An apparatus for inserting implants in a bone comprising a frame having a cartridge receiving chamber and a barrel. A cartridge defining a plurality of chambers is positioned in the cartridge receiving chamber so the chambers are selectively alignable with a longitudinal passage of the barrel. At least one instrument is positioned in one of the chambers, and a plurality of implants is positioned in the other chambers. A drive assembly is engageable with the instrument and the implants. The drive assembly is slidably and rotatably disposed in the frame and is moveable between a retracted position, an engaging position wherein the distal end of the drive assembly is positioned to engage the selected one of the instrument and the implants, and an extended position wherein the drive assembly extends through the chamber to transport the selected one of the instrument or the implant from the chamber to the distal end of the barrel.

A clamping connector for an autofeed attachment for a screwdriver tool. The connector has a cam action lever that actuates a clamp. The lever moves between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the clamp slightly deforms to hold the autofeed attachment onto an extension pole and/or the front end of a screwdriver tool (or electric drill). The connector, while either in its ‘clamped’ or ‘open’ state, includes an open central region that allows a rotatable shaft or drive bit to pass therethrough, unimpeded. The connector includes a washer with a flat portion that prevents improper axial rotation of the lever as the lever is actuated, or at any stable position. The flat extension helps guide the lever into pivoting along a longitudinal axis of the attachment. An adjustable bolt adjusts the clamping force, and secures the lever, washer, and clamp together on the autofeed attachment.

An apparatus for inserting implants in a bone comprising a frame having a cartridge receiving chamber and a barrel. A cartridge defining a plurality of chambers is positioned in the cartridge receiving chamber so the chambers are selectively alignable with a longitudinal passage of the barrel. At least one instrument is positioned in one of the chambers, and a plurality of implants is positioned in the other chambers. A drive assembly is engageable with the instrument and the implants. The drive assembly is slidably and rotatably disposed in the frame and is moveable between a retracted position, an engaging position wherein the distal end of the drive assembly is positioned to engage the selected one of the instrument and the implants, and an extended position wherein the drive assembly extends through the chamber to transport the selected one of the instrument or the implant from the chamber to the distal end of the barrel.

A device for automatically producing screw connections, having an articulated arm robot and a screwing unit which can be rotated about an effector axis by an output element of an end element of the articulated arm robot. The screwing unit has a housing, wherein a screwing tool is movably received in the housing along the effector axis between a feed position and at least one screwing position, and wherein a mouthpiece for providing a screw is arranged on the housing.

A dispenser for dispensing and attaching individual markers to a reference array of a tracking system is described. A housing defines a cavity extending along a longitudinal axis. The housing has a dispensing end defining a dispensing aperture. A plurality of markers are stacked within the cavity. Each marker has a marker attachment feature by which the marker is attachable to an attachment site of a reference array. The dispensing end of the housing provides a retainer which exerts a retaining force on a bottom most marker sufficient to retain the plurality of markers within the cavity but permitting the bottom most marker to be released from the cavity when the bottom most marker has been attached by its attachment feature to the attachment site of the reference array.

A fastener cartridge can be used with a shaft of a tool during an orthopedic procedure. The fastener cartridge can have a main housing that can be attached to fastener housing including a fastener chamber and a backstop component. The fastener chamber includes a plurality of non-flexible tabs and the backstop component includes a plurality of resiliently flexible tabs. The fastener housing is configured to include a plurality of fasteners that are arranged therein such that the longitudinal axes of the fastener chamber and the plurality of fasteners are collinear. The plurality non-flexible tabs prevent one of the fasteners from inadvertently passing entirely out of an outlet of the fastener chamber and the plurality of resiliently flexible tabs allow the fasteners to move axially in the first direction and restrict movement of the fasteners in a second direction opposite the first direction.

The invention relates to an apparatus for braking and holding a processing element that has a head and that is automatically supplied to a tool. The apparatus has a guide channel for the processing element; and a braking element that is movably supported between a braking position and a release position and that can be at least partly introduced into the guide channel to brake and hold the processing element supplied. A part of the braking element that projects into the guide channel in the braking position and thereby narrows the guide channel has an end face that faces the guide channel and that forms a latch recess for holding the head of the processing element.

This fastening method is a method for fastening a plurality of types of fastening members stored in a cartridge, the cartridge includes a plurality of attachments, the attachment has one end in which a first fitting part that fits to a fastening force receiving part of a corresponding fastening member of the plurality of types of fastening members is formed and another end in which a second fitting part that fits to a fastening force working part of the fastening means is formed, and the cartridge is supplied in a state in which the plurality of types of fastening members and the plurality of attachments are arranged based on the order of fastening the plurality of types of fastening members to the object to be fastened.

This fastening method is a method for fastening a plurality of types of fastening members stored in a cartridge, the cartridge includes a plurality of attachments, the attachment has one end in which a first fitting part that fits to a fastening force receiving part of a corresponding fastening member of the plurality of types of fastening members is formed and another end in which a second fitting part that fits to a fastening force working part of the fastening means is formed, and the cartridge is supplied in a state in which the plurality of types of fastening members and the plurality of attachments are arranged based on the order of fastening the plurality of types of fastening members to the object to be fastened.

An apparatus for inserting implants in a bone comprising a frame having a cartridge receiving chamber and a barrel. A cartridge defining a plurality of chambers is positioned in the cartridge receiving chamber so the chambers are selectively alignable with a longitudinal passage of the barrel. At least one instrument is positioned in one of the chambers, and a plurality of implants is positioned in the other chambers. A drive assembly is engageable with the instrument and the implants. The drive assembly is slidably and rotatably disposed in the frame and is moveable between a retracted position, an engaging position wherein the distal end of the drive assembly is positioned to engage the selected one of the instrument and the implants, and an extended position wherein the drive assembly extends through the chamber to transport the selected one of the instrument or the implant from the chamber to the distal end of the barrel.