How High (bumpers)?

[ValoryxD]

could someone be awesome, and enlighten me as to how high the bumpers can/have to be?

[engunneer]

<R01>
Bumper zone is between 2 and 10"

Bumpers themselves are 5" tall.

[Mik_951]

It's from the floor but until where? The bottom of the bumper or the highest part?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Mik_951

It's from the floor but until where? The bottom of the bumper or the highest part?

[R29] Bumpers must be located entirely within the Bumper Zone when the Robot is standing normally on a flat floor.

[big1boom]

The bumpers have to be entirely within the bumper zone (2" to 10")

[tlivingd]

We have this question too. Being a rookie team, bumper zone doesn't say anything to us. It's like saying put Dextron in your gearbox. A lot of people don't know what that is. But at-least you can Google Dextron.

We're assuming the bottom of the bumper must be 2-5" from the floor as the top of the bumper would be 7-10" from the floor.

We'd like the bottom to be 10" from the floor, but that doesn't sound right.

EDIT: Back in my day we didn't have bumpers. Robots were supposed to have battle damage.

[nitneylion452]

Originally Posted by tlivingd

We have this question too. Being a rookie team, bumper zone doesn't say anything to us. It's like saying put Dextron in your gearbox. A lot of people don't know what that is. But at-least you can Google Dextron.

We're assuming the bottom of the bumper must be 2-5" from the floor as the top of the bumper would be 7-10" from the floor.

We'd like the bottom to be 10" from the floor, but that doesn't sound right.

Your bumpers are 5" high. The entirety of the height must be within the 2"-10" zone. Meaning that the bottom of your bumper can be no less that 2" from the floor and the top of your bumper can be no more than 10" from the floor.

Hope this helps.

[waialua359]

Our bumpers will be mounted at the maximum height off the ground for one reason only............to clear the bump at center court.

[staplemonx]

We were thinking about making thinker bumpers on the sides in case a team makes low bumpers. In that case our side bumpers would be 3 tubes in stead of two. It should help minimize potential flipping from low bumper bots.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by staplemonx

We were thinking about making thinker bumpers on the sides in case a team makes low bumpers. In that case our side bumpers would be 3 tubes in stead of two. It should help minimize potential flipping from low bumper bots.

Except for one thing. Bumpers have to be constructed like the ones in Figure 4-5 ([R28] as a whole) and can only use a pair of stacked noodles ([R28-C]).

Good thought, and it might be worth asking the GDC due to the expanded range this year, but I think you'd better plan for a low CG instead.

[GaryVoshol]

Even if one robot has the bumpers mounted at max height (top at 10 inches) and the other at min height (bottom at 2 inches), there is a 2-inch overlap when the bumpers meet. And I think you'll see a lot of teams mounting their bumpers toward the high side of the spec to help them clear the center beam.

[staplemonx]

Good to know

[David Guzman]

Has anyone considered bumpers at an angle?

Say front bumpers are at max height and rear bumpers at the min height. Would it be legal for the side bumpers to be at a slope, within the bumper zone?

[engunneer]

that's a very good question. Might be good to ask the GDC Q&A. My interpretation of the rules is that this would be allowed. I don't see a good technical reason to do it (that means your frame is lower in the back too), but theoretically is legal as far as I can tell.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by engunneer

that's a very good question. Might be good to ask the GDC Q&A. My interpretation of the rules is that this would be allowed. I don't see a good technical reason to do it (that means your frame is lower in the back too), but theoretically is legal as far as I can tell.

Someone has asked.

When they redid the Q&A, they did it so that anybody can see the questions with a note "Answer pending" if the question hasn't been answered yet. One of the best features of the new one, IMO.

I'm inclined to agree; it's probably legal, but it never hurts to ask.