Patent ID: 11882991
Assignee: PRO-DEX, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A torque-limiting surgical device comprising:
a body comprising a handle that is configured to be grasped by a user;
a motor positioned in the body;
a drive head configured to be rotated by the motor and to drive a screw or drill bit; and
a processor positioned in the body;
wherein, under the control of the processor, the torque-limiting surgical device is configured to:
apply torque to the screw or drill bit to drill into a bone;
monitor current or voltage supplied to the motor;
determine, from the current or voltage supplied to the motor, torque values applied to the screw or drill bit as the screw or drill bit drills through the bone;
determine that a torque-limiting condition is satisfied, wherein the determining that the torque-limiting condition is satisfied comprises:
determining that the screw or drill bit has drilled in or through a first cortical layer of the bone; and
determining that the screw or drill bit has drilled through and exited a second cortical layer of the bone; and

in response to determining that the torque-limiting condition is satisfied, stopping the application of torque to the screw or drill bit.