Offc Action Outgoing

The examining attorney has searched the Office records and no similar registered or pending mark has been found that would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d), 15 U.S.C. §1052(d). TMEP §704.02.

DISCLAIMER

The Office can require an applicant to disclaim exclusive rights to an unregistrable part of a mark, rather than refuse registration of the entire mark. Trademark Act Section 6(a), 15 U.S.C. §1056(a). Under Trademark Act Section 2(e), 15 U.S.C. §1052(e), the Office can refuse registration of the entire mark where it is determined that the entire mark is merely descriptive, deceptively misdescriptive, or primarily geographically descriptive of the goods. Thus, the Office may require the disclaimer of a portion of a mark which, when used in connection with the goods or services, is merely descriptive, deceptively misdescriptive, primarily geographically descriptive, or otherwise unregistrable (e.g., generic). TMEP §1213.03(a). If an applicant does not comply with a disclaimer requirement, the Office may refuse registration of the entire mark. TMEP §1213.01(b).

A “disclaimer” is thus a written statement that an applicant adds to the application record that states that applicant does not have exclusive rights, separate and apart from the entire mark, to particular wording and/or to a design aspect. The appearance of the applied-for mark does not change.

The following cases explain the disclaimer requirement more fully: Dena Corp. v. Belvedere Int’l Inc., 950 F.2d 1555, 21 USPQ2d 1047 (Fed. Cir. 1991); In re Kraft, Inc., 218 USPQ 571 (TTAB 1983); In re EBS Data Processing, Inc., 212 USPQ 964 (TTAB 1981); In re National Presto Industries, Inc., 197 USPQ 188 (TTAB 1977).

Applicant must insert a disclaimer of BUILDING COMPONENTS in the application because it identifies a characteristic of the services, e.g., the subject/field of wholesale products. Trademark Act Section 6, 15 U.S.C. §1056; TMEP §1213.

The computerized printing format for the Office’s Trademark Official Gazette requires a standardized format for a disclaimer. TMEP §1213.08(a)(i). The following is the standard format used by the Office:

No claim is made to the exclusive right to use “BUILDING COMPONENTS” apart from the mark as shown.

See In re Owatonna Tool Co., 231 USPQ 493 (Comm’r Pats. 1983).

DRAWING - GRAY

Applicant must clarify whether the gray tones in the drawing are intended to indicate the color gray.

(1) If the color gray is a feature of the mark, then applicant must submit a color claim and description as follows: “The color gray is a feature of the mark. 37 C.F.R. §§2.52(b) and (b)(1).

(2) If the color gray is intended to indicate shading only, then applicant must submit a new drawing showing the mark in black and white only, with the gray tones deleted.

If the stippling shown in the drawing is a feature of the mark and not intended to indicate color, then the applicant must insert a statement to that effect. 37 C.F.R. §2.37; TMEP §807.09(e).

If the stippling shown in the drawing is for shading purposes only , then the Applicant must submit a statement that the stippling in the drawing is for shading purposes only. 37 C.F.R. §2.37; TMEP §807.09(e).

NOTICE: FEE CHANGE

Effective January 31, 2005 and pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005, Pub. L. 108-447, the following are the fees that will be charged for filing a trademark application:

(1) $325 per international class if filed electronically using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS); or

(2) $375 per international class if filed on paper

These fees will be charged not only when a new application is filed, but also when payments are made to add classes to an existing application. If such payments are submitted with a TEAS response, the fee will be $325 per class, and if such payments are made with a paper response, the fee will be $375 per class.

The new fee requirements will apply to any fees filed on or after January 31, 2005.

NOTICE: TRADEMARK OPERATION RELOCATION

The Trademark Operation has relocated to Alexandria, Virginia. Effective October 4, 2004, all Trademark-related paper mail (except documents sent to the Assignment Services Division for recordation, certain documents filed under the Madrid Protocol, and requests for copies of trademark documents) must be sent to:

Commissioner for Trademarks

P.O. Box 1451

Alexandria, VA 22313-1451

Applicants, attorneys and other Trademark customers are strongly encouraged to correspond with the USPTO online via the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), at http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/index.html.

Cheryl Clayton /cac/

Examining Trademark Attorney

Law Office 102

571-272-9254

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS OFFICE ACTION:

ONLINE RESPONSE: You may respond formally using the Office’s Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) Response to Office Action form (visit http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/index.html and follow the instructions, but if the Office Action issued via email you must wait 72 hours after receipt of the Office Action to respond via TEAS).
REGULAR MAIL RESPONSE: To respond by regular mail, your response should be sent to the mailing return address above and include the serial number, law office number and examining attorney’s name in your response.

STATUS OF APPLICATION: To check the status of your application, visit the Office’s Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR) system at http://tarr.uspto.gov.

VIEW APPLICATION DOCUMENTS ONLINE: Documents in the electronic file for pending applications can be viewed and downloaded online at http://portal.gov.uspto.report/external/portal/tow.

GENERAL TRADEMARK INFORMATION: For general information about trademarks, please visit the Office’s website at http://www.gov.uspto.report/main/trademarks.htm

FOR INQUIRIES OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS OFFICE ACTION, PLEASE CONTACT THE ASSIGNED EXAMINING ATTORNEY SPECIFIED ABOVE.