Patent ID: 7304322

Claim:
An image reading apparatus for reading radiation image information of a subject recorded on a stimulable phosphor sheet, comprising: a casing; a reading mechanism disposed in said casing for applying stimulating light deflected in a main scanning direction to the stimulable phosphor sheet to read the radiation image information therefrom; an auxiliary scanning feed mechanism disposed in said casing for feeding the stimulable phosphor sheet in an auxiliary scanning direction, which is substantially perpendicular to said main scanning direction; and a heating mechanism disposed in said casing for heating the interior of said casing; an air blowing mechanism disposed in said casing for circulating air in said casing; and a controller for switching a supply state of electric current based on a temperature inside said casing that is detected by a temperature detector, said air blowing mechanism comprising an air blower connected to said controller, said controller selectively supplying an electric current to said air blower, wherein said controller stops supplying electric current to said air blower when the radiation image information is read from the stimulable phosphor sheet by said reading mechanism.