HK1186354A - Ventilated smoking article - Google Patents

Description

Ventilated smoking article

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a ventilated smoking article. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a smoking article which is ventilated via an embossed region in a wrapper wrapped around a rod of smokeable material.

Background

As used herein, the term "smoking article" includes smokeable products such as cigarettes, cigars, and cigarillos, which are based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded cut tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or on tobacco substitutes and also includes heat-but-not-burn products.

The non-porous tipping paper of conventional filter cigarettes typically includes ventilation holes at positions overlapping the filter. The holes allow air to be drawn into the filter during smoking to dilute the smoke leaving the mouth end of the smoking article. The holes are of relatively large diameter and are typically formed by perforating tipping paper and tipping paper by passing the filter under a pulsed laser beam. Another alternative is to use pre-perforated tipping paper in conjunction with porous tipping paper. Figures 1 and 2 show examples of pre-perforated tipping paper and porous tipping paper.

Typically, filter cigarettes also comprise a substantially homogeneous and porous cigarette paper which bounds a rod of smokeable material, such as a tobacco rod. The porous nature of the wrapper allows for a degree of gas exchange between the smokable material and the exterior of the paper. However, as the length of the rod of smokeable material (and hence the surface area of the cigarette paper) is reduced during smoking, the volume of gas exchange through the cigarette paper is also significantly reduced. It can be seen that the dilution of smoke entering the filter from the rod of smokeable material produces a significant mouth to mouth variation. The amount of dilution is significantly reduced from the first to the last suction.

Disclosure of Invention

According to the present invention, there is provided a smoking article comprising a rod of smokeable material and a wrapper (wrapper) wrapped around the rod of smokeable material, wherein the wrapper comprises at least one region of ventilation embossing overlapping the smokeable material.

The region of ventilation embossing may be located in a quarter of the wrapper closest to the mouth end of the rod.

The region of ventilation embossing may be located in a third of the wrapper which is closest to the mouth end of the rod.

The region of ventilation embossing may be located in the half of the wrapper closest to the mouth end of the rod.

The gas diffusivity of the region of ventilation embossing may be higher than the gas diffusivity of the remainder of the wrapper.

The gas diffusivity may be carbon dioxide (CO)₂) The rate of diffusion.

The gas diffusivity of the region of ventilation embossing may be at least 0.80 cm/s.

The gas diffusivity of the region of ventilation embossing may be at least three times greater than the gas diffusivity of the remainder of the wrapper.

The gas diffusivity of the region of ventilation embossing may be at least five times greater than the gas diffusivity of the remainder of the wrapper.

The gas diffusivity of the region of ventilation embossing may be at least eight times greater than the gas diffusivity of the remainder of the wrapper.

The gas diffusivity of the region of ventilation embossing may be at least ten times greater than the gas diffusivity of the remainder of the wrapper.

The permeability of the region of ventilation embossing may be higher than the permeability of the remainder of the wrapper.

The transmission rate of the ventilation embossed region may be between 30CU and 75 CU.

The transmission rate of the ventilation embossed area can be between 50CU and 100 CU.

The transmission rate of the ventilation embossing area can be between 100CU and 200 CU.

The transmittance of the remaining portion of the wrapping material may be between 1CU and 20 CU.

The transmittance of the remaining portion of the wrapping material may be between 20CU and 30 CU.

The transmittance of the remaining portion of the wrapping material may be between 30CU and 45 CU.

The transmittance of the remaining portion of the wrapping material may be between 30CU and 60 CU.

The transmission rate of the region of ventilation embossing may be about 50CU and the transmission rate of the remaining portion of the wrapping material may be about 10 CU.

The transmission rate of the region of ventilation embossing may be about 100CU and the transmission rate of the remaining portion of the wrapping material may be about 25 CU.

The transmission rate of the ventilation embossed region may be about 150CU and the transmission rate of the remaining portion of the wrapping material may be about 50 CU.

The permeability of the region of ventilation embossing may be at least one and one-half times the permeability of the remainder of the wrapper.

The region of ventilation embossing may have a permeability of at least twice that of the remainder of the wrapper.

The region of ventilation embossing may have a permeability at least three times the permeability of the remainder of the wrapper.

The permeability of the region of ventilation embossing may be at least five times the permeability of the remainder of the wrapper.

The region of ventilation embossing may cover 60% or less of the outer surface of the wrapper.

The region of ventilation embossing may cover 40% or less of the outer surface of the wrapper.

The region of ventilation embossing may cover 30% or less of the outer surface of the wrapper.

The region of ventilation embossing may cover 20% or less of the outer surface of the wrapper.

The region of ventilation embossing may cover 10% or less of the outer surface of the wrapper.

The smoking article may comprise a filter attached to the mouth end of the rod of smokeable material.

The region of ventilation embossing may be configured to ventilate the filter via external air which enters the rod through the region of ventilation embossing and is drawn into the filter.

The smoking article may comprise a tipping paper without ventilation holes.

The wrapper may be cigarette paper.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a method of forming a smoking article, the method comprising: embossing a smoking article wrapper to form a ventilation area and wrapping the wrapper around a rod of smokable material such that the ventilation area overlaps the smokable material.

According to the present invention there is also provided a smoking article assembly unit configured to emboss a smoking article wrapper to form a ventilation area and wrap the wrapper around a rod of smokable material such that the ventilation area overlaps the smokable material.

Drawings

Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional filter-tipped cigarette comprising a rod of smokeable material wrapped in a homogenous wrapper, a filter plug, and tipping paper comprising laser-drilled or pin-drilled holes overlapping the filter;

figure 2 is a perspective view of the conventional filter cigarette of figure 1;

figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a cigarette comprising a rod of smokable material wrapped in a wrapper having a region of ventilation embossing proximate the mouth end;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cigarette shown in FIG. 3;

figure 5 is a perspective view of a cigarette comprising a rod of smokable material wrapped in a wrapper, the wrapper having a downstream region of ventilation embossing and an upstream region of ventilation embossing, the two regions of ventilation embossing being separated by a non-embossed region of the paper;

figure 6 is a schematic view of an embossing processing unit in the cigarette assembly device;

figure 7 is a flow diagram of a method of forming a smoking article having a region of ventilation embossing in a wrapper wrapped around a rod of smokable material.

Detailed Description

Figure 3 shows a cigarette 1 comprising a rod 2 of smokeable material. The rod of smokeable material 2 comprises a core 3 of smokeable material, such as tobacco, of generally cylindrical form and a wrapper 4 wrapped around a longitudinal surface of the core 3. The ends of the core 3 are open. The tobacco may comprise at least one of tobacco leaf, tobacco stem and reconstituted tobacco.

The cigarette 1 further comprises a filter 5 and tipping paper 6 coupling the filter 5 to the rod of smokeable material 2. The filter 5 comprises a substantially cylindrical filter material filter 7 comprising cellulose acetate tow (tow). According to legal provisions, filter 7 may also comprise other materials such as suitable flavourants (flavanorants). Any known type of filter element 7 may be used. The filter 5 may also comprise a porous filter wrapper 8 wrapped around the longitudinal surface of the filter 7. The filter wrapper 8 may be held in place around the filter element 7 by gluing along the seams of the overlapping material using a suitable adhesive.

Referring to figure 3, tipping paper 6 overlaps the filter 5 and overlaps a region of the rod 2 of smokeable material so as to axially couple the filter 5 to the rod 2. For example, a suitable adhesive material may be provided between the inner surface of the tipping paper 6 and the outer surface of the filter 5 and rod 2 to secure the tipping paper 6 in place. The tipping paper 6 may be substantially non-porous. Alternatively, however, one or more conventional ventilation holes may be formed in the tipping paper 6 overlapping the filter core 7, for example in circumferentially distributed rings, the formation of the holes being effected by a laser or by pre-perforating the paper 6. Alternatively, as described below, the conventional vent holes may be omitted.

The end faces of the rod 2 and filter 5 may abut one another as shown in figure 3. Fig. 4 also shows the abutment in a dashed line position.

The wrapper 4 located around the core 3 of smokable material comprises base paper and will be described below in connection with cigarette paper. Referring to figures 3 and 4, the wrapping material 4 includes a region of ventilation embossing 9 which is configured such that, in order to achieve a particular pressure drop, the rate of exchange of gas between the smokable material core 3 and the exterior of the rod 2 is higher than the rate of exchange of gas through an equivalent block of the remainder of the wrapping material 4. The smokable material 2 is thus ventilated by the embossed regions 9 in the wrapper 4.

The ventilation embossing 9 constitutes a diffusion zone through which gas molecules in the mainstream smoke can diffuse away from the cigarette 1. The diffusion of gaseous smoke components away from the rod 2 results in a reduction in the amount of gaseous smoke components that enter the filter 5 during smoking. Examples of such gas phase components are carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides.

Similarly, the ventilation embossing 9 constitutes a diffusion zone through which gas molecules, such as oxygen molecules, in the air surrounding the cigarette 1 can diffuse into the rod 2 of smokable material. The outside air that diffuses into the core 3 of smokeable material mixes with the mainstream smoke and is drawn into the filter 5 with the mainstream smoke during smoking. The mainstream smoke is thereby diluted before the smoke enters the filter 5.

The permeability of the wrapper 4 in the region of ventilation embossing 9 is greater than the permeability of the remainder of the wrapper 4. Furthermore, the gas diffusivity of the wrapper 4 in the region of ventilation embossing 9 is also greater than the gas diffusivity of the remainder of the wrapper 4. The remainder of the wrapper 4 may be substantially homogeneous and not embossed as shown in fig. 3 and 4.

For example, the ventilation embossed area 9 comprised by the wrapper 4 may have a transmittance between 45CU and 55CU, for example about 50 CU. The remaining part of the wrapping material 4 may have a transmittance of between 5CU and 15CU, for example about 10 CU. Alternatively, the ventilation embossed area 9 may have a transmittance between 95CU and 105CU, for example about 100CU, while the remaining part of the wrapping material 4 may have a transmittance between 20CU and 30CU, for example about 25 CU. In general, the transmittance of the embossed ventilation region 9 may be any value between about 30CU and about 200 CU. For example, it may be any value between 40CU and 150CU, 50CU and 120CU, or 70CU and 100 CU.

The permeability of the region of ventilation embossing 9 may be at least twice the permeability of the remainder of the wrapper 4. For example, the permeability of the region of ventilation embossing 9 may be about three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten times the permeability of the remainder of the wrapper 4. The permeability of the ventilation embossed region 9 may be twice or less of the permeability of the rest of the wrapping material 4.

The ventilation embossed area 9 may optionally be divided into two or more discrete zones of wrapping material 4 separated by zones of non-embossed wrapping material 4. Each of these zones of the ventilation embossing 9 may have a different permeability and/or gas diffusivity and/or size. For example, referring to fig. 5, the wrapping material 4 may comprise a first region of the ventilation embossed region 9 having a transmittance between 95CU and 105CU, for example about 100CU, and a second region of the ventilation embossed region 9 having a transmittance between 70CU and 80CU, for example about 75 CU. The various areas of embossed area 9 may be separated from each other by non-embossed areas of wrapper 4. The first region of the embossed region 9 may be closer to the mouth end of the rod 2 than the second region of the embossed region 9. For example, as shown in fig. 5, starting from the mouth end/filter end and moving longitudinally along the rod 2, the wrapper 4 may comprise a first region of non-embossed wrapper 4, a first (downstream) region of the region 9 of ventilation embossing, a second region of non-embossed wrapper 4, a second (upstream) region of the region 9 of ventilation embossing, and a third region of non-embossed wrapper 4. Alternatively, the first region of the non-embossed wrapper 4 may be omitted such that the first region of the ventilation embossed region 9 is directly adjacent the tipping paper 6.

CO of the wrapper 4 in the region of the ventilation embossing 9₂The diffusivity can be any value between about 0.60cm/s and 3.00cm/s, such as at least 0.80cm/s or between 1.00cm/s and 2.00cm/s as measured by a SODIM paper diffusivity meter. Intrinsic CO of the remainder of the wrapper 4₂The diffusivity may be any value below 2.5cm/s, for example between 0.20cm/s and 1.80cm/s, as measured by a SODIM paper diffusivity meter. Intrinsic CO of the wrapping material 4₂Diffusivity and CO of the vented embossed areas 9₂The difference in diffusivity between the diffusivities is used to indicate a general gas diffusivity difference. For example, it is used to denote the presence of CO, O₂NO and other low volatility compounds. CO of the ventilation embossed regions 9₂The diffusivity may be CO of the remainder of the wrapper 4₂At least twice the diffusivity. For example CO of the region 9 of the ventilation embossing₂The diffusivity may be CO of the remainder of the wrapper 4₂About three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten times the diffusivity. Alternatively, the CO of the region 9 of ventilation embossing₂The diffusivity may be CO of the remainder of the wrapper 4₂Less than twice the diffusivity.

The ventilation embossing 9 may be limited to the half of the wrapper 4 closest to the tipping paper 6 (at the mouth/filter end of the rod 2). The ventilation embossing 9 is preferably located close to the mouth/filter end of the rod 2, for example in the region of one third, one quarter, one fifth, one sixth, one seventh, one eighth, one ninth or one tenth of the wrapper 4 closest to the tipping paper 6.

The ventilation embossed regions 9 may occupy anywhere between about 5% and 60%, for example between 5% and 40%, of the wrapper 4, depending on the level of dilution and/or reduction required for mainstream smoke in the gas phase smoke constituent. Other percentages may also be used. The zone 9 preferably comprises one or more circumferential strips, as shown in fig. 4 and 5. The region 9 may have any suitable shape. Optionally, the region of ventilation embossing 9 is not located below the tipping paper 6 in order to increase the strength of the attachment between the rod 2 and the filter 5.

There is a significant difference in the rate of transmission and gas diffusion between the ventilation embossing 9 and the remainder of the wrapper 4, which means that the majority of the dilution air passing through the wrapper 4 into the smokable material core 3 enters via the ventilation embossing 9. Similarly, the majority of the gas that diffuses out of the rod 2 through the wrapping material 4 also diffuses out through the ventilation embossing 9. The permeability of the remainder of the wrapper 4 may be lower than in conventional homogeneous wrappers in order to increase the percentage of dilution in the venting zone 9.

Thus, the smoke dilution and reduction of the gaseous smoke component remains substantially constant during smoking until the burning end of the rod 2 reaches the ventilation embossing 9. This is because, since most of the overall smoke dilution and reduction of gaseous smoke constituents is due to the ventilation embossed regions 9, the burning of the remainder of the wrapper 4 has little effect on reducing the overall smoke dilution and gaseous smoke constituents.

If the ventilation embossing 9 is positioned close to the end of the tipping paper 6 of the rod 2, as shown for example in figures 3 to 5, the smoke dilution and diffusion of the gaseous smoke components may remain substantially constant during all puffs except for the last puff or puffs. Thus, smoke dilution and mouth-to-mouth variation of gaseous smoke constituents are much lower than with the conventional substantially homogeneous wrapper shown in figures 1 and 2. The wrapper 4 thus provides a consistent smoking experience for the smoker.

As described above, molecules of gaseous air entering the core 3 of smokable material via the ventilation embossing 9 significantly dilute the smoke immediately upstream of the filter 5. During smoking, gaseous air molecules are drawn into the filter element 7 along with the remaining smoke constituents. The effect of the ventilation embossing 9 is therefore to ventilate the filter 5, which means that the extent to which the filter 5 was previously ventilated by conventional means (such as ventilation holes formed in the tipping paper 6 with pins or a laser) can be reduced (the filter still has an equivalent ventilation level). Alternatively, conventional venting means may be omitted. The gas diffusivity of the ventilation embossing 9 is much higher than for conventional perforated tipping paper of the type described above. In fact, the formation of laser or pre-perforated ventilation holes in the wrapper has no significant effect on the gas diffusivity of the wrapper, as in conventional tipping paper for ventilating the filter in a conventional cigarette.

The cigarette 1 may be of any suitable size. For example, the rod of smokeable material 2 may have a length of about 61mm and a circumference of about 24.6mm or 17.0 mm. The filter 5 may have a length of about 22mm and a circumference substantially equal to the circumference of the rod 2. The length of the sheet material overlapping the tipping paper 6 may be about 26 mm. The density of the smokable material core 3 may be about 240mg/cm³。

The wrapping material 4 may be embossed in an embossing process unit 10, which may be included in a cigarette or other smoking article assembly device 11. Fig. 6 shows an example of the embossing processing unit 10. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing a typical embossing processing method that can be employed in the embossing processing unit 10. The embossing process unit 10 includes an embossing process drive roll 12 and one or more embossing process counter rolls 13 which together emboss a web of base paper, such as cigarette paper 4, as the paper web moves between the drive roll 12 and the one or more counter rolls 13. The width of the paper web may be about 26.5mm, which is sufficient to wrap around the circumference of the core of smokeable material 3 and provide an overlap seam for gluing the wrapping material 4 in place around the core of smokeable material 3. The embossing processing rollers 12, 13 include an embossing pattern on the circumferential surfaces thereof.

The circumferential surface of one or more of the embossing process rollers 12, 13 may comprise a first region for forming the ventilation embossed region 9 and a second region that is substantially smooth. The first region may be adapted to form a single block of ventilation embossing 9 or a plurality of discrete blocks of ventilation embossing 9 as described above. The first region may comprise a set of embossed protrusions or extensions extending generally radially outwardly from the circumferential surface of the rollers 12, 13. The set of embossing lobes may include a plurality of truncated cones having a bottom width of about 0.3 mm. The height of the truncated cone may be about 0.15mm, and the size may also vary depending on the nature of the base paper to be subjected to the embossing treatment.

The circumferential surface of the one or more embossing counter rollers 13 is forced against the circumferential surface of the embossing process drive roller 12 by a pneumatic system comprising a piston 14. The force exerted on the paper 4 between the embossing process rollers 12, 13 is proportional to the air or fluid pressure exerted on the piston 14 in the pneumatic system. Alternatively, a mechanical device may be employed which uses a set of cams to control the relative positions of the rollers 12, 13. The air or fluid pressure on the piston 14 can be varied by a control unit 15 configured to increase or decrease the air or fluid pressure in the pneumatic system according to a set of control parameters, which may be preset or adaptively adjusted according to the result of the embossing process. The diameter of the piston 14 may be about 2.75 inches. However, the piston 14 may also have a smaller diameter in order to control the embossing process force exerted by the embossing process rollers 12, 13 on the paper 4 to a greater extent. Using a smaller diameter piston 14 will result in a lesser amount of increase in the embossing process force with a given amount of increase in the air or fluid pressure applied to piston 14. A corresponding effect will also occur in the case of a reduction in air or fluid pressure. Another alternative suitable diameter for piston 14 may be about 1 inch.

The embossing process unit 10 may also include one or more additional drive rollers 16 configured to drive the paper web 4 through the embossing process unit 10. The drive roller 16 may also be used to position the web 4 relative to the embossing process rollers 12, 13 prior to the embossing process. For example, the position of the web 4 relative to the embossing process rollers 12, 13 may be advanced or retarded based on signals from the photovoltaic cells to align the printed pattern on the web 4 with predetermined positions in the embossing process unit 10. The additional drive roller 16 may have a substantially smooth circumferential surface. As shown in fig. 6, a pair of such additional drive rollers 16 is provided in the paper travel path before the embossing process rollers 12, 13.

The embossing processing unit 10 further comprises an analysis unit 17 configured to analyze the properties of the paper web 4 after it has passed between the embossing processing rollers 12, 13. The analysis unit 17 comprises one or more sensors 18, which may comprise the above-mentioned photocells, in order to collect information relating to the structure of the paper 4 subjected to the embossing process. The information collected may, for example, include one or more of the following properties: the air permeability of the paper 4, the thickness of the paper 4 and the gas diffusivity of the paper 4, these properties of the paper in the region of the ventilation embossing 9 and the remainder of the paper 4 are all within the collection range.

As shown in fig. 6, the analyzing unit 17 is communicatively connected to the control unit 15 so as to allow the transfer of control signals between the analyzing unit 17 and the control unit 15. The communication may be implemented by any known means, for example via a wireless communication link. In this way, the control unit 15 may receive information from the analysis unit 17 regarding the properties of the paper 4 subjected to the embossing process and may use this information to adjust the force exerted by the embossing process rollers 12, 13 on the paper 4 and thereby maintain/maintain the desired levels of permeability and gas diffusivity in the region of the ventilation embossing. The feedback mechanism formed between the analysis unit 17 and the control unit 15 by the above-mentioned communication means allows the embossing processing unit 10 to maintain the embossing process according to the control parameters used.

The permeability and gas diffusivity of the air-embossed regions 9 may be selected by varying the force applied to the paper 4 during the embossing process. Thus, the force applied to the web 4 as it passes between the embossing process rollers 12, 13 may vary depending on the exact properties required of the wrapper 4.

The lap seams at either edge of the width of the web 4 may not be embossed to facilitate effective gluing of the wrapping material 4 around the core of smokeable material 3. This can be achieved by providing appropriate smooth areas on the embossing rollers 12, 13, which allows the panel 4 not to be embossed in the lap seam.

The embossing process unit 10 described above is installed in a cigarette assembly machine 11 so that the embossing process is performed "on-line" in real time as part of an integrated cigarette assembly process. This is possible because the embossing process can be carried out very quickly and does not require the application of additional material to the base paper 4. The integration of the embossing treatment unit 10 within the cigarette assembly unit 11 means that the ventilated cigarettes 1 can be manufactured in a single stage from inexpensive low air permeability base paper 4, a reel of which can be loaded into the assembly machine 10 for subsequent embossing treatment and cigarette assembly processes.

For example, after the embossing process, the paper web 4 may be fed to a wrapping unit 19 for wrapping the smokable material. At the cutting unit 20, the continuous rod is cut into smaller rods 2 to fit into individual cigarettes. The rod 2 is used to form a double length filter cigarette as is well known in the art. The double length filter located at the centre of each double length cigarette may be cut in half to form a pair of individual cigarettes 1.

Alternatively, the embossing process may be performed off-line prior to loading the wrapping material 14 into the cigarette assembly machine 11.

Although the invention has been described above in connection with a cigarette 1, it will be appreciated that: the invention is not limited to cigarettes but may be applied to other smoking articles.

Claims (18)

1. A smoking article comprising a rod of smokeable material and a wrapper wrapped around the rod of smokeable material, wherein the wrapper comprises at least one region of ventilation embossing overlapping the smokeable material.

2. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the region of ventilation embossing is located in the wrapper at a position which is closest to the half of the wrapper at the mouth end of the rod.

3. A smoking article according to any preceding claim, wherein the gas diffusivity of the region of ventilation embossing is higher than the gas diffusivity of the remainder of the wrapper.

4. A smoking article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas diffusivity is carbon dioxide (CO)₂) The rate of diffusion.

5. A smoking article according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the gas diffusivity of the region of ventilation embossing is at least 0.80 cm/s.

6. A smoking article according to any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the gas diffusivity of the region of ventilation embossing is at least three, five, eight or ten times greater than the gas diffusivity of the remainder of the wrapper.

7. A smoking article according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the ventilation embossed region has a higher permeability than the remainder of the wrapper.

8. The smoking article of claim 7, wherein the ventilation embossed region has a transmittance between 30CU and 75CU, between 50CU and 100CU, or between 100CU and 200 CU.

9. A smoking article according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the permeability of the region of ventilation embossing is at least one and one-half times the permeability of the remainder of the wrapper.

10. A smoking article according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the ventilation embossed region has a permeability of at least twice that of the remainder of the wrapper.

11. A smoking article according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the permeability of the region of ventilation embossing is at least three or five times the permeability of the remainder of the wrapper.

12. A smoking article according to any preceding claim, wherein the region of ventilation embossing covers 60% or less, 40% or less, 30% or less, 20% or less, or 10% or less of the outer surface of the wrapper.

13. A smoking article according to any preceding claim comprising a filter attached to the mouth end of the rod of smokeable material.

14. A smoking article according to claim 13, wherein the region of ventilation embossing is configured to ventilate the filter via external gas which enters the rod through the region of ventilation embossing and is drawn into the filter.

15. A smoking article according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a tipping paper without ventilation holes.

16. A smoking article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wrapper is cigarette paper.

17. A method of forming a smoking article, the method comprising:

embossing a smoking article wrapper to form ventilation areas;

wrapping the wrapping material around a rod of smokable material to overlap the ventilation area with the smokable material.

18. A smoking article assembly unit configured to emboss a smoking article wrapper to form a ventilation area and wrap the wrapper around a rod of smokable material such that the ventilation area overlaps the smokable material.