Novel banded cigarette wrapper with opened-area bands

Abstract

A wrapper of a smoking article comprising a base web and banded regions comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge and a plurality of add-on material-free openings between said leading edge and said trailing edge. The add-on material-free openings establish a predetermined, nominal opened-area within said banded regions to control diffusivity. The add-on material can be applied by a gravure roller comprising a surface region with cells, cell-free areas and a chevron shape.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A wrapper material for smoking articles, the wrapper material comprising:
 a base having a first side and an opposing second side, the base including one or more bands on at least one of the first side and the second side, each of the one or more bands being continuous and including one or more material-free regions.   
     
     
         3 . The wrapper material of  claim 2 , wherein
 the base has a permeability greater than or equal 20 CORESTA to less than or equal to 100 CORESTA, and   the base includes flax, wood pulp, cellulose fiber, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         4 . The wrapper material of  claim 2 , wherein a basis weight of the base is greater than or equal to 24 grams per square meter to less than or equal to 28 grams per square meter. 
     
     
         5 . The wrapper material of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more bands include a first band on the first side of the base and a second band on the second side of the base. 
     
     
         6 . The wrapper material of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more material-free regions of a respective band of the one or more bands occupies greater than or equal to 4% to less than or equal to 9% of a total area of the respective band. 
     
     
         7 . The wrapper material of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more bands includes at least one layer of a film-forming composition including an occluding agent, the occluding agent including starch, alginate, cellulose, gum, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The wrapper material of  claim 7 , wherein the film-forming composition further includes:
 a filler, the filler including calcium carbonate.   
     
     
         9 . The wrapper material of  claim 7 , wherein the film-forming composition further includes:
 an anti-wrinkling agent, the anti-wrinkling agent including 1,2-propylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin, glycerol, polyethylene glycol, glucose, sucrose, isomalt, maltilol, sorbitol, xylitol, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         10 . The wrapper material of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more bands includes alginates, pectins, cellulose derivatives, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, guar gum, xanthan gum, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The wrapper material of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more material-free regions includes two or more material-free regions, and the two or more material-free regions are evenly spaced. 
     
     
         12 . The wrapper material of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more material-free regions includes two or more material-free regions, and the two or more material-free regions are unevenly spaced. 
     
     
         13 . The wrapper material of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more material-free regions are wholly within the band. 
     
     
         14 . The wrapper material of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more material-free regions includes:
 a first material-free region having a first dimension; and   a second material-free region having a second dimension that is different than the first dimension.   
     
     
         15 . The wrapper material of  claim 14 , wherein the first material-free region is nearer to a leading edge of the smoking article. 
     
     
         16 . The wrapper material of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more material-free regions further includes:
 a third material-free region having a third dimension different from the first dimension and the second dimension, the third material-free region between the first material-free region and the second material-free region.   
     
     
         17 . The wrapper material of  claim 2 , wherein a basis weight of each of the one or more bands is greater than or equal to 0.5 grams per square meter to less than or equal to 3 grams per square meter. 
     
     
         18 . The wrapper material of  claim 2 , wherein the smoking articles include:
 a column of tobacco, the wrapper material around the column of tobacco.   
     
     
         19 . The wrapper material of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more material-free regions include one or more dots, each of the one or more dots having a square shape, a diamond shape, a rectangular shape, an oval shape, or circular shape. 
     
     
         20 . The wrapper material of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more dots form one or more rows that define the one or more material-free regions. 
     
     
         21 . The wrapper material of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more bands are on the base in an angulated manner.