This design without expansion would only allow you to stack 3 cubes because of the 18 in. rule.
Just expand the rack that the cubes lay on, passive lock with rubber bands.
5 Likes
The biggest problem with that would be that you could no longer stack up from the back. (As in, tipping the whole thing back to release cubes)
Of course, you could just extend the front instead, but that would require putting those intake wheels out really far on a lever, inviting bending/deforming.
1 Like
I actually showed this to my teams, and what I had come with is make that exact robot, but have a passively deploying tray that extends out to hold more cubes, also put just the roller intake on a lift to where it can move separate from where the cubes sit so tower scoring can happen.
Might be a bit of a stretch in terms of a motor limit but I think with clever engineering it can be done
2 Likes
Well you could just change the geometry of the little “tilty bit” so it can compensate for the extra length by raising it higher in the air or putting it at a steeper angle.
1 Like
This may work, using a steel base and the rest aluminum. Although it still may tip.
Doesn’t hurt to try!
1 Like
While there are totally ways to offset this, it might just be easier to extend the back, leave the wheels stationary, and deploy from the front with some sort of friction lock. It’d just have to change the center of rotation.
But to extend the back by a lot… there’s no simple way to tip that back correctly. There would have to be an offset scissor lift or something inside the robot.
1 Like
We were originally gonna go with this design but one of my teammates realized that you couldn’t score on cubes that were already in the zones
1 Like
Could you please clarify? You can stack on top of already scored cubes to increase your score.
they mean in this particular design you wouldn’t be able to stack on top of pre-existing stacks. limiting you to 9 cubes.
I think a lift is the only option for stacking on top of already existing stacks. I definitely think teams will need to come up with a system that allows you to line up with the goal zone in the same exact spot every time, I already have an idea for this that I’m not willing to discuss, just food for thought.
I agree with your analysis, but it still is a possibility to gather large stacks before placing them, not needing a lift at all.
Xenon is correct, with this design you are limited to the number of cubes you can carry
1 Like
you could put passive deployable stabilizers to help with the awkward weight transfer.
1 Like