Roller-Bearing Cable Guide

Compact, low-torsion cable guide with a bearing-mounted collet and dual-rail carriage for quiet, low-resistance travel in tethered rodent recordings. ## Description Designed for linear-track experiments, this guide prevents torsion on the headstage cable while allowing smooth travel along the track. A collet mounted in a roller bearing isolates twist from the signal cable as the animal runs, and the carriage rides on dual stainless-steel rails using adjustable plastic roller bearings for quiet motion. ## Role and Contributions - Designed and fabricated - Integrated into linear-track recording rigs ## Key Specs - **Cable interface:** collet accommodates 3/16 in cable; twist isolation via roller bearing - **Guide travel:** along two 4 ft, 1/2 in diameter stainless-steel rails - **Bearings:** plastic roller bearings on rails; internal roller bearing at collet - **Commutator-ready:** intended for use downstream of a commutator to minimize cable torsion - **Serviceability:** field-adjustable preload on roller bearings; standard hand tools ## Materials and Fabrication - **Housing and collet**: SLA-printed resin two-part housing and two-part collet - **Rails**: 1/2 in diameter stainless-steel rails, 4 ft length - **Bearings**: plastic races with 316 stainless balls; 3/4 in ID × 1.625 in OD and 1/8 in ID × 0.375 in OD - **Hardware**: #4-40 stainless bolts with nylon-insert lock nuts and #4 washers for roller assemblies ## Validation and Performance In-rig and in vivo use with stable recordings for 2 experiments and 3 rigs. ## Deployment and Status - **Development:** completed, Jan 2018–Feb 2018 - **Deployment:** Barnes Lab, University of Arizona (2 studies; 3 rigs) - **Status:** active, Feb 2018–present, Barnes Lab ## Release - **CAD:** STEP files available in portfolio (see 3D Model Files) - **On request:** additional design files ## Licensing - **Hardware:** CERN-OHL-W v2.0 - **Documentation:** CC BY 4.0 ## Included files *Attached on this page.* ### Image Files - **render_1.png:** three-quarter view (front, right, top) render of the cable guide assembly - **render_2_annotated.png:** annotated three-quarter view (front, right, top) render of the cable guide assembly - **render_3.png:** top view render of the cable guide assembly ### 3D Model Files - **cable_guide_TOP_ASSY.step:** top-level assembly of the cable guide - **cable_guide_PART_housing_a.step:** first housing half - **cable_guide_PART_housing_b.step:** second housing half - **cable_guide_PART_split_collet.step:** two-part split collet for 3/16 in cable