Thread collecting device
View Patent ↗A thread collecting method for easily and simply collecting a bagworm-derived pure silk thread from a bagworm with a small number of processes and a thread collecting device for implementing the thread collecting method are developed and provided. A device that collects a silk thread from a bagworm is provided, the device including: a container that accommodates the bagworm; and an in-and-out hole through which the bagworm is put in and taken out of the container. A width of a maximum short axis cross section of an inner space of the container is in a range from 1.2 times or more to less than 3.1 times relative to a maximum body width of the bagworm being accommodated.
1. A device that collects a silk thread(s) from a bagworm(s), the device comprising:
a container that accommodates the bagworm; and
an in-and-out hole through which the bagworm is put in and taken out of the container,
wherein
a width of a maximum short axis cross section of an inner space of the container is
in a range from 10.8 mm to 27.5 mm if a maximum body width of a last instar bagworm about to be accommodated in the container is in a range from 9.0 mm to 11.0 mm, or
in a range from 8.4 mm to 21.3 mm if a maximum body width of a last instar bagworm about to be accommodated in the container is in a range from 7.0 mm to 8.5 mm,
wherein the maximum body width is a maximum body width among a width of the cross section including the short axis perpendicular to the long axis from a head tip portion to a tail tip portion,
wherein
the container has a discharge hole at a bottommost portion, and
the discharge hole has a minimum width longer than a maximum width of excrement of the bagworm being accommodated and a maximum width shorter than a maximum width of a head of the bagworm being accommodated. and
wherein the container includes an encapsulating unit configured to encapsulate the bagworm.
2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein a long axis of the inner space of the container has an inclination of 60 degrees to 90 degrees relative to a horizontal plane.
3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein a shape of the inner space of the container is a tubular shape, a spherical shape, an oval-spherical shape, or a combination thereof.
4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein a shape of a short axis cross section of the inner space of the container is a circle, an oval, a polygon, or a combination thereof.
5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein an inner wall of the container has a smooth surface.
6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein a material of an inside of the container includes an artificial material.
7. A method of collecting a silk thread(s) from a bagworm, the method comprising:
accommodating a live bagworm having no nest in the container of the device according to claim 1 ;
wherein the live bagworm spins a silk thread in the container; and
collecting the silk thread from the container.
8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
encapsulating the bagworm in the container by closing the in-and-out hole after the accommodating and before the spinning; and
canceling the encapsulating by opening the in-and-out hole after the spinning and before the collecting.
9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the bagworm is in a last instar.
10. A producing method of producing a silk thread mass of a bagworm, the method comprising:
accommodating a live bagworm having no nest in the container of the device according to claim 1 ;
spinning a silk thread(s) by the bagworm in the container to produce the silk thread mass; and
collecting the silk thread mass from the container.
11. The producing method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
encapsulating the bagworm in the container by closing the in-and-out hole after the accommodating and before the spinning; and
canceling the encapsulating by opening the in-and-out hole after the spinning and before the collecting.
12. The producing method according to claim 10 , wherein the bagworm is in a last instar.