Patent ID: 9232098
Filing Date: 2016-01-05
CPC Classification: H04N

Claim Text:
1. An image reading apparatus comprising: a conveyor configured to convey a sheet along a predetermined conveyance path; a platen; a sheet pressing member, which has a shape extending in a width direction perpendicular to both of a sheet conveyance direction of the conveyor and a sheet thickness direction, and which is disposed at a position facing the platen, the conveyance path interposed between the sheet pressing member and the platen so that the sheet pressing member contacts the sheet conveyed by the conveyor when the sheet passes between the sheet pressing member and the platen; a biasing member configured to bias the sheet pressing member toward the platen; and a reading unit configured to read an image of the sheet at a predetermined reading position, through the platen, when the sheet conveyed by the conveyor passes between the platen and the sheet pressing member, wherein the sheet pressing member is made of a resin member, wherein each end portion of the sheet pressing member in the width direction is provided with a respective one of a plurality of spacers, wherein each of the spacers protrudes toward the platen, a tip end of the spacer in a protrusion direction of the spacer contacting the platen at positions outside of a reading range of the reading unit in the width direction to secure a gap between the sheet pressing member and the platen, wherein a protruding portion is provided on a central portion of the sheet pressing member in the width direction, wherein the sheet pressing member has a rotation axis positioned on an upstream side in the sheet conveyance direction, and the sheet pressing member is disposed in a manner thet a downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction is rotatable upwaedly with respect to the rotation axis, and wherhin the protruding portion is provided at a position deviated and downstream from, in the sheet conveyance direction, the reading position of the reading unit.