Offc Action Outgoing

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

 

 

 

OFFICE ACTION

 

RESPONSE TIME LIMIT:  THE OFFICE MUST RECEIVE A PROPER RESPONSE TO THIS OFFICE ACTION WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE MAILING OR E-MAILING DATE. 

 

 

Serial Number  76/612530

 

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

 

The examining attorney has searched the Office records and has found no similar registered or pending mark which would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d), 15 U.S.C. Section 1052(d).  TMEP section 704.01.

 

THIS REQUIREMENT APPLIES TO CLASS 1 ONLY.

 

Unacceptable Identification

 

The Class 1 identification of goods is unacceptable as indefinite.  The wording “ingredient used in shampoos” in the identification of goods needs clarification because the exact nature of the goods is unclear.  Applicant must clarify the identification of goods to specify the common commercial or generic name for the goods.  If there is no common commercial or generic name, then applicant must describe the product and intended consumer as well as its main purpose and intended uses.  Please note that, while an application may be amended to clarify or limit the identification, additions to the identification are not permitted.  37 C.F.R. Section 2.71(a); TMEP section 1402.06.  Therefore, the applicant may not amend to include any goods that are not within the scope of goods set forth in the present identification.  The applicant may adopt the following identification, if accurate: 

 

Ingredient, namely, [specify ingredient, e.g., detergent] for use in the manufacture of hair shampoo in International Class 1. 

 

TMEP section 1402.

 

The applicant is encouraged to consult the Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual.  The Manual is available on the PTO’s “homepage” at www.uspto.gov on the Internet,  or it can be directly accessed at http://tess2.gov.uspto.report/netahtml/tidm.html.  The Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual sets out acceptable language for identifying goods and services of various types.  The applicant should use the listings located in this database exactly as worded if possible.  Please note that any listings that include terms within parenthesis and/or brackets must set forth the term or terms that specifically cover the applicant’s goods or services and that the actual parenthesis or brackets may not be included. As always, any identification of goods or recitation of services the applicant chooses to adopt should 1) accurately describe the applicant’s goods or services; 2) be placed in the correct class of goods or services; and 3) list only those goods or services within the scope of those included in the original application.  Utilizing identification language from the Manual may enable trademark owners to avoid problems relating to indefiniteness with respect to the goods or services identified in their applications for registration.  TMEP Section 804.04.

 

 

If applicant should fail to respond to this Office action within the six month time limit, then Class 1 will be deleted from the application and the application will proceed forward for Class 3 only.  37 C.F.R. §2.65(a).

 

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.

 

 

/Elizabeth Pignatello/

Trademark Examining Attorney

Law Office 105

(571) 272-9308

 

 

 

 

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.