TOOL SUPPLY DEVICE

Abstract

A tool supply device according to the present disclosure is a workshop trolley, a workbench or a tool cabinet. The tool supply device has a housing and containers, for example, drawers, arranged in the housing. At least one tool carrier is provided in the container, which has a receptacle for a tool, wherein the receptacle is assigned a detector for detecting the presence of a tool in the receptacle. According to the present disclosure, the detector has a touch switch with a touch element, wherein the touch element penetrates through an opening in the tool carrier and projects into the receptacle with an active surface. There are receptacles of a first type, wherein the touch element projects from below through the bottom of a receptacle into the receptacle, and there are receptacles of a second type, wherein the touch element projects laterally into the receptacle.

Claims

1. A tool supply device, in particular a workshop trolley, workbench or tool cabinet, which has a housing and containers, in particular drawers, arranged therein, wherein at least one tool carrier is provided in a container that has a plurality of receptacles for tools; and a detector is assigned to each of the receptacles for detecting the presence of a tool in the receptacle, wherein the detector has a touch switch with a touch element, wherein the touch element penetrates through an opening in the tool carrier and projects with an active surface into the receptacle, wherein in at least one receptacle of a first type, the opening penetrates through the wall of the tool carrier below the receptacle and the touch element projects from below through the bottom of a receptacle of the first type, wherein in at least one receptacle of a second type, the touch element projects laterally into the receptacle of the second type, and wherein in at least one receptacle a holder element is arranged which functions as a pressure amplifier for a tool.

2. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein the touch element is a tappet, in particular a spring-loaded tappet, a leg, in particular a spring leg, or a lever, in particular a spring lever.

3. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein the touch switch is arranged in a support body.

4. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein the touch button or a support body receiving the touch button is supported at least indirectly on the bottom of the container.

5. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein the touch switch is fastened to a circuit board which is arranged on bottom of the container below the tool carrier.

6. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein each receptacle is assigned a detector, wherein all detectors are arranged in a horizontal plane.

7. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein a receptacle has a recess in the tool carrier adapted to the shape of a specific tool.

8. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein the holder element is a clamp-shaped holder element or a magnetic holder.

9. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein a data processing unit is provided which is intended and configured to receive signals from the detector and to record and document the removal and return of a tool.

10. The tool supply device of claim 9, wherein the tool usage data and/or tool status data and/or tool user data can be captured by means of the data processing unit.

11. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein the tool carrier is formed by a soft foam insert.

12. The tool supply device of claim 5, wherein an outline of one or more tools is shown on the circuit board.

13. The tool supply device of claim 5, wherein several circuit boards are arranged next to one another on the bottom of the container.

14. The tool supply device of claim 13, wherein each circuit board has a module size adapted to dimensions of the container, so that the circuit boards together cover the bottom surface.

15. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein at least one cable carrying device is arranged in the housing for electrical connecting lines, in particular for electrical connecting lines between circuit boards in a container and/or between circuit boards and a data processing unit.

16. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein a locking system is provided by means of which the containers is able to be centrally locked in the housing.

17. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein functional electronics are provided, wherein the functional electronics control at least one actuator, in particular for actuating a locking bar and/or that the functional electronics have a wireless communication module, in particular Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

18. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein a display communicating with a data processing unit is provided to display presence and/or absence of tools and/or tool usage data and/or user data.

19. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein at least one signal element is provided, in particular an optical signal element, preferably in the form of a light-emitting diode (LED), or an acoustic signal element, which is intended and configured to signal the presence or absence of a tool in a container.

20. The tool supply device of claim 19, wherein the signal element is arranged in an edge protection element provided on the housing.

21. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein a signal element is provided in a container and/or a front side of a container and/or on a display.

22. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein at least one signal unit is provided which is set up and intended to signal the closed state of the tool supply device and/or the battery charge level of an electrical energy supply unit and/or the completeness of a tool inventory, wherein the signal unit is provided in particular on a handle area or a functional area on the housing.

23. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein the detector has an electrical connector interface for receiving an electrical plug element, in particular a plug of a mobile line coupling.

24. The tool supply device of claim 1, wherein the container, in particular a drawer, is equipped with a weighing system which is coupled to a weight evaluation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0070] The present disclosure is described in more detail hereinafter on the basis of drawings. In the figures:

[0071] FIG. 1 is a view of a workshop trolley in perspective in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0072] FIG. 2 shows the workshop trolley with an extended drawer in a top view in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0073] FIG. 3 is a look into the drawer equipped with tools in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0074] FIG. 4 shows the drawer without tools with a view of the tool receptacles in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0075] FIG. 5 shows the drawer as shown in FIG. 4 in plan view in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0076] FIG. 6 shows a section through the illustration in FIG. 5 along line A-A in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0077] FIG. 7 shows an enlarged section of a tool receptacle in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0078] FIG. 8 a view of a touch switch in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0079] FIG. 9 shows a view into the tool drawer with an illustration of the circuit board assembly in the left half of the drawer and a tool carrier equipped with tools in the right half of the drawer in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0080] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a tool carrier in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0081] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a circuit board equipped with touch switches and connection components in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0082] FIG. 12 is a view of a further embodiment of a touch switch in perspective in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0083] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a support body with several touch switches arranged in series in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0084] FIG. 14 is the illustration as shown in FIG. 13 in plan view in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0085] FIG. 15 shows several touch switches arranged in a row on a circuit board in a perspective view in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0086] FIG. 16 is the illustration as shown in FIG. 15 in a plan view in accordance with at least one embodiment; and

[0087] FIG. 17 is a schematic front view of a support body with inserted tool in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0088] FIG. 18 is another top view of a drawer with the tool carrier without tools in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0089] FIG. 19 shows a section through the illustration of FIG. 18 along line A-A in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0090] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a tool carrier partially equipped with tools in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0091] FIG. 21 is a plan view of the tool carrier as shown in FIG. 20 in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0092] FIG. 22 shows a section through the illustration of FIG. 21 along line B-B in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0093] FIG. 23 shows a holding body for an optical signal element in one perspective in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0094] FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a holder component with integrated holder elements in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0095] FIG. 25 is an embodiment of a touch switch in perspective in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0096] FIG. 26 the touch switch as shown in FIG. 25 in a sectional view in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0097] FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a workshop trolley with the upper drawer open in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0098] FIG. 28 is a top view of a circuit board with mounted touch elements in accordance with at least one embodiment; [0099] in accordance with at least one embodiment

[0100] FIG. 30 is a plan view of another embodiment of a circuit board equipped with touch switches showing the end of a USB cable in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0101] FIG. 31 shows a section through the circuit board as shown in FIG. 30 along the line D-D with the USB connector not connected in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0102] FIG. 32 shows a section through the circuit board according to FIG. 30 along section D-D showing a coupled USB plug in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0103] FIG. 33 shows another embodiment of a workshop trolley in a perspective view in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0104] FIG. 34 shows a section of the workshop trolley as shown in FIG. 33 in a front view in accordance with at least one embodiment,

[0105] FIG. 35 shows a section of the workshop trolley as shown in FIG. 33 in a perspective view in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0106] FIG. 36 is a top view of a drawer without tools in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0107] FIG. 37 shows a section through the illustration of FIG. 36 along the line A-A in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0108] FIG. 38 a section through the illustration of FIG. 36 along the line D-D in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0109] FIG. 39 a plan view of a tool carrier in accordance with at least one embodiment;

[0110] FIG. 40 shows a section through the tool carrier of FIG. 39 along the line A-A in accordance with at least one embodiment; and

[0111] FIG. 41 the section B from FIG. 40 in an enlarged view in accordance with at least one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0112] In the figures, the same reference numerals are used for identical or functionally corresponding components or component parts of the tool supply device as well as parts thereof, even if a repeated description is omitted for reasons of simplicity.

[0113] FIG. 1 shows a tool supply device in the form of a workshop trolley 1. Such a workshop trolley 1 is used to hold and store tools, for example in assembly or repair shops in the agricultural, aviation or marine industries.

[0114] Workshop trolley 1 has a cabinet- or frame-like housing 3 mounted on casters 2, with a cover plate 4. A handle 5 is provided on one narrow side of the workshop trolley 1 or the housing 3, which has a rectangular horizontal cross-section. The housing 3 forms the supporting body of the workshop trolley 1. In the housing 3, a number of containers in the form of drawers 6 are arranged vertically one above the other. The drawers 6 are able to be moved on guides provided on drawer supports in the housing 3. Each drawer 6 is able to be locked into place by means of a locking device in the housing 3.

[0115] The workshop trolley 1 with a drawer 6 pulled out of the housing 3 is illustrated in FIG. 2. A tool carrier 7 is arranged in the drawer 6. The tool carrier 7 is formed by a soft foam insert. In the tool carrier 7, receptacles 8 are provided for one tool 9 each (see also FIG. 3, FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 and FIG. 10). A receptacle 8 has a recess 10 adapted to the shape of a specific tool 9 in the tool carrier 7, and is also possible to arrange several tool carriers 7 in drawer 6, which complement each other and cover the bottom of drawer 6. In this regard, reference is also made to the illustration in FIG. 7.

[0116] The workshop trolley 1 is equipped with a tool identification and management system. This enables the automated monitoring and management of tool inventories. The tool identification and management system has a data management unit along with peripheral devices, which receives, processes and delivers data, thus automatically carrying out the necessary data processing.

[0117] The tool carriers 7 arranged in the drawers 6 each include a soft foam system and have a plurality of receptacles 8 for different tools 9. In general, the receptacles are marked with the reference numeral 8. There are receptacles 8a of the first type and receptacles 8b of the second type. The individual receptacles 8, 8a, 8b are each formed by a recess 10 in the tool carrier 7 adapted to the shape of a specific tool 9. The recesses 10 are formed by depressions in the soft foam inserts of the tool carriers 7. Each receptacle 8, 8a, 8b is assigned at least one detector 11 which captures the presence of a tool 9 in the receptacle 8, 8a, 8b.

[0118] The detector 11 has a touch switch 12 with a touch element 13 in the form of a spring-loaded tappet 13a. The touch switches 12 are each fastened below the receptacles 8, 8a, 8b on a circuit board 14 (FIG. 7 and FIG. 10), which are arranged on the bottom of the drawers 6 below the tool carriers 7. This way, the touch buttons 12 are indirectly supported on the bottom of a drawer 6. The touch element 13 of the touch switch 12 passes through an opening 15 in the tool carrier 7. For receptacles 8a of the first type, the opening 15 is an aperture penetrating through the wall of the tool carrier 7 below a receptacle 8a and is circular in cross-section. The diameter of the opening 15 is dimensioned such that a touch element 13 or the tappet 13a is guided into the opening 15 and is easily able to be moved back and forth. The length of the tappet 13 is greater than the wall thickness of the tool carrier 7 below the receptacle 8a, so that the tappet 13a with an active surface 16 projects through the bottom 42 of a receptacle 8a into the receptacle 8a. The active surface 16 is formed on the front of the touch element of the tappet or is formed by the front of the tappet 13a. The touch element 13 or the tappet 13a protrudes with its front or with the active surface 16 opposite the bottom surface of a recess 10.

[0119] Each tool carrier 7 has several receptacles 8a and 8b, each of which is assigned at least one detector 11. All detectors 11 are arranged in a horizontal plane and form a keypad. The printed circuit boards 14 are carriers for the pushbutton switches 12 and are used for their mechanical mounting and electrical connection. For this purpose, the circuit boards 14 are equipped with corresponding conductive connections and conductor tracks.

[0120] To facilitate the allocation of the tool carriers 7 and the installation of the circuit boards 14 in a drawer 6 as well as the allocation of the tool carriers 7, the outlines 17 of the respective tools 9 are shown on the circuit boards 14. This is able to be seen in the illustrations in FIG. 4 and FIG. 7. In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, several circuit boards 14 are arranged next to one another on the bottom of the drawer 6. Each circuit board 14 has a module size adapted to the dimensions of the drawer 6, so that the circuit boards 14 together cover the bottom area. The individual circuit boards 14 are electrically connected to one another. The connection to the data processing unit is established via interfaces using electrical connecting cables. For this purpose, cable-carrying devices 25 are arranged in the housing 3 for electrical connecting lines, for example, for the connecting line between the printed circuit boards 14 and the data processing unit. A cable-carrying device 25 is able to be seen in FIG. 4 to FIG. 6. The cable-carrying device 25 has two support arms 26, 27 connected to each other by a hinged joint. Electrical connecting cables are held and guided via the cable-carrying device 25 so that they are able to follow the movement without interference when a drawer 6 is pulled out and pushed in.

[0121] The touch element 13 of the touch switches 12 protrude with their active surfaces 16 from the bottom 42 of a recess 10 so that they project into a receptacle 8a of the first type. The tappet 13a of a touch switch 12 is pressed downwards by a tool 9 inserted into a receptacle 8a. This generates a signal and detects the presence of the tool 9 in the receptacle 8a of the first type. The weight of a tool 9 located in the receptacle 8a presses down the tappet 13 of the touch button 12 and activates it. When a tool 9 is removed, the touch element 13 is released. The connection at touch button 12 is interrupted. This signal detects that a tool 9 has been removed from a receptacle 8 and is missing. The touch switches 12 are therefore activated or deactivated by the direct contact of the touch element 13 with a tool 9.

[0122] In the case of lighter tools 9, pressure amplifiers in the form of holder elements 18 are incorporated into the receptacles 8. Holder elements 18 are able to be designed as clamp-like holder elements. A holder element 18 has a spring clip with spring legs arranged in a receptacle 8. Such a holder element 18 is able to be seen in FIG. 7. A tool 9 is able to be inserted into a receptacle 8 by applying a certain amount of force to overcome the spring force of the holder element 18. This pressure activates the corresponding touch switch 12 through the contact of the tool 9. The holder element 18 holds the tool 9 reliably in the receptacle 8 and ensures that the touch button 12 remains in the release position. This is advantageous for lighter tools 9, so that they are held in the receptacles 8 even in the event of a shock, for example during the transport of workshop trolley 1.

[0123] Another embodiment of a holder element 18 is magnetically acting. A magnetically acting magnet holder element is designed as a permanent magnet and is placed in, below or to the side of a receptacle 8. The magnetic force of the magnetic holder element draws a tool 9 into a receptacle 8 and increases the pressure against a touch button 12 and fixes the tool 9 in a receptacle 8.

[0124] For receptacles 8a of the first type, the opening 15 is an aperture penetrating the wall of the tool carrier 7 below a receptacle 8a. The touch element 13 of the touch switch 2, which is designed as a tappet 13a, penetrates through the opening 15 from below through the bottom 42 of the receptacle 8a and protrudes with its front active surface 16 opposite the bottom surface of a recess 10 and projects into the receptacle 8a.

[0125] Furthermore, there are receptacles 8b of the second type (see also FIG. 20 and FIG. 39). In the case of receptacles 8b of the second type, the opening 15 is provided laterally in a side wall 43 of the receptacle 8b. In the case of receptacles 8b of the second type, the detector 11 has a touch element 13 in the form of a lever 13b, which penetrates through the opening 15 in the tool carrier 7, the opening 15 being arranged laterally of the receptacle 8b. Such an embodiment of a detector 11 with a touch switch 12 and a spring-loaded laterally arranged touch element 13 is shown in FIG. 12. Such a touch button 12 has a touch element 13 in the form of an articulated lever 13b or spring leg. The touch element 13 in the arm of the lever 13b interacts with a spring-loaded pin 23 of the touch switch 12. For such a detector 11 or a touch element 13b projecting laterally into the receptacle 8b, the opening 15 is designed as an aperture which penetrates the side wall 43 of the tool carrier 7 laterally of the receptacle 8b.

[0126] Several touch switches 12 as shown in FIG. 12 are also able to be seen in FIG. 13 to FIG. 16. FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 show several touch switches 12 arranged in a row which are arranged in a support body 24 or are accommodated in the support body 24. In FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 touch switches 12 with touch elements 13 in the form of tappets 13a as shown and described with reference to FIG. 7 to FIG. 11 are seen. The touch switches 12 are assigned to a circuit board 14 and placed in the support body 24. Using the support body 24, the touch switches 12 are placed in the drawer 6 and the tool carrier 7 is placed on top. The components are arranged in such a way that the touch switches 12 with the touch elements 13 project into the receptacles 8, 8a, 8b.

[0127] Such a situation is able to be seen schematically again in FIG. 17. There, touch switches 12 with touch elements 13 in the form of levers 13b are provided.

[0128] This is able to be seen in the illustration of FIG. 17 in the left image plane. The right image plane of FIG. 17 shows a tool 9 inserted into a receptacle 8b. The tool 9 activates the touch elements 13 and the touch switches 12 arranged there. In the right half of FIG. 17, the touch element 13 in form of a lever 13b is able to be seen, which projects into the receptacle 8b, is pressed in. The touch element 13 of the touch switch 12 is thereby actuated and the detector 11 is activated. This generates a signal and is processed accordingly. The system detects that the slot is occupied and tool 9 is present. When removed, the touch element 13, 13b on the touch button 12 moves back and the signal becomes negative, which means that a tool 9 is missing.

[0129] The data processing unit of the tool identification and management system of the workshop trolley 1 receives the signals from the detectors 11 and detects the presence or absence of a tool 9 in a receptacle 8 or 8a, 8b. The data processing unit is also able to be used to capture tool usage data as well as tool status data and/or tool user data. Tool inventory as well as information on maintenance and condition of the tools and the users are captured and archived and are able to be shown on a display that communicates wirelessly or wired with the data processing unit.

[0130] The workshop trolley 1 is further equipped with a locking system by means of which the drawers 6 in the housing 3 is able to be centrally locked. Part of the data processing unit is functional electronics that controls at least one actuator. The latter is used to operate a locking bar of the locking system. Furthermore, the functional electronics are able to have a wireless communication module, for example, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

[0131] On the narrow side of the workshop trolley 1 adjacent to the handle 5, a functional area 19 is provided, protected by the handle 5. An interface 20 for an identification element, for example, an RFID sensor, is arranged there, by means of which the locking system of the workshop trolley 1 is able to be opened and closed. Furthermore, an emergency release with a cylinder lock 21 is arranged there, via which the locking system is able to be unlocked manually and mechanically as needed.

[0132] The workshop trolley 1 has an electrical power supply unit 48, which includes a rechargeable battery 22, which is arranged on a housing wall of the workshop trolley 1 so as to be replaceable.

[0133] The workshop trolley 1 is equipped with one or more signal elements 28 in the form of light-emitting diodes. Such an optical signal element 28 is shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 10. A holder 29 for a signal element 28, which is able to be mounted on a printed circuit board 14, is shown in FIG. 23. Such a holder 29 with the optical signal element 28 in the form of an LED forms a so-called LED dome.

[0134] In the workshop trolley 1 as shown in FIG. 27, additional signal elements 28 are provided on the front sides 30 of the drawers 6.

[0135] The signal elements 28 signal the presence or absence of a tool 9 in a drawer or a receptacle 8 in a tool carrier 7.

[0136] It is also possible to arrange signal elements 28 in the form of control lamps on a display and in the functional area 19 of a workshop trolley 1.

[0137] FIG. 18 and FIG. 19 show another embodiment of a drawer 6 with an integrated tool carrier 7, which is formed by a soft foam insert. In the tool carrier 7, receptacles 8 are provided for different tools 9. A receptacle 8 has a recess 10 adapted to the shape of a specific tool 9 with integrated detectors 11 via which the presence of a tool 9 in the receptacle 8 is captured.

[0138] A detector 11 with a touch switch 12 and a touch element 13 is also shown in the illustration in FIG. 19. The touch element 13 is arranged in a housing 31, which functions as a support body for the touch switch 12 and guides the touch element 13, mechanically protects and ensures its mobility and smooth movement.

[0139] In various receptacles 8, holder elements 18 are arranged in the form of magnetic holder elements or magnet holders. The magnetic holders act as pressure amplifiers within the receptacles 8. Tools 9 made of ferromagnetic materials are drawn into the receptacle 8 by magnetic force and an associated touch switch 12 is actuated by contact with the tools 9.

[0140] The illustrations in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 show a touch switch 12 with a touch element 13 arranged in a housing 31 acting as a support body.

[0141] The illustrations in FIG. 28 and FIG. 29 also show a printed circuit board 14 equipped with touch switches 12 and touch elements 13 integrated in a housing 31. There, LED dome 35 with a signal element 28 held in a holder 29 is also able to be seen.

[0142] A special embodiment of a holder element 18 with magnetic holder elements is shown in the illustration in FIG. 24. There, a total of three magnets 33 is arranged in series in the magnet receptacles 34 in a holder body 32.

[0143] A special embodiment of a detector 11 is explained with reference to FIG. 30 to FIG. 32. The detector 11 has an electrical connector interface 36 for receiving an electrical plug element 37. The plug element 37 is the USB plug of a USB cable.

[0144] To facilitate the actuation of the touch element 13, the touch element 13 has an angled front surface 38. When the USB plug is inserted, the USB plug comes into contact with the front surface 38 and presses the spring-loaded button element 13 of the touch switch 12 downwards and actuates it.

[0145] FIG. 31 shows the arrangement before inserting the USB plug into the connector interface 36 of the touch switch 12.

[0146] FIG. 32 shows the arrangement in the connector interface 36 with the plug element 37 inserted.

[0147] The illustrations in FIG. 20 to FIG. 22 illustrate that the touch elements 13 have front sides 39 with a semicircular surface contour 40. The surface contour 40 is matched to the outer contour of a tool 9, in the illustrated case of an angled screwdriver. The surface contour 40, which is adapted to the tools 9, makes easier to feel for the position of the tools 9.

[0148] In the illustration of the tool trolley 1 as shown in FIG. 27, a housing 41 which covers and protects a battery is also able to be seen.

[0149] FIG. 33 shows a perspective view of a workshop trolley 1 in the closed state. FIG. 34 and FIG. 35 show sections of the workshop trolley 1 as shown in FIG. 33.

[0150] The workshop trolley 1 is constructed as previously described. Reference is made to the above description.

[0151] In the workshop trolley 1 according to the illustration in FIG. 33 and FIG. 34, a signal element 28 is arranged in an edge protection element 44 provided on the housing 3. The housing 3 of the workshop trolley 1 is equipped with an edge protection element 44 on all four vertical side edges of the housing 3. The edge protection elements 44 act as impact and ram protection and are made of an elastic plastic material. The edge protection elements 44 primarily have a protective function. In the workshop trolley 1, signal elements 28 are arranged in the edge protection element 44 on the left in the image plane on the front side of the trolley or housing. Recesses 45 are provided in the edge protection element 44 to receive the signal elements 28. The upper end of the recesses 45 is at the same height as the upper edges of a drawer 6, namely at the same height as the drawer handles.

[0152] The integration of the signal elements 28 into the lateral edge protection element 44 on the front side of the housing is functionally advantageous because the signal elements 28 are clearly visible adjacent to the drawer level and are also protected by the edge protection element 44.

[0153] In the tool supply device in the form of the workshop trolley 1, a display 46 is arranged laterally in the area of the cover plate 4, protected by the handle 5. Furthermore, a signal unit 47 is provided, which is designed and intended to signal the closed state of the workshop trolley 1 and the battery charge state of an electrical energy supply unit 48, for example, of a rechargeable battery, and/or the completeness of the tool inventory in the workshop trolley 1.

[0154] In FIG. 36 to FIG. 38, a drawer 6 with integrated tool carrier 7 is again shown in a plan view and in sectional views corresponding to those A-A and D-D. The design corresponds to the type previously explained. Reference is made to the corresponding versions and component names. FIG. 37 shows a tool carrier 7, formed from a soft foam insert, with receptacles 8a of the first type. Recesses 10 adapted to the shape of a specific tool 9 are formed in the tool carrier 7. For the receptacles 8a of the first type, the opening 15 is an aperture penetrating the wall of the tool carrier 7 below a receptacle 8a. The touch element 13 with its tappet 13a is guided through the bottom 42 of the receptacle 8a and projects with its active surface 16 into the receptacle 8a.

[0155] In the sectional view of FIG. 38, receptacles 8a of the first type and receptacles 8b of the second type is able to be seen.

[0156] In the top view of the drawer 6 and the tool carrier 7 received therein according to FIG. 36, the individual receptacles 8, 8a, 8b are provided with individual identification features 49 in the form of a label. This is also illustrated in FIG. 39.

[0157] FIG. 39 again shows a tool carrier 7 with receptacles 8a of the first type and receptacles 8b of the second type.

[0158] FIG. 40 shows a section through the illustration of FIG. 39 along the line A-A. Using the enlarged illustration in FIG. 41, a receptacle 8b of the second type is explained again.

[0159] In the case of the second type of recesses 8b, the opening 15 is arranged laterally of the recess 8b in its side wall 43. In the receptacles of the second type 8b, a detector 11 has a touch switch 12 with a spring-loaded lateral touch element 13 in the form of a lever 13b. The lever 13b penetrates through the opening 15 and projects laterally into the recess 8b.

[0160] The touch switch 12 is arranged on a vertically oriented circuit board 14. This is held by a support body 24. The support body 24 is part of the tool carrier 7 or complements the tool carrier 7. The touch element 13 in the form of the spring-loaded lever 13b projects through the lateral opening 15. The lever 13b projects laterally with its active surface 16 opposite the opening 15 and projects into the recess 8b. The lever 13 is articulated on the touch switch 12 and is supported on the touch switch via the spring-loaded pin 23. By inserting a tool 9 into the receptacle 8b, the lever 13b of the touch element 13 is pressed sideways towards the touch switch 12. The movement of the lever 13b is transmitted to the touch switch 12 via the pin 23. A signal is generated and the presence of the tool 9 in the second type of recess 8b is detected.