Patent ID: 9408646
Filing Date: 2016-08-09
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. A bone plating system for stabilizing bones or bone fragments, including segments of the spinal column, comprising: a bone plate having an upper plate surface, a lower plate surface, at least two pairs of fixation holes, each of the fixation holes extending between the upper plate surface and the lower plate surface and having a lower hole portion and a tapered surface; at least one resilient clip disposed within the lower hole portion of a corresponding at least one of the fixation holes; at least one variable angle screw comprising a first head portion and a first shaft portion that extends from the first head portion along a first central axis, the first head portion comprising a first annular ledge and a first convex surface extending from the first annular ledge to the first shaft portion, the first convex surface defining a first height from the first annular ledge to the first shaft portion along a straight line in a direction parallel to the first central axis, wherein the at least one resilient clip is disposed above the first annular ledge when the at least one variable angle screw is seated in the at least one of the fixation holes to resist the at least one variable angle screw from backing out of the bone plate, the first convex surface configured to be operatively associated with the tapered surface of the at least one of the fixation holes when the at least one variable angle screw is seated in said at least one of the fixation holes to permit the at least one variable angle screw to be inserted at a variety of insertion angles relative to the bone plate; and at least one fixed angle screw comprising a second head portion and a second shaft portion that extends from the second head portion along a second central axis, the second head portion comprising a second annular ledge and a second convex surface disposed between the second annular ledge and the second shaft portion, the second convex surface defining a second height from the second annular ledge to the second shaft portion along a straight line that is in a direction parallel to the second central axis, the second height being less than the first height, wherein the at least one resilient clip is disposed above the second annular ledge when the at least one fixed angle screw is seated in the at least one of the fixation holes to resist the at least one fixed angle screw from backing out of the bone plate, and the second convex surface is configured to be operatively associated with the tapered surface of the at least one of the fixation holes when the at least one fixed angle screw is seated in the at least one of the fixation holes so that the at least one fixed angle screw is insertable at a pre-determined fixed angle relative to the bone plate, wherein the first height enables the at least one variable angle screw to be inserted at the variety of insertion angles and the second height enables the at least one fixed angle screw to be inserted at the pre-determined fixed angle.