Patent ID: 8870931

Claim:
A surgical fastening apparatus adapted to provide anti-unscrewing features, comprising: (a) a fastener comprising an elongate section and an adjoining head section disposed along a fastener axis, the head section comprising a thread and an at least one slot defined in an outer periphery of the head section that extends therewithin; and (b) a fastener receiving member comprising first and second opposing major surfaces, an inside surface extending between the first and second major surfaces and defining an aperture generally coaxially disposed about an aperture axis, and a tappable contact region disposed on the inside surface, wherein the tappable contact region is extendable into the slot of the fastener to prevent backing out of the fastener and the tappable contact region is deflectable from the slot of the fastener to permit removal of the fastener; (c) wherein the tappable contact region comprises a plurality of protrusions extending inwardly from the inside surface of the fastener receiving member with the plurality of protrusions being angled to enter the slot of the fastener such that the protrusions permit the fastener to rotate in one direction, but resist rotation in the opposite direction to prevent backing out of the fastener.