Patent ID: 6894650

Claim:
A dual polarized antenna assembly comprising: a pair of antenna modules ( 24 ), each antenna module ( 24 ) including a planar inverted-F antenna element ( 10 ), each antenna element ( 10 ) including a first conductive plate ( 12 ), a second conductive plate ( 14 ) spaced apart from and generally parallel to the first conductive plate ( 12 ), a third conductive plate ( 16 ) extending between and short circuiting the first and second conductive plates ( 12 , 14 ), and coaxial feed line ( 56 ) electrically connected to said first and second conductive plates ( 12 , 14 ) each antenna module ( 24 ) further including a dielectric housing ( 26 ) supporting said antenna element ( 10 ) therein, characterized in that: each housing ( 26 ) includes a plurality of sidewalls ( 32 , 42 , 36 ) that cooperatively define an interior cavity ( 29 ) of said housing ( 26 ), one of the sidewalls ( 32 ) including a first passage extending therethrough and communicating with the module cavity ( 29 ) through which said antenna element ( 10 ) can be inserted, another of said sidewalls including a second passage that receives a portion of said feedline ( 56 ); means ( 40 ) disposed on the exterior of each of said antenna modules ( 24 ) for engaging said antenna modules ( 24 ) together, the engagement means ( 40 ) being disposed on sidewalls of said housing ( 26 ) that are adjacent said first passages; and, each of said antenna elements ( 10 ) includes opposing first and second ends, the antenna elements ( 10 ) being asymmetrically received within said module interior cavities ( 29 ) such that said antenna element first ends are offset from each other when said pair of antenna modules ( 24 ) are joined together, thereby orienting the polarization of each antenna element ( 10 ) in a different direction, whereby the radiating wave patterns of each of the two elements ( 10 ) at least partially overlap to improve reception of the antenna assembly.