Patent ID: 8827997

Claim:
A fixation clamp for use in an external fixation system for holding bone fragments adjacent to each other with the help of fixation elements, comprising at least one clamping assembly, and a central locking shaft extending through the at least one clamping assembly for blocking the position of the at least one clamping assembly in a defined angular position; wherein the at least one clamping assembly comprises first and second jaws, the first and second jaws define outer side surfaces wherein each first and second jaw comprises three and only three grooves, wherein the longitudinal axis of each groove lies in a plane that is perpendicular to the locking shaft, wherein one groove of one jaw corresponds to one groove of the other jaw to form a recess to accommodate a bone fixation element, wherein the longitudinal axes of the grooves on the first and second jaw span a triangle, and wherein at least two grooves in the first and second jaws have a different size adapted to accommodate a correspondingly sized fixation element wherein the longitudinal axis of each groove in the first and second jaws intersects the longitudinal axis of each of the other two grooves forming three angles totaling 180°, wherein two of the three grooves of each jaw member intersect within the outer side surfaces of each jaw.