Court Opinion

ID: 9653282
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 17:43:07.913458+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:12:57.550533
License: Public Domain

BLAND, Associate Judge (dissenting).
I regret that I cannot concur in the views of my associates, and will briefly state the grounds of my dissent.
The appellant, opposer, is the owner of the trade-mark “Zipper” used upon boots and overshoes of rubber and fabric. Appellee seeks to register the term “Zip-Kniek” to be used on wearing apparel for men, women, and children, namely, knickers, gymnasium trunks, bathing trunks, and hiking trunks. It is claimed that appellee has used this trademark on goods of this character since November 17, Í925. The use of appellant began in 1923, and, through large sales and extensive advertising, the word “Zipper” is usually associated by the trade with any article which makes use of the hookless fastener.
In B. F. Goodrich Co. v. Clive E. Hockmeyer (Zip-On Mfg. Co., substituted) 40 F. (2d) 99, decided April 14, 1930, by this court, and in California Packing Corp. v. Tillman & Bendel, Inc. (the Del Monte Case), 40 F.(2d) 108, decided on the same date, this court held in substance that where goods were of the same class, they were of the same descriptive properties and that goods were of the same class and the registration of similar trade-marks was not warranted if the similarity of the goods and the similarity of the trade-marks was likely to cause confusion or mistake in the mind of the public, or to deceive purchasers.
Eor trade-mark purposes, under the Trade-Mark Act of 1905, I think the goods of appellant are in the same class as the goods of appellee, in so far as they are both susceptible of the appropriate use of the hookless fastener. The zipper characteristic of the articles is the chief and predominant characteristic which permits confusion in the trade. To the trade and to the public, “kniek” means knieker and “zip” carries the implication that it has the zipper construction, and, in my judgment, the public will understand, or is likely to understand, that the knickers and the overshoes have the same origin. This, according to the settled view of this court, is one of the kinds of “confusion” Congress had in mind' when it gave legislative expression to the common-law understanding.
This and other courts have frequently held that there is no poverty in the human language justifying the adoption of a term for trade-mark purposes so similar to that of the trade-mark owned and used by another as to be likely to lead to confusion. That appellee seeks to profit by appellant’s use of the term “Zipper” is too obvious for serious contention. The rights of the public as well as those of the parties must not be overlooked.
In this particular case the right to register the term “Zip-Kniek,” without the use of any other words or device in connection therewith, is sought by appellee. Appellee also seeks to register the term “Zip-Knick” with the word “Kenilworth” in a parallel bloek written across the term “Zip-Kniek.” While this additional matter may lessen the probability of confusion, it certainly does not remove it.
In B. E. Goodrich Co. v. Hockmeyer, supra, we denied the right of registration to the Zip-On Manufacturing Company for the word “Zip-On” which was to be used for leggings, and men’s, women’s, and children’s knickerbockers, because it would lead to confusion in the trade by reason of appellant’s *124trade-mark use of the word “Zipper.” It is difficult for me to harmonize our views in that ease with the views of the majority in this one. Moreover, this and other courts have always resolved the doubt against the newcomer. Aunt Jemima Mills Co. v. Blair Milling Co., 50 App. D. C. 281, 270 F. 1021; Lambert Pharmacal Co. v. Mentho-Listine Chemical Co., 47 App. D. C. 197.
I cannot justify granting the right to one to profit by confusion and deny it to- another. I think the decision of the Commissioner of Patents should be reversed.