Antenna for a hearing assistance device

1. A hearing assistance device comprising:

a housing component adapted for containing a transceiver and processing circuitry arranged in a compact block structure;

a feed line electrically connected to the transceiver; and

an antenna element electromagnetically coupled with the feed line via a feed element;

wherein the feed element is configured as a small feed loop electrically connected with the feed line, and the circumference of the small feed loop is between 5% and 20% of an intended wavelength of operation.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the small feed loop during operation has a substantially constant current distribution along the loop.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna element is configured as a loop antenna.

4. A hearing assistance device comprising:

a housing component adapted for containing a transceiver and processing circuitry arranged in a compact block structure;

a feed line electrically connected to the transceiver; and

an antenna element electromagnetically coupled with the feed line via a feed element, said antenna element being formed as a resonant loop antenna folded at minimum current nodes and with a circumference close to an intended wavelength of operation;

wherein the feed element is configured as a small feed loop electrically connected with the feed line.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna element is manufactured by adding a metallic pattern to the housing component in a Laser Direct Structuring (LDS) process.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the metallic pattern is provided on the outer surface of the housing component.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver and processing circuitry are arranged in a compact block structure with at least a part of the small feed loop facing towards the housing component.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the antenna element is manufactured by adding a metallic pattern to housing component in a Laser Direct Structuring (LDS) process, wherein the metallic pattern is provided on the outer surface of the housing component, and wherein the small feed loop and a part of the metallic pattern providing the antenna element are overlapping separated by a wall of the housing component.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna element is coupled to the feed element via mutual induction.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the mutual induction coupling between the antenna element and the feed element is provided along at least 50% of the circumference of the small feed loop.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna element is a folded dipole.

12. A method of manufacturing a hearing assistance device comprising steps of:

arranging a transceiver and processing circuitry in a compact block structure;

connecting a feed line electrically to the transceiver; and

coupling an antenna element electromagnetically with the feed line via a feed element, the antenna element is mounted on a housing component containing the compact block structure;

wherein the feed element is configured as a small feed loop electrically connected with the feed line, and wherein the circumference of the small feed loop is between 5% and 20% of an intended wavelength of operation.

13. The device of claim 12 , comprising a step of manufacturing the antenna element adding a metallic pattern to the housing component in a Laser Direct Structuring (LDS) process.

14. The device of claim 13 , comprising providing the metallic pattern on the outer surface of the housing component.

15. The device of claim 12 , comprising providing the small feed loop on a compact block structure housing the transceiver and processing circuitry with at least a part of facing towards the housing component.

16. The device of claim 15 , comprising a step of manufacturing the antenna element by adding a metallic pattern to housing component in a Laser Direct Structuring (LDS) process, wherein the metallic pattern is provided on the outer surface of the housing component, and wherein the small feed loop and a part of the metallic pattern providing the antenna element are overlapping separated by a wall of the housing component.