Antenna for an implantable cardiac monitoring device

1. An implantable cardiac monitoring device, comprising:

a device housing having electronic components therein;

a feedthrough assembly joined to the device housing;

an antenna; and

a header body that includes a housing mounting surface mounted to the device housing proximate to the feedthrough assembly, the header body enclosing the antenna and feedthrough assembly;

the antenna including a pin mounting section and a plate shaped radiating section, the pin mounting and radiating sections interconnected by a ribbon section, the ribbon section length being configured so that an electrical length of the antenna is tuned to a communication frequency, the radiating section being elongated in a first direction along a first longitudinal axis positioned proximate to and shaped to follow a contour of a peripheral edge of the header body, the peripheral edge located remote from the housing mounting surface.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiating section is arc shaped in a second direction relative to the first longitudinal axis to follow a curve in the contour of the peripheral edge of the header body.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ribbon section has a narrower width than a width of the radiating section.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pin mounting section is plate shaped and oriented to align with a pin that projects from the feedthrough assembly.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ribbon section includes a zig-zag pattern with a predetermined length configured so that the electrical length of the antenna is tuned to approximately equal to a quarter of a wavelength of the communication frequency.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is curved with the pin mounting section and radiating section spaced apart to span a height of the header body from the feedthrough assembly to the curved peripheral edge of the header body.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the header body is formed of an injection molded flowable material that embeds the antenna therein.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiating section includes one or more mechanical anchoring tabs that are bent to extend inward and be securely encased within the header body.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic components include a transceiver circuit to communicate with an external device through the antenna utilizing at least one of a Bluetooth protocol or Medical Implant Communications Standard (MICS) protocol.

10. A method for providing an implantable cardiac monitoring device, comprising:

assembling a device housing having electronic components therein;

joining a feedthrough assembly to the device housing;

providing an antenna including a pin mounting section and a plate shaped radiating section, the plate shaped radiating section elongated in a first direction along a first longitudinal axis, the pin mounting and radiating sections interconnected by a ribbon section, the ribbon section length being configured so that an electrical length of the antenna is tuned to a communications frequency;

assembling a header body that embeds the antenna therein, wherein the header body includes a housing mounting surface mounted to the device housing proximate to the feedthrough assembly; and

orienting the antenna within the header body with the radiating section positioned proximate to, and following a contour of, the peripheral edge of the header body, the peripheral edge located remote from the housing mounting surface.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising sizing the radiating section as a rectangular plate with a width that is wider than a width of the ribbon section to provide large radiating edges along the plate and to provide a stabilizing force for anchoring and retention of the header on the device housing.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the providing operation includes bending the plate in a second direction relative to the first longitudinal axis in an arc that is shaped to follow an arc shaped contour of the peripheral edge of the header body.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the providing operation includes stamping the antenna with the ribbon section to have a narrower width than a width of the radiating sections.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the providing operation includes stamping the pin mounting section to have a plate shape and aligning the plate shape with a pin that projects from the feedthrough assembly.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming a zig-zag pattern in the ribbon section with a predetermined length to at least partially tune the antenna to a frequency of interest.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the antenna includes an overall length extending from a proximal end of the pin mounting section to a distal end of the radiating section, the method further comprising tuning the antenna by adjusting the overall length based on a communications frequency to carry RF signals.

17. An implantable cardiac monitoring device, comprising:

a device housing having electronic components therein;

a feedthrough assembly joined to the device housing;

an antenna; and

a header body mounted to the device housing and enclosing the antenna and feedthrough assembly, wherein the header body includes opposed sides that are generally planar and oriented to extend along a header plane;

the antenna including a pin mounting section and a plate shaped radiating section, the pin mounting and radiating sections interconnected by a ribbon section, the ribbon section length being configured so that an electrical length of the antenna is tuned to a communication frequency, the radiating section being elongated along a longitudinal axis positioned proximate to and shaped to follow a contour of a peripheral edge of the header body, the radiating section extending straight in a first direction along the header plane.

18. A method for providing an implantable cardiac monitoring device, comprising:

assembling a device housing having electronic components therein;

joining a feedthrough assembly to the device housing;

providing an antenna including a pin mounting section and a plate shaped radiating section, the pin mounting and radiating sections interconnected by a ribbon section, the ribbon section length being configured so that an electrical length of the antenna is tuned to a communications frequency;

assembling a header body that embeds the antenna therein, wherein the header body includes opposed sides that are generally planar and oriented to extend along a header plane; and

orienting the antenna within the header body with the radiating section positioned proximate to, and elongated to follow a contour of, a peripheral edge of the header body, the radiating section extending straight in a first direction along the header plane.