Device for implanting compression plate within a body

1. A delivery device for delivering a compression plate to a fracture line in a bone, the delivery device comprising:

a body that retains a compression plate in a strained condition, the body including a proximal end, a distal end, a first beam, a cavity, and a recess;

a cover plate attached at the proximal end of the body and moveable relative to the body, the cover plate including a second beam, wherein the cover plate is received in the recess of the body;

a space defined between the first beam and the second beam that receives the compression plate;

a compression clip that retains the compression plate in the space in the strained condition and prevents the compression plate from returning to an unstrained condition, the compression clip including an upper portion and two side portions that are substantially perpendicular to the upper portion, the upper portion including an opening, and the cover plate can move relative to the compression plate at the distal end of the body to allow the compression plate to release from the delivery device;

a male threaded rod including a head and a male stem having male threads, wherein the male threads are located at one end region of the male stem and the head is located at an opposing end region of the male stem, and the head is located proximate to the distal end of the body and in an area defined by the upper portion and the two side portions of the compression clip, and the male stem extends from the head, through the opening of the compression clip, and the through the body of the delivery device; and

a female threaded feature including a knob and a female stem having a passage with female threads, wherein the knob is located at one end region of the female stem, and the female threads are located at an opposing end region of the female stem,

wherein the male threads of the male threaded rod engage the female threads of the female threaded feature, and rotation of the knob moves the male stem and thereby the head axially towards the proximal end of the body, and the head contacts the upper portion of the compression clip to move the compression clip towards the proximal end of the body of the delivery device to release the compression clip, and

wherein, when the compression clip is received in a cavity of the body, the cover plate can move away from the compression plate at the distal end of the body to allow the compression plate to release from the delivery device.

2. A delivery device for delivering a compression plate to a fracture line in a bone, the delivery device comprising:

a body that retains a compression plate in a strained condition, the body including a proximal end, a distal end, and a first beam;

a cover plate attached to and moveable relative to the body, the cover plate including a second beam;

a space defined between the first beam and the second beam that receives the compression plate; and

a compression clip that retains the compression plate in the space.

3. The delivery device as recited in claim 2 wherein the compression clip includes an upper portion and two side portions that are substantially perpendicular to the upper portion, wherein the upper portion includes an opening.

4. The delivery device as recited in claim 3 wherein the first beam includes a first chamfered portion and the second beam includes a second chamfered portion, wherein the first chamfered portion and the second chamfered portion are located on a proximal portion of the first beam and the second beam, respectively.

5. The delivery device as recited in claim 3 wherein the cover plate is attached near or at the proximal end of the body and, when the compression clip is received in a cavity of the body, the cover plate can move away from the compression plate at the distal end of the body to allow the compression plate to release from the delivery device.

6. The delivery device as recited in claim 3 including a male threaded rod and a female threaded feature,

wherein the male threaded rod includes a head and a male stem having male threads, the male threads are located at one end of the male stem and the head is located at an opposing end of the male stem, and the head is located proximate to the distal end of the body and in an area defined by the upper portion and the two side portions of the compression clip, and the male stem extends from the head, through the opening of the compression clip, and the through the body of the delivery device, and

wherein the female threaded feature includes a knob and a female stem having a passage with female threads, wherein the knob is located at one end region of the female stem, and the female threads are located at an opposing end region of the female stem.

7. The delivery device as recited in claim 6 wherein the male threads of the male threaded rod engage the female threads of the female threaded feature, and rotation of the knob moves the male stem and thereby the head axially towards the proximal end of the body, and the head contacts the upper portion of the compression clip to move the compression clip towards the proximal end of the body of the delivery device to release the compression clip.

8. The delivery device as recited in claim 2 wherein, when the compression clip is received in a cavity of the body, the cover plate can move away from the compression plate at the distal end of the body to release the compression plate from the delivery device.

9. The delivery device as recited in claim 2 wherein the compression clip locks the cover plate relative to the body.

10. The delivery device as recited in claim 2 wherein the first beam and the second beam are at the distal end of the body.

11. The delivery device as recited in claim 2 wherein the body includes a recess, and the cover plate is received in the recess of the body.

12. The delivery device according to claim 2 wherein the compression plate comprises an elastic bridge member disposed on both sides of a center line, first and second opposing regions that each comprise an opening and are connected by the elastic bridge member, and the elastic bridge member is bowed outwardly relative to the center line when in an unstrained condition, and the compression plate has a more linear configuration when the compression plate is in the strained condition.

13. The delivery device according to claim 12 wherein the openings in the first and second opposing regions are separated by a first distance when the compression plate is in the unstrained condition, and the openings in the first and second opposing regions are separated by a second distance when the compression plate is in the strained condition, and the second distance is greater than the first distance.