# US 10,478,235 B2 · Surgical tool

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- Number: US 10,478,235 B2
- Document ID: US10478235B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/398,369
- Filed: 2017-01-04
- Published: 2017-04-27
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2008-04-17
- Assignees: Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
- Applicants: Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
- Inventors: Jeff Beale; Harold Taylor; Jeffrey Chapin; Timothy Proulx; Jared Alden Judson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478235B2

## CPC

- A61B 17/8886: {holding the screw head}
- A61B 17/7082: {for driving, i.e. rotating, screws or screw parts specially adapted for spinal fixation, e.g. for driving polyaxial or tulip-headed screws}
- A61B 17/7091: {for applying, tightening or removing longitudinal element-to-bone anchor locking elements, e.g. caps, set screws, nuts or wedges}
- A61B 17/92: Impactors or extractors, e.g. for removing intramedullary devices {(insertion or extraction of artificial joints A61F2/4603)}
- B25B 21/002: {for special purposes}
- B25B 23/0078: {Reaction arms}
- B25B 23/0085: {Counterholding devices}
- B25B 23/141: {Mechanical overload release couplings}
- B25B 23/147: specially adapted for electrically operated wrenches or screwdrivers
- H01M 50/213: adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence)
- A61B 17/1624: {Drive mechanisms therefor}
- A61B 17/1626: {Control means; Display units}
- A61B 17/1628: {Motors; Power supplies}
- A61B 2017/00017: {Electrical control of surgical instruments}
- A61B 2017/00022: {Sensing or detecting at the treatment site}
- A61B 2017/00398: {using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids}
- A61B 2017/00477: {Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence)}
- A61B 2017/00734: {battery operated}
- A61B 2090/031: {torque limiting}
- A61B 2090/037: {with a frangible part, e.g. by reduced diameter}
- H01M 2220/30: Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- B25B: TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING, OR HOLDING
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A surgical tool for removing a portion of an implant is provided that includes a housing, a motor contained within the housing and coupled to the housing, and an output shaft having a distal end and a proximal end opposite the distal end, wherein the proximal end is coupled to the motor and the distal end has an opening configured to rotatably engage an implant. The surgical tool further includes a counter-torque sleeve extending around the output shaft having a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end, wherein the proximal end is coupled to the housing and the distal end is configured to couple to the implant relative to the counter-torque sleeve. Upon a rotational force to the implant, the forces transmitted by the output shaft and the counter-torque sleeve are balanced by the coupling of the output shaft and counter-torque sleeve through the housing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A surgical tool comprising:
a housing;
a motor positioned within the housing;
a sleeve portion coupled to the housing;
a spline drive positioned within the sleeve portion;
a motor shaft coupled to the motor, a proximal end of the motor shaft extending through an opening in the spline drive;
a hex drive output gear, a distal end of the motor shaft extending through an opening in the hex drive output gear; and
an output shaft, the sleeve portion being moveable relative to the housing between a first position in which the output shaft is spaced apart from the motor shaft and a second position in which the output shaft engages the motor shaft,
wherein splines of the spline drive engage a channel within the sleeve portion such that the splines move radially outward and are coupled with a lip portion of the hex drive output gear as the sleeve portion moves from the first position to the second position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the splines include a first spline and a second spline, the first spline comprising a portion that extends radially outward from the first spline, the second spline comprising a portion that extends radially outward from the second spline.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 2, wherein the portions of the first and second splines are configured to engage the channel within the sleeve portion to allow the first and second splines to radially expand and clutch portions of the hex drive output gear.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the splines are moveable between a first orientation in which the splines are radially compressed and engage side walls of the sleeve portion such that the spline driver is decoupled from the hex drive output gear and a second orientation in which the splines extend radially outward and are coupled with the lip portion such that the spline driver is coupled to the hex drive output gear.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the splines are each positioned between second splines of the spline drive, the second splines being fixedly attached to portions of the motor shaft.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the splines are each positioned between second splines of the spline drive, the second splines each being positioned in a slot in the motor shaft.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the sleeve portion moves between the first and second positions by translating the sleeve portion relative to the housing in opposite directions along an axis defined by the output shaft.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 1, further comprising an outer sleeve portion, the sleeve portion being slidably positioned within the sleeve portion.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 1, further comprising a battery pack disposed within the housing and having a passage extending through the battery pack.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 1, further comprising a counter-torque sleeve coupled to the housing and overlying the output shaft such that the counter-torque sleeve is slideably engageable with the output shaft along a longitudinal axis defined by a length of the counter-torque sleeve over the output shaft.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 10, wherein a distal end of the counter-torque sleeve includes an opening, a distal end of the output shaft extending through the opening in the counter-torque sleeve.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 10, wherein the counter-torque sleeve and the output shaft are each rotatable about the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 10, further comprising a bayonet portion coupled to the housing and abutting the counter-torque sleeve.

### Claim 14

A surgical tool comprising:
a housing;
a motor positioned within the housing;
a sleeve portion coupled to the housing;
a spline drive positioned within the sleeve portion;
a motor shaft coupled to the motor, a proximal end of the motor shaft extending through an opening in the spline drive;
a hex drive output gear, a distal end of the motor shaft extending through an opening in the hex drive output gear,
wherein the spline drive includes a first spline and a second spline, the first spline comprising a portion that extends radially outward from the first spline, the second spline comprising a portion that extends radially outward from the second spline, the portions of the first and second splines being configured to engage a channel within the sleeve portion to allow the first and second splines to radially expand and clutch portions of the hex drive output gear.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 14, further comprising an output shaft, the sleeve portion being moveable relative to the housing between a first position in which the output shaft is spaced apart from the motor shaft and a second position in which the output shaft engages the motor shaft.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 14, wherein the splines are moveable between a first orientation in which the splines are radially compressed and engage side walls of the sleeve portion such that the spline driver is decoupled from the hex drive output gear and a second orientation in which the splines extend radially outward and are coupled with the lip portion such that the spline driver is coupled to the hex drive output gear.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 14, further comprising a battery pack disposed within the housing and having a passage extending through the battery pack.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 14, further comprising:
a counter-torque sleeve coupled to the housing and overlying the output shaft such that the counter-torque sleeve is slideably engageable with the output shaft along a longitudinal axis defined by a length of the counter-torque sleeve over the output shaft; and
a bayonet portion coupled to the housing and abutting the counter-torque sleeve.

### Claim 19

A surgical tool comprising:
a housing;
a motor positioned within the housing;
a sleeve portion coupled to the housing;
a spline drive positioned within the sleeve portion;
a motor shaft coupled to the motor, a proximal end of the motor shaft extending through an opening in the spline drive; and
a hex drive output gear, a distal end of the motor shaft extending through an opening in the hex drive output gear,
wherein splines of the spline drive are moveable between a first orientation in which the splines are radially compressed and engage side walls of the sleeve portion such that the spline driver is decoupled from the hex drive output gear and a second orientation in which the splines extend radially outward and are coupled with the lip portion such that the spline drive is coupled to the hex drive output gear.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

A surgical tool as recited in claim 19, further comprising an output shaft, the sleeve portion being moveable relative to the housing between a first position in which the output shaft is spaced apart from the motor shaft and a second position in which the output shaft engages the motor shaft.