Need some help with possision of the ball.

Technical Technical Discussion
1

We’ve been having some problems deciphering the rules that apply to the holding of a ball, and the bumper zone.

This is a link to our current chassis: Click here.

The 12"x12" (tentative) zone to the right of the image is the place where we’re thinking of herding the ball, and having two 6" diam. wheels from Overdrive as the rollers for the ball. They’ll be put at an angle, each perpendicular to the other, to brush the ball and allow for the ability of herding a ball and then shooting it out.

The trouble is, we’re not sure of what is defined as the “Bumper Zone” in our case, and therefore have no idea as to whether or not we are allowed to have the wheels in position in the first place.

So the question is this: Would we be allowed to have anything like a roller to brush/roll the ball around, and if so, what would be the allowed height?

Any help with that question would be greatly appreciated.

*Note: The two wheels will be at ~45 degrees, and the axle will be about 10" off the ground. The wheels will be pushing down on the ball slightly from above.

2

Have you read rules <R19> and <G46>? The 12x12 area is a severe violation of those rules of ball penetration of your FRAME PERIMETER.

Also to comply with <R07-M> and Figure 8-3, you have to have a solid part of your frame behind all bumpers.

3

The BUMPER ZONE is defined as the volume of space between 10" and 16" above the floor. It has nothing to do with the shape of your robot frame.

The FRAME PERIMETER is the area defined by the outside corners of your robot. The ball can’t go more than 3 inches inside your FRAME PERIMETER. So you don’t want a 12" deep notch in your robot frame below the BUMPER ZONE (that is, the bottom 10 inches of your robot)

4

So if I understand you correctly, they’re defining the frame perimeter as the rectangle formed by the four corners of the robot, and we can’t have an alcove like the one formed? Even if we have the bumpers extend on the three sides inside?

5

Bumpers have to be on the frame perimeter; there are several points in <R07> that require that.

You can have the alcove, provided that it is NOT in the frame perimeter and that the ball goes no further than 3" into the frame perimeter.

6

Ah, got it. So I guess we’re going to have to think up of a different sort of system to hit the ball.

7

Remember that the ball will fit underneath your bumpers, and plan accordingly.