Patent ID: 11890144
Assignee: PRO-DEX, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  B  G | IPC A  G

Claim 14:
15. A torque-limiting device comprising:
a body comprising a handle;
a motor;
a drive head operatively connected with the motor and configured to drive a drilling implement into a bone of the spinal column; and
a processor;
wherein, under the control of the processor, the torque-limiting device is configured to:
drill the drilling implement into the bone of the spinal column, wherein the bone comprises a cancellous layer and a cortical layer;
detect a first torque value when the drilling implement is drilling into the cancellous layer;
detect a second torque value when the drilling implement is drilling into the cortical layer;
detect a change from the first torque value to the second torque value as at least a portion of the drilling implement is entering the cortical layer of the bone; and
in response to detecting the at least the portion of the drilling implement entering the cortical layer of the bone, stop the drilling of the drilling implement into the bone, thereby inhibiting a breach of the spinal column.