Patent ID: 8824027

Claim:
A media feeder equipped in an image scanning apparatus that includes a scan unit configured to scan an image on a medium, comprising: a first stacker on which a medium is to be placed; a feeding unit configured to feed the medium that is placed on the first stacker into the media feeder; a first conveyance path extending from the feeding unit to a scanning position opposite to the scan unit; a second stacker on which the medium that is scanned by the scan unit and discharged out of the media feeder is to be placed; a first reverse mechanism configured to turn over the medium conveyed toward the scanning position along the first conveyance path and return the turned-over medium to the first conveyance path; a second reverse mechanism configured to turn over again the medium that is scanned by the scan unit and return the medium to the first conveyance path again, wherein the first reverse mechanism includes: a switchback section diverging from the first conveyance path; a second conveyance path diverging from the first conveyance path at a first point of the first conveyance path, which is upstream of a diverging point between the first conveyance path and the switchback section, and converging to the first conveyance path at a second point of the first conveyance path, which is downstream of the diverging point between the first conveyance path and the switchback section, wherein the first conveyance path includes a first section extending from the feeding unit to the diverging point, a second section extending from the diverging point to the second point, and a third section extending from the second point to the scanning position; and a first conveying member provided in the second section and configured to convey the medium from the second conveyance path via the second section to the switchback section and then discharge the medium via the second section to the third section toward the scanning position.