Conveyance apparatus, conveyance method and food production method

A conveyance apparatus comprising:

• a conveyor which includes a conveyance body having a conveyance surface, the conveyance body being moved in a conveyance direction;
• a catcher which has a placement surface;
• and
• a conveyance object supply unit which places a first conveyance object onto the placement surface, wherein:
• the catcher is moved to be arranged in a raised position where the placement surface is located above the conveyance surface, and in a lowered position where the placement surface is located at a same height as the conveyance surface or where the placement surface is located below the conveyance surface,
• the conveyance object supply unit places the first conveyance object onto the placement surface in such a manner that the first conveyance object is received by the placement surface above the conveyance surface,
• the catcher is moved from the raised position toward the lowered position in a state where the first conveyance object is placed on the placement surface, so that the first conveyance object is received by the conveyance surface and is conveyed downstream by the conveyance body, and
• the conveyance object supply unit includes:
• a mold which has a molding space;
• and
• a release unit which applies a force to the first conveyance object positioned in the molding space in such a manner that the first conveyance object is released toward the placement surface.

A food production method including the steps of:

• causing a conveyance body which is included in a conveyor and has a conveyance surface to move in a conveyance direction;
• causing a catcher having a placement surface to move from a lowered position where the placement surface is located at a same height as the conveyance surface or where the placement surface is located below the conveyance surface, to a raised position where the placement surface is located above the conveyance surface;
• causing a conveyance object supply unit to place a first conveyance object onto the placement surface in such a manner that the first conveyance object is received by the placement surface above the conveyance surface;
• and
• causing the catcher to move from the raised position toward the lowered position in a state where the first conveyance object is placed on the placement surface in such a manner that the first conveyance object is received by the conveyance surface and is conveyed downstream by the conveyance body,
• wherein the first conveyance object is a paste-like foodstuff.