Pressure reducing valve

A pressure reducing valve comprising:

• a valve body having at least an inlet port on a high pressure side and an outlet port on a low pressure side and having walls defining in part a regulating chamber, the outlet port in fluid communication with the regulating chamber;
• a diaphragm assembly having a diaphragm, a stem engaging the diaphragm, the stem with a base, the base having a base diameter, the base having a substantially flat bottom, an outer perimeter and a connecting arm, the connecting arm extending generally perpendicular to the base, the diaphragm having a perimeter, the perimeter for engaging the valve body so as to partially enclose the regulating chamber;
• a valve controlled assembly having a valve opening, the valve opening having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the base, cooperating with the connecting arm of the stem, the valve opening having a stationary depending lip located between the inlet port and the regulating chamber, the valve controlled assembly including a moveable seat with a flat portion, the seat biased towards the lip, the valve controlled assembly adapted to restrict the flow of gas between the inlet port and the regulating chamber responsive to movement of the connecting arm in the valve controlled assembly;
• and
• a main spring for engaging the valve body and the diaphragm assembly and urging the diaphragm and the stem toward the valve opening;
• wherein the base of the stem includes a lower surface that is channeled with a multiplicity of gas flow restricting channels so as to assist the flow of gas from the valve controlled assembly to the regulating chamber, when the connecting arm urges the seat off the lip;
• wherein the flat bottom of the base of the stem further includes a central recessed portion with substantially closed curved side walls;
• wherein the channels of the base of the stem are radially arranged about the connecting arm so as to begin at channel openings in the otherwise substantially closed curved side walls of the recessed portion and terminate at openings in the outer perimeter, and
• wherein the channels terminate at the outer perimeter of the base, wherein a floor of each channel is flush with a floor of the central recessed portion.