Bone Plate With Retainer and Stop for Screw Lock
A bone plate, having a bone screw and a rotatable lock for retaining the bone screw in place, includes a retainer element and/or a stop element. The retainer element inhibits the lock from being pushed off of the bone plate, while the stop element limits the rotational range of motion of the lock.
1 . A bone plate comprising:
a plate formed of a biocompatible material and having an upper surface;
at least one screw hole formed in the plate; and
a stop element positioned on the plate upper surface;
wherein, when a rotatable screw lock is rotatably mounted to the upper surface of the plate, at a position relative to the at least one screw hole so that, in a first unlocked position the screw lock does not impede passage of a bone screw through the at least one screw hole, and in a second locked position the screw lock does impede passage of a bone screw through the at least one screw hole, the stop element prevents the screw lock from complete rotation.
2 . A bone plate according to claim 1 , further comprising:
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 rotatable from said first unlocked position to said second locked position.
3 . A bone plate according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a retainer element positioned adjacent to the screw hole and forming a gap between the retainer and the plate upper surface;
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 the rotatable screw lock is in the second locked position, the screw lock does impede passage of a bone screw through the at least one screw hole, a portion of the screw lock positioned in the gap when in the second position.
4 . A bone plate according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a retainer element positioned adjacent to the screw hole and forming a gap between the retainer and the plate upper surface;
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 the rotatable screw lock is in the second locked position, the screw lock does impede passage of a bone screw through the at least one screw hole, a portion of the screw lock positioned in the gap when in the second position.
5 . A bone plate according to claim 4 , wherein the stop is positioned immediately adjacent to the retainer.
6 . A bone plate according to claim 4 , wherein the retainer includes a laterally extending portion having a bottom surface, the bottom surface spaced from the top surface of the plate, the gap located between the laterally extending portion bottom surface and the plate upper surface.
7 . A bone plate according to claim 1 , wherein the stop element includes a vertically extending wall.
8 . A bone plate according to claim 1 , wherein the stop is positioned remotely from the at least one screw hole.
9 . A bone plate comprising:
a plate formed of a biocompatible material and having an upper surface;
at least one screw hole formed in the plate; and
a retainer element positioned adjacent to the screw hole and forming a gap between the retainer and the plate upper surface; and
wherein, when a rotatable screw lock is rotatably mounted to the upper surface of the plate, at a position relative to the at least one screw hole so that, in a first unlocked position the screw lock does not impede passage of a bone screw through the at least one screw hole, and in a second locked position the screw lock does impede passage of a bone screw through the at least one screw hole, the screw lock passes under the retainer element when moving between the first and second positions.
10 . A bone plate according to claim 9 , further comprising:
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 rotatable from said first unlocked position to said second locked position.
11 . A bone plate according to claim 9 , wherein the retainer includes a laterally extending portion having a bottom surface, the bottom surface spaced from the top surface of the plate, the gap located between the laterally extending portion bottom surface and the plate upper surface.