Patent ID: 8709050

Claim:
An apparatus for connecting a longitudinal member with a bone portion, comprising: 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 and a second passage with a longitudinal axis transverse to said first passage, said fastener extending through an opening in said housing into said second passage, the housing having a first engaging surface extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the second passage, the first engaging surface positioned such that when the fastener is seated in the housing, the first engaging surface is proximal of a proximal end of the fastener; a spacer received in said second passage of said housing and engageable with said fastener and said longitudinal member, said spacer having a second engaging surface extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the second passage; and a biasing element contacting the first engaging surface of the housing thereby limiting proximal movement of the spacer and fastener, the biasing element contacting the second engaging surface of the spacer thereby limiting distal movement of the spacer and fastener, the biasing element applying a force biasing the spacer towards the fastener, thereby holding said longitudinal axis of said fastener in any one of a plurality of desired angular positions relative to said longitudinal axis of said second passage when said longitudinal member is disengaged from said spacer and said spacer engages said fastener, said fastener and said housing being manually movable relative to each other against said force when said longitudinal member is disengaged from said spacer and said biasing element applies said force.