Patent ID: 8794231

Claim:
An electrically heated smoking system comprising: a shell having an electric power supply and electric circuitry, the shell having a shell interior diameter; and a mouthpiece comprising a housing and a liquid storage portion in the form of a cartridge having a diameter less than the shell interior diameter and which contains a liquid, a capillary wick having a first upstream end and a second downstream end, the first end extending into the cartridge for contact with the liquid therein, at least one heating element for heating the second end of the capillary wick, and an aerosol forming chamber between the second end of the capillary wick and an air outlet the housing in a downstream relation to the liquid storage portion, the housing comprising a first upstream housing portion and a second downstream housing portion, the first upstream housing portion having an interior diameter substantially equal to the shell interior diameter, the first upstream housing portion defining the aerosol forming chamber, the second downstream housing portion defining an air outlet, the air outlet narrower than the aerosol forming chamber, wherein the shell and mouthpiece are engaged at a connection downstream of the liquid storage portion such that when the shell and mouthpiece are engaged, the at least one heating element is in electrical connection with the power supply via the electric circuitry, and a flowpath for air is defined from at least one air inlet to the air outlet via the aerosol forming chamber such that the air travels between the shell and cartridge and is directed around the at least one heating element into the aerosol forming chamber.