Abstract: An image reading apparatus which enables the area occupied by the apparatus to be made small and can stably transport even a thick sheet having stiffness. A sheet P contained in an inclined sheet containing portion 3 is transported to image reading portions 8 and 9 by a vertically extending first sheet transporting path R1, and an image on the sheet P is read by the image reading portions 8 and 9, and the sheet P on which the image has been read is delivered to a substantially horizontal delivery stacking portion 14 by a substantially horizontally extending second sheet transporting path R2. The image reading portion 9 is provided between the vertically extending first sheet transporting path R1 and the substantially horizontally extending second sheet transporting path R2, and in the image reading portion 9, the transport direction of the sheet P passed along the first sheet transporting path R1 is changed to a direction toward the second sheet transporting path R2.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus for reading the image surface of a sheet material brought into close contact with the image reading surface of an image reading unit while passing the sheet material through an image reading gap formed between the sheet conveying surface of a sheet conveying guide and the image reading surface, including a holding member for holding the image reading unit for movement in a direction to change the width of the image reading gap, an upstream roller pair having a first roller member displaceable in accordance with the thickness of the sheet material, and for nipping and conveying the sheet material into the image reading gap, and a downstream roller pair having a second roller member displaceable in accordance with the thickness of the sheet material, and for nipping and conveying the sheet material out of the image reading gap, wherein the image reading unit changes the width of the image reading gap on the basis of the displacement of at least one of the first roller member and the s

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for separating and feeding sheets supported on a sheet supporting portion one by one is provided with a separating and feeding portion having a sheet feed roller provided downstream of the sheet supporting portion for feeding the sheets, and a separation roller brought into pressure contact with the sheet feed roller, and designed to be rotatable in the same direction as or a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the sheet feed roller, and separating and feeding the sheets one by one, and a transport restriction guide provided near the separation roller so as to protrude toward the sheet feed roller for restricting the number of sheets coming into the pressure contact portion between the sheet feed roller and the separation roller, and the transport restriction guide is formed by a flexible member, and is provided so as to be pressed by the sheets coming into between the sheet feed roller and the separation roller and be flexible toward the separation roller side, and the

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for separating and feeding sheets supported on a sheet supporting portion one by one is provided with a separating and feeding portion having a sheet feed roller provided downstream of the sheet supporting portion for feeding the sheets, and a separation roller brought into pressure contact with the sheet feed roller, and designed to be rotatable in the same direction as or a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the sheet feed roller, and separating and feeding the sheets one by one, and a transport restriction guide provided near the separation roller so as to protrude toward the sheet feed roller for restricting the number of sheets coming into the pressure contact portion between the sheet feed roller and the separation roller, and the transport restriction guide is formed by a flexible member, and is provided so as to be pressed by the sheets coming into between the sheet feed roller and the separation roller and be flexible toward the separation roller side, and the

Abstract: An image reading apparatus which enables the area occupied by the apparatus to be made small and can stably transport even a thick sheet having stiffness. A sheet P contained in an inclined sheet containing portion 3 is transported to image reading portions 8 and 9 by a vertically extending first sheet transporting path R1, and an image on the sheet P is read by the image reading portions 8 and 9, and the sheet P on which the image has been read is delivered to a substantially horizontal delivery stacking portion 14 by a substantially horizontally extending second sheet transporting path R2. The image reading portion 9 is provided between the vertically extending first sheet transporting path R1 and the substantially horizontally extending second sheet transporting path R2, and in the image reading portion 9, the transport direction of the sheet P passed along the first sheet transporting path R1 is changed to a direction toward the second sheet transporting path R2.

Abstract: A feeding rotatable member, a conveying rotatable member and a separating rotatable member are driven by a sheet feeding motor, a feeding motor and a separating motor, respectively, which are independent driving means to thereby feed an original. The separation and conveyance of the original are effected while the opening amount between the conveying rotatable member and the separating rotatable member is changed by a sheet thickness adjusting motor.