Spirol International Corp. v. Vogelsang Corp.

652 F. Supp. 160, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18191
CourtDistrict Court, D. New Jersey
DecidedNovember 3, 1986
DocketCiv. A. No. 86-3708
StatusPublished

This text of 652 F. Supp. 160 (Spirol International Corp. v. Vogelsang Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Jersey primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Spirol International Corp. v. Vogelsang Corp., 652 F. Supp. 160, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18191 (D.N.J. 1986).

Opinion

OPINION

COWEN, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiffs, Spirol International Corp. and C.E.M. Co., Inc., come before this Court asking for injunctive and other relief against defendant, Vogelsang Corporation, preventing defendant from infringing on their trademarks and engaging in unfair competition. I will deny the preliminary injunction because I am not satisfied that the plaintiffs have met their burden in showing that they are entitled to injunctive relief.

II. FACTS

The plaintiffs, manufacturers of fasteners and assembly equipment and machinery, have a trademark on the word “SPI-ROL.” This term is used in the name of one of the corporate plaintiffs and is used in plaintiffs’ advertisements to preface many of the products they sell. Most sig[161]*161nificantly, at least in the context of this litigation, the plaintiffs use the term to describe one of the mechanical fastening pins they manufacture, which is spiral-shaped. The plaintiffs had a patent on the manufacturing process for this pin, which has now expired. This patent allowed the plaintiffs to enjoy a monopoly in this country for the manufacture of these pins, and the plaintiffs continue to retain a market share of upwards of 99% for this product.

The defendant, also a manufacturer of fasteners and other similar products and a United States subsidiary of a German competitor of the plaintiffs around the world, has now attempted to manufacture this spiral-shaped pin and thereby capture some of the plaintiffs’ market share in this country. To that end, the defendant has advertised in several trade magazines, including some in which the plaintiffs also advertise, calling its product a “COILED SPIRAL PIN.”

Both parties sell their goods primarily, if not exclusively, to original equipment manufacturers (O.E.M.s), e.g., Ford Motor Corp., General Motors Corp., various aerospace and defense contractors, etc.

The plaintiff argues that the proper and generic name for the product is a “COILED SPRING PIN,” the defendant argues that it calls the product what it is; a “SPIRAL PIN,” and this is what those purchasing the product normally would call it. Nonetheless, the plaintiffs have alleged that the defendant’s use of the word “SPIRAL” in connection with a product they manufacture infringes on their trademark “SPIROL” and their mechanical fastener of the same name, and that this use allows defendant to unlawfully trade on the goodwill and reputation of the plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs seek an injunction preventing the defendant’s further use of this term in connection with this product, compensatory and treble damages, disgorgement of profits for the defendant’s use of this trademark, costs and attorneys fees, and the return and destruction of all literature bearing the allegedly infringing terms.

III. DISCUSSION

Injunctive relief is not automatically granted; the party seeking an injunction must show that it is entitled to this remedy. Injunctive relief may be granted in the discretion of the court “if the moving party demonstrates both a reasonable probability of eventual success in the litigation and that the party 'will be irreparably injured pendente lite if relief is not granted’.” Kershner v. Mazurkiewicz, 670 F.2d 440, 443 (3d Cir.1982), citing Eli Lilly & Co. v. Premo Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Inc., 630 F.2d 120, 136 (3d Cir.), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 1014, 101 S.Ct. 573, 66 L.Ed.2d 473 (1980). The court may also consider the possible harm to other interested persons or to the public interest. Kershner, 670 F.2d at 443.

Whatever factors are considered, the decision to grant or deny the injunctive relief is within the sound discretion of the judge, “who must balance all of these factors in making a decision.” Id.

In considering whether or not to issue an injunction, it has been stated on at least one occasion “to doubt is to deny.” Graham v. Triangle Publications, Inc., 233 F.Supp. 825, 829 (E.D.Pa.1964), aff'd, 344 F.2d 775 (3d Cir.1965), citing Madison Square Garden Corp. v. Braddock, 90 F.2d 924, 927 (3d Cir.1937). I, like Judge Higginbotham in Graham, “have doubt in this case.” Graham, 233 F.Supp. at 829. I do not think that the plaintiffs have made a satisfactory showing that they are entitled to injunctive relief.

A. Likelihood of Success

The plaintiffs argue that they will likely succeed. I disagree. In order for the plaintiffs to succeed on their cause of action under the Trademark Act of 1946,15 U.S.C. §§ 1051 et seq., otherwise known as the Lanham Act, they must show that they have a valid trademark, are entitled to exclusive use thereof, and that the defendant’s use of that mark is an infringement.

“The purpose of a trademark is to designate the source of a product.” Technical [162]*162Pub. Co. v. Lebhar-Friedman, Inc., 729 F.2d 1136, 1139 (7th Cir.1984). Trademarks are classified as to their ability to effectively accomplish this task, id.; see also Miller Brewing Co. v. Heileman Brewing Co., 561 F.2d 75, 79 (7th Cir.1977), cert. denied, 434 U.S. 1025, 98 S.Ct. 751, 54 L.Ed.2d 772 (1978); Abercrombie & Fitch Co. v. Hunting World, Inc., 537 F.2d 4, 9 (2d Cir.1976), and fall into four categories: 1) generic or common descriptive; 2) merely descriptive; 3) suggestive; and 4) arbitrary or fanciful. See, e.g., Miller Brewing, 561 F.2d at 79. Under these facts, the mark here must fall into the first or second category.

1. Generic

If a mark is determined to be generic, the law is clear: “A generic or common descriptive is one which is commonly used as the name or description of a kind of goods. It cannot become a trademark under any circumstances. Using the phonetic equivalent of a common descriptive word, 1. e., misspelling it, is of no avail.” Id. (citations omitted). The reason behind this policy is obvious: “To allow a producer of goods to usurp a generic term as a protect-able trademark would prevent competitors from describing their own goods adequately. Thus, even when a generic term has developed a secondary meaning it is unprotectable as a trademark.” Technical, 729 F.2d at 1139.

I believe that there is sufficient evidence to establish that the term “SPIRAL PIN” could be deemed the generic name for the good in question. If the term is generic, the plaintiffs cannot have a valid trademark and will not prevail on their cause of action.

2. Descriptive

If the mark is found to be “merely descriptive” it will be protectable “only ...

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652 F. Supp. 160, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18191, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/spirol-international-corp-v-vogelsang-corp-njd-1986.