Patent ID: 8508817

Claim:
An image reading apparatus comprising: first and second sheet feed trays, and a conveying path; a first reading unit constructed to read image data of an original fed to the conveying path from said first sheet feed tray, from an original's surface upwardly directed on said first sheet feed tray, and constructed to read image data of an original fed to the conveying path from said second sheet feed tray, from an original's surface downwardly directed on said second sheet feed tray; a second reading unit constructed to read image data of an original fed to the conveying path from said first sheet feed tray, from an original's surface downwardly directed on said first sheet feed tray, and constructed to read image data of an original fed to the conveying path from said second sheet feed tray, from an original's surface upwardly directed on said second sheet feed tray; a determination unit constructed to determine whether the original has been fed from said first sheet feed tray or from said second sheet feed tray; and a control unit constructed to control processing of image data of the original read by said first reading unit, handling as image data of a first surface of the original, and processing of image data of the original read by said second reading unit, handling as image data of a second surface of the original, in a case where reading of both surfaces of the original is performed, based on determination by said determination unit that the original has been fed from said first sheet feed tray, and constructed to control processing of the image data of the original read by said first reading unit, handling as the image data of the second surface of the original, and processing of the image data of the original read by said second reading unit, handling as the image data of the first surface of the original, in a case where reading of both surfaces of the original is performed, based on determination by said determination unit that the original has been fed from said second sheet feed tray, wherein said conveying path is substantially U-shaped, and said first sheet feed tray is disposed at an upstream end of said substantially U-shaped conveying path with respect to an intermediate turn-round portion of said substantially U-shaped conveying path, said second sheet feed tray is disposed at the intermediate turn-round portion of said substantially U-shaped conveying path, said first reading unit and said second reading unit are disposed at a downstream end of said substantially U-shaped conveying path with respect to the intermediate turn-round portion of said substantially U-shaped conveying path, the original on said second sheet feed tray is fed to said first reading unit and said second reading unit directly through the conveying path, and the original on said first sheet feed tray and the original on said second sheet feed tray are fed oppositely in direction to each other.