Patent ID: 7691129

Claim:
A spinal stabilizing system comprising: a collar having a central longitudinal axis extending along the length thereof, the collar comprising: a tubular sidewall having an interior surface and an exterior surface each extending between a first end and an opposing second end, the interior surface at least partially bounding a longitudinal passage extending therethrough along the central longitudinal axis of the collar; a shoulder radially inwardly projecting from the second end of the sidewall so as to at last partially encircle the longitudinal passage and central longitudinal axis of the collar, the shoulder having an interior surface at least partially forming a seat; and a pair of spaced apart channels transversely extending through the sidewall at the first end thereof; a screw having a threaded portion and an enlarged head mounted on the end thereof, wherein the screw is configured to be received by the collar at the first end of the tubular sidewall, the screw having a central longitudinal axis passing through the head and the threaded portion, the head of the screw resting on or adjacent to the seat of the collar such that the central longitudinal axis of the collar intersects the central longitudinal axis of the screw, the head being freely pivotable relative to the seat so that the central longitudinal axis of the screw can pivot in any 360° direction away from alignment with the central longitudinal axis of the collar; and means for locking the screw to the collar so that rotation of the collar about the central longitudinal axis of the collar causes rotation of the screw about the central longitudinal axis of the screw and so that the collar remains freely pivotable relative to the head of the screw during the rotation of the collar.