STRUCTURE FOR JOINING AND RETAINING MULTI-PART ORTHOPEDIC IMPLANTS

摘要

An orthopedic implant structure is provided for joining and retaining components of a multi-part orthopedic device. The orthopedic implant joining and retaining structure may be embodied in two or more components of the multi-part orthopedic device. In one form, the multi-part orthopedic implant structure is a resilient snap structure (36) such as a resilient flange (50) in one part (12a) and a channel structure (34) formed in another part (12b) of an orthopedic implant (10). A channel (40) of the channel structure (34) may have a cavity (42) formed at a rear of the channel (40) that accepts a configured lip (52) formed on an end of the resilient flange (50). According to another embodiment, the retaining structure includes resilient snap flanges (202) formed on an interconnection component (166) of the multi part orthopedic implant (160). A corresponding bore (198) in another part (164) of the multi-part orthopedic implant (160) receives the interconnection component (166).