A torque limiter, in particular for a surgical screwdriver, comprising - an outer sleeve, a snap sleeve which is rotationally fixed in the outer sleeve; a rolling element cage which is arranged in the snap sleeve, an inner sleeve which is arranged in the rolling element cage and a force-transmitting shaft which is received by the inner sleeve in a rotationally fixed manner, wherein - the inner wall of the outer sleeve is provided with recesses extending parallel to the axis, - the rolling element cage is provided with a plurality of rolling element receiving areas, each of which holds a rolling element, and with a number of noses which engage into the recesses and the width of which is less than the open width of the recesses, said number corresponding to the number of recesses, and - the inner sleeve is provided with a plurality of V-shaped notches which extend parallel to the axis and which are used to receive the rolling elements such that - a torque applied to the outer sleeve in the screwing direction presses one side of the noses against one of the walls of the recesses into a position in which the rolling elements that are slightly offset relative to the noses are flush with the recesses, thus allowing the rolling elements to exit the V-shaped notches of the inner sleeve into the recesses of the outer sleeve while spreading the snap sleeve when a maximally permissible torque is reached, thereby uncoupling the inner sleeve, and - a torque applied to the outer sleeve in the unscrewing direction presses the other side of the noses against the other wall of the recesses into a position in which the rolling elements are flush with the webs remaining between the recesses, thus preventing the rolling elements from exiting the V-shaped notches of the inner sleeve, thereby coupling the inner sleeve, wherein - the shaft is provided at its tip with a cone supported in a bearing cap. - an outer sleeve, a snap sleeve which is rotationally fixed in the outer sleeve; a rolling element cage which is arranged in the snap sleeve, an inner sleeve which is arranged in the rolling element cage and a force-transmitting shaft which is received by the inner sleeve in a rotationally fixed manner, wherein - the inner wall of the outer sleeve is provided with recesses extending parallel to the axis, - the rolling element cage is provided with a plurality of rolling element receiving areas, each of which holds a rolling element, and with a number of noses which engage into the recesses and the width of which is less than the open width of the recesses, said number corresponding to the number of recesses, and - the inner sleeve is provided with a plurality of V-shaped notches which extend parallel to the axis and which are used to receive the rolling elements such that - a torque applied to the outer sleeve in the screwing direction presses one side of the noses against one of the walls of the recesses into a position in which the rolling elements that are slightly offset relative to the noses are flush with the recesses, thus allowing the rolling elements to exit the V-shaped notches of the inner sleeve into the recesses of the outer sleeve while spreading the snap sleeve when a maximally permissible torque is reached, thereby uncoupling the inner sleeve, and - a torque applied to the outer sleeve in the unscrewing direction presses the other side of the noses against the other wall of the recesses into a position in which the rolling elements are flush with the webs remaining between the recesses, thus preventing the rolling elements from exiting the V-shaped notches of the inner sleeve, thereby coupling the inner sleeve, wherein - the shaft is provided at its tip with a cone supported in a bearing cap.