pic: Legal Bumper Configuration?

[AdamHeard]

loading photo ...

[Aren_Hill]

From my understanding of the rules this is currently legal by the manual.

[Justin Montois]

Agreed. Looks good to me, fellow GRR team.

[GUI]

This isn't legal, part I of rule <R08> requires that "BUMPERS must protect all exterior corners of the BUMPER PERIMETER." and refers to a drawing that has bumpers on both sides of a corner with the padding extending all the way out (I'm sure this explanation is slightly confusing, I suggest you look at the diagram in the rules to see what I am referring to). It wouldn't take too much to make this legal, you'd just have to sacrifice a bit of your collection area on the front to make room for the 6" of bumper on each corner. And remember to leave 7" out of the back for the trailer hitch.


EDIT: I didn't notice that the bumpers extend past the corners. I think this is a question for the Q&A, as the rules are vague about whether protecting a corner requires bumper on both sides (as the diagram suggests), or just a bumper on the corner.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by GUI

This isn't legal, part I of rule <R08> requires that "BUMPERS must protect all exterior corners of the BUMPER PERIMETER." and refers to a drawing that has bumpers on both sides of a corner with the padding extending all the way out (I'm sure this explanation is slightly confusing, I suggest you look at the diagram in the rules to see what I am referring to). It wouldn't take too much to make this legal, you'd just have to sacrifice a bit of your collection area on the front to make room for the 6" of bumper on each corner. And remember to leave 7" out of the back for the trailer hitch.


EDIT: I didn't notice that the bumpers extend past the corners. I think this is a question for the Q&A, as the rules are vague about whether protecting a corner requires bumper on both sides (as the diagram suggests), or just a bumper on the corner.

Yup, your post explains my internal debate precisely.

We will QnA it, which will be hard to describe via text.

I say it is legal, and should be legal per the rules and the intent of the rules.

If it isn't, then only wide robots will be able to pick up two balls wide.....

[smurfgirl]

This looks legal to me. I see what your question is, but it still sounds legal, and within the intent of the rules. You should be fine, but Q&A can't hurt.

[dodar]

Well you cant also forget about the big gap you have to leave for the trailer in the back of your robot

[GaryVoshol]

I suspect this was drawn prior to reading Team Update 1. Where's your trailer hitch going?

I also question whether or not the soft portion of the bumper can extend beyond a corner if there's not a bumper on the adjacent side.

[DMetalKong]

I do not think this would be legal.

Originally Posted by R08

A. BUMPERS must be built in segments, with a minimum length of six inches, and a maximum length that does not exceed the maximum horizontal dimension of the ROBOT.

Looking at the way you have it set up in the picture, the bumpers on the long side extend past the robot.

Also, looking at the diagram on page ten of section 8, it looks like the bumpers need to have an adjacent corner as Gary suggested.

Edit: the rules say bumper sections have to be at least 6" long, does this mean 6" against the robot? At a joint, since the bumpers are 2.5" wide, can the adjacent bumper be mounted so that only 4" of it is braced against the robot?

[johnr]

My guess is no because i think bumpers need to be fully supported by frame this year.

[bduddy]

Originally Posted by DMetalKong

I do not think this would be legal.



Looking at the way you have it set up in the picture, the bumpers on the long side extend past the robot.

Also, looking at the diagram on page ten of section 8, it looks like the bumpers need to have an adjacent corner as Gary suggested.

Edit: the rules say bumper sections have to be at least 6" long, does this mean 6" against the robot? At a joint, since the bumpers are 2.5" wide, can the adjacent bumper be mounted so that only 4" of it is braced against the robot?

There would have to be three sections. One covering the entire short side, including the corners, and two more covering the remainder of the long sides. Basically what that rule says is that no section can be longer then the length of the robot.

[AdamHeard]

As far as the current bumper rules, please read them entirely before replying.

Depending on the definition of corner, we are legal per the rules. The rules are ambiguous as to whether or not an adjacent bumper is required to extend the soft part out.

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

I suspect this was drawn prior to reading Team Update 1. Where's your trailer hitch going?

I also question whether or not the soft portion of the bumper can extend beyond a corner if there's not a bumper on the adjacent side.

The gap for the trailer hitch wasn't drawn in because it wasn't really what I was asking for, the opposite to the open side will have it.

[Bob Steele]

I think you might run into an issue with saying that the front of your robot is protected by a bumper.

The rule says that the first thing that contacts the wall has to be a bumper.
A bumper in the definitions includes the mounting board.

Your design appears to be hitting the wall with just the cloth and noodle portion of the side bumper.

I can only surmise that the rule is there to protect the walls from needless damage from metal or other hard portions of the robot because of the sliding characteristics of the robots this year.

This is certainly a question that needs to be asked in Q and A and not on here to get a correct interpretation.

I know that if I were inspecting the robot ... and without any other indications from GDC or Q and A... I would not pass this bumper configuration.

Now is the time to ask... get it in writing and keep it with you for inspection.

good luck!!

[AdamHeard]

We'll be submitting to QnA tonight, if this configuration is deemed illegal, I will be very upset.

It limits the width of ball intakes a very substantial amount, unnecessarily as well.

I like bumpers, I don't like overly restrictive bumper rules.

[Madison]

I'm interested in the official answer regarding this as well. It means the difference between a ~26" wide collector and a ~16" wide collector.