classiccaprice
Well-known member
Does a laundromat have to pay whoever owns the Westinghouse name to use the word laundromat? I was asked the other day, after someone saw my laundromat. After thinking it over, I am not sure.
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- Thread starter classiccaprice
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polkanut
Well-known member
I believe that over the years the word "laundromat" has become so genericized to the point that it really no longer has any legal protection.
en.wikipedia.org
Generic trademark - Wikipedia
The term laundromat has become, in legal jargon, a 'genericized trademark.' It was originally trademarked by Westinghouse to describe its washing machine. Over time, society morphed the definition to mean 'an establishment where one pays to do their laundry.'
Long story short: Since the term has become genericized, I can call my establishment a Laundromat without much worry of legal action from Westinghouse. If I engineer a new washing machine and decide to call it a Frigilux Laundromat, I will be in violation of Westinghouse's trademark.
The term Laundromat is still a legal trademark, as Westinghouse renewed it back in the 1980s.
Long story short: Since the term has become genericized, I can call my establishment a Laundromat without much worry of legal action from Westinghouse. If I engineer a new washing machine and decide to call it a Frigilux Laundromat, I will be in violation of Westinghouse's trademark.
The term Laundromat is still a legal trademark, as Westinghouse renewed it back in the 1980s.
Sorry, Tim! Didn't mean to step on your post. We must have hit the send button in unison, LOL.
whirlcool
Well-known member
This is one reason why companies are so careful with their trademarks. They want to control them. Volkswagen is notoriously difficult with this. If you have a garage that specializes in VW repair, you can't have VW or Volkswagen anywhere in the name of your business lest VW will come after you.
Kleenex is the case where this is most discussed in college marketing/trademark courses.
Kleenex is the case where this is most discussed in college marketing/trademark courses.
iheartmaytag
Well-known member
Chrysler isn't too friendly either
I know a local bar owner, his nick name is Jeep. Hence his bar is/was Jeep's. He got a very threatening cease and desist letter from Chrysler giving him ten (10) days to change the name and de-image anything to do with their brand or they would own his private parts in a jar.
It's now Jerry's--his real name.
I know a local bar owner, his nick name is Jeep. Hence his bar is/was Jeep's. He got a very threatening cease and desist letter from Chrysler giving him ten (10) days to change the name and de-image anything to do with their brand or they would own his private parts in a jar.
It's now Jerry's--his real name.
"laundromat" has become so genericized to the point
Well whatever it is the automatic spell check that is part of Windows on our computer constantly changes the lowercase "l" to a capital letter when one types out Laundromat (see it did it again...).
Being as all this may a quick bit of early morning research shows that Westinghouse allowed their trademark rights for "Laundromat" to expire in 1993.
http://www.trademarkia.com/laundromat-71589488.html
http://www.mrsmartypants.com/laundry.html
http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/top-10-words-from-trademarks-vol-2/laundromat.html
Unless someone else purchases and or registers the rights to the Laundromat trademark cannot see how Westinghouse or anyone else can make threats about copyright infringement.
Well whatever it is the automatic spell check that is part of Windows on our computer constantly changes the lowercase "l" to a capital letter when one types out Laundromat (see it did it again...).
Being as all this may a quick bit of early morning research shows that Westinghouse allowed their trademark rights for "Laundromat" to expire in 1993.
http://www.trademarkia.com/laundromat-71589488.html
http://www.mrsmartypants.com/laundry.html
http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/top-10-words-from-trademarks-vol-2/laundromat.html
Unless someone else purchases and or registers the rights to the Laundromat trademark cannot see how Westinghouse or anyone else can make threats about copyright infringement.
Hmmmmmm... We have some conflicting info. Your link to Mr. Smartypants says the trademark was renewed in 1988. Trademarkia.com claims it lapsed in '93. Both cannot be right...right?
From Smartypants: The word "laundromat" was registered as a trademark by Westinghouse Electric, a subsidiary of White Consolidated Industries on Oct. 1, 1947. Westinghouse listed the word as first being used in commerce on Oct. 26, 1940, and renewed the trademark in 1988.
From Smartypants: The word "laundromat" was registered as a trademark by Westinghouse Electric, a subsidiary of White Consolidated Industries on Oct. 1, 1947. Westinghouse listed the word as first being used in commerce on Oct. 26, 1940, and renewed the trademark in 1988.
All one has time for at the moment:
"Although the Westinghouse trademark for "laundromat," stylized, has expired, there is currently an active trademark "LAUNDROMAT" in any font/style (Reg. No.3010429, Registered Nov 1, 2005). The goods are described as "Fragrance for personal use, room fragrance, cologne, bath oil, bath gel, body lotion, [ body cream, ] and soaps for personal use" "
"Although the Westinghouse trademark for "laundromat," stylized, has expired, there is currently an active trademark "LAUNDROMAT" in any font/style (Reg. No.3010429, Registered Nov 1, 2005). The goods are described as "Fragrance for personal use, room fragrance, cologne, bath oil, bath gel, body lotion, [ body cream, ] and soaps for personal use" "
LAUNDROMAT: Cologne, bath oil, body lotion?
It just gets curiouser and curiouser....
It just gets curiouser and curiouser....
Lest anyone become confused by reply #7, Westinghouse Electric Corp. was never a subsidiary of White Consolidated Industries as "Smartypants" claims. Westinghouse sold only their major appliance business to WCI, but continued to exist otherwise for some time. I understand that now it is only a trademark that is licensed to other companies for various products.
When I was a kid I always thought that one of the best parts of owning a coin-operated laundry would be making the decision whether to call it a "Laundromat" or a "Washateria". We actually had neighbors who owned a small chain, can't recall what they called theirs but they did have a lovely and rather dusty set of Westy Laundromats in their utility room. The set was almost never used since their clothes normally got washed by whatever machine was being repaired in one of the coin-op stores. Wish I had known enough to snag the Westys when their son finally sold the house!
I always heard the term launderette used for the coin-op with individual machines. I was somewhat taken aback by the sign outside an establishment here spelling out "Beautyrette."
