Structures containing stiffeners having transition portions

A structure comprising:

• a skin comprising a surface;
• and
• a stiffener coupled to the surface of the skin, wherein the stiffener comprises:
• a first stiffener portion having a first cross-sectional profile that is constant along the first stiffener portion;
• a second stiffener portion having a second cross-sectional profile that is constant along the second stiffener portion, wherein the second cross-sectional profile of the second stiffener portion is different from the first cross-sectional profile of the first stiffener portion;
• and
• a transition stiffener portion tapering from the second stiffener portion to the first stiffener portion;
• charges laminated together to form the first stiffener portion, a part of the second stiffener portion, and a part of the transition stiffener portion;
• and
• a web, wherein:
• a part of the second stiffener portion and a part of the transition stiffener portion are formed by the web;
• the web comprises a base and a rib perpendicular to the base;
• and
• the base of the web is parallel to the charges;
• and wherein:
• one of the charges has a width that gradually decreases along the transition stiffener portion from the second stiffener portion to the first stiffener portion;
• the charges have a combined height that gradually increases along the transition stiffener portion from the second stiffener portion to the first stiffener portion;
• the base of the web has a width that progressively decreases along the transition stiffener portion from the second stiffener portion to the first stiffener portion;
• and
• the rib of the web has a height that progressively decreases along the transition stiffener portion from the second stiffener portion to the first stiffener portion.

A stiffener comprising:

• a first stiffener portion having a first cross-sectional profile that is constant along the first stiffener portion;
• a second stiffener portion having a second cross-sectional profile that is constant along the second stiffener portion, wherein the second cross-sectional profile of the second stiffener portion is different from the first cross-sectional profile of the first stiffener portion;
• and
• a transition stiffener portion tapering from the second stiffener portion to the first stiffener portion;
• a base charge comprising a first base-charge portion, a second base-charge portion, and a transition base-charge portion, wherein:
• a part of the first stiffener portion is formed by the first base-charge portion;
• a part of the second stiffener portion is formed by the second base-charge portion;
• a part of the transition stiffener portion is formed by the transition base-charge portion, and
• the transition base-charge portion of the base charge tapers from the second base-charge portion to the first base-charge portion;
• an initial charge laminated onto the base charge, wherein:
• the initial charge comprises a first initial-charge portion and a transition initial-charge portion,
• a part of the first stiffener portion is formed by the first initial-charge portion,
• a part of the transition stiffener portion is formed by the transition initial-charge portion, and
• the first initial-charge portion of the initial charge is shaped identically to the first base-charge portion of the base charge and the transition initial-charge portion of the initial charge is shaped identically to at least a portion of the transition base-charge portion of the base charge;
• and
• a subsequent charge A laminated onto the initial charge, wherein:
• the subsequent charge A comprises a first subsequent-charge-A portion and a transition subsequent-charge-A portion,
• a part of the first stiffener portion is formed by the first subsequent-charge-A portion,
• a part of the transition stiffener portion is formed by the transition subsequent-charge-A portion, and
• the first subsequent-charge-A portion of the subsequent charge A is shaped identically to the first initial-charge portion of the initial charge and the transition subsequent-charge-A portion of the subsequent charge A is smaller than the transition initial-charge portion of the initial charge and is shaped identically to a portion of the transition initial-charge portion.