Crossing gate mechanism with programmable electronic switching devices

Abstract

A crossing gate mechanism includes an electric motor driving a main shaft, wherein the main shaft is configured to couple to a crossing gate arm, a position detection unit configured to detect a position of the main shaft, an electronic switching device configured to operate in different switching states, and a programmable control unit configured to control operation of the switching device based on a detected position of the main shaft in combination with a programmed switching state for the detected position.

1 . A crossing gate mechanism comprising:
 an electric motor driving a main shaft, wherein the main shaft is configured to couple to a crossing gate arm,   a position detection unit configured to detect a position of the main shaft,   a least one electronic switching device configured to operate in different switching states, and   a programmable control unit configured to control operation of the at least one switching device based on a detected position of the main shaft in combination with a programmed switching state for the detected position.   
     
     
         2 . The crossing gate mechanism of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the position detection unit is configured to determine an angle of the main shaft.   
     
     
         3 . The crossing gate mechanism of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the programmable control unit is configured to receive angular information from the position detection unit and determine, based on the angle, a position of the main shaft.   
     
     
         4 . The crossing gate mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a user interface connected to the control unit for programming the different switching states based on different main shaft positions.   
     
     
         5 . The crossing gate mechanism of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one switching device comprises a solid-state relay.   
     
     
         6 . The crossing gate mechanism of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the solid-state relay utilizes power semiconductor devices to switch between the different switching states.   
     
     
         7 . The crossing gate mechanism of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the different switching states comprise an open state and a closed state.   
     
     
         8 . The crossing gate mechanism of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the position detection unit comprises at least one sensor selected from an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, a proximity detector, a rotary encoder, and a combination thereof.   
     
     
         9 . The crossing gate mechanism of  claim 1 ,
 comprising multiple electronic switching devices.   
     
     
         10 . A crossing gate system comprising:
 one or more crossing gate arm(s), and   a crossing gate mechanism comprising:
 an electric motor driving a main shaft, wherein the main shaft is configured to couple to a crossing gate arm, 
 a position detection unit configured to detect a position of the main shaft, 
 at least one electronic switching device configured to operate in different switching states, and 
 a programmable control unit configured to control operation of the at least one switching device based on a detected position of the main shaft in combination with a programmed switching state for the detected position. 
   
     
     
         11 . The crossing gate system of  claim 10 ,
 comprising multiple electronic switching devices.   
     
     
         12 . The crossing gate system of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the programmable control unit is configured to receive angular information from the position detection unit and determine, based on the angular information, a position of the main shaft.   
     
     
         13 . The crossing gate system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a user interface connected to the control unit for programming the different switching states based on different main shaft positions or other detected information.   
     
     
         14 . The crossing gate system of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the at least one switching device comprises a solid-state relay or electromechanical relay.   
     
     
         15 . The crossing gate system of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the at least one switching device is configured to provide an input for a motor control.