To:
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`Subject:
`
`Sent:
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`Sent As:
`
`Attachments:
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`Panasonic Corporation of North America (ptodocket@arelaw.com)
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`U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 86105232 - FLEXZ FAST - 55210/764
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`2/19/2016 9:27:06 AM
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`ECOM101@USPTO.GOV
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)
`OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION
`
`*86105232*
`
`CLICK HERE TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER:
`http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp
`
`VIEW YOUR APPLICATION FILE
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`U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO. (cid:160) 86105232
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`(cid:160)M
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`ARK: FLEXZ FAST
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`CORRESPONDENT ADDRESS:
`(cid:160)(cid:160)
`(cid:160)(cid:160) (cid:160) (cid:160) HOLLY PEKOWSKY
`(cid:160)(cid:160)
`(cid:160)(cid:160) (cid:160) (cid:160) AMSTER, ROTHSTEIN & EBENSTEIN LLP
`(cid:160) (cid:160) (cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160) 90 PARK AVE
`(cid:160) (cid:160) (cid:160)(cid:160) (cid:160) (cid:160) NEW YORK, NY 10016-1301
`(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
`APPLICANT: Panasonic Corporation of North America
`
`(cid:160) (cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
`(cid:160) (cid:160) (cid:160)
`(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
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`(cid:160) (cid:160)(cid:160)
`CORRESPONDENT’S REFERENCE/DOCKET NO :(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
`CORRESPONDENT E-MAIL ADDRESS:(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
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`(cid:160) 55210/764
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`(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160) ptodocket@arelaw.com
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`NON-FINAL OFFICE ACTION
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`STRICT DEADLINE TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER
`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.
`
`(cid:160)I
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`SSUE/MAILING DATE: 2/19/2016
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`The statement of use has been reviewed by the assigned trademark examining attorney.(cid:160) Applicant must respond timely and completely to the
`issue(s) below.(cid:160) 15 U.S.C. §1062(b); 37 C.F.R. §§2.62(a), 2.65(a); TMEP §§711, 718.03.
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`(cid:160)1
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`.(cid:160) Requirement – Mark Differs on Drawing and Specimen:
`Registration is refused because the specimen does not show the applied-for mark in the drawing in use in commerce.(cid:160) Trademark Act Sections 1
`and 45, 15 U.S.C. §§1051, 1127; 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(1)(iv), 2.56(a); TMEP §§904, 904.07(a), 1301.04(g)(i).(cid:160) Specifically, the specimen
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`displays the mark as FLEX-Z FAST; however, the drawing displays the mark as FLEXZ FAST.(cid:160)(cid:160)
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`The drawing shows the mark sought to be registered, and must be a substantially exact representation of the mark as used on or in connection
`with the goods and/or services, as shown by the specimen.(cid:160) 37 C.F.R. §2.51(a); TMEP §807.12(a).(cid:160) Because the mark in the drawing is not a
`substantially exact representation of the mark on the specimen, applicant has failed to provide the required evidence of use of the applied-for
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`mark in commerce on or in connection with applicant’s goods and/or services. (cid:160) See TMEP §807.12(a).(cid:160)(cid:160)
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`An application based on Trademark Act Section 1(a) must include a specimen showing the applied-for mark in use in commerce for each
`international class of goods and/or services identified in the statement of use.(cid:160) 15 U.S.C. §1051(a)(1); 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(1)(iv), 2.56(a); TMEP
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`§§904, 904.07(a).(cid:160)(cid:160)
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`Examples of specimens for goods include tags, labels, instruction manuals, containers, photographs that show the mark on the actual goods or
`packaging, and displays associated with the actual goods at their point of sale.(cid:160) See TMEP §§904.03 et seq.(cid:160) Webpages may also be specimens
`for goods when they include a picture or textual description of the goods associated with the mark and the means to order the goods.(cid:160) TMEP
`
`§904.03(i).(cid:160)(cid:160)
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`Applicant may respond to this refusal by satisfying one of the following for each applicable international class:
`
`(cid:160)
`(cid:160)
`(cid:160)
`(cid:160)
`(cid:160)
`

`

`(1)(cid:160) Submit a new drawing of the mark that agrees with the mark on the specimen and, if appropriate, an amendment to the color claim
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`and/or mark description that conforms to the new drawing.(cid:160)(cid:160)
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`(2)(cid:160) Submit a different specimen (a verified “substitute” specimen) that (a) was in actual use in commerce prior to the expiration of the
`deadline for filing the statement of use and (b) shows the mark in actual use in commerce for the goods and/or services identified in the
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`statement of use.(cid:160)(cid:160)
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`Applicant, however, may not withdraw the statement of use.(cid:160) See 37 C.F.R. §2.88(f); TMEP §1109.17.
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`(cid:160)F
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`or an overview of both response options referenced above and instructions on how to satisfy either option online using the Trademark Electronic
`Application System (TEAS) form, please go to http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/law/J3.jsp.
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`(cid:160)T
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`o submit a verified substitute specimen online using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), applicant should (1) answer “yes”
`to the TEAS response form wizard question to “submit a new or substitute specimen,” and then do the following for each relevant class for
`which a substitute specimen is being submitted:(cid:160) (2) attach a jpg or pdf file of the substitute specimen, (3) describe what the specimen consists
`of, and (4) select the statement that “The substitute specimen(s) was/were in use in commerce prior to the expiration of the deadline for filing a
`
`Statement of Use.” (cid:160)(cid:160)
`2.(cid:160) Requirement – Specimen Unacceptable – Advertising for Goods:
`Registration is refused because the specimen consists of advertising material and thus does not show the applied-for mark in use in commerce
`for the identified goods for each international class.(cid:160) Trademark Act Sections 1 and 45, 15 U.S.C. §§1051, 1127; 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(1)(iv),
`2.56(a); TMEP §§904, 904.07(a).(cid:160) Advertising materials are generally not acceptable as specimens to show use in commerce for goods.(cid:160) See In
`re MediaShare Corp., 43 USPQ2d 1304, 1307 (TTAB 1997); In re Schiapparelli Searle, 26 USPQ2d 1520, 1522 (TTAB 1993); TMEP
`§904.04(b), (c).(cid:160) Specifically, although the applicant’s specimen includes a picture or sufficient textual description of the relevant goods and
`shows the mark in association with the goods, the specimen does not include the information necessary to order the goods.(cid:160) TMEP §904.03(h).(cid:160)
`Please note that “the inclusion of a phone number, Internet address, and/or mailing address merely as part of corporate contact information on an
`advertisement describing the product is not in itself sufficient to meet the criteria for a display associated with the goods.(cid:160) There must be an offer
`to accept orders or instructions on how to place an order.” (cid:160) TMEP §904.03(h).
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`(cid:160)A
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`n application based on Trademark Act Section 1(a) must include a specimen showing the applied-for mark in use in commerce for each
`international class of goods identified in the statement of use.(cid:160) 15 U.S.C. §1051(a)(1); 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(1)(iv), 2.56(a); TMEP §§904,
`
`904.07(a).(cid:160)(cid:160)
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`Examples of specimens for goods include tags, labels, instruction manuals, containers, photographs that show the mark on the actual goods or
`packaging, and displays associated with the actual goods at their point of sale.(cid:160) See TMEP §§904.03 et seq.(cid:160) Webpages may also be specimens
`for goods when they include a picture or textual description of the goods associated with the mark and the means to order the goods.(cid:160) TMEP
`
`§904.03(i).(cid:160)(cid:160)
`
`Applicant may respond to this refusal by submitting, for each applicable international class, a different specimen (a verified “substitute”
`specimen) that (a) was in actual use in commerce prior to the expiration of the deadline for filing the statement of use and (b) shows the mark in
`
`actual use in commerce for the goods identified in the statement of use.(cid:160)(cid:160)
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`Applicant, however, may not withdraw the statement of use.(cid:160) See 37 C.F.R. §2.88(f); TMEP §1109.17.
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`(cid:160)F
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`or more information about this refusal and instructions on how to submit a verified “substitute” specimen online using the Trademark
`Electronic Application System (TEAS) form, please go to http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/law/specimen.jsp.
`
`(cid:160)T
`
`o submit a verified substitute specimen online using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), applicant should (1) answer “yes”
`to the TEAS response form wizard question to “submit a new or substitute specimen,” and then do the following for each relevant class for
`which a substitute specimen is being submitted:(cid:160) (2) attach a jpg or pdf file of the substitute specimen, (3) describe what the specimen consists
`of, and (4) select the statement that “The substitute specimen(s) was/were in use in commerce prior to the expiration of the deadline for filing a
`
`Statement of Use.” (cid:160)(cid:160)
`3.(cid:160) Advisory – Response Guidelines:
`For this application to proceed toward registration, applicant must explicitly address each refusal and/or requirement raised in this Office action.(cid:160)
`If the action includes a refusal, applicant may provide arguments and/or evidence as to why the refusal should be withdrawn and the mark should
`register.(cid:160) Applicant may also have other options for responding to a refusal and should consider such options carefully.(cid:160) To respond to
`requirements and certain refusal response options, applicant should set forth in writing the required changes or statements.
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`(cid:160)R
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`esponses to Office actions must be properly signed. (cid:160) See 37 C.F.R. §§2.62(b), 2.193(e)(2); TMEP §§712, 712.01.(cid:160)
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`If an applicant is not
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`(cid:160)
`

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`represented by an attorney, the response must be signed by the individual applicant or someone with legal authority to bind a juristic applicant
`(e.g., a corporate officer or general partner).(cid:160) See 37 C.F.R. §2.193(e)(2)(ii); TMEP §§611.03(b), 611.06(b)-(h), 712.01.(cid:160) In the case of joint
`applicants, all must sign.(cid:160) 37 C.F.R. §2.193(e)(2)(ii); TMEP §611.06(a).(cid:160) If an applicant is represented by an attorney authorized to practice
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`before the USPTO, the attorney must sign the response.(cid:160) 37 C.F.R. §2.193(e)(2)(i); TMEP §§611.03(b), 712.01.(cid:160)(cid:160)
`4.(cid:160) Advisory – Assistance:
`If applicant has questions regarding this Office action, please telephone or e-mail the assigned trademark examining attorney.(cid:160) All relevant e-
`mail communications will be placed in the official application record; however, 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.(cid:160) See 37 C.F.R. §§2.62(c), 2.191; TMEP §§304.01-.02, 709.04-
`.05.(cid:160) Further, although the trademark examining attorney may provide additional explanation pertaining to the refusal(s) and/or requirement(s) in
`this Office action, the trademark examining attorney may not provide legal advice or statements about applicant’s rights.(cid:160) See TMEP §§705.02,
`709.06.
`
`/Colleen Dombrow/
`Trademark Attorney
`Law Office 101
`Direct Dial: 571-272-8262
`Facsimile: 571-273-9101
`colleen.dombrow@uspto.gov
`
`(cid:160)T
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`O RESPOND TO THIS LETTER: (cid:160) Go to http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp. (cid:160) 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.(cid:160)
`For technical assistance with online forms, e-mail TEAS@uspto.gov.(cid:160) For questions about the Office action itself, please contact the assigned
`trademark examining attorney.(cid:160) E-mail communications will not be accepted as responses to Office actions; therefore, do not respond to
`this Office action by e-mail.
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`(cid:160)A
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`ll informal e-mail communications relevant to this application will be placed in the official application record.
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`(cid:160)W
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`HO MUST SIGN THE RESPONSE:(cid:160) 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).(cid:160) If an applicant is represented by an attorney, the attorney must sign the
`
`response.(cid:160)(cid:160)
`PERIODICALLY CHECK THE STATUS OF THE APPLICATION: (cid:160) 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.uspto.gov/. (cid:160) Please keep a copy of the TSDR status screen. (cid:160) 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. (cid:160) For more information on checking
`status, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/status/.
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`(cid:160)T
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`O UPDATE CORRESPONDENCE/E-MAIL ADDRESS:(cid:160) Use the TEAS form at http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.
`
`(cid:160)
`(cid:160)(cid:160)
`

`

`To:
`
`Subject:
`
`Sent:
`
`Sent As:
`
`Attachments:
`
`Panasonic Corporation of North America (ptodocket@arelaw.com)
`
`U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 86105232 - FLEXZ FAST - 55210/764
`
`2/19/2016 9:27:07 AM
`
`ECOM101@USPTO.GOV
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)
`
`IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YOUR
`U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION
`
`USPTO OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) HAS ISSUED
`ON 2/19/2016 FOR U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO. 86105232
`
`Please follow the instructions below:
`
`(cid:160)(
`
`1)(cid:160) TO READ THE LETTER:(cid:160) Click on this link or go to http://tsdr.uspto.gov, enter the U.S. application serial number, and click on
`“Documents.”
`
`(cid:160)T
`
`he Office action may not be immediately viewable, to allow for necessary system updates of the application, but will be available within 24
`hours of this e-mail notification.
`
`(cid:160)(
`
`2)(cid:160) TIMELY RESPONSE IS REQUIRED:(cid:160) Please carefully review the Office action to determine (1) how to respond, and (2) the applicable
`response time period.(cid:160) Your response deadline will be calculated from 2/19/2016 (or sooner if specified in the Office action).(cid:160) For information
`regarding response time periods, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/status/responsetime.jsp.
`
`(cid:160)D
`
`o NOT hit “Reply” to this e-mail notification, or otherwise e-mail your response because the USPTO does NOT accept e-mails as
`responses to Office actions.(cid:160)
`Instead, the USPTO recommends that you respond online using the Trademark Electronic Application System
`(TEAS) response form located at http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp.
`
`(cid:160)(
`
`3)(cid:160) QUESTIONS:(cid:160) For questions about the contents of the Office action itself, please contact the assigned trademark examining attorney.(cid:160) For
`technical assistance in accessing or viewing the Office action in the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system, please e-mail
`TSDR@uspto.gov.
`
`WARNING
`
`(cid:160)F
`
`ailure to file the required response by the applicable response deadline will result in the ABANDONMENT of your application.(cid:160) For
`more information regarding abandonment, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/abandon.jsp.
`
`PRIVATE COMPANY SOLICITATIONS REGARDING YOUR APPLICATION:(cid:160) Private companies not associated with the USPTO are
`using information provided in trademark applications to mail or e-mail trademark-related solicitations.(cid:160) These companies often use names that
`closely resemble the USPTO and their solicitations may look like an official government document.(cid:160) Many solicitations require that you pay
`
`“fees.” (cid:160)(cid:160)
`
`Please carefully review all correspondence you receive regarding this application to make sure that you are responding to an official document
`from the USPTO rather than a private company solicitation.(cid:160) All official USPTO correspondence will be mailed only from the “United States
`Patent and Trademark Office” in Alexandria, VA; or sent by e-mail from the domain “@uspto.gov.” (cid:160) For more information on how to handle
`private company solicitations, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/solicitation_warnings.jsp.
`
`(cid:160)(cid:160)
`(cid:160)
`(cid:160)
`(cid:160)
`(cid:160)
`(cid:160)(cid:160)
`