To: | C. R. Gibson, LLC (mfriscia@mccarter.com) |
Subject: | U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 88392053 - C. R. GIBSON BABY - 018094-00075 |
Sent: | 6/27/2019 10:45:41 AM |
Sent As: | ECOM112@USPTO.GOV |
Attachments: | Attachment - 1 |
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)
OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION
U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO. 88392053
MARK: C. R. GIBSON BABY
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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: C. R. Gibson, 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. A RESPONSE TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE TRADEMARK ELECTRONIC APPLICATION SYSTEM (TEAS) MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE MIDNIGHT EASTERN TIME OF THE LAST DAY OF THE RESPONSE PERIOD.
ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 6/27/2019
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).
1. Identification of goods.
2. Name of a particular living individual.
3. Disclaimer.
INFORMALITIES
The wording “memory journals” is indefinite and must be clarified, e.g. “blank memory journals.”
The wording “photo props made of paper” is indefinite and must be clarified, e.g. “photo props made of paper in the nature of printed paper signs featuring faces, paper wall decorations, invitation cards, thank you cards, paper party favors, and party favor hats.”
The identification for “kits” in International Class 16 is indefinite and must be clarified. See 37 C.F.R. §2.32(a)(6); TMEP §§1401.05(a), 1402.01, 1402.03. Kits generally consist of a group of components that (1) share a common theme, or (2) are used to make a particular product. See TMEP §1401.05(a). Applicant must amend the identification to “baby handprint kits comprised of inkpads and imprint cards,” using the guidelines below. See id.
For kits consisting of a group of components that share a common theme, the identification should specify the theme followed by the wording “comprising” or “comprised of” and a list of the components that make up the kit, with all of the components in the predominant class listed first. See id. Generally, a kit is classified in the same international class as the majority of the components in the kit. See id. For example, “nail care kits comprised of nail polish, nail polish remover, false nails, nail files, and printed instructions” are in International Class 3, the class of the kits’ primary components which are listed first in the kits’ components (with “nail files” in International Class 8, and “printed instructions” in International Class 16 listed after the International Class 3 components).
If there are no components that are more dominant than another in a shared-theme kit, the first component listed after the wording “comprising” or “comprised of” will determine the class of the kit. See id. For example, “tool kits comprising hand saws and power-driven saws” are in International Class 8 (the class for “hand saws”), and “tool kits comprising power-driven saws and hand saws” are in International Class 7 (the class for “power-driven saws”).
For kits that make a particular product, the identification must specify the product being made using the following format: “kits for making [specify item] comprising [specify components]” or “kits for making [specify item] comprised of [specify components].” See id. Generally, this type of kit is classified in the international class of the product being made. For example, “kits for making wine consisting of fresh grapes and chemicals for fermenting wine” are classified in International Class 33 (the class for “wine”).
For examples of other acceptable identifications for kits (e.g., sewing kits, face painting kits), please see the USPTO’s U.S. Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual (ID Manual).
Applicant may adopt the following wording, if accurate:
Baby memory books, blank memory journals, photo albums, calendars; photo props made of paper in the nature of printed paper signs featuring faces, paper wall decorations, invitation cards, thank you cards, paper party favors, and party favor hats; baby board books, and baby handprint kits comprised of inkpads and imprint cards. International Class 16.
The identification of goods in International Class 25 is acceptable.
NAME OF A PARTICULAR LIVING INDIVIDUAL
The applied-for mark contains the name “C. R. GIBSON” and appears to identify a particular living individual; however, the application does not include this named party’s written consent to registration of the name as a trademark/service mark. Written consent is required for registration of a mark containing a name, including a pseudonym, stage name or nickname, or signature, if the name or signature identifies a particular living individual. Trademark Act Section 2(c), 15 U.S.C. §1052(c); TMEP §§813, 1206.04(a). Therefore, applicant must clarify whether this name/signature identifies a particular living individual and, if so, provide a written consent from this individual, as explained further below. 37 C.F.R. §2.61(b); TMEP §§813, 1206.04(a).
If the name or signature in the mark does not identify a particular living individual, then applicant must submit a statement that the name “C. R. GIBSON” does not identify a living individual. TMEP §§813.01(b), 1206.05; see 37 C.F.R. §2.61(b).
If the name or signature in the mark does identify a particular living individual, then applicant must submit the following:
(1) A statement that the name “C. R. GIBSON” identifies a living individual whose consent is of record. If the name represents that of a pseudonym, stage name, or nickname, applicant must include a statement that C. R. GIBSON identifies the <pseudonym/stage name/nickname> of <specify actual name>, a living individual whose consent is of record; and
(2) A written consent, personally signed by the individual whose name or signature appears in the mark, authorizing applicant to register the name, pseudonym, stage name, nickname, or signature as a trademark and/or service mark with the USPTO (e.g., “I consent to the use and registration by C.R. Gibson, LLC of my name “C. R. GIBSON” as a trademark and/or service mark with the USPTO”).
TMEP §§813, 813.01(a), 1206.04(a); see 37 C.F.R. §2.61(b).
Failure to respond to this inquiry is a sufficient basis for refusing registration. See In re Cheezwhse.com, Inc., 85 USPQ2d 1917, 1919 (TTAB 2008); In re DTI P’ship LLP, 67 USPQ2d 1699, 1701 (TTAB 2003); TMEP §814.
In this case, applicant must disclaim the wording “BABY” because it is not inherently distinctive. These unregistrable term(s) at best are merely descriptive of an ingredient, quality, characteristic, function, feature, purpose, or use of applicant’s goods and/or services. See 15 U.S.C. §1052(e)(1); DuoProSS Meditech Corp. v. Inviro Med. Devices, Ltd., 695 F.3d 1247, 1251, 103 USPQ2d 1753, 1755 (Fed. Cir. 2012); TMEP §§1213, 1213.03(a).
The applicant’s mark C. R. GIBSON BABY is used for “Baby memory books, memory journals, photo albums, calendars, photo props made of paper, baby board books, baby handprint kits” and “Children and infant's cloth bibs, socks.”
The attached evidence from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language shows this wording means “A very young child; an infant.” Thus, the wording merely describes applicant’s baby books, baby clothes, and other baby related goods.
Applicant may respond to this issue by submitting a disclaimer in the following format:
No claim is made to the exclusive right to use “BABY” apart from the mark as shown.
For an overview of disclaimers and instructions on how to satisfy this issue using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), see the Disclaimer webpage.
The USPTO applies the following legal authority to a trademark application:
• The Trademark Act of 1946 (15 U.S.C. §§1051 et seq.)
• The Trademark Rules of Practice (37 C.F.R. pts. 2, 3, 6, 7, 11)
• Precedential court and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) decisions
• The Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure (TMEP)
• The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Manual of Procedure (TBMP)
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 $125 per 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 or e-mail without incurring this additional fee.
/Warren L. Olandria/
Trademark Examining Attorney
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
Law Office 112
Phone: 571-272-9718
Warren.Olandria@uspto.g
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.