Examining Attorney Laura Dawn Golden maintained that the word "carbon" immediately and clearly informs consumer that applicant's products may be made of carbon fibers. The evidence, she contended, demonstrates that carbon fibers are a "most desirable ingredient" in the goods identified by applicant.
The record evidence showed that there is a "huge market among audiophiles for high-quality loudspeakers." Among the priciest are speakers incorporating carbon fibers in their woofers, sub-woofers, and other components. The accumulated evidence "speaks for itself:" carbon fibers are a significant element of high-end loud speakers
The only question was whether the term "carbon," as adopted and used by applicant, is so "attenuated that potential consumers of stereo speakers will not make an immediate connection to 'carbon fibers.'" On this critical issue, the Board disagreed with applicant.
The Board was simply not persuaded that potential customers for stereo speakers would, upon seeing CARBON AUDIO, spend time "cogitating on Element #6 of the Periodic Table" in some abstract, cosmic, or generalized way. Instead, the Board found that customers, when encountering CARBON AUDIO in connection with speaker products, will immediately think of carbon fibers and the critical role they play in high-quality speakers. In short, the word "carbon" in the applied-for mark will immediately convey information about the quality or characteristics of the products.
Despite applicant's contention to the contrary, the Board concluded that competitors certainly need to use the word "carbon," in its narrow sense of "carbon fibers," to describe their audio products.
Therefore, the Board affirmed the refusal.
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TTABlog note: Well, how did you do? Do you think this case deserves the "WYHA?" tag?
Text Copyright John L. Welch 2013.
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