Bone support assembly

Abstract

A bone support assembly comprising a support plate, bone fasteners, and a bone fastener cover assembly. The support plate comprises a fixed base portion comprising base apertures, and a slot portion comprising slot-shaped apertures. The bone fasteners are disposed in ones of the base apertures and the slot-shaped apertures, the bone fasteners and the support plate, in combination, being adapted and configured for holding the support plate to bone material. The bone fastener cover assembly comprises a cover plate, and at least one cover plate fastener effective to fasten the cover plate to the support plate. The cover plate and support plate, in combination, accommodate both longitudinal and transverse sliding movement of the cover plate along the top surface of the support plate to thereby cover and uncover ones of the apertures, having bone fasteners therein, while the cover plate is attached to the support plate.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A bone support plate for use in a bone support assembly, said bone support plate comprising: 
 (a) a top surface;    (b) a bottom surface opposite the top surface and adapted to engage bone structure of a user;    (c) a fixed base portion, having first and second apertures extending therethrough, from the top surface to the bottom surface, for receiving bone fasteners therethrough;    (d) a first base cover plate recess in the top surface at said fixed base portion for receiving a base cover plate thereonto and accommodating sliding movement of such base cover plate to impose and withdraw at least partial obstruction of the first and second apertures;    (e) a slot portion, having at least third and fourth apertures extending therethrough, from the top surface to the bottom surface, for receiving bone fasteners therethrough; and    (f) a second settle cover plate recess in the top surface at said slot portion for receiving a settle cover plate thereonto and accommodating sliding movement of such settle cover plate to impose and withdraw at least partial obstruction of the third and fourth apertures.    
     
     
         2 . A bone support plate as in  claim 1  wherein said bone support plate is designed and configured to enable bidirectional sliding movement of a base cover plate connected thereto.  
     
     
         3 . A bone support plate as in  claim 1  wherein said bone support plate is designed and configured to enable bidirectional sliding movement of a settle cover plate connected thereto.  
     
     
         4 . A bone support plate as in  claim 1  wherein said bone support plate comprises a base cover plate fastener aperture extending from the first base cover plate recess toward the bottom surface of said bone support plate, for receiving a base cover plate fastener.  
     
     
         5 . A bone support plate as in  claim 1  wherein said bone support plate comprises a settle cover plate fastener aperture extending from the second settle cover plate recess toward the bottom surface of said bone support plate, for receiving a settle cover plate fastener.  
     
     
         6 . A bone support plate as in  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of said bottom surface of said support plate comprises a texturized surface, said texturized surface enhancing engagement of said support plate to the bone structure.  
     
     
         7 . A bone support plate as in  claim 1 , said at least third and fourth apertures of said slot portion being longitudinally slot-shaped, with respect to a longitudinal axis of said support plate, to enable respective bone fasteners to be inserted into respective said at least third and fourth apertures such that the slot-shaped apertures accommodate movement of the bone support plate with respect to such bone fasteners.  
     
     
         8 . A bone support assembly for support of bone structure, said bone support assembly comprising: 
 (a) a support plate comprising a top surface, a bottom surface adapted to engage such bone structure, a fixed base portion, and a slot portion, said fixed base portion comprising base apertures, said slot portion comprising slot-shaped apertures;    (b) bone fasteners disposed in ones of the base apertures and the slot-shaped apertures, said bone fasteners and said support plate, in combination, being adapted and configured for holding said support plate to bone material; and    (c) a bone fastener cover assembly, said bone fastener cover assembly comprising a cover plate, and at least one cover plate fastener effective to fasten said cover plate to said support plate, said at least one cover plate and said support plate, in combination, accommodating both longitudinal and transverse sliding movement of said cover plate with respect to said support plate, to thereby cover and uncover ones of said bone fasteners while said cover plate is attached to said support plate, including uncovering one of a pair of bone fasteners arranged in side-by-side relationship along the longitudinal axis of said support plate, while relatively covering the other of such pair of bone fasteners.    
     
     
         9 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 8  wherein at least a portion of said bottom surface of said support plate comprises a texturized surface, said texturized surface enhancing engagement of said support plate to bone material.  
     
     
         10 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 8  wherein said cover plate of said bone fastener cover assembly simultaneously covers, at least in part, said bone fasteners in at least 4 slot-shaped apertures of said support plate, where one or both longitudinal and transverse movement of said cover plate tends to simultaneously cover a said bone fastener in at least one aperture while uncovering another said bone fastener in another aperture, whereby at no time are said bone fasteners in all apertures uncovered.  
     
     
         11 . A bone support assembly for support of bone structure, said bone support assembly comprising: 
 (a) a support plate comprising a top surface, a bottom surface adapted to engage such bone structure, a fixed base portion, and a slot portion, said fixed base portion comprising base apertures, said slot portion comprising slot-shaped apertures;    (b) bone fasteners disposed in ones of the base apertures and the slot-shaped apertures, said bone fasteners and said support plate, in combination, being adapted and configured for holding said support plate to bone material;    (c) a base portion cover assembly disposed at said fixed base portion; and    (d) a slot portion cover assembly disposed at said slot portion.    
     
     
         12 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 11 , said base portion cover assembly comprising a base cover plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, at least one base cover plate fastener, and at least one base cover plate aperture spanning from the upper surface of said base cover plate toward the lower surface of said base cover plate.  
     
     
         13 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 12 , size of said at least one base cover plate aperture being greater than a corresponding size of said at least one base cover plate fastener by a first dimension greater than or substantially equal to that amount of bidirectional movement of said base cover plate about said base cover plate fastener relative to said support plate necessary to gain fastening access to at least one said bone fastener of said support plate while prohibiting fastening access to at least another said bone fastener, whereby at no time are all bone fasteners accessible for fastening to said bone structure.  
     
     
         14 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 12 , said at least one base cover plate aperture comprising an aperture wall, wherein an upper portion of said aperture wall comprises an inwardly-tapered frustoconical configuration extending inwardly toward the lower surface of said base cover plate.  
     
     
         15 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 11 , said base portion cover assembly comprising a base cover plate, said base cover plate overlapping a portion of at least one said bone fastener in at least one of said base apertures of said support plate.  
     
     
         16 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 15 , including a slot in at least one of said base cover plate and said support plate, accommodating sliding of said base cover plate into overlying relationship with first ones of said bone fasteners, and out of overlying relationship with second ones of said bone fasteners.  
     
     
         17 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 11  wherein said base cover plate and said support plate, in combination, are designed and configured to enable bidirectional adjustment of said base cover plate, with respect to said support plate, while maintaining said support plate connected to said base cover plate.  
     
     
         18 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 11 , said slot portion cover assembly comprising a settle cover plate having a superior surface and an inferior surface, at least one settle cover plate aperture spanning from said superior surface to said inferior surface of said settle cover plate, and at least one settle cover plate fastener in said at least one settle cover plate aperture.  
     
     
         19 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 12 , said slot portion cover assembly comprising a settle cover plate having a superior surface and an inferior surface, at least one settle cover plate aperture spanning from said superior surface to said inferior surface of said settle cover plate, and at least one settle cover plate fastener in said at least one settle cover plate aperture.  
     
     
         20 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 11 , said at least one settle cover plate aperture comprising an aperture wall, wherein an upper portion of said aperture wall comprises an inwardly-tapered frustoconical configuration adjacent the superior surface of said settle cover plate and extending toward the inferior surface of said settle cover plate.  
     
     
         21 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 11 , said slot portion cover assembly comprising a settle cover plate, said settle cover plate overlapping a portion of at least one said bone fastener in at least one said slot-shaped aperture of said support plate.  
     
     
         22 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 21  wherein said settle cover plate and said support plate are, in combination, designed and configured to enable bidirectional adjustment of said settle cover plate, with respect to said support plate, while maintaining said support plate connected to said settle cover plate.  
     
     
         23 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 11  wherein at least a portion of said bottom surface of said support plate comprises a texturized surface, said texturized surface enhancing engagement of said support plate to bone material.  
     
     
         24 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 11  wherein the slot-shaped apertures are designed and configured to enable respective bone fasteners to be inserted into respective said slot-shaped apertures such that the slot-shaped apertures accommodate movement of the bone support plate with respect to the bone fasteners.  
     
     
         25 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 21  wherein said settle cover plate can simultaneously cover, at least in part, said bone fasteners in at least 4 slot-shaped apertures of said slot portion, where one or both longitudinal and transverse movement of said settle cover plate tends to simultaneously cover a said bone fastener in at least one said aperture while uncovering another said bone fastener in another said aperture, whereby at no time are all bone fasteners in all apertures uncovered.  
     
     
         26 . A bone support assembly as in  claim 22  wherein said settle cover plate can simultaneously cover, at least in part, said bone fasteners in at least 4 slot-shaped apertures of said slot portion, where one or both longitudinal and transverse movement of said settle cover plate tends to simultaneously cover a said bone fastener in at least one said aperture while uncovering another said bone fastener in another said aperture, whereby at no time are all bone fasteners in all apertures uncovered.  
     
     
         27 . A method of mounting a support to bone structure, the method comprising: 
 (a) providing a bone support assembly comprising 
 (i) a support plate adapted to support bone structure, the support plate comprising a fixed base portion having base apertures, and a slot portion having slot-shaped apertures,  
 (ii) bone fasteners in ones of the base apertures and the slot-shaped apertures, and  
 (iii) a cover plate disposed over a top surface of the support plate;  
   (b) moving the bone support assembly into position over bone structure to be supported;    (c) sliding the cover plate, as necessary, away from a position over ones but not all of the bone fasteners thus to expose such fasteners for fastening, and fastening the bone fasteners to the bone structure; and    (d) sliding the cover plate at least partially over the bone fasteners so fastened and tightening the cover plate to the support plate thereby to prevent movement of the cover plate with respect to the fastened bone fasteners and correspondingly preventing extraction of the fastened bone fasteners from the bone structure.    
     
     
         28 . A method of mounting a support to bone structure as in  claim 27 , the cover plate being disposed over the base apertures at the fixed base portion, the method further including 
 (e) providing a settle plate over a second portion of the top surface of the support plate at the slot portion;    (f) sliding the settle plate away from the position over additional respective ones of the bone fasteners disposed in the slot-shaped apertures, and fastening the respective bone fasteners, in the slot-shaped apertures, to the bone structure; and    (f) sliding the settle plate at least partially over the respective fastened bone fasteners and tightening the settle plate to the support plate thereby to prevent movement of the settle plate, and correspondingly preventing extraction of the fastened bone fasteners.    
     
     
         29 . A method of stabilizing bone structure as in claim  38 , including using the settle plate to simultaneously cover, at least in part, the bone fasteners in each of at least 4 slot-shaped apertures of the slot portion, where one or both longitudinal and transverse movement of the settle plate tends to simultaneously cover a respective bone fastener in at least one aperture while uncovering another respective bone fastener in another aperture, whereby at no time are all bone fasteners in all apertures uncovered.