Patent ID: 9351775
Filing Date: 2016-05-31
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. A bone plate comprising: a body defining at least one screw hole having a periphery, the screw hole configured to receive a bone screw inserted in a proximal-to-distal direction; a blocker having a blocking end for blocking the bone screw, the blocker being predisposed in a blocking position in which the blocking end at least partially overlaps a portion of a head of the bone screw when the head of the bone screw is disposed within the screw hole, the blocker being moveable from the blocking position as it is contacted by the head of the bone screw during insertion of the bone screw into the screw hole, wherein the blocking end is arcuate and substantially matches only a portion of the periphery of the at least one screw hole; and a blocker fixation element having a blocking surface, the blocker fixation element being movable between an open orientation in which the blocking surface is arranged away from the screw hole and the blocker can move from the blocking position, and a closed orientation in which the blocking surface is arranged toward the screw hole and the blocker fixation element prevents substantial movement of the blocker from the blocking position, wherein during insertion of the bone screw into the screw hole, the blocker is not movable back to the blocking position unless the entire head of the bone screw is disposed distally of the blocker, wherein when the head of the bone screw is disposed within the screw hole, the blocker fixation element cannot be moved to the closed orientation unless the head of the bone screw is disposed within the screw hole beyond the blocker, and wherein the blocker fixation element includes a projection that extends over the blocker in the closed position.