Patent ID: 7695480

Claim:
An alignment device, comprising: a longitudinal guide portion, having a longitudinal opening including a guide axis; a spherical portion coupled to an end of the longitudinal guide portion; a base unit, including: a deformable substantially spherical socket formed of a socket member engaging the spherical portion including at least one relief opening in a portion of the spherical socket allowing deformation of the spherical socket; and a substantially planar portion wherein the socket member of the spherical socket extends from a first side of the substantially planar portion; and an actuating device surrounding and engaging an outer perimeter of the spherical socket, wherein the actuating device is not in direct contact with the spherical portion; and a number of standoff features attached to the base unit, wherein the standoff features are adapted to directly contact a skull of a subject adjacent to an opening in the skull, wherein the number of standoff features attached to the base unit extend from a second side of the substantially planar portion away from the socket member to position the substantially planar portion a distance away from the skull.