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. <EOS>