Bumper Rules

Technical Technical Discussion
1

so I know that in the rules it says the wood backing of the bumpers can not extend past the corners of the robot.

So here is our situation: our manipulator (in the starting configuration) sticks out in front of the front rail of the chassis (it also stays within the size constraints)

Would the wooden backing be allowed to extend to the same distance that the manipulator sticks out? or just to the corner of the chassis?

Here is an image of what i am talking about (i am just holding last years bumper in place to show what i mean)
http://lh5.google.com/visedan/R6-K9G2FYVI/AAAAAAAABko/oLMFCFZJO_A/IMG_2723.JPG?imgmax=512

  • Bochek
2

I would say that is in violation of the rules. The intent of the rule is that a robot will not be colliding with a hard plywood support when it should be hitting some soft pool noodles.

However keep in mind that I am not the GDC and hence my opinion does not matter much at inspection.

3

You do have a vertical piece of pool tube in the corner that sticks out in front of the plywood corner. There has been discussions about “U” shaped robots/bumpers that cover 2/3rd’s of the robot with absolutely nothing in front of the leading edge. I am not the GDC, but I would say that you meet the intent of the rule if you cover three sides. The peril, if anything will be the front edge of your manipulator if it comes into contact with another bumper, field element, robot etc. and it is not protected. If you are questioned about plywood sticking out more than an inch from the corner, why not attached a piece of frame material on top of your existing frame behind the bumper to the edge of the plywood?

4

It looks to me like you’ve answered your own question right there. The frame constitutes the corners of the robot…right?

5

The rules specifically state that the wood cannot extend past the corner. The picture shows a direct violation.

6

I would send you back to the pits…did you ask the FIRST Q & A?

7

If you left your manipulator down in that position all match long, you might have a valid argument for extending the bumper as shown. But I presume you intend to move the manipulator at some time. Then the leading edge of the frame defines your bumper zone. Once you move the defining edge of your robot, the bumpers have to be in compliance with that new edge. There was already a Q&A for the opposite situation - someone wanted to know how to measure 2/3’s if the frame size expanded after start, and the answer was that 2/3’s applied during the entire match. I would imagine the GDC would make a parallel ruling for your robot, that the bumper could not extend past the corner of the frame once you moved your mechanism.

8

Well, you could always just bolt on an extension to the side rail of your robot, so that the side rail reached as far forward as the bottom of the gripper. (that’s within the starting configuration, right?)

If you are worried about the plywood extending into the corners… just re-define the location of the corners of your robot!

Jason