Patent ID: 8891140

Claim:
An image reading apparatus comprising: a transparent member on which an original document is placed; a reading unit arranged below the transparent member, the reading unit being movable reciprocally in a reading direction of the original document; a spacer member arranged at the reading unit for maintaining a prescribed interval between the transparent member and the reading unit by contacting to the transparent member; and an electrostatic removing member arranged at a position close to the spacer member when the reading unit is positioned at a prescribed position, the electrostatic removing member provided at a position outside an original document readable range in the reciprocal movement of the reading unit, the electrostatic removing member provided extending from outside a range of the reciprocal movement toward a region of the reciprocal movement of the reading unit, and the electrostatic removing member removing static electricity when the reading unit comes closely to the electrostatic removing member during reciprocal movement thereof.