Patent ID: 7855556

Claim:
A magnetic sensor comprising: a magnetoresistive effect element, wherein the magnetoresistive effect element includes a plurality of connected-element bodies arranged so as to be adjacent to one another in an element-width direction with a space therebetween and an outer permanent magnet layer disposed at ends of the connected-element bodies in a longitudinal direction, the ends of the connected-element bodies being electrically connected to each other with the outer permanent magnet layer therebetween to form a meandering shape; the plurality of connected-element bodies each include a plurality of element units arranged in an element-length direction with a space therebetween and an intermediate permanent magnet layer disposed in the space, the element units being connected to each other so as to sandwich the intermediate permanent magnet layer; and the element units each have an element width W 1 and an element length L 1 perpendicular to the element width W 1 and produce a magnetoresistive effect in which electrical resistance changes in response to an external magnetic field.