Aerosol-generating article with rigid hollow tip

A heated aerosol-generating system, comprising:

• a heated aerosol-generating article, comprising:
• a plurality of components including an aerosol-forming substrate assembled within a wrapper to form a rod having a mouth end and a distal end upstream from the mouth end,
• a substantially non-flammable rigid hollow tube disposed upstream from the aerosol-forming substrate within the wrapper, said tube having an external diameter of between 5 mm and 15 min and a length of between 5 mm and 15 mm, and
• a pierceable film spanning one end of the substantially non-flammable rigid hollow tube and being configured to protect the aerosol-forming substrate from an applied flame, such that the heated aerosol-generating article has a lowered propensity for flame ignition due to a presence of the pierceable film and of the substantially non-flammable rigid hollow tube;
• and
• an aerosol-generating device comprising means for heating the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an inhalable aerosol.

A method of smoking a heated aerosol-generating article,

• the heated aerosol-generating article comprising:
• a plurality of components including an aerosol-forming substrate assembled within a wrapper to form a rod having a mouth end and a distal end upstream from the mouth end,
• a substantially non-flammable rigid hollow tube disposed upstream from the aerosol-forming substrate within the wrapper, said tube having an external diameter of between 5 mm and 15 mm and a length of between 5 mm and 15 mm, and
• a pierceable film spanning one end of the substantially non-flammable rigid hollow tube and being configured to protect the aerosol-forming substrate from an applied flame, such that the heated aerosol-generating article has a lowered propensity for flame ignition due to a presence of the pierceable film and of the substantially non-flammable rigid hollow tube;
• and
• the method comprising:
• engaging the heated aerosol-generating article with an aerosol-generating device for heating the aerosol-generating substrate;
• actuating the aerosol-generating device to heat the aerosol-forming substrate;
• and
• drawing on the mouth end of the rod to cause air to flow into the heated aerosol-generating article through a lumen of the substantially non-flammable rigid hollow tube, through the aerosol-forming substrate, and out of the aerosol-generating article through the mouth end.