Patent ID: 6257351
Filing Date: 2001-07-10
Classification: A61B,B25B

Abstract:
A surgical instrument, comprising;means for preventing rotation of an output shaft, said preventing means being housed within a housing of the surgical instrument, said rotation preventing means including a locking switch slidable between a first position and a second position, said locking switch being lockable in said first portion and said second position by biasing a ball engaging with a first groove and a second groove of a drive housing associated with said housing, respectively, said ball being biased by a spring and said locking switch being non-rotatable;means for preventing failure of a motor shaft, said motor shaft driving said output shaft, said failure preventing means including:apertures positioned on said output shaft for holding contacting balls,a clutch plate having a plurality of detents, said contacting balls being contained substantially within said detents when a torque on said drive shaft is within a predetermined limit, said contacting balls disengaging from said detents and remaining within said apertures when said torque exceeds said predetermined limit; andmeans for mounting a battery pack to said housing, said mounting means including a retaining spring communicating with a groove of said housing.