New rule Clarification changes plans

[chinckley]

What about teams that were hoping to dump their hoppers at the end into the coral, is this a shooter?

Carolyn

[BoyWithCape195]

If you had a "door" that opened up to release the balls, and that door, when opened, was outside of the starting dimensions, would it be legal? Even if it is not powered and only gravity fed, would it be considered a shooter?

Could someone verify an answer to this question in the Q & A?

[gburlison]

Based on this answer: (emphasis mine)

A shooter includes the mechanism that delivers the final dynamic impulse that ejects the ball from the robot, and any parts of the robot that contact the ball while and/or after this impluse is delivered. If your loading mechanism also ejects the ball from the robot, it would be considered a shooting mechanism.


To this thread:

http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=474

It appears that if part of your robot expands beyond the original dimensions. and you use that part to push a ball, then you have just used an illegal shooter.
I could read this to preclude a fold down ramp, because it would contact the ball after this impulse is delivered.

Am I missing something here?
Do you really think that this is the way it should be interpreted?

[BoyWithCape195]

"the mechanism"....do you consider gravity a mechanism?

[GB330033]

You highlighted the impulse portion, but look at the ejecting part. "the mechanism that delivers the final dynamic impulse that ejects the ball from the robot"

That leads me to believe that if the ball is not contained, it is not being ejected, and therefore the mechanism is not a shooter.

Also, a Q&A was already posted for a ramp, though I don't have the link. The response said that as long as gravity was the only force ejecting the balls, then the ramp would not qualify as a shooter.

[Collin Fultz]

Originally Posted by GB330033

Also, a Q&A was already posted for a ramp, though I don't have the link. The response said that as long as gravity was the only force ejecting the balls, then the ramp would not qualify as a shooter.

http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread...hlight=gravity

[gburlison]

Originally Posted by GB330033

You highlighted the impulse portion, but look at the ejecting part. "the mechanism that delivers the final dynamic impulse that ejects the ball from the robot"

That leads me to believe that if the ball is not contained, it is not being ejected, and therefore the mechanism is not a shooter.

Also, a Q&A was already posted for a ramp, though I don't have the link. The response said that as long as gravity was the only force ejecting the balls, then the ramp would not qualify as a shooter.

I can see your point regarding pushing a ball with a part of your robot that expands beyond the starting dimensions. In essence, if the robot did not eject the ball, then the "any parts of the robot that contact the ball while and/or after this impulse is delivered" does not come into play. Can we assume that since gravity does not appear to count as ejecting the ball, then this same logic applies to a ramp?

[Starke]

Originally Posted by Manoel

Yes, but is it "shielded such that the mechanism cannot make contact with other ROBOTs", per rule <S03>?
I think that's the tricky part of the rule.

We have some redesigning to do, I think.

yes, our harvester is shielded so it does not make contact with other robots. so we are legal, right? i just want to make sure so we do not have to re-design again.

[Collin Fultz]

So do you think that this applies to doors that open out (hinged at bottom)? There is no power in the door...just gravity.

[BoyWithCape195]

I'm really hoping it doesn't, because that is probably what will have to change too...