Surgical bone drill

A surgical bone drill, comprising:

• a housing;
• a drill bit including:
• a bit proximal portion that is mounted within the housing, and
• a bit distal portion that extends distally from the housing and includes a cutting tip configured to drill into bone of a patient;
• a depth limiter having a limiter distal-end positioned adjacent the bit distal portion, the depth limiter being operatively coupled to the housing such that rotation of the depth limiter causes a change in an exposed length of the bit distal portion that extends beyond the limiter distal-end, thereby limiting a depth that the drill bit is able to drill into the bone, the depth limiter being rotatable on the housing over a plurality of rotations without locking, wherein the depth limiter includes:
• a limiter distal portion that includes the limiter distal-end and having a first height and a first outer width, the limiter distal portion positioned adjacent the bit distal portion and configured to abut a first surface of the patient,
• a limiter proximal portion having a second height and a second outer width, and
• wherein the first height and the first outer width are less than the second height and the second outer width, respectively;
• and
• a drive mechanism disposed within the housing and operably connected with the bit proximal portion of the drill bit to rotate the drill bit to drill into the bone.

A surgical bone drill, comprising:

• a housing;
• a drill bit including:
• a cutting tip configured to drill into bone of a patient, and
• a cutting portion positioned proximal to the cutting tip, the cutting portion defining a drill bit diameter large enough to drill a first hole in the bone;
• a depth limiter mounted to the housing, the depth limiter configured to select an exposed length of the drill bit that extends beyond the depth limiter, the depth limiter including:
• a limiter distal portion positioned adjacent the exposed length of the drill bit, having:
• a distally facing surface positioned to abut a first surface of the patient, thereby limiting a depth that the drill bit is able to drill into the bone,
• an aperture having an inner diameter and configured to coaxially receive the cutting portion, the inner diameter being configured to closely approximate the drill bit diameter with minimal clearance therebetween, and
• a first outer width and a first height, and
• a limiter proximal portion having a second outer width and a second height, the first outer width and the first height being smaller than the second outer width and the second height, respectively;
• and
• a drive mechanism operably connected with a proximal portion of the drill bit to rotate the drill bit to cause the drill bit to drill into the bone.