Patent ID: 8323283

Claim:
A plate system adapted to be applied to bone portions in a human body, said plate system comprising: at least a first bone portion engaging anchor adapted to be attached to one of the bone portions and at least a second bone portion engaging anchor adapted to be attached to another one of the bone portions, each of said first and second bone portion engaging anchors having a lower facing surface adapted to contact one of the bone portions, at least one upper facing surface opposite said lower facing surface, and at least one bone screw receiving hole extending from said upper facing surface through said lower facing surface, each of said bone screw receiving holes adapted to overlie one of the bone portions and being adapted to receive at least one bone screw for engaging the bone portion to attach a respective one of said at least first and second bone portion engaging anchors to the bone portions, each of said first and second bone portion engaging anchors having opposite ends, and opposite sides; and a connecting plate configured to connect said first and second bone portion engaging anchors, said connecting plate configured to overlap at least a portion of each of said first and second bone portion engaging anchors, respectively, said connecting plate having a lower facing surface adapted to be oriented toward the bone portions and an upper facing surface opposite said lower facing surface, said connecting plate having at least one fastener receiving opening extending from said upper facing surface through said lower facing surface of said connecting plate, said fastener receiving opening adapted to receive at least a portion of a fastener to attach said connecting plate to said first and second bone portion engaging anchors; and at least one fastener configured to fit within said receiving opening without protruding above said connecting plate when positioned in said receiving opening and engaged to one of said bone portion engaging anchors.