Bumper Height

[TeenDev]

Hey everyone,

How high do the bumpers have to be from the ground? We looked thrugh the rule book, asked our rulesmaster, but we couldn't find the answer.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

From 8.2 Definitions in Section 8

BUMPER ZONE – the volume contained between two virtual horizontal planes, one inch above the floor and seven inches above the floor.

The bumpers must be mounted to satisify this definition.

[waterfreak#1]

in our rule book we founf it said that it had to be 1 3/16 inches off the ground

[EricH]

in our rule book we founf it said that it had to be 1 3/16 inches off the ground
Nope, that's the trailer hitch, at (2 3/16)" from the ground to the horizontal centerline. Al is correct.

[The phenom]

gets hammered?

[Rick Wagner]

Nope, that's the trailer hitch, at 2 3/16" from the ground to the horizontal centerline. Al is correct.

That should be two and thirteen sixteenths inches from the floor (2 13/16).

[MetalGear_Solid]

yes...the nail that sticks out does indeed get hammered....
lol
thanks for postin this up...
it took me an hour to find it and i learned something.... hahaha
i have to make the bumper case for our metal gear titan ...

so thanks a bunch..

[ISGOI Howie]

From 8.2 Definitions in Section 8

BUMPER ZONE – the volume contained between two virtual horizontal planes, one inch above the floor and seven inches above the floor.

The bumpers must be mounted to satisify this definition.

sooooo...... the bumpers have to be at least 1" above the ground and 7" at max?

[ebarker]

sooooo...... the bumpers have to be at least 1" above the ground and 7" at max?

The bumper zone starts at 1" elevation and stops at 7" elevations.

7" minus 1" = 6"

so center the nominal 5" tall bumper between the 1 and 7 " mark


Read under Robot Rules - Definitions - Bumper Zone

Then read <R08>

[Mike Betts]

sooooo...... the bumpers have to be at least 1" above the ground and 7" at max?

In my humble opinion, you are correct.

[Mike Betts]

The bumper zone starts at 1" elevation and stops at 7" elevations.

7" minus 1" = 6"

so center the nominal 5" tall bumper between the 1 and 7 " mark


Read under Robot Rules - Definitions - Bumper Zone

Then read <R08>

Ed,

I do not believe that your interpretation is correct. A 6" latitude of placement for a 5" bumper means that the bumpers of two colliding robots could miss each other. This would negate the purpose of the bumper.

If your team's robot design requires a 6" latitude, you should post to the FIRST forum for an official ruling.

JMHO

Mike

[GaryVoshol]

Once again we have a misunderstanding of the words used in the Manual. First we have the definition:
BUMPERS – Bumper assemblies designed to attach to the exterior of the ROBOT within the BUMPER ZONE, and constructed as specified in Rule <R08>. BUMPERS are excluded from the weight and volume calculations specified in Rule <R11>.
And then this:
P. BUMPERS must be mounted to the ROBOT within the BUMPER ZONE, and must remain there. The BUMPERS must not be articulated or designed to move outside of the BUMPER ZONE.(emphasis mine in all cases)

While the first bolded parts could be read as requiring only the mounting point to be inside the bumper zone, the underlined bold parts specifically say the bumpers themselves must always remain inside the bumper zone. So with a 5" wide bumper, you've got an inch of slop to make sure it stays between 1 and 7 inches from the floor.

[bighead1358]

this whole thread has been both very helpful and confusing im going with higher than one inch and lower than seven? i hope

[EricH]

this whole thread has been both very helpful and confusing im going with higher than one inch and lower than seven? i hope
The definition of BUMPER ZONE: "the volume contained between two virtual horizontal planes, one inch above the floor and seven inches above the floor."

<R08-P>: "BUMPERS must be mounted to the ROBOT within the BUMPER ZONE, and must remain there. The BUMPERS must not be articulated or designed to move outside of the BUMPER ZONE."

You are correct in your interpretation.

[Elgin Clock]

this whole thread has been both very helpful and confusing im going with higher than one inch and lower than seven? i hope

Yes. But keep in mind, a BUMPER must be made up from 2 pool noodles stacked on top of each other in which each pool noodle is about ~2.5" tall themselves.

This is where the talk about the 5" tall bumper comes into play.
(~2.5" pool nodle + ~2.5" pool noodle = ~5" tall bumper.)

In my crude picture, let the O's represent a pool noodle cross-section & the solid lines lines above & below the O's equal the 5" spacing between the top & bottom of the constructed BUMPER (height of 2 pool noodles). The dotted line represent your horizontal planes of the BUMPER ZONE limits.

------7" (max) from floor
_____
O
O___

------ <-1" (min) from floor
______ <- Floor


Hope that clears up any confusion, & doesn't add any more confusion to your understanding of this! :)

[Cow Bell Solo]

I'm glad I found this thread as our team has been spending hours, well maybe not that long looking for the 1-7 inch thing. We knew we had read it somewhere but couldn't find it again. Now I know where to point it out.

[diesel]

Or think of it this way

The bottom of the bumper must be 1 to 2 inches from the floor.

OR

The top of the bumper must be 6 to 7 inches from the floor.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Please check the trailer hitch diagrams on the First website, under #8 Robot posted earlier this week for the latest info.
That is all.