Suspension package

A suspension package includes a frame having two sides and two ends positioned around a central opening. Two end panels are hinged at respective ends of the frame, and two side panels are hinged at respective sides of the frame. A product restraining hammock is mounted to extend between the end panels over the opening. In use the end panels are pivoted downwardly to tension the hammock and to suspend a product in the opening. The side panels are pivoted upwardly to space the frame array away from an outer container into which the suspension package is placed. The end panels may be shaped as tubular beams to provide increased bending resistance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a suspension package that suspends a product 
within a container. 
A variety of suspension packages have been proposed in the past, including 
those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,606,459, 5,056,665, 5,226,542, and 
5,579,917, all assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Other 
suspension packages of the prior art are described for example in 
Ridgeway, U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,065. 
In spite of this previous work, a need presently exists for an improved 
suspension package that is simpler and less expensive than the prior art 
packages described above. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The scope of the present invention is defined by the following claims, and 
nothing in this summary is intended to limit those claims. A first 
suspension package described below includes one or more frame elements 
that interconnect two end panels and two side panels. The end panels are 
positioned at respective ends of a central opening, and the side panels 
are positioned at respective sides of the central opening. A product 
restraint such as a hammock is mounted between the end panels to extend 
over the opening. The end panels are pivotable toward a first face of the 
frame elements to tension the product restraint and to suspend a product 
in the product restraint in the opening. The side panels are pivotable 
toward a second face of the frame elements (opposed to the first face) to 
space the second face away from an outer container. The suspension package 
described below is particularly inexpensive to manufacture and light in 
weight. 
Other suspension packages described below include tubular beams that are 
pivotably mounted to the frame to extend between the sides of the frame. A 
product restraint is secured to the tubular beam such that pivoting motion 
of the tubular beam operates to selectively tension the product restraint.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an overall view of a suspension 
package 10 that incorporates a preferred embodiment of this invention. In 
FIG. 1 the suspension package 10 is shown in relation to an outer 
container 12. 
As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the suspension package 10 includes a 
rectangular frame 14 made up of two spaced, parallel, coplanar sides 16 
interconnected by two spaced, parallel, coplanar ends 18. The sides 16 and 
the ends 18 extend around a central opening 20. As best shown in FIG. 2, 
this frame 14 defines a first face 22 and an opposed second face 24. 
Returning to FIG. 3, two end panels 26 are connected to the frame 14 at 
respective fold lines 28. Each of the end panels 26 is connected to a 
respective one of the ends 18 on a respective side of the central opening 
20. Similarly, two side panels 30 are connected at fold lines 32 to 
respective sides 16 of the frame 14. 
As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a product restraint such as a hammock 34 is 
connected to extend between the end panels 26 over the opening 20. The 
hammock 34 includes two ends 40 as shown in FIG. 4 that are fixed in place 
to the respective end panels 26 by staples 42 or other suitable means. As 
best shown in FIG. 2, the hammock 34 includes a lower sheet 36 which is 
joined along its lateral edges to two overlapping upper sheets 38. In this 
preferred embodiment the frame 14 and the panels 26, 30 are formed from a 
single sheet of material such as corrugated paperboard, and the fold lines 
28, 32 are formed as scored lines. 
In use, a product P being packaged is inserted into the hammock 34 between 
the lower sheet 36 and the upper sheets 38, as shown in FIG. 2. Then the 
end panels 26 are folded downwardly, toward the first face 22 until they 
are substantially perpendicular to the first face 22. This movement of the 
end flaps 26 tensions the hammock 34 and suspends the product P in place 
in the opening 20. Note that the product P is spaced from all parts of the 
suspension package 10 except for the hammock 34. Similarly, the side 
panels 30 are folded upwardly toward the second face 24 until the side 
panels 30 are substantially perpendicular to the frame 14, as shown in 
FIG. 2. 
Once the product P has been loaded into the hammock 34 and the end panels 
26 and side panels 30 have been folded as described above and shown in 
FIG. 2, the suspension package 10 is then placed within the outer 
container 12 of FIG. 1. Preferably, the suspension package 10 is 
dimensioned such that the walls of the outer container 12 prevent the end 
panels 26 from rotating away from the perpendicular orientation, thereby 
maintaining tension on the hammock 34. In addition to tensioning the 
hammock 34, the end panels 26 cooperate with the side panels 30 to space 
the frame 14 away from the top and bottom of the outer container 12. In 
particular, note that the height D2 of the interior of the container 12 is 
substantially equal to the height D1 of the suspension package 10 as 
measured between the top of the side panels 30 and the bottom of the end 
panels 26 (FIG. 2). Once the outer container 12 is closed, the end panels 
26 cooperate with the side panels 30 and the frame 14 to substantially 
immobilize the suspension package 10 in a centered position within the 
outer container 12. Accelerations associated with transport and storage 
that are imposed on the outer container 12 are to a great extent isolated 
from the product P by the hammock 34. 
Simply by way of example, both the outer container 12 and the major 
portions of the suspension package 10 including the frame 14, the end 
panels 26 and the side panels 30 may be formed from corrugated paperboard. 
The hammock 34 may be formed of a resilient elastomeric material such as 
polyurethane. The upper sheets 38 may be formed integrally with the lower 
sheet 36, and an opening may be left between the overlapping portions of 
the upper sheets 38 to allow the product P to be inserted and removed. 
FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of this 
invention that is similar to the suspension package 10 described above. In 
the embodiment of FIG. 5 the end panels are shaped to form tubular beams 
50 made up of three panels 52, 54, 56 interconnected by fold lines. Each 
panel 56 forms at its free end a pair of locking tabs 58, each positioned 
to fit into a respective slot 60 adjacent the junction between the panel 
52 and the frame 14. The other components of the suspension package of 
FIG. 5 can be identical to corresponding components of the embodiment of 
FIGS. 1-4. 
The tubular beam 50 provides several advantages. First, because it is 
shaped as a tube with an open space therein, the tubular beam 50 is 
particularly rigid, and is well suited to support substantial bending 
loads imposed on the tubular beam 50 by the hammock 34. Second, the 
tubular beam 50 forms an effective spacer tending to center the frame 14 
within an outer container (not shown in FIG. 5). Because the tabs 58 
cooperate with the slots 60 to releasably hold the panels 52, 54, 56 in 
the geometry of a tubular beam 50, the entire assembly can readily be 
placed in a flat, planar condition for shipping and storage. As in the 
embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, the entire suspension package shown in FIG. 5 can 
be formed from one sheet of folded corrugated paperboard, to which the 
hammock is attached. 
In the embodiment of FIG. 5 the tubular beam 50 is triangular in cross 
section. Of course, other tubular cross-sectional shapes can be used, 
including square, rectangular and other shapes. 
The tubular beam discussed above in conjunction with FIG. 5 can also be 
used with other types of suspension packages. As shown for example in 
FIGS. 6-8, tubular beams can be used in a suspension package 100 
comprising a frame 102 that includes two side panels 104 and two end 
panels 106. The end panels 106 are integrally formed with glue panels 108 
that are glued to the side panels 104 to form a rectangular frame. The end 
panels 106 are also integrally formed with panels 112, 114, 116, which can 
be folded to form a tubular beam 110 at each end of the suspension package 
100. In FIG. 6 only half of the suspension package 100 is shown, but FIGS. 
7 and 8 provide cross-sectional views illustrating the entire package. 
As best shown in FIG. 7, the panels 116 define locking tabs 118 that are 
positioned to engage slots 120 near the fold line that interconnects the 
panel 112 with the end panel 106. A product restraint such as a hammock 
122 is secured to the tubular beam 110, as for example with staples 124. 
FIG. 7 shows the suspension package 100 with the hammock in an untensioned 
position, in which the tubular beams 110 have been rotated inwardly. As 
shown in FIG. 8, when the tubular beams are rotated outwardly, until the 
panels 116 move into a position substantially parallel to the end panels 
106, the hammock is tensioned for use. Note that the end panels 106 are 
positioned obliquely with respect to the sides such that, when the tubular 
beams 110 are in the outwardly rotated position of FIG. 8, the panels 112 
are substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom of the sides 104. In 
this way, a flat, flush end is provided to the suspension package 100 when 
the hammock 122 is tensioned. 
Preferably, the length of the tubular beams 110 is sufficiently wider than 
the outside width between the side panels 104 to ensure that transverse 
loads applied to the tubular beams 110 by the hammock 122 are reliably 
applied to the side panels 104. 
Because the tubular beams 110 are held in configuration by a removable tab 
118 and slot 120, the entire suspension package 100 can be fully collapsed 
when not in use. If collapsibility is not desired, the panels 112, 114, 
116 can be glued permanently into a tubular configuration. Similarly, if 
it is not necessary that a flat, flush end be provided to the suspension 
package 100, the tubular beam 110 can be used with conventional, 
vertically oriented end panels on the frame 102. In this case, the tubular 
beam can be glued to a pivotable flap included on the end panel. As 
before, the tubular beams can take many cross-sectional shapes, including 
rectangular and other shapes. If desired, the tubular beam may be 
separately formed of any suitable material, and then pivotably mounted to 
the frame. 
Of course, many alternatives are possible to the preferred embodiments 
described above. For example, not all embodiments of the suspension 
package of this invention require the use of a frame as shown. In 
alternative embodiments the frame can be replaced with one or more frame 
elements that provide the desired structural integrity. For example, the 
frame 14 may be replaced with two beams 130 extending between the end 
panels 26 on opposite sides of the central opening 20 (FIG. 9). 
Alternatively, the frame 14 can be replaced with two beams 140 extending 
between the side panels 30 on opposite sides of the central opening 20 
(FIG. 10). In yet another alternative the frame 14 can be replaced with a 
plurality of frame elements that interconnect adjacent corners of the end 
panels 26 and side panels 30. 
Depending on the application, the central opening 20 may take many shapes. 
For example, round, oval or octagonal openings may be used in any suitable 
size. In some applications the central opening may include or be limited 
to one or more slits that allow portions of the frame adjacent the slits 
to move away from the product as the product restraints are tightened. For 
example, an array of radially extending slits may be used to form the 
opening. As yet another variant, the central opening may be eliminated and 
all of the hammock 34 may extend on one side of the frame 14. In this case 
the hammock is interposed between the product and the frame, thereby 
protecting the product from abrasion against the frame. 
Also, many materials and configurations can be adapted for use with this 
invention. For example the frame, frame beams, or frame elements may be 
formed of other materials such as plastic materials or metals. Also, in 
some embodiments it may be preferable to form the end panels 26 and the 
side panels 30 from separate parts which are pivotably mounted to the 
frame elements. 
Furthermore, this invention is not limited to use with hammocks of the type 
shown in the figures. Other types of product restraints can be used, 
including other types of hammocks, and product restraints which rely on a 
cinching action as described for example in U.S. patent application Ser. 
No. 08/859,535, filed May 20, 1997 assigned to the assignee of the present 
invention. Some such product restraints include multiple C-shaped elements 
that encircle the product being suspended and hold the product in place by 
opposed forces on the end panels of the product. Other suitable product 
restraints include side support restraints that extend between the end 
panels and engage the product on the side surfaces of the product. 
The foregoing detailed description has described only a few of the many 
forms that the present invention can take. The invention itself is defined 
only by the following claims, including all equivalents.