Rotary tool with improved coupling assembly

A surgical device comprising:

• a handle assembly comprising a rotatable drive shaft;
• a removable handle assembly adapter for connection to said handle assembly, said removable handle assembly adapter comprising a rotatable transmission shaft for connection to said rotatable drive shaft of said handle assembly;
• and
• a removable nosepiece assembly for connection to said removable handle assembly adapter and for selectively securing the shaft of a working element to said rotatable transmission shaft of said removable handle assembly adapter;
• wherein at least one of said removable handle assembly adapter and said removable nosepiece assembly comprises a removable locking collar;
• and
• wherein at least one of said removable handle assembly adapter and said handle assembly comprises a connector assembly, said connector assembly comprising:
• a housing comprising an opening and a canted slot;
• a collet sleeve disposed within said opening and connected to an input shaft, said collet sleeve comprising a lumen for receiving an output shaft;
• a locking element radially movable relative to said collet sleeve between (i) a locked position in which said output shaft is secured to said collet sleeve, and (ii) an unlocked position in which said output shaft is not secured to said collet sleeve;
• a cam element longitudinally movable relative to said collet sleeve between (i) a first position in which said locking element is free to assume its said unlocked position, and (ii) a second position in which said cam element cams said locking element into said locked position, said cam element being yieldably biased into said second position;
• a biasing collar for biasing said cam element into said first position;
• and
• an element extending through said canted slot and secured to said biasing collar and said locking collar, such that rotation of said locking collar causes said element to move within said canted slot, whereby to cause said biasing collar to move said cam element between said second position and said first position.

A method for securing a replaceable bit to a surgical device, said method comprising:

• providing a surgical device comprising:
• a handpiece handle comprising a powered rotatable drive shaft;
• a removable handpiece handle assembly adapter for connection to said handpiece handle assembly, said removable handpiece handle assembly adapter comprising a rotatable transmission shaft for connection to said powered rotatable drive shaft of said handpiece handle assembly;
• and
• a removable coupling nosepiece assembly for connection to said removable handpiece handle assembly adapter and for selectively securing the shaft of a working element to said rotatable transmission shaft of said removable handpiece handle assembly adapter;
• wherein at least one of said removable handle assembly adapter and said removable nosepiece assembly comprises a removable locking collar;
• and
• wherein at least one of said removable handpiece handle assembly adapter and said handpiece handle assembly comprises a connector assembly, said connector assembly comprising:
• a housing comprising an opening and a canted slot;
• a collet sleeve disposed within said opening and connected to an input shaft, said collet sleeve comprising a lumen for receiving an output shaft;
• a locking element radially movable relative to said collet sleeve between (i) a locked position in which the said output shaft is secured to said collet sleeve, and (ii) an unlocked position in which the said output shaft is not secured to said collet sleeve;
• a cam element longitudinally movable relative to said collet sleeve between (i) a first position in which said locking element is free to assume its said unlocked position, and (ii) a second position in which said cam element cams said locking element into said locked position, said cam element being yieldably biased into said second position;
• a biasing collar for biasing said cam element into said first position;
• a locking collar removably mounted to said housing;
• and
• an element extending through said helical canted slot and secured to said biasing collar and said locking collar, such that rotation of said locking collar causes said element to move within said helical canted slot, whereby to cause said biasing collar to move said cam element into said first position;
• rotating said locking collar so as to cause said biasing collar to move said cam element into said first position;
• positioning a shaft in said lumen of said collet sleeve;
• and
• rotating said locking collar so as to cause said biasing collar to move within said housing so as to allow said cam element to assume its second position.