Patent ID: 8477387

Claim:
An image reading apparatus comprising: a conveying unit that sequentially conveys a plurality of original document sheets in a state where a distance between original document sheets is a predetermined distance; a first image reading unit that reads an image on a first side of an original document sheet that is being conveyed by the conveying unit; a second image reading unit that reads an image on a second side that is a back side of the first side of the original document sheet that is being conveyed by the conveying unit; and a control unit that, in the case of a single-sided reading mode for reading a single side of an original document sheet, causes the conveying unit to convey a plurality of original document sheets at a first speed in a state where a distance between original document sheets is a first distance and causes the first image reading unit to read an image on the first side of the original document sheets and that, in the case of a double-sided reading mode for reading both sides of an original document sheet, causes the conveying unit to convey a plurality of original document sheets at a second speed that is slower than the first speed in a state where a distance between original document sheets is a second distance that is shorter than the first distance between original document sheets and causes the first image reading unit and the second image reading unit to read the first side and the second side, respectively, of the original document sheets.