EMAIL: info@okeno-ip.jp
No. 114; Section 3-1-5: indistinctiveness refusal;
registrability of alpha-numerical mark;
Appeal No.
2014-2228 (July 25, 2014)
Bottom line: The Board found that YK622 in
standard character is not inherently distinctive for dietary
supplements.
The applicant sought
registration of YK622 in standard
character for dietary supplements in Class 5.
The examiner noted that YK622 as a whole does not have any particular
meaning and that combination of one or two alphabets with numeral(s) is commonly
used to indicate type or model number of goods.
Thus, consumer will merely recognize it as such
indication.
The Board also noted
that combination of one or two alphabets with numeral(s) is commonly used in
various industries to indicate model type or number of goods and various
references on the Internet support that the supplement industry is no
exception. The applied-for mark will be
recognized as one of such indication and it will not function as a source
identifier.
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