Abstract:
The invention is directed to a modular visitation station having an expandable construction to adapt to provide individual visitation modules interwired together in a combination of back-to-back or side-by-side configurations. The visitation station may utilize single utility access for power or communications to connect each attached visitation module. Wiring access is provided between modules, and to the floor, wall or ceiling access points.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a modular non-contact visitation station for use in visitation and processing of individuals in a custodial setting such as jails or prisons to isolate an inmate from visitors. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Visitation stations are used to provide non-contact or visitation between individuals in settings such as jails, security institutions, or hospitals to allow visitation without allowing physical contact between the visitors. Prior art visitation stations are custom enclosures having see-through windows or facilities for mounting telephone equipment, video monitors or other communication equipment. 
         [0003]    Prior art visitation stations are constructed of wood or plastic or metal and may be limited by the strength and size of interlinking parts. Interlinking adjacent stations together may be unsafe due to utility connections daisy chained between adjacent stations and in intensive use applications the integral linking of stations may create safety hazards or expensive retrofits. In addition, in intensive use applications such as prisons and jails, wood or other components may be disassembled to fashion weapons from the resulting pieces. 
         [0004]    Multiple stations are formed by building individual stations ganged together to create a multi user assembly. Inter-station wiring is run by drilling though adjacent or intermediate walls along wire raceways in legs or the enclosure. 
         [0005]    This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/929,766 filed Jan. 29, 2014 and claims the benefit of the filing date of said co-pending provisional Application Ser. No. 61/929,766. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention relates generally to a modular non-contact visitation station for use in visitation and processing of individuals in a custodial setting such as jails or prisons to isolate an inmate from visitors. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Visitation stations are used to provide non-contact or visitation between individuals in settings such as jails, security institutions, or hospitals to allow visitation without allowing physical contact between the visitors. Prior art visitation stations are custom enclosures having see-through windows or facilities for mounting telephone equipment, video monitors or other communication equipment. 
         [0008]    Prior art visitation stations are constructed of wood or plastic or metal and may be limited by the strength and size of interlinking parts. Interlinking adjacent stations together may be unsafe due to utility connections daisy chained between adjacent stations and in intensive use applications the integral linking of stations may create safety hazards or expensive retrofits. In addition, in intensive use applications such as prisons and jails, wood or other components may be disassembled to fashion weapons from the resulting pieces. 
         [0009]    Multiple stations are formed by building individual stations ganged together to create a multi user assembly. Inter-station wiring is run by drilling though adjacent or intermediate walls along wire raceways in legs or the enclosure. 
         [0010]    Each of these prior art designs requires additional labor cost and time to install and configure. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a modular visitation station for adaptation in single or multi-ganged installations mounted on a floor or wall. It is further desirable to provide an expandable visitation station allowing a common utility connection to be expanded to adjacent units and having an interconnecting means between stations of sufficient strength and adaptability to interconnect a large number of visitation stations. The expandable visitation station allowing expandability to a back-to-back far side by side configuration. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a modular visitation station having modular sides built on an expandable base to form a side by side or back to back station with integral wiring pathway in the base, divider panels and modular legs. The visitation station comprises a plurality of interwired and attached visitation modules adapted to provide a use with non-contact with another user. The base may have a modular design having a plurality of fastener holes on the bottom surface, a wire raceway extending through the base from the bottom surface to the top surface and a sloped writing top surface to discourage the placement of drinking cups. The wiring raceway is provided in the base to facilitate power and communication connections from the floor to the equipment enclosure. A single base may be configured for a single visitation module or may be configured for multiple visitation modules separated by divider panels. Additional bases may be attached to the modular visitation station to expand the number of interconnected modules. 
         [0012]    A panel being an end panel or isolating divider panel is placed at both sides of each module to isolate adjacent visitors and provide privacy from passers by. Each end panel has a sound absorber surface adjacent the base and an outside surface. The sound absorbers may have an opening on an inside surface of the end panel or isolation panel adjacent the base plate. The isolation or divider panel is mounted between side-by-side adjacent visitation modules. The divider panel may have a sound absorber on both sides to provide privacy from adjacent users. 
         [0013]    The visitation station may have a faceplate on the base and spaced from the outer edge of the base to allow use of a writing area. The faceplate may be a window, a mounting surface, video screen or mounting surface for a camera, display, or other equipment to facilitate non-contact visitation. The faceplate may be in wiring communication with an adjacent equipment enclosure. The visitation station may further be configured with integral seating adapted to position the user in front of the faceplate. 
         [0014]    An equipment space is defined between the end panels or isolation panels and behind the faceplate. This equipment space forms an enclosure having wire openings in the base, divider panel, top and back panel and to the faceplate for mounted equipment, utility connections and interwiring adjacent visitation modules. The back-to-back visitation station may have an equipment space configured between opposing faceplates. Single sided side-by-side modules may define the equipment space between a back panel and faceplate. The equipment enclosure is further enclosed by the base, an end panel or divider panel on either side and top panel on the top. Equipment mounted in the equipment enclosure may provide lighting, video or audio communication to a user of the visitation station. Power and communication connections may also be mounted in this space. Each equipment enclosure is in wiring communication with attached equipment enclosures on the visitation station. 
         [0015]    The means for supporting the modular visitation station may comprise a wall mount adapter for attaching to an existing wall or legs to hold the visitation station in a stand alone configuration or both wall mount and legs. Legs may be attached to the bottom surface either ganged together or attached individually. The legs may have a foot adapted to engage the floor on one end and a flange adapted to engage the base on another end. The wire raceway may be integral to the leg to extend from an opening in the foot through the flange and the base to the equipment enclosure defining an enclosed wiring path for wiring utilities accessed through the floor. The wall mount adapter may include a wiring access through the back panel of the visitation station which may be joined to conduit in the wall providing utility wiring such as power, communication and sensors. The wiring access extends into the equipment enclosure. 
         [0016]    The invention may provide interconnection between adjacent modules to allow indefinite number of side-by-side visitation modules ganged together. The module interconnection provides secure attachment between adjacent modules using divider panels. Wiring may be connected to adjoining visitation stations from the equipment enclosure through the top panel conduit opening, the wire raceway in the base, the wire channel in the divider panel or the wire access in the back panel. Back-to-back visitation station may be interwired through the equipment enclosure. Side-by-side visitation stations may be interwired through the wire channel in the divider panels. 
         [0017]    A top panel may be used on top of each visitation station to secure equipment and connections behind the faceplate. The top panel may enclose the equipment enclosure defined behind the faceplate for mounting communication or video equipment. The faceplate may further comprise a solid mounting surface for externally mounted devices such as telephone equipment or microphones and cameras. A transparent window may be used to isolate the visitor from video equipment such as a video monitor for a visual interface between visitors. Each visitation module is thereby defined by the faceplate, writing surface on the base and end or divider panels. The top panel and the end panels having an anti-ligature configuration. 
         [0018]    The above description sets forth, rather broadly, the more important features of the present invention so that the detailed description of the preferred embodiment that follows may be better understood and contributions of the present invention to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and will form the subject matter of claims. In this respect, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or as illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is substantially a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is substantially a perspective exploded view of the base of the first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is substantially a perspective exploded view of the top of the first embodiment. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is substantially an exploded view of the front panel assembly of the first embodiment. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is substantially an exploded perspective view of the final assembly of the first embodiment. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is substantially a perspective view of a second embodiment. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is substantially a perspective view of a third embodiment. 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is substantially a side elevation of the third embodiment. 
           [0027]      FIG. 9  is substantially a top plan view of the third embodiment 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the modular visitation station is generally referred to by the number  10  shown in a back-to-back or double sided configuration having a first visitation module  12  in the front and a second visitation module  14  attached in a back-to-back configuration. Each visitation module  12 ,  14  may further comprise a base  16 , legs  18 , end panels  20  and a first faceplate  22 . Visitation station  10  components may be formed from steel, stainless steel, aluminum, engineered plastic such as Lexan® by GE, or other durable materials suitable for intensive use applications. 
         [0030]    Continuing to refer to  FIG. 1 , the base  16  may further comprise a top  24  and a front edge  34 . The top  24  may be adapted as a writing surface. The first faceplate  22  may further comprise, a right side  26 , a top panel  40 , a first bottom  35  and a transparent window  28  having an outside frame  29  mounted thereon and may be further adapted for mounting communication equipment such as hand set  30 . A first seat  36  may be adapted to hold a visitor (not shown) seated in front of first visitation module  12  defined by base  16 , front edge  34 , first and second end panels  20  and faceplate  22 . The first seat  36  is connected to the station  10  by first station link  37  and supported by first seat leg  38 . Legs  18  may have feet  21  for securing to floor  128  with fasteners  39 . Each end panel  20  may have an inside  44  and an outside  46 . A sound absorber portion  48  may be formed on inside surface  44  of end panel  20 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , visitation station  10  may comprise base  16  having a front edge  34 , first left end  52 , first right end  54 , back edge  56  and wire raceway  50  extending through base  16 . Base  16  may further comprise an elongate configuration comprising a purality of side-by-side visitation modules between left end  52  and right end  54 . Leg  18   a  may further comprise, a wire conduit  57  in the leg  18   a , the wire conduit  57  having a bottom end opening to foot  21  and a top end in wiring communication with wire raceway  50  by wire opening  58  through the base flange  106 , The wiring opening  58  adapted to align with wire raceway  50  when leg  18   a  is attached to base  16 . 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the top portion of visitation station  10  may comprise a pair of faceplate frames  78 ,  78   a  mounted in spaced relation between end and divider panels  20 ,  60 . Divider panel  60  may have sound absorber portion  48  on both sides  65  to isolate visitor noise from adjacent visitors and surrounding people. In this back-to-back configuration, first faceplate frame  78  and second faceplate frame  78   a  may be mounted in spaced relation between first end panel  20  and first divider panel  60 . End panels  20  and divider panels  60  may have a similar rectangular form with each having a top edge  68 , a bottom edge  72  and opposing outside edges  74 . Top edge  68  may have an anti-ligature configuration having rounded or sloped corners  69 . Mounting plate  70  may comprise spacer bar  61 , first panel flange  62  and second panel flange  64 . Mounting plate  70  may be attached to faceplate  22  at fasteners holes  59  on spacer bar  61  and further attached to end panels  20  by panel flange  62 ,  64  on panel inside  44  and divider panels  60  at either first side  65  or second side  66 . 
         [0033]    Continuing to refer to  FIG. 3 , First faceplate frame  78  and mounting plate  70  may be attached between panels  20 ,  60  by first panel flange  62  attaching to inside  44  with threaded fasteners  85  or the like in fastener holes  59  and second panel flange  64  likewise attaching to divider panel  60 . First faceplate frame  78  may be attached to end panel  20  at first left member  80  and to divider panel  60  at first right member  82  by threaded fasteners  85  extending through members  80 ,  82 . Second faceplate frame  78   a  may likewise be attached to divider panel  60  at second right member  82  and to end panel  16  at second left member  80 . An equipment space configured as an equipment enclosure  92  may be defined between frames  78 ,  78   a , end panel  20 , divider panel  60  and base  16  with wiring raceway  50  formed in base  16  between first frame  78  and second frame  78   a  and wire channel  150  in divider panel  60 . Equipment enclosure  92  provides space for mounting and power and communication connections for faceplate  22  and attached equipment (not shown). Both wiring raceway  50  and wire channel  150  open to enclosure space  92  to provide wiring between adjacent visitation stations and wiring to utility sources outside the visitation station  10 . 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the back-to-back visitation station  10  may define first visitation module  12  and second visitation module  14 . Faceplate  22  may attach to a top plate  40  adapted to close the top of the equipment enclosure  92 . Equipment such as camera  90  on faceplate  22  has wires  93  extending into equipment space  92  for connection to transmitter  95 . Top plate  40  may be attached to top  84  of faceplate frame  78  and between end panels  20  and divider panel  60  above faceplate  22 . Top plate  40  may further attach to both faceplate frames  78 ,  78   a . Front panel  76  may be attached to frame  78  to close the equipment enclosure  92  between panels  20 ,  60 . Top panel  40  may be attached to frame top  84  and to end or divider panels  20 ,  60 . Top plate  40  may have panel flanges  94  for attaching to end and divider panels  20 ,  60 . Conduit opening  250  may be formed in top plate  40  to provide wire access to equipment enclosure  92  from above visitation station  10 . Faceplate  22  may further be disposed between top plate  40  and frame  78  to provide tamper resistant mounting and prevent removal without tools. Fasteners  85  may be used on faceplate  22  adjacent base  16  to hold faceplate  22  on equipment enclosure  92 . 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , visitation station  10  upper assembly  96  and lower assembly  98  may be separately assembled and attached to each other at the mounting site. Upper assembly  96  may comprise end panels  20  joined in spaced relation by mounting plate  70  and faceplate frame  78  attached to the inside surface  44  of each end panel  20  or divider panel  60 . Lower assembly  98  may comprise base  16  having bottom surface  102 . Legs  18  are attached to bottom surface  102  at flange  104 . Faceplate frame screws  85  extend through base  16  to engage faceplate frame  78 . Base ends  52 ,  54  are generally similar having a base flange  106  extending from base bottom surface  102  with panel fastener holes formed through base flange  106 . Panel fastener holes in base flange  106  on first end  52  may be used to interconnect base  16  to end panels  20  or divider panels  60 . 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , modular visitation station  100  may comprise an additional visitation module  112  mounted side-by-side with first visitation module  12 . Modular visitation station  100  may have a respective first and second end panel  20 . Base  16  may extend between first end panel  20  and second end panel  120  or may be formed by assembling first base portion  116   a  with second base portion  116   b . Divider panel  60  may be disposed between respective base portions  116   a ,  116   b , faceplates  22 ,  22   a  and top panels  40 ,  140 . The first base portion  116   a  is connected to the second base portion  116   b  by connecting both base portions  116   a ,  116   b  to divider panel  60 . 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , modular visitation station  200  may have a plurality of single sided visitation modules  142 ,  144  adapted in a side-by-side configuration. First visitation module  142  and generally similar second visitation module  144  may be divided by divider panel  360 . First visitation module  142  may have a base top  124  surrounded on three sides by first end panel  320 , first faceplate  322  and divider panel  360 . First end panel  320  may be connected to first faceplate  322  and first base  316 . First visitation module  142  may further comprise back panel  356  on first base  316  to enclose and define equipment enclosure  392 . The first visitation module  142  may be attached side-by-side to similarly configured second visitation module  144 . Base  316  on first visitation module  142  may be connected between end panel  320  and divider panel  360  or configured as part of an elongate base  316  extending between the respective end panels  320 ,  320   a . Base  316  may extend between end panels  320 ,  320   a  thereby supporting a plurality of visitation modules  142 ,  144 . Additional visitation modules  144  may be added by replacing one end panel  320  with a new divider panel  360  and connecting faceplate  322 , top  340  and base  316  to new divider panel and likewise reconnecting end panel  320  to close the new configuration. Equipment enclosure  392  is between base  316 , top  340  end panel  320 , divider panel  360 , faceplate  322  and back panel  356 . Conduit opening  550  may be formed in top  340 , wire raceway  350  in leg  318   a  extending through base  360  and wire channel  450  in divider panel  360  each provide access to wiring  126  to enter equipment enclosure  392 . Divider panel  260  may be connected between visitation modules  142 ,  144  and back panel  356 . 
         [0038]    Continuing to refer to  FIG. 7 , side-by-side second base  316   a  may be generally similar to first base  316  both of which may be attached to divider panel  360 . Second faceplate  322   a  and second end panel  220   a  may be attached to second base  316   a  to form second visitation module  144 . First seat  36  is fixed to first visitation module  142  and second seat  36   a  is fixed to second visitation module  144 . Back panel  356  may extend between end panels  320  or be individually configured for each visitation module  142 ,  144  to be sized and connected similar to the respective faceplate  322 . End panel may have vent  321  opening to equipment enclosure  392 . 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , modular visitation station  200  wire raceway  350  may open into equipment enclosure  392  from floor through leg  318   a  at wire track  350  extending through base  316 . First visitation module  142  and second visitation module  144  may be attached and interwired to each other by wire channel  450 . Modular visitation station  200  may have faceplate  322 ,  322   a  spaced from back panel  356  having equipment enclosure  392  between faceplate  322  and back panel  356 . Rear wire access  650  on back panel  356  may extend through back panel  356  to open into equipment enclosure  392 . Wall mounted modular visitation stations  200  may not require legs  318 . 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , visitation station  200  may comprise several visitation modules  142 ,  144  each having equipment enclosures  392 ,  392   a ,  392   b , faceplates  322 ,  322   a ,  322   b  and separated by divider panels  360 ,  360   a . Equipment enclosures  392 ,  392   a ,  392   b  may be interwired by wire channel  450  in each divider panel  360 ,  360   a  to allow a single utility connection to service all attached equipment enclosures  392 ,  392   a ,  392   b . Conduit access  550 ,  550   a ,  550   b  in top panel  340 ,  340   a ,  340   b  provides wiring access from above modular visitation station  200 . Wire raceway  350  in base  316  provides wire access from below visitation station  200  and may provide interwiring access between equipment enclosures  392 ,  392   a ,  392   b . Rear wire access  650  may provide wiring access through the back panel  356 . 
         [0041]    Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples given. Further, the present invention has been shown and described with reference to the foregoing exemplary embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that other forms, details, and embodiments may be made with out departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which is defined in the following claims.