Patent ID: 7744632

Claim:
An apparatus for coupling a spinal rod to a cross bar comprising: a main body having a channel with a wall for receiving a spinal rod therein, an opening for receiving a fastener, and at least one tang adjacent to the opening; a clamping body disposed within the main body, the clamping body being moveable between a first position out of the channel in which it does not clamp the spinal rod in the channel and a second position in the channel in which it does clamp the spinal rod in the channel; a monolithic cross bar having an opening aligned substantially with the opening of the main body and having the tang disposed therein; and a fastener for rigidly coupling the cross bar to the main body, the fastener being positioned within the openings of the cross bar and the main body, wherein the fastener is operable to force the tang into the cross bar to clamp the cross bar to the main body and simultaneously to move the clamping body between the first position and the second position.