Patent ID: 6893027

Claim:
A surgical drill chuck key for operating a surgical drill chuck during a surgical procedure, said key comprising: an elongated body of a cylindrical construction having a smooth rounded surface extending generally concentrically along a central axis; a key gear located at a first distal end of said elongated body having a plurality of gear teeth being equally spaced around the circumference of said first distal end in a generally concentric manner about said central axis; each of said gear teeth having a first surface extending radially outward from said central axis in a generally perpendicular manner, a second beveled surface intersecting with said first surface and extending from said first surface at an inclined angle to said central axis, and a third surface intersecting with said second surface and extending from said second surface in a generally parallel arrangement with said central axis of said elongated body so that said third surface is coplanar with and integrally merged with said rounded surface of said elongated body; a first knuckle formed at the intersection of said first surface and said second surface having a radiused corner, and a second knuckle formed at the intersection of said second surface and said third surface having a radiused corner so that no sharp edges are provided on said gear teeth at the intersection of said first, second, and third surfaces; a handle generally carried at a second distal end of said elongated body; said handle including a thumb grip portion of expanded surface area being constructed and arranged with smooth rounded surfaces and no edges that may contact a finger pressing against said thumb grip portion; and said elongated body, gear teeth, and handle being finished to round off and dull all edges and surfaces; whereby a surgical drill chuck key is provided with smooth rounded surfaces to prevent snagging, puncturing, and tearing surgical latex gloves during surgical operations.