Triggering the Vehicle

[sdececco]

When you stick a pencil through a loop, the pencil has to be able to stay in place and hold the vehicle without anyone holding it in ready-to-run configuration?
If so, how do you keep the pencil from slipping out? Or does the weight of the vehicle keep it in place?

The rules aren't quite as explicit about "has to be able to stay in place and hold the vehicle without anyone holding it" as they might be, but rule 3a does say "A release
mechanism must be included as part of the Ramp to hold the Vehicle in the ready-to-run configuration until triggered by the participants." 5i says that the pencil may be all or part of the mechanism. No rule says that the team members may be part of the mechanism.

Put that together, and I think you're right - the vehicle must stay in place without someone holding the pencil.

In the configuration you describe, the weight of the vehicle is usually sufficient to keep the pencil locked against whatever hole it's poked through.

Although at the MIT invitational many teams had a release mechanism that worked only when someone was holding the pencil and the event supervisors said that was perfectly fine.

[fyuan483]

hi. for the release mechanism i was thinking about drilling a hole into the “face” or the part where the vehicle is going to be on and insert something similar to a dowel. then i want to have an eye screw on the back of my vehicle and hook that to the “dowel”. then i’m during competition i was thinking about pulling the dowel to let the vehicle drop. is this allowed?

[knightmoves]

hi. for the release mechanism i was thinking about drilling a hole into the “face” or the part where the vehicle is going to be on and insert something similar to a dowel. then i want to have an eye screw on the back of my vehicle and hook that to the “dowel”. then i’m during competition i was thinking about pulling the dowel to let the vehicle drop. is this allowed?

Rule 5i: Teams must start their Vehicle by using any part of an unsharpened #2 pencil with an unused eraser, supplied by the Event Supervisor, to actuate a release mechanism on the Ramp.

It's allowed if and only if you pull the dowel with the official unsharpened #2 pencil.

Alternatively, you could use the unsharpened #2 pencil as the dowel, and that would work.

[fyuan483]

hi. for the release mechanism i was thinking about drilling a hole into the “face” or the part where the vehicle is going to be on and insert something similar to a dowel. then i want to have an eye screw on the back of my vehicle and hook that to the “dowel”. then i’m during competition i was thinking about pulling the dowel to let the vehicle drop. is this allowed?

Rule 5i: Teams must start their Vehicle by using any part of an unsharpened #2 pencil with an unused eraser, supplied by the Event Supervisor, to actuate a release mechanism on the Ramp.

It's allowed if and only if you pull the dowel with the official unsharpened #2 pencil.

Alternatively, you could use the unsharpened #2 pencil as the dowel, and that would work.

ok got it. thank you.

[fyuan483]

hi. for the release mechanism i was thinking about connecting a rubber band with the vehicle then using the pencil to trigger the rubber band to release the vehicle. would this be fine?

[sciolyperson1]

hi. for the release mechanism i was thinking about connecting a rubber band with the vehicle then using the pencil to trigger the rubber band to release the vehicle. would this be fine?

What would be the purpose of using a rubber band, rather than string or wire?

[AugustW]

Can anyone send a picture of a really good breaking system and or release mechanism? I am looking for something with potential of sub 5 scores overall. Thanks!

[CPScienceDude]

Can anyone send a picture of a really good breaking system and or release mechanism? I am looking for something with potential of sub 5 scores overall. Thanks!

This isn't a place to ask for pictures of a build. I'll give some suggestions though. For braking, I believe the agreed best right now is a wingnut braking system. See Here. As for release, think everyone kinda has their own thing.

[AugustW]

Can anyone send a picture of a really good breaking system and or release mechanism? I am looking for something with potential of sub 5 scores overall. Thanks!

This isn't a place to ask for pictures of a build. I'll give some suggestions though. For braking, I believe the agreed best right now is a wingnut braking system. See Here. As for release, think everyone kinda has their own thing.

I already have the wingnut. I was not sure what to change about my breaking system. Do you know if the method of using a pencil to hold it up through a hole in the back is accurate. I didn't know if this could be done with great accuracy, or if that was simply not achievable with this system.

[Things2do]

Can anyone send a picture of a really good breaking system and or release mechanism? I am looking for something with potential of sub 5 scores overall. Thanks!

This isn't a place to ask for pictures of a build. I'll give some suggestions though. For braking, I believe the agreed best right now is a wingnut braking system. See Here. As for release, think everyone kinda has their own thing.

I already have the wingnut. I was not sure what to change about my breaking system. Do you know if the method of using a pencil to hold it up through a hole in the back is accurate. I didn't know if this could be done with great accuracy, or if that was simply not achievable with this system.

I had the pencil through a hole in my ramp and a standard wingnut brake on a ~400 gram car with CD wheels, and I had regular sub-10 point runs, including at my Regional, and a sub-5 point run in practice.