Patent ID: 7766253

Claim:
A device for nebulizing a liquid, comprising: a nebulization head comprising a capillary tube and an ejection nozzle for ejecting a liquid to be nebulized, the ejection nozzle having a distal beveled end to cause formation of droplets of the liquid to be nebulized; a liquid supply tank for supplying the nebulization head with the liquid to be nebulized and linked to the nebulization head by a pipe; a vibrator for vibration driving the nebulization head so that the ejection nozzle ejects droplets of liquid from the distal beveled end in a nebulization jet; an exciter for applying an excitation signal to the vibrator; and a pressure regulator for applying pressure to the liquid at the inlet to the nebulization head, such that when the nebulization head is still, a first overpressure is applied, and during nebulization cycles when the nebulization head is vibration driven, a second overpressure is applied, wherein the pressure regulator comprises a valve arranged in the pipe between the liquid supply tank and the nebulization head and a controller for closing the valve when the nebulization head is not vibration driven and opening the valve when the nebulization head is vibration driven, and wherein the first overpressure is lower than a first overpressure threshold above which the liquid flows through the still nebulization head, and the second overpressure is greater than the first overpressure threshold and is lower than a second overpressure threshold above which the liquid flows through the vibration driven nebulization head instead of being nebulized.