Patent ID: 8343154

Claim:
A bone plate kit, comprising: a plurality of bone plate modules including (i) a first bone plate module having a first male coupling portion, a first female coupling portion, and a first shaft extending therebetween, and (ii) a second bone plate module having a second male coupling portion, a second female coupling portion, and a second shaft extending therebetween; and at least one bone fastener having a fastener head and a fastener shaft, wherein said first male coupling portion includes (i) a first base defining a first fastener passage, and (ii) a first receptacle structure extending from said first base, said first receptacle structure including a first tapered inner receptacle surface that tapers toward said first fastener passage so as to define a first fastener head space, said first receptacle structure further including a first outer receptacle surface having a first snap-fit mating feature, wherein said first female coupling portion includes a first bore structure having a first inner bore surface that defines a first bore, and said first inner bore surface having a second snap-fit mating feature, wherein said second male coupling portion includes (i) a second base defining a second fastener passage, and (ii) a second receptacle structure extending from said second base, said second receptacle structure including a second inner receptacle surface that tapers toward said second fastener passage so as to define a second fastener head space, said second receptacle structure further including a second outer receptacle surface having a third snap-fit mating feature, wherein said second female coupling portion includes a second bore structure having a second inner bore surface that defines a second bore, and said second inner bore surface having a fourth snap-fit mating feature, wherein said first receptacle structure is received within said second bore so that said first snap-fit mating feature mates with said fourth snap-fit mating feature to secure said first male coupling portion to said second female coupling portion, wherein, when said first snap-fit mating feature is mated with said fourth snap-fit mating feature to secure said first male coupling portion to said second female coupling portion, said first tapered inner receptacle surface is located within said second bore, wherein said fastener head is located within one of said first fastener head space and said second fastener head space, and wherein said fastener shaft extends through one of said first fastener passage and said second fastener passage.