Here at team 1389, our minibot in its current form rests at an angle, pointed upward at about 45 degrees. While the hypotenuse of this “triangle” is over 12inches, each “foot” is not. Which one (or both) counts toward the size limitations?
See the picture, much easier than parsing my pathetic little explanation:
http://img696.imageshack.us/i/roboticsdemonstration.png/
Check out this powerpoint, specifically slide 10:
http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles/FIRST_Network/Volunteers/Key_Volunteers/Initial%20Inspection%20and%20Power%20On%20-%20Bryan%20Lee.ppt
MINIBOTS will be inspected for the volume constraint by being placed in a five-sided box (as shown to the left) with internal dimensions of 12" x 12" x 12". If the lid (the sixth side of the cube) does not seat properly, the MINIBOT does not pass this part of the MINIBOT inspection.
Note the orientation of the minibot inside the box is intentionally not specified
A few mentors on my team (including me) are signed up to be inspectors, and we stumbled across this site with some great power points geared towards handling inspections at the events this year, with the above powerpoint being the second one on the list: http://www.usfirst.org/community/volunteers/content.aspx?id=16375
if i understand your minibot correctly, it will fit within this 12x12x12 cube without a problem, which is all that matters.
So just to clarify, a swinging joint on the minibot could be tucked in, and as long as it fits in the box, it will be legal?
As long as it fits in the box throughout the match, yes. Note that extending beyond the 12" cube is illegal at any time.
…Ah. So in other words, it needs not only the ability to fit in the box, but can never be at a point where it could not?
Precisely. <G41> is the exact rule for on-field expansion beyond the box.
