Floating cup pump having swashplate mounted cup elements

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.

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.