AU2022257726A1 - Tick-trapping product and tick-trapping method - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a tick-trapping product which has an excellent tick-attracting effect and which can reliably and safely trap and exterminate attracted ticks.　This tick-trapping product comprises a fiber structure 10 having fuzz and an adhesive body 20 to which ticks adhere. The growth rate of the fibers constituting the fiber structure 10 is 10% or less. The fiber structure 10 is a woven or knitted fabric having a thread density of 10–100 threads per 10 cm, and includes at least bast fibers and/or seed hair fibers. An attractant 30 is provided between the fiber structure 10 and the adhesive body 20, and at least part of the fiber structure 10 is covered by an air-permeable sheet 40 having no fuzz.

Description

DESCRIPTION TITLE OF THE INVENTION: ACARINE TRAPPING PRODUCT AND ACARINE TRAPPING METHOD TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001]

The present invention relates to acarine trapping

products and acarine trapping methods for trapping acarines

living indoors.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002]

In recent dwelling environments that are more air-tight,

there has been a problem that acarines are likely to

proliferate. It has been considered that acarines are the main

cause of atopic dermatitis, asthma, allergic diseases, and the

like. Therefore, general people have desired a means and

method for reliably and safely getting rid of acarines.

[0003]

Acarines may be controlled using chemicals such as

pesticides and repellents. However, this does not actively

reduce the number of acarines, and leaves the acarine's dead

body, which is a problem. In addition, people who are

sensitive to chemicals are likely to be affected by those for

controlling acarines. Therefore, there is a demand for a means and method capable of easily getting rid of acarines without using chemicals at all if possible, or using chemicals as little as possible.

[0004]

Under the above circumstances, a type of

product (acarine sheet) has been developed which gets rid of

acarines by attracting and catching acarines instead of

killing or repelling acarines (see, for example, Patent

Document 1). Patent Document 1 describes an acarine sheet

in which an attracting agent is provided on a sticky

agent, and these agents are interposed between air-permeable

layers. According to Patent Document 1, acarines are

attracted by the attracting agent, which is located inside

the two air-permeable layers, and thereafter, get stuck

on the sticky agent, whereby acarines can be caught by the

acarine sheet.

CITATION LIST

PATENT LITERATURE Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent

[0005] Application Publication No. 2009-89610

SUMMARY OF INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0006]

In the above type of product that attracts and catches acarines, it is critically important that the product has an excellent effect of attracting acarines. Unless the acarine attracting effect is sufficient, acarines approaching the trap product cannot be reliably guided to the sticky agent and thus cannot be caught. If the acarine attracting effect relies only on the attracting agent, then when the efficacy of the attracting agent decreases due to long-term use or the like, the acarine attracting effect decreases significantly.

[0007]

In this regard, in the case of the acarine sheet

described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary for acarines

to pass through the air-permeable layer before being caught

by the sticky agent. Therefore, the acarine attracting effect

of the attracting agent may be reduced, depending on the

material or characteristics of the air-permeable layer. In

addition, the acarine sheet described in Patent Document 1

essentially includes the attracting agent. Therefore, if

the attracting agent is no longer effective, it may not be

possible to even attract acarines to the proximity of the

acarine sheet.

[0008]

Thus, the above conventional type of product that

attracts and catches acarines, including the acarine

sheet described in Patent Document 1, does not necessarily

have a sufficient acarine attracting effect. There is

room for improvement in such a type of product.

[0009]

With the above problem in mind, the present invention

has been made. It is an object of the present invention to

provide an acarine trapping product and acarine trapping

method that have an excellent acarine attracting effect and

are capable of reliably and safely catching and getting rid of

attracted acarines.

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM

[0010]

To solve the above problem, an acarine trapping product

according to the present invention is characterized by

comprising:

a fibrous structural body having nap; and

a sticky body configured to cause acarines to get stuck

thereon.

[0011]

Acarines infest fibrous products such as clothing, mats,

and rugs. The present inventors have found that acarines are

specifically attracted by a fibrous structural body with nap,

and has successfully developed a novel acarine trapping

product by utilizing such a particular phenomenon.

Specifically, in the acarine trapping product having this

feature, the fibrous structural body with nap first attracts

acarines, and causes the attracted acarines to remain therein

or move around therein to end up getting stuck on the sticky

body. Thus, this acarine trapping product has excellent trapping performance. In addition, only by directly throwing away the acarine trapping product, can acarines trapped by the acarine trapping product be gotten rid of. It should be noted that the acarine trapping product having this feature chemicals such as pesticides and repellents, and excludes therefore, can be used by people who are sensitive to chemicals without worrying about safety.

[0012]

In the acarine trapping product of the present

invention,

the fibrous structural body preferably includes fibers

having an elongation percentage of at most 10%.

[0013]

According to the acarine trapping product having this

feature, the fibrous structural body includes fibers having an

elongation percentage of at most 10%. Therefore, the fibrous

structural body attracts more acarines, resulting in more

excellent trapping performance.

[0014]

In the acarine trapping product of the present

invention,

the fibrous structural body is preferably a woven or

knitted fabric having a yarn density of 10 to 100 strands/10

cm.

[0015]

According to the acarine trapping product having this feature, the fibrous structural body is a woven or knitted fabric having a yarn density of 10 to 100 strands/10 cm.

Therefore, the fibrous structural body attracts more acarines,

resulting in more excellent trapping performance.

[0016]

In the acarine trapping product of the present

invention,

the fibrous structural body preferably includes at

least bast fibers and/or seed hair fibers.

[0017]

According to the acarine trapping product having this

feature, the fibrous structural body includes at least bast

fibers and/or seed hair fibers. Therefore, the fibrous

structural body attracts more acarines, resulting in more

excellent trapping performance.

[0018]

In the acarine trapping product of the present

invention,

an attracting agent is preferably provided between the

fibrous structural body and the sticky body.

[0019]

According to the acarine trapping product having

this feature, an attracting agent is provided between the

fibrous structural body and the sticky body. Therefore, the

fibrous structural body and the attracting agent, which

have the effect of attracting acarines, exhibit a

synergistic effect, resulting in more excellent trapping performance.

[00201

In the acarine trapping product of the present

invention,

at least a portion of the fibrous structural body is

preferably covered by an air-permeable sheet that does not

have nap.

[0021]

According to the acarine trapping product having this

feature, at least a portion of the fibrous structural body is

covered by an air-permeable sheet that does not have nap.

Therefore, acarines are more likely to enter the product. In

addition, the nap of the fibrous structural body is not

exposed from the outer surface of the product, and therefore,

the acarine trapping product can be easily inserted into a

small space, and easily thrown away after use, resulting in

excellent handling properties.

[0022]

In the acarine trapping product of the present

invention,

the acarine trapping product preferably satisfies:

0.1 (a 2 /b) x 100 1.0 (1)

where a represents a thickness (mm) of the fibrous structural

body, and b represents a weight per unit area (g/m 2 ) of the

fibrous structural body.

[0023]

According to the acarine trapping product having this

feature, expression (1) is satisfied. Therefore, the fibrous

structural body attracts more acarines, resulting in more

excellent trapping performance.

[00241

In the acarine trapping product of the present

invention,

the acarine trapping product preferably excludes

pesticides and/or repellents.

[0025]

According to the acarine trapping product having this

feature, the acarine trapping product excludes pesticides

and/or repellents. Therefore, in principle, the effect of

attracting acarines does not significantly decrease. In

addition, people who are sensitive to chemicals can use the

acarine trapping product without worrying about safety.

[0026]

To solve the above problem, an acarine trapping product

according to the present invention is characterized in that:

the acarine trapping product attracts and catches

acarines that have entered a region within a one-meter radius

thereof.

[0027]

According to the acarine trapping product having this

feature, acarines approaching the product can be reliably

caught.

[00281

In the acarine trapping product of the present

invention,

the acarine trapping product preferably attracts and

catches acarines within 24 hours.

[0029]

According to the acarine trapping product having this

feature, acarines approaching the product can be quickly

caught.

[0030]

To solve the above problem, an acarine trapping method

according to the present invention is characterized by

comprising:

placing any one of the above acarine trapping products

at or near a place where acarines live.

[0031]

The acarine trapping method having this feature employs

the acarine trapping product of the present invention, and

therefore, has an excellent acarine attracting effect and is

capable of reliably and safely catching and getting rid of

attracted acarines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0032]

[FIG. 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of

an acarine trapping product according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[FIG. 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged image of a fibrous

structural body.

[FIG. 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of

an acarine trapping product according to a second embodiment

of the present invention.

[FIG. 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of

an acarine trapping product according to a third embodiment of

the present invention.

[FIG. 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram for describing a procedure

for conducting a trap distance test.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0033]

Embodiments concerning an acarine trapping product and

an acarine trapping method according to the present invention

will be described below with reference to the accompanying

drawings. It should be noted that in each figure, parts of the

acarine trapping product are not exactly identical to the

actual one in terms of shape, size, positional relationship,

magnitude relationship between the thicknesses of layers,

scale, and the like, and are exaggerated or simplified, as

appropriate, for the sake of convenience. Furthermore, the

present invention is in no way intended to be limited to

embodiments described below or configurations shown in the

drawings.

[0034]

<First Embodiment>

[Acarine Trapping Product]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an acarine

trapping product 100 according to a first embodiment of the

present invention. The acarine trapping product 100 includes a

fibrous structural body 10 and a sticky body 20, which are put

on top of each other. FIG. 1 illustrates that two fibrous

structural bodies 10 are layered on the opposite sides of the

sticky body 20 (i.e., a fibrous structural body 10 is layered

on either side of the sticky body 20). Alternatively, in the

acarine trapping product 100, a single fibrous structural body

10 may be layered only on one side of the sticky body 20. In

addition, although in FIG. 1, only a single fibrous structural

body 10 is layered on either side of the sticky body 20, the

acarine trapping product 100 may have a structure in which two

or more fibrous structural bodies 10 are layered on either

side of the sticky body 20.

[0035]

The acarine trapping product 100 is placed at or near a

place where acarines live in order to attract and catch

acarines. In the acarine trapping product 100, the fibrous

structural body 10 itself attracts acarines, and allows the

acarines to remain and settle therein. Furthermore, in the

acarine trapping product 100, because the fibrous structural

body 10 is layered on the sticky body 20, acarines attracted by the fibrous structural body 10 are brought into contact with the sticky body 20 to get stuck on a surface of the sticky body 20, so that the acarines can be caught. The acarine trapping product 100 is, for example, inserted, in use, under a mattress, mat, rug, carpet, and the like, where acarines live, and a space between the seat and back-rest of a couch or the like, and therefore, is preferably in the shape of a sheet. The shape of the acarine trapping product 100 as viewed from above is preferably, but is not limited to, rectangular, polygonal, circular, elliptical, or the like, which preferably allows the acarine trapping product 100 to be easily handled.

[00361

Thus, the acarine trapping product 100 can attract

acarines using the fibrous structural body 10, and therefore,

can exclude pesticides and/or repellents. Therefore, in

principle, the effect of attracting acarines does not

significantly decrease. In addition, because pesticides and/or

repellents are excluded, people who are sensitive to chemicals

can use the acarine trapping product 100 without worrying

about safety.

[0037]

The fibrous structural body 10 is a woven or knitted

fabric with nap. The texture of the woven fabric and knitted

fabric is preferably, but is not limited to, plain texture.

The acarine trapping product 100 utilizes the phenomenon that acarines are specifically attracted by the fibrous structural body 10, which has nap. Thus, the fibrous structural body

10 effectively attracts acarines, and causes the

attracted acarines to remain or move around therein.

[00381

Yarn constituting the fibrous structural body 10

preferably has an elongation percentage of at most 10%, more

preferably 1 to 5%, and even more preferably 1 to 3%.

The elongation percentage is measured in accordance with a

JIS procedure described in "JIS L 1095 Testing Methods for

Spun Yarn." Specifically, the elongation percentage is

obtained by dividing the elongation (cm) of a sample (yarn)

at the time when the sample breaks in the presence of a

load that is applied thereto using a tensile tester by the

original length (cm) of the sample, and is expressed in

percent (%). If the elongation percentage of the yarn of

the fibrous structural body 10 is at most 10%, more

acarines are attracted by the fibrous structural body 10,

resulting in an acarine trapping product having more

excellent trapping performance. It should be noted that the

exact mechanism that allows the fibrous structural body 10

that is made of yarn having an elongation percentage of at

most 10%, to exhibit an excellent effect of attracting and

settling acarines, has not been clarified. However, it may

be contemplated that the elongation percentage of the yarn of

the fibrous structural body 10 is involved with preference

exhibited by acarines.

[00391

A fibrous material for the yarn of the fibrous

structural body 10 is preferably natural plant fibers, and

more preferably includes bast fibers and/or seed hair fibers.

Examples of bast fibers include jute, linen, ramie, hemp, and

kenaf. Yarn made of bast fibers has nap, and therefore, have a

high ability to attract acarines, and can be preferably used.

Of them, jute and ramie, which have a very high ability to

attract acarines, are more preferably used. Jute is even more

preferably used. Examples of seed hair fibers include cotton

and kapok. In the case in which yarn made of seed hair fibers

is used, the yarn is preferably carded in order to provide

appropriate nap to the fibrous structural body 10. Yarn made

of these bast fibers and seed hair fibers has an elongation

percentage of at most 10%.

[0040]

FIG. 2 is an enlarged image of the fibrous structural

body 10. Strands of the yarn of the fibrous structural body 10

are preferably arranged so as to provide spaces that allow

acarines to pass therethrough. In addition, the fibrous

structural body 10 is preferably woven or knitted fabric, and

the yarn density thereof is preferably 10 to 100 strands/10

cm, more preferably 15 to 60 strands/10 cm, and even more

preferably 30 to 50 strands/10 cm. As used herein, the term

"yarn density" refers to the number of warp or weft strands of

yarn included in 10 cm-width woven fabric in the case in which the fibrous structural body 10 is a woven fabric, and the number of course or wale strands of yarn in 10 cm-width knitted fabric in the case in which the fibrous structural body 10 is a knitted fabric. If the yarn density of the fibrous structural body 10 is in the above range, nap

12 is present to an appropriate extent between strands of

yarn 11 included in the fibrous structural body 10 as

illustrated in the image of FIG. 2, which can attract more

acarines. In addition, the interval between each strand of

yarn included in the fibrous structural body 10 is such

that the fibrous structural body 10 has air permeability and

allows acarines to pass therethrough, and is preferably

0.05 to 15 mm, more preferably 0.3 to 10 mm, and even more

preferably 0.5 to 5 mm. If the interval between each strand

of yarn included in the fibrous structural body 10 is in

the above range, nap is present to an appropriate extent

between each strand of yarn included in the fibrous

structural body 10, which can attract more acarines.

[0041]

The fibrous structural body 10 preferably has a

thickness of 0.2 to 5 mm, more preferably 0.4 to 3 mm, and

even more preferably 0.5 to 1.5 mm. If the thickness of

the fibrous structural body 10 is in the above range,

attracted acarines are likely to remain in the fibrous

structural body 10, resulting in more excellent trapping

performance. It

should be noted that the term "thickness" with respect to the fibrous structural body 10 refers to a thickness of the fibrous structural body 10 itself. In the case in which the fibrous structural body 10 is a single layer of woven or knitted fabric, the thickness of the yarn of the fibrous structural body 10 may be considered as the thickness of the fibrous structural body 10.

[0042]

The fibrous structural body 10 preferably has a weight

per unit area of 10 to 1500 g/m 2 , more preferably 20 to

1000 g/m 2 , even more preferably 100 to 700 g/m 2 , and most

2 preferably 200 to 600 g/m . If the weight per unit area of

the fibrous structural body 10 is in the above range,

attracted acarines are likely to remain in the fibrous

structural body 10, resulting in more excellent trapping

performance.

[0043]

Next, the present inventors have found that acarine

attracting and catching performance can be assessed using a

novel specific parameter obtained from the thickness and

weight per unit area of the fibrous structural body 10.

Specifically, the fibrous structural body 10 preferably

satisfies the following expression:

0.1 (a 2 /b) x 100 1.0 (1)

where a represents the thickness (mm) of the fibrous

structural body 10, and b represents the weight per unit area

(g/m2 ) of the fibrous structural body 10.

The fibrous structural body 10 more preferably satisfies the following expression:

0.2 (a 2 /b) x 100 0.7 (2)

If the fibrous structural body 10 satisfies the above

expression, the fibrous structural body 10 contains

appropriately dense fibers, and attracts more acarines,

resulting in more excellent trapping performance.

[0044]

It should be noted that as long as the acarine

attracting performance of the fibrous structural body 10 is

not affected, the fibrous structural body 10 may be subjected

to a softening treatment or the like to adjust the feel

thereof, or a coloring treatment to add, to the fibrous

structural body 10, a color that is more likely to attract

acarines or a color that makes the fibrous structural body 10

less noticeable when the fibrous structural body 10 is placed

in a room.

[0045]

In the sticky body 20, a sticky layer 22 is formed on a

sheet-shaped base 21. When acarines come into contact with the

sticky layer 22, the acarines get stuck. Although the sticky

layer 22 is preferably formed on either side of the base 21,

the sticky layer 22 may be formed only on one side of the base

21. If the sticky layer 22 is formed on either side of the

base 21, acarines have a greater chance of coming into contact

with the sticky layer 22, resulting in an improvement in

trapping performance. If the sticky layer 22 is formed only on one side of the base 21, the handling properties of the acarine trapping product 100 can be improved.

[0046]

The base 21 preferably has both appropriate elasticity

and flexibility so that the acarine trapping product 100 can

be easily inserted into a small space. The base 21 may,

for example, be formed of paper such as cardboard or

corrugated fiberboard, a resin sheet of PE, PP, PET, PVC, or

the like, or a metal sheet. The base 21 preferably has a

thickness of 0.02 to 3 mm. If the thickness of the base

21 is in the above range, the base 21 has both such

appropriate elasticity and flexibility that the acarine

trapping product 100 can be easily inserted into a small

space.

[0047]

The sticky layer 22 is configured by attaching a double

sided tape to the base 21 or applying a sticky agent to the

base 21. Examples of the sticky agent include general-purpose

sticky agents, such as rubber sticky agents, acrylic sticky

agents, hot-melt sticky agents, and silicone sticky agents.

Examples of rubber sticky agents include natural rubber sticky

agents, styrene-butadiene rubber sticky agents, reclaimed

rubber sticky agents, polyisobutylene-butylene rubber sticky

agents, polybutene sticky agents, and block copolymer sticky

agents. These sticky agents may be used alone or in

combination.

[0048]

[Attracting and Catching Performance]

The acarine trapping product 100 preferably attracts and

catches acarines that have entered a region within a one-meter

radius thereof. As used therein, the term "attract and catch"

refers to not only a state in which attracted acarines get

stuck on a surface of the sticky body 20, but also a state in

which attracted acarines remain in the acarine trapping

product 100, particularly in the fibrous structural body 10.

By attracting and catching acarines that have entered a region

within a one-meter radius thereof, the acarine trapping

product 100 can reliably catch and get rid of acarines

approaching theretoward.

[0049]

The acarine trapping product 100 can attract and catch

acarines approaching theretoward within 24 hours, which

depends on the degree of infestation of acarines or where the

acarine trapping product 100 is placed. Twenty-four hours are

sufficient to trap acarines, and are short enough for the

acarine trapping product 100 to be practical.

[0050]

The acarine trapping product 100 can attract and catch

acarines over at least 20 days and at most 90 days. Twenty

days are a practical period of time during which the acarine

trapping product 100 continues to trap acarines. The acarine

trapping product 100 can trap and get rid of acarines over a

longer period of time. For example, the acarine trapping product 100 can be designed to trap acarines over 90 days, which depends on what are selected as the attracting agent and the sticky agent, or the like.

[0051]

The acarine trapping product 100 thus configured

includes the fibrous structural body 10, which has nap,

and the sticky body 20, on which acarines get stuck.

Therefore, acarines are first attracted by the fibrous

structural body 10, which has nap, and thereafter, the

attracted acarine remain in the fibrous structural body 10,

or move around in the fibrous structural body 10 to end up

getting stuck on the sticky body 20. Thus, the acarine

trapping product 100 has excellent trapping performance. In

addition, only by directly throwing away the acarine trapping

product 100, can acarines trapped by the acarine trapping

product 100 be gotten rid of. It should be noted that the

acarine trapping product 100 excludes chemicals such as

pesticides and repellents, and therefore, can be used by

people who are sensitive to chemicals, without worrying

about safety.

[0052]

<Second Embodiment>

[Acarine Trapping Product]

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an acarine

trapping product 200 according to a second embodiment of the

present invention. The acarine trapping product 200 has the

same configuration as that of the acarine trapping product 100 described in the first embodiment, except that the acarine trapping product 200 includes an attracting agent 30 between the fibrous structural body 10 and the sticky body 20.

Because the acarine trapping product 200 includes the

attracting agent 30, the fibrous structural body 10 and the

attracting agent 30, which have the effect of attracting

acarines, exhibit a synergistic effect, resulting in more

excellent trapping performance.

[00531

The attracting agent 30 may be any one that has the

effect of attracting acarines, and contains, for example, a

pulverized powder or extract of a food component of an animal,

plant, yeast, or the like, or an aroma chemical component

having an acarine attracting effect. The attracting agent 30

may be a powder or granular pulverized food product, a product

obtained by solidifying such a pulverized food product, an

air-permeable, nonwoven-fabric bag containing such a

pulverized food product, various products that adsorb and hold

an extract, or the like. For example, the attracting agent

30 illustrated in FIG. 3 is a solid tablet arranged between

the fibrous structural body 10 and the sticky body

20. Alternatively, the attracting agent 30 may, for

example, be added by: spraying or dropping a liquid

extract onto the sticky body 20; spreading and pressing a

liquid extract over and into the fibrous structural body

10; causing a liquid

extract to be adsorbed by the fibrous structural body 10; impregnating the fibrous structural body 10 with a liquid extract; or the like. Alternatively, when a sticky agent is applied to the base 21 of the sticky body 20 to form the sticky layer 22, the attracting agent 30 may be directly applied together with the sticky agent to the base 21.

[0054]

<Third Embodiment>

[Acarine Trapping Product]

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an acarine

trapping product 300 according to a third embodiment of the

present invention. The acarine trapping product 300 has the

same configuration as that of the acarine trapping product 200

described in the second embodiment, except that the fibrous

structural body 10 is covered by an air-permeable sheet 40.

[0055]

The air-permeable sheet 40 has pores that are large

enough to allow acarines to pass therethrough. The air

permeable sheet 40 preferably does not have nap. Although the

exact mechanism has not been clarified, if at least a portion

of the fibrous structural body 10, which has nap, is covered

by the air-permeable sheet 40, which does not have nap, the

ability to attract acarines is further improved, so that

acarines are more likely to enter the product. Therefore, the

acarine trapping product 300 has more excellent trapping

performance. The material for the air-permeable sheet 40 is

not limited as long as the material does not repel acarines.

Examples of the material for the air-permeable sheet 40

include net or nonwoven fabric made of a resin such as

polyethylene, polyester, or nylon, woven or knitted fabric

made of chemical fibers, and woven or knitted fabric made of

natural fibers. Examples of natural fibers used in the air

permeable sheet 40 include animal fibers such as wool and

silk, and seed hair fibers. In the case in which seed hair

fibers are used in the air-permeable sheet 40, combed yarn is

preferably used in order to avoid nap. Of them, the air

permeable sheet 40 is preferably net or nonwoven fabric made

of a resin such as polyethylene, polyester, or nylon, or woven

or knitted fabric made of chemical fibers, more preferably net

or nonwoven fabric made of a resin such as polyethylene,

polyester, or nylon, and most preferably net made of a resin

such as polyethylene, polyester, or nylon.

[00561

The air-permeable sheet 40 is configured to cover at

least a portion of the fibrous structural body 10. For

example, the air-permeable sheet 40 is a bag that contains the

fibrous structural body 10 and the sticky body 20. The acarine

trapping product 300, which includes the air-permeable sheet

40, has a further improved ability to attract acarines. In

addition, the nap of the fibrous structural body 10 is not

exposed from the outer surface of the product, and therefore,

the acarine trapping product 300 can be easily inserted into a

small space (e.g., under a rug that cannot be completely turned up, between blankets stored in a closet, or between the seat and back-rest of a couch). Furthermore, when the acarine trapping product 300 is placed, or thrown away after use, stimuli to the user's hand or finger are reduced, resulting in excellent handling properties.

[0057]

<Acarine Trapping Method>

An acarine trapping method according to the present

invention is for attracting and catching acarines by placing

the acarine trapping products 100 to 300 at or around a place

where acarines live. The acarine trapping method of the

present invention employs the acarine trapping products 100 to

300 of the present invention, and therefore, has an excellent

acarine attracting effect and is capable of reliably and

safely catching and getting rid of attracted acarines.

[Examples]

[0058]

Acarine trapping products having the features of the

present invention (Examples 1 to 16) were prepared, and an

acarine trap test and elongation percentage measurement were

performed. In addition, for comparison, acarine trapping

products that do not have any of the features of the present

invention (Comparative Examples 1 to 7) were prepared, and

similarly tested and measured.

[0059]

[Example 1]

A sticky body was produced by applying a rubber hot-melt

sticky agent to either side of a PET resin sheet having a

thickness of 0.05 mm. A woven fabric as a fibrous structural

body was layered on either side of the sticky body. Thus, a

three-layer acarine trapping product according to Example 1

was obtained. The woven fabric used as the fibrous structural

body was plain woven fabric of jute yarn that has a yarn

density of 28 to 38 strands/10 cm, a thickness of 0.86 mm, and

a weight per unit area of 128 g/m 2

[00601 .

[Example 2]

An acarine trapping product according to Example 2 was

prepared which was the same as that of Example 1, except that

the fibrous structural body was made of plain woven fabric of

jute yarn having a yarn density of 45 to 48 strands/10 cm, a

thickness of 1.11 mm, and a weight per unit area of 600 g/m 2

[0061] .

[Example 3]

An acarine trapping product according to Example 3 was

prepared which was the same as that of Example 1, except that

the fibrous structural body was made of plain woven fabric of

jute yarn having a yarn density of 43 to 47 strands/10 cm, a

thickness of 0.86 mm, and a weight per unit area of 255 g/m 2 .

[0062]

[Example 4]

An acarine trapping product according to Example 4 was prepared which was the same as that of Example 1, except that the fibrous structural body was made of plain woven fabric of jute yarn having a yarn density of 35 to 38 strands/10 cm, a thickness of 0.61 mm, and a weight per unit area of 227 g/m 2

.

[00631

[Example 5]

An acarine trapping product according to Example 5 was

prepared which was the same as that of Example 1, except that

the fibrous structural body was made of plain woven fabric of

jute yarn having a yarn density of 31 to 38 strands/10 cm, a

thickness of 0.9 mm, and a weight per unit area of 215 g/m 2

.

[0064]

[Example 6]

An acarine trapping product according to Example 6 was

prepared which was the same as that of Example 1, except that

the fibrous structural body was made of plain woven fabric of

jute yarn having a yarn density of 19 to 22 strands/10 cm, a

thickness of 2.64 mm, and a weight per unit area of 946 g/m 2 .

[00651

[Example 7]

An acarine trapping product according to Example 7 was

prepared which was the same as that of Example 1, except that

the fibrous structural body was made of plain woven fabric of

jute yarn having a yarn density of 19 to 22 strands/10 cm, a

thickness of 0.75 mm, and a weight per unit area of 113 g/m 2 .

[00661

[Example 81

An acarine trapping product according to Example 8 was

prepared which was the same as that of Example 1, except that

the fibrous structural body was made of plain woven fabric of

jute yarn having a yarn density of 10 to 12 strands/10 cm, a

thickness of 0.75 mm, and a weight per unit area of 72 g/m 2

.

[0067]

[Example 9]

An acarine trapping product according to Example 9 was

prepared which was the same as that of Example 1, except that

the fibrous structural body was made of plain woven fabric of

hemp yarn having a yarn density of 19 to 22 strands/10 cm, a

thickness of 0.36 mm, and a weight per unit area of 26 g/m 2

.

[00681

[Example 10]

An acarine trapping product according to Example 10 was

prepared which was the same as that of Example 1, except that

the fibrous structural body was made of plain woven fabric of

ramie yarn having a yarn density of 19 to 22 strands/10 cm, a

thickness of 0.59 mm, and a weight per unit area of 118 g/m 2 .

[00691

[Example 11]

An acarine trapping product according to Example 11 was

prepared which was the same as that of Example 1, except that

the fibrous structural body was made of plain woven fabric of

linen yarn having a yarn density of 19 to 22 strands/10 cm, a thickness of 0.57 mm, and a weight per unit area of 89 g/m 2

.

[0070]

[Example 12]

An acarine trapping product according to Example 12 was

prepared which was the same as that of Example 1, except that

the fibrous structural body was made of plain woven fabric of

kenaf yarn having a yarn density of 19 to 22 strands/10 cm, a

thickness of 0.75 mm, and a weight per unit area of 131 g/m 2

.

[0071]

[Example 13]

A sticky body was produced by applying a rubber hot-melt

sticky agent to either side of a PET resin sheet having a

thickness of 0.05 mm. A woven fabric as a fibrous structure

body was layered on either side of the sticky body. Thus, a

three-layer laminate was obtained. The woven fabric used as

the fibrous structural body was plain woven fabric of jute

yarn having a yarn density of 43 to 47 strands/10 cm, a

thickness of 0.86 mm, and a weight per unit area of 255 g/m 2 .

The laminate was enclosed in a bag made of polyethylene net

(air-permeable sheet). Thus, a five-layer acarine trapping

product according to Example 13 was obtained. The polyethylene

net had a mesh size (interval between each constituent strand

(bar)) of 1 mm, a thickness of 0.03 mm, and a weight per unit

2 area of 67 g/m . The polyethylene net did not have nap. When

a line segment of 10 cm was put on the polyethylene net, the

number of fibers that crossed the line segment was 95 to 110.

[00721

[Example 14]

A sticky body was produced by applying a rubber hot-melt

sticky agent to either side of a PET resin sheet having a

thickness of 0.05 mm. A woven fabric as a fibrous structure

body was layered on either side of the sticky body. Thus, a

three-layer laminate was obtained. The woven fabric used as

the fibrous structural body was plain woven fabric of jute

yarn having a yarn density of 35 to 38 strands/10 cm, a

thickness of 0.61 mm, and a weight per unit area of 227 g/m 2

. The laminate was enclosed in a bag made of polyethylene net

(air-permeable sheet). Thus, a five-layer acarine trapping

product according to Example 14 was obtained. The polyethylene

net had a mesh size of 1 mm, a thickness of 0.03 mm, and a

weight per unit area of 67 g/m 2 . The polyethylene net did not

have nap. When a line segment of 10 cm was put on the

polyethylene net, the number of fibers that crossed the line

segment was 95 to 110.

[0073]

[Example 15]

An acarine trapping product according to Example 15 was

prepared which was the same as that of Example 1, except that

the fibrous structural body was made of plain woven fabric of

carded cotton yarn (count: 30) having a yarn density of 19 to

22 strands/10 cm, a thickness of 0.2 mm, and a weight per unit

area of 31 g/m 2 .

[00741

[Example 16]

An acarine trapping product according to Example 16 was

prepared which was the same as that of Example 1, except that

the fibrous structural body was made of plain woven fabric of

carded kapok yarn having a yarn density of 19 to 22 strands/10

cm, a thickness of 1.11 mm, and a weight per unit area of 311

2 g/m .

[0075]

[Comparative Example 1]

An acarine trapping product according to Comparative

Example 1 was prepared which was the same as that of Example

1, except that the fibrous structural body was made of plain

woven fabric of wool yarn having a yarn density of 19 to 22

strands/10 cm, a thickness of 0.67 mm, and a weight per unit

area of 189 g/m 2 .

[0076]

[Comparative Example 2]

An acarine trapping product according to Comparative

Example 2 was prepared which was the same as that of Example

1, except that the fibrous structural body was made of plain

woven fabric of nylon yarn (count: 60) having a yarn density

of 19 to 22 strands/10 cm, a thickness of 0.03 mm, and a

weight per unit area of 16 g/m 2 .

[0077]

[Comparative Example 3]

An acarine trapping product according to Comparative

Example 3 was prepared which was the same as that of Example

1, except that the fibrous structural body was made of plain

woven fabric of polyester yarn (count: 50) having a yarn

density of 19 to 22 strands/10 cm, a thickness of 0.04 mm, and

a weight per unit area of 22 g/m 2

.

[0078]

[Comparative Example 4]

An acarine trapping product according to Comparative

Example 4 was prepared which was the same as that of Example

1, except that the fibrous structural body was made of plain

woven fabric of acrylic yarn having a yarn density of 19 to 22

strands/10 cm, a thickness of 0.44 mm, and a weight per unit

area of 375 g/m 2 .

[0079]

[Comparative Example 5]

A sticky body was produced by applying a rubber hot-melt

sticky agent to either side of a PET resin sheet having a

thickness of 0.05 mm. A polyurethane sponge having a thickness

of 6 mm was layered on either side of the sticky body. Thus, a

three-layer acarine trapping product according to Comparative

Example 5 was obtained.

[0080]

[Comparative Example 6]

A polyethylene net as a fibrous structural body was

layered on either side of a sticky body produced by applying a rubber hot-melt sticky agent to either side of a PET resin sheet having a thickness of 0.05 mm. Thus, a three-layer acarine trapping product according to Comparative Example 6 was obtained. The polyethylene net had a mesh size of 1 mm, a thickness of 0.03 mm, and a weight per unit area of 67 g/

M2 . The polyethylene net did not have nap. When a line

segment of 10 cm was put on the polyethylene net, the

number of fibers that crossed the line segment was 95 to 110.

[0081]

[Comparative Example 7]

A sticky body was produced by applying a rubber hot-melt

sticky agent to either side of a PET resin sheet having a

thickness of 0.05 mm. A woven fabric as a fibrous structure

body was layered on either side of the sticky body. Thus, a

three-layer laminate was obtained. The woven fabric used as

the fibrous structural body was plain woven fabric of wool

yarn having a yarn density of 19 to 22 strands/10 cm, a

thickness of 0.67 mm, and a weight per unit area of 189 g/m 2 .

The laminate was enclosed in a bag made of polyethylene net

(air-permeable sheet). Thus, a five-layer acarine trapping

product according to Comparative Example 7 was obtained. The

polyethylene net had a mesh size of 1 mm, a thickness of 0.03

mm, and a weight per unit area of 67 g/m 2 . The polyethylene

net did not have nap. When a line segment of 10 cm was put on

the polyethylene net, the number of fibers that crossed the

line segment was 95 to 110.

[00821

(1) Acarine Trapping Test

A test piece having a size of 3 cm x 3 cm was cut from

each of the acarine trapping products of Examples 1 to 16 and

Comparative Examples 1 to 7, and was placed at the center of a

glass petri dish having a diameter of 4.5 cm (height: 1.5 cm).

The petri dish having a diameter of 4.5 cm was placed at the

center of a glass petri dish having a diameter of 9 cm

(height: 2 cm). About 10,000 house dust mites were released

into the glass petri dish having a diameter of 9 cm, which was

allowed to stand in a dark place at room temperature (250C)

and a humidity of 80%. After 24 hours, acarines that got stuck

on the sticky body of the test piece were counted. The

resultant count is referred to as a trap count. The trial was

conducted three times for each of the acarine trapping

products of Examples 1 to 16 and Comparative Examples 1 to 7,

and the average value of trap counts was calculated for each

acarine trapping product. As a control, a test piece having a

size of 3 cm x 3 cm was cut only from the sticky body used in

the acarine trapping product of Example 1, and placed at the

center of a glass petri dish having a diameter of 4.5 cm. A

test similar to that for the acarine trapping products of the

examples and comparative examples was conducted, and acarines

that got stuck on the sticky body were counted. A value was

calculated by dividing the trap count of the acarine trapping

product of an example (Examples 1 to 16) or a comparative example (Comparative Examples 1 to 7) by the trap count of the control. The value is referred to as a trap ratio.

[00831

(2) Elongation percentage

Yarn was collected from the woven fabric included in the

fibrous structural body of each of the acarine trapping

products of Examples 1 to 16 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4

and 7. The elongation percentage (%) of the yarn was measured

in accordance with a JIS procedure described in "JIS L 1095

Testing Methods for Spun Yarn."

[0084]

The specifications, test results, and measurement

results of the acarine trapping products of Examples 1 to 16

and Comparative Examples 1 to 7 are described in the following

table.

[00851

[Table 1]

Fibrous structural body Elongation

Thickness a Weight per Yarn density Trap ratio percentage Fibrous material T n (m m) unit area b (strands/10 (a 2/b) x 100 (%) (g/m 2) cm) 1 Jute 0.86 128 28~38 0.58 80.1 1.7~1.8 2 Jute 1.11 600 45~48 0.21 177.2 1.7~1.8 3 Jute 0.86 255 43~47 0.29 138.4 1.7~1.8 4 Jute 0.61 227 35~38 0.16 121 1.7~1.8 5 Jute 0.9 215 31~38 0.38 86.9 1.7~1.8 6 Jute 2.64 946 19~22 0.74 147.8 1.7~1.8 7 Jute 0.75 113 19~22 0.50 78.6 1.7~1.8 8 Jute 0.75 72 10~12 0.78 33.4 1.7~1.8 9 Hemp 0.36 26 19~22 0.50 27 1.6~2.0 10 Ramie 0.59 118 19~22 0.30 101.2 1.8~2.2 11 Linen 0.57 89 19~22 0.37 54.2 1.5~2.3 12 Kenaf 0.75 131 19~22 0.43 49.9 1.7~2.0 13 Jute+polyethylene net 0.89 255 43~47 0.31 162.2 1.7~1.8 14 Jute+polyethylene net 0.64 227 35~38 0.18 160.6 1.7~1.8 15 Cotton 0.2 31 19~22 0.13 57.7 3~7 16 Kapok 1.11 311 19~22 0.40 24.5 3~7 1 Wool 0.67 189 19~22 0.24 11.6 25-35 CI)

8 2 Nylon 0.03 16 19~22 0.01 0.9 28-45 -a 3 Polyester 0.04 22 19~22 0.01 2.4 20-40

> 4 Acryl 0.44 375 19~22 0.05 16.2 12-20 a 5 Polyurethane sponge 6 - - - 7.3

6 Polyethylene net 0.03 67 95~110 0.00 4.8

7 Wool+polyethylene net 0.7 189 19~22 0.26 10.5 25-35

[0086]

The result of the acarine trap test demonstrated that

all of the acarine trapping products of Examples 1 to 16,

which employed woven fabric with nap as the fibrous structural

body, had a greater trap ratio than those of the acarine

trapping products of Comparative Examples 1 to 7, which

employed a material without nap as the fibrous structural

body, and therefore, had an excellent effect of attracting and

settling acarines. In particular, the acarine trapping

products of Examples 1 to 7 and 10, which employed bast fibers, particularly jute or ramie, as the fibrous material for the fibrous structural body, had a greater trap ratio than those of Examples 15 and 16, which employed cotton or kapok, which is seed hair fiber. The acarine trapping product of

Example 8, which employed jute having a low yarn density and a

low weight per unit area, had a greater trap ratio than that

of Example 16, which employed kapok. Therefore, it is

considered that if jute or ramie is used as the fibrous

material for the fibrous structural body, a more excellent

effect of attracting and settling acarines is obtained.

[0087]

For the acarine trapping products of Examples 1 to 16, a

parameter that is calculated by (a2 /b) x 100, where

a represents the thickness of the fibrous structural body and

b represents the weight per unit area of fibrous

structural body, was 0.13 to 0.78. Therefore, it is

considered that if a woven fabric with nap is used as the

fibrous structural body, then when the above parameter is in

the range of about 0.1 to 1.0, an excellent effect of

attracting and settling acarines is obtained.

[0088]

For the acarine trapping products of Examples 1-5, 7,

and 8, which employed jute as the fibrous material for the

fibrous structural body, the trap ratio increases with an

increase in the weight per unit area. It should be noted

that

for the acarine trapping product of Example 6, which employed jute as the fibrous material for the fibrous structural body, and in which the weight per unit area of the fibrous structural body is 946 g/m 2 , had a smaller trap ratio than that of the acarine trapping product of Example 2, in which the weight per unit area of the fibrous structural body is 600 g/m 2 . Therefore, it is considered that if jute is used as the fibrous material for the fibrous structural body, then when the weight per unit area of the fibrous structural body is in the range of 72 to 600 g/m 2 , the effect of attracting and settling acarines increases with an increase in the weight per unit area of the fibrous structural body.

[00891

The acarine trapping products of Examples 13 and 14 were

obtained by enclosing the acarine trapping products of

Examples 3 and 4, respectively, in a bag made of polyethylene

net (air-permeable sheet). The polyethylene net used as an

air-permeable sheet in the acarine trapping products of

Examples 13 and 14 was used alone as the fibrous structural

body in the acarine trapping product of Comparative Example 6.

In those cases, the trap ratios of the acarine trapping

products of Examples 13 and 14 were 162.2 and 160.6,

respectively, which are greater than the sum (143.2) of the

trap ratio (138.4) of the acarine trapping product of Example

3 and the trap ratio (4.8) of the acarine trapping product of

Comparative Example 6, and the sum (125.8) of the trap ratio

(121) of the acarine trapping product of Example 4 and the trap ratio (4.8) of the acarine trapping product of

Comparative Example 6, demonstrating that the trapping

performance was improved. Meanwhile, in Comparative Example 7,

in which the acarine trapping product of Comparative Example

1, in which the fibrous material is wool, was enclosed in a

bag made of polyethylene net (air-permeable sheet), the effect

of improving the trapping performance was not observed. Based

on these results, it is considered that if the fibrous

structural body with nap is covered by an air-permeable sheet

without nap, not only the attracting and settling effect of

each of the fibrous structural body and the air-permeable

sheet, but also some synergistic effect, are obtained,

although the exact mechanism therefor has not been clarified,

resulting in an improvement in the effect of attracting and

settling acarines.

[00901

An acarine trapping product including the characteristic

configuration of the present invention (Example 17) and a

product obtained by enclosing a sticky body in a bag

(Comparative Example 8) were prepared, and a trap distance

test was conducted.

[0091]

[Example 17]

A sticky body was produced by applying a rubber hot-melt

sticky agent to either side of a cardboard having a thickness

of 2 mm and a size of 90 mm x 105 mm. A kneaded and solidified tablet (diameter: 15 mm, thickness: 3 mm) containing animal and plant food components was arranged on one side of the sticky body. In addition, a woven fabric having a size of 100 mm x 115 mm as a fibrous structural body was layered on either side of the sticky body. Thus, a three layer laminate was obtained. The woven fabric used as the fibrous structural body was plain woven fabric of jute yarn having a yarn density of 43 to 47 strands/10 cm, a thickness of 0.86 mm, and a weight per unit area of 255 g/m 2 . The laminate was enclosed in a bag made of polyethylene net having a size of 120 mm x 150 mm. Thus, a five-layer acarine trapping product according to Example 17 was obtained. The polyethylene net had a mesh size of 1 mm, a thickness of 0.03 mm, and a weight per unit area of 67 g/m 2

. The polyethylene net did not have nap. When a line segment

of 10 cm was put on the polyethylene net, the number of

fibers that crossed the line segment was 95 to 110.

[0092]

[Comparative Example 8]

A product according to Comparative Example 8 was

obtained by enclosing the sticky body used in Example 17 in

the bag made of polyethylene net used in Example 17. That is,

the product of Comparative Example 8 is the same as the

acarine trapping product of Example 17, except that neither

the kneaded and solidified tablet containing animal and plant

food components nor the fibrous structural body was used in

Comparative Example 8.

[00931

(3) Trap Distance Test

FIG. 5 is for describing a procedure for conducting a

trap distance test. An unused polyester sheet X having a size

of 50 cm x 100 cm, which is 1/4 of the size (100 cm x 200 cm)

of a commonly used mattress, was laid on and fixed to a wooden

board. A groove was provided in the wooden board at a portion

W corresponding to an outer periphery of the sheet X. The

groove was filled with water in order to prevent acarines from

escaping from the sheet X or to prevent foreign acarines from

entering the sheet X. Here, as illustrated in FIG. 5, a corner

portion A, a corner portion B, and a shorter-side middle

portion C were set on the sheet X. A distance Dl between the

corner portion B and the corner portion A is about 110 cm. A

distance D2 between the corner portion B and the shorter-side

middle portion C is about 25 cm. The acarine trapping product

Y of Example 17 was placed at the corner portion A and the

shorter-side middle portion C of the sheet X. About 1,000

house dust mites were released at the corner portion B of the

sheet X. Three of this wooden board were prepared, and were

placed in a dark place at 250C and 75%RH. After 24 hours and

after 20 days, acarines that got stuck on the sticky body of

the acarine trapping product Y were counted. A similar trap

distance test was conducted on the product of Comparative

Example 8.

[0094]

The result of the trap distance test showed that the

number of acarines trapped by the acarine trapping product Y

of Example 17 set at the shorter-side middle portion C was 252

to 334 after 24 hours. In contrast to this, the number of

acarines trapped by the product of Comparative Example 8 under

the same conditions was zero. In addition, the number of

acarines trapped by the acarine trapping product Y of Example

17 set at the corner portion A was 37 to 76 after 20 days. In

contrast to this, the number of acarines trapped by the

product of Comparative Example 8 under the same conditions was

zero. These results demonstrated that the acarine trapping

product Y of Example 17 can attract and catch acarines that

have entered a region within a distance of at least one meter

therefrom. The distance Dl corresponds to about the distance

between each corner and the center (the intersection of the

diagonals) of a commonly used mattress. Therefore, it is

considered that if the acarine trapping product Y of Example

17 is placed at or near the center of a mattress in actual

use, acarines living in the mattress can be effectively

attracted and caught, and gotten rid of. In addition, the

distance D2 corresponds to about the distance between an end

of a commonly used mattress and an end of a pillow. Therefore,

it is considered that if the acarine trapping product Y of

Example 17 is placed at or near a pillow, acarines living in

the pillow can be attracted and caught, and gotten rid of,

within 24 hours. Furthermore, it is, of course, considered that if the acarine trapping product Y is placed at or near a shoulder or foot, acarines can also be effectively attracted and caught, and gotten rid of.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[00951

The acarine trapping product and acarine trapping method

of the present invention can be used in order to get rid of

acarines living indoors.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[00961

10 FIBROUS STRUCTURAL BODY

12 NAP

20 STICKY BODY

30 ATTRACTING AGENT

40 AIR-PERMEABLE SHEET

100 ACARINE TRAPPING PRODUCT

200 ACARINE TRAPPING PRODUCT

300 ACARINE TRAPPING PRODUCT

Claims (11)

1. An acarine trapping product comprising:

a fibrous structural body having nap; and

a sticky body configured to cause acarines to get stuck

thereon.

2. The acarine trapping product according to claim

1, wherein

the fibrous structural body includes fibers having an

elongation percentage of at most 10%.

3. The acarine trapping product according to claim 1

or 2, wherein

the fibrous structural body is a woven or knitted fabric

having a yarn density of 10 to 100 strands/10 cm.

4. The acarine trapping product according to any one

of claims 1 to 3, wherein

the fibrous structural body includes at least bast

fibers and/or seed hair fibers.

5. The acarine trapping product according to any one

of claims 1 to 4, wherein

an attracting agent is provided between the fibrous

structural body and the sticky body.

6. The acarine trapping product according to any one

of claims 1 to 5, wherein

at least a portion of the fibrous structural body is

covered by an air-permeable sheet that does not have nap.

7. The acarine trapping product according to any one

of claims 1 to 6, wherein

the acarine trapping product satisfies:

0.1 (a 2 /b) x 100 1.0 (1)

where a represents a thickness (mm) of the fibrous structural

2 body, and b represents a weight per unit area (g/m ) of the

fibrous structural body.

8. The acarine trapping product according to any one

of claims 1 to 7, wherein

the acarine trapping product excludes pesticides and/or

repellents.

9. An acarine trapping product for attracting and

catching acarines that have entered a region within a one

meter radius thereof.

10. The acarine trapping product according to claim

9, wherein

the acarine trapping product attracts and catches acarines within 24 hours.

11. An acarine trapping method for attracting and

catching acarines, comprising:

placing the acarine trapping product according to any

one of claims 1 to 10 at or near a place where acarines live.