Abstract: Suture passers and methods of use. Described herein are suture passers preloaded with suture, including cartridges that couple to a suture passer to form a loaded suture passer that are configured to prevent a length of suture (e.g., already-passed suture) from re-entering the channel of the suture passer jaw and getting recaptured and/or entangled by the tissue penetrator. In particular, described herein are preloaded and automatically re-loading suture passers that are adapted to include a gate, guide or shield on one of the jaws of the suture passer, and methods of operating such suture passers for surgical use including repairing tissue.

Abstract: A tool for driving threaded fasteners includes a tool bit extending along a longitudinal axis and including a rear shank of polygonal cross section, a front working end, and an intermediate portion having a front shoulder, a rear shoulder, and a reduced diameter annular groove. A floating magnet sleeve receivable over the tool bit includes a tubular body, retention member projecting radially inward from a rear end of the body, and a magnet disposed at a front end of the body. The sleeve is axially moveable by a float distance between rearward and forward positions such that the magnet can engage a fastener head coupled to the working end as the sleeve approaches the forward position. The float distance is less than a tip distance between a front end of the magnet and a front tip of the working end when the sleeve is in the rearward position.

Abstract: A tool for driving threaded fasteners includes a tool bit extending along a longitudinal axis and including a rear shank of polygonal cross section, a front working end, and an intermediate portion having a front shoulder, a rear shoulder, and a reduced diameter annular groove. A floating magnet sleeve receivable over the tool bit includes a tubular body, retention member projecting radially inward from a rear end of the body, and a magnet disposed at a front end of the body. The sleeve is axially moveable by a float distance between rearward and forward positions such that the magnet can engage a fastener head coupled to the working end as the sleeve approaches the forward position. The float distance is less than a tip distance between a front end of the magnet and a front tip of the working end when the sleeve is in the rearward position.

Abstract: A tool bit assembly includes a tool bit having a shaft with a first working region disposed at a first end of the shaft and a first reduced diameter portion proximate the working region and disposed between a first shoulder and a second shoulder. A floating sleeve has a rear portion with a pair of opposed window openings, a front portion supporting a magnet, and a pair of balls, with each ball disposed in one of the window openings. The floating sleeve is receivable over the tool bit with the magnet proximate the first working regions and the balls received in the first reduced diameter portion to allow the floating sleeve to move between a first position in which the balls abut the first shoulder and a second position in which the balls abut the second shoulder.

Abstract: A drive guide for driving a fastening bit includes a drive shaft, a socket shaft with a rear end non-rotationally coupled to the front end of the drive shaft and a front end with a socket that receives the fastening bit, and a sliding sleeve received over the socket shaft and slidable between a rear position and a forward position. A magnet is received in the socket with an air gap behind the magnet to magnetize a fastening bit received in the socket. An internal shoulder is integrally formed inside a rear end of the sliding sleeve. The internal shoulder abuts an external rear stop on one of the drive shaft and the socket shaft when the sliding sleeve is in the rear position and abuts a front external stop on the socket shaft when the sliding sleeve is in the forward position.

Abstract: A fastener driving tool includes a shaft with a working region disposed at a first end of the shaft and configured to drive a fastener, a shank portion disposed proximate a second end of the shaft and configured to couple the shaft to a power tool, and a reduced diameter torsion zone disposed between the shank portion and the working region, the torsion zone extending from a first shoulder closer to the working region to a second shoulder closer to the shank portion. A length (L) and a radius (c) of the torsion zone have been optimized so that approximately half of breakages occur in the working region and approximately half of breakages occur in the torsion zone.

Abstract: A bit holder assembly for a rotary hand or powered tool, includes a body having a hex shank at its rearward end and a retraction collar slidably disposed on the body. The body has a coaxial hex socket formed therein to allow a tool bit to be inserted thereinto. A coil spring biases the retraction collar forwardly and biases a retaining clip toward the bottom of an angular slot formed in the body. The bit is removed by sliding the retraction collar rearwardly, to compress the coil spring and allow the retaining clip to retract back up the slot. A ring magnet is disposed at the forward end of the retraction collar to magnetize a fastener to retain the fastener to the bit.

Abstract: A tool bit assembly includes a tool bit having a shaft with a first working region disposed at a first end of the shaft and a first reduced diameter portion proximate the working region and disposed between a first shoulder and a second shoulder. A floating sleeve has a rear portion with a pair of opposed window openings, a front portion supporting a magnet, and a pair of balls, with each ball disposed in one of the window openings. The floating sleeve is receivable over the tool bit with the magnet proximate the first working regions and the balls received in the first reduced diameter portion to allow the floating sleeve to move between a first position in which the balls abut the first shoulder and a second position in which the balls abut the second shoulder.

Abstract: A tool bit assembly includes a tool bit having a shaft with a first working region disposed at a first end of the shaft and a first reduced diameter portion proximate the working region and disposed between a first shoulder and a second shoulder. A floating sleeve has a rear portion with a pair of opposed window openings, a front portion supporting a magnet, and a pair of balls, with each ball disposed in one of the window openings. The floating sleeve is receivable over the tool bit with the magnet proximate the first working regions and the balls received in the first reduced diameter portion to allow the floating sleeve to move between a first position in which the balls abut the first shoulder and a second position in which the balls abut the second shoulder.

Abstract: A power tool accessory (e.g., a shear accessory) includes an accessory housing, an input shaft, a working tool, and a brace. The input shaft is driven by a power tool and drives the working tool. The brace rigidly connects the accessory housing to a power tool housing. The brace includes a collar coupled to the accessory housing, a clamp assembly that may be rigidly connected to the power tool housing, and an arm assembly connecting the collar to the clamp assembly. The collar allows selective rotation of the accessory housing relative to the collar while the brace rigidly couples the accessory housing to the power tool housing. The arm assembly may have a single arm. The clamp assembly may be coupled to a base of a handle of the power tool with arm assembly at an angle to a working axis of the power tool.

Abstract: A fastener driving tool includes a shaft with a working region disposed at a first end of the shaft and configured to drive a fastener, a shank portion disposed proximate a second end of the shaft and configured to couple the shaft to a power tool, and a reduced diameter torsion zone disposed between the shank portion and the working region, the torsion zone extending from a first shoulder closer to the working region to a second shoulder closer to the shank portion. A length (L) and a radius (c) of the torsion zone have been optimized so that approximately half of breakages occur in the working region and approximately half of breakages occur in the torsion zone.

Abstract: A drive guide for driving a fastening bit includes a drive shaft, a socket shaft with a rear end non-rotationally coupled to the front end of the drive shaft and a front end with a socket that receives the fastening bit, and a sliding sleeve received over the socket shaft and slidable between a rear position and a forward position. A magnet is received in the socket with an air gap behind the magnet to magnetize a fastening bit received in the socket. An internal shoulder is integrally formed inside a rear end of the sliding sleeve. The internal shoulder abuts an external rear stop on one of the drive shaft and the socket shaft when the sliding sleeve is in the rear position and abuts a front external stop on the socket shaft when the sliding sleeve is in the forward position.

Abstract: A tool bit holder assembly includes a shank receivable in a tool holder of a rotary tool, and a body defining a socket that removably receives a tool bit. An annular recess, defined in an exterior surface of the body, has a front and rear shoulders and an axial length. A floating sleeve with a ring magnet at its front end is slidably received over the body with an elastic retainer movably received in the annular recess. The elastic retainer has an axial length less than the axial length of the annular recess to enable the sleeve to float axially between a rear position where the retainer abuts the rear shoulder and a front position where the retainer abuts the front shoulder. The sleeve is axially moveable rearward from the rear position to a parked position where the elastic retainer engages the body rearward of the rear shoulder.

Abstract: A magnetic socket adapter is configured to be removably coupled to a plurality of differently sized socket drivers. The adapter includes a rear shank configured to be coupled to a tool holder or chuck of a power or hand tool and a front shaft coupled to the shank and defining a longitudinal axis. The front shaft has a head with a polygonal outer surface configured to be received in a corresponding polygonal shaped opening in each of the plurality of socket drivers. A magnet is coupled to a front end of the front shaft. A retaining projection is coupled to the head to removably retain each of the plurality of socket drivers on the adapter. An outer conical centering surface is disposed on the front shaft and configured to abut a corresponding internal conical centering surface in the polygonal opening in each of the plurality of socket drivers to center the socket drivers on the front shaft.

Abstract: A tool bit holder releasably retains a shank of a tool bit having three flat faces arranged generally in a triangle and an annular groove. A holder body has a shank-receiving bore bounded by an inner wall with three flat inner wall surfaces arranged generally in a triangle. A plurality of windows, defined in the inner wall, extend radially outward from the bore. A plurality of retaining members is received in the plurality of windows and extends at least partially through the window into the bore. An elastic band around the retaining members biases the retaining members radially inward toward the bore. The flat wall portions are configured to engage the flat faces of the tool bit to non-rotationally retain the shank in the tool holder and the retaining members are configured to engage the annular groove to axially retain the tool bit in the tool holder.

Abstract: A power tool accessory (e.g., a shear accessory) includes an accessory housing, an input shaft, a working tool, and a brace. The input shaft is driven by a power tool and drives the working tool. The brace rigidly connects the accessory housing to a power tool housing. The brace includes a collar coupled to the accessory housing, a clamp assembly that may be rigidly connected to the power tool housing, and an arm assembly connecting the collar to the clamp assembly. The collar allows selective rotation of the accessory housing relative to the collar while the brace rigidly couples the accessory housing to the power tool housing. The arm assembly may have a single arm. The clamp assembly may be coupled to a base of a handle of the power tool with arm assembly at an angle to a working axis of the power tool.

Abstract: A bit holder assembly for a rotary hand or powered tool, includes a body having a hex shank at its rearward end and a retraction collar slidably disposed on the body. The body has a coaxial hex socket formed therein to allow a tool bit to be inserted thereinto. A coil spring biases the retraction collar forwardly and biases a retaining clip toward the bottom of an angular slot formed in the body. The bit is removed by sliding the retraction collar rearwardly, to compress the coil spring and allow the retaining clip to retract back up the slot. A ring magnet is disposed at the forward end of the retraction collar to magnetize a fastener to retain the fastener to the bit.

Abstract: A bit holder assembly for a rotary hand or powered tool, includes a body having a hex shank at its rearward end and a retraction collar slidably disposed on the body. The body has a coaxial hex socket formed therein to allow a tool bit to be inserted thereinto. A coil spring biases the retraction collar forwardly and biases a retaining clip toward the bottom of an angular slot formed in the body. The bit is removed by sliding the retraction collar rearwardly, to compress the coil spring and allow the retaining clip to retract back up the slot. A ring magnet is disposed at the forward end of the retraction collar to magnetize a fastener to retain the fastener to the bit.