1137 Rocket Sauce 2009 Robot slideshow

[Jim_1137]

<R08> The BUMPER location and design have been specified
so that ROBOTS will make BUMPER-to-BUMPER contact during any collisions. If
implemented as intended, a ROBOT that is driven into a vertical wall in any normal
PLAYING CONFIGURATION will always have the BUMPER be the first thing to contact the
wall. To achieve this, BUMPERS must be constructed as described below and illustrated in Figure 8 – 1.
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.
I. BUMPERS must protect all exterior corners of the BUMPER PERIMETER Figure 8 – 2
K. BUMPERS must protect a minimum of 2/3 of the BUMPER PERIMETER. Teams are
encouraged to maximize the area of the ROBOT protected by BUMPERS. But up to 1/3 of
the BUMPER PERIMETER may be unprotected to provide flexibility in design options.


Figure 8 – 2 shows a diagram of similar tapered back as this robot.
"This design follows the intent of all bumper rules. It is well protected from all hits, while still allowing mobility of the trailer. If the bumper rule intent isn't to keep robots protected, then what IS it for?" Personally I can't see the inspectors rejecting this team over this toss up. How would that be in the spirit of FIRST?