Patent Publication Number: US-2021188132-A1

Title: Seat slider device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-228554 filed on Dec. 18, 2019, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference into the present application. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The teaching disclosed herein relates to a seat slider device configured to slide a seat of a vehicle. In particular, the teaching disclosed herein relates to a seat slider device that can be easily attached to a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A seat slider device includes an upper rail attachable to a seat and a lower rail that slidably holds the upper rail and is attached to a vehicle. The lower rail is provided with an elongate bottom plate including a through hole, a pair of outer vertical plates, a pair of upper plates, and a pair of inner vertical plates. The outer vertical plates extend upward respectively from ends of the bottom plate in a short direction. The upper plates horizontally extend respectively from upper ends of the outer vertical plates to inside of the lower rail. The inner vertical plates extend downward respectively from inner ends of the upper plates. 
     The lower rail is fixed to the vehicle body with a bolt that passes through the through hole of the bottom plate. It is burdensome to pass the bolt between the inner vertical plates after the lower rail has been set to the vehicle body. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-322678 describes a seat slider device that temporarily retains a bolt in its lower rail before the lower rail is fixed to a vehicle body with the bolt. In the seat slider device of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-322678, the bolt is temporarily retained, with the bolt passing through a washer and a bottom plate of the lower rail, by a toothed retaining ring from below the bottom plate. 
     SUMMARY 
     In the seat slider device of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-322678, the retaining ring remains between the bottom plate and the vehicle body when the lower rail is attached to the vehicle body, which results in an unnecessary gap between the bottom plate and the vehicle body. 
     In a seat slider device disclosed herein, a retainer configured to temporarily retain a bolt and a washer in a lower rail is disposed inside a lower rail. Thus, there is no unnecessary gap between a bottom plate of the lower rail and a vehicle body in this seat slider device. As mentioned above, the lower rail comprises an elongate bottom plate including a through hole, a pair of outer vertical plates, a pair of upper plates, and a pair of inner vertical plates. 
     In one aspect, the retainer may comprise a spacer constituted of resin and a retaining ring constituted of resin. The spacer may be integrated on the washer and have a tube shape. An outer diameter of the spacer may be larger than a gap (interval) between the pair of inner vertical plates. An inner diameter of the spacer may be equal to or larger than an outer diameter of a head of the bolt. The retaining ring may be provided on an inner surface of the washer, and a threaded portion of the bolt may be press-fitted to the retaining ring. A groove may be provided in a surface of the washer, and the spacer and the retaining ring may be connected to each other by a resin rod disposed in the groove. 
     With a mere use of the retaining ring, which is provided on the inner surface of the thin washer, alone, the bolt may detach from the washer together with the retaining ring. The retaining ring is connected to the spacer by the resin rod in the groove of the washer, thus it is less likely to detach from the washer. Further, the spacer, which is held between the bottom plate and the pair of inner vertical plates, prevents the washer and the bolt from detaching from the lower rail. 
     Although the resin rod is disposed in the groove of the washer, the surface of the washer is not covered with resin. Since there is no resin between the head of the bolt and the washer and also between the washer and the bottom plate, the bottom plate (lower rail) can be firmly fixed with the bolt to the vehicle body. The resin rod may fill the groove of the washer with no space left therein. 
     In another aspect, the retainer may have a U-shape. The retainer may be disposed in the lower rail with the U-shape inversed. Both ends of the retainer (both ends of the U-shape) may be in contact with the bottom plate of the lower rail and a center of the retainer (center of the U-shape) may be in contact with the pair of inner vertical plates. The retainer may be held in the lower rail by being compressed between the bottom plate and the pair of inner vertical plates. A hole may be provided in the center of the retainer, and the bolt may be press-fitted in the hole. The washer may be held between the center of the retainer and the pair of inner vertical plates. The retainer may include a hook configured to hold the washer. 
     The washer may be held between the retainer and the bottom plate instead of between the center of the retainer and the pair of inner vertical plates. For example, the retainer may comprise an arm extending from one of the both ends of the retainer (one of the ends of the U-shape) along the bottom plate, and the washer may be held between the arm and the bottom plate. 
     In yet another aspect, the retainer may be a thin plate including a hole in which the bolt is press-fitted. The retainer may comprise an outer hook extending upward from an outer edge of the thin plate and configured to hold the washer. The retainer may further comprise an inner hook extending downward from an edge of the hole. The inner hook may be configured to be hooked on the through hole of the bottom plate to temporarily retain the washer and the bolt. 
     In any of the aspects above, the retainer temporarily retains the bolt and the washer within the lower rail. Thus, no unnecessary gap is left between the bottom plate and the vehicle body when the lower rail is attached to the vehicle body. It should be noted that in the third aspect, the inner hook remains between the bottom plate and the vehicle body, however, the inner hook can be crushed between the bottom plate and the vehicle body, resulting in no unnecessary gap therebetween. 
     Details and further developments of the art disclosed herein will be described in DETAILED DESCRIPTION as below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an external view of a seat slider device according to a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a lower rail with a retainer and a bolt detached therefrom. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the retainer. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a vertically cut half of the retainer. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the seat slider device according to the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of a washer according to a variant. 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of a seat slider device according to a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of the seat slider device according to the second embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of a seat slider device according to a third embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view of the seat slider device according to the third embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded view of a seat slider device according to a fourth embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view of a retainer and a washer (before a bolt is inserted). 
         FIG. 13  is a cross sectional view of the retainer and the washer (with the bolt inserted). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     (First Embodiment) A seat slider device  2  according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.  FIG. 1  shows a side view of the seat slider device  2  attached to a vehicle. The seat slider device  2  comprises a lower rail  10  and an upper rail  20 . The lower rail  10  extends long. The lower rail  10  holds the upper rail  20  movably (slidably) in its longitudinal direction. 
     The lower rail  10  is fixed to a floor panel  80  of the vehicle body with a plurality of bolts  3 . The upper rail  20  is attached to a lower portion of a cushion (seat cushion  91 ) of a seat  90 . The upper rail  20  is attached to the lower portion of the seat cushion  91  via a frame (not shown). The seat slider device  2  is attached to each of right and left sides of the lower portion of the seat cushion  91 . In the coordinate system of the drawings, an X direction corresponds to a longitudinal direction of the lower rail  10  and the upper rail  20 , a Y direction corresponds to a short direction of the rails, and a +Z direction corresponds to an upward direction. Hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of the lower rail  10  (X direction in the coordinate system of the drawings) will be termed a rail longitudinal direction, and the short direction of the lower rail  10  (Y direction in the coordinate system of the drawings) will be termed a rail short direction. 
     As described, the lower rail  10  is fixed to the floor panel  80  of the vehicle body with the plurality of bolts  3 . The seat slider device  2  according to the present embodiment enables the bolts  3  to be temporarily retained to the lower rail  10  before the lower rail  10  is attached to the vehicle body to facilitate the attachment of the lower rail  10  to the vehicle body. 
     The seat slider device  2  comprises retainers  30  configured to temporarily retain the bolts  3  to the lower rail  10 .  FIG. 2  shows an exploded perspective view of a part of the lower rail  10  with one pair of the retainer  30  and the bolt  3  detached from the lower rail. In  FIG. 2 , the floor panel  80  to which the seat slider device  2  is attached and a nut  81  to which the bolt  3  is fixed are depicted by double-dotted chain lines. Firstly, a structure of the lower rail  10  will be described with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
     The lower rail  10  comprises a bottom plate  11 , a pair of outer vertical plates  12 , a pair of upper plates  13 , and a pair of inner vertical plates  14 . It should be noted that the bottom plate  11 , the pair of outer vertical plates  12 , the pair of upper plates  13 , and the pair of inner vertical plates  14  are fabricated from a single steel plate, however, they will be described as different parts as above for the purpose of convenience. 
     A through hole  15  is provided in the bottom plate  11 . The outer vertical plates  12  extend upward respectively from both ends of the bottom plate  11  in the rail short direction (in the Y direction). The upper plates  13  horizontally extend to inside of the lower rail respectively from upper ends of the outer vertical plates  12 . Here, “inside” means inward directions toward a center of the lower rail  10  in the rail short direction. In other words, the upper plates  13  extend to approach each other. 
     The inner vertical plates  14  extend downward respectively from inner ends of the upper plates  13 . The inner plates  14  are parallel and face to each other. Wheels (not shown) of the upper rail  20  are housed in spaces defined by the outer vertical plates  12 , the upper plates  13 , and the inner vertical plates  14 . Since any conventional upper rail can be used as the upper rail  20 , detailed description and drawings for the upper rail  20  are omitted. 
     The lower rail  10  (seat slider device  2 ) is fixed to the floor panel  80  with the bolt  3 . The bolt  3  passes through the through hole  15  and the floor panel  80  and is fixed with the nut  81 . It should be noted that the nut  81  is welded on a lower surface of the floor panel  80 , however,  FIG. 2  shows the nut  81  is separated from the floor panel  80  to help understanding. 
     A hexagonal hole is provided in an upper surface of a head  3   a  of the bolt  3 . The bolt  3  is configured to be tightened with a hexagon wrench, and the head  3   a  has a cylindrical shape. A washer is held between the bottom plate  11  of the lower rail  10  and the head  3   a  of the bolt  3 , however, the washer is invisible in  FIG. 2  because it is embedded in a lower portion of the retainer  30 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the retainer  30 , and  FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a vertically cut half of the retainer  30 . The retainer  30  comprises a spacer  31  constituted of resin and a retaining ring  33 . In  FIG. 3 , the spacer  31  and the retaining ring  33  are depicted by double-dotted chain lines to help understanding for a structure of a washer  40 . As described, the washer  40  is embedded in the lower portion of the retainer  30 . The spacer  31  and the retaining ring  33  are fabricated by insert molding in which the washer  40  is placed in a mold and molten resin is injected into the mold. 
     The spacer  31  has a tube shape and is provided with a center hole  32 . The center hole  32  is coaxially positioned with a hole of the washer  40 . The spacer  31  according to the present embodiment has a cylindrical tube shape, however, the spacer  31  may have a conical tube shape in which a diameter thereof decreases upward. 
     The retaining ring  33  is disposed on an inner surface of the washer  40 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a plurality of grooves  41  is provided in a surface of the washer  40  and the grooves  41  extend from an outer edge of the washer  40  to an inner edge thereof. As shown in  FIG. 4 , resin rods  34  are embedded in the grooves  41  respectively, and the spacer  31  and the retaining ring  33  are connected to each other by the resin rods  34 . The spacer  31 , the retaining ring  33 , and the resin rods  34  are integrally fabricated by resin injection molding. Thus, the resin rods  34  fill the grooves  41  with no space left therein. The resin rods  34  do not stick out from the grooves  41 . 
     An inner diameter of the retaining ring  33  is slightly smaller than a diameter of the bolt  3 . The bolt  3  is press-fitted to the retaining ring  33 . The bolt  3  is retained in the retainer  30  by the bolt  3  being press-fitted to the retaining ring  33 . Since the retaining ring  33  is connected to the spacer  32  by the plurality of resin rods  34 , the retaining ring  33  does not detach from the washer  40  when the bolt  3  is pressed into the retaining ring  33 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a cross sectional view of the seat slider device  2 . The cross section of  FIG. 5  is obtained by cutting the seat slider device  2  along a plane perpendicular to the rail longitudinal direction.  FIG. 5  also shows a cross section of the retainer  30  in which the bolt  3  is retained. The retainer  30  is retaining the bolt  3  and an end of the bolt  3  is passed through the through hole  15  of the bottom plate  11  of the lower rail  10 . An outer diameter D 1  of the spacer  31  (outer diameter D 1  of the retainer  30 ) is larger than a gap D 2  between the pair of inner vertical plates  14 . Thus, the retainer  30  (bolt  3 ) does not detach upward (in the +Z direction). Further, since the bolt  3  is passed through the through hole  15 , movement of the bolt  3  is restricted with respect to a horizontal plane (XY plane). That is, the retainer  30  temporarily retains the bolt  3  within the lower rail  10  by holding the bolt  3  with its end passed through the through hole  15 . Since the retainer  30  also holds the washer  40 , it also temporarily retains the washer  40  with the bolt  3  passed through the washer  40 . 
     An inner diameter D 3  of the spacer  31  is larger than an outer diameter D 4  of the head  3   a  of the bolt  3 . The head  3   a  is retained inside the spacer  31 . 
     The lower right diagram of  FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of a vicinity of the retaining ring  33 . As described, the resin rods  34  are embedded in the grooves  41  provided in the surface of the washer  40 , and the surface of the washer  40  is exposed. The resin rods  34  do not stick out from the grooves  41 . When the bolt  3  is tightened into the floor panel  80 , a lower surface of the head  3   a  comes into direct contact with the surface of the washer  40 . Since no resin is interposed between the head  3   a  and the washer  40  when the bolt  3  is tightened, the bottom plate  11  can be firmly fixed with the bolt  3 , and the tightened bolt  3  less likely loosens. 
     In the enlarged view of the lower right diagram of  FIG. 5 , the bolt  3  is depicted by a double-dotted chain line. A protrusion  42  is provided on the inner surface of the washer  40 , and this protrusion  42  bites into the retaining ring  33 . The protrusion  42  helps to suppress the retaining ring  33  from detaching from the washer  40 , as well. 
     A flap  35  is provided on an inner surface of the retaining ring  33 , and the flap  35  extends downward toward the center of the ring. The retaining ring  33  (retainer  30 ) holds the bolt  3  by the flap  35  being stuck in the bolt  3 .  FIG. 4  omits depiction of the flap  35 . 
     As described, the retainer  30  temporarily retains the bolt  3  and the washer  40  within the lower rail  10 . The seat slider device  2  according to the present embodiment allows the bolt  3  and the washer  40  to be retained in the lower rail  10  without disposing an extra member dedicated to fixing the lower rail  10  to the floor panel  80  below the bottom plate  22  of the lower rail  10 . When the seat slider device  2  is set on the floor panel  80  and the temporarily retained bolt  3  is then tightened with a hexagon wrench, the bolt  3  is fixed to the nut  81  (see  FIG. 2 ) and the lower rail  10  is fixed to the floor panel  80 . The washer  40  is held between the head  3   a  of the bolt  3  and the bottom plate  11 . As such, the extra member is not interposed between the lower rail  10  and the floor panel  80  when the bolt  3  is fixed to the floor panel  80  (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), thus there is no unnecessary gap between the lower rail  10  and the floor panel  80 . 
     The washer  40  is held in the resin retainer  30  with its surface (part of the surface excluding the grooves  41 ) exposed. Since the lower surface of the head  3   a  directly contacts the washer  40  when the bolt  3  is tightened, the bottom plate  11  can be firmly fixed and the tightened bolt  3  less likely comes loose. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the lower rail  10  is fixed to the floor panel  80  with the plurality of bolts  3 . Each of the bolts  3  is temporarily retained in the lower rail  10  by its corresponding retainer  30  shown in  FIGS. 2 to 5 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , the retainer  30  including a washer  140  according to a variant will be described. In  FIG. 6 , the retainer  30  is depicted by a double-dotted chain line. An outer edge  141  of the washer  140  is inclined upward and the outer edge  141  bites into the spacer  31 . This configuration enables the washer  140  to less likely detach from the spacer  31 . 
     (Second Embodiment) A seat slider device  2   a  according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 .  FIG. 7  shows an exploded view in which a retainer  230  and a washer  240  are detached from the lower rail  10 . In  FIG. 7 , the floor panel  80  and the nut  81  are depicted by double-dotted chain lines.  FIG. 7  shows a cross section of the lower rail  10 . The lower rail  10  extends along a X direction in the coordinate system in the drawing, and the washer  240  and the retainer  230  are disposed within the lower rail  10 . 
       FIG. 8  shows a cross section of the seat slider device  2   a  that is obtained by cutting the seat slider device  2   a  along a plane perpendicular to the rail short direction.  FIG. 8  shows cross sections of the retainer  230  and the washer  240 . 
     The seat slider device  2   a  according to the second embodiment also enables the bolt  3  and the washer  240  to be temporarily retained within the lower rail  10  before the lower rail  10  is fixed to the floor panel  80 . 
     Each washer  240  comprises a rectangular main body provided with a hole  241  and four arms  242  which extend upward and toward a center of the main body from ends of the main body in the rail longitudinal direction. The arms  242  are for preventing dust from entering between the washer  240  and the bottom plate  11  of the lower rail  10 . 
     Notches  243  are provided respectively between two of the arms  242  that are adjacent to each other in the rail short direction and between the other two arms  242 . Ends of the main body of the washer  240  in the rail short direction are inclined upward and outward. 
     The retainer  230  is constituted of resin or a metal plate. The retainer  230  has a U-shape. The retainer  230  is disposed in the lower rail  10  with the U-shape inversed. Owing to the U-shape, the retainer  230  can elastically flex in an up-down direction. The retainer  230  is held and compressed between the bottom plate  11  and lower ends  14   a  of the inner vertical plates  14  within the lower rail  10  (see  FIG. 8 ). Slits  236  are provided in arms of the U-shape of the retainer  230 , respectively. The slits  236  reduce an elastic constant of the retainer  230 , thus the retainer  230  can be easily held in the lower rail  10 . 
     Both ends  234  of the retainer  230  (both ends of the U-shape) are in contact with the bottom plate  11 . The washer  240  is held between a center of the retainer  230  (center of the U-shape) and the lower ends  14   a  of the inner vertical plates  14 . The washer  240  is retained within the lower rail  10  by the retainer  230 . 
     A hole  231  is provided in the center of the retainer  230 , and the bolt  3  is temporarily retained by being press-fitted in the hole  231 . The retainer  230  retains the bolt  3  with an end of the bolt  3  passed through the through hole  15  of the bottom plate  11 . 
     Hooks  232  are disposed near the hole  231  of the retainer  230 . The hooks  232  are configured to hold the washer  240  by being hooked in the notches  243  of the washer  240 . 
     Inclined surfaces  235  are disposed respectively at both ends of the retainer  230  in the rail longitudinal direction. The inclined surfaces  235  are inclined upward. 
     The retainer  230  temporarily retains the bolt  3  and the washer  240  within the lower rail  10 . The seat slider device  2   a  according to the second embodiment allows the bolt  3  and the washer  240  to be temporarily retained in the lower rail  10  without disposing an extra member dedicated to fixing the lower rail  10  to the floor panel  80  below the bottom plate  11  of the lower rail  10 . When the seat slider device  2   a  is set onto the floor panel  80  and the temporarily retained bolt  3  is then tightened with a hexagon wrench, the bolt  3  is fixed to the nut  81  (see  FIG. 2 ) and the lower rail  10  is fixed to the floor panel  80 . The washer  240  is held between the head  3   a  of its corresponding bolt  3  and the bottom plate  11 . As such, the extra member is not interposed between the lower rail  10  and the floor panel  80  when the bolt  3  is fixed to the floor panel  80  (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), thus there is no unnecessary gap between the lower rail  10  and the floor panel  80 . 
     The lower rail  10  is fixed to the floor panel  80  with the plurality of bolts  3 . Each of the bolts  3  is temporarily retained within the lower rail  10  by its corresponding retainer  230 . 
     (Third Embodiment) A seat slider device  2   b  according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 9 and 10 .  FIG. 9  is an exploded view in which a retainer  330  and a washer  340  are detached from the lower rail  10 . The washer  340  has a simple disk shape. In  FIG. 9 , the floor panel  80  and the nut  81  are depicted by double-dotted chain lines.  FIG. 9  shows a cross section of the lower rail  10 . The lower rail  10  extends in the X direction in the coordinate system of the drawing. The washer  340  and the retainer  330  are disposed within the lower rail  10 . 
       FIG. 10  shows a cross section of the seat slider device  2   b  that is obtained by cutting the seat slider device  2   b  along a plane perpendicular to the rail short direction.  FIG. 10  shows cross sections of the retainer  330  and the washer  340 . 
     The seat slider device  2   b  according to the third embodiment enables the bolt  3  and the washer  340  to be temporarily retained within the lower rail  10  before the lower rail  10  is fixed to the floor panel  80 , as well. 
     The retainer  330  is constituted of resin or a metal plate. The retainer  330  has a U-shape. The U-shaped retainer  330  can elastically flex in the up-down direction. The retainer  330  is disposed inside the lower rail  10  with the U-shape inverted. The retainer  330  is held and compressed between the bottom plate  11  and the lower ends  14   a  of the inner vertical plates  14  within the lower rail  10  (see  FIG. 10 ). Slits  336  are provided in arms of the U-shape of the retainer  330 , respectively. The slits  336  reduces an elastic constant of the retainer  330 , thus the retainer  330  can be easily held in the lower rail  10 . 
     Arms  335  extend respectively from both ends  334  of the retainer  330  (both ends of the U-shape) along the bottom plate  11 . The washer  340  is held between the bottom plate  11  and ends of the arms  335 . 
     A recess  332 , which is recessed downward, is provided in a center of the retainer  330  (center of the inverted U-shape), and a hole  331  is provided in the recess  332 . The bolt  3  is temporarily retained by being press-fitted in the hole  331 . The retainer  330  retains the bolt  3  with an end of the bolt  3  passed through the through hole  15  of the bottom plate  11 . 
     The retainer  330  temporarily retains the bolt  3  and the washer  340  within the lower rail  10 . The seat slider device  2   b  according to the third embodiment allows the bolt  3  and the washer  340  to be temporarily retained in the lower rail  10  without disposing an extra member dedicated to fixing the lower rail  10  to the floor panel  80  below the bottom plate  11  of the lower rail  10 . As such, the extra member is not interposed between the lower rail  10  and the floor panel  80  when the bolt  3  is fixed to the floor panel  80  (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), thus there is no unnecessary gap between the lower rail  10  and the floor panel  80 . 
     The lower rail  10  is fixed to the floor panel  80  with the plurality of bolts  3 . Each of the bolts  3  is temporarily retained within the lower rail  10  by one retainer  330 . 
     (Fourth Embodiment) A seat slider device  2   c  according to a fourth embodiment will be described with respect to  FIGS. 11 to 13 .  FIG. 11  is an exploded view in which a retainer  430  and the washer  240  are detached from the lower rail  10 . In  FIG. 11 , the floor panel  80  is depicted by double-dotted chain lines.  FIG. 11  shows a cross section of the lower rail  10 . The lower rail  10  extends in the +X direction in the coordinate system of the drawing. The washer  240  and the retainer  430  are disposed within the lower rail  10 . Since the washer  240  is the same as the washer  240  in the seat slider device  2   a  according to the second embodiment, detailed description for the washer  240  is omitted. 
     The seat slider device  2   c  according to the fourth embodiment enables the bolt  3  and the washer  240  to be temporarily retained within the lower rail  10  before the lower rail  10  is fixed to the floor panel  80 . 
     The retainer  430  is constituted of a thin metal plate. The retainer  430  comprises a rectangular main body provided with a hole  431 , outer hooks  433  which extend upward respectively from both edges of the main body in the rail longitudinal direction, and inner hooks  432  which extend downward from an edge of the hole  431 . 
       FIG. 12  shows cross sections of the retainer  430  placed on the bottom plate  11  of the lower rail  10  and the washer  240  placed on the retainer  430 . In  FIG. 12 , the bolt  3  is not inserted in the hole  431  yet. The washer  240  is retained by the outer hooks  433  of the retainer  430 . The outer hooks  433  hold the washer  240  by being hooked in the notches  243  of the washer  240 . 
     The inner hooks  432  extend downward from the edge of the hole  431  toward the center of the hole  431 . Ends  432   a  of the inner hooks  432  protrude outward. 
     In  FIG. 13 , the bolt  3  is passed through the hole  431 . The bolt  3  is press-fitted in the hole  431 . When the bolt  3  is press-fitted in the hole  431 , the inner hooks  432  are thereby bent outward and the outwardly protruding ends  432   a  are hooked on the edge of the through hole  15  of the bottom plate  11 . That is, the retainer  430  temporarily retains the washer  240  and the bolt  3  within the lower rail  10 . 
     The lower rail  10  is fixed to the floor panel  80  with the plurality of bolts  3 . Each of the bolts  3  is temporarily retained within the lower rail  10  by its corresponding retainer  430 . 
     The retainer  430  according to the fourth embodiment is constituted of a thin metal plate, however, a retainer that includes the outer hooks  433  and the inner hooks  432  and serves the same function as the retainer  430  may be constituted of resin. 
     Some of the technical features described in the embodiments will herein be listed. Each of the seat slider devices according to the first to fourth embodiments enables the retainers to temporarily retain the bolts and the washers within the lower rail. The bolts are retained with the bolts through the washers and the through holes  15  of the lower rail  10 . When the seat slider device is placed on the vehicle body (floor panel  80 ) and the temporarily retained bolts  3  are then tightened, the lower rail is fixed to the vehicle body (floor panel  80 ). Each of the seat slider devices according to the embodiments does not require any extra members below the lower rail for temporarily retaining the bolts. Thus, such extra members are not interposed between the bottom plate and the floor panel  80  when the seat slider device is fixed to the vehicle. Since such extra members are not interposed between the lower rail  10  and the floor panel  80  when the bolts  3  are fixed to the floor panel  80  (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), there is no unnecessary gap between the lower rail  10  and the floor panel  80 . 
     In the seat slider device  2   c  according to the fourth embodiment, it is possible that some portions of the inner hooks  432  result in being interposed between the bottom plate  11  and the floor panel  80 . However, the inner hooks  432  are not a cumber even if they are interposed between the bottom plate  11  and the vehicle because they are small. 
     While specific examples of the present disclosure have been described above in detail, these examples are merely illustrative and place no limitation on the scope of the patent claims. The technology described in the patent claims also encompasses various changes and modifications to the specific examples described above. The technical elements explained in the present description or drawings provide technical utility either independently or through various combinations. The present disclosure is not limited to the combinations described at the time the claims are filed. Further, the purpose of the examples illustrated by the present description or drawings is to satisfy multiple objectives simultaneously, and satisfying any one of those objectives gives technical utility to the present disclosure.