Re: Bumper question
 

We have two levels of frame and they are the same dimensions, one is just taller, does the taller part need to be covered?

Re: Bumper question
 

If you have the bumpers within the bumper zone, on the frame perimeter, and the upper portion is not covered, then you'll be OK. If the upper portion is covered by bumpers and the lower is not, but the bumpers are still within the bumper zone on the frame perimeter, then you'll be OK.

Pending an official inspection, of course.

Re: Bumper question
 

To answer your first question,

The other way around. Nothing on the robot can extend outside of the Frame Perimeter...
[R01-2]
The Robot must have a Frame Perimeter that is comprised of fixed, non-articulated structural elements of the
Robot. The Frame Perimeter of a Robot is defined by the outer-most set of exterior vertices on the Robot that are
within the Bumper Zone, which is between 2 and 10 in. from the floor.

AND

[R02]
The Robot must satisfy the following size constraints:

E. no other part of the Robot may extend beyond the vertical projection of the Frame Perimeter (with the exception of minor protrusions permitted per [R01-2]).
If a Robot is designed as intended and pushed up against a vertical wall (with Bumpers removed and appendages retracted), only the Frame Perimeter (or its minor protrusions) will be in contact with the wall.

The whole object to bumpers is to minimize robot damage in collisions with other robots or with field elements.
Emphasis mine.

Re: Bumper question
 

This question may not be 100% relative to the other questions and comments in this thread but it does relate to bumper rules so I figured this is as good a place as any.

What advantages do you really gain from putting more than the required amount of bumpers on robots?

Lets say that in a normal drive configuration my wide left side is all frame but meets the minimum bumper requirements. This will help 3 robots fit on the bridge!! Since all corners need to be protected frame on frame collisions should be minimal. If an opponents bumper intentionally touches a robots frame perimeter that is not covered in bumpers is that a technical foul?

Idk I guess I just don't see a reason why you would want more than the minimum this year...

Re: Bumper question
 

Ok, but both the upper and lower are the same dimensions, same x and z, different y.

Re: Bumper question
 

Pan,
Not sure what you are proposing but if you are asking 'if a rectangular robot that has a minimum 8" bumper in each corner but leaves the rest of the frame exposed', is legal the answer appears to be yes if all other bumper rules are also satisfied. Assuming only four exterior vertices.

Re: Bumper question
 

The Frame perimeter is still defined by the bumper zone. If your robot was the same dimension from the bottom of the base to 60", that is legal even though the perimeter is only determined within the bumper zone. Provided, of course, that even bolt heads and welds do not fall outside the max dimension limits. Under all robot designs, the robot must fit inside the sizing box.

Re: Bumper question
 

Question - does the 8" measurement of the bumper segment mean the plywood backing has to be 8" or is it the overall length, including the overlap with the adjacent side, which would be pool noodle and fabric. If it is the overall length, you could have a chassis opening of about 19" on a conventional chassis?

Re: Bumper question
 

Yes, the minimum plywood length is 8"

Re: Bumper question
 

The 1/13 update clarifies a few things about bumpers. The important thing is the new figure 4-3 for [R27]:


Note that the corner on the right side, a little lower than center, that was marked "NOT OK" is now not marked. Apparently, that marking was just a mistake in the original, so it's okay.

My interpretation is that the minimum length IN CONTACT WITH THE FRAME is 8", so that doesn't count any plywood extending past the vertex and overlapping with another piece of bumper plywood. Figure 4-4 in [R28] shows that the overlapping plywood is ok, and [R33] with the 1/17 updates says that "each end of the Bumper must be rigidly attached to the Frame Perimeter", so the part extending past the bumper won't count towards the 8". Since this last part is my interpretation, I sure would like to see an update that has dimensions inside the figures showing where this 8" is measured.

Re: Bumper question
 

Was there any clarification on this type of setup? I can't seem to see anything in the team updates that states otherwise.

Re: Bumper question
 

As a matter of fact, there was. TU#2 revised Figure 4-3 to show that bumpers inside the Frame Perimeter were, in fact, not Bumpers. See above.

Also, note that the poster of that particular post took note that the design was not legal. The reason for that is that the Frame Perimeter runs from the left point on that robot to the right point (on the top) in a straight line, as though you stretched a string across. Bumpers must be mounted on the Frame Perimeter per [R28-E]. So, there's nothing to mount the bumpers to... but the bumpers must be supported... so the entire design doesn't work as planned.

Re: Bumper question
 

The team update does not make the frame design illegal it simply calls any bumper like assembly that is mounted inside the frame perimeter "not a bumper". The bumper is the subject of the update.

Re: Bumper question
 

I have another question regarding bumpers this year. This still sounds stupid in my head but if the bumper zone is within 2 inches to 10 inches from the ground and the central barrier is 4 inches high how do some of you teams are planning to go from one side of the field to the other side without hitting your bumper wood or any other bumper parts?

Again I have been thinking this question since day one and still could not come up with a nice solution myself. Neither my team knows an answer to this.

I am afraid we may see many broken, destroyed bumpers this year due to the central barrier. :(

Re: Bumper question
 

ok to answer your question about the bumpers getting in the way of the barrior. if you mount the top of your bumper at the upper most limit, than you go down the length of the bumper you will be at 5 inches, and the barrier is only 4 inches. (bumper comprised of 2-2.5"pool noodles).

dont feel bad, i have had a hard time figuring that out too, because i am so used to mounting the midpoint of the bumper at the midpoint of the frame witch was at the midpoint of the wheels.(aka mid point at either 4 or 3 inches)