Patent ID: 7585314

Claim:
A device used in association with spinal instrumentation, comprising: a component used in association with spinal instrumentation; a connector body defining a receptacle extending therethrough and opening onto an outer surface thereof, said receptacle including a pair of oppositely facing tapered engagement surfaces defining an inner dimension that is measured from one of the tapered engagement surfaces to another of the tapered engagement surfaces, said inner dimension is less than an outer dimension of the component and with no more than two points of direct contact defined between the component and said tapered engagement surfaces of said connector body, said connector body defining a passage in transverse communication with said receptacle; a clamp element including at least two flexible arm portions flexibly interconnected to one another such that the arm portions may be inwardly and outwardly deflected relative to one another and defining a space therebetween having an open end, said clamp element positioned within said passage in said connector body with said space generally aligned with said receptacle and with the component received through said open end and retained within said space by compressing engagement of said at least two flexible arm portions about the component; and a fixation element interacting with said clamp element to displace said clamp element relative to said connector body, the component directly engaged against said tapered engagement surfaces at said no more than two points of direct contact including a first point of direct contact between the component and a first of said tapered engagement surfaces and a second point of direct contact between the component and a second of said tapered engagement surfaces to establish said no more than two points of direct contact between the component and said connector body.