Intake hopper or no hopper

VEX Robotics Competition Discussion VRC > Spin Up (22/23)
#1

Hi, our chassis is a 7*5 and our intake is a bit long for our robot. One of us suggests shortening the intake so we can have a hopper (which is a space where the disk stacks and shoots with the flywheel) but if it is shortened, we will also have to build an indexer which we don’t have the resources or time for. Another suggests that we have the length of the intake equal to the length of 3 disks. The flywheel will then be positioned to the right/left on top of the conveyer. But another says that getting 3 disks in a intake like that is very rare? and it would be very hard to get it out if they get stuck since we are using conveyer belt and rubber bands (like the mentorbuilt intake) ones for it.

Can anyone suggest a good option - to shorten the intake and have a hopper or to keep the intake that can fit 3 disks vertically and have the flywheel on top but no hopper?

#2

and btw you guys know the first part of the intake where it goes up and down, is that going to be beneficial to the intake and how do l attach it. I’ve already built one but the chaining and making sure it isn’t stiff is kind of hard.

#3

What’s the difference between a hopper and indexer?

#4

an indexer is the mechanism that pushes the disk into the shooter
A hopper is the space after a disk gets to the top of the conveyer.
The indexer is usually positioned under the hopper so that when the disk falls in, the indexer pushes the disk into the shooter.

#5

it is all up yo you and your preference. both desighns have advantages and disadvanteges.

here is a robot that has the intake like u described and it works just fine:

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#6

Please don’t make up your own terms that nobody else uses. From what I have seen, indexers are simply describe the mechanism type beforehand, such as a pneumatic indexer, or a conveyor indexer.

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#7

hang on there are a lot of people who uses the term indexer for the mechanism that pushes the disk into the shooter. Using pneumatic and conveyer before it is describing how it is pushed.
If you are concerned with the term hopper, my school uses it so my apologies if no one else uses it in this forum.

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#8

Indexer is the term for the mechanism that pushes something into the shooter and has always been. It seems you’re the one using made up terms… He probably elaborated in the original post simply for clarity for people who didn’t know the terms before hand.

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#9

thanks that is exactly was i was trying to say to 9MotorGang

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