Patent ID: 7322349

Claim:
A nebulizer system comprising: at least one tubing section having an inlet and an outlet forming an air path for delivering air to a patient from a ventilator; a nebulizer which is adapted to deliver a nebulized fluid to the tubing section for inhalation by a patient on a ventilator, the nebulizer having a vibrating element having a front side, a back side, and a plurality of tapered apertures extending between the front side and the back side, and wherein the vibrating element separates a source of fluid from the air path; a feed system adapted to provide fluid to the back side of the vibrating element; a ring-shaped piezoelectric element comprising a piezoelectric material and configured to vibrate the vibratable element when an electrical current is provided to the ring-shaped piezoelectric element; and wherein vibration of the vibrating element is adapted to move fluid from the back side of the vibrating element through the plurality of tapered apertures to produce the nebulized fluid which enters the tubing section for delivery to the patient.