Launching Boxes

[jmo8605]

also the right motor will me able to throw the boxes and then u can control the speed which will also contorl the distance. jus make sure its fast and powerful

Jon

[Martin]

even tho the box probably would not break...chances are the lid may come off...and the rules specify that you cannot remove lids...i assume since it was you that launched the box, it would also be you for removing the lid...
question: what if two robots are on opposite ends of the container, pushing towards eachother...chances are the lid might pop off..what then ?

thanks

[jmo8605]

i have thrown the boxes at walls the tops have yet to come off so i dont think it is goin to easily come off.

thats a good question, both teams would prob. be penalized or it would be up to the judges. just a guess

Jon

[Mike537Strategy]

Does no one remember that during the competitions the box lids will be bolted on with those special bolt things? I think that'll pretty much prevent the whole lid from coming off.

Originally posted by Mike537Strategy
Does no one remember that during the competitions the box lids will be bolted on with those special bolt things? I think that'll pretty much prevent the whole lid from coming off.

Even with the rivets on the lids, it will only hold for so long.

[Damian Manda]

DA1 A referee may disable a robot that has damaged the playing field, barriers, containers or
another robot, if the referee feels that further damage is likely to occur.

If you are launching containers and one gets broken, the referee may use this rule, because if one broke from launching another might break later.

[Noah]

S10: The storage containers are the only projectiles that may be launched by a robot.

DA1: A referee may disable a robot that has damaged the playing field, barriers, containers or
another robot, if the referee feels that further damage is likely to occur. The referees may
require a corrective action, such as eliminating a sharp edge, before the robot will be
allowed to compete in subsequent matches.

The manual explicitly states that it is legal for a robot to launch containers. The lids are rivited shut, and should therefore not come off.
You can launch the container so long as the launch itself does not damage the container. If the subsequent impact damages the container it is the robot that has damaged the containers. This would therefor be legal.

Originally posted by Noah
The manual explicitly states that it is legal for a robot to launch containers. The lids are rivited shut, and should therefore not come off.

Still, the rivets WILL break off eventually if the main part of the box survives the torture of the game

[Clanat]

I don't see launching boxes as an effective strategy, it doesn't seem like with the weight you could launch one fast/far enough to make a difference.

[Ianworld]

I've calculated the physics for it. There are multiple ways of getting the speed needed. A 12 inch pneumatic with a 2 inch bore is easily enough to launch them 15 feet. My physics(well natures but hmph) called for a 1 foot arc that applies 90 pounds of force to the throwing arm in .06 seconds. My robot design uses a slightly different design but the physics works out that even a 6 inch in length pneumatic would provide more than twice the power needed to throw a crate 30 feet. I added in a feature that while you swing the crate(s) you extend your throwing mechanism. That lowers the force requried to get the speed up. Also using the battery to act as a counter weight on a seesaw like device was also thought of. I don't know if the first judges would allow that idea though. (using a 1 foot bar with the 20 pound battery allows you only need to use a 6 inch pneumatic witha 3/4 inch bore)

*as a note my entire team is against throwing in the autonomous period. We are sure that if we throw a crate the wrong way and it goes into the crowd bad things will come from the refs. very bad things. I guess testing would be in order for that ^_^

[Doug]

Originally posted by jmo8605
just make sure its fast and powerful

Jon

yeah i think thats basically the idea behind all of our robots its sometimes easier said then done

[Da Moose!]

i would LOVE to see a barrage of boxes flying everywhere, but it might not be a barrage, but i would just love to see some boxes flying no matter what the outcome, just as long as nobody gets hurt. i would have liked to has tossed boxes, but we have decided against it.

[MRL180YTL2002]

read rule 9.1. S10 in the Competion rules I believe states "The storage containers are the only projectiles that may be launched by a robot" therefore it comes down to whether the referees with disqualify you...like if a box gets launched into the crowd or causes damage to the field. The CIM motors if you looked last year a Woody's ball launchers has the power as do the Fisher Price and Bosuch Drill Motors have the power. This also conflicts with the drivetrain....we're already considered two penumatic clyinders for the drivetrains as well as the optical sensors, the CIM motors, and the drill motors.

[DanL]

About using pnuematic launchers, remember that big cylinders use a lot of your pressure. If you plan on launching boxes one of your main goals, you want to do it more than once every 30 seconds. You're better off just using a motor with an arm on a pivot or something like that.

[MRL180YTL2002]

and the pump weighs like 4 pounds give or take a few ounces.