Patent ID: 8619346

Claim:
An image reading apparatus to read an image formed on a sheet, comprising: a main unit having a flat surface, on which the sheet with the image to be read can be placed, and an image reader, which is configured to be moved along the flat surface to read the image from the sheet; and an openable unit, which is configured to be movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the main unit and cover the flat surface when in the closed position, wherein the openable unit includes a sheet tray, in which the sheet with the image to be read can be set, a conveyer section, which is configured to convey the sheet from the sheet tray along a sheet path, and a discharge section, in which the sheet having been conveyed by the conveyer section is discharged; wherein the image reader is configured to read the image formed on the sheet being conveyed by the conveyer section in a predetermined reading position; wherein the sheet path includes a U-curved section, along which the sheet being conveyed is turned around, an upper-level path, which is in an upper position within the sheet path, and a lower-level path, which is in a lower position with respect to the upper-level path within the sheet path; wherein the conveyer section comprises the U-curved section in the sheet path; wherein the sheet path further includes an upper-stream section, which ranges from the sheet tray to the U-curved section, and a lower-stream section, which ranges from the U-curved section to the discharge section; wherein one of the upper-stream section and the lower-stream section is provided as the upper-level path, and the other of the upper-stream section and the lower-stream section is provided as the lower-level path; wherein the image formed on the sheet is read by the image reader in the predetermined reading position whilst the sheet being conveyed in the lower level path passes through a position to face the image reader; wherein the openable unit is provided with a movable piece, which is arranged in a position along the lower-level path and is swingable about a first edge thereof being an edge further from the U-curved section of the sheet path to swing a second edge thereof being an edge closer to the U-curved section to be close to and separated apart from the lower-level path; wherein the movable piece is movable by its own weight from a closed position, in which the second edge of the movable piece is closest to the lower-level path, to an open position in which the second edge of the movable piece is furthest from the lower-level path, when the openable unit is moved to the open position; and wherein the movable piece serves as a part of a bottom surface of the lower-level path when in the closed position and exposes a part of the lower-level path when in the open position.