To: | Allparts Music Corp. (jim@resolutionlegal.com) |
Subject: | U.S. Trademark Application Serial No. 97039421 - ERAS - 10368.007 |
Sent: | June 24, 2022 02:06:35 PM |
Sent As: | ecom101@uspto.gov |
Attachments: |
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Office Action (Official Letter) About Applicant’s Trademark Application
U.S. Application Serial No. 97039421
Mark: ERAS
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Correspondence Address:
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Applicant: Allparts Music Corp.
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Reference/Docket No. 10368.007
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: June 24, 2022
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 USPTO DATABASE OF MARKS
Specifically, applicant has identified its goods as “Guitar pedals; Pedals for musical instruments; Foot pedals for use in connection with musical instruments” in Class 15. Such goods are understood as in the nature of components of musical instruments, e.g., pedals for pedal steel guitars, drum pedals, piano pedals and are distinguished from effects units such as effects pedals for guitars, which are placed in Class 9.
Applicant’s specimen of use appears to depict the mark on a Class 9 guitar effects pedal. It is noted in this regard that applicant seeks registration for the subject mark and companion marks in both Classes 9 and 15 and appears to have employed the same specimen in each class. With rare exceptions, a given product will be restricted to a single class. Applicant’s guitar effects pedals would not be placed in both Classes 9 and 15. This issue is confused somewhat with respect to instrument effects pedals which have a history of reclassification between Classes 15 and 9 in response to changes in international trademark agreements. Nonetheless, to the extent applicant’s use is limited to electronic effects pedals for musical instruments in Class 9, the provided specimen of use fails to provided evidence of use for the Class 15 goods identified in the subject application.
Examples of specimens. Specimens for goods include a photograph of (1) the actual goods bearing the mark; (2) an actual container, packaging, tag or label for the goods bearing the mark; or (3) a point-of-sale display showing the mark directly associated with the goods. See 37 C.F.R. §2.56(b)(1), (c); TMEP §904.03(a)-(m). A webpage specimen submitted as a display associated with the goods must show the mark in association with a picture or textual description of the goods and include information necessary for ordering the goods. TMEP §904.03(i); see 37 C.F.R. §2.56(b)(1), (c). Any webpage printout or screenshot submitted as a specimen must include the webpage’s URL and the date it was accessed or printed on the specimen itself, within the TEAS form that submits the specimen, or in a verified statement under 37 C.F.R. §2.20 or 28 U.S.C. §1746 in a later-filed response. See 37 C.F.R. §2.56(c); TMEP §§904.03(i), 1301.04(a).
Response options. Applicant may respond to this refusal by satisfying one of the following for each applicable international class:
(1) Submit a different specimen (a verified “substitute” specimen) that (a) was in actual use in commerce at least as early as the filing date of the application or prior to the filing of an amendment to allege use and (b) shows the mark in actual use in commerce for the goods identified in the application or amendment to allege use. A “verified substitute specimen” is a specimen that is accompanied by the following statement made in a signed affidavit or supported by a declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20: “The substitute (or new, or originally submitted, if appropriate) specimen(s) was/were in use in commerce at least as early as the filing date of the application or prior to the filing of the amendment to allege use.” The substitute specimen cannot be accepted without this statement.
(2) Amend the filing basis to intent to use under Section 1(b) (which includes withdrawing an amendment to allege use, if one was filed), as no specimen is required before publication. This option will later necessitate additional fee(s) and filing requirements, including a specimen.
For an overview of the response options referenced above and instructions on how to satisfy these options using the online Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) form, see the Specimen webpage.
If the applicant has any questions or needs assistance in responding to this Office action, please e-mail or telephone the assigned examining attorney.
How to respond. Click to file a response to this nonfinal Office action.
/SMP/
Steven M. Perez
Trademark Attorney
Law Office 101
(571) 272-5888
steven.perez@uspto.gov
RESPONSE GUIDANCE