Patent ID: 6986338

Claim:
A pressure regulator comprising: a housing having: (a) an inlet port through which a fluid is introduced at a supply pressure, (b) an outlet port through which the fluid is discharged at an output pressure, (c) a bias port through which a biasing pressure is introduced, (d) a cavity in fluid communication with said bias port, and (e) an aspirator passage extending between said outlet port and said cavity through which the output pressure is conducted from said outlet port to said cavity; and a valve assembly within said housing for regulating the pressure of fluid flow from said inlet port to said outlet port and having: (a) a nozzle between said inlet port and said outlet port through which fluid flows from said inlet port to said outlet port, (b) a valve movable toward said nozzle and away from said nozzle, (c) means for urging said valve toward said nozzle, (d) a pressure set point assembly in said cavity and having: (1) a piston pressure sensor, and (2) means acting on said piston pressure sensor for urging said valve away from said nozzle, and (e) a coupling extending between said piston pressure sensor and said valve, and responsive to: (a) the output pressure conducted from said outlet port through said aspirator passage to said piston pressure sensor for urging said valve toward said nozzle, and (b) the biasing pressure introduced through said bias port to said piston pressure sensor for one of: (1) urging said valve toward said nozzle, and (2) urging said valve away from said nozzle, said piston pressure sensor having: (1) a first face: (i) against which an end of said second spring bears urging said valve away from said nozzle, and (ii) that receives biasing pressure from said bias port for one of: urging said valve toward said nozzle, and urging said valve away from said nozzle, and (2) a second face that receives output fluid pressure conducted from said outlet port through said aspirator passage for urging said valve toward said nozzle, the area of said first face being different than the area of said second face.