Suspension and retention packaging structures and methods for forming same

A packaging structure adapted for insertion into an outer box, comprising

• a pair of end legs, each of said end legs having a front surface facing in a first direction and a rear surface facing in an opposite direction;
• a pair of side legs, each of said side legs including first and second ends, said side legs and said end legs delimiting a window opening;
• a first end portion connected to said first end of each of said side legs along a first fold line, said first end portion including a front surface facing in said first direction, a rear surface facing in said opposite direction and a first intermediate fold line disposed at an oblique angle relative to said first fold line to divide said first end portion into a first region adjacent said first fold line and a second region;
• a second end portion connected to said second end of each of said side legs along a second fold line, said second end portion including a front surface facing in said first direction, a rear surface facing in said opposite direction and a second intermediate fold line disposed at an oblique angle relative to said second fold line to divide said second end portion into a first region adjacent said second fold line and a second region;
• a flexible film material connected to at least one of said pair of side legs and said pair of end legs so as to extend across said window opening;
• and
• a series of foldable members, ones of said foldable members being foldably connected at one edge to said side legs, and others of said foldable members being foldably connected at one edge to said end legs;
• said front surfaces of said first end portions being secured in said second regions to said rear surface of one of said end legs and said front surfaces of said second end portions being secured in said second regions to said rear surface of another one of said end legs to define a preform;
• said preform being foldable from an intermediate folded structure in which said end legs lie substantially in a plane and said side legs lie substantially parallel to said plane, to a use condition in which said side legs and said end legs are transverse to said plane.

A packaging structure adapted for insertion into an outer box, comprising

• a panel having a front surface and a rear surface;
• a first pair of fold lines spaced from opposite side edges of said panel to define a pair of folding side legs, each of said side legs including a first end and a second end;
• a second pair of fold lines spaced from opposite end edges of said panel to define a pair of folding end legs, said side legs and said end legs delimiting a main portion of said panel having a window opening;
• a first end portion connected to said first end of each of said side legs along a first fold line, said first end portion including a first intermediate fold line disposed at an oblique angle relative to said first fold line to divide said first end portion into a first region adjacent said first fold line and a second region;
• a second end portion connected to said second end of each of said side legs along a second fold line, said second end portion including a second intermediate fold line disposed at an oblique angle relative to said second fold line to divide said second end portion into a first region adjacent said second fold line and a second region;
• a flexible film material connected to said panel so as to extend across said window opening;
• and
• a series of foldable members, ones of said foldable members being foldably connected at one edge to said side legs, and others of said foldable members being foldably connected at one edge to said end legs;
• said folding side legs being folded against said rear surface of said panel with said first end portions secured in said second regions to one of said end legs and said second end portions secured in said second regions to another one of said end legs to define an intermediate folded structure in which said folding end legs are substantially coplanar with one another;
• said panel being foldable from said intermediate folded structure to a use condition in which said side legs and said end legs project away from said rear surface of said panel.