UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

 

 

 

OFFICE ACTION

 

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

 

MAILING/E-MAILING DATE INFORMATION:  If the mailing or e-mailing date of this Office action does not appear above, this information can be obtained by visiting the USPTO website at http://tarr.gov.uspto.report/, inserting the application serial number, and viewing the prosecution history for the mailing date of the most recently issued Office communication.

 

Serial Number  77/111658

 

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

 

Search Results

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. §1052(d).  TMEP §704.02.

 

Identification of Goods

The wording of the identification of goods for International Class 20 is acceptable.  However, the wording of the identification of goods for International Classes 11 and 21 is unacceptable as indefinite.  Furthermore, it identifies goods in at least four classes.  Please note, in the identification, the applicant must use the common commercial names for the goods, be as complete and specific as possible and avoid the use of indefinite words and phrases.  If the applicant chooses to use indefinite terms, such as “accessories,” “components,” “devices,” “equipment,” “materials,” “parts,” “systems” and “products,” then those words must be followed by the word “namely” and the goods listed by their common commercial names.  TMEP §§1402.01 and 1402.03(a).

 

The applicant may amend this wording to the following, if accurate.  TMEP §1402.01.

 

towel hooks of metal; metal bathroom hardware, namely, {indicate, e.g., screws, nuts, brackets} for towel rails in International Class 6;

 

apparatus for water supply and sanitary purposes, namely, {list specific goods e.g., faucets, toilets}; bathroom plumbing fixtures, namely, {list specific goods e.g., sink taps, shower heads}; bath plumbing fittings, namely, {list specific goods, e.g., tub control valves, drains}; tap water faucets; replacement parts for all the aforesaid goods in International Class 11;

 

towel hooks not of metal in International Class 20;

 

bathroom fittings, namely, soap dishes and soap holders; toothbrush holders, cup holders, combined toothbrush and cup holders; cups and beverage glassware; towel rails, towel rings, towel racks; toilet paper dispensers; plastic storage containers for household use, glass storage jars, replacement parts for all the aforesaid goods in International Class 21.

 

The applicant should note that the above suggested identification of goods is acceptable as written.  Any alteration may render it unacceptable.  Accordingly, if the applicant wishes to amend the goods differently, or if the applicant has any questions or needs assistance in responding to this Office action, please telephone the assigned examining attorney. 

 

Please further 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 § 1402.06.  Therefore, the applicant may not amend to include any goods that are not within the scope of goods set forth in the original identification. 

 

For the applicant’s convenience, the Trademark Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual can be found online at: http://www.gov.uspto.report/web/offices/tac/doc/gsmanual/.  It offers a searchable list of acceptable identifications and classifications, and although it is not an exhaustive list, it is nonetheless a very useful guide in formulating acceptable identifications.

 

Classification

The applicant has classified some of the goods incorrectly.  The applicant must amend the application to classify the goods as specified above.  37 C.F.R. §§2.32(a)(7) and 2.85; TMEP §§1401.02(a) and 1401.03(b).

 

Combined Applications

The applicant must clarify the number of classes for which registration is sought.  The submitted filing fees are insufficient to cover all the classes in the application.  Specifically, the application identifies goods that are classified in at least five classes, however the applicant paid the fee for only three class.

 

The applicant must either: (1) restrict the application to the number of class(es) covered by the fee already paid, or (2) pay the required fee for each additional class(es).  37 C.F.R. §2.86(a)(2); TMEP §§810.0l, 1401.04, 1401.04(b) and 1403.01.

 

If the applicant prosecutes this application as a combined, or multiple-class application, then the applicant must comply with each of the following for those goods based on a foreign registration under Trademark Act Section 44(e):

 

(1)   The applicant must list the goods and/or services by international class with the classes listed in ascending numerical order.  TMEP § 1403.01; and

 

(2)   The applicant must submit a filing fee for each international class of goods and/or services not covered by the fee already paid.  37 C.F.R. §2.86(a)(2); TMEP §§810.01 and 1403.01.

 

No set form is required for response to this Office action.  The applicant must respond to each point raised.  The applicant should simply set forth the required changes or statements and request that the Office enter them.  The applicant must sign the response.  In addition to the identifying information required at the beginning of this letter, the applicant should provide a telephone number to speed up further processing.

 

In all correspondence to the Patent and Trademark Office, the applicant should list the name and law office of the examining attorney, the serial number of this application, the mailing date of this Office action, and the applicant’s telephone number.

 

 

 

 

 

 

/Geoffrey Fosdick/

Geoffrey Fosdick

Trademark Attorney

Trademark Office 111

(571) 272-9161

 

 

 

NOTICE OF NEW PROCEDURE FOR E-MAILED OFFICE ACTIONS:  In late spring 2007, for any applicant who authorizes e-mail communication with the USPTO, the USPTO will no longer directly e-mail the actual Office action to the applicant.  Instead, upon issuance of an Office action, the USPTO will e-mail the applicant a notice with a link/web address to access the Office action using Trademark Document Retrieval (TDR), which is located on the USPTO website at http://portal.gov.uspto.report/external/portal/tow.  The Office action will not be attached to the e-mail notice.  Upon receipt of the notice, the applicant can then view and print the actual Office action and any evidentiary attachments using the provided link/web address.  TDR is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays and weekends.  This new process is intended to eliminate problems associated with e-mailed Office actions that contain numerous attachments.

 

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS OFFICE ACTION:

• ONLINE RESPONSE:  You may respond using the Office’s Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) Response to Office action form available on our website at http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/index.html.  If the Office action issued via e-mail, you must wait 72 hours after receipt of the Office action to respond via TEAS.  NOTE:  Do not respond by e-mail.  THE USPTO WILL NOT ACCEPT AN E-MAILED RESPONSE.
• 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.  NOTE:  The filing date of the response will be the date of receipt in the Office, not the postmarked date.  To ensure your response is timely, use a certificate of mailing.  37 C.F.R. §2.197.

 

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.