Patent ID: 7082956

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 having a sealing surface in the first chamber and a second surface in the second chamber, the seat defining a first flow path from the sealing surface to the second surface, the first flow path having a first flow axis along the longitudinal axis; 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; an end portion extending from the intermediate portion, the end portion including at least one aperture, the at least one aperture permitting fluid communication between the first flow path and the second chamber; and a surface disposed between the first flow path and the end portion, the surface defining a second flow path with the second seat surface, the second flow path having a second flow axis disposed radially outward from the longitudinal axis; and a closure member being arranged between first and second configurations relative to the sealing surface, the first configuration substantially preventing fluid communication through the first flow path, and the second configuration permitting fluid communication through the first flow path.