Tire and/or wheel bag and method of making and using the same

Abstract

A tire and/or wheel bag includes a bag body configured to enclose at least one of a vehicle tire and/or a vehicle wheel. The bag body includes a first annular wall configured to surround a first annular portion of the vehicle tire/wheel, a first sidewall attached to the first annular wall, the first annular wall and first sidewall comprising a first body portion; a second annular wall configured to surround a second annular portion of the vehicle tire/wheel; a second sidewall attached to the second annular wall, the second annular wall and second sidewall comprising a second body portion; a joint joining the first open end of the first body portion to the second open end of the second body portion; a closure configured to selectively attach and release the first and second annular sidewalls; and a handle attached to the first body portion and the second body portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tire and/or wheel bag, comprising:
 a bag body configured to enclose at least one of a vehicle tire and/or a vehicle wheel, the bag body comprising:   a first annular wall configured to surround a first annular portion of the vehicle tire and/or vehicle wheel around its circumference, the first annular wall having a first open end and an opposed first closed end;   a first sidewall attached by a first attachment to and enclosing the first closed end, the first annular wall and first sidewall comprising a first body portion;   a second annular wall configured to surround a second annular portion of the vehicle tire and/or vehicle wheel around its circumference, the second annular wall having a second open end and an opposed second closed end;   a second sidewall attached by a second attachment to and enclosing the second closed end, the second annular wall and second sidewall comprising a second body portion;   a joint joining the first open end of the first body portion to the second open end of the second body portion;   a peripherally-extending closure configured to selectively attach and release the first open end of the first annular sidewall to the second open end of the second annular sidewall; and   a handle attached to the first body portion and the second body portion.   
     
     
         2 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 1 , wherein the closure comprises a zipper. 
     
     
         3 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 2 , wherein the zipper has a zipper stop attached to the first open end and the second open end. 
     
     
         4 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 3 , wherein the zipper is a two-way head-to-head zipper comprising a first head configured to open in a first circumferential direction toward the zipper stop and a second head configured to open in an opposed second circumferential direction toward the zipper stop. 
     
     
         5 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 4 , wherein the zipper extends around substantially all of the first open end and second open end. 
     
     
         6 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 1 , wherein the first attachment comprises a first stitched or welded seam and the second attachment comprises a second stitched or welded seam. 
     
     
         7 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 1 , wherein handle comprises a strap having a first end attached within the first attachment and a second end attached within the second attachment. 
     
     
         8 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 7 , wherein the first attachment comprises a first stitched or welded seam and the second attachment comprises a second stitched or welded seam. 
     
     
         9 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises a strip or strap of a natural or polymer fiber fabric, polymer, elastomer, or a combination or composite thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 1 , wherein bag body comprises a fabric, polymer sheet, or polymer film bag material. 
     
     
         11 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 10 , wherein the fabric, polymer sheet, or polymer film bag material is waterproof or water-resistant. 
     
     
         12 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a sleeve disposed on one of the first bag body or second bag body. 
     
     
         13 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 12 , wherein the sleeve is a plastic sleeve disposed on the first annular wall or the second annular wall. 
     
     
         14 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 12 , wherein the sleeve houses a tracking device comprising information about the tire and/or wheel. 
     
     
         15 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 14 , wherein the tracking device comprises a printed sheet, a barcode, an RFID device, or a bluetooth device. 
     
     
         16 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a tire and/or wheel disposed within the first bag body and the second bag body. 
     
     
         17 . The tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 16 , wherein the tire and/or wheel has a diameter (d) up to 42 inches and a width (w) up to 16 inches. 
     
     
         18 . A method of making a tire and/or wheel bag, comprising:
 forming a bag body configured to enclose at least one of a vehicle tire and/or a vehicle wheel, the bag body comprising:   a first annular wall configured to surround a first annular portion of the vehicle tire and/or vehicle wheel around its circumference, the first annular wall having a first open end and an opposed first closed end;   a first sidewall attached by a first attachment to and enclosing the first closed end, the first annular wall and first sidewall comprising a first body portion;   a second annular wall configured to surround a second annular portion of the vehicle tire and/or vehicle wheel around its circumference, the second annular wall having a second open end and an opposed second closed end;   a second sidewall attached by a second attachment to and enclosing the second closed end, the second annular wall and second sidewall comprising a second body portion;   a joint joining the first open end of the first body portion to the second open end of the second body portion;   a peripherally-extending closure configured to selectively attach and release the first open end of the first annular sidewall to the second open end of the second annular sidewall; and   a handle attached to the first body portion and the second body portion.   
     
     
         19 . A method of using a tire and/or wheel bag, comprising:
 forming a tire and/or wheel bag, comprising: a bag body configured to enclose at least one of a vehicle tire and/or a vehicle wheel, the bag body comprising: a first annular wall configured to surround a first annular portion of the vehicle tire and/or vehicle wheel around its circumference, the first annular wall having a first open end and an opposed first closed end; a first sidewall attached by a first attachment to and enclosing the first closed end, the first annular wall and first sidewall comprising a first body portion; a second annular wall configured to surround a second annular portion of the vehicle tire and/or vehicle wheel around its circumference, the second annular wall having a second open end and an opposed second closed end; a second sidewall attached by a second attachment to and enclosing the second closed end, the second annular wall and second sidewall comprising a second body portion; a joint joining the first open end of the first body portion to the second open end of the second body portion; a peripherally-extending closure configured to selectively attach and release the first open end of the first annular sidewall to the second open end of the second annular sidewall; a handle attached to the first body portion and the second body portion; and a sleeve disposed on one of the first bag body or second bag body, wherein the sleeve houses a tracking device comprising information about the tire and/or wheel;   inserting tire/and/or wheel into the first body portion or the second body portion;   closing the partially peripherally-extending, selectively openable and closable closure; and   storing the tire and/or wheel bag and the tire and/or wheel in a storage facility, or transporting the tire and/or wheel bag and the tire and/or wheel; and   accessing the information about the tire and/or wheel while it is being stored or transported.   
     
     
         20 . The method of using a tire and/or wheel bag of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 using the information accessed while the tire and/or wheel is in the storage facility or using the information accessed while the tire and/or wheel is being transported to take an action related thereto.