Surgical device with smart bit recognition collet assembly to set a desired application mode

Abstract

A surgical device of a drill/driver with bit recognition to set a desired application mode and a method of utilization thereof is provided. Various operating modes of the drill/driver are automatically set by a sensor which recognizes the bit applied to the drill/driver. A method of utilizing the drill/driver allows the drill driver to apply surgical screws at very high speeds while automatically preventing excessive torque levels that would strip out the surgical screw from the patient's bone.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of securing a threaded fastener to a patient's body comprising:
 torquing said fastener with a surgical drill/driver;   monitoring the output torque level utilized by said surgical drill/driver;   determining a peak of acceleration of an output torque level of said surgical drill/driver; and   controlling a torque output of said surgical drill/driver in response to said torque level output acceleration peak.   
     
     
         2 . A method of securing a threaded fastener to a patient's body as described in  claim 1  further comprising controlling said surgical drill/driver in response to said output torque acceleration peak irrespective of a manual command signal to said surgical drill/driver. 
     
     
         3 . A method of securing a threaded fastener to a patient's body as described in  claim 1  comprising cutting off said surgical drill/driver in response to said peak of acceleration of the output torque level of said surgical drill/driver. 
     
     
         4 . A method of securing a threaded fastener to a patient's body as described in  claim 3  further comprising turning off said surgical drill/driver upon a second peak of acceleration of the output torque level of said surgical drill/driver. 
     
     
         5 . A method as described in  claim 4  further comprising detecting a head of said threaded fastener making contact with said object in response to a peak in output torque level acceleration. 
     
     
         6 . A method of securing a threaded fastener to a patient's body as described in  claim 1  further comprising attaching an object to said patient's body with said threaded fastener. 
     
     
         7 . A method of securing a threaded fastener to a patient's body as described in  claim 6  further comprising turning off said surgical drill/driver upon a second peak of acceleration of the output torque level of said surgical drill/driver. 
     
     
         8 . A method as described in  claim 2  further comprising detecting a compression stage of operation of said surgical drill/driver by a second peak of output torque accelerator. 
     
     
         9 . A method of securing a threaded fastener to a patient's body comprising:
 torquing said fastener with a surgical drill/driver;   monitoring the output torque level utilized by said surgical drill/driver;   determining a first peak in torque level;   determining a valley in torque level after said first peak;   determining that a first derivative of torque level with respect to time has gone negative after said first valley to shut off said drill/driver.   
     
     
         10 . A method as described in  claim 9  wherein said monitoring of said torque level is determining by monitoring a current level of a motor powering said drill/driver. 
     
     
         11 . A method as described in  claim 9  when utilizing a self-tapping surgical screw. 
     
     
         12 . A method as described in  claim 9 , when utilizing a self drilling surgical screw.