Patent ID: 8252032
Filing Date: 2012-08-28
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A bone plate, comprising: a) an elongated plate having a longitudinal axis, a bone contacting bottom side, a top side, a thickness between the bottom and top sides with at least one complex screw aperture extending through the plate thickness and comprised of a first screw aperture and an aligned second screw aperture adjoined by a relief zone disposed between the first and second screw apertures; b) wherein the first screw aperture of the at least one complex aperture has a first radius measured from a first center of a first seat thereof and the second screw aperture has a second radius measured from a second center of a second seat thereof, and c) wherein each of the first and second apertures of the at least one complex aperture comprises a beveled upper surface extending from the top side of the plate downwardly and inwardly part way through the plate thickness to a lower, threaded seat portion extending from where the beveled surface ends to the bottom side of the bone plate, and d) wherein the at least one complex aperture has a complex aperture distance measured from the center of the first radii to the center of the second radii along the aligned first and second radii and the relief zone disposed between the adjoined first and second screw apertures that is at least equal to a sum of the first and second radii, and e) wherein the relief zone adjoining the first and second apertures is defined by two opposed unthreaded surfaces, each of the two opposed unthreaded surfaces forming an upper unthreaded inclined ramp extending from the top side downwardly and inwardly at least part way through the plate thickness to an unthreaded lower portion having opposed planar surfaces aligned parallel to each other and extending to the bottom side, and f) wherein the two opposed planar surfaces of the relief zone are aligned parallel to, but spaced from the aligned first and second radii by a lateral distance that is less than twice the distance of the first radii and less than twice the distance of the second radii.