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

Claim 11:
12. A method of controlling a torque-limiting device to limit the amount of torque applied to a screw or drill bit after breaching a bone, the torque-limiting device comprising a body with a handle, a motor positioned in the body, a drive head that is configured to drill a screw or drill bit and to be rotated by the motor so as to enable the screw or drill bit to drill into the bone, and a processor, wherein under the control of the processor the method comprises:
driving the screw or drill bit into the bone, wherein the bone comprises a first cortical layer, a second cortical layer, and a cancellous layer in between the first and second cortical layers;
detecting torque values when the screw or drill bit is drilling into the bone;
determining whether the screw or drill bit has drilled in the first cortical layer of the bone;
determining whether the screw or drill bit has drilled through and exited the second cortical layer of the bone; and
in response to determining that the screw or drill bit has drilled through and exited the second cortical layer of the bone, stopping the driving of the screw or drill bit.