Patent ID: 8167911

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a longitudinal member connectable with a bone portion; a fastener having a longitudinal axis and engageable with the bone portion to connect said longitudinal member to the bone portion; a housing having a first passage configured to receive said longitudinal member, said housing having a second passage with a longitudinal axis extending transverse to said first passage, said fastener extending through an opening in said housing into said second passage and being moveable relative to said housing, said second passage of said housing having at least first and second generally frustoconical surfaces for engagement with said fastener, said first and second generally frustoconical surfaces extending in the same direction with the first generally frustoconical surface being less inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the second passage than the second generally frustoconical surface, said longitudinal axis of said fastener being positionable in any one of a plurality of angular positions relative to said longitudinal axis of said second passage; a spacer received in said second passage of said housing and engageable with said fastener and said longitudinal member; and a clamping mechanism configured to clamp said longitudinal member, said spacer and said housing to said fastener to prevent movement of said fastener relative to said housing.