Guide, bearing means for a guide and method and parts for forming bearing means for a guide

A modular ball cage for a slide guide comprising:

• a bridge part including opposed spaced generally parallel end parts having first and second ends in a longitudinal direction, wherein an end of each end part includes a coupling element, the end parts coupled by a mid-section extending between the first and second end parts;
• a pair of opposed parallel module strips, each module strip including at least one guide strip module having opposing ends including coupling elements, the at least one guide strip module including a plurality of spaced openings having a ball bearing disposed therein, the coupling elements of the guide strip modules being configured to permit the guide strip modules to be coupled end to end, the coupling element of each end part of the bridge part being coupled to one of the coupling elements of the at least one guide strip module of each module strip to retain the module strips in opposed spaced parallel relation.

A kit of parts for use in forming a bearing cage for a slide guide comprising:

• a plurality of guide strip modules having a longitudinal direction and opposing ends in the longitudinal direction, each end including a coupling element, wherein the coupling elements are configured to allow a coupling element of each guide strip module of the plurality of guide strip modules to be releasably connected to another coupling element of another one of the plurality of guide strip modules, wherein the plurality of guide strip modules each include a plurality of openings spaced in the longitudinal direction and a ball bearing disposed in at least some of the openings.

A bearing cage for a slide guide comprising:

• at least two module strips and a bridge portion, the bridge portion coupling the module strips in a spaced apart, parallel relationship, wherein each module strip includes at least one guide strip module having coupling elements at opposing ends thereof and the bridge portion includes parallel spaced end parts interconnected by a mid-section, the at least one guide strip module in each module strip including a plurality of spaced openings and a ball bearing disposed in each of the plurality of the openings, each guide strip module being coupleable end to end in a longitudinal direction to another guide strip module via the coupling elements at respective ends thereof, wherein a coupling element of one of the at least one guide strip module within each module strip is releasably coupled to a cooperative coupling element on one end of each end part of the bridge part to secure the module strips in the spaced apart parallel relationship.