Patent ID: 8257401

Claim:
A polyaxial bone screw assembly comprising: a generally cup-shaped tulip having a top opening, a bottom bore, a semi-spherical inner bottom surface, and a semi-spherical outer bottom surface; a saddle sized to be received in the tulip, the saddle having a semi-spherical outer bottom surface; a bone screw having a distal end and a proximal end, a threaded shaft extending proximally from the distal end, a laterally extending platform positioned distal of the proximal end, and a post extending proximally of the platform, the platform including a semi-spherical proximal surface; wherein the bone screw post and the saddle are both configured and arranged to form a snap fit connection, the snap fit connection including a recess in one of the bone screw post and the saddle and an enlargement on the other of the bone screw post and the saddle, the enlargement received in the recess.