UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)

OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION

 

 

 

OFFICE ACTION

 

STRICT DEADLINE TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER

TO AVOID ABANDONMENT OF APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION, THE USPTO MUST RECEIVE APPLICANT’S COMPLETE RESPONSE TO THIS LETTER WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE ISSUE/MAILING DATE BELOW.

 

ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 9/25/2012

 

The referenced application has been reviewed by the assigned trademark examining attorney.  Applicant must respond timely and completely to the issue(s) below.  15 U.S.C. §1062(b); 37 C.F.R. §§2.62, 2.65(a); TMEP §§711, 718.03.

 

SECTION 2(d) REFUSAL – LIKELIHOOD OF CONFUSION

 

Registration of the applied-for mark is refused because of a likelihood of confusion with the marks in U.S. Registration Nos. 2434314 and 3956834.  Trademark Act Section 2(d), 15 U.S.C. §1052(d); see TMEP §§1207.01 et seq.  See the enclosed registrations.

 

The Court in In re E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co., 476 F.2d 1357, 177 USPQ 563 (C.C.P.A. 1973), listed the principal factors to be considered in determining whether there is a likelihood of confusion under Section 2(d).  Any one of the factors listed may be dominant in any given case, depending upon the evidence of record.  In re Dixie Restaurants, Inc., 105 F.3d 1405, 41 USPQ2d 1531, 1533 (Fed. Cir. 1997); In this case, the following factors are the most relevant:  similarity of the marks, similarity of the goods and/or services, and similarity of trade channels of the goods and/or services.  See In re Opus One, Inc., 60 USPQ2d 1812 (TTAB 2001); In re Dakin’s Miniatures Inc., 59 USPQ2d 1593 (TTAB 1999); In re Azteca Restaurant Enterprises, Inc., 50 USPQ2d 1209 (TTAB 1999); In re L.C. Licensing Inc., 49 USPQ2d 1379 (TTAB 1998); TMEP §§1207.01 et seq.

 

Comparison of the Marks

 

When determining whether there is a likelihood of confusion under Section 2(d), the question is not whether people will confuse the marks, but rather whether the marks will confuse the people into believing that the goods they identify emanate from the same source.  In re West Point-Pepperell, Inc., 468 F.2d 200, 175 USPQ 558 (C.C.P.A. 1972).  For that reason, the test of likelihood of confusion is not whether the marks can be distinguished when subjected to a side-by-side comparison.  The question is whether the marks create the same overall impression.  Visual Information Inst., Inc. v. Vicon Indus. Inc., 209 USPQ 179 (TTAB 1980).  The focus is on the recollection of the average purchaser who normally retains a general rather than specific impression of trademarks.  Chemetron Corp. v. Morris Coupling & Clamp Co., 203 USPQ 537 (TTAB 1979); Sealed Air Corp. v. Scott Paper Co., 190 USPQ 106 (TTAB 1975); TMEP §1207.01(b).

 

The applicant’s mark, PMI, is similar to the registered marks, PMI and PMI PRESS METAL, and will lead to consumer confusion.  The marks are similar because they share the common portion, PMI.  

 

Where the marks of the respective parties are identical or highly similar, then the commercial relationship between the goods or services of the respective parties must be analyzed carefully to determine whether there is a likelihood of confusion.  In re Opus One Inc., 60 USPQ2d 1812, 1815 (TTAB 2001); In re Concordia Int’l Forwarding Corp., 222 USPQ 355 (TTAB 1983); TMEP §1207.01(a).

 

Comparison of the Goods and Services

 

When determining whether there is a likelihood of confusion, all circumstances surrounding the sale of the goods and/or services are considered.  Industrial Nucleonics Corp. v. Hinde, 475 F.2d 1197, 177 USPQ 386 (C.C.P.A. 1973).  These circumstances include the marketing channels, the identity of the prospective purchasers and the degree of similarity between the marks and between the goods and/or services.  In comparing the marks, similarity in any one of the elements of sound, appearance or meaning is sufficient to find a likelihood of confusion.  In comparing the goods and/or services, it is necessary to show that they are related in some manner.  In re Mack, 197 USPQ 755, 757 (TTAB 1977); TMEP §§1207.01 et seq.

 

The applicant has applied to register PMI for “terminal fittings; anchorage fasteners; dead ends; strands; cables; wires; synthetic ropes; splices; splice closures for cables, wires, strands, and synthetic ropes; cable separators and support blocks; splice shunts; spacers for parallel conductors; tangent supports; metal hardware for securing, supporting, and protecting lines, cable, strand and synthetic ropes, namely suspensions, dead ends, spacers, repair rods, supports and components thereof; yoke plates, clevises, socket eyes, bundling links and hold down shackles; lashing rods and wires and terminations therefor; armor rods; shield connectors and fasteners for making, bonding and grounding connections in splice closures; and, strain relief couplings; suspension assemblies for lines, cable, strands and synthetic ropes; hardware, namely, clamps, brackets, attachment blocks; supporting and routing devices for data conductors and, including supports, support blocks, clamps and brackets”, “suspension assemblies for electrical ropes, cables, strands, wires and fiber optic cables; terminal fittings; dead ends; hardware accessories for electrical ropes, cables, strands, wires and fiber optic cables, namely connectors, cleavers, clamps, and supports; strain relief couplings electromechanical cables; spacing assemblies for electrical ropes, cables, strands, wires and fiber optic cables; damping assemblies for electrical ropes, cables, strands, wires and fiber optic cables; electrical connectors; and, cable protectors”, and “design, fabrication, assembly and repair of underwater cable systems; specialized testing of offshore and underwater cable, wire and synthetic rope, flexible risers, towed array, and cable systems.”

 

The registered mark, PMI, is for “Sport rope, rescue rope, water rope, utility rope and general purpose rope.”

 

Applicant’s “synthetic ropes” are similar to the registrant’s goods because they include types of ropes.

 

The registered mark, PMI PRESS METAL, is for “Aluminum ingots; alloys of common metal; tubes of metal; metal building materials, namely, soffits, fascia, ceiling boards and floor boards; door fittings of metal for buildings; ring shaped fittings of metal for buildings; shutters of metal for interior and exterior windows; rings of metal for keys; metal window pulleys; ironmongery, namely, metal screws, metal nails, metal nuts, metal bolts, metal pins, metal rivets, metal hooks; transport pallets of metal.”

 

Applicant’s goods are similar to the registrant’s goods because they both include types of metal hardware.

 

Accordingly, because confusion as to source is likely, registration is refused under Trademark Act Section 2 (d) based on likelihood of confusion.

 

Although applicant’s mark has been refused registration, applicant may respond to the refusal(s) by submitting evidence and arguments in support of registration.

 

Applicant must respond to the requirement(s) set forth below.

 

IDENTIFICATION OF GOODS AND SERVICES

 

Some of the wording in the identification of goods is indefinite and must be clarified.  See TMEP §1402.01.  Applicant must amend the identification to specify the common commercial name of these goods.  If there is no common commercial name, applicant must describe the product and its intended uses.  See id.

 

Applicant has classified “synthetic ropes” in International Class 6; however, the proper classification is International Class 22.  Therefore, applicant must either (1) add International Class 22 to the application and reclassify these goods in the proper international class, or (2) delete the wording “synthetic ropes” from the application.  See 37 C.F.R. §§2.86, 6.1; TMEP §§1403 et seq.  If applicant adds one or more international classes to the application, applicant must comply with the multiple-class requirements specified in this Office action.

 

The wording “splice closures for cables, wires, strands, and synthetic ropes” in the identification of goods must be clarified because it is too broad and could include goods in other international classes.  See TMEP §§1402.01, 1402.03. 

 

Applicant has classified “fabrication, assembly and repair of underwater cable systems” in International Class 42; however, the proper classifications are International Class 40 and 37 respectively.  Therefore, applicant must either (1) add International Classes 40 and 37 to the application and reclassify these or services in the proper international class, or (2) delete the wording “fabrication, assembly and repair” from the application.  See 37 C.F.R. §§2.86, 6.1; TMEP §§1403 et seq.  If applicant adds one or more international classes to the application, applicant must comply with the multiple-class requirements specified in this Office action.

 

 “Terminal fittings, namely, _________ [SPECIFY purpose, e.g., metal pipe fittings, ring-shaped fittings of metal]; anchorage fasteners, namely, _________ [SPECIFY purpose, e.g., metal bolts, nails, rivets, screws]; dead ends, namely, _________ [SPECIFY common commercial or generic name or purpose of this good]; strands, namely, non-electric single or multi-strand wire; cables, namely, __________ [SPECIFY type, e.g., metal cable wire]; wires; splices, namely, _________ [SPECIFY common commercial or generic name or purpose of this good]; support blocks, namely, _________ [SPECIFY common commercial or generic name or purpose of this good, e.g., swage blocks, refractory blocks of metal]; splice shunts, namely, _________ [SPECIFY common commercial or generic name or purpose of this good]; spacers for parallel conductors, namely, spacer brackets of metal; tangent supports, namely, construction elements made of metal in the nature of supports; metal hardware for securing, supporting, and protecting lines, cable, strand and synthetic ropes, namely suspensions in the nature of all-purpose metal straps, dead ends, spacers, repair rods, supports and components thereof all sold together as a unit; yoke plates in the nature of steel plates and sheets, clevises in the nature of metal shackles for lifting and rigging, socket eyes in the nature of metal eye bolts, bundling links, namely, _________ [SPECIFY common commercial or generic name or purpose of this good] and hold down shackles in the nature of metal shackles for lifting and rigging; steel lashing rods and wires and terminations namely, _________ [SPECIFY common commercial or generic name or purpose of this good] therefor; steel armor rods; shield connectors and fasteners for making, bonding and grounding connections in splice closures, namely, metal pipe connectors and metal fasteners in the nature of bolts, nails, rivets and screws]; strain relief couplings in the nature of metal couplings for use with _________ [INDICATE type of hose]; hardware, namely, metal clamps, metal brackets for general use, attachment blocks, namely, _________ [SPECIFY type, e.g., swage blocks, refractory blocks of metal]; supporting and routing devices for data conductors, namely supports and support blocks, namely, construction elements made of metal in the nature of supports, metal clamps and metal brackets for general use” in International Class 6

 

“Hardware accessories for electrical ropes, cables, strands, wires and fiber optic cables, namely cable connectors, cleavers in the nature of _________ [SPECIFY common commercial or generic name or purpose of this good, e.g., splicers for electric transmission lines], clamps in the nature of _________ [SPECIFY common commercial or generic name or purpose of this good, e.g. battery terminal connector clamps; electric strain relief couplings electromechanical cables; spacing assemblies for electrical ropes, cables, strands, wires and fiber optic cables, namely, _________ [SPECIFY common commercial or generic name or purpose of this good]; damping assemblies for electrical ropes, cables, strands, wires and fiber optic cables, namely, _________ [SPECIFY common commercial or generic name or purpose of this good]; electrical connectors; and, cable protectors, namely sheaths for electric cables” in International Class 9

 

“Suspension assemblies for electrical ropes, cables, strands, wires and fiber optic cables, namely, ___________ [SPECIFY common commercial or generic names or components of these assemblies]”- please note, once applicant clarifies, the Examining Attorney will be able to properly classify.

 

“Suspension assemblies for lines, cable, strands and synthetic ropes, namely, ___________ [SPECIFY common commercial or generic names or components of these assemblies]”- please note, once applicant clarifies, the Examining Attorney will be able to properly classify.

 

“Cable separators, namely, _________ [SPECIFY common commercial or generic name or purpose of this good, e.g., if signal splitters for electronic apparatus, then in class 9]”

 

“Insulating splice covers for cables, wires, strands, and synthetic ropes” in International Class 17

 

“Synthetic ropes” in International Class 22

 

“Repair of underwater cable systems” in International Class 37

 

“Custom fabrication and assembly of underwater cable systems for others” in International Class 40

 

“Design of underwater cable systems; specialized testing of offshore and underwater cable, wire and synthetic rope, flexible risers, towed array, and cable systems” in International Class 42

 

An applicant may amend an identification of goods only to clarify or limit the goods; adding to or broadening the scope of the goods is not permitted.  37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); see TMEP §§1402.06 et seq., 1402.07 et seq. 

 

For assistance with identifying and classifying goods and/or services in trademark applications, please see the USPTO’s online searchable U.S. Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual at http://tess2.gov.uspto.report/netahtml/tidm.html.  See TMEP §1402.04.

 

MULTIPLE – CLASS APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

 

For an application with more than one international class, called a “multiple-class application,” an applicant must meet all the requirements below for those international classes based on an intent to use the mark in commerce under Trademark Act Section 1(b):

 

(1)       LIST GOODS AND/OR SERVICES BY INTERNATIONAL CLASS:  Applicant must list the goods and/or services by international class.

 

(2)       PROVIDE FEES FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL CLASSES:  Applicant must submit an application filing fee for each international class of goods and/or services not covered by the fee(s) already paid (confirm current fee information at http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/tm_fee_info.jsp).

 

See 15 U.S.C. §§1051(b), 1112, 1126(e); 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(2)-(3), 2.86(a); TMEP §§1403.01, 1403.02(c).

 

 

USPTO

/Sani Khouri/

Examining Attorney

Law Office 110

571-272-5884- Phone

sani.khouri@uspto.gov

 

TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER:  Go to http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp.  Please wait 48-72 hours from the issue/mailing date before using TEAS, to allow for necessary system updates of the application.  For technical assistance with online forms, e-mail TEAS@uspto.gov.  For questions about the Office action itself, please contact the assigned trademark examining attorney.  E-mail communications will not be accepted as responses to Office actions; therefore, do not respond to this Office action by e-mail.

 

All informal e-mail communications relevant to this application will be placed in the official application record.

 

WHO MUST SIGN THE RESPONSE:  It must be personally signed by an individual applicant or someone with legal authority to bind an applicant (i.e., a corporate officer, a general partner, all joint applicants).  If an applicant is represented by an attorney, the attorney must sign the response. 

 

PERIODICALLY CHECK THE STATUS OF THE APPLICATION:  To ensure that applicant does not miss crucial deadlines or official notices, check the status of the application every three to four months using Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR) at http://tarr.gov.uspto.report/.  Please keep a copy of the complete TARR screen.  If TARR shows no change for more than six months, call 1-800-786-9199.  For more information on checking status, see http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/process/status/.

 

TO UPDATE CORRESPONDENCE/E-MAIL ADDRESS:  Use the TEAS form at http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/eTEASpageE.htm.

 

 

 

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YOUR

U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION

 

USPTO OFFICE ACTION HAS ISSUED ON 9/25/2012 FOR

SERIAL NO. 85640249

 

Please follow the instructions below to continue the prosecution of your application:

 

 

TO READ OFFICE ACTION: Click on this link or go to http://portal.gov.uspto.report/external/portal/tow and enter the application serial number to access the Office action.

 

PLEASE NOTE: The Office action may not be immediately available but will be viewable within 24 hours of this e-mail notification.

 

RESPONSE IS REQUIRED: You should carefully review the Office action to determine (1) how to respond; and (2) the applicable response time period. Your response deadline will be calculated from 9/25/2012 (or sooner if specified in the office action).

 

Do NOT hit “Reply” to this e-mail notification, or otherwise attempt to e-mail your response, as the USPTO does NOT accept e-mailed responses.  Instead, the USPTO recommends that you respond online using the Trademark Electronic Application System Response Form.

 

HELP: For technical assistance in accessing the Office action, please e-mail

TDR@uspto.gov.  Please contact the assigned examining attorney with questions about the Office action. 

 

        WARNING

 

Failure to file the required response by the applicable deadline will result in the ABANDONMENT of your application.