Linear motion bearing system with self-aligning rail

A linear motion bearing system comprising:

• a rolling element retainer structure having at least a portion of a plurality of open axial rolling element tracks formed therein, said rolling element tracks including an open load bearing portion, an open return portion and turnarounds interconnecting the load bearing and return portions;
• a plurality of bearing rolling elements disposed in the rolling element tracks;
• a plurality of load bearing outer races axially positioned adjacent the rolling element retainer structure, the load bearing outer races effective to receive load from the rolling elements disposed in the load bearing portion of the rolling element tracks;
• an outer housing sleeve effective to hold the rolling element retainer structure;
• and
• a rail effective to mate with the rolling element retainer structure, the rail including at least one recess sized and shaped so as to be mateable with at least one of the bearing rolling elements and a base portion effective to mate with the rolling element retainer structure, wherein
• the base portion includes at least one of a rectangular solid, a diamond cross-section, an hourglass cross-section, a cylindrical configuration, or a spline configuration;
• the recess has a half-circle cross-section and extends along a length of the rail;
• the radius and circumference of the recess corresponds to a radius and circumference of the bearing rolling elements;
• and
• the recess has a half-cylinder shape.