Patent ID: 6652526
Filing Date: 2003-11-25
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A rod fastener, comprising:a U-shaped bracket for receiving a rod, wherein said U-shaped bracket is comprised of a pair of spaced apart arms with a slot there between, said slot having an open outer end, a closed inner end, and an axis extending between said inner end and said outer end; an opposing pair of cavities arranged on respective interior sides of said arms, wherein said cavities are curved about said axis of said slot, and have respective outer edges adjacent said open outer end of said slot; and an oblong rotatable bridge positioned between said arms, wherein said bridge has a length greater than a width of said slot, a width smaller than said width of said slot, longitudinal ends which are curved about said axis of said slot, an outer side adjacent said open outer end of said slot, an inner side adjacent said closed inner end of said slot, and is arranged to be rotatable about said axis of said slot when positioned in said slot; wherein when said bridge is positioned to align said length with a longitudinal direction of said slot, said bridge is insertable into said slot, and when said bridge is positioned in said slot and rotated about said axis of said slot so that said length extends between said arms of said U-shaped bracket, said longitudinal ends of said bridge are positioned inside said cavities of said arms of said U-shaped bracket, so that said bridge is locked between said arms.