Patent ID: 7778587

Claim:
An auto document feeder which loads and feeds a document to a read position provided on a read surface of a reader, the auto document feeder comprising: a conveying device including a conveying path having the read position, the conveying device conveying the document along the conveying path so that the document passes through the read position, the conveying path including an entry portion to allow the document to reach the read position, and an exit portion to allow the document to leave the read position, the entry portion inclining downwards as it approaches the read surface, and the exit portion inclining upwards as it becomes distant from the read surface, and an inclined angle θ 1 of the entry portion to the read surface is smaller than an inclined angle θ 2 of the exit portion to the read surface; a stabilizing roller stabilizing movement of the document conveyed by the conveying device, the stabilizing roller having a drive shaft and provided in the conveying path to be positioned upstream of the read position and opposing to the read surface, a gap between the stabilizing roller and the read surface exceeding the thickness of the document; a downstream roller located on the exit portion and conveying the document, and having a drive shaft; a support member which connects the drive shaft of the stabilizing roller and the drive shaft of the downstream roller, the support member supporting the stabilizing roller rotatably around the drive shaft of the downstream roller and having a projecting portion projecting towards the read surface, the projecting portion forming the gap between the read surface and the stabilizing roller; and a guide member guiding the document conveyed by the conveying device, the guide member provided downstream of the read position and opposing to the read surface, a gap between the read surface and the guide member exceeding the gap between the stabilizing roller and the read surface.