Patent ID: 6945265

Claim:
A flow-through pressure regulator, comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet disposed along a longitudinal axis; a divider separating the housing into a first chamber and a second chamber, the divider including: a seat defining a passage between the first and second chambers; a diaphragm extending between the housing and the seat; a retainer securing the diaphragm to the seat, the retainer including: a base portion proximate the seat; an intermediate portion extending along the longitudinal axis from the base portion toward the outlet; and an end portion extending from the intermediate portion, the end portion including at least one aperture, the at least one aperture having a flow axis, the at least one aperture permitting fluid communication between the passage and the second chamber; and a flow diffuser including at least one of (1) an increasing cross-sectional area of the passage in a direction from the inlet to the outlet along the longitudinal axis; and (2) an oblique orientation of the flow axis of the at least one aperture to the longitudinal axis; and a closure member being arranged between first and second configurations relative to the seat, the first configuration substantially preventing fluid communication through the passage, and the second configuration permitting fluid communication through the passage.