Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a document feed unit that can adopt a first attitude to sandwich a document against a document table and a second attitude to release the document. An attitude detection unit detects the attitude of the document feed unit. A document detection unit detects whether a document is on a placement section of the document feed unit. An input acceptance unit accepts a selection input indicating whether a document on the document table is a read object document when attitudes of the document feed unit have been detected in a second-to-first sequence by the attitude detection unit when a document is detected on the document placement section. A control unit sets a document on the document table as the current read object, when the input acceptance unit accepts a selection input indicating that the document on the document table is to be a read object document.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a document feed unit that can adopt a first attitude to sandwich a document against a document table and a second attitude to release the document. An attitude detection unit detects the attitude of the document feed unit. A document detection unit detects whether a document is on a placement section of the document feed unit. An input acceptance unit accepts a selection input indicating whether a document on the document table is a read object document when attitudes of the document feed unit have been detected in a second-to-first sequence by the attitude detection unit when a document is detected on the document placement section. A control unit sets a document on the document table as the current read object, when the input acceptance unit accepts a selection input indicating that the document on the document table is to be a read object document.

Abstract: A fixing device comprises a heated member formed into a hollow, cylindrical shape, said heated member including a nonmagnetic portion having a particular length along an axial direction of said heated member, a magnetic flux generator for generating magnetic flux exerted on said heated member, a first magnetic core disposed face to face with said magnetic flux generator with said heated member positioned between said first magnetic core and said magnetic flux generator to form a magnetic circuit which is routed to come out of said magnetic flux generator, pass through said heated member and return to said magnetic flux generator, and a shifting mechanism for varying the length of an area of said heated member along the axial direction thereof where the nonmagnetic portion of said heated member and said first magnetic core face each other.

Abstract: A high-voltage power supply device for generating a voltage in which a direct-current voltage and an alternating-current voltage are superimposed is provided with alternating-current voltage generating unit generating an alternating-current voltage, and direct-current voltage generating unit generating a direct-current voltage to be superimposed on the alternating-current voltage generated by the alternating-current voltage generating unit. The alternating-current voltage generating unit sets the alternating-current voltage to be generated to such a value that peak values of a voltage superimposed with the direct-current voltage to fall within predetermined voltage values when generating the alternating-current voltage to start the superimposition with the direct-current voltage generated by the direct-current voltage generating unit.

Abstract: A sheet feeding unit includes a sheet forwarding unit for forwarding sheets from a sheet storing unit, a key input portion, a sheet detection gate, and a control unit. In one embodiment, the sheet forwarding unit repetitively performs its function after an operation start instruction until either the sheet detection gate detects a sheet from the feeding cassette or until the number of repetitions of the sheet forwarding unit reaches a predetermined number. An error process is performed when the number of repetition reaches the predetermined number without the gate detecting a sheet. Also, the sheet feeding unit compares the number of times a sheet is fed from the sheet feeding unit with the number of times the sheet if forwarding to determine the status of the feeding roller.

Abstract: A paper supplying deck is insertable into and withdrawable from a paper supplying portion of a body resulting in electrical connection between the side of the paper supplying deck and the side of the body through a drawer-type connector when the paper supplying deck is inserted and interruption of such electrical connection when the drawer is withdrawn. The paper supplying deck has a paper carrying portion with a paper width setting mechanism and a variable resistor the resistance value of which is changed in dependence on the paper width setting mechanism, thereby changing an output paper width detecting voltage. On the wide of the paper supplying deck, a resistance which prevents the paper width detecting voltage from amounting to a power source voltage even though the resistance value of the variable resistor reaches a maximum value, is connected in series with the variable resistor.