IRI Donated Reversible Bumpers

[Update: You are bidding on a full set of custom built bumpers with your team number on them for an upcoming season. The bumper on the table is just an example to show the craftsmanship, method of attaching the numbers, and how they are reversible with a horizontal flap that cannot bug on the ground and interfere with the drive system. -jr]

[Update: The top three bidders will win this auction. As of Saturday night, one of the bidders will receive a full set of competition bumpers for one dollar. If you are willing to pay someone more than a buck  to build your robot bumpers, add a bid to the sheet. You don't have to out bid the highest bid to win a set of bumpers. -jr]

I'm donating three sets of Reversible Bumpers for the Charity Auction at the 2022 Indiana Robotics Invitational. Proceeds from the 2022 Auction will benefit Riley Children’s Mental Health and Behavioral Health program and help provide services to young people in need. There is one bid sheet for the bumpers so the top three bids will win one set of reversible bumpers.

Reversible Bumpers allow you to change from Red Alliance to Blue Alliance while you are in the match queue. This gives you more time between matches to make repairs and prepare match specific strategy with your Alliance Partners.

The bumpers are based on a design that I developed with FRC 4418, Team IMPULSE from Highlands Ranch, CO. Details about the design are available in the project guide at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uw5eNlRrA46mTpt6AEXgEAwaTSo1M8Y5zvqxpXRycUA. An example is provided on the table to examine.

The bumpers are made specific to your robot dimensions. To simplify shipping and handling, you will receive the fabric coverings and you simply drop in the pool noodles and staple on the wood backing. 

Mounting the bumpers to the chassis depends on the chassis design, so teams are still responsible for designing the mounting system for the bumpers. I am familiar with the AndyMark Kit of Parts (KOP) AM14U Chassis and can provide consulting for teams interested in mounting their bumpers to this chassis. Bumpers do need to be removed and installed as part of Robot Inspection at an event. Once you've passed inspection, you can leave the bumpers mounted to the robot. 

This design uses four individual straight bumpers. One is mounted to each side of the robot. The corners are formed with miter angles at the ends of each bumper. In the 2022 game manual, this is the lower center image in R409 for acceptable soft bumper part fill. The wood backings are cut to the same dimensions as the robot frame, as shown in the lower left image of R408.B for acceptable hard bumper part extension. 

This four piece design is more compact than a C-shape or a wraparound bumper when packing to travel to a competition event or outreach event. I am attending IRI, so if you have additional questions about design compliance to Robot Construction Rules, please send me an email or text message or have me paged at the event. I'm happy to discuss the design in detail and how various design decisions were made.

I can make the bumpers to allow for a frame opening. Let's coordinate on the bumper lengths if you choose to include a frame opening in your chassis design. 

The design has numbers cut from Cordura fabric similar to the fabric used for the rest of the bumpers. The numbers are cut and then sewn to the bumpers at the beginning of the manufacturing process. This prevents them from rubbing off or being damaged during matches. The number style has been specifically designed to be very legible which helps Referees, Game Announcers, Field Queuers, Scouts, Spectators, and Sponsors quickly identify your robot during matches.

If you don't win this auction item and want to use this design on your robot, contact me at jrumple.frc@gmail.com for ways to purchase a set or training on how to build your own bumpers from this design. Remember that Bumpers are exempt from R302 limiting other fabricated items created before Kickoff. This means now is the season for bumpers. Coincidentally, this is also the season for pool noodles, so buy now while prices are low and stores have them in stock.

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