Apparatus for retaining a bone anchor in a bone plate and method for use thereof

A medical implant using a first:

• and second bone anchor for attachment of the medical implant to a boney element, the medical implant comprising:
• a bone plate having a first aperture and a second aperture, said first and second apertures located through said bone plate, said first aperture adapted to receive at least a portion of said first bone anchor, said second aperture adapted to receive at least a portion of said second bone anchor, said bone plate further including a seat extending in a first direction from said first aperture to said second aperture;
• and
• a retention mechanism coupled to said bone plate, said retention mechanism comprising a retainer and a biasing member adapted to be operatively engaged with at least said retainer, said retainer moveable to and from at least a first position, a second position and a third position, said first position allowing said bone plate to receive said first bone anchor in said first aperture, said second position allowing said bone plate to receive said second bone anchor in said second aperture, said third position allowing said retention mechanism to retain said first and second bone anchors in said bone plate, wherein said retainer moves linearly in said seat in said first direction from said third position to said first position and said retainer moves linearly in said seat opposite said first direction from said third position to said second position and said biasing member normally biases said retainer to said third position,
• wherein insertion of said first bone anchor in said first aperture causes said retainer to linearly move in said first direction from said third position to said first position and elastically deform said biasing member, wherein insertion of said second bone anchor in said second aperture causes said retainer to linearly move opposite said first direction from said third position to said second position and elastically deform said biasing member, and wherein said biasing member causes said retainer to linearly move from either of said first and second positions to said third position to retain said first and second bone anchors in said bone plate, wherein:
• wherein said bone plate further comprises first and second channels extending along opposite sides of said seat and said retainer includes tabs extending from opposite sides thereof, said tabs sliding along respective ones of said first and second channels when moving from said third position to said first and second positions with said first and second channels capturing said retainer in said bone plate;
• and
• said seat includes a first stop extending therein adjacent to said first aperture, a second stop extending therein adjacent to said second aperture, said scat further defining grooves on opposite sides of each of said first and second stops, and said retainer includes contacting portions extending from a bottom surface of said retainer, said contacting portions being configured to move through said grooves as said retainer moves from said third position to said first and second positions.