An electrical safety switch on the elevator car door or gate that prevents drive circuit energisation unless the car door is fully closed and latched.
Full Definition
The car gate contact (also called car door contact or car door safety switch) is part of the elevator safety circuit. It consists of a normally-open electrical contact that closes only when the car door or gate is in the fully closed and latched position. If the car door is open even slightly, the contact opens, the safety circuit is interrupted, and the drive cannot run. In older scissor-gate and manually-operated car door installations, the gate contact is the primary car door safety device. In modern power-operated door systems it is combined with door safety edges and light curtains. EN 81-20 requires car door contacts to be fail-safe and mounted so they cannot be easily defeated. The car gate contact is tested during commissioning and periodic inspection.
