Patent ID: 7525698

Claim:
An image reading apparatus, comprising: a housing having an inner space; an image taking device which is provided in the inner space of the housing and which takes each of a first image on a first sheet placed on a first reading area and a second image on a second sheet fed to a second reading area; a power producing device which is provided in the inner space of the housing and which produces a power to move the image taking device to each of the first reading area and the second reading area; a first reading control portion which controls the power producing device to move the image taking device relative to the first sheet placed on the first reading area, so that the image taking device takes the first image from the first sheet; a second-sheet feeding device which includes a first portion provided right above at least the second reading area, and a second portion different from the first portion and which feeds the second sheet to the second reading area; and a second reading control portion which controls, in a state in which the image taking device is positioned at a position right below the second reading area, the second-sheet feeding device to feed the second sheet to the second reading area, and controls, when the second sheet is fed through the second reading area, the image taking device to take the second image from the second sheet, wherein the power producing device is provided, in a second portion of the inner space of the housing that is different from a first portion of the inner space that is located right below the first and second reading areas, at a position assuring that a projection of at least a portion of the power producing device in a projection direction parallel to a movement direction in which the image taking device is moved by the power producing device, is formed on the image taking device, and wherein the second portion of the inner space is located right below the second portion of the second-sheet feeding device.