Patent ID: 7110019

Claim:
An image reading apparatus comprising: a film autoloader for separating one photographic film from a plurality of photographic films and supplying the photographic film to an image reading apparatus for reading image recorded on the photographic film, comprising: a film loading section for loading therewith a spliced film in which the plurality of photographic films are connected in a longitudinal direction thereof; a film feeding portion for feeding, from the film loading section, a head portion of the spliced film loaded with the film loading section; a joint detecting section for detecting a film joint portion between a first photographic film and a second photographic film in the spliced film fed from the film loading section, the second photographic film being fed next to the first photographic film; a film separating section for separating the first photographic film from the spliced film on the basis of information from the joint detecting section; and a film transporting portion for transporting the first photographic film separated from the sliced film by the film separating section to a reading transport path provided at the image reading apparatus; a reading transporting portion for transporting the photographic film supplied to the reading transport path by the film autoloader; an image reading section for reading, at a predetermined reading position, the image of the photographic film that is transported along the reading transport path by the reading transporting portion; a film accepting section for accepting the photographic film that is subjected to an image reading by the image reading section; a transport merging portion provided between the film transporting portion and the reading transport path; a film output path, which is connected to the reading transport path via the transport merging portion, for guiding the photographic film from the transport merging portion to the film accepting section; a film output portion for outputting, to the film accepting section, the photographic film that is transported into the film output path; and a transport switching section, which is provided in the transport merging portion, for switching between a state in which the photographic film transported by the film transporting portion is guided to the reading transport path, and a state in which the photographic film transported from the reading transport path to the transport merging portion by the reading transporting portion is guided to the film output path; wherein the transport merging portion is provided in an intersecting portion of a film transporting path of the film transporting portion, the reading transport path and the film output path, and wherein a state in which the photographic film transported from the film transporting path is guided to the reading transport path, and a state in which the photographic film transported from the reading transport path is guided to the film output path, are switched by the transport switching section.