Aerosol inhalation device

Claim 1

Aerosol inhalation apparatus comprising a capsule having a penetrable membrane and containing a unit dose of medication and a unit quantity of pressurized propellant, a housing having inhalation outlet means adapted for insertion into a patient's mouth, first and second capsule retaining means, mounted in said housing, for retaining said capsule, and a perforating needle slideably mounted in said housing and having one end thereof passing through said first retaining means and an opposite end thereof being located in said outlet means, said needle having at said one end piercing means for piercing said capsule and a spray nozzle at said opposite end thereof in said inhalation outlet and a longitudinal capillary tube connected to said nozzle and extending through said piercing means whereby, said needle and said retaining means are arranged in said housing for mutual displacement between said capsule and said needle to cause said needle to perforate said membrane and cause said propellant to propel said medication through said capillary tube and out said nozzle.