Patent ID: 8221476

Claim:
A bone support plate assembly, comprising: (a) a bone support plate having a length, and comprising (i) a top surface, (ii) a bottom surface opposite the top surface, (iii) a plurality of bone-fastener-receiving apertures, and (iv) a channel extending from the top surface, down to a bottom wall of the channel, a channel side wall adjacent the top surface defining at least in part a channel opening extending down from the top surface, the bottom wall of the channel extending away from a side of the channel and across at least a portion of the channel opening; (b) a blocker band extending across a portion of a respective bone-fastener-receiving aperture; and (c) a retainer engaging said blocker band so as to retain said blocker band in the channel, further comprising first and second rows of said bone-fastener-receiving apertures extending along a length of said bone support plate, the channel extending along the length of said bone support plate, said side of the channel comprising first and second sides of the channel, opening into respective ones of the apertures in the first and second rows of apertures, said blocker band comprising first and second elongate blocker bands being urged against the respective first and second sides of the channel, said first elongate blocker band extending into and across portions of respective apertures in the first row, said second elongate blocker band extending into and across portions of respective apertures in the second row, further comprising a compression spring extending between said first and second blocker bands.