Magnetic buckle assembly

A buckle assembly comprising:

• a male portion comprising:
• an outer surface,
• an inner surface,
• two side edges and two ends, the side edges extending in a longitudinal direction and the ends extending in a lateral direction,
• a strap retaining bar disposed on one of the ends of the male portion,
• two locking legs, each locking leg extending laterally across the male portion at opposite longitudinal ends of the male portion, each locking leg having two locking pawls extending from a distal end thereof, and
• a magnet disposed between the outer surface and the inner surface and being completely covered by the outer surface and inner surface,
• a female portion comprising:
• an outer surface,
• an inner surface,
• two side edges and two ends, the side edges extending in a longitudinal direction and the ends extending in a lateral direction,
• a strap retaining bar disposed on one of the ends of the female portion,
• two locking grooves, each locking groove extending laterally across the female portion and having two insertion portions extending through the inner surface, and two locking portions, each locking portion having a flange extending from the inner surface and being disposed laterally adjacent a respective one of the insertion portions, and
• a second magnet disposed between the inner and outer surfaces of the female portion and being completely covered by the inner and outer surfaces of the female portion,
• wherein placing the male portion adjacent the female portion causes the magnets to attract to each other to press the male portion to the female portion and force the locking legs through the insertion portions of the locking grooves,
• wherein the magnets are disposed laterally offset from each other when the locking legs extend through the insertion portions, so that the magnets to pull the male and female portions in opposing lateral directions to force the locking legs into the locking portions of the grooves, causing the locking pawls to engage the flanges and lock the male portion to the female portion.