pic: Ball Harvester

[waialua359]

Its too bad that the bumpers are such a big issue.
The whole intent is to protect your own robot and other robots on the field, which should be the only things making contact with each other.
Instead, its turning into a wording or lack of wording issue.
I cant see how yours would be deemed illegal based on how you folks plan on putting them on.

[IndySam]

Originally Posted by falconmaster

Well we feel that we will be allowed with our bumper design. W willadd bumpers to the diagonal sections with 6 inch sections. If we are not allowed we will swap them out with a straight six inch sections. Our argument though will be that the corners will be protected, no bumper section will be less than 6 inches and the weight of the part not on the bumper perimeter will be counted against the robot weight. Even if you had a straight section instead of diagonals the corners would not be protected on the inside. Oh well we will see

Wow I think you are taking a big chance.

If I were your inspector I would rule that your angled bumpers do not qualify as BUMPERS.

[Bob Steele]

I like your design but there is another rule that the bumpers must make first contact with the wall... I think your outside bumper corners should prevent your rollers from hitting the wall first... so that should be ok.

I would be careful though as another robot or trailer can hit the roller area... with the corner of their robot.. I can speak from experience in 2006 with a front roller that picked up the poof balls...

It was an issue then.. but of course ... in 2006 we didn't have mandated bumpers on the robot... just suggested...so we took many hits from unbumpered robots. We ended up having to use a titanium bar to protect our roller.

Good luck with your design... I hope it works great!!

[Greg Needel]

Originally Posted by falconmaster

Well we feel that we will be allowed with our bumper design. W willadd bumpers to the diagonal sections with 6 inch sections. If we are not allowed we will swap them out with a straight six inch sections. Our argument though will be that the corners will be protected, no bumper section will be less than 6 inches and the weight of the part not on the bumper perimeter will be counted against the robot weight. Even if you had a straight section instead of diagonals the corners would not be protected on the inside. Oh well we will see

i think you should look at this http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=11170

[waialua359]

wow. seems pretty black and white to me.

[Wetzel]

We've built several iterations of intake and lift prototypes, and the tubes work well. What are you using to secure them to the roller?

Wetzel

[Teched3]

Just another thought about your bumper design. Part of Team Update #3 is concerned with how far a trailer will enter your bumper perimeter. IMO, I don't think your design will pass inspection. As long as you have alternatives ready to modify, you won't be taking much of a chance.

[keen101]

Well, were supposed to use a string to figure out our bumper perimeter. So, one interpretation would be that the angled bumpers would not be in the bumper perimeter, therefore you could still have them, but you'd have to consider them part of the robot and weigh them with the robot. But, that won't work either, because it clearly states that the trailer can only make contact with the bumpers, and if it made contact with the inside "bumpers", then that would technically be making contact with the robot. Even though it'd be a soft part of the robot.

So, i am concluding that it is illegal, and very risky to do it since we might have to change it later.

[falconmaster]

Originally Posted by Wetzel

We've built several iterations of intake and lift prototypes, and the tubes work well. What are you using to secure them to the roller?

Wetzel

plumbers goop or shoe goo.

[XXShadowXX]

How fast does it propel the balls that pass under it?

[JVN]

Originally Posted by falconmaster

Well we feel that we will be allowed with our bumper design. W willadd bumpers to the diagonal sections with 6 inch sections. If we are not allowed we will swap them out with a straight six inch sections. Our argument though will be that the corners will be protected, no bumper section will be less than 6 inches and the weight of the part not on the bumper perimeter will be counted against the robot weight. Even if you had a straight section instead of diagonals the corners would not be protected on the inside. Oh well we will see

Send that inspector my way and we'll increase the size of our intake.

-John

[falconmaster]

Originally Posted by XXShadowXX

How fast does it propel the balls that pass under it?

It just takes an instant, may be 1/2 sec to 1 sec

[Vikesrock]

Originally Posted by falconmaster

Well we feel that we will be allowed with our bumper design. W willadd bumpers to the diagonal sections with 6 inch sections. If we are not allowed we will swap them out with a straight six inch sections. Our argument though will be that the corners will be protected, no bumper section will be less than 6 inches and the weight of the part not on the bumper perimeter will be counted against the robot weight. Even if you had a straight section instead of diagonals the corners would not be protected on the inside. Oh well we will see

Here's the problem with this. In order to protect the corner on the angled side the bumper will have to extend out past the corner itself placing it outside the bumper perimeter. With this being a bumper and not BUMPER it must fit within the volume constraints and would also redefine your bumper perimeter which would be problematic.

[WhiteShadow1474]

how exactly did you get the pnumatic tubing to stay on there.

And; the bumper rules are so complex. I have no idea if this design is legal.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by WhiteShadow1474

how exactly did you get the pnumatic tubing to stay on there.

And; the bumper rules are so complex. I have no idea if this design is legal.

Originally Posted by falconmaster

plumbers goop or shoe goo.

And as for legality, 3/4 sides of the robot are legal. The remaining side needs work.