After letting the Vacbot
      run about the house, there was one problem area we noticed in
      the kitchen that required us to redesign the front bumper again,
      with a new concept that we hope will pan out to be used in our
      future robots. The problem occurred with the over hang that the
      kitchen cabinets have near the floor level between the baseboard
      and start of the bottom of the cabinet. It would hit part of
      the hinge mechanism and stall the bot. This new design does not
      have this flaw and we can hit anywhere on it with a light touch
      and initiate an escape response. Also, if needed, this design
      will allow any number of extensions to be added right to the
      bumper for additional projection protection.

 Overall
      view of new front bumper design without cover plates to show
      details. Construction is .090 aluminum bar stock, and a lexan
      bump piece. A functional description is in image 3.

 Frontal
      view showing that only one contact switch per side is needed
      for coverage of the entire front half side including the wheels.

 The
      center is not a solid piece, and consists of a Y shaped pivot
      with two arms connected each to a bumper. The bumper halves can
      move independently both hinged on the center pivot. Here I am
      pushing one side showing switch closure, the lexan loop allows
      independent motion, yet when one side is hit, the entire bumper
      acts as one piece.

 Pressing
      on the center lexan loop pushes both bumpers inward thus eliminating
      any blind zone in the center. The lexan also acts as a spring
      to pull them open, and limit the amount of forward motion they
      can make.

 At
      rest, both bumpers are parallel and ready for the slightest impact.
      

 With
      the polished brass cover plates on, the switches are protected,
      and frontal coverage is uniform.

 Straight
      on view (see camera reflection)

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