Structural panels for use in aircraft fuselages and other structures

A fuselage comprising:

• an interior portion;
• and
• a plurality of structural panels operably coupled together to enclose the interior portion, wherein each of the structural panels includes:
• a skin having at least one offset surface;
• a first stiffener having a first flange portion mated to the skin adjacent to the offset surface;
• at least a second stiffener spaced apart from the first stiffener, the second stiffener having a second flange portion mated to the skin adjacent to the offset surface;
• and
• a support member mated to the first flange portion of the first stiffener, the second flange portion of the second stiffener, and the offset surface of the skin, wherein the support member includes a mating surface without a joggle, and wherein the mating surface mates to the first flange portion of the first stiffener, the second flange portion of the second stiffener, and the offset surface of the skin.

A fuselage comprising:

• an interior portion, and
• a plurality of structural panels operably coupled together to enclose the interior portion, wherein each of the structural panels includes:
• a skin having at least one offset surface;
• a first stiffener having a first flange portion mated to the skin adjacent to the offset surface;
• at least a second stiffener spaced apart from the first stiffener, the second stiffener having a second flange portion mated to the skin adjacent to the offset surface;
• and
• a support member mated to the first flange portion of the first stiffener, the second flange portion of the second stiffener, and the offset surface of the skin, wherein the support member includes a mating surface without a step, and wherein the mating surface mates to the first flange portion of the first stiffener, the second flange portion of the second stiffener, and the offset surface of the skin.

A fuselage comprising:

• an interior portion;
• and
• a plurality of structural panels operably coupled together to enclose the interior portion, wherein each of the structural panels includes:
• a skin having at least one offset surface;
• a first stiffener having a first flange portion mated to the skin adjacent to the offset surface;
• at least a second stiffener spaced apart from the first stiffener, the second stiffener having a second flange portion mated to the skin adjacent to the offset surface;
• and
• a support member mated to the first flange portion of the first stiffener, the second flange portion of the second stiffener, and the offset surface of the skin, wherein the first flange portion of the first stiffener, the second flange portion of the second stiffener, and the offset surface of the skin form an at least approximately continuous support surface, and wherein the support member mates to the at least approximately continuous support surface.