# US 2018/0021049 A1 · Adjustable drill depth guide > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0021049 A1 - Document ID: US20180021049A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/721,028 - Filed: 2017-09-29 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Ebi, LLC - Applicants: Ebi, LLC - Inventors: Matthew L. Keiser; Scott Harrington - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021049A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/17: Guides {or aligning means} for drills {, mills, pins or wires} - A61B 2090/034: {abutting on parts of the device itself} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An adjustable drill depth guide includes a first sleeve, a second sleeve and a stop member. The first sleeve includes a longitudinal axis and defines a helical slot disposed about the longitudinal axis. The second sleeve is concentrically arranged relative to the first sleeve and is axially adjustable relative to the first sleeve for adjusting a length of the adjustable drill depth guide. The stop member extends radially from the second sleeve and is disposed in the helical slot. The stop member is selectively received at various positions along the helical slot to positively locate the second sleeve relative to the first sleeve in the axial direction. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A method of adjusting a length of a drill depth guide, the method comprising: providing an adjustable drill depth guide comprising: a first sleeve having a helical slot; a second sleeve at least partially disposed within the first sleeve, the second sleeve having a proximal end; a radially extending stop member coupled to the second sleeve and operably disposed within the helical slot; a surface-contacting sleeve rotatably coupled to the first sleeve and axially locked with the first sleeve, the surface-contacting sleeve having a distal end; and a biasing member biasing the second sleeve in a first axial direction of the surface-contacting sleeve; moving the radially extending stop member in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction; and rotating the second sleeve relative to the first sleeve to move the radially extending stop member in a least one of the first axial direction and the second axial direction to change a distance between the proximal end and the distal end. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein moving the radially extending stop member further comprises axially moving the second sleeve within the surface-contacting sleeve. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the second sleeve includes an inner sleeve coupled to the second sleeve within the first sleeve, the inner sleeve extending into the surface-contacting sleeve. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising rotating the first sleeve relative to the surface-contacting sleeve independently of the axial location of the second sleeve. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein rotating the first sleeve relative to the surface-contacting sleeve further comprises rotating the first sleeve relative to the surface-contacting sleeve while the surface-contacting sleeve is engaged with a surface. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, further comprising pushing the distal end of the surface-contacting sleeve into engagement with the surface via pushing the control sleeve axially against the surface-contacting sleeve via a retaining ring. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising rotating and pushing the first sleeve relative to the surface-contacting sleeve using a handle connected to the first sleeve. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein rotating the second sleeve relative to the first sleeve comprises rotating the second sleeve relative to the first sleeve independently of the first sleeve rotating relative to the surface-contacting sleeve. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising simultaneously rotating the second sleeve and the first sleeve relative to the surface-contacting sleeve. ### Claim 30 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein moving the radially extending stop member further comprises moving the second sleeve within the first sleeve to position depth indicia located on the second sleeve in a window located on the first sleeve. ### Claim 31 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the biasing member biases the second sleeve in the first axial direction toward the distal end of the surface-contacting sleeve. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein moving the radially extending stop member further comprises engaging the radially extending stop member with a notch on the helical slot to limit biasing of the biasing member. ### Claim 33 A method of adjusting an adjustable drill depth guide, the method comprising: engaging a distal end of a surface-contacting sleeve with a surface, the surface-engaging sleeve defining a drill axis; moving a handle connected to a control sleeve to rotate the control sleeve relative to the surface-contacting sleeve and to position the drill axis; and adjusting an axial position of an adjustment sleeve relative to the control sleeve to define an overall length of the adjustable drill depth guide along the drill axis. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33, wherein moving the handle connected to the control sleeve comprises rotating the control sleeve against a retaining ring coupling the control sleeve to the surface-contacting sleeve. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein rotating the control sleeve against the retaining ring further comprises inhibiting axial movement between the control sleeve and the surface-contacting sleeve. ### Claim 36 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33, wherein adjusting the axial position of the adjustment sleeve relative to the control sleeve comprises: overcoming a spring force of a biasing mechanism; and moving a radially extending stop member in a slot on the control sleeve. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, wherein adjusting the axial position of the adjustment sleeve relative to the control sleeve further comprises aligning depth indicia on the adjustment sleeve with a window on the control sleeve. ### Claim 38 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33, further comprising attaching an inner sleeve to the adjustment sleeve for sliding within the surface-contacting sleeve. ### Claim 39 A method of adjusting a length of a drill depth guide, the method comprising: engaging a distal end of a surface-contacting sleeve with a surface; positioning a control sleeve connected to the surface-contacting sleeve; adjusting an axial position of an adjustment sleeve relative to the control sleeve to define an overall length of the adjustable drill depth guide along the drill axis; and viewing depth indicia on the adjustment sleeve through a window in the control sleeve to provide an indication of a drill depth of a drill bit extendable through the drill depth guide. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39, further comprising inserting a drill bit into the drill depth guide such that a length of the drill bit extending from the surface-contacting sleeve equals a depth indicated by the depth indicia.