Slide-able mount for an image device

Abstract

A camera slider system that supports a camera for longitudinal sliding. The camera sliding system comprises a pair of longitudinal rail members and a carriage system. The rail members are spaced at a substantially constant distance apart. The carriage system further comprises of a base plate upon which a camera mounting plate is fixed, along with a pair of wheel support assemblies. Each wheel support assembly engages the corresponding rail member to support longitudinal movement. Each wheel assembly further comprises of three rollers, wherein two rollers engage the interior surface of the corresponding rail member, and one roller engages the exterior surface of the same rail member. The arrangement of rollers is coplanar with the plane of the rail members. The exterior roller of each wheel assembly is adjustable relative to the corresponding rail member to accommodate any flaw in the rail profile.

1 .- 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A camera slider for supporting a camera for longitudinal movement, comprising:
 a track assembly, the track assembly including at least a first rail member and a second rail member, the first rail member and the second rail member oriented longitudinally;   a carriage assembly, the carriage assembly configured for longitudinal movement along the track assembly and including at least:
 a camera mounting plate configured for receiving a removably couplable camera; 
 a first roller disposed adjacent to the first rail member, the first roller coupled with a first underside portion of the carriage assembly via a first roller fastener defining a center axis through the first roller, the first roller laterally coplanar with a plane through the first and second rail members; and 
 a second roller disposed adjacent to the second rail member, the second roller coupled with a second underside portion of the carriage assembly via a second roller fastener defining a center axis through the second roller, the second roller laterally coplanar with a plane through the first and second rail members; 
   an endplate disposed at each end of the track assembly and configured for spacing the first rail member and the second rail member at a substantially constant distance apart, the endplate including at least two endplate holes, each of the two endplate holes configured for receiving a rail member of the track assembly; and   four legs, wherein a leg is disposed towards each side of an endplate, each leg including at least a ball at a base of the leg.   
     
     
         18 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein each of the four legs is removably couplable with an endplate. 
     
     
         19 . The camera slider of  claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of each of the four legs is threaded, and wherein at least a portion of an endplate is configured for threadably receiving a threaded portion of a leg. 
     
     
         20 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein a leg is independently adjustable in at least two places. 
     
     
         21 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein a height of a leg is threadably adjustable. 
     
     
         22 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein a threaded fastener couples a leg with an endplate. 
     
     
         23 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein a threaded fastener is disposed through at least a portion of a leg for coupling the leg with an endplate. 
     
     
         24 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein the ball at a base of the leg is spherical. 
     
     
         25 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein a leg includes at least a threaded channel disposed at a foot of the leg, the threaded channel configured for receiving a threaded stem of a threaded ball joint assembly. 
     
     
         26 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein the first roller and the second roller are laterally coplanar with the plane through the first and second rail members and with each other. 
     
     
         27 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein a top surface of an endplate is defined by a cavity portion. 
     
     
         28 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein an endplate has an extended-U profile. 
     
     
         29 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein a top surface of the endplate is substantially flat in the middle with a raised profile at ends of the top surface of the endplate, the raised profile for accommodating the first rail member and the second rail member. 
     
     
         30 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second roller fasteners are configured for receiving a hexagonal tool for tightening. 
     
     
         31 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , including at least a third roller and a fourth roller, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth rollers are disposed between the first rail member and the second rail member. 
     
     
         32 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein an endplate includes at least one threaded hole configured for removably coupling at least one threadably-removable camera accessories with the camera slider. 
     
     
         33 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein an endplate includes at least one threaded channel disposed through the endplate in a longitudinal direction and at least one threaded channel disposed through the endplate in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         34 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , wherein an endplate includes at least one threaded channel disposed through the endplate in a longitudinal direction and at least two threaded channels disposed through the endplate in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         35 . The camera slider of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one rubber bumper fixedly disposed between the carriage assembly and an endplate. 
     
     
         36 . A camera slider for supporting a camera for longitudinal movement, comprising:
 a track assembly, the track assembly including at least a first rail member and a second rail member, the first rail member and the second rail member oriented longitudinally;   a carriage assembly, the carriage assembly configured for longitudinal movement along the track assembly and including at least:
 a camera mounting plate configured for receiving a removably couplable camera; 
 a first roller disposed adjacent to the first rail member, the first roller coupled with a first underside portion of the carriage assembly via a first roller fastener defining a center axis through the first roller and configured for receiving a hexagonal tool for tightening, the first roller laterally coplanar with a plane through the first and second rail members; 
 a second roller disposed adjacent to the second rail member, the second roller coupled with a second underside portion of the carriage assembly via a second roller fastener defining a center axis through the second roller and configured for receiving a hexagonal tool for tightening, the second roller laterally coplanar with a plane through the first and second rail members; 
 a third roller disposed adjacent to the first rail member, the first roller coupled with a third underside portion of the carriage assembly via a third roller fastener defining a center axis through the third roller and configured for receiving a hexagonal tool for tightening, the third roller laterally coplanar with a plane through the first and second rail members; and 
 a fourth roller disposed adjacent to the second rail member, the fourth roller coupled with a fourth underside portion of the carriage assembly via a fourth roller fastener defining a center axis through the fourth roller and configured for receiving a hexagonal tool for tightening, the fourth roller laterally coplanar with a plane through the first and second rail members, 
 wherein the first, second, third, and fourth rollers are disposed between the first rail member and the second rail member; 
   an endplate disposed at each end of the track assembly and configured for spacing the first rail member and the second rail member at a substantially constant distance apart, the endplate including at least two endplate holes, each of the two endplate holes configured for receiving a rail member of the track assembly, wherein a top surface of the endplate is substantially flat in the middle with a raised profile at ends of the top surface of the endplate, the raised profile for accommodating the first rail member and the second rail member, wherein an endplate includes at least one threaded channel disposed through the endplate in a longitudinal direction and at least two threaded channels disposed through the endplate in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction;   four legs, two legs threadably removably coupled with each endplate, wherein a leg is disposed towards each side of an endplate, each leg including at least a ball at a base of the leg, wherein a height of a leg is threadably adjustable; and   at least one rubber bumper fixedly disposed between the carriage assembly and an endplate.