Pneumatic elevator with pressure regulator

A pneumatic vacuum elevator, comprising:

• an elevator shaft;
• a cabin disposed within and movable within the elevator shaft;
• a vacuum source in fluid communication with the elevator shaft above the cabin;
• a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the elevator shaft above the cabin for measuring pressure within the elevator shaft above the cabin;
• a vent in fluid communication with the elevator shaft below the cabin for allowing fluid passage to and from the elevator shaft below the cabin;
• a pressure regulator including a fluid transfer chamber and a flow control element in fluid communication with a point exterior to the elevator shaft and the elevator shaft above the cabin, wherein the pressure regulator controls fluid flow to the elevator shaft above the cabin;
• and
• a controller in electrical communication with the pressure sensor and the pressure regulator, the controller causing the pressure regulator to adjust fluid flow in response to a pressure measurement from the pressure sensor;
• the fluid transfer chamber having a planar face that defines a plurality of apertures;
• the flow control element disposed within the fluid transfer chamber, the flow control element including a planar face that defines a plurality of apertures and that is slidably disposed within the fluid transfer chamber, the plurality of apertures of the flow control element are offset laterally from the plurality of apertures of the fluid transfer chamber, and the planar face of the flow control element is in a spaced-apart relationship with the planar face of the fluid transfer chamber;
• and
• an electrical solenoid secured to the flow control element and operable to move the flow control element with respect to the fluid transfer chamber.