Patent ID: 8192467

Claim:
A spinal implant cross connector for connecting a first rod and a spaced apart second rod, the cross connector comprising: a first rod clamp comprising: a first clamp arm extending longitudinally between a first end and a spaced apart second end; and a second clamp arm extending longitudinally between a first end and a spaced apart second end, the first clamp arm crossing the second clamp arm so as to form a scissor coupling having a pivot axis where the first clamp arm crosses the second clamp arm, the first clamp arm being coupled to the second clamp arm at a position spaced apart from the pivot axis, the second ends of the first and second clamp arms bounding a mouth configured to engage a first rod, the pivot axis being positioned between the first and second ends of the first clamp arm and between the first and second ends of the second clamp arm such that: pivotal movement of the first ends of the first and second clamp arms towards each other about the pivot axis causes the second ends of the first and second clamp arms to correspondingly rotate about the pivot axis towards each other; and pivotal movement of the first ends of the first and second clamp arms away from each other about the pivot axis causes the second ends of the first and second clamp arms to correspondingly rotate about the pivot axis away from each other; a second rod clamp configured to engage a second rod; and a cross bar assembly extending between the first rod clamp and the second rod clamp without passing through the mouth.