On April 7, 2026, JOOLA, through its parent company Sport Squad, Inc., filed patent infringement litigation against 11 paddle brands citing unauthorized use of its patented “Propulsion Core” technology. The action spans both a complaint before the U.S. International Trade Commission and parallel district court filings, signaling a dual strategy aimed at blocking imports while pursuing damages and injunctive relief.
The litigation targets a broad group of paddle manufacturers and related entities, including Franklin Sports, Proton Sports, RPM Pickleball, Engage Pickleball, Diadem Sports, Facolos, Paddletek, ProXR Pickleball, Volair, and All Racquet Sports, a distributor of Adidas-branded pickleball products.
Based on the filing, Sport Squad is represented by attorneys from K&L Gates LLP, Matthew B. Goeller and Steven L. Caponi, in the Delaware district court actions. In related Colorado proceedings, court records also identify Christine A. Jochim as counsel.
The case positions JOOLA not just as a product innovator, but as a company seeking to define the boundaries of performance in modern pickleball paddles.
Patent infringement litigation overview
According to the ITC complaint, JOOLA claims that several competing paddle brands have incorporated patented elements of its paddle technology into their products without authorization.The allegations focus on foam-filled perimeter structures, specialized core configurations, and energy-return features commonly associated with thermoformed, or “Gen 3,” paddle designs. JOOLA contends that these designs utilize technology protected by its patented “Propulsion Core” architecture.
At the center of the dispute are two U.S. patents: U.S. Patent No. 12,465,826 and U.S. Patent No. 12,357,891. These patents are associated with JOOLA’s Pro IV paddle line and its marketed “Propulsion Core” technology, which provides a balance of power and control through engineered internal paddle structures.
JOOLA has already secured settlements with some defendants. In May 2026, JOOLA announced settlement with the Paddletek group, resolving the asserted patent claims through a confidential business arrangement that reportedly includes royalty payments and patent-marking obligations for certain products.
Patents in the Dispute
Paddle core engineering and structural design features
U.S. Patent No. 12,465,826 and U.S. Patent No. 12,357,891 comprises JOOLA’s asserted portfolio covering pickleball paddle construction technologies. Together, the patents describe paddle architectures that combine engineered core structures, filler materials, and frame components to influence performance characteristics such as responsiveness, feel, stability, and durability.
As paddle designs continue to evolve, manufacturers face the challenge of balancing multiple performance attributes within a single construction. Improvements in power or responsiveness can affect vibration behavior, feel, and long-term durability. The patents address these challenges through modifications to the paddle’s internal structure, particularly the interaction between the core, filler materials, and surrounding frame components.
The ’826 patent focuses on the broader paddle architecture. It describes configurations in which filler materials are positioned around portions of the core and combined with perimeter frame structures to form an integrated paddle assembly.
The configuration above enables the filler and frame structures to work together to reinforce the paddle while also affecting how forces are distributed throughout the paddle during impact. By combining multiple internal components into a coordinated structure, the design seeks to improve performance while maintaining structural integrity.
The ’891 patent builds upon these concepts by introducing additional approaches for modifying the paddle core. Rather than focusing on the overall structural assembly, the patent places greater emphasis on how specific modifications within the core can be used to tailor paddle performance.
Many pickleball paddles rely on a honeycomb-style core positioned between opposing paddle faces. While this construction has become widely adopted, it offers limited opportunities to tailor how the paddle responds during play. This patent tackles that challenge by creating new regions within the core that can be engineered for specific performance objectives. These modifications provide additional opportunities to influence how the paddle responds during play without substantially changing its external shape or dimensions.
The progression above shows how gaps formed within the paddle core can be filled with foam or other materials. According to the disclosure, the placement of these filler materials can alter how forces travel through the paddle during ball impact, affecting characteristics such as feel, responsiveness, and vibration behavior.
Together, the ‘826 and ‘891 patents describe complementary aspects of paddle construction, with the former directed towards the broader structural architecture of the paddle and the latter providing additional techniques for tuning performance through targeted modifications to the core.
Both patents name Fabio Kachiwazaki, Austin Kim, and Richard Lee Brooks, as inventors and were prosecuted by Bass Patent Law, LLC.
Sport Squad: Patenting Activity
The majority of Sport Squad’s pickleball-related patent filings were made in 2023 and 2024, reflecting the company’s focus on securing protection for technologies related to paddle construction, materials, and performance characteristics.
This filing trend aligns with a period of rapid growth in the pickleball market, when manufacturers increasingly sought to differentiate products through technical innovation rather than branding alone. Many of the portfolio’s filings emphasize internal paddle structures, indicating a focus on protecting engineering solutions that directly influence in-play performance.
Sport Squad: Top Law Firms
The patent portfolio of Sport Squad has been handled primarily by Bass Patent Law, which accounts for six global patent filings and applications. In comparison, both Spruson & Ferguson and Kilburn & Strode each managed one filing. This distribution highlights Bass Patent Law as Sport Squad’s principal legal partner for intellectual property protection, handling the majority of the company’s patent-related work during the period analyzed.
Sport Squad: Top Technology Areas
Sport Squad’s recent patent activity from 2023 to 2024 is mainly focused on training equipment (A63B) and layered product structures (B32B), with a strong emphasis on sports and game equipment, particularly pickleball paddle technologies. Additional classifications related to composite and layered structures highlight the importance of materials and internal construction methods in their inventions.
Overall, the portfolio is less about cosmetic design changes and more about structural features that influence performance factors such as responsiveness, feel, vibration behavior, and durability, reflecting the same themes seen across patents involved in ongoing litigation.
What this portfolio could influence next
Sport Squad’s patent portfolio is relatively small and appears to align with current developments in the pickleball market. Recent paddle designs increasingly emphasize internal engineering features such as layered core structures, controlled deformation, and energy return as key areas of technical differentiation. The asserted patents are directed toward similar construction elements commonly associated with newer generations of performance-oriented paddles, placing the portfolio within an active area of product development and competition in the sector.
As the litigation progresses, the outcome may influence how manufacturers approach paddle design, particularly in relation to internal structures and performance-related features. It may also shape how certain design approaches are protected or modified through alternative implementations. More broadly, the case reflects a broader trend in sports equipment toward increased patent activity around engineering and performance characteristics.