Extending before finale?

Competition Rules/Strategy
1

I have already read the rules, and this: http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=13846

This might be a better question for Q&A, but our team was wondering if it was legal to partially extend our lifting arm in to prepare for the finale, so that it would still stay inside the “normal configuration” bounds.

Also, if we do decide to extend to the “finale configuration” before the finale for some reason, we know we must be touching the tower. Is the the tunnel (or anything below the platform) considered part of the tower? Or just anything above the platform?

2

I think this is one for Q&A to answer.

Unofficially (read: no weight whatsoever at your event), you’re probably OK.

As far as touching the tower, AFAIK, the platform and the tower base count as part of the tower. Again, one for Q&A, as I recall a previous answer that was not clear.

3

Why would any rules prohibit actuation of anything within the FRAME PERIMETER? I don’t see how this could possibly ever be illegal. I guess Q&A it, but this seems really open and shut…

4

I don’t think any rules limit that.

5

They prohibit active mechanisms controlling the balls above the bumper zone, don’t they?

6

so long as you stay within the normal teleop frame and do not use any moving parts above the bumperzone to interact with the ball, it’s fine

7

I would also have to say to send this one to the Q & A.

From what I understand of the rules (and from what others have stated to me) your robot has to stay in the configuration it is in at the beginning of the match until the finale unless you are in contact with your alliances tower. At that point you can go outside of the normal configuration and can set up your finale piece before the finale, but as I stated I would send this one to Q & A.

8

This actually got me thinking. Since you are allowed to exit the frame perimeter for 2 seconds, could you start hanging at 22 seconds?

9

The 2 second exemption allowed by <G30-A> only applies to mechanisms below the bumpers and must be for the purpose of interacting with the ball.

You can hang whenever you want if you touch the tower the whole time you do so, or stay inside your FRAME PERIMETER while doing so.

10

It’s already been asked, and the GDC is OK with it: http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=14096

There is no rule that would prohibit parts of the ROBOT from expanding/contracting within the limits of the NORMAL CONFIGURATION and the vertical projection of the FRAME PERIMETER.

11

I think I found an answer to my second question while browsing a different section of the Q&A:

http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=13730

As defined in Section 6.2.4 of The Manual, the TOWER includes the base and the pipe superstructure. The PLATFORM and the TUNNEL are features of the base, and are therefore part of the TOWER. The carpet under the TOWER is not considered part of the TOWER.

So, because the PLATFORM and TUNNEL are a part of the base, and the base is a part of the TOWER, touching the PLATFORM or TUNNEL means you are touching the TOWER which means you are then able extend to FINALE CONFIGURATION before the FINALE starts. Right? >_>

12

Haha main you got me confuzed :confused:

13

That is my interpretation as well, but you might want to ask the head referee at the drivers meeting on Thursday morning, just to make sure.

14

Let me ask this another way…

Why would they have the rule if the base of the tower was NOT part of the tower.

How could you touch anything inside it ?? You are not allowed to come out of your frame perimeter extended vertically… the only thing you will be able to touch the tower with is your bumpers… so ergo… touching the tower means your bumpers are touching the base of the tower…

So prior to the 20 second finale… your bumpers better be nestled up against the tower base somehow…

if you want to extend outside your frame perimeter…

Anything that happens within the frame perimeter is ok unless you are trying to control a ball above the bumpers…

I cannot see how this could possibly be interpreted any other way…

I may be wrong…

I have been wrong before…

There was that time last year when I thought I had made a mistake…
but I hadn’t…

see you on the field