Patent ID: 8703269

Claim:
A reinforced composite structure for an aircraft, the reinforced composite structure comprising: a fiber reinforced composite stringer comprising a beam body portion and a runout portion that extends from the beam body portion in a first direction, wherein the beam body and runout portions are defined by projection of a variable I-shaped cross-section in the first direction along at least a portion of an entire combined length of the beam body and runout portions, wherein the variable I-shaped cross-section has a cap section, a foot section, and a web section that extends between the cap and foot sections, and wherein the variable I-shaped cross-section is configured such that a height of the web section tapers in the first direction along at least a portion of an entire length of the runout portion, wherein the variable I-shaped cross-section is configured such that a width of the web section flares in the first direction along the at least the portion of the entire length of the runout portion.