Amusement articles possessing microbe-inhibiting properties

Abstract

An amusement article for a domestic animal comprising an outer textile casing defining a shape in the form of a small article which can be carried by a domestic animal, an inner filling, and a microbe-inhibiting agent or property applied to at least one of the outer textile casing and the inner filling. The toys may be fabricated in various shapes, designs and styles, e.g., animals, bones, hearts, geometric shapes, etc. A process for applying the microbe-inhibiting agent or property to at least one of the outer textile casing and the inner filling is provided. Application methods include spraying, dipping, brushing, and rolling the microbe-inhibiting agent or property onto at least one of the outer textile casing and the inner filling.

1 . An amusement article to be played with or retrieved by, or for enticing a domestic animal comprising: 
 a unitary piece of non-woven material defining a shape in the form of a small article for luring or being fetched by the domestic animal; and    an effective amount of a microbe-inhibiting agent applied to or incorporated within at least a portion of said unitary piece of material.    
   
   
       2 . An amusement article according to  claim 1  wherein the article is in the form of one of an animal, a bone, a heart, and a geometric shape.  
   
   
       3 . An amusement article according to  claim 2  wherein the non-woven material comprises a fibrous batting selected from the group consisting of polyolefin, acrylic, nylon, polyester, polyurethane, polyethylene terephthalate, cellulose acetate, triacetate resin fibers and blends thereof.  
   
   
       4 . An amusement article according to  claim 3  wherein the microbe-inhibiting agent is present from 0.001 to 10 percent by weight of the unitary piece of material.  
   
   
       5 . An amusement article according to  claim 1  wherein the non-woven material comprising a high loft, low-density fibrous material which is held together by bonding the fibers together.  
   
   
       6 . An amusement article according to  claim 5  wherein the fibers comprise a low-temperature coating or sheath and the bonding takes place by heating the fibers to melt the coating or sheath and melt-bond the fibers together  
   
   
       7 . An amusement article according to  claim 5  wherein the fibers are adhesively bonded together.  
   
   
       8 . An amusement article according to  claim 1  wherein the unitary piece of non-woven material has an outer perimeter and the non-woven material is sealed at the outer perimeter.  
   
   
       9 . An amusement article according to  claim 8  wherein the non-woven material is sealed at the perimeter by local heating, stitching, serging or tacking.  
   
   
       10 . An amusement article according to  claim 1  wherein the microbe-inhibiting agent is a compound selected from at least one of the group consisting of heavy metal salts, halogenated dioxides, quaternary ammonium compounds, halogenated compounds, sulfur compounds, phenyl derivatives, phenoxy derivatives, thiazoles, chlorinated phenolic compounds, polysubstituted imine salts and phosphate esters, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       11 . An amusement article according to  claim 1  wherein the microbe-inhibiting agent is selected from the group consisting of chlorine dioxide and 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl.  
   
   
       12 . An amusement article according to  claim 11  wherein the microbe-inhibiting agent is 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl which is incorporated into at least a portion of resin fibers.  
   
   
       13 . An amusement article according to  claim 12  wherein the fibers comprise acrylic fibers and the 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl compound is incorporated into at least some of the acrylic fibers.  
   
   
       14 . An amusement article according to  claim 1  wherein the microbe-inhibiting agent is bonded to at least a portion of the fibers.  
   
   
       15 . An amusement article according to  claim 1  wherein the microbe-inhibiting agent exhibits a zone of influence which extends beyond the portion of the fibers on which the microbe-inhibiting agent or property is incorporated.