Offc Action Outgoing

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

 

OFFICE ACTION

 

TO AVOID ABANDONMENT, WE MUST RECEIVE A PROPER RESPONSE TO THIS OFFICE ACTION WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF OUR MAILING OR E-MAILING DATE. 

 

Serial Number  76/562297

 

The assigned examining attorney has reviewed the application and determined the following.

 

•           Registered marks.

The examining attorney has searched the Office records and has found no similar registered mark which bars registration under Trademark Act §2(d), 15 U.S.C. §1052(d).  TMEP §704.02.

The applicant should note the potentially-conflicting pending applications.

 

•           Conflicting pending applications.

The examining attorney includes information regarding pending Application Serial Nos. 76558915 and 76562917 (see Appendix hereto).  The filing dates of the referenced applications precede the applicant’s filing date.  There may be a likelihood of confusion between the applicant’s mark and the earlier marks under Trademark Act §2(d), 15 U.S.C. §1052(d).  If the referenced applications mature into a registration, the examining attorney may refuse registration in this case under §2(d).  37 C.F.R. §2.83; TMEP §1208.01.

If the applicant believes that there is no potential conflict between its application and the earlier-filed applications, the applicant may respond with arguments relevant to the issue.  The election to file or not file such a response in no way limits the applicant’s right to address this issue at a later point.

Action on the instant application will be suspended pending the disposition of the aforementioned applications, upon receipt of the applicant’s response to the following.

 

•           Drawing/specimen disagreement.

The specimen displays the mark with a hand, cloth, and piece of wood in the arch-top rectangle; however, this differs from the display of the mark on the drawing, where the arch-top rectangle appears empty. The applicant must either (a) submit a new drawing of the mark that agrees with the specimen or (b) submit a substitute specimen that shows use of the mark shown in the drawing.  37 C.F.R. §2.51; TMEP §§807.14 and 807.14(a)(i).

            a.         New drawing.

The applicant may not amend the drawing if the amendment would materially alter the character of the mark. 37 C.F.R. §2.72(a); TMEP §807.14(a).  The test for determining whether an amendment is a material alteration is as follows:

The modified mark must contain what is the essence of the original mark, and the new form must create the impression of being essentially the same mark. The general test of whether an alteration is material is whether the mark would have to be republished after the alteration in order to fairly present the mark for purposes of opposition. If one mark is sufficiently different from another mark as to require republication, it would be tantamount to a new mark appropriate for a new application.

In re Hacot-Colombier, 105 F.3d 616, 620, 41 USPQ2d 1523, 1526 (Fed. Cir. 1997), quoting Visa International Service Association v. Life-Code Systems, Inc., 220 USPQ 740,743-44 (TTAB 1983).

In the instant case, adding a hand, cloth, and piece of wood almost certainly would be a material alteration of the drawing; accordingly, the applicant is urged not to elect this course.

Note:  New rules pertaining to drawings went into effect on November 2, 2003.  The new rules may be found at 37 C.F.R. §2.52(a), and information regarding these rules may be found in Exam Guide 01-03 §I.A.9.  All applications filed on or after November 2, 2003, must comply with the new drawing rules.  For applications filed before November 2, 2003, the new rules are optional.  Applicants opting to amend their drawing to comply with the new rules must advise the assigned examining attorney.

            b.         Substitute specimen.

If a substitute specimen is submitted, the applicant must also verify, with a declaration* under 37 C.F.R. §2.20 or affidavit, that the substitute specimen(s) was/were in use in commerce at least as early as the filing date of the application.  Jim Dandy Co. v. Siler City Mills, Inc., 209 USPQ 764 (TTAB 1981); 37 C.F.R. §2.59(a); TMEP §904.09.

If an amendment of the dates‑of‑use clause is necessary in order to state the correct dates of first use, the applicant must verify the amendment with a declaration* under 37 C.F.R. §2.20 or affidavit.  37 C.F.R. §2.71(c); TMEP §§903.05 and 1104.09(d).

Examples of acceptable specimens for goods are tags, labels, instruction manuals, containers, or photographs that show the mark on the goods or packaging.  TMEP §904.04 et seq.  Examples of acceptable specimens for services are signs, photographs, brochures, or advertisements that show the mark used in the sale or advertising of the services.  TMEP §§1301.04 et seq. 

If the applicant cannot comply with the requirement for the §1(a) basis asserted, the applicant may substitute a different basis for filing if the applicant can meet the requirements for the new basis.  See TMEP §§806.03 et seq.  In the instant case, the applicant may wish to amend the application to assert a §1(b) basis.

 

•           Responding to this Office Action.

To respond formally using the Office’s online Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), the applicant should use the “Form Wizard” at http://eteas.gov.uspto.report/V2.0/oa200/WIZARD.htm.

To respond formally via regular mail, the applicant should mail, to the Return Address listed above, correspondence bearing the serial number, law office, and examining attorney’s name on the upper right corner of each page. 

To check the status of an application at any time, the applicant is strongly encouraged to visit the Office’s online Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR) system at http://tarr.uspto.gov.  For general and other useful information about trademarks, the applicant may visit the Office’s official Web site at http://www.gov.uspto.report/main/trademarks.htm.  For inquiries or questions about this Office Action, the applicant should contact the assigned Examining Attorney.

/J. Brendan Regan/

Examining Attorney, Law Office 113

(703) 308-9113x420 • brendan.regan@uspto.gov

 

 

 

                                                    APPENDIX TO OFFICE ACTION

Mark
        MASTERCRAFT CERAMIC
Pseudo Mark
        MASTER CRAFT CERAMIC
Goods and Services
        IC 002. US 006 011 016. G & S: Interior paints
Standard Characters Claimed
        STANDARD CHARACTERS CLAIMED
Mark Drawing Code
        (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number
        76558915
Filing Date
        November 13, 2003
Current Filing Basis
        1B
Original Filing Basis
        1B
Owner Name and Address
        (APPLICANT) Wattyl (US) Limited CORPORATION DELAWARE 308 Old County Road Edgewater FLORIDA 32132
Disclaimer Statement
        NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE CERAMIC APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Type of Mark
        TRADEMARK
Register
        PRINCIPAL
Live Dead Indicator
        LIVE
Attorney of Record
        Lori T. Milvain

 

Mark
        MASTERCRAFT CERAMACOTE PREMIUM PAINT
Pseudo Mark
        MASTER CRAFT CERAMACOTE PREMIUM PAINT
Goods and Services
        IC 002. US 006 011 016. G & S: Interior paints
Standard Characters Claimed
        STANDARD CHARACTERS CLAIMED
Mark Drawing Code
        (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number
        76562917
Filing Date
        November 18, 2003
Current Filing Basis
        1B
Original Filing Basis
        1B
Owner Name and Address
        (APPLICANT) Wattyl (US) Limited CORPORATION DELAWARE 308 Old County Road Edgewater FLORIDA 32132
Disclaimer Statement
        NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE "PREMIUM PAINT" APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Type of Mark
        TRADEMARK
Register
        PRINCIPAL
Live Dead Indicator
        LIVE
Attorney of Record
        Lori T. Milvain