Tick-repelling leg and forearm coverings

Abstract

A single-purpose tick-repelling forearm and leg covering apparel for the prevention of tick bites includes a substantially tubular, stretchable, wearable covering, with cuffs at both ends, made of knitted or woven ixodicidally-treated textile, with long-lasting repellency, which is easily slipped on, used by the wearer as a puttee or sleeve for covering bare or clothed legs or forearms for repelling or killing ticks and therefore preventing tick bites. The apparel includes a substantially tubular, stretchable covering that has been treated with tick repellent, and has proximal and distal cuffs for holding the covering in place on the forearm or leg of the wearer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substantially tubular, stretchable, wearable covering, with cuffs at both ends, made of knitted or woven ixodicidally-treated textile, with long-lasting repellency, easily slipped on, used by a wearer as a puttee or sleeve for covering bare or clothed legs or forearms for repelling or killing ticks and therefore preventing tick bites, comprising:
 a. a substantially tubular, stretchable covering;   b. wherein said covering has been treated with tick repellent;   c. wherein said covering has both a proximal and distal cuff for holding the covering in place on the forearm or leg of the wearer.   
     
     
         2 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 1  formed by circular knitting. 
     
     
         3 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 2  wherein the threads that have been used to knit the covering carry the tick repellent in a ultramicrocellular form. 
     
     
         4 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 1  wherein the stretchable cover comprises a woven, stretchable fabric. 
     
     
         5 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 1  wherein the tick repellent includes an ixodicide. 
     
     
         6 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 5  wherein the ixodicide comprises any natural or synthetic pyrethroid composition. 
     
     
         7 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 1  wherein the said proximal and distal cuffs comprise elastic yarns. 
     
     
         8 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 1  wherein when the covering is worn on the leg of wearer the distal cuff holds the covering in place around the ankle. 
     
     
         9 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 1  wherein when the covering is worn on the leg of wearer the proximal cuff holds the covering in place just below the knee. 
     
     
         10 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 1  wherein when the covering is worn on the forearm of wearer the distal cuff holds the covering in place around the wrist. 
     
     
         11 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 1  wherein when the covering is worn on the forearm of wearer the proximal cuff below the elbow. 
     
     
         12 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 11  wherein the proximal cuff holds the covering in place just above the elbow. 
     
     
         13 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 8  wherein the cuff of the covering prevents the bottom of the pant leg of the wearer from protruding from underneath the covering. 
     
     
         14 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 13  wherein the cuff of the covering allows the bottom of the pant leg of the wearer to protrude yet provides sufficient pressure to act as a barrier to prevent a tick from crawling underneath the pant leg of the wearer. 
     
     
         15 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 10  wherein the cuff of the covering prevents the cuff of the sleeve of the wearer from protruding underneath the covering. 
     
     
         16 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 15  wherein the cuff of the covering allows the sleeve of the wearer to protrude yet provides sufficient pressure to prevent a tick from crawling underneath the shirt cuff of the wearer. 
     
     
         17 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 1  wherein the covering is easily slipped on over the foot. 
     
     
         18 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 5  wherein the ixodicide has long-lasting effectiveness, meaning that it lasts through 25 washings of the covering or one year, whichever comes first. 
     
     
         19 . The tick repelling covering of  claim 1  wherein the ixodicidal treatment of the invention is omitted with the expectation that the consumer of the product will wish to apply the ixodicide.