Patent ID: 8882815

Claim:
A device, comprising: a bone fracture fixation plate having an outer surface and a bone-facing surface, the bone plate comprising one or more slots extending through the plate from the outer surface to the bone-facing surface, the one or more slots at least partially circumscribing a periphery of one or more receiving holes and not penetrating through a longitudinal edge of the bone plate, wherein the one or more slots form a spring element, the spring element at least partially surrounding the receiving hole and permitting axial translation of the bone plate relative to the one or more receiving holes within a plane that is substantially parallel to an upper or lower surface of the bone plate, but substantially preventing motion of the bone plate relative to the one or more receiving holes in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the upper or lower surface of the bone plate; wherein the one or more slots comprise at least two central slots extending longitudinally away from the receiving hole and at least partially circumscribing a periphery of the receiving hole, and two or more pairs of peripheral slots arranged in a generally transverse direction relative to the at least two central slots and extending laterally between the at least two central slots, wherein each pair of peripheral slots spans substantially opposite sides of the receiving hole in a longitudinal direction.