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The present invention relates generally to a collapsible shipping container utilizing standard box making equipment manufactured from material such as paper, corrugated board, and corrugated plastic, and in particular, to a package that employs a tensioned film system, that holds a product hammock s

The present invention relates generally to a collapsible shipping container utilizing standard box making equipment manufactured from material such as paper, corrugated board, and corrugated plastic, and in particular, to a package that employs a tensioned film system, that holds a product hammock style, between two layers of film and/or between a film and a wall of the package. To use the box, the formed box which has been stored in a flat configuration, is unfolded to a substantially rectangular or square configuration by folding at least one flap panel about its fold line to a position superadjacent a central panel and conforming the container to a hexagonal cross-section. In this configuration the box retains its hexagonal cross-section and can be self supporting in a vertical position, in order to facilitate the filing operation.

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1. A pair of blanks for forming a box, comprising, a first blank, said first blank having a first center panel having four edges and four flap panels, each of said four flap panels being contiguous with one of said four edges of said first center panel, and separated therefrom by a flap panel fold l

1. A pair of blanks for forming a box, comprising, a first blank, said first blank having a first center panel having four edges and four flap panels, each of said four flap panels being contiguous with one of said four edges of said first center panel, and separated therefrom by a flap panel fold line, a first and a third of said four flap panels being on opposing edges of said first center panel and a second and a fourth of said four flap panels being on opposing edges of said first center panel,said first center panel of said first blank having a first central fold line extending parallel to said flap panel fold line separating two opposing flap panels,and extending from an outer edge of said first of said four flap panels to an outer edge of said third of said four flap panels,a second blank, said second blank being dimensioned to coordinate with said first blank when said first blank and said second blank are in their folded configuration and said second blank overlies said first blank, said second blank having a second center panel having four edges and four flap panels, each of said four flap panels being contiguous with one of said four edges of said second center panel, and separated therefrom by an edge fold line, a first and a third of said flap panels having a pair of opposing end flaps contiguous therewith, said pair of opposing end flaps being separated from a neighboring flap panel by a slot,said second blank having a second central fold line extending parallel to said first blank first central fold line when said first blank and said second blank are in their assembled configuration and said second blank overlies said first blank, said second blank second central fold line extending from an outer edge of a first of said flap panels to an outer edge of a third opposing flap panel, and wherein said second blank pair of opposing end flaps are each separated from a neighboring flap panel, andwherein each contiguous end flap and flap panel is separated by a fold line, and each flap panel contiguous with said second center panel is separated from said second center panel by a fold line. 2. The pair of blanks of claim 1, further comprising, a first and a third of said first blank four flap panels having an elongated slot, said first and said third flap panels being on opposite side of said first center panel, and wherein each elongated slots is parallel to the other elongated slot,and wherein said first blank center panel central fold line is parallel to said elongated slots. 3. The pair of blanks of claim 1, further comprising said second blank flap panels having a peripheral edge that longer than half the distance between said central fold line and a parallel center panel edge fold line, said peripheral edge being an edge not parallel with said central fold line. 4. The method of forming and filing a package, said package comprising the pair of blanks of claim 1, further comprising said first blank first flap panel having a peripheral edge and said third flap panel having a peripheral edge and comprising the steps of: a—rotating said first blank first and second flap panels about their fold lines, from the plane of said first blank toward a position in which said first blank first flap panel peripheral edge and said second flap panel peripheral edge are separated by a distance equal to or less that the distance between the first flap panel fold line and the second flap fold line,b—securing a support film member to said first blank first and third flap panels, said support film member 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 cross-sectional configuration,c—fixing said second blank first flap panel to said first blank first flap panel,d—fixing a second blank second flap panel to a first blank second flap panel, said second blank second flap panel having its fold line parallel to said first blank first central fold line,said second blank having a central fold line extending parallel to said first blank central fold line when said first blank and said second blank are in their assembled configuration and thereby forming a box,e—f—folding at least one flap panel about its fold line with a center panel to a position superadjacent a central panel,g—conforming said box to a hexagonal cross-section. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein said support film member is a pouch, and comprising the step of inserting a product into said pouch while said box is in a form having a hexagonal cross-section. 6. The method of claim 4, further comprising 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. 7. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of securing a support film to said first blank first and third flap panels further comprises wrapping a first end of a first support film around a peripheral edge of said first blank first flap panels and a second end of said first support film around another peripheral edge of said first blank third flap panel. 8. 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, andsupport 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. 9. The box of claim 8, further comprising, a first and a second of said four flap panels having an elongated slot, said first and said second flap panels being on opposite side of said first center panel, and wherein each elongated slots is parallel to the other elongated slot and to said first center panel and said second central fold line. 10. The box of claim 8, further comprising an elongated slot in each of two panels that are contiguous with said first central panel, and wherein at least one end of said support film passes through an elongated slot from the interior side of a first of the two panels that is contiguous with the central panel to the exterior side of said central panel, and is secured to said exterior side of the first of the two panels that is contiguous with said central panel. 11. The box of claim 8, wherein said support film means is a pouch, and said elongated slots being substantially midway between the edges of the panel to which it is attached. 12. The box of claim 8, wherein said support film means is a pouch. 13. The box of claim 8, further comprising said support film being secured to said panels at a position proximate one of said center panels for supporting an article between said support film and said center panel. 14. 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. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said support film means is a pouch, and inserting an article into said box for support by said support film member while said support film member is flaccid comprising inserting an article into said pouch.