Patent ID: 8226689

Claim:
A system for supporting a spine, comprising: a longitudinal rod disposed generally in a first direction along a spine; a transverse rod disposed generally in a second direction transverse to the spine; and a variable cross-link device, wherein the variable cross-link device comprises a body, a plug, and a rod engaging member, wherein the rod engaging member comprises a U-shaped portion at a first end and an angled surface at a second end, wherein the body comprises openings to receive a portion of the transverse rod, a generally c-shaped hook to couple to a portion of the longitudinal rod, and a channel along a central axis of the body to receive the plug and the rod engaging member, wherein the angled surface of the rod engaging member is shaped for contact with the longitudinal rod coupled to the generally c-shaped hook of the body, wherein the U-shaped portion of the rod engaging member is shaped to engage with the transverse rod in the channel of the body, and wherein the longitudinal rod and the transverse rod are held in rigid connection relative to one another by friction fit when the plug screws into the body to exert a force directly onto the transverse rod, said transverse rod transferring the force directly to the rod engaging member, wherein advancement of said rod engaging member forces the longitudinal rod against an interior curved surface of the generally c-shaped hook to provide compression fit of the generally c-shaped hook to the longitudinal rod.