Apparatus for mixing the contents of a container

1. An apparatus for mixing materials, comprising:

a support;

a mixing container disposed in the support, wherein the mixing container is configured to retain materials and wherein the mixing container includes a mixing bag with at least one flexible sleeve;

a driver assembly mounted to a closed end of said sleeve and configured to protrude through the support and into the mixing container; and

the mixer container includes a paddle, the driver assembly is configured to be attached to the paddle, wherein the driver assembly is configured to oscillate the paddle in a back and forth direction at a set angle in order to mix the materials in the mixing container.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the driver assembly further comprises:

an electric servo motor coupled to a gearbox, wherein the gearbox is coupled to a drive shaft.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the drive shaft oscillates the paddle in the back and forth direction.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the drive shaft is moved by the devices selected from the group consisting of servo motors, gearboxes, gears, cams, pneumatic pistons, or hydraulic pistons.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the set angle is in a range of 1 to 360 degrees in either direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the paddle oscillates in the back and forth direction automatically.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mixing bag and the at least one sleeve are seamed together.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is made from a material that is a single ply or has a plurality of layers of film.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the material of the sleeve is selected from the group consisting of a coated nylon, a siliconized coating, polyethylene and silicon.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the paddle is a made of a material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, acrylic, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or any non-bioinert material.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mixing bag is made from a material that is flexible and water impermeable.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mixing bag is made from a polyethylene material.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mixing bag has a thickness in a range of 1 to 40 mils.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the paddles have a plurality of holes.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the paddle have slanted surfaces.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the paddle includes a stirrer attached to a hub.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprises a stop mounted on the stirrer.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mixing bag is a sealed plastic bag.

19. A mixing device comprising:

a support;

a mixing container disposed in the support, wherein the mixing container is configured to retain materials, wherein the mixing container includes a mixing bag and a flexible sleeve, wherein the sleeve is disposed inside the mixing bag;

a driver assembly mounted to a closed end of said sleeve and configured to protrude through the support into the sleeve;

a paddle is inside the sleeve, wherein the sleeve is configured to isolate the paddle from an environment outside of the mixing bag;

the paddle may extend vertically 5% to 95% of a vertical height of the mixing container; and

the driver assembly is configured to oscillate the paddle in a back and forth direction at a set angle in order to mix the materials in the mixing container.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the set angle is in a range of 1 to 360 degrees in either direction.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the paddle oscillates in the back and forth direction at a speed in the range of 10 to 60 cycles per minute.

22. The mixing device of claim 19 , wherein the mixing bag is a sealed plastic bag.

23. A mixing device comprising:

a support;

a mixing container disposed in the support, wherein the mixing container is configured to retain materials, wherein the mixing container includes a mixing bag and a flexible sleeve, wherein the sleeve is disposed inside the mixing bag;

an oscillating driver assembly mounted to a closed end of said sleeve and configured to protrude through the support into the sleeve;

a paddle is inside the sleeve, wherein the sleeve is configured to isolate the paddle from an environment outside of the mixing bag;

the paddle may extend vertically 5% to 95% of a vertical height of the mixing container;

the oscillating driver assembly, drives the paddle in an oscillating motion in order to mix the materials in the mixing container; and

the oscillating driver assembly, drives the paddle in a single direction in order to mix the materials in the mixing container.

24. The mixing device of claim 23 , wherein the container is a three-dimensional bag.

25. A mixing device comprising:

a support;

a mixing container disposed in the support, wherein the mixing container is configured to retain materials, wherein the mixing container includes a mixing bag and a flexible sleeve, wherein the sleeve is disposed inside the mixing bag;

a driver assembly mounted to a closed end of said sleeve and configured to protrude through the support into the sleeve;

a paddle is inside the sleeve, wherein the sleeve is configured to isolate the paddle from an environment outside of the mixing bag;

the driver assembly is configured to oscillate the paddle at a set angle in order to mix the materials in the mixing container; and

a tube coupled to the sleeve or paddle, wherein the tube is configured to disperse gases into the mixing bag.

26. The mixing device of claim 25 , wherein the mixing bag is in a shape of a rhombohedra.

27. The mixing device of claim 25 , wherein the support is disposed inside of an inside wall and an outside wall.

28. The mixing device of claim 27 , wherein a heat exchange jacket is affixed to the outside wall.

29. The mixing device of claim 25 , wherein the support is disposed in an inside wall.