To lead the end of the Bowden cable, the spring and other components, linear bearings are necessary. To be able to connect them to the aluminum profiles without any adapters, the bearings are also from “item”. These are profiled steel rail guide systems.

To fix a bearing at an aluminum profile, a bar has to be shifted into the groove of the profile. This bar can be imagined as T-nut-slot with the length of the bearing. In the bar are several threaded holes to connect the bar with the linear guide rail by the use of screws.

The linear motion along the rails can be realized by bearing carriages, where mechanical components can be mounted. Typically, on one rail is one bearing carriage. To realize a series connection of two or more mechanical components, more than one carriage can be placed on one rail.

If a parallel connection is needed, two rails have to be placed parallel to each other. The carriages on these rails have to be connected inelastic to avoid relative motion between them. The connection can be fulfilled by using aluminium profiles, which can be screwed on the carriages.

To realize most of the common muscle models, three parallel linear bearings and four carriages are necessary. In context of this project only a serial spring is implemented. Figure 6.6 shows the linear bearing with a carriage.

<imgcaption image1|Linear bearing fixed on aluminum profile, bearing carriage. Source: item Industrietechnik GmbH> </imgcaption>

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