To: | Evonik Degussa GmbH (swoldow@sgrlaw.com) |
Subject: | U.S. Trademark Application Serial No. 88668404 - AIRASE - 032301.1172 |
Sent: | December 09, 2019 02:05:35 PM |
Sent As: | ecom123@uspto.gov |
Attachments: |
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Office Action (Official Letter) About Applicant’s Trademark Application
U.S. Application Serial No. 88668404
Mark: AIRASE
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Correspondence Address: SMITH, GAMBRELL & RUSSELL, LLP 1055 THOMAS JEFFERSON ST. NW, SUITE 400
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Applicant: Evonik Degussa GmbH
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Reference/Docket No. 032301.1172
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: December 09, 2019
INTRODUCTION
The referenced application has been reviewed by the assigned trademark examining attorney. Applicant must respond timely and completely to the issues 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).
IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF GOODS AMENDMENT REQUIRED
There are several issues with applicant’s identification of goods. First, applicant has included the term “or” in the identification of goods. However, this term is generally not accepted in identifications when (1) it is unclear whether applicant is using the mark, or intends to use the mark, on all the identified goods or services; (2) the nature of the goods and services is unclear; or (3) classification cannot be determined from such wording. See TMEP §1402.03(a). In this case, it is unclear if applicant intends to use the mark on all of the identified goods.
An application must specify, in an explicit manner, the particular goods or services on or in connection with which the applicant uses, or has a bona fide intention to use, the mark in commerce. See 15 U.S.C. §1051(a)(2), (b)(2); 37 C.F.R. §2.32(a)(6); TMEP §1402.01. Therefore, applicant should replace “and/or” or “or” with “and” in the identification of goods or services, if appropriate, or rewrite the identification with the “and/or” or “or” deleted and the goods or services specified using definite and unambiguous language.
In general, commas should be used in an identification (1) to separate a series of related items identified within a particular category of goods or services, (2) before and after “namely,” and (3) between each item in a list of goods or services following “namely” (e.g., personal care products, namely, body lotion, bar soap, shampoo). Id. Semicolons generally should be used to separate a series of distinct categories of goods or services within an international class (e.g., personal care products, namely, body lotion; deodorizers for pets; glass cleaners). Id.
Applicant may substitute the following wording, if accurate:
Class 001: Chemical agents, compositions and or products for use as water and or solvent based
deaerators and or defoamers in coatings, inks, adhesives, metal working fluids, agrochemicals, concrete coatings and formulations, pulp and paper processing and water treatments for preventing growth of organisms; Silicone and or modified polyether silicone
containing chemical agents, compositions and or products used as deaerators and or defoamers in the manufacture and application of industrial
systems, namely, water and or solvent based coatings, inks, adhesives metal working fluids, agrochemicals, concrete coatings and formulations, pulp and paper processing
and water treatments for preventing growth of organisms; Molecule-based and organic based defoamers for use as chemical agents, compositions
and or products in the manufacture and application of industrial systems, namely, water and or solvent based coatings, inks, adhesives metal
working fluids, agrochemicals, concrete coatings and formulations, pulp and paper processing and water treatments for preventing growth of organisms
Class 005: Chemical agents, compositions and or products for use as water and
or solvent based deaerators and or defoamers in coatings, inks, adhesives, metal working fluids, agrochemicals, concrete coatings and formulations, pulp and
paper processing and water treatments for treating organisms; Silicone and or modified polyether silicone containing chemical
agents, compositions and or products used as deaerators and or defoamers in the manufacture and application of industrial systems, namely,
water and or solvent based coatings, inks, adhesives metal working fluids, agrochemicals, concrete coatings and formulations, pulp and paper processing and water
treatments for treating organisms; Molecule-based and organic based defoamers for use as chemical agents, compositions and or products in the
manufacture and application of industrial systems, namely, water and or solvent based coatings, inks, adhesives metal working fluids, agrochemicals, concrete coatings and
formulations, pulp and paper processing and water treatments for treating organisms
Applicant’s goods may be clarified or limited, but may not be expanded beyond those originally itemized in the application or as acceptably amended. See 37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); TMEP §1402.06. Applicant may clarify or limit the identification by inserting qualifying language or deleting items to result in a more specific identification; however, applicant may not substitute different goods or add goods not found or encompassed by those in the original application or as acceptably amended. See TMEP §1402.06(a)-(b). The scope of the goods sets the outer limit for any changes to the identification and is generally determined by the ordinary meaning of the wording in the identification. TMEP §§1402.06(b), 1402.07(a)-(b). Any acceptable changes to the goods will further limit scope, and once goods and/or services are deleted, they are not permitted to be reinserted. TMEP §1402.07(e).
For assistance with identifying and classifying goods in trademark applications, please see the USPTO’s online searchable U.S. Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual. See TMEP §1402.04.
CLARIFICATION OF THE NUMBER OF CLASSES FOR WHICH REGISTRATION IS SOUGHT REQUIRED
The applicant has identified goods that could be classified in at least 2 classes. However, the applicant submitted a fee sufficient for only 1 class. Applicant must either submit the filing fees for the class not covered by the submitted fees or restrict the application to the number of classes covered by the fees already paid.
MULTIPLE-CLASS APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS ADVISORY
(1) List the goods and/or services by their international class number in consecutive numerical order, starting with the lowest numbered class.
(2) Submit a filing fee for each international class not covered by the fee(s) already paid (view the USPTO’s current fee schedule). The application identifies goods and/or services that are classified in at least 2 classes; however, applicant submitted a fee(s) sufficient for only 2 class. Applicant must either submit the filing fees for the classes not covered by the submitted fees or restrict the application to the number of classes covered by the fees already paid.
See 15 U.S.C. §§1051(b), 1112, 1126(e); 37 C.F.R. §§2.32(a)(6)-(7), 2.34(a)(2)-(3), 2.86(a); TMEP §§1403.01, 1403.02(c).
See an overview of the requirements for a Section 1(b) multiple-class application and how to satisfy the requirements online using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) form.
RESPONSE GUIDELINES
Please call or email the assigned trademark examining attorney with questions about this Office action. Although the trademark examining attorney cannot provide legal advice or statements about applicant’s rights, the trademark examining attorney can provide applicant with additional explanation about the requirements in this Office action. See TMEP §§705.02, 709.06. Although the USPTO does not accept emails as responses to Office actions, emails can be used for informal communications and will be included in the application record. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.62(c), 2.191; TMEP §§304.01-.02, 709.04-.05.
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.
How to respond. Click to file a response to this nonfinal Office action.
/Collier L Johnson II/
Collier L Johnson II
Examining Attorney
Law Office 123
571-270-0878
collier.johnson@uspto.gov
RESPONSE GUIDANCE