Patent ID: 11856977
Assignee: MAYEKAWA MFG. CO., LTD.
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A  B

Claim 11:
12. A mixing apparatus that mixes an additive with a food, the mixing apparatus comprising:
a plurality of hoppers; each hopper of the plurality of hoppers having an open top, the open top of each hopper of the plurality of hoppers being separate from each open top of another hopper, and each of the plurality of hoppers in an initial state being capable of housing the food received from above through the open top;
a first hopper of the plurality of hoppers being positioned vertically above a second hopper of the plurality of hoppers and receiving the food that is falling in a falling direction, the first hopper being rotatable about a first axis of rotation to allow the food in the first hopper to fall directly outside an open top of the first hopper in the falling direction toward the second hopper after rotation of the first hopper about the first axis of rotation;
the second hopper being positioned vertically below the first hopper to receive the food that has fallen out of the first hopper and being positioned vertically above a receiving tray, the second hopper being rotatable about a second axis of rotation different from the first axis of rotation to allow the food in the second hopper to fall directly outside an open top of the second hopper in the falling direction toward the receiving tray after rotation of the second hopper about the second axis of rotation;
a supply device that supplies the additive to the food that has fallen out of the first hopper so that the additive is added to the food as the food is falling toward the second hopper and/or when the food is in the second hopper; and
wherein the first hopper is one of a plurality of first hoppers, the plurality of first hoppers being spaced apart in a width direction orthogonal to the falling direction, and each of the plurality of first hoppers provided in the width direction is rotatable, the second hopper being positioned directly below one of the first hoppers in the falling direction.