67's 2010 Climber

[Kevin Leonard]

I was trying to find details on HOT's climber back in 2010 and how it was able to scale even after the end of the match. I couldn't find the relevant details on CD or their website. Can anyone direct me in the right direction?

From my understanding there was some sort of gas spring that made the climber normally closed so that once it was hooked on, even if the match ended, it would finish scaling. We discussed how to ppossibly build a climber to do that but we're stuck on exactly how to go about it.

[pfreivald]

Any sufficient amount of energy stored in an elongation should do it. Whatever your raising device is can be linked (mechanically or electrically) to release a restraint keeping your stored energy device (gas spring, spring, surgical tubing, whatever) extended. Once released by the claw's contact with the bar, the device will contract automatically and without further input from the rest of the robot.

[MichaelBick]

My understanding is that SCALING a tower only counts if it happens before the match ends.

3.1.4 The Tower
A ROBOT has SCALED the TOWER if, at the conclusion of the MATCH, the ROBOT:
A. is in contact with a unique RUNG, and
B. has all of its BUMPERS fully above the height of the low GOALS.

[lynca]

Just to add more context to this thread.

Video of 67 climbing on Einstein. https://www.thebluealliance.com/match/2010cmp_f1m2

[Karibou]

Originally Posted by MichaelBick

My understanding is that SCALING a tower only counts if it happens before the match ends.

Just need to read a little bit further, section 3.3.1:

Originally Posted by 3.3.1 Point Values

The final assessment of ROBOTS having SCALED or CHALLENGED the TOWER is made five (5) seconds
after the ARENA timer displays zero (0), or when all ROBOTS have come to rest following the conclusion
of the MATCH, whichever happens first.

[CalTran]

Originally Posted by MichaelBick

My understanding is that SCALING a tower only counts if it happens before the match ends.

Manual Section 3.3.1, Scales or Challenges are assessed 5 seconds after a match, or when all robots come to a rest - whichever comes first.

[Sperkowsky]

I would infer from that, that robots can use the 5 seconds after the match to complete the climb. Probably a good Q/A question though.

[george.tan]

Originally Posted by BrendanB

From 3.3.1

It basically means that your robot have to hold its position for at least 5 seconds after the field is disabled. In case your robot does not have a firm grip on the RUNG and fell off immediately after, then that does not count.

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by george.tan

It basically means that your robot have to hold its position for at least 5 seconds after the field is disabled. In case your robot does not have a firm grip on the RUNG and fell off immediately after, then that does not count.

It technically means both: if robots can maintain being scaled or if they are rising from stored assistance.

[Zebra_Fact_Man]

Not to be coarse, but can we get back to OP's original topic rather than arguing about the meaning of rules. Q&A is where that debate belongs.

I myself have also looked for any form of legislation regarding their 2010 end game but have come up empty handed. ):

[nuclearnerd]

Related question - Are you allowed to make your own "gas springs" by pressurizing and capping one end of an air cylinder to, say, 100 psi? Since it would be completely disconnected from the pneumatic system, could you avoid the 60psi limit and venting requirements of the FRC pneumatics rules? It would be very similar to buying a commercial gas spring, only less pressure and easier to integrate.

[Kevin Leonard]

Originally Posted by pfreivald

Any sufficient amount of energy stored in an elongation should do it. Whatever your raising device is can be linked (mechanically or electrically) to release a restraint keeping your stored energy device (gas spring, spring, surgical tubing, whatever) extended. Once released by the claw's contact with the bar, the device will contract automatically and without further input from the rest of the robot.

The problem I'm having is how to have enough force in that stored energy to lift the 120+ lb robot up and have it a) be able to be held back by something simple, b) have it not be gigantic (weight-wise or volume-wise)and c) have it be relatively safe for students to assemble and test.

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by Kevin Leonard

The problem I'm having is how to have enough force in that stored energy to lift the 120+ lb robot up and have it a) be able to be held back by something simple, b) have it not be gigantic (weight-wise or volume-wise)and c) have it be relatively safe for students to assemble and test.

Anything storing ~400 joules of PE is going to be somewhat dangerous to test (and perhaps to build). Depending on how clever you get, four 40-lb constant force springs from McMaster-Carr should get a robot off the ground if you hook them to a strap which you hook over the bar.

Between a ~30" long robot that's ~30" tall, you should be able to preload four of these (http://www.mcmaster.com/#9293k14/=10ohghg) on a (loose) strap that you lift up to the bar, and allow them to retract most of that 60". Pull a pin (or release a cam) and, uh, shoom!

(Not necessarily the best idea. I think you could go rather lighter if you just used a winch; but you certainly could use these, or surgical tubing, or maybe just some big honkin' coil springs. The key notion here is to hook on while something else is taking the pre-load, then release that something else to let the pre-load lift the bot.)

[jeremy callahan]

Here is 67's engineering notebook I haven't looked at it but after every year hot puts together a notebook so you can review there designs afterwards if you would like. Hope this helps.
http://www.hotteam67.org/Archive/EngineeringDesign.html

[Derek Bessette]

I haven't used these before, but our team was initially thinking of trying these:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#9833t6/=10ohn3x


They have a remote release that I believe could lock or release the spring on demand.

Pre-loading them safely would be a challenge, but you could possibly go with more springs each with a lower force.