Offc Action Outgoing

United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

Office Action (Official Letter) About Applicant’s Trademark Application

 

 

 

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:  April 06, 2020

 

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 USPTO DATABASE OF MARKS

 

The trademark examining attorney searched the USPTO database of registered and pending marks and found no conflicting marks that would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d).  15 U.S.C. §1052(d); TMEP §704.02.

 

SUMMARY OF ISSUES:

• Amendment to Identification of Goods Required
• Multiple Class Application Requirements
• Disclaimer Required

 

AMENDMENT TO IDENTIFICATION OF GOODS REQUIRED

 

The wording “electronic vaporizers for aromatherapy purposes” in the identification of goods is indefinite and must be clarified because the nature of the vaporizers is not clear.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.32(a)(6); TMEP §1402.01.  Further, the wording in the identification of goods for International Class 10 must be clarified because it is too broad and could include goods in other international classes.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.32(a)(6); TMEP §§1402.01, 1402.03.  In particular, this wording could encompass “electric vaporizers for medical aromatherapy purposes” in International Class 10, “electric vaporizers for household aromatherapy purposes” in International Class 11 and “electric smokers’ oral vaporizers for aromatherapy purposes” in International Class 34.  The examining attorney suggests the amended language set forth below, if it is accurate; if it is not accurate, then applicant should either (1) identify its goods using acceptable language, or (2) describe the goods to the trademark examining attorney using clear, non-technical language, such that the trademark examining attorney may suggest appropriate amendments.  Applicant may substitute the following wording, if accurate: 

 

International Class 10: Electric vaporizers for {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., medical} aromatherapy purposes; Structural parts for electronic vaporizers for {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., medical} aromatherapy purposes, namely, atomizers, electronic vaporizer caps, vaporizer refill cartridges sold empty, clearomizers, coils, cones, drip tips, tanks, glass hydro mouthpieces/stems; Refilling tools for electronic vaporizers for aromatherapy purposes, namely, eye droppers for liquid that is vaporizable for aromatherapy purposes, {specify nature of syringes, e.g., medical, disposable} syringes for liquid that is vaporizable for aromatherapy purposes; Cartomizers, namely, combination electronic vaporizer refill cartridges sold empty and atomizers, sold as a component of electronic vaporizers for {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., medical} purposes; Cases for electronic vaporizers for {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., medical} aromatherapy purposes; Kits for electronic vaporizers for {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., medical} aromatherapy purposes comprising electronic vaporizers for {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., medical} aromatherapy purposes and refill cartridges for electronic vaporizers for {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., medical} aromatherapy purposes sold empty

 

International Class 11 : Electric vaporizers for {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., household} aromatherapy purposes; Structural parts for electronic vaporizers for {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., household} aromatherapy purposes, namely, atomizers, electronic vaporizer caps, vaporizer refill cartridges sold empty, clearomizers, coils, cones, drip tips, tanks, glass hydro mouthpieces/stems; Cartomizers, namely, combination electronic vaporizer refill cartridges sold empty and atomizers, sold as a component of electronic vaporizers for {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., household} purposes; Cases for electronic vaporizers for {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., household} aromatherapy purposes; Kits for electronic vaporizers for {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., household} aromatherapy purposes comprising electronic vaporizers for {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., household} aromatherapy purposes and refill cartridges for electronic vaporizers for {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., household} aromatherapy purposes sold empty

 

International Class 34 : Electric {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., smokers’ oral vaporizers } for aromatherapy purposes; Structural parts for electronic {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., smokers’ oral vaporizers } for aromatherapy purposes, namely, atomizers, electronic vaporizer caps, vaporizer refill cartridges sold empty, clearomizers, coils, cones, drip tips, tanks, glass hydro mouthpieces/stems,; Refilling tools for electronic vaporizers for aromatherapy purposes, namely, eye droppers for liquid that is vaporizable for aromatherapy purposes, {specify nature of syringes, e.g., medical, disposable} syringes for liquid that is vaporizable for aromatherapy purposes; Cartomizers, namely, combination electronic vaporizer refill cartridges sold empty and atomizers, sold as a component of electronic {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., smokers’ oral vaporizers}; Cases for electronic {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., smokers’ oral vaporizers} for aromatherapy purposes; Kits for electronic {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., smokers’ oral vaporizers} for aromatherapy purposes comprising electronic {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., smokers’ oral vaporizers} for {aromatherapy purposes and refill cartridges for electronic {specify purpose of vaporizers, e.g., smokers’ oral vaporizers} for aromatherapy purposes sold

 

Applicant’s goods and/or services 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 and/or services or add goods and/or services 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 and/or services 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 and/or services 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 and services in trademark applications, please see the USPTO’s online searchable U.S. Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual.  See TMEP §1402.04.

 

MULTIPLE-CLASS APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

 

The USPTO changed the federal trademark rules to eliminate the TEAS RF application, which is now considered a “TEAS Standard” application.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.6(a)(iii).  The fee for adding classes to a TEAS Standard application is $275 per class.  See id.  For more information about these changes, see the Mandatory Electronic Filing webpage.

 

The application identifies goods and/or services in more than one international class; therefore, applicant must satisfy all the requirements below for each international class based on Trademark Act Section 1(b):

 

(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 3 classes; however, applicant submitted a fee(s) sufficient for only one 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 37 C.F.R. §2.86(a); TMEP §§1403.01, 1403.02(c).

 

For 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, see the Multiple-class Application webpage.

 

DISCLAIMER REQUIRED

 

Applicant must disclaim the wording “PEN” because it is 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 attached evidence from www.ahdictionary.com shows this wording means “a pen-shaped device containing something other than ink: an insulin pen; a vaporizer pen”.  Thus, the wording merely describes applicant’s goods because the goods will feature a pen-shaped device, namely a vaporizer pen”.

 

Applicant may respond to this issue by submitting a disclaimer in the following format: 

 

No claim is made to the exclusive right to use “PEN” apart from the mark as shown. 

 

For an overview of disclaimers and instructions on how to provide one using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), see the Disclaimer webpage. 

 

RESPONSE GUIDELINES

 

Please call or email the assigned trademark examining attorney with questions about this Office action.  Although an examining attorney cannot provide legal advice, the examining attorney can provide additional explanation about the refusal(s) and/or requirement(s) in this Office action.  See TMEP §§705.02, 709.06. 

 

The USPTO does not accept emails as responses to Office actions; however, emails can be used for informal communications and are included in the application record.  See 37 C.F.R. §§2.62(c), 2.191; TMEP §§304.01-.02, 709.04-.05. 

 

How to respond.  Click to file a response to this nonfinal Office action.    

 

 

/Katherine Ferrell/

Examining Attorney

Law Office 126

(571)-270-3576

Katherine.Ferrell@uspto.gov

 

 

RESPONSE GUIDANCE

• Missing the response deadline to this letter will cause the application to abandon.  A response or notice of appeal must be received by the USPTO before midnight Eastern Time of the last day of the response period.  TEAS and ESTTA maintenance or unforeseen circumstances could affect an applicant’s ability to timely respond.  

 

• Responses signed by an unauthorized party are not accepted and can cause the application to abandon.  If applicant does not have an attorney, the response must be signed by the individual applicant, all joint applicants, or someone with legal authority to bind a juristic applicant.  If applicant has an attorney, the response must be signed by the attorney.

 

• If needed, find contact information for the supervisor of the office or unit listed in the signature block.

 

United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

 

USPTO OFFICIAL NOTICE

 

Office Action (Official Letter) has issued

on April 06, 2020 for

U.S. Trademark Application Serial No. 88759023

 

Your trademark application has been reviewed by a trademark examining attorney.  As part of that review, the assigned attorney has issued an official letter that you must respond to by the specified deadline or your application will be abandoned.  Please follow the steps below.

 

(1)  Read the official letter.

 

(2)  Direct questions about the contents of the Office action to the assigned attorney below. 

 

 

/Katherine Ferrell/

Examining Attorney

Law Office 126

(571)-270-3576

Katherine.Ferrell@uspto.gov

 

Direct questions about navigating USPTO electronic forms, the USPTO website, the application process, the status of your application, and/or whether there are outstanding deadlines or documents related to your file to the Trademark Assistance Center (TAC).

 

(3)  Respond within 6 months (or earlier, if required in the Office action) from April 06, 2020, using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS).  The response must be received by the USPTO before midnight Eastern Time of the last day of the response period.  See the Office action for more information about how to respond

 

 

 

GENERAL GUIDANCE

·         Check the status of your application periodically in the Trademark Status & Document Retrieval (TSDR) database to avoid missing critical deadlines.

 

·         Update your correspondence email address, if needed, to ensure you receive important USPTO notices about your application.

 

·         Beware of misleading notices sent by private companies about your application.  Private companies not associated with the USPTO use public information available in trademark registrations to mail and email trademark-related offers and notices – most of which require fees.  All official USPTO correspondence will only be emailed from the domain “@uspto.gov.”