Patent ID: 8652182

Claim:
A bone plate comprising: a plate formed of a biocompatible material and having an upper surface; a rotatable screw lock mounted to the plate upper surface, the screw lock including a central portion and a laterally extending flange, the screw lock being rotatable from a first, unlocked position to a second, locked position; at least one screw hole formed in the plate; a stop element positioned on the plate upper surface, the stop element including a side wall; and a retainer element positioned adjacent to the screw hole and forming a gap between a portion of the retainer element and the plate upper surface; and wherein, when the rotatable screw lock is in the first, unlocked position, the screw lock does not impede passage of a bone screw through the at least one screw hole, and, when in the second, locked position, the screw lock does impede passage of a bone screw through the at least one screw hole and the stop element prevents any portion of the screw lock from rotation beyond the stop element side wall, wherein a portion of the screw lock is positioned in the gap when in the second, locked position and no portion of the screw lock is positioned in the gap when in the first, unlocked position.