Paragraph Number

37

Optionally, each of the rotatable structures 112 may include a pair of opposed arms 114, with each arm blocking withdrawal of a respective screw 104 when the rotatable structure 112 is in the locked orientation. In some embodiments, a locking mechanism may be shaped to block withdrawal of one, three, or more screws rather than two. In such configurations (not shown), the locking mechanisms may have one, three, or more arms, with one arm for each screw 104 the locking mechanism is to retain. In some embodiments, the arms 114 may not only interfere with linear motion of the screws 104 out of the bones 102 but may also interfere with rotation of the screws 104 in a direction that would loosen their engagement with the bones 102 (for example, counterclockwise in the view of FIG. 1A).

Added by DJM 5 2021