Bumper Zone Questions (was Misc. Questions)

FIRST General Forum
1

So after much deliberation our team has found a fair amount of questions that we cannot figure our. We have gone over the manual and we cant figure out the answers. Any help would be appreciated

  1. Do the bumpers need to be a certain hight above the ground?
  2. Can the bumpers move when we change our bot to Final Configuration?
  3. Can a “kicker” temporarily move outside of the bumper boundaries during its “kick”?

Edit:
Also we might do a “tank tread” drive system, are there any tips, companies, strategies that we might need to know to do make this a little easier?

Thanks,

Bryan
Team 2240

2

From what i have read till now i understood that a “kicker” is able to get outside the frame of the bumpers for only seconds and after this you ahve to wait at least 2 more seconds in order to kick agian. BUT remember that the kick object need to be underneath the bumpers zone.
All this is acordding to rule <G30> on the game manual.

Hope this helped a bit :wink:

3

thanks that helps :slight_smile:

4

The rules definitely state that no object can extend beyond the bumper zone. A ball kicker can extend out of the frame, but not out of the bumper zone, but for no longer than 2 seconds, and that it has to wait two more seconds to extend again. Rule G30

The bumpers cannot move, even in the finale configuration. Also, the frame itself cannot move (taking the bumpers with them)

One caveat - if the robot is touching its alliance tower, it can extend to the finale configuration, event if it is not within the last 20 seconds of the game.

I have not yet found the rules on the heights of the bumpers, but I ma sure that they are there.

5

If it can’t go outside the bumpers how can the robot tip other robot when it is on his “back”?

6

I strongly suggest you read through the robot rules again…maybe a couple times.

http://usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/content.aspx?id=452

The bumper zone height is specified right near the beginning…

7

All this information but your last question could have been answered by looking at the game manual. Please read the game manual before you post any questions, or anything at all on CD. Most people that have questions usually look through the game manual first, and if they don’t find a definitive answer after a good while of looking through the manual, then they come here. I will consider this a warning, but next time, please consult the manual first.

8

There is an exemption for certain actions - uprighting a robot is included in the exemptions

9

Also, if you can’t figure out something that you think should be in the ROBOT rules, you might want to reread the GAME and ARENA rules because it might be there. And it doesn’t hurt to reread chapers 0 thru 10 just because intersting very important facts are hiding in them.

10

Helpful rules to look at for this topic:

  1. Bumper height and articulation: <R07>

The BUMPERS must be located entirely within the BUMPER ZONE when the ROBOT is standing normally on a flat floor, and must remain there (i.e. the BUMPERS must not be articulated or designed to move outside of the BUMPER ZONE).

Bumper zone definition: from page 3 of the robot section of the manual

BUMPER ZONE – the volume contained between two virtual horizontal planes, ten inches above the floor and sixteen inches above the floor.

2)“Kicker” extending outside the bumper boundaries:

<R16>:

<R16> During normal operation no part of the ROBOT shall extend outside the vertical projection of the FRAME PERIMETER, except as permitted by Rule <G30>.

<G30>:

<G30> ROBOT Volume – During a MATCH, no part of the ROBOT shall extend outside the vertical projection of the FRAME PERIMETER, except as follows:
a. BALL Interaction Volume – Solely for the purposes of interacting with a BALL, MECHANISMS that are below the BUMPER ZONE may extend up to the BUMPER PERIMETER, for a period not exceeding two seconds. After returning inside the FRAMER PERIMETER, such MECHANISMS are not permitted to re-extend beyond the FRAME PERIMETER for at least two seconds.
…

  1. Volume while righting another robot:

<G30> ROBOT Volume – During a MATCH, no part of the ROBOT shall extend outside the vertical projection of the FRAME PERIMETER, except as follows:
…
b. ROBOT Righting Volume - ROBOTS attempting to right themselves or their ALLIANCE partners may expand up to the FINALE CONFIGURATION maximum volume while, and only while, performing the righting operation. While beyond the NORMAL CONFIGURATION volume and righting, ROBOTS may not actively interact with BALLS or opponent ROBOTS.

I hope that answered all the questions.