Patent ID: 8864130

Claim:
An image reading apparatus comprising: a separator; an image reader for reading an image from a paper; a conveying module for conveying a paper separated by the separator to the image reader; a side wall provided at a side of a conveyance path of the paper conveyed from the separator to the image reader; a sound detector positioned entirely between the separator and the conveying module in a paper conveyance direction and within the side wall on the conveyance path side in a direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction and towards the conveying module; a sound signal generator for generating a sound signal, which is an electrical signal converted from a sound detected by the sound detector; and a control module for evaluating whether the sound signal generated by the sound signal generator is based on the sound generated by the paper striking to the side wall or generated by the paper twisting between the separator and the conveying module, and for determining whether a jam has occurred.