Patent ID: 8226692

Claim:
A bone plate system, comprising: a bone plate having a lower surface for contacting bone, an upper surface and a first through hole extending from the lower surface to the upper surface along a first central axis, the first through hole having a cross-section orthogonal to the central axis defined by two incomplete semicircles connected to each other by two cut outs forming grooves in the bone plate; a first bone screw having a threaded shaft for anchoring within the bone and a screw head; and a first bushing configured and dimensioned for insertion in the first through hole and including first and second outwardly extending protrusions which engage an inner surface of the first through hole to pivotally mount the first bushing within the first through hole for rotation about an axis defined by the protrusions, the first bushing being radially compressible and radially expansible to lock the first bushing at a desired position within the first through hole, the first bushing including a central bore sized and configured to receive the head of the first bone screw.