Patent ID: 8251060

Claim:
A device for delivering a therapeutic drug to a patient in the form of an aerosol, the device comprising: a heat conductor; a heat generating chamber having an open first end and a second end essentially closed by the heat conductor; an aerosol forming chamber having an open first end and a second end adjacent the second end of the heat generating chamber and essentially closed by the heat conductor; a heating element adapted to be disposed within the heat generating chamber and positioned in heat conducting relation to the heat conductor; a substrate adapted to be disposed within the aerosol forming chamber and positioned in heat conducting relation to the heat conductor, the substrate comprising a thermally stable, non-combustible material having the therapeutic drug and an aerosol forming agent deposited thereon; and an aerosol delivery chamber adapted to removably engage the open first end of the aerosol forming chamber so as to permit the substrate to be inserted into the aerosol forming chamber in heat conducting relation to the heat conductor for delivery of the therapeutic drug to the patient and to be removed from the aerosol forming chamber thereafter, the aerosol delivery chamber defining a mouthpiece for delivering the therapeutic drug to the patient in the form of an aerosol.