To: | Slack Jaw, LLC (hall@ahclaw.com) |
Subject: | U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 86597095 - RUSH - N/A |
Sent: | 5/27/2015 3:48:40 PM |
Sent As: | ECOM102@USPTO.GOV |
Attachments: | Attachment - 1 Attachment - 2 Attachment - 3 Attachment - 4 Attachment - 5 Attachment - 6 Attachment - 7 |
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)
OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION
U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO. 86597095
MARK: RUSH
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CORRESPONDENT ADDRESS: |
CLICK HERE TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER: http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp
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APPLICANT: Slack Jaw, LLC
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CORRESPONDENT’S REFERENCE/DOCKET NO: CORRESPONDENT E-MAIL ADDRESS: |
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OFFICE ACTION
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: 5/27/2015
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(a), 2.65(a); TMEP §§711, 718.03.
Search of the Office Records
The trademark examining attorney has searched the Office’s database of registered and pending marks and has found no conflicting marks that would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d). TMEP §704.02; see 15 U.S.C. §1052(d).
SUMMARY OF ISSUES that applicant must address:
· Likelihood of Confusion Refusal
· Identification of Services - Particular Wording Indefinite
Partial SECTION 2(d) REFUSAL – LIKELIHOOD OF CONFUSION
In this case, the following factors are the most relevant: similarity of the marks, similarity and nature of the goods and/or services, and similarity of the trade channels of the goods and/or services. See In re Viterra Inc., 671 F.3d 1358, 1361-62, 101 USPQ2d 1905, 1908 (Fed. Cir. 2012); In re Dakin’s Miniatures Inc., 59 USPQ2d 1593, 1595-96 (TTAB 1999); TMEP §§1207.01 et seq.
Applicant’s mark and the Registered Marks are Identical or Highly Similar
Applicant’s mark is similar in appearance and sound to the registered marks in that they all share the common letters or the entire term(s) RUSH.
Accordingly, the marks are confusingly similar.
The Services Are Related
The respective goods and/or services need only be “related in some manner and/or if the circumstances surrounding their marketing [be] such that they could give rise to the mistaken belief that [the goods and/or services] emanate from the same source.” Coach Servs., Inc. v. Triumph Learning LLC, 668 F.3d 1356, 1369, 101 USPQ2d 1713, 1722 (Fed. Cir. 2012) (quoting 7-Eleven Inc. v. Wechsler, 83 USPQ2d 1715, 1724 (TTAB 2007)); TMEP §1207.01(a)(i).
Applicant’s services are identified as “Entertainment and recreation services in the nature of indoor trampoline parks and amusement centers that contain trampoline courts and other forms of indoor amusement, entertainment and interactive play; providing facilities for an array of sporting events, sports and athletic competitions and interactive play; entertainment services, namely, conducting parties; entertainment services in the nature of providing ongoing athletic programs; organizing and conducting sports events, tournaments and games ”
The services for Registration No. 2947413 are identified as “Education and Entertainment Services, namely a soccer club.”
The services for Registration No. 3746109 are identified as “entertainment services in the nature of professional hockey games, events and exhibitions, hockey exhibitions, youth hockey games, hockey camps and clinics.”
Absent restrictions in an application and/or registration, the identified goods and/or services are “presumed to travel in the same channels of trade to the same class of purchasers.” In re Viterra Inc., 671 F.3d 1358, 1362, 101 USPQ2d 1905, 1908 (Fed. Cir. 2012) (quoting Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Packard Press, Inc., 281 F.3d 1261, 1268, 62 USPQ2d 1001, 1005 (Fed. Cir. 2002)). Additionally, unrestricted and broad identifications are presumed to encompass all goods and/or services of the type described. See In re Jump Designs, LLC, 80 USPQ2d 1370, 1374 (TTAB 2006) (citing In re Elbaum, 211 USPQ 639, 640 (TTAB 1981)); In re Linkvest S.A., 24 USPQ2d 1716, 1716 (TTAB 1992).
In this case, the identification set forth in the application has no restrictions as to nature, type, channels of trade, or classes of purchasers. Therefore, it is presumed that these goods and/or services travel in all normal channels of trade, and are available to the same class of purchasers. Further, the application uses broad wording to describe the goods and/or services and this wording is presumed to encompass all goods and/or services of the type described, including those in registrant’s more narrow identifications. Specifically, the applicant’s services that are broadly defined could include the registrant’s services; “and other forms of indoor amusement, entertainment and interactive play;” and “entertainment services in the nature of providing ongoing athletic programs; organizing and conducting sports events, tournaments and games."
As a result, the services are related because they overlap.
Because the marks are similar and the services overlap, confusion as to source is likely. Thus, registration is refused under Trademark Act Section 2 (d) based on a likelihood of confusion.
Prior Pending Application
In response to this Office action, applicant may present arguments in support of registration by addressing the issue of the potential conflict between applicant’s mark and the mark in the referenced application. Applicant’s election not to submit arguments at this time in no way limits applicant’s right to address this issue later if a refusal under Section 2(d) issues.
Identification of Services - Particular Wording Indefinite
The following wording in the identification of services is indefinite and must be clarified because the type and scope of athletic programs, sports, tournaments and games is unclear. See TMEP §1402.01.
International Class 041: “Entertainment and recreation services in the nature of indoor trampoline parks and amusement centers that contain trampoline courts and other forms of indoor amusement, entertainment and interactive play; providing facilities for an array of sporting events, sports and athletic competitions and interactive play; entertainment services, namely, conducting parties; entertainment services in the nature of providing ongoing athletic programs; organizing and conducting sports events, tournaments and games. ”
Applicant must clarity the nature or use of the athletic program services beyond calling it entertainment because it could include class 035 services promoting and administering services as well.
Applicant must amend this wording to specify the common commercial or generic name for the services. If there is no common commercial or generic name for the services, then applicant must describe the nature of the services as well as their main purpose, channels of trade, and the intended consumer(s).
Applicant may change this wording to the following, if accurate. See TMEP §1402.01.
International Class 035: “Administering ongoing amateur athletic programs
International Class 041: “Entertainment and recreation services in the nature of indoor trampoline parks and amusement centers that contain trampoline courts and other forms of indoor amusement, entertainment and interactive play; providing facilities for an array of sporting events, sports and athletic competitions and interactive play; entertainment services, namely, conducting parties; encouraging amateur sports and physical education by organizing, sanctioning, conducting, regulating and governing amateur athletic programs; organizing and conducting {specify type of sport, e.g., dodgeball, basketball, slam dunk basketball contests} events, {indicate type of sport or competition, e.g., dodgeball, basketball, slam dunk basketball} tournaments and games in the field of {indicate sport, e.g., basketball, slam dunk basketball, dodgeball} ”
Identifications of services can be amended only to clarify or limit the services; adding to or broadening the scope of the services is not permitted. 37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); see TMEP §§1402.06 et seq., 1402.07. Therefore, applicant may not amend the identification to include services that are not within the scope of the services set forth in the present identification.
For assistance with identifying and classifying goods and 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.
Response Guidelines
For this application to proceed toward registration, applicant must explicitly address each refusal and/or requirement raised in this Office action. If the action includes a refusal, applicant may provide arguments and/or evidence as to why the refusal should be withdrawn and the mark should register. Applicant may also have other options for responding to a refusal and should consider such options carefully. To respond to requirements and certain refusal response options, applicant should set forth in writing the required changes or statements.
If applicant does not respond to this Office action within six months of the issue/mailing date, or responds by expressly abandoning the application, the application process will end, the trademark will fail to register, and the application fee will not be refunded. See 15 U.S.C. §1062(b); 37 C.F.R. §§2.65(a), 2.68(a), 2.209(a); TMEP §§405.04, 718.01, 718.02. Where the application has been abandoned for failure to respond to an Office action, applicant’s only option would be to file a timely petition to revive the application, which, if granted, would allow the application to return to active status. See 37 C.F.R. §2.66; TMEP §1714. There is a $100 fee for such petitions. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.6, 2.66(b)(1).
TEAS PLUS OR TEAS REDUCED FEE (TEAS RF) APPLICANTS – TO MAINTAIN LOWER FEE, ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET, INCLUDING SUBMITTING DOCUMENTS ONLINE: Applicants who filed their application online using the lower-fee TEAS Plus or TEAS RF application form must (1) file certain documents online using TEAS, including responses to Office actions (see TMEP §§819.02(b), 820.02(b) for a complete list of these documents); (2) maintain a valid e-mail correspondence address; and (3) agree to receive correspondence from the USPTO by e-mail throughout the prosecution of the application. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.22(b), 2.23(b); TMEP §§819, 820. TEAS Plus or TEAS RF applicants who do not meet these requirements must submit an additional processing fee of $50 per international class of goods and/or services. 37 C.F.R. §§2.6(a)(1)(v), 2.22(c), 2.23(c); TMEP §§819.04, 820.04. However, in certain situations, TEAS Plus or TEAS RF applicants may respond to an Office action by authorizing an examiner’s amendment by telephone without incurring this additional fee.
/Anthony M. Rinker/
Law Office 102
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
571-272-5491
anthony.rinker@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 the Trademark Electronic Application System (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 the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system at http://tsdr.gov.uspto.report/. Please keep a copy of the TSDR status screen. If the status shows no change for more than six months, contact the Trademark Assistance Center by e-mail at TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov or 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/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.