Answered: Starting Position - Spring Loaded Mechanisms

[DinerKid]

Is it legal to have either the alliance partner robot or the wall act as a way of holding a starting position of the appropriate size. for instance having the robot backed up against the wall being 18x18x18 but when it drives away it expands out to a bit larger using elastics.

[JVN]

@DinerKid

Is it legal to have either the alliance partner robot or the wall act as a way of holding a starting position of the appropriate size. for instance having the robot backed up against the wall being 18x18x18 but when it drives away it expands out to a bit larger using elastics.

It would probably be impossible to use the wall as a means to “hold” a spring-loaded mechanism in place without violating <R4> which states:

At the beginning of any match, the maximum allowed size of a robot is 18" x 18" x 18".
During inspections, robots will be placed into a “sizing box” which has interior dimensions matching the above sizing constraints. To pass inspection, a robot must fit within the box without touching the box walls or ceiling.

Pay particular attention to the section which is bolded in the above snippet.

[DinerKid]

yeah i was thinking about that. thanks for a quick response. i had a feeling you would say exactly what you said but i would be mad if i didn’t ask and then it was legal after i thought about a new more complicated way of doing it.

Thanks Again
~DK