Patent ID: 8528715

Claim:
A modularized document handler comprising: a validator for validating a document, a stacker for stowing the document sent from the validator, and a drive device for transporting the document from the validator to the stacker through an intermediate path formed in the drive device, wherein the drive device comprises a drive unit, and a case for accommodating the drive unit, the drive unit comprises an actuator, a power transmission device driven by the actuator, a transport device driven by drive power of the actuator through the power transmission device, anterior and posterior gears both driven by drive power of the actuator through the power transmission device, a support frame for sustaining the actuator and power transmission device as a unit, and a pair of hinges formed in the support frame, the case is formed with a pair of bearings capable of detachably and rotatably receiving the hinges of the support frame, the drive unit is mounted within the case by fitting the hinges into the mating bearings and then rotating the drive unit toward inside of the case, the validator comprises a conveyer device for conveying the document to the drive device along a passageway formed in the validator, and a housing for encasing the conveyer device, the stacker comprises a carrier device for transporting the document from the intermediate path in the drive device to the stacker, the housing of the validator is detachably attached to the case of the drive device to disengageably and drivingly connect the conveyer device of the validator to the anterior gear in the drive unit and to drive the conveyer device of the validator by drive power of the actuator, the stacker is detachably attached to the drive device to disengageably and drivingly connect the carrier device of the stacker to the posterior gear in the drive unit to drive the carrier device of the stacker by drive power of the actuator, and the document is consistently transported from the passageway in the validator through the intermediate path in the drive device to the stacker.