Response to Office Action

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. PTO Form 1957 (Rev 10/2011)

OMB No. 0651-0050 (Exp 07/31/2017)

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Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. PTO Form 1957 (Rev 10/2011)

OMB No. 0651-0050 (Exp 07/31/2017)

Response to Office Action

To the Commissioner for Trademarks:

Application serial no. 86769428 ULTRAFLEX (Stylized and/or with Design, see http://tmng-al.gov.uspto.report/resting2/api/img/86769428/large) has been amended as follows:

ARGUMENT(S)
In response to the substantive refusal(s), please note the following:

In response to the Office Action mailed on January 20, 2016, please enter the following Amendments and Remarks. Refusal Based On Likelihood Of Confusion The Examining Attorney refuses registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d), 15 U.S.C. ?1052(d), on the grounds that Applicant's mark, when used on the identified goods, is likely to be confused with the following registered mark: ULTRA FLEX Registration No. 2,113,327 (Cited Mark) owned by General Cable Technologies Corp. (Cited Registrant) for electrical extension cords in class 9 (Cited Goods). A) Third Party Registrations The Cited Mark is weak. Many registrations already coexist with the Cited Mark which evidences that one more mark can likewise coexist in this already crowded field. Applicant contends that because the Register is crowded with other similar marks, relevant consumers will not be confused by Applicant?s use of the mark in connection with its specific goods and services. Pursuant to TMEP ?1207.01(d)(iii), third party registrations may be relevant to show that a mark is descriptive, suggestive or so commonly used that consumers will look to other elements to distinguish the source of the goods. Applicant submits that the following records, along with the Cited Registration, provide evidence of the extent of the crowded field for this mark. Applicant asserts that the foregoing is evidence that the mark is relatively weak and entitled to only a narrow scope of protection. Third-party registrations may be relevant to show that a mark or a portion of a mark is descriptive, suggestive, or so commonly used that the public will look to other elements to distinguish the source of the goods or services. See, e.g., In re Hartz Hotel Servs., Inc., 102 USPQ2d 1150, 1153- 54 (TTAB 2012); In re Melville Corp., 18 USPQ2d 1386, 1388 (TTAB 1991); In re Dayco Products-Eaglemotive Inc., 9 USPQ2d 1910, 1911-12 (TTAB 1988); Plus Prods. v. Star-Kist Foods, Inc., 220 USPQ 541, 544 (TTAB 1983). Evidence of third-party use falls under the sixth du Pont factor ? the ?number and nature of similar marks in use on similar goods.? In re E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., 476 F.2d 1357, 1361, 177 USPQ 563, 567 (C.C.P.A. 1973). If the evidence establishes that the consuming public is exposed to third-party use of similar marks on similar goods, it ?is relevant to show that a mark is relatively weak and entitled to only a narrow scope of protection.? Palm Bay Imps., Inc. v. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Maison Fondee en 1772, 396 F.3d 1369, 1373-74, 73 USPQ2d 1689, 1693 (Fed. Cir. 2005). The U.S Trademark Office did not refuse registration of Registration No. 4446143 for ARCTIC ULTRAFLEX BLUE in class 9 for extension cords and power cables owned by Polar Wire Products, Inc.; The U.S Trademark Office did not refuse registration of Registration No. 3342696 for UltraFlex in class 9 for cable connectors; cables and fibres owned by Accell Corporation.; The U.S Trademark Office did not refuse registration of Registration No. 2004923 for ULTRAFLEX in class 9 for electronic power supplies owned by Lambda Americas Inc.; The U.S Trademark Office did not refuse registration of Registration No. 4297375 for ULTRA-FLEX in class 9 for electric welding cables owned by Direct Wire & Cable Inc., or the other third party records attached in Schedule A. The U.S. Trademark Office must be consistent in this case and apply the same rule to Applicant?s application for ULTRAFLEX & Design. Further, if these registrations can coexist with the Registration cited by the Examining Attorney, Applicant respectfully asserts that one more similar mark can coexist. Applicant?s mark is no more likely to cause confusion with the Cited Mark and cited registration than the above cited marks. The TARR records are attached as Exhibit A. B) Marks are Distinguishable Applicant?s mark consists of the words ULTRA and FLEX where a lightning bolt is used in place of the letter L in a distinctive stylized/design format. Applicant?s mark has a distinctive bubble font with dark borders, is displayed in graded colors and has a unique lightning bolt replacing the letter L. Registrant?s mark consists of the compound word mark ULTRAFLEX. In determining a likelihood of confusion, the Examining Attorney must consider whether the marks sound, appear and convey the same commercial impressions. In re E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., 476 F.2d 1357, 177 USPQ 563 (CCPA 1973). Likelihood of confusion is not determined based on a side-by-side comparison of the marks. Rather, such a determination is based on a comparison of the marks as a whole. Franklin Mint Corporation v. Master Manufacturing Company, 212 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1981). The mere fact that the two marks share words in common is not determinative. See The Murray Corp. of America v. Red Spot Paint and Varnish Co., Inc. 126 USPQ 390 (TTAB, 1960) where the Board dismissed an opposition by the owner of the single word mark EASY for use on paints against the two word mark EASY TINT for identical goods. In Industrial Adhesive Co. v. Borden, Inc. 218 USPQ 945 (TTAB 1983) the Board dismissed opposer's opposition to the registration of the mark WONDER BOND PLUS for adhesives on the basis of opposer's previously registered mark BOND-PLUS for industrial adhesives. The Board determined that the addition of the term WONDER to the expression BOND PLUS served to impart a distinctive commercial impression to applicant's mark which precluded likelihood of confusion. Examiner states that "The mark is similar in sound, connotation and commercial impression. ?The goods/services of the parties need not be identical or directly competitive to find a likelihood of confusion.? That the Applicant's Mark and the Cited Mark contain a similar word portion, does not mean the respective marks are confusingly similar. As the cases cited above illustrate, the marks must be considered as a whole. Two marks may contain the same terms yet, as a whole may be distinguishable if the overall commercial impression of the marks differ. Applicant's mark BOLTON POWER & Design has a different commercial impression from the Cited Mark BOLTON TOOL mark because the marks have different meanings. The marks also appear different as Applicant?s mark contains a distinctive stylization and design thereby precluding a likelihood of confusion. Trademark law resists flat rules that would require finding certain types of goods and services to be related for purposes of likelihood of confusion. In any case, actual consumer perception is the ultimate concern, and argument or speculation cannot serve as proof. CPC In?l, Inc. v. Seven-Up Co., 218 U.S.P.Q. 379, 380 (T.T.A.B. 1983). Determination of likelihood of confusion under Section 2(d) is based on analysis of all of the facts which are relevant bearing on the likelihood of confusion issue. Examination of all of the relevant facts, notably the differences in the marks, the differences in the products and services and their use, the nature of Registrant's mark, the existence of third-party registrations, the sophistication of purchasers and the conditions of purchase, establish that there is no likelihood of confusion between Applicant's mark and the Cited mark. EVIDENCE Evidence in the nature of TARR records and extracts from websites has been attached It is respectfully submitted that the foregoing Amendment and Remarks responds to the issues raised in the Office Action. It is accordingly requested that the present application be approved for publication.

EVIDENCE
Evidence in the nature of Exhibit A list of third party records; TARR records has been attached.
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SIGNATURE(S)
Response Signature
Signature: /Gene S. Winter AMP/     Date: 05/03/2016
Signatory's Name: Gene S. Winter
Signatory's Position: Attorney of Record, Connecticut Bar Member

Signatory's Phone Number: 2033246155

The signatory has confirmed that he/she is an attorney who is a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a U.S. state, which includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other federal territories and possessions; and he/she is currently the owner's/holder's attorney or an associate thereof; and to the best of his/her knowledge, if prior to his/her appointment another U.S. attorney or a Canadian attorney/agent not currently associated with his/her company/firm previously represented the owner/holder in this matter: (1) the owner/holder has filed or is concurrently filing a signed revocation of or substitute power of attorney with the USPTO; (2) the USPTO has granted the request of the prior representative to withdraw; (3) the owner/holder has filed a power of attorney appointing him/her in this matter; or (4) the owner's/holder's appointed U.S. attorney or Canadian attorney/agent has filed a power of attorney appointing him/her as an associate attorney in this matter.

        
Serial Number: 86769428
Internet Transmission Date: Tue May 03 18:21:45 EDT 2016
TEAS Stamp: USPTO/ROA-XX.XX.XX.XXX-20160503182145528
451-86769428-5504b8a202c99e451ba8bac43f2
d23735e8ce4cd4817df322dee9aced9e9b97d-N/
A-N/A-20160503181344362225