# US 11,077,931 B2 · Stop pads for aircraft folding wing tips > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,931 B2 - Document ID: US11077931B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/052,102 - Filed: 2018-08-01 - Published: 2020-02-06 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-01 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Eric S. Kamila; Eric G. Gruner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077931B2 ## CPC - B64C 3/56: Folding or collapsing to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft - B64C 23/065: {at the wing tips} - B64C 3/187: {Ribs} - Y02T 50/10: Drag reduction - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Stop pads for aircraft folding wing tips are described herein. An example aircraft wing includes a fixed wing portion and a wing tip moveably coupled to the fixed wing portion about a hinge axis. The wing tip is moveable between an extended position and a folded position. The aircraft wing also includes a first stop pad coupled to the fixed wing portion, the first stop pad having a first contact surface, and a second stop pad coupled to the wing tip, the second stop pad having a second contact surface. The first and second contact surfaces are to engage each other when the wing tip is in the extended position. A contact plane between the first and second contact surfaces is coplanar with the hinge axis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aircraft wing comprising: a fixed wing portion; a wing tip moveably coupled to the fixed wing portion about a hinge axis, the wing tip moveable between an extended position and a folded position; a first stop pad coupled to the fixed wing portion, the first stop pad including a first wear plate, the first stop pad having a first contact surface; and a second stop pad coupled to the wing tip, the second stop pad including a second wear plate, the first wear plate constructed of a harder material than the second wear plate, the second stop pad having a second contact surface, the first and second contact surfaces to engage each other when the wing tip is in the extended position, a contact plane between the first and second contact surfaces being coplanar with the hinge axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aircraft wing of claim 1, wherein the first wear plate is constructed of stainless steel and the second wear plate is constructed of a copper-nickel-tin alloy. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aircraft wing of claim 1, wherein the second stop pad includes a filler plate, the filler plate disposed between the second wear plate and a surface on the wing tip to which the second stop pad is coupled. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The aircraft wing of claim 3, wherein the filler plate is constructed of a frangible material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The aircraft wing of claim 1, wherein the second stop pad is coupled to the wing tip via a bolt. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The aircraft wing of claim 5, wherein a head of the bolt is countersunk below the second contact surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The aircraft wing of claim 1, wherein the second stop pad is coupled to a ledge of a rib of the wing tip, the rib including a lug opening to receive a lug of a locking mechanism. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The aircraft wing of claim 7, wherein the ledge is a first ledge and the rib is first rib, the first stop pad coupled to a second ledge of a second rib of the fixed wing portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The aircraft wing of claim 1, further including: a third stop pad coupled to the fixed wing portion, the third stop pad having a third contact surface; and a fourth stop pad coupled to the wing tip, the fourth stop pad having a fourth contact surface, the third and fourth contact surfaces to engage each other when the wing tip is in the extended position. ### Claim 10 An aircraft wing comprising: a folding wing tip; and a stop pad coupled to the folding wing tip, the stop pad including: a filler plate disposed on a surface of the wing tip; and a wear plate disposed on the filler plate, such that the filler plate is disposed between the surface of the wing tip and the wear plate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The aircraft wing of claim 10, wherein the wear plate includes a feature formed in a contact surface of the wear plate, the feature to indicate an amount of wear to the wear plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The aircraft wing of claim 10, wherein the wear plate is constructed of a harder material than the filler plate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The aircraft wing of claim 12, wherein the wear plate is constructed of a copper-nickel-tin alloy. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The aircraft wing of claim 13, wherein the filler plate is constructed of an aluminum-silicon bronze alloy. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The aircraft wing of claim 10, wherein the stop pad is coupled to the wing tip via a bolt. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The aircraft wing of claim 15, wherein a head of the bolt is countersunk below a contact surface of the wear plate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The aircraft wing of claim 15, wherein an end of the bolt extends into a cavity formed in a bottom surface of the wing tip. ### Claim 18 A method comprising: disposing a filler plate on a surface of a wing tip of an aircraft, the wing tip moveably coupled to a fixed wing portion of the aircraft; disposing a wear plate on the filler plate, such that the filler plate is disposed between the surface of the wing tip and the wear plate; and coupling the filler plate and the wear plate to the surface of the wing tip via a threaded fastener. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the wear plate is a first wear plate, further including coupling a second wear plate to a surface of the fixed wing portion, the first wear plate and the second wear plate to engage each other when the wing tip is in an extended position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, furthering including, prior to disposing the filler plate on the surface of the wing tip, selecting the filler plate from a plurality of filler plates having different thicknesses.