Frame design question?

[384drtysteve101]

I know about the rule of 100% bumber coverage, but can there be an opening of the frame, like if the frame isnt a box but it is rectangular shaped without a front to it, ex. opened front. Im asking because of the gripper for our robot needs room to pickup intertubes.

[Brandon Holley]

Originally Posted by 384drtysteve101

I know about the rule of 100% bumber coverage, but can there be an opening of the frame, like if the frame isnt a box but it is rectangular shaped without a front to it, ex. opened front. Im asking because of the gripper for our robot needs room to pickup intertubes.

There are specific guidelines in the manual regarding the exact question you are asking. Gaps are permitted, but only in certain lengths and depths. The frame perimeter of the robot must be 100% wrapped in bumper. Review the bumper section one more time, as well as the definition of frame perimeter.

-Brando

[Jon Stratis]

<R07>, section K:

BUMPERS must attach to the FRAME PERIMETER of the ROBOT with a rigid fastening system to form a tight, robust connection to the main structure/frame (e.g. not attached with Velcro). The attachment system must be designed to withstand vigorous game play. All removable fasteners (e.g. bolts, locking pins, pip-pins, etc.) will be considered part of the BUMPERS.

The BUMPER backing must be supported by the structure/frame of the ROBOT (i.e. the gap between the backing material and the frame must not be greater than 1/4” and no section of BUMPER greater than 8” may be unsupported). See Figure 3-3.

<R07>, Section A:

BUMPERS must provide complete protection of the entire FRAME PERIMETER of the ROBOT (i.e. BUMPERS must wrap entirely around the ROBOT). As part of the 100% coverage, BUMPERS must protect all exterior corners of the FRAME PERIMETER. For adequate protection, a full segment of BUMPER must be placed on each side of the corner (see Figure 3-2).

BUMPER PERIMETER:

the polygon defined by the outer-most set of exterior vertices of the BUMPERS when they are attached to the HOSTBOT. (To identify the BUMPER PERIMETER, wrap a string around the BUMPERS at the level of the BUMPER ZONE - the string describes the polygon.)

With this combination of rules, yes, you can have a gap in your frame, but not in your bumpers. So with the example you gave - a rectangular robot with an open front - the opening can only be a maximum of 8 inches, AND it has to have a bumper sitting in front of it.