From parents for parents! To protect what is important to us.
I, Victoria, invented this child safety lock based on my experience as a mother – because I saw the need and only wanted the best for my child, which is why I was naturally concerned about using my smartphone charging cable in a household with a baby and toddler.
But why exactly did I have concerns when I plugged my charging cable in somewhere without the child safety lock, because my phone simply needed to be charged?
- because electricity is "invisible".
- because during the oral phase of babies and toddlers, virtually everything is put in the mouth.
- because saliva is electrically conductive and can bridge contacts that are otherwise non-conductive.
- Because faults in the charging contact (e.g., caused by saliva in the system) when the charging cable is plugged in, and failure of safety functions, can lead to damage to the charging cable, possibly also to the device, and in the worst case, to heat generation. This, in turn, can lead to burns .
- Because fast charging requires a lot of power. The faster a charger can charge a battery, the greater the risks it poses in case of a malfunction. And that's precisely the trend: towards ever faster charging. Furthermore, it's often unclear whether the power supply meets the required high quality standards, meaning that important safety features may be lacking.
So I developed a child safety device for the charging contacts of common charging cables, typically for smartphones and tablets. It's a shield that can be easily opened with one hand, allows the device to charge as usual, and automatically closes as soon as it's removed, whether intentionally or unintentionally. It's a small product that's mounted around the charging contact to prevent babies and toddlers from putting it in their mouths or getting it directly covered in saliva. It's compatible with common charging cables such as USB-C, Lightning, and Micro-USB.
And at this point I would like to quote just a few statements:
"I think your idea is great and makes perfect sense. At our house, a charging cable actually got so hot after being thoroughly drooled on that it fused with the carpet." – Ina, founder of a pregnancy products company
"Power outlets and electrical products of all kinds, especially cables, have a particular attraction for crawling babies." – Heike, Child Safety Consultant
"She (one year old) has already destroyed several charging cables" – Vroni, mother of 2 children
"In my first aid courses, I always point out that it can be dangerous and give tips. I'm therefore very happy about your product." – Daniela, Child Safety and Accident Prevention Consultant
Of course, it would be best if all parents only used charging cables where babies and toddlers definitely couldn't reach them. But that's not always so easy, depending on the apartment. And if the charging cables are within the children's reach, prevention is better than cure! Because the well-being of children should be our top priority.
And let's not forget: moisture in the charging contact causes even more problems – damage to the charging cable and device is also extremely annoying.
We at GADGETTO Products know that the charging contact is not the only source of danger. Therefore, we are currently adding a short charging cable to our shop to eliminate the risk of strangulation from the cable itself.