Deke and Jingshi Seek a Declaratory Judgment on a Desk Exercise Cycle Patent CKNAPP Asserted Through APEX.

The parties and the court

The case is Deke (Hangzhou) E-Commerce Co., Ltd. v. CKNAPP Sales, Inc., No. 1:26-cv-01424 (C.D. Ill., Peoria Division), filed September 29, 2026. The plaintiffs are two Chinese companies based in Hangzhou. The complaint alleges, on information and belief, that CKNAPP is an Illinois corporation based in Goodfield, Illinois, and says CKNAPP claims to own the patent and submitted the APEX complaints to Amazon.

The patent

U.S. Patent 9,757,611, titled Desk Exercise Cycle, issued September 12, 2017 from an application filed January 15, 2014. As the complaint quotes it, sole independent claim 1 recites a motion resistance apparatus with a frame including a linear elongate member, a support surface engagement member, a support member, a resistance assembly with a crank, and a pair of pedals, in which the rotation axis sits no more than twelve inches above the support surface and the elongate member is inclined at no more than thirty degrees. The complaint says the applicant added "linear" and the thirty-degree limit during prosecution to overcome prior art.

The counts

The accused products are a compact seated pedal exerciser sold on Amazon under two ASINs that differ only in color. Count I seeks a declaratory judgment of noninfringement, alleging that the relevant member of the accused product is curved rather than linear and is inclined at more than 40 degrees, so it does not meet claim 1 or dependent claims 2 through 11. Count II seeks a declaratory judgment of invalidity under 35 U.S.C. 102, 103, and 112, including anticipation and obviousness over an earlier portable exercise bike reference.

Relief sought

The plaintiffs ask for declarations of noninfringement and invalidity, an order directing CKNAPP to withdraw at least three identified APEX complaints and any other Amazon proceeding against the accused products, an injunction against asserting the patent against them, and a finding that the case is exceptional under 35 U.S.C. 285 with fees and costs. They demand a jury.

What to watch next

The docket shows the summons returned executed on October 7, 2026, a motion for extension of time to answer on October 22, and an order on it with reset deadlines on October 23. Watch for CKNAPP's answer, motion, or any counterclaim for infringement.