Articulating tool for endoscopic placement of fasteners

1. An articulating tool for driving a fastener into a bone during an endoscopic surgical procedure, the articulating tool comprising:

an elongate outer housing comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen, and a longitudinal axis, the elongate outer housing configured to engage with a handpiece comprising a motor;

a torque transmission mechanism comprising:

a first shaft that extends through the lumen of the outer housing;

an articulating torque transmission unit having a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to a distal portion of the first shaft; and

a driver head adapter that is positioned at the second end of the articulating torque transmission unit, the driver head adapter configured to removably engage with a bit and to rotate the bit around a bit axis, the bit configured to engage with the fastener;

wherein torque transmission mechanism is configured to transmit torque from the motor to the driver head and the bit, thereby driving the fastener engaged with the bit into the bone; and

an articulation mechanism that is separate from the torque transmission mechanism, the articulation mechanism comprising:

a second shaft extending through the lumen of the outer housing;

an actuator connected to a proximal portion of the second shaft, the actuator configured to move the second shaft proximally and distally; and

a link connected to a distal portion of the second shaft, the link connected to the driver head adapter and pivoted at a hinge, wherein:

in response to distal movement of the second shaft, the link rotates about the hinge such that an angle between the longitudinal axis and the bit axis increases; and

in response to proximal movement of the second shaft, the link rotates about the hinge such that the angle between the longitudinal axis and the bit axis decreases.

2. The articulating tool of claim 1 , wherein the articulating torque transmission unit comprises first, second, and third bevel gears, wherein the first bevel gear is fixedly coupled to the first shaft, the second bevel gear is coupled to a gear support shaft, and the third bevel gear is coupled to an output shaft.

3. The articulating tool of claim 2 , wherein the first bevel gear intersects with the second gear and the second gear intersects with the third gear.

4. The articulating tool of claim 2 , wherein rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the driver head adapter in an opposite direction.

5. The articulating tool of claim 1 , wherein the articulation unit comprises first, second, third, and fourth bevel gears, wherein the first bevel gear is fixedly coupled to the first shaft, the second and third bevel gears are coupled to the gear support shaft, and the fourth bevel gear is coupled to the output shaft.

6. The articulating tool of claim 5 , wherein the first bevel gear intersects with the second bevel gear and the third bevel gear intersects with the fourth bevel gear.

7. The articulating tool of claim 5 , wherein rotation of the second bevel gear is transmitted via the gear support shaft to rotation of the third bevel gear.

8. The articulating tool of any of claim 5 , wherein rotation of the first shaft is configured to cause rotation of the driver head adapter in the same direction.

9. The articulating tool of claim 1 , further comprising support walls extending over portions of the articulation unit.

10. The articulating tool of claim 9 , wherein the support walls comprise an opening configured to accommodate the second shaft and the link.

11. The articulating tool of claim 10 , wherein the link bends outward from the longitudinal axis of the tool when the second shaft moves proximally.

12. The articulating tool of claim 9 , wherein the support walls comprise distal and proximal portions pivotally connected at a second hinge coupled to the gear support shaft.

13. The articulating tool of claim 1 , wherein the driver head adapter comprises a lumen configured to receive a shaft of the bit.

14. The articulating tool of claim 13 , wherein the lumen of the driver head adapter comprises a rotation limiting surface.

15. The articulating tool of claim 1 , wherein the elongate outer housing further comprises a body coupling assembly that is configured to releasably couple to the handpiece.

16. The articulating tool of claim 15 , wherein the body coupling assembly comprises a collet shaft operably coupled to a proximal end of the first shaft, a free end of the collet shaft configured to be coupled to a drive shaft of the handpiece.

17. The articulating tool of claim 16 , wherein the free end of the collet shaft comprises a rotation-limiting shape configured such that rotation of the drive shaft causes rotation of the first shaft.

18. The articulating tool of claim 15 , wherein the body coupling assembly comprises a body interface operably coupled to the proximal end of the elongate outer housing.

19. The articulating tool of claim 18 , wherein the body interface comprises a groove on an outer surface of the body interface.

20. The articulating tool of claim 18 , wherein at least one orientation feature extends proximally from a proximally facing surface of the body interface.

21. The articulating tool of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is engaged with threads on the second shaft.

22. The articulating tool of claim 21 , wherein the second shaft comprises a rotation limiting surface received in a rotation limiting stopper of the second shaft.

23. The articulating tool of claim 22 , wherein the actuator comprises a wheel.

24. The articulating tool of claim 22 , wherein the rotation limiting surface on the second shaft comprises a substantially flat surface.

25. The articulating tool of claim 1 , wherein the driver head adapter is configured to rotate relative to the outer housing between about 0° to about 45°.

26. A system for endoscopic placement of fasteners, wherein the system comprises the articulating tool of claim 1 , and at least one of the bit and the handpiece.

27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the motor of the handpiece comprises an electric motor.