DE102019004389A1 - Snail lock - Google Patents

Abstract

A snail barrier consists of a band that is coated with adhesive as a matrix and embedded in needle-like fibers of different lengths.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Snail infestation is not only a nuisance for gardeners and hobby gardeners, it also reduces the growth and yield of lettuce, vegetable and ornamental plants. In addition, hobby gardeners and especially children find the necessary disposal of snail bodies disgusting.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION / PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED

It is therefore the object of the present invention to prevent infestation of plants and beds by snails.

STATE OF THE ART

There are numerous traditional recipes and methods against infestation of pots and beds with snails, but some populations are already resistant to these, e.g. the spreading of so-called slug pellets.

Steep borders of the planting areas and their border with a copper tape proved to be more effective, but this is only fully effective as long as the metal layer is exposed unprotected - only the copper then corrodes quickly and loses its effect, so that this is only effective as seasonal protection .

SOLUTION

As a solution, the type of movement of the snails was analyzed. With them (the Gastropoda), locomotion can be traced back to a specialized organ that most snails have in common in terms of their basic structure: the so-called foot. It is essentially the largest part of the body that is visible outside the shell in the active animal. In most snails the ventral side (ventral) is also shaped into a flat crawling sole, which indicates the most common and proverbial method of locomotion of the snails: they crawl.

This method of locomotion is best known, for example, from land snails, which can be seen most often in damp weather. Using the Roman snail (Helix pomatia) as an example, it is easy to see how this movement takes place: The snail sets the sole of its foot in undulating movements that carry it forward.

When crawling, snails leave a trail of mucus, which is created because a large gland at the head end of the sole of the foot produces mucus, which reduces the friction between the sole of the foot and the ground. This is one of the reasons land snails are capable of such amazing feats as crawling unharmed over sharp lawn edges or a knife blade.

The inventive step is therefore to prevent a continuous trail of slime in that a large number of barriers, which are virtually immune to sticking or coating, interrupt them with needle-like points and thus prevent the snails from overcoming them.

Designs with woven ribbons, such as brocade fabrics or chenille, however, proved to be ineffective as long as the snails were able to compress the fibers and stick them with their slime; They could also get over hard tissue, such as the hard side of Velcro.

On the other hand, it was shown that locking points of different heights, irregularly distributed and at different angles to the carrier material (as is also the case with anti-tank traps in military technology), are most effective.

In order to achieve this technically easily and inexpensively, a corresponding needle-like material with electrostatically upward-pointing tips is introduced into an adhesive matrix, similar to what is used in decorative flocking of surfaces, but here with harder and unevenly long needles.

It was found that snails cannot overcome strings or ribbons that are occupied in this way, especially if the fibers used are mixed in their length and consistency. Barriers with mixed tips of 0.5 to 4.0 millimeters proved to be insurmountable for snails.

Such barriers have therefore proven to be particularly effective as cords stretched just above the ground, wrapped around pots, or as ribbons applied to the border of the beds.

Figure list

• 1 shows a flocked round ribbon ( 1 ), here around a planter ( 2 ) is wrapped.
• 2 shows this round ribbon ( 3 ) in cross section. Here the original core shear ( 4th ), whose glue coating ( 5 ) and the long ( 6th ) and short ( 7th ) To recognize flock fibers or needles.
• 3 shows similar processing on a flat tape ( 8th ), here on the edge of a lawn or bed ( 9 ) is applied.
• 4th shows a flocked ribbon ( 10 ), here around a planter ( 11 ) is wrapped.
• 5 shows this ribbon ( 15th ) in cross section. Where the original tape is ( 13 ), whose glue coating ( 14th ) and the long ( 12a ) and short ( 12b ) To recognize flock fibers or needles.

Claims (7)

A screw barrier, characterized in that a tape soaked with adhesive and covered with needle-like elements held therein is guided around an object to be protected. Snail lock after Claim 1 , characterized in that the needle-like elements are electrostatically aligned perpendicular to the surface on a round cord. Snail lock after Claim 1 , characterized in that the needle-like elements are electrostatically aligned vertically upwards on a flat band. Snail lock after Claim 2 and 3 , characterized in that the tape or cord are made of synthetic or natural filaments. Snail lock after Claim 2 and 3 , characterized in that the adhesive matrix consists of elastic dispersion adhesive. Snail lock after Claim 1 to 5 , characterized in that the straps are wrapped around planters. Snail lock after Claim 1 to 5 , characterized in that the bands are attached to the top of lawn and bed edges.

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