Patent ID: 6978521

Claim:
A locking magnetic fastener comprising: a first housing assembly having a front face, a back face, a receptacle extending from an opening on said front face toward said back face, and an outer surface extending from said front face to said back face, said first housing assembly having a channel opening on said outer surface and a passage opening into said receptacle; a slide member arranged with a manual actuation portion extending through and movable in said channel, having at least a portion made of a material attracted by a magnetic force, and having an abutment stop; a second housing assembly having a projection, said projection being shaped to fit within said receptacle and having an abutment surface, and a magnet arranged within the first housing or the second housing, wherein said magnet, said projection, said abutment surface, said channel, said passage, and said slide member are arranged such that when said projection is inserted into said receptacle a magnetic force from said magnet urges said slide member in a first direction within said channel such that said abutment stop extends into said passage and said abutment surface and said abutment stop prevent said projection from being withdrawn from said receptacle, and when a manual force is applied to said manual actuation portion in a direction opposite said first direction said slide member moves said abutment stop out of said passage away from said projection thereby releasing said projection from said receptacle, and wherein the magnet includes an opening to receive the projection.