Patent ID: 8337506

Claim:
A combination of bone fixation device and bending tool the bone fixation device comprising: a plurality of screw receiving members, each screw receiving member having an aperture extending therethrough for receiving a screw; the screw receiving members being connected together in a line by plastically deformable connecting arms extending therebetween; the screw receiving members being frusto-spherical and having an outer surface, said outer surface having a substantially spherical portion and a flattened portion with the flattened portion disposed around at least one mouth of the screw receiving aperture; a long axis extends between the screw receiving members, said outer surface of each of the screw receiving members being asymmetric about the long axis; the bending tool comprising first and second bending arms, each bending arm comprising: a first face, a second face and a side wall extending therebetween; the side wall comprising a recess extending between the first and second faces, an intersection of the recess with the first and second faces defining first and second connecting arm receiving apertures respectively; the recess being adapted to receive a screw receiving member; the recess between the first and second connecting arm receiving apertures being defined by inner walls, the shape of the inner walls having curved arcs that are complementary in configuration to the substantially spherical portion of the outer surface of the screw receiving member; the side wall further comprising a slot extending between the first and second faces, the slot being spaced from the recess along the side wall and adapted to receive a screw receiving member with the flattened portions substantially parallel to the slot side walls to prevent rotation of the screw receiving member relative to the slot about the long axis.