Patent ID: 7704255

Claim:
A plate system adapted for application to the anterior human spine and for contacting at least a portion of the anterior aspects of at least two vertebral bodies, said plate system comprising: a plate having a longitudinal axis and a length sufficient to span a disc space and overlap portions of at least two adjacent vertebral bodies, said plate having a lower surface for placement against the vertebral bodies and an upper surface opposite said lower surface; at least two bone screw receiving holes extending through said plate from said upper surface through said lower surface, each of said bone screw receiving holes having a central longitudinal axis and being adapted to receive a bone screw to attach said plate to the spine; and a locking element for preventing the inadvertent backing out of at least two of the bone screws from within said bone screw receiving holes, said locking element being adapted to engage said plate to lock the bone screws without threading into said plate, wherein said locking element is adapted to be coupled to said plate prior to the insertion of the bone screws in said bone screw receiving holes, and adapted to move, while engaged to said plate, from a first position which permits the insertion of one of the bone screws into one of said bone screw holes to a second position which prevents the bone screw from backing out of said bone screw hole.