We are aware that bumpers must be rigidly attached to the robot frame. However, when you go over the bumps, there is a significant amount of leeway on the legal positioning for the bumpers.
Here’s the question though: Can we put out bumpers on piano hinges if we ONLY pivot them while going over the bump?
That is definitely a question for the GDC. My guess would be no (but I am frequently wrong).
Mike
My team did it in 2008 and we passed inpection at both our regionals, but please ask, the bumper rules have changed.
Okay I’ll ask then post the results here.
Prior year’s rules do not apply to this year’s game. Which is why the ruling we got in Aim High denying it would not apply.
Go ahead and ask, but I’d be surprised if the answer was anything but No.
From the Manual, in the blue box after R07-A:
Under Rule <R07-A> whenever the ROBOT is on a flat floor, the BUMPERS must remain entirely within the BUMPER ZONE. But when the ROBOT is driving over a BUMP or RAMP and/or ELEVATED or SUSPENDED (or in the process of being ELEVATED or SUSPENDED) on the TOWER
• it is no longer constrained by Rule <R07-A>, and
• it is expected and allowed that the BUMPERS will travel outside (typically above) the BUMPER ZONE, and
• if the ROBOT is “frozen” (i.e. all moving parts halted) and placed on a flat surface, the BUMPERS do not have to be within the BUMPER ZONE.
Note that these effects are only in force when the ROBOT is actually driving over the BUMP or RAMP and/or ELEVATED or SUSPENDED (or in the process of being ELEVATED or SUSPENDED) on the TOWER (i.e. the body of the ROBOT must not be in its normal flat-floor attitude and elevation). Simply touching the BUMP, RAMP, or TOWER is not a sufficient condition to avoid violating Rule <R07-A>.