Patent ID: 8007523

Claim:
A bone plate system comprising: a plate; an opening passing through the plate, wherein a portion of the plate forms a wall of the opening; a fastener configured to couple the plate to a bone, wherein the fastener comprises a head; a ring configured to fit within the opening and to receive the fastener therethrough; wherein the ring surrounds at least a portion of the fastener after the fastener is coupled to the ring; wherein the wall of the opening is configured to inhibit backout of the ring from the plate after the ring is placed in the opening; wherein the fastener and the ring are configured to couple together without fixedly engaging the ring to the plate such that an outer surface of the ring is curved to permit the ring to swivel within the opening after the ring is placed in the opening and before the head of the fastener is screwed into the ring; wherein the head of the fastener is configured to threadly engage with the ring; and wherein as the head of the fastener is screwed into the ring, the head applies a radial force to the ring to cause the ring to expand within the opening and create a fixed connection between the fastener and the plate at a selected angle.