Abstract:
The invention relates to an item of clothing in the form of trousers ( 1 ) for use outdoors and/or in hunting, having two trouser legs ( 2, 3 ) and a device for protecting against pests. In order to provide effective protection against pests, as a device for protection against pests, an internal insert ( 4 ) preventing the passage of pests, in particular ticks, is provided in at least one trouser leg ( 2,3 ), the lower end ( 5 ) of which insert reaches as far as the foot area ( 6 ) of the user and the upper end ( 8 ) of which insert reaches as far as the foot area ( 6 ) of the user and the upper end ( 8 ) of which is permanently connected or can be detachably connected to the trouser leg ( 2,3 ) on the inside, wherein the connection at the upper end ( 8 ) is closed circumferentially to prevent passage of the pest through connection ( 9 ).

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a National Stage filing of International Application PCT/EP2012/000482, filed Feb. 3, 2012, claiming priority to German Applications No. DE 10 2011 014 635.0 filed Mar. 21, 2011, entitled “Item of Clothing having a Device for Protection against Pests, in Particular Ticks.” The subject application claims priority to PCT/EP2012/000482, and to German Applications No. DE 10 2011 014 635.0 and incorporates all by reference herein, in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an item of clothing in the form of pants for use outdoors and/or in hunting, having two pant legs and a device for protection against pests, in particular ticks. 
         [0003]    An item of clothing of the aforementioned type is already known from DE 10 2006 020 464 A1. This prior art relates to an item of protective clothing manufactured from a textile material and intended for arrangement on a body part. The item of protective clothing here is equipped with a tick trap pocket provided on a surface of the item of clothing. The tick trap pocket extends along at least a part of the circumference of a garment part which cloaks the body. The tick trap pocket has a walling which delimits the interior space of the pocket and a downward-facing opening which leads into the interior space of the pocket. A poison holder, which holds a contact poison for killing ticks and which is detachable via a hook and loop fastener, is located in said opening. It is disadvantageous in the known solution that chemical substances having a toxic effect are provided for the protection against ticks, said substances indeed killing off ticks but also possibly being detrimental to the health of the wearer. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    It is now an object of the present invention to provide an item of clothing of the type mentioned at the outset which offers effective protection against pests, in particular ticks, but without there having to be concerns about effects which could be detrimental to the health of the wearer. 
         [0005]    The aforementioned object is substantially achieved according to the invention in the case of an item of clothing of the type mentioned at the outset in that an inner insert, which prevents the passage of pests, in particular ticks, is provided in at least one pant leg as device for protection against pests, the lower end of said insert reaching as far as into the foot region of the user, and the upper end of said insert being fixedly connected or detachably connectable to the pant leg on the inside, the connection at the upper end being closed in an encircling manner such that the pests cannot pass through the connection. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic illustration of an item of clothing according to the invention, parts of the pant legs in the lower region having been omitted for the sake of improved clarity of the invention, 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic illustration of a part of pants according to the invention in the worn state, 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  shows a schematic illustration of a part of pants according to the invention with attached boot, and 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  shows a schematic illustration of a layered configuration of the material of the inner insert according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    On account of the aforementioned configuration—and in contrast to the prior art—a device for protection against pests is provided which operates purely mechanically and which makes it impossible for pests, in particular ticks, to reach the skin of the user via the opening of the pant leg. If a user wearing the pants according to the invention crosses a meadow, for example, and ticks make their way into the lower opening of the pant leg, the inner insert, on account of its configuration and connection to the pant leg, ensures that, while the ticks do indeed crawl up the inside of the pants, namely on the inside of the pant leg or on the outer side of the inner insert, they do not however reach any bare region of skin, since the inner insert is connected at its upper end to the pant leg in an encircling manner. Subsequently, the ticks are trapped at the end of the inner insert in the annular gap between the pant leg and the inner insert. It is in any case impossible for the ticks to bypass the inner insert and to reach the leg of the user. 
         [0011]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper end of the inner insert is fastened in the pant leg in the calf region of the user, in particular in the upper calf region, and particularly preferably immediately above the calf region and below the knee region of the user. The inner insert thus has about the length of what is known as a knee-length sock. The advantage of this embodiment is that the user can readily wear high shoes or boots, the pant leg being worn on the outside over the shoe or the boot. The inner insert is then worn inside the shoe or inside the boot. This is important especially for the outdoor and hunting sector, since high, solid shoes and boots are worn there. 
         [0012]    In order to have as far as possible no bare areas of skin even when using everyday shoes or slippers, it is particularly useful for the lower end of the inner insert to reach at least as far as the ankle region of the user. The inner insert thus reaches as far as possible into the foot region. In principle, the inner insert may reach up to the toes or even enclose the toes. In any case, the inner insert should fit closely and tightly in the fashion of a compression stocking on the leg of the user at least in the ankle region, and especially over a length of at least 3 cm, such that ticks cannot pass through in this area. 
         [0013]    A tight, close fit of the inner insert on the foot or the leg of the user preferably occurs in that the inner insert has, at least in the lower region, and in particular in the ankle region, an elastically stretchable material. In tests which have been carried out in this context, it has been established that the material of the inner insert is preferably polyamide, polyester and/or polypropylene, in particular with an addition of elastomeric fibers. 
         [0014]    In order to prevent the inner insert from slipping upward while a user is wearing the pants according to the invention, a loop strap for looping below the foot of the user is provided at the lower end of the inner insert. Since users to some extent have differing anatomies, the loop strap should preferably consist of an elastically stretchable material, said material having a longitudinal elongation of more than 100%, preferably of more than 120%, and in particular of more than 140%. It has been established in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention that the longitudinal elongation should be about 150%. 
         [0015]    In a further, particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the pant leg is openable at its lower end in the region of the inner insert. The possibility of opening the pant leg offers the advantage that a user, on the one hand, can step into a boot more easily when the pant leg is opened, and, on the other hand, that the outer region of the inner insert can be more easily cleaned or shaken out after wear by folding over or folding away the opened end of the pant leg in order to remove pests, in particular ticks, located there. In this context, a preferred embodiment of the pant leg has a longitudinal slit which reaches as far as into the calf region of the user and preferably just up to the encircling connection of the inner insert to the pant leg. Furthermore, it is advantageous in this context for the openable region of the pant leg to be quickly closable. This may be achieved for example with a zipper or a hook and loop connection. 
         [0016]    Depending on the configuration, it is possible for the pants to be configured without an inner lining or to indeed have an inner lining. In the event that an inner lining is used, it goes without saying that the inner insert is then connected to or detachably connectable to the inner lining. In this case, the explanations made in the context of the detachable connection of the inner liner correspondingly apply. 
         [0017]    It is favorable for the inner lining to be detachably connectable to the pants in order for the inner lining to be removed in warm weather. 
         [0018]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention with a removable inner liner, it is provided that an encircling fastening means is located on the inner side of the pant leg so that the inner insert can also be detachably fastened on the inner side of the pant leg after removal of the inner lining. This embodiment ensures that the user can remove the inner lining but nevertheless need not dispense with the device for protection against pests, i.e. the inner insert according to the invention. 
         [0019]    In a further, particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inner insert has odor-adsorbent sorbents. This embodiment considers the fact that every human body detaches odors produced naturally in the body which are emitted into the environment. Ticks, in particular, react to these odors. The secretion of body odor can be more obviously noticed in particular in the context of physical activity, e.g. in the pursuit of leisure activities, as a result of an increase in sweating. On account of the use of odor-adsorbent sorbents in conjunction with the inner insert, the infestation by ticks is considerably diminished, since the human odor is largely reduced and ticks accordingly react less to this odor. 
         [0020]    It is preferred in this context that the inner insert has at least one layer of activated charcoal. It is particularly preferred that the inner insert is constructed with at least three layers and has an inner carrier layer, a layer of activated charcoal, and an outer layer which faces away from the user. It goes without saying here that it is in principle also possible to manage with a greater or smaller number of layers. Accordingly, even a single-layer construction is possible in principle, if the odor-adsorbent sorbents are integrated into the carrier layer. For reasons of manufacturing, however, a construction with at least two layers having a carrier layer and a layer of activated charcoal lends itself. Apart from this, it should be ensured in this context that the material of the inner insert is configured to be gas permeable, in particular air permeable and water-vapor permeable. 
         [0021]    Moreover, the material as such of the inner insert should be configured such that it is impenetrable for pests. The impenetrability of the material for pests, in particular ticks, is ultimately achieved by correspondingly small mesh openings. The open area of a mesh here should be smaller than 1.0 mm 2  and in particular smaller than 0.5 mm 2 , with the smallest clear distance within the mesh being smaller than 0.02 mm. The weight per unit area of the material of the inner insert should be less than 100 g/m 2 , preferably less than 80 g/m 2  and in particular less than 60 g/m 2 . 
         [0022]    The present invention furthermore relates to the use of the item of clothing according to the invention for protection against pests, in particular ticks. It is precisely the use of the pants according to the invention for the aforementioned purpose that offers significant advantages in effectively protecting the user against pests, and above all against ticks. 
         [0023]    Further features, advantages and possibilities of application of the present invention can be gathered from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing and from the drawing itself. All features which are described and/or illustrated here, individually or in any combination, form the subject matter of the present invention, independently of their summary in the context of claims or their reference to other claims. 
         [0024]    In  FIG. 1 , an item of clothing in the form of pants  1  is illustrated. The pants  1  are provided particularly for use in the outdoor sector and especially in the hunting sector. The pants  1  have two pant legs  2 ,  3 . 
         [0025]    Furthermore, the pants  1  are provided with a device for protection against pests, in particular ticks, said device being explained in more detail in the following. The upper material of the pants  1  is any desired material. It may consist here of natural and/or man-made fibers, or also of leather. 
         [0026]    It is now essential that an inner insert  4  is provided in at least one pant leg  2 ,  3  as protection against pests. This inner insert  4  prevents the passage of pests, in particular ticks, through the inner insert  4  to the skin of the user. The lower end  5  of the inner insert  4  reaches here as far as the foot region  6  ( FIG. 2 ) of the user. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, this means that the lower end  5  of the inner insert protrudes downward beyond the lower rim  7  of the respective pant leg  2 ,  3 . The upper end  8  of the inner insert  4  is fixedly connected ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) or detachably connectable ( FIG. 3 ) to the respective pant leg  2 ,  3 , the connection, specifically independently of whether a fixed or detachable connection is provided, being closed in an encircling manner at the upper end  8 , and namely in such a manner that the pests cannot pass through the connection  9 . 
         [0027]    As can be gathered in each case from  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the inner insert  4  reaches inside the respective pant leg  2 ,  3  as far as over the calf region  10  of the user, and especially to immediately below the knee region  11 . From the point of view of its length in the upward direction, the inner insert  4  ultimately corresponds to a knee-length sock. 
         [0028]    As is in particular evident from  FIG. 2 , the lower end  5  of the inner insert  4  reaches as far as into the ankle region  12  of the user. This means that the lower end  5  of the inner insert  4  reaches at least as far as the ankles of the user, preferably even completely covers the ankles. The lower end  5  of the inner insert thus extends comparatively far in the downward direction.  FIG. 1  in this context elucidates that the inner insert  4  has a shape which fits tightly to the leg of the user in the ankle region  12 . Here, a close and tight fit of the lower end  5  of the inner insert  4  results from bottom up over a length of at least  3  cm. It is preferable here that the lower end  5  has a tight fit at least on the entire region  12  of the ankle of the user, in the fashion of a compression stocking, but less tight. The tight fit of the inner insert  4  in the ankle region  12  is a result of the use of a correspondingly elastically stretchable material, which in the exemplary embodiment illustrated consists of a large proportion of polyamide (approx. 80%) and a lesser proportion of elastomeric fibers in the form of elastane (approx. 20%). 
         [0029]    Moreover, two different embodiments of the inner insert  4  are illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The inner insert  4  in the pant leg  2  has a funnel-shaped configuration with a substantially constant taper. In contrast, the inner insert  4  in the pant leg  3  has the tightly fitting shape only at the lower end  5 , but otherwise an at least substantially cylindrically shaped configuration, this having the result that the inner insert  4  fits closely only in the ankle region  12  at the lower end  5 , as previously described, whilst in the worn state it is at least largely spaced at a distance from the leg of the user. It goes without saying here that this, of course, depends on the anatomy of the user. In any event, the inner insert  4  of the pant leg  3  offers more freedom of movement than the inner insert  4  of the pant leg  2 . It remains to be observed that the different inserts in the embodiment according to  FIG. 1  are usually not implemented in one pair of pants. As a rule, only one type of insert  4  is provided in one pair of pants  1 . 
         [0030]    Irrespective of the type of embodiment of the inner insert  4 , a loop strap  13  for looping below the foot  14  of the user is provided in continuation of the lower end  5  of the inner insert  4 . The actual loop strap  13  consists of an elastically stretchable material with a longitudinal elongation of about 150%. 
         [0031]    In  FIG. 3  an embodiment is illustrated in which the connection  9  to the pant leg  2  at the upper end  8  of the inner insert  4  is detachable. A hook and loop connection serves for this purpose in the exemplary embodiment illustrated. Even if this is not illustrated in detail, the hook and loop connection on the inner side of the pant leg  2  has an encircling strip, whilst a complementary strip of the hook and loop connection is provided on the upper end  8  of the inner insert  4 , such that an encircling closed connection  9  is ultimately provided. In the embodiments according to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the connection  9  is implemented as an encircling seam. This is thus a fixed connection  9  of the insert  4  to the respective pant leg  2 ,  3 . 
         [0032]    Moreover, in the embodiment according to  FIG. 3  the pant leg  2  is openable at the lower end in the region of the inner insert  4 . Specifically, the pant leg  2  has a longitudinal slit  15  which reaches in the direction of the length about as far as the upper connection  9 .  FIG. 3  here elucidates in particular by illustrating a boot  16  that it is easy for the user to step inside the boot  16  when the longitudinal slit  15  is opened, the insert  4  then extending inside the boot  16  while the pant leg  2  extends over the leg of the boot  16 . Moreover, the longitudinal slit  15  enables exposure of the inner insert  4  by pulling over the lower end  5  of the pant leg  2 . In this manner, ticks or other pests trapped in the annular gap  17  between the outer side of the inner insert  4  and the inner side of the pant leg  2  may be removed. Ultimately, ticks which reach the ankle region  12  of the inner insert  4  usually crawl upward on the outer side of the inner insert  4  until the point where the inner insert  4  ends at the connection  9 . A further ascent of the ticks is then no longer possible, since they are prevented by the connection  9  from crawling upward any further. 
         [0033]    As can otherwise be gathered from  FIG. 3 , the longitudinal slit  15  may be closed by a hook and loop connection means  18  in order to prevent an upward swiveling of the lower end of the pant leg  2  when the user is walking. 
         [0034]    In an embodiment which is not illustrated, the pants  1  have an inner lining. The inner lining may in this case be fixedly or detachably connected to the pants  1 . When using an inner lining, the inner insert  4  may in turn be fixedly or detachably connected to the inner lining. If the inner lining is removed, it is in principle possible to achieve a state as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the detachably connectable inner insert  4  in turn then being connected to the pant leg  2 . 
         [0035]    In  FIG. 4  a part of the material of the inner insert is illustrated. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the inner insert  4  has an odor-adsorbent material which has an inner carrier layer  19  as textile sheet-like material, activated charcoal in the form of activated charcoal granules  20  being affixed on the carrier layer  19 . Affixing may occur by means of an adhesive (not illustrated). The material of the inner insert  4  furthermore has an outer layer  21  on the side of the activated charcoal granules  20  which faces away from the carrier layer  19 . 
         [0036]    In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the material of the inner insert  4  has activated charcoal granules  20  with a weight per unit area of approx. 35 g/m 2  and a mean diameter of approx. 0.4 to 0.6 mm, said activated charcoal granules being affixed to the inner carrier layer  19  with an adhesive applied in a punctiform manner. A polyester and/or polyamide material as sheet-like structure is likewise provided as inner carrier layer  19  and outer layer  21 . 
       LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 
       [0037]      1  Pants 
         [0038]      2  Pant leg 
         [0039]      3  Pant leg 
         [0040]      4  Inner insert 
         [0041]      5  Lower end 
         [0042]      6  Foot region 
         [0043]      7  Rim 
         [0044]      8  Upper end 
         [0045]      9  Connection 
         [0046]      10  Calf region 
         [0047]      11  Knee region 
         [0048]      12  Ankle region 
         [0049]      13  Loop strap 
         [0050]      14  Foot 
         [0051]      15  Longitudinal slit 
         [0052]      16  Boot 
         [0053]      17  Annular gap 
         [0054]      18  Hook and loop connection means 
         [0055]      19  Carrier layer 
         [0056]      20  Activated charcoal granules 
         [0057]      21  Outer layer