Sliding latch

A sliding latch having a closed condition and an open condition comprising,

• a primary housing having a longitudinal axis and a substantially open front end and a back end with a wall having an inner side facing the front end and an opening,
• an elongated sled having a longitudinal axis parallel to the housing longitudinal axis and a lip at a first end proximate the housing front end and a rear extension extending through the housing back end wall opening, the sled adapted to slide in the housing along the housing longitudinal axis,
• an electric motor having a rotational axis parallel to the sled longitudinal axis and mounted on the sled and adapted to rotate a threaded member having an axis parallel with the motor rotational axis and extending through the opening in the back wall of the housing,
• a retractable bolt adapted to slide along the primary housing longitudinal axis and extending outwardly from the housing front end in the closed condition, the bolt having a front wall and a back wall and an internal cavity, with the back wall having an inner side facing the cavity and an outer side opposite the cavity and an opening therein with the threaded member extending through the opening into the cavity,
• an internally threaded nut non-rotatingly captured in the bolt cavity having a first side and a second side, with the nut threadedly engaging the threaded member,
• a biasing member biasing the bolt to a closed condition having a first end contacting the outer side of the back wall of the bolt and a second end contacting the inner side of the back wall of the primary housing,
• wherein in the closed condition, the bolt extends outwardly from the housing front end and the nut first side is adjacent the lip and the nut second side is adjacent the bolt back wall, and
• wherein in a first open condition the bolt is retracted into the housing by an external force on the bolt along the housing longitudinal axis against the biasing member while the nut first side remains adjacent the lip, and
• wherein in a second open condition, the bolt is retracted into the housing by an external force pulling the sled along the housing longitudinal axis against the biasing member and the sled lip moving the nut and causing the nut second side to contact the inner side of the back wall of the bolt, and
• wherein in a third open condition, the bolt is retracted into the housing against the biasing member by the motor rotating the threaded member in a first direction thus moving the nut and the nut second side contacting the bolt cavity back wall.