Patent ID: 7793928
Filing Date: 2010-09-14
Classification: B65H,H04N

Abstract:
1. A document feeder provided on an image reader having a reading device that reads an image of a document of a plurality of documents at a reading position, the document being conveyed in a predetermined conveying direction, the document feeder comprising: a substantially U-shaped document transporting pathway, through which the document can pass from a feeding tray to a discharging tray, which is provided above the feeding tray, via the reading position, including: a reverse transporting mechanism that is disposed adjacent to the substantially U-shaped document transporting pathway and conveys the document in the substantially U-shaped document transporting pathway, the reverse transporting mechanism includes a reverse roller that moves the document from the first path to the second path; a pulling device that draws the plurality of the documents stacked on the feeding tray; a separating-transporting device that separates one of the plurality of the documents drawn by the pulling device and conveys the separated document to the reverse transporting mechanism; and an openable pathway cover that covers the pulling device, the separating-transporting device and the reverse transporting mechanism when the pathway cover is closed, wherein a diameter of the reverse roller is larger than a distance between the first path and the second path, and the first path is disposed within a range that is occupied by a height of the reverse roller, and wherein the pathway cover includes a discharging chute that guides the document to the discharging tray.