Patent ID: 8801712

Claim:
A bone plate comprising: a main body configured to position adjacent bones with respect to each other, the main body comprising a plurality of separate layers bonded together, each layer being comprised of a radiolucent material and having a first aperture extending through the layer, the plurality of separate layers being stacked such that the first apertures of all of the layers are aligned with each other so as to form a first body aperture extending through the main body, a spaced apart second body aperture also extends through the main body; an insert bounding a passageway extending therethrough and including an outwardly extending flange, the insert being at least partially disposed within the aligned first apertures so that the flange is disposed directly between two of the plurality of separate layers, the plurality of separate layers being compression molded together so that the separate layers are directly bonded consecutively to each other and the two of the plurality of separate layers are directly bonded to the flange so that the flange is rigidly fixed to the main body; and the plurality of separate lavers comprising: a plurality of separate first layers each having the first aperture that are aligned, the plurality of separate first layers being disposed on a first side of the flange of the insert; a plurality of separate second layers each having the first aperture that are aligned, the plurality of separate second layers being disposed on an opposing second side of the flange of the insert; and a first middle layer disposed between the first layers and the second layers, the first middle layer having the first aperture extending therethrough, the first aperture of the first middle layer encircling an outer perimeter edge of the flange of the insert so that the first middle layer does not overlay the flange, wherein the first layers are directly bonded consecutively together, the second layers are directly bonded consecutively together and the first middle layer is directly bonded to one of the first layers or one of the second layers.