Patent ID: 8056557

Claim:
A nebulizing drug delivery device, comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet; an aerosol generator in communication with a fluid, wherein the aerosol generator comprises a concave ultrasonic generator for generating an acoustic wave; a barrier between the fluid and a pool of drug solution provided within the housing to isolate the fluid from the pool of drug solution, wherein the aerosol generator operates to form nebulized particles of the pool of drug solution that can be communicated to a user through the outlet, wherein at least a portion of the barrier is formed from polyetheretherketone; and a guide tube having a first end and a second end; and a support structure that holds the guide tube at a fixed position and orientation with respect to the housing such that the guide tube is spaced apart from the aerosol generator with the first end disposed within the pool of drug solution, wherein acoustic waves generated by the aerosol generator are focused in the drug solution such that a fountain of the drug solution is formed proximate the second end of the guide tube, wherein a majority of the nebulized particles are generated towards an upper end of the fountain, wherein the housing includes a mounting surface, and wherein the barrier is sealed to the mounting surface via thermal staking.