Patent ID: 7942901

Claim:
A connector apparatus for linking elongate members, comprising: a connector body having a top surface and a longitudinal axis, said body further having a C-shaped engagement portion contiguous with a closed engagement portion; wherein each of said engagement portions includes an opening configured to receive an elongate member, each of said openings defined by an inner contact surface configured to engage said corresponding elongate member, each of said engagement portions including a through-hole and a retaining member, and said opening corresponding to said C-shaped engagement portion includes an at least partially open bottom; wherein said through-holes extend through said top surface of said connector body and are aligned substantially perpendicular with said longitudinal axis of said connector body; wherein said through-hole and retaining member corresponding to said C-shaped engagement portion are offset from said corresponding elongate member when said elongate member is positioned in said corresponding opening; wherein said retaining members are operable to advance through said corresponding through-holes to contact said corresponding elongate members and urge said elongate members against said corresponding inner contact surfaces to engage said connector body to said elongate members with said elongate members comprising elongate spinal rods oriented substantially parallel with one another; and wherein said connector body includes an arcuate external surface extending from said top surface, curving around and laterally enclosing said opening corresponding to said C-shaped engagement portion, returning toward said closed engagement portion, and terminating in a bottom surface, said bottom surface positioned below said inner contact surface corresponding to said opening corresponding to said C-shaped engagement portion and extending across a portion of said opening corresponding to said C-shaped engagement portion.