Antenna structure for hearing devices

A hearing device comprising:

• an enclosure configured for at least partial insertion within an ear of a user, the enclosure comprising a shell and a faceplate, the faceplate comprising:
• a pocket having an opening disposed in an internal surface of the faceplate, the pocket and opening dimensioned to receive a chip antenna and configured to guide placement of the antenna;
• and
• a location feature disposed on an external surface of the faceplate that indicates a position of the pocket;
• an antenna structure oriented such that a direction of an electric field (E-field) of a propagating electromagnetic signal generated by the antenna structure is directed non-tangentially with respect to the user at the location of the user's ear, the antenna structure comprising:
• the chip antenna disposed in the pocket;
• and
• a ground plane at least partially supported by the faceplate;
• a battery;
• and
• electronic circuitry disposed within the shell, the electronic circuitry powered by the battery and electrically coupled to send and/or receive signals via the antenna structure.

A hearing device comprising:

• an enclosure configured for at least partial insertion within an ear of a user, the enclosure comprising a shell and a faceplate;
• an antenna structure oriented such that a direction of an electric field (E-field) of a propagating electromagnetic signal generated by the antenna structure is directed non-tangentially with respect to the user at the location of the antenna structure, the antenna structure comprising:
• a substrate comprising a dielectric material;
• a planar antenna that extends along a plane of the faceplate disposed on a first surface of the substrate;
• an electrically conductive ground plane that extends along the plane of the faceplate, the ground plane disposed on a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface;
• such that the ground plane overlaps the planar antenna and the dielectric material of the substrate is disposed between the planar antenna and the ground plane and the planar antenna and the ground plane are electrically connected at one or more locations;
• a battery comprising a major surface that extends along the plane of the faceplate;
• and
• electronic circuitry disposed within the shell, the electronic circuitry powered by the battery and electrically coupled to send and/or receive signals via the antenna structure.