Patent ID: 8740216

Claim:
A document conveying apparatus comprising: a reading unit, which reads image information on a surface of a sheet-like document; a driving-side discharge unit, which conveys a document in a first direction, first image information on a first surface of the document having been read by said reading unit, in contact with said first surface of said document, and discharges at least a part of said document from said document conveying apparatus; a driven-side discharge unit, which is arranged so as to face said driving-side discharge unit, and receives transmission of a rotative force from said driving-side discharge unit, when being in contact with said driving-side discharge unit; a specific-direction conveying unit, which conveys the document conveyed from said driving-side discharge unit in a second direction, which is opposite to said first direction, so that said reading unit reads second image information on a second surface of the document, wherein: said specific-direction conveying unit includes a pair of conveying rollers, and said fourth direction and a direction from a position of contact, between said driving roller and said driven roller, toward a position of contact, between said pair of conveying rollers, form an acute angle; a pressing force applying unit, which applies a force in a third direction to said driven-side discharge unit so that said driven-side discharge unit is in contact with said driving-side discharge unit; wherein: said driving-side discharge unit includes a driving roller, said driven-side discharge unit includes a driven roller, and said movement control unit moves a rotary shaft of said driven roller in said third direction and in said fourth direction; a movement control unit, which moves said driven-side discharge unit in a fourth direction, which is opposite to said third direction, when said document conveyed by said specific-direction conveying unit is in contact with said driven-side discharge unit; and a torque limiting unit, which detects a torque exerted on said driving-side discharge unit, and restricts the transmission of said rotative force, when said torque is equal to or larger than a predetermined value.