To: | DermaForce Holdings, LLC (trademark@ogrp.com) |
Subject: | U.S. Trademark Application Serial No. 88659724 - CBFREE - 0013757UST1 |
Sent: | November 26, 2019 01:17:22 PM |
Sent As: | ecom113@uspto.gov |
Attachments: |
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Office Action (Official Letter) About Applicant’s Trademark Application
U.S. Application Serial No. 88659724
Mark: CBFREE
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Correspondence Address: |
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Applicant: DermaForce Holdings, LLC
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Reference/Docket No. 0013757UST1
Correspondence Email Address: |
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NONFINAL OFFICE ACTION
The USPTO must receive applicant’s response to this letter within six months of the issue date below or the application will be abandoned. Respond using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS). A link to the appropriate TEAS response form appears at the end of this Office action.
Issue date: November 26, 2019
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.
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 OFFICE’S DATABASE OF MARKS
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).
REQUIREMENT: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MARK
1.) Is “CB” in the mark an initialism, acronym, abbreviation or other shorted form of other wording?
2.) If the answer to question 1, above, is “yes,” provide the wording represented by “CB.”
3.) Explain the significance of the letters in the mark “CB” in applicant’s field or trade industry or as applied to applicant’s goods, and if such letters represent a “term of art” within applicant’s industry.
See 37 C.F.R. §2.61(b); TMEP §814. Failure to comply with a request for information is grounds for refusing registration. In re Harley, 119 USPQ2d 1755, 1757-58 (TTAB 2016); TMEP §814.
RESPONSE/CORRESPONDENCE INFORMATION & GUIDELINES
Arguments regarding any substantive refusal must be filed in a formal response to be considered. TMEP §709.05.
Informal communications with the examining attorney “may not be used to request advisory opinions as to the likelihood of overcoming a substantive refusal.” TMEP §709.05.
“USPTO employees cannot give advice on trademark law. It is inappropriate for USPTO personnel to give legal advice, to act as a counselor for individuals…. 37 C.F.R. §2.11.” TMEP §709.06.
Examining attorneys cannot provide any statements about applicants’ rights; “the examining attorney’s responsibility is limited to evaluating the registrability of the mark presented in the application. See In re Am. Physical Fitness Research Inst. Inc., 181 USPQ 127, 127–28 (TTAB 1974); see also TMEP §1801.” TMEP §705.02
The trademark examining attorney may only provide additional clarification pertaining to the refusal(s) and/or requirement(s) in this Office action.
An e-mail communication will not be accepted as a response to this Office action and will not extend the deadline for filing a proper response; all relevant e-mail communications will be placed in the official application record. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.62 (c), 2.191; TMEP §§304.01-.02, 709.04-.05.
For this application to proceed, applicant must explicitly address each refusal and/or requirement in this Office action. For a refusal, applicant may provide written arguments and evidence against the refusal, and may have other response options if specified above. For a requirement, applicant should set forth the 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 and the trademark will fail to register. See 15 U.S.C. §1062(b); 37 C.F.R. §§2.65(a), 2.68(a); TMEP §§718.01, 718.02. Additionally, the USPTO will not refund the application filing fee, which is a required processing fee. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.6(a)(1)(i)-(iv), 2.209(a); TMEP §405.04.
How to respond. Click to file a response to this nonfinal Office action.
/N. Gretchen Ulrich/
Trademark Examining Attorney
Law Office 113
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
phone: (571) 272-1951
gretchen.ulrich@uspto.gov
RESPONSE GUIDANCE