Patent ID: 8267969

Claim:
A bone screw system, comprising: a bone screw including: a threaded section; and a screw head section integrally connected to the threaded section; a coupler including: a screw head receiving portion configured to receive at least a portion of the screw head section of the screw; and a rod receiving portion integral with the screw head receiving portion; the rod receiving portion configured to receive a rod; a seat having a first end and a second end; the seat including: at least one sidewall extending between the first end and the second end; a cap receiving portion configured to receive a cap at the first end; a coupler receiving portion configured to receive the coupler; a bottom opening at the second end; a top opening at the first end; and at least one rod channel defined by the sidewall; the at least one rod channel being interconnected with the top opening; a cap configured to close the top opening of the seat; the cap having a top surface and a bottom surface interconnected by an outer surface and an inner surface; the inner surface defining a threaded set screw receiving portion; the outer surface defining at least one seat-engagement feature for engagement with the cap receiving portion of the seat; a set screw having a top surface and a bottom surface interconnected by a threaded outer surface; the set screw configured to be threadingly engaged with the set screw receiving portion of the cap; a retainer configured to retain the coupler inside the seat; and a rod having a first end and a second end; at least a portion of the rod configured to connect to the rod receiving portion of the coupler; and at least a portion of the screw head section disposed inside the screw head receiving portion of the coupler; the screw being inserted in the bottom opening of the seat and the coupler being retained inside the seat via the retainer pressed between the coupler and the seat; at least a portion of the rod being removably connected to the rod receiving portion of the coupler; the cap being removably inserted into the cap receiving portion of the seat and retained therein via the at least one seat-engagement feature on the outer surface of the cap; the set screw being disposed in the set screw receiving portion of the cap; the rod being disposed in the rod channel with the cap disposed in the cap receiving portion of the seat; upon advancement of the screw, the bottom surface of the set screw contacting at least a portion of the rod within the seat; and the bone screw and rod being locked into position with advancement of the set screw into the seat.