While the federal government is handing out fistfuls of dollars to GM and Chrysler, they’re giving HoMoCo a hard time. Apparently, the US Patent & Trademark Office, specifically the Trademark Trial & Appeal Board (TTAB) is refusing to grant Acura the use of “Acura RL” as one mark.

As you can see from the photos below (specimens 1 & 2), the space between “Acura” & “RL” is so great, that the TTAB is arguing that it leaves the impression that “Acura” & “RL” are two separate marks and can not be considered one.

As it goes, we’re just reporters of Acura news and we won’t even try to pretend to understand all of the legalese that’s going on here. Go to John Welch’s TTABlog for the full skinny.

[Source: The TTABlog]