Light-based alignment for person detection device installation

Abstract

The name of the invention is light-based alignment for personnel detection device installation. An assembly associated with detection of a human within an elevator hoistway includes a sensor assembly and a position indicator attached to the sensor assembly and operable to emit a visible light pattern. The position indicator is movable with the sensor assembly to indicate to a user when the sensor assembly is in a desired installation position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments described herein relate to elevator systems, and more particularly to an elevator system that includes one or more sensor assemblies to detect a person in a pit of the elevator system. Background Art

[0002] Personnel, such as maintenance personnel, may need to enter the pit of the elevator shaft for inspection, maintenance, etc. Many safety measures exist to prevent injury to personnel in the pit. Additional safety measures, while not necessary, may be beneficial. Summary of the invention

[0003] According to an embodiment, an assembly associated with detection of a human within an elevator hoistway includes a sensor assembly and a position indicator attached to the sensor assembly and operable to emit a visible light pattern. The position indicator is movable with the sensor assembly to indicate to a user when the sensor assembly is in a desired installation position.

[0004] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the position of the visible light pattern indicates to a user when the sensor assembly is in the desired installation position.

[0005] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, when the sensor assembly is in the desired installation position, a visible light pattern emitted by the position indicator is aligned with a target.

[0006] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the visible light pattern comprises a plurality of dots and / or lines.

[0007] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the visible light pattern comprises a single dot.

[0008] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the visible light pattern includes alphanumeric characters.

[0009] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the visible light pattern is configured to change color when the sensor assembly is arranged at or near the desired mounting location.

[0010] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, when the sensor assembly is disposed at or near the desired mounting location, the visible light pattern includes alphanumeric characters.

[0011] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the position indicator is removably attached to the sensor assembly.

[0012] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, a sensor assembly includes a connecting member and a position indicator directly coupled to the connecting member.

[0013] In addition or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the assembly includes a mounting bracket and a locking mechanism. The sensor assembly is movably coupled to the mounting bracket, and the locking mechanism is operable to lock the position of the sensor assembly relative to the mounting bracket.

[0014] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments include at least one means for detecting a relative position of the mounting bracket to at least one of a horizontal or vertical plane.

[0015] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the sensor assembly includes a sensor. The sensor includes at least one of a LIDAR sensor, a millimeter wave RADAR sensor, and an RGBD camera.

[0016] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, an elevator system comprises the assembly.

[0017] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, an elevator system includes a hoistway, an elevator car, and a counterweight configured to travel in the hoistway, an elevator pit is located at a bottom of the hoistway, and a ladder extends from the elevator pit. The sensor assembly is installed at one or more of the elevator car, the counterweight, installed adjacent to the ladder, installed in the elevator pit, or installed to a wall of the hoistway.

[0018] According to an embodiment, a method of installing a sensor assembly in an area to be monitored of an elevator system includes attaching the sensor assembly to a mounting surface of the elevator system and aligning a visible light pattern relative to a target to position the sensor assembly at a desired mounting position relative to the mounting surface, the visible light pattern being generated by a position indicator coupled to the sensor assembly.

[0019] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the sensor assembly is locked in a desired installation position.

[0020] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the mounting bracket is leveled about the mounting surface.

[0021] In addition or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, a sensor assembly detects a person in the area to be monitored, and when a person in the area to be monitored is detected, the sensor assembly initiates opening of a safety chain to disable movement of the elevator car.

[0022] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the position indicator is disconnected from the sensor assembly once the sensor assembly is in the desired installation position.

[0023] The above features and elements can be combined in various combinations, unless otherwise explicitly indicated. According to the following description and the accompanying drawings, these features and elements and their operation will become more apparent. However, it should be understood that it is expected that the following description and the accompanying drawings are illustrative and explanatory in nature and not restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the accompanying figures in which like references indicate similar elements.

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an elevator system in which various embodiments of the present disclosure may be employed;

[0026] Figure 2 shows a top portion of an elevator car including a sensor assembly according to an embodiment;

[0027] Figure 3 An elevator pit including a sensor assembly according to an embodiment is shown;

[0028] Figure 4 A pit ladder including a sensor assembly is shown according to an embodiment;

[0029] Figure 5 A sensor assembly according to an embodiment is shown;

[0030] Figure 6 A mounting assembly for mounting a sensor assembly in an elevator hoistway according to an embodiment is shown;

[0031] Figure 7 is a mounting assembly for mounting a sensor assembly in an elevator hoistway including a visual position indicator according to an embodiment;

[0032] Figure 8 Various patterns generated by a visual indicator are shown, according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Figure 1 1 is a perspective view of an elevator system 101, which includes an elevator car 103, a counterweight 105, a tension member 107, a guide rail 109, a machine 111, a position reference system 113, and a controller 115. The elevator car 103 and the counterweight 105 are connected to each other by the tension member 107. The tension member 107 may include or be configured as, for example, a rope, a steel cable, and / or a coated steel belt. The counterweight 105 is configured to balance the load of the elevator car 103 and to facilitate movement of the elevator car 103 concurrently and in opposite directions relative to the counterweight 105 within the elevator shaft or hoistway 117 and along the guide rail 109.

[0034] Tension member 107 engages machine 111, which is part of the overhead structure of elevator system 101. Machine 111 is configured to control movement between elevator car 103 and counterweight 105. Position reference system 113 can be mounted on a fixed portion of the top of hoistway 117 (such as a support or guide rail), and can be configured to provide a position signal related to the position of elevator car 103 within hoistway 117. In other embodiments, position reference system 113 can be mounted directly to the moving parts of machine 111, or can be located in other positions and / or configurations as known in the art. Position reference system 113 can be any device or mechanism for monitoring the position of elevator car and / or counterweight, as known in the art. For example, without limitation, position reference system 113 can be an encoder, sensor or other system, and can include rate sensing, absolute position sensing, etc., as those skilled in the art will appreciate.

[0035] As shown, the controller 115 may be located in a controller room 121 of the elevator shaft 117 and configured to control the operation of the elevator system 101 and in particular the elevator car 103. It is to be appreciated that the controller 115 need not be located in the controller room 121, but may be located in the hoistway or other locations in the elevator system. For example, the controller 115 may provide drive signals to the machine 111 to control the acceleration, deceleration, leveling, stopping, etc. of the elevator car 103. The controller 115 may also be configured to receive position signals from the position reference system 113 or any other desired position reference device. When moving up or down along the guide rails 109 in the hoistway 117, the elevator car 103 may stop at one or more stair landings 125 as controlled by the controller 115. Although shown as being shown in the controller room 121, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the controller 115 can be located and / or configured in other locations or positions within the elevator system 101. In one embodiment, the controller may be remotely located or located in a cloud computing network (e.g., a cloud computing architecture). Controller 115 may be implemented using a processor-based machine, such as a personal computer, a server, a distributed computing network, or the like.

[0036] The machine 111 may include an electric motor or similar drive mechanism. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the machine 111 is configured to include an electric drive motor. The power supply device of the motor can be any power source, including a power grid, which is supplied to the motor in combination with other components. The machine 111 may include a traction wheel that imparts force to the tension member 107 to move the elevator car 103 within the hoistway 117.

[0037] The elevator system 101 also includes one or more elevator doors 104. The elevator doors 104 may be attached to the elevator car 103, or the elevator doors 104 may be located on a landing 125 of the elevator system 101, or both. The embodiments disclosed herein may be applicable to elevator doors 104 attached to the elevator car 103, or elevator doors 104 located on a landing 125 of the elevator system 101, or both. The elevator doors 104 open to allow passengers to enter and exit the elevator car 103.

[0038] Although shown and described using a roping system including tension members 107, elevator systems that use other methods and mechanisms for moving an elevator car within an elevator shaft may employ embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, embodiments may be employed in ropeless elevator systems that use linear motors to impart motion to an elevator car. Embodiments may also be employed in ropeless elevator systems that use hydraulic lift to impart motion to an elevator car. Embodiments may also be employed in ropeless elevator systems that use self-propelled elevator cars, such as elevator cars equipped with friction wheels, pressure wheels, or traction wheels. Figure 1 These are non-limiting examples presented for purposes of illustration and explanation only.

[0039] Several areas of the elevator system 101 may need to be accessed or inspected by personnel during maintenance operations. These areas include, but are not limited to, the machine room, the top of the elevator car ( Figure 2 ) and elevator pit ( Figure 3 ). To prevent accidental operation of the elevator system, the elevator system 101 includes a safety chain. The safety chain is a known component of the elevator system and typically includes a plurality of contacts (e.g., relays) connected in series that control power to the elevator system machine 111 to enable or disable movement of the elevator car 103. If any of the contacts of the safety chain are open, the elevator car 103 is blocked from moving. Accordingly, when a mechanic wants to access the hoistway 117, it is desirable to open the safety chain to block movement of the elevator car 103.

[0040] At least one sensor assembly 200 operable to detect the presence of a human being may be installed within the hoistway 117. The one or more sensor assemblies 200 may be configured to move with the elevator car 103 or the counterweight 105. For example, Figure 2 As shown in , at least one sensor assembly 200 is mounted to a handrail 130 located at the top 106 of the elevator car 103. However, it should be appreciated that the sensor assembly 200 is contemplated herein as being mounted at any suitable location on the elevator car 103 (including the bottom thereof) and the counterweight 105. Alternatively or additionally, the elevator system 101 may include a sensor assembly 200 mounted at a fixed location within the hoistway 117. In such embodiments, the sensor assembly 200 may be mounted to a wall of the hoistway itself, such as, for example, near a landing door or pit door, and / or may be arranged in or adjacent to an area of ​​the hoistway 117 that is typically occupied or accessed by maintenance personnel. For example, one or more sensor assemblies 200 may be positioned to monitor maintenance personnel in the elevator pit. As shown in FIG. Figure 3 As shown in , the sensor assembly 200 can be installed in the elevator pit, generally shown at 132, such as, for example, at a location at its floor 134 or slightly offset from the floor. Although the sensor assembly 200 is shown as being located at a corner of the elevator pit 132, embodiments in which the sensor assembly 200 is located adjacent only a single wall of the hoistway 117 are also within the scope of the present disclosure. In such embodiments, the sensor assembly can be configured to monitor in a plane oriented substantially parallel to the wall and / or in a plane arranged at a non-parallel angle to the wall.

[0041] Alternatively or additionally, the sensor assembly 200 may be positioned adjacent to a ladder 136 configured to provide access to the elevator pit 132. Figure 4In a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the sensor assembly 200 is disposed in a vertical plane of the ladder 136. It should be appreciated that the suitable locations for the sensor assembly 200 illustrated and described herein are intended to be examples only, and that the sensor assembly may be disposed at any location within or associated with the hoistway 117. Further, while the sensor assembly 200 is illustrated and described herein as monitoring in a two-dimensional plane, in some embodiments, the sensor assembly may be capable of monitoring in three dimensions.

[0042] Now refer to Figure 5 , a schematic diagram of an example of a sensor assembly 200 is illustrated in more detail. As shown, the sensor assembly 200 includes at least one sensor. The sensor 202 can be a distance sensor that generates distance measurements in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional field of view. The sensor 202 can be implemented using a LIDAR sensor, a millimeter wave RADAR sensor, an RGBD camera, or other distance measurement sensor. In an embodiment, the sensor assembly 200 includes a processor 204 that controls the operation of the sensor assembly 200. The processor 204 can be implemented using a general-purpose microprocessor that executes a computer program stored on a storage medium to perform the operations described herein. Alternatively, the processor 204 can be implemented in hardware (e.g., ASIC, FPGA) or in a combination of hardware / software. The processor 204 allows the sensor assembly 200 to perform calculations locally, also known as edge computing. The processor 204 is capable of sending commands to other components of the elevator system 101 (such as, for example, the elevator controller 115) based on the results of the local calculations.

[0043] In an embodiment, the sensor assembly 200 includes one or more indicators 205, such as, for example, a visual indicator and / or an audio indicator, which is operable to indicate an operational state of the sensor assembly 200. For example, the indicator 205 may identify one or more of the following: when the sensor assembly 200 is active; when the sensor assembly 200 has detected the presence of a person in an area monitored by the sensor 202; whether the sensor assembly is functioning properly; and when the sensor assembly is properly positioned in the desired installation site, as will be described in more detail below. However, embodiments in which the sensor assembly 200 includes another type of indicator 205 and / or in which the indicator is operable to identify other operating conditions are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0044] The sensor assembly 200 includes a memory 206 that can store computer programs executable by the processor 204, reference data, sensor data, etc. The memory 206 can be implemented using known devices such as random access memory. The sensor assembly 200 includes a communication unit 208 that allows the sensor assembly 200 to communicate with other components of the elevator system 101 (such as other sensor assemblies and / or the elevator controller 115). The communication unit 208 can be implemented using a wired connection (e.g., LAN, Ethernet, twisted pair, etc.) or a wireless connection (e.g., WiFi, NFC, Bluetooth, etc.).

[0045] In operation, the sensor assembly 200 can open the safety chain of the elevator system 101 under certain conditions. In an exemplary embodiment, the sensor assembly 200 can control the safety chain contact 210 to open or close the safety chain. It should be appreciated that the safety chain contact 210 is one of several contacts that make up the safety chain.

[0046] The sensor assembly 200 may include a mounting assembly 220 for mounting the sensor assembly 200 at a desired location within the hoistway 117. Referring now to Figure 6 In an embodiment, the sensor assembly 200 includes a connecting member 222, and a mounting bracket or clamp 224 of the mounting assembly 220 is operably coupled to the connecting member 222. In an embodiment, the mounting bracket 224 is an L-shaped or angled bracket having a first leg 226 and a second leg 228. As shown, a portion of the first leg (such as, for example, its first end 230) is fixedly mounted to a portion of the second leg 228 (such as an adjacent end 232 of the second leg 228). However, embodiments in which the second leg 228 is movably coupled to the first leg 226 are also contemplated herein. It should be appreciated that the mounting brackets illustrated and described herein are intended to be examples only, and that mounting brackets having another configuration are also within the scope of the present disclosure. The mounting bracket 224 can be attached to a mounting surface within the well 117, such as, for example, can be attached to one or more walls of the well 117 via one or more fasteners or another suitable connector.

[0047] The mounting bracket 224 may include at least one device for detecting the relative position of the mounting bracket 224 (such as relative to a horizontal or vertical plane). In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the mounting bracket 224 includes a first bubble level 240 associated with its first leg 226 and a second bubble level 240 associated with its second leg 228. However, embodiments that include only a single level device are within the scope of the present disclosure. In further embodiments, the device for detecting the position of the mounting bracket 224 includes a digital or laser level or a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device. In other embodiments, the detection of the relative position of the mounting bracket 224 may be performed by a tool separate from the mounting bracket 224 (such as, for example, by a level that is removably mountable on the surface of the mounting bracket).

[0048] In an embodiment, a connection member 222 attached to the sensor assembly 200 is movably coupled to a portion of a mounting bracket 224. For example, a hinge is disposed at the interface between the connection member 222 and the mounting bracket 224 such that the connection member 222, and thus the sensor assembly 200 coupled to the connection member 222, is rotatable relative to the mounting bracket 224 about the axis X. However, in other embodiments, the connection member 222 and the sensor assembly are configured to slide relative to the mounting bracket 224. In an embodiment, the interface between the connection member 222 and the mounting bracket 224 (such as, for example, a hinge) includes a tooling 242 (such as, for example, a plurality of markings) that identifies various angles of the sensor assembly 200 relative to the mounting bracket 224 or a corresponding surface to which the mounting bracket 224 is attached. Although the sensor assembly 200 via the connector member is illustrated as being movable in a single degree of freedom relative to the mounting bracket, it should be appreciated that embodiments in which the sensor assembly 200 is movable in two or three degrees of freedom are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0049] Now refer to Figure 7, the position indicator 250 can be connectable to the sensor assembly 200 and movable therewith relative to the mounting assembly 220. In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the position indicator 250 is attached to an end 252 of the connecting member 222 opposite the mounting bracket 224. However, embodiments are also contemplated herein in which the position indicator 250 is disposed at another location about the sensor assembly 200 and / or the connecting member 222. Further, in an embodiment, the position indicator 250 is an installation tool that is removably coupled to the sensor assembly 200 during installation of the sensor assembly 200 around the elevator system 101. In such embodiments, once the sensor assembly 200 is properly installed in the desired location, the position indicator 250 is typically removed or disconnected therefrom. In other embodiments, it is contemplated that the position indicator 250 remains attached to the sensor assembly 200 even after installation within the elevator system 101.

[0050] In an embodiment, the position indicator 250 is a visual indicator having one or more light sources 254 operable to emit light therefrom into the hoistway 117. The position indicator 250 may be designed such that when attached to the sensor assembly 200, light is emitted from the position indicator 250 in a direction parallel to the signal emitted from the sensor 202. However, embodiments in which the position indicator 250 is configured to emit light in another direction are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0051] In an embodiment, at least one light source of position indicator 250 is operable to emit a light pattern that is visible on one or more surfaces surrounding an area to be monitored by sensor assembly 200. The visible light pattern generated by position indicator 250 may have any suitable configuration. Examples of such configurations are described in Figure 8 These patterns include, but are not limited to, a single dot similar to a laser or a series of lines and / or dots, such as, for example, a grid or crosshairs.

[0052] In some embodiments, the visible light pattern output from position indicator 250 may additionally or alternatively include alphanumeric characters. For example, the visible light pattern itself may be able to indicate to the user the actual position of sensor assembly 200 relative to the mounting bracket, or may provide feedback to the user, such as by identifying when sensor assembly 200 is disposed at or near a desired mounting location. In an embodiment, the visible light pattern includes alphanumeric characters when sensor assembly 200 is disposed at or near a desired mounting location.

[0053] Alternatively or additionally, the color of the visible light pattern may change when the sensor assembly 200 is disposed at or near the desired mounting position. For example, the color of the light may change based on the position of the sensor assembly relative to the desired mounting position. For example, the light may be green when the sensor assembly is in the desired mounting position, yellow when the sensor assembly is within a first threshold of the desired mounting position, and red when the sensor assembly exceeds the first threshold of the desired mounting position. In other embodiments, the light may be only a first color when the sensor assembly is in an acceptable position (i.e., at or within the first threshold of the desired mounting position), and a second color when the sensor assembly is not in an acceptable mounting position. In embodiments where the color changes based on relative position, the light pattern may include multiple lines and / or dots, a single line, dot, or any other configuration.

[0054] In an embodiment, the visible light pattern generated by the position indicator 250 depends on the location of the area to be monitored by the installed sensor assembly. For example, when the sensor assembly 200 is installed at or near the top 106 of the elevator car 103, a first visible light pattern can be generated, and when the sensor assembly 200 is installed in the elevator pit 132, a second visible light pattern can be generated. In an embodiment, the sensor assembly 200 (such as, for example, the memory 206) can be pre-programmed with the setting or position information associated with the desired or expected installation position of the sensor assembly 200 in the hoistway 117. Alternatively, the position indicator 250 itself can be pre-programmed with the setting information. The setting or position information can be based on the expected viewing layout of the hoistway 117 and / or the installation position of the sensor assembly 200 in the hoistway 117. In an embodiment, this setting information is not stored in the sensor assembly 200. Instead, the setting information can be transmitted to the sensor assembly 200 from another source (such as, for example, the elevator controller 115).

[0055] During installation of the sensor assembly 200 within the hoistway 117, personnel will mount the mounting bracket 224 to one or more surfaces of the elevator system 101. The installer will use at least one leveling device (such as, for example, device 240) to ensure that the one or more surfaces of the mounting bracket 224 are arranged in a desired plane. Based on the configuration of the elevator system 101 and the location in which the sensor assembly 200 will be installed within the elevator system 101, the installer may be provided with one or more desired objects or features of the elevator system 101 to serve as targets for determining when the sensor assembly 200 is in the correct position. As the installer moves the sensor assembly 200 relative to the mounting bracket 224, the visible light pattern generated by the position indicator 250 will also move. Therefore, the installer will continue to move the sensor assembly 200 until the visible light pattern is aligned with the target, thereby indicating that the sensor assembly 200 is in the desired installation position. Once the sensor assembly 200 is arranged in the desired installation position, the position of the sensor assembly 200 can be locked relative to the mounting bracket 224. Figure 6 As shown schematically at 224 in FIG. 2 , any suitable locking mechanism may be used to hold the sensor assembly 200 in the desired installation position. Examples of such locking mechanisms include, but are not limited to, detents or setscrews.

[0056] In embodiments, the position indicator 250, when coupled to the sensor assembly 200, can be used to learn one or more boundaries of a monitored area. For example, the sensor assembly 200 can be moved relative to the mounting bracket between a first position defined by aligning the position indicator 250 with a first target and a second position defined by aligning the position indicator 250 with a second, different target. In some embodiments, data collected by the sensor 202 as the sensor assembly 200 is moved between the first and second positions can be used to calculate or determine the correct mounting position of the sensor assembly 200 relative to the mounting bracket 224.

[0057] Using a position indicator 250 as described herein to install the sensor assembly 200 will increase the speed of installation while also increasing the alignment accuracy of the sensor assembly 200 and the repeatability of the installation process.

[0058] The term "approximately" is intended to include the degree of error associated with the measurement based on the particular quantity and / or manufacturing tolerances of the equipment available at the time the application was filed.

[0059] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that when used in this specification, the terms "comprises and / or comprising" specify the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups thereof.

[0060] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various example embodiments are shown and described herein, each of which has certain features in a specific embodiment, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. On the contrary, the present disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of changes, alterations, substitutions, combinations, sub-combinations, or equivalent arrangements not previously described but consistent with the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, although various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the embodiments described. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description, but is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An assembly associated with detecting a human in an elevator shaft, comprising: Sensor assembly; as well as A position indicator is attached to the sensor assembly and is operable to emit a visible light pattern, the position indicator being movable with the sensor assembly to indicate to a user when the sensor assembly is in a desired installation position.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein: The position of the visible light pattern indicates to a user when the sensor assembly is in the desired installation position.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein: When the sensor assembly is in the desired installation position, the visible light pattern emitted by the position indicator is aligned with a target.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein: The visible light pattern includes a plurality of dots and / or lines.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein: The visible light pattern includes a single dot.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein: The visible light pattern includes alphanumeric characters.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein: The visible light pattern is configured to change color when the sensor assembly is disposed at or near the desired mounting location.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein: When the sensor assembly is disposed at or near the desired mounting location, the visible light pattern includes alphanumeric characters.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein: The position indicator is removably attached to the sensor assembly.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein: The sensor assembly includes a connecting member to which the position indicator is directly coupled.

11. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a mounting bracket, the sensor assembly being movably coupled to the mounting bracket; as well as A locking mechanism is used to lock the position of the sensor assembly relative to the mounting bracket.

12. The sensor assembly of claim 11, further comprising at least one device for detecting a relative position of the mounting bracket relative to at least one of a horizontal or vertical plane.

13. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein: The sensor assembly further includes a sensor, the sensor including at least one of a LIDAR sensor, a millimeter wave RADAR sensor, and an RGBD camera.

14. An elevator system comprising the assembly according to claim 1.

15. The elevator system of claim 14, wherein: The elevator system further comprises: Well; an elevator car and a counterweight configured to travel in said hoistway; an elevator pit located at the bottom of the hoistway; and A ladder extends from the elevator pit, wherein the sensor assembly is mounted at one or more of the elevator car, the counterweight, mounted adjacent to the ladder, mounted within the elevator pit, or mounted to a wall of the hoistway.

16. A method for installing a sensor assembly in a region to be monitored in an elevator system, comprising: attaching a sensor assembly to a mounting surface of the elevator system; as well as A visible light pattern generated by a position indicator coupled to the sensor assembly is aligned relative to a target to position the sensor assembly at a desired mounting position relative to the mounting surface.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising locking the sensor assembly in a desired installation position.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising leveling the mounting bracket about the mounting surface.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising: The sensor assembly detects a person in the area to be monitored; as well as Upon detecting a person in the area to be monitored, the sensor assembly initiates the opening of the safety chain to disable the movement of the elevator car.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising disconnecting the position indicator from the sensor assembly once the sensor assembly is in a desired installation position.

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