Patent ID: 7615069

Claim:
An apparatus for distributing a load in bony tissue, comprising: a crown body comprising a lower bone engaging surface having one or more curved protrusions and an upper surface opposite the bone engaging surface defining an opening having a spherical curvature; and a fastener including a head that interferes with the spherical curvature of the opening; and wherein the fastener is selectively engageable with the opening to allow the crown to distribute the load caused by the insertion of the fastener into bony tissue wherein at least one or more slits are formed in a base of the crown is capable of being deformed by a predetermined amount, wherein the curved protrusions are oriented on the bottom surface of the crown body to permit rotational sliding in one direction more readily than in another direction, wherein one or more tabs that are deflectable are positioned on an upper portion of the crown body, the upper portion of the crown body being in communication with the fastener head and the one or more tabs are configured to deflect under axial loading by the fastener, and wherein one or more recesses are formed on the upper portion of the crown body corresponding to the shape of the one or more tabs so that as the tabs are deflected when in communication with the fastener, the one or more tabs move into the recesses.