Patent ID: 8262669
Filing Date: 2012-09-11
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a powered screwdriver, said screwdriver including a trigger assembly, the screwdriver configured for automatically feeding, positioning and advancing an individual fastener of a series of medical fasteners in a controlled manner to a position to mate with a driving tip on the powered screw driver, the series of medical fasteners held in a fastener carrier system attached to the powered screwdriver, wherein the driving tip and the fastener have first cooperating structures for transmitting rotary motion and second cooperating structures for providing a grasping relationship therebetween, wherein a) moving a trigger portion of the trigger assembly to a driving position causes the driving tip of the screw driver to extend, said second cooperating structures causing the driving tip to interlock with and grasp a head portion of the fastener such that the fastener is separated from the fastener carrier system and rotary motion applied by the driving tip to the fastener through the first cooperating structures drives the fastener into an adjacent tissue or bone structure, and b) releasing the trigger portion or moving of the trigger portion to an off position following positioning of the fastener in the bone or tissue disconnects the driving tip from the head portion of the fastener, retracts the driving tip from the fastener carrier system and causes the fastener carrier system to advance forward to position a subsequent fastener in a location for subsequent interlocking with and grasping the fastener by the driving tip.