EMKindersicherungIn a bid to keep children away from the hazardous detergents at home, TU Darmstadt team of seven students has developed a child safety lock for the cleaning agent bottles with igus. This development is part of igus’s Young Engineers Support programme.

 

This device is simply screwed onto the bottle. Access is ensured via an app. An iglidur plain bearing from igus ensures the lubrication-free and reliable locking mechanism in the child safety lock. The idea also convinced the jury at the Cosima competition, a student competition for Microsystems, where the team stood second.

 

It is estimated that around 94,000 calls are made to the Poison Information Centre for burns and intoxications of children, every year. It clearly indicates cleaners are a real threat. To prevent these accidents, seven students of the TU Darmstadt at the Faculty of Electrical and Information Technology have developed the EMKindersicherung. This device allows personalised access to household chemicals via a Smartphone app. 

 

The students’ child safety device is 3D printed for the most part and consists of a housing which is placed over the lid of the cleaning agent bottle and engages with cover plate under the plastic ring of the bottle. Using a lever the cover plate can be moved manually and the device can be secured. The closing mechanism consists of an electrothermal actuator. Its current feed heats and deforms so that the safety device opens and can be removed from the bottle. The actuator is attached to a pin. By turning the lever the pin mounted with an iglidur plain bearing engages and prevents an unauthorised opening. 

 

Ida Blum, EMKindersicherung development team, explained, “We approached the young engineers support from igus with our project because we were looking for a bearing that has a low coefficient of friction and that is resistant to acids and alcohol. In addition, the bearing must withstand temperatures of up to 125 degrees Celsius due to the heating of the actuator. That’s why we chose iglidur A350.” 

The plain bearing material is UV-resistant and also suitable for use in medical technology as well as in the food and packaging industry.