Patent ID: 7597707

Claim:
A pedicle screw assembly comprising a closure device having a seat element with a U-shaped seat recess, the U-shaped recess including grooves or ridges, an elastic rod element having grooves or ridges, the grooves or ridges of the elastic rod element extending in a transverse direction with respect to a lengthwise direction of the elastic rod element, an elastic closure cap having grooves or ridges, the elastic closure cap being inserted internally of the U-shaped seat recess for quick closure of the seat element and thereby forming a substantially circumferential enclosure between the U-shaped seat recess and the closure cap to receive the elastic rod element placeable within the substantially circumferential enclosure between the U-shaped seat recess and the closure cap for stabilizing a vertebral column and to hold the surrounded and engaged elastic rod element with the closure device, holder elements of the elastic closure cap securing the closure cap in the seat element, the grooves or ridges of the U-shaped seat recess of the seat element and the grooves or ridges of the elastic closure cap each corresponding to one another, and the respective grooves or ridges engaging one another in a form-locking way at places of contact such that the elastic rod element carries out the function of a cross-brace and forces which are active in a lengthwise direction of the elastic rod element along a longitudinal axis of the elastic rod element are thereby transmittable to the closure device, the respective grooves or ridges of the U-shaped seat recess of the seat element and the elastic closure cap being aligned transversely to the lengthwise direction of the elastic rod element, and the grooves or ridges in the seat recess being extended until ends of two arms formed by the seat element and the respective grooves or ridges in the seat recess fitting into the grooves or ridges in the elastic rod element.