Patent ID: 7985241

Claim:
A surgical fastener with a safety position, the fastener comprising: a lower base having: first and second piercing posts each having a fixed end and a coupling end; a first base portion fixedly-attached to the first piercing post at the fixed end thereof; a second base portion fixedly-attached to the second piercing post at the fixed end thereof; a hinge foldably coupling the first base portion to the second base portion and having a longitudinal axis; and a bias device imparting a bias force on at least one of the first base portion and the second base portion in a direction toward the other and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hinge; and an upper fastening portion operable to receive and selectively couple the coupling ends of the at least two piercing posts; and the lower base having: a piercing position for coupling with the upper fastener portion where the first piercing post is substantially parallel to the second piercing post; and a folded position where a distance between the coupling end of the first piercing post and the coupling end of the second piercing post is less than a distance between the fixed end of the first piercing post and the fixed end of the second piercing post.