Patent ID: 7733538

Claim:
An image reading apparatus comprising: a platen on which an original is mounted; a line sensor that performs photoelectric conversion of a light from the original on the platen; a first carriage that moves along the platen and guides the light from the original to the line sensor; a first housing that stores and supports the first carriage to be movable along the platen; first driving means for moving the first carriage; a second carriage provided with a plurality of rod-shaped light-source lamps that apply light to the original, the lamps being spaced in parallel with one another in a moving direction of the second carriage; a second housing that stores and supports the second carriage to be movable along the platen and covers the platen; second driving means for moving the second carriage; and control means for controlling the first driving means, the second driving means, and lighting of the plurality of light-source lamps, wherein the control means selects one of the plurality of light-source lamps corresponding to a type of the original, and moves the first carriage from a standby position to a predetermined position, moves the second carriage from a standby position by an amount of movement set corresponding to the light-source lamp selected to position in the predetermined position, and moves the first carriage and the second carriage at the same speed from the predetermined position to a reading start position of the original.