Suspension packaging

A box for retaining fragile products for shipping, comprising,

• a first center panel and four flap panels, each of said four flap panels being contiguous with an edge of said first center panel, and separated therefrom by a flap panel fold line,
• a first and a second of said four flap panels being on opposing sides of said first center panel,
• said first center panel having a central fold line extending parallel to two of said flap panel fold lines, and extending from said edge of said first center panel to an outer edge of at least one of said flap panels,
• a second center panel, said second center panel being contiguous with, and separated by a fold line from four flap panels,
• a second blank, said second blank having a center panel having a second central fold line extending parallel to said first central fold line, said second central fold line extending from an edge of said center panel to an outer edge of at least one of its contiguous flap panels, said box having a hexagonal configuration, at least one contiguous flap panel being folded about its fold line to a position superadjacent its contiguous central panel, and causing said box to conforming to a hexagonal cross-section, and
• support film means having two ends secured to panels contiguous with said first center panel along a line that is parallel to said center panel central fold line, and being positioned and dimensioned to be taut when said box is in a rectangular or square cross-sectional configuration and flaccid when said box is in a hexagonal configuration.

The method of forming and filing a package, said package comprising at least one blank means having a first blank center panel, said first blank center panel having a first central fold line extending parallel to two of said flap panel fold lines, and extending from a center panel edge to an outer edge of at least one of its contiguous flap panels,

• a first and a second of said four flap panels being on opposing sides of said first center panel,
• a second center panel, said second center panel being contiguous with a flap panel at each of its four edges, and separated therefrom by an edge fold line, at least one of said flap panels having a pair of opposing end flaps contiguous therewith and separated therefrom by a fold line,
• said second central fold line extending parallel to said first central fold line and extending from an edge of said center panel to an outer edge of at least one of its contiguous flap panels, and
• wherein said pair of opposing end flaps are each separated from a neighboring flap panel by a slot, and
• wherein each contiguous end flap and flap panel is separated by a fold line, and each flap panel is separated from said second center panel by a fold line and comprising the steps of:
• a—rotating first two flap panels contiguous with said first central panel about their fold lines, from the plane of said first central panel toward a position in which said two flap panels contiguous with said first central panel are separated by a distance equal to or less that the distance between the two flap panel fold lines with said first central panel,
• b—securing a support film to said first two flap panels,
• c—fixing a flap panel contiguous with said second central panel to one of said first two flap panels having said support film secured thereto, and forming a box,
• d—conforming said box to a hexagonal cross-section,
• e—supporting said box in its hexagonal cross-sectional configuration on a substantially horizontal planar surface and positioning said box with its first blank center panel central fold line substantially vertical relative to said substantially horizontal planar surface, and inserting an article into said box for support by said support film member while said support film member is flaccid.