Patent ID: 7857836

Claim:
A device for bone fixation, comprising: a bone plate including a plate body defining a longitudinal axis and also defining a plurality of openings configured to receive fasteners that secure the plate body to bone, the plurality of openings including a pair of elongate openings each elongated at least substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; and at least two discrete locking elements each defining a through-hole disposed or disposable under a respective elongate opening for placement closer to bone than the respective elongate opening, each locking element being configured to be disposed in threaded engagement with a fastener received by the locking element at the through-hole from the respective elongate opening, each locking element being connected slidably to the plate body to permit sliding of such locking element at least substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, in the absence of the fastener, to permit movement of the through-hole of the locking element along the respective elongate opening, wherein each elongate opening includes a sloped surface, wherein rotational advancement of a head of the fastener against the sloped surface of the elongate opening causes net motion of the fastener, the locking element, and bone with which the fastener is configured to engage, in a direction at least substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.