against non-appearing foreign defendants
When Chinese trading companies fail to defend US patent suits, courts can and do grant default judgment with permanent injunctive relief. This case illustrates that US patent holders need not litigate on the merits to obtain a legally binding order — a strategically useful posture for IP holders facing volume infringers.
Permanent injunctions in default cases carry broad scope — and real enforcement limits
The injunction here covers manufacture, use, offer to sell, and sale — the maximum statutory scope. However, practical enforcement against a China-domiciled entity with no known US assets typically depends on border measures, platform takedowns, and distributor-level pressure rather than direct contempt proceedings.
AOB v Nanyang — key questions answered
The Northern District of Illinois granted AOB Products’ motion for default judgment on 22 January 2025. The court entered judgment on Count I for patent infringement of US10514225 and ordered a permanent injunction prohibiting Nanyang Jianling from manufacturing, using, offering for sale, or selling infringing products. A separate order embodying the injunction was to be issued per Fed. R. Civ. P. 65(d)(1)(C).
US10514225B2 covers the elevation adjustment and grip-locking mechanism technology used in AOB Products’ BOG® Deathgrip® product line — including the Elevation, Tripods, and Ultralite variants — as well as the Caldwell® Precision Turret Shooting Rest. The patent protects the structural innovations enabling precise elevation control and secure locking in portable shooting support equipment.
Nanyang Jianling Trading Co., Ltd. failed to appear or respond to AOB Products’ complaint. Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 55, a court may enter default judgment when a defendant fails to plead or otherwise defend. Judge Kness found AOB Products’ well-pleaded allegations sufficient to establish infringement liability on Count I, making default judgment appropriate.
The injunction is directed specifically at Nanyang Jianling Trading Co., Ltd. However, the ruling creates a public record confirming US10514225 is enforceable and that AOB Products actively pursues injunctive relief. Other sellers or importers of competing shooting tripod or rest products should treat this judgment as a signal of AOB Products’ enforcement posture and conduct their own FTO analysis against the ‘225 patent.
The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Case No. 1:24-cv-00472) and presided over by Judge John F. Kness. AOB Products was represented by K&L Gates, LLP, with attorneys Devon Curtis Beane and Jared Lund on record. Nanyang Jianling did not retain US counsel and did not appear.
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