Floating cup pump having swashplate mounted cup elements

Abstract

A floating cup pump assembly incorporating a tilted swashplate structure with cup elements projecting away from either side of the swashplate structure. The swashplate structure is positioned between a first group of matedly engaged piston elements and a second group of matedly engaged piston elements. The piston elements rotate around a first axis and the cup elements rotate around a different axis causing the cups to reciprocate relative to the piston elements.

1 . A pump assembly comprising:
 a tilted swashplate structure;   a first plurality of cup elements projecting away from a first side of said swashplate structure and a second plurality of cup elements projecting away from a second side of said swashplate structure facing away from said first side, said swashplate structure being disposed between a first plurality of piston elements and a second plurality of piston elements;   said first plurality of piston elements projecting away from a first rotatable piston support towards said first side of said swashplate structure, at least one member of said first plurality of piston elements matedly engaging at least one member of said first plurality of cup elements;   said second plurality of piston elements projecting away from a second rotatable piston support towards said second side of said swashplate structure, at least one member of said second plurality of piston elements matedly engaging at least one member of said second plurality of cup elements;   at least one of said first rotatable piston support and said second rotatable piston support being adapted to rotate about a first axis, and at least one of said first plurality of cup elements and said second plurality of cup elements being adapted to rotate about a second axis in angled relation to said first axis.   
   
   
       2 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first rotatable piston support and said second rotatable piston support is disposed about a rotatable shaft assembly extending along said first axis. 
   
   
       3 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 2 , wherein each of said first rotatable piston support and said second rotatable piston support is disposed about said rotatable shaft assembly extending along said first axis. 
   
   
       4 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said swashplate structure is supported in pivoting relation relative to a rotatable shaft assembly extending along said first axis. 
   
   
       5 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 4 , wherein at least one of said first plurality of cup elements and said second plurality of cup elements is supported at a carrier plate disposed adjacent said swashplate structure, said carrier plate including an opening disposed circumferentially about said rotatable shaft assembly, said opening being positioned axially along said rotatable shaft assembly in overlapping relation to at least a portion of a convex surface of a curved surface support element, said opening having a diameter greater than a leading edge of said curved surface support element and including a beveled or curved engagement surface adapted to slidingly engage said convex surface of said curved surface support element. 
   
   
       6 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said curved surface support element is non-integral with said rotatable shaft assembly. 
   
   
       7 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said curved surface support element is held in non-rotatable relation relative to said rotatable shaft assembly, such that rotation of said rotatable shaft assembly is translated to said curved surface support element. 
   
   
       8 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said curved surface support element includes an interior portion adapted to engage a cooperating splined surface of said rotatable shaft assembly. 
   
   
       9 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said interior portion of said curved surface support element includes a pattern of grooves, and said cooperating splined surface of said rotatable shaft assembly includes a pattern of ridges adapted to engage said grooves. 
   
   
       10 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said interior portion of said curved surface support element includes a pattern of ridges, and said cooperating splined surface of said rotatable shaft assembly includes a pattern of grooves adapted to engage said ridges. 
   
   
       11 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said leading edge of said curved surface support element projects towards said swashplate structure and wherein said curved surface support element is continuously biased towards said swashplate structure. 
   
   
       12 . A pump assembly comprising:
 a tilted swashplate structure;   a first plurality of cup elements projecting away from a first side of said swashplate structure and a second plurality of cup elements projecting away from a second side of said swashplate structure facing away from said first side, said swashplate structure being disposed between a first plurality of piston elements and a second plurality of piston elements, said first plurality of cup elements being mounted at a first carrier plate disposed adjacent the first side of said swashplate structure, said second plurality of cup elements being mounted at a second carrier plate disposed adjacent the second side of said swashplate structure;   said first plurality of piston elements projecting away from a first rotatable piston support towards said first side of said swashplate structure, at least one member of said first plurality of piston elements matedly engaging at least one member of said first plurality of cup elements;   said second plurality of piston elements projecting away from a second rotatable piston support towards said second side of said swashplate structure, at least one member of said second plurality of piston elements matedly engaging at least one member of said second plurality of cup elements;   said first rotatable piston support and said second rotatable piston support each being disposed about a rotatable shaft assembly extending along a first axis and each of said first rotatable piston support and said second rotatable piston support being rotatable around said first axis, said swashplate structure being supported in pivoting relation relative to said rotatable shaft assembly, and each of said first carrier plate and said second carrier plate being rotatable about a second axis in angled relation to said first axis.   
   
   
       13 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 12 , said first carrier plate being supported at a convex surface of a first curved surface support element, said first curved surface support element being disposed circumferentially about said rotatable shaft assembly, said second carrier plate being supported at a convex surface of a second curved surface support element, said second curved surface support element being disposed circumferentially about said rotatable shaft assembly, said first carrier plate including a first carrier plate opening disposed circumferentially about said rotatable shaft assembly, said first carrier plate opening being positioned axially along said rotatable shaft assembly in overlapping relation to at least a portion of said first curved surface support element, said first carrier plate opening having a diameter greater than a leading edge of said first curved surface support element and including a beveled or curved engagement surface adapted to slidingly engage said convex surface of said first curved surface support element said second carrier plate including a second carrier plate opening disposed circumferentially about said rotatable shaft assembly, said second carrier plate opening being positioned axially along said rotatable shaft assembly in overlapping relation to at least a portion of said second curved surface support element, said second carrier plate opening having a diameter greater than a leading edge of said second curved surface support element and including a beveled or curved engagement surface adapted to slidingly engage said convex surface of said second curved surface support element. 
   
   
       14 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 13 , wherein each of said first curved surface support element and said second curved surface support element is non-integral with said rotatable shaft assembly. 
   
   
       15 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 14 , wherein each of said first curved surface support element and said second curved surface support element is held in non-rotatable relation relative to said rotatable shaft assembly, such that rotation of said rotatable shaft assembly is translated to each of said first curved surface support element and said second curved surface support element. 
   
   
       16 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 15 , wherein each of said first curved surface support element and said second curved surface support element includes an interior portion adapted to engage a cooperating splined surface of said rotatable shaft assembly. 
   
   
       17 . The pump assembly as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said leading edge of said first curved surface support element projects towards said first side of said swashplate structure and said first curved surface support element is continuously biased towards said first side of said swashplate structure and wherein said leading edge of said second curved surface support element projects towards said second side of said swashplate structure and said second curved surface support element is continuously biased towards said second side of said swashplate structure. 
   
   
       18 . A method for pumping a fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing said fluid to a pump having a tilted swashplate structure defining a backing support for a first plurality of cup elements projecting away from a first side of said swashplate structure and a second plurality of cup elements projecting away from a second side of said swashplate structure facing away from said first side, said first plurality of cup elements matedly engaging a first plurality of piston elements, said second plurality of cup elements matedly engaging a second plurality of piston elements;   introducing at least a portion of said fluid into said first plurality of cup elements and said second plurality of cup elements;   reciprocating said first plurality of cup elements and said second plurality of cup elements relative to the matedly engaged piston elements; and   expelling said fluid in a pressurized state.