Patent ID: 7694496

Claim:
A method of preparing a shipping container comprising: (a) providing a retention packaging comprising: (i) a support member having first and second sections each defining a support surface for receiving an object thereon for shipping, the first and second sections being pivotably connected to one another along a fold line that transects the support member; and (ii) a film disposed in covering relation to the support surfaces of the support member and retained to the support member at the first and second sections, the film including opposite ends each enclosing a respective opposite end of the support member and defining overlapping areas of the film that are permanently joined together, with the first section of the support member extending between the overlapping areas of one of the opposite ends of the film, and with the second section of the support member extending between the overlapping areas of the other of the opposite ends of the film; (iii) wherein, (A) each opposite end of the support member includes a respective opposite end edge of the support member, the opposite end edges of the support member being spaced a distance apart when the first and second sections are coplanar, (B) the film further comprises a pleated portion that is located between the opposite ends of the film and that includes at least one fold in the film, the film being removably secured to itself so as to removably secure the at least one fold of the pleated portion, and (C) the film further comprises a plurality of tabs located along a side edge of the film and spaced to substantially coincide with one another by virtue of the at least one fold in the film, wherein the tabs are removably attached to one another to removably secure the at least one fold of the pleated portion, (b) separating the tabs from one another so as to unsecure the at least one fold and thereby open the pleated portion of the film; (c) placing an object on the support surface of a selected one of the first and second sections of the support member such that the film extends over the object; (d) pivoting one of the sections relative to the other section about the fold line so that the first and second sections of the support member are disposed in substantially overlapping, abutting relation to one another such that the film tensions the object in abutment with the selected support surface; and (e) placing the retention packaging into an interior cargo space of the shipping container.