Patent ID: 7924481

Claim:
An image reading device to perform a simplex scanning operation to scan only one surface of a document and a duplex scanning operation to scan two surfaces of the document, comprising: a scan unit to read information recorded on the document; a supply path connected to a document supply port; a simplex document feeding path to branch from the supply path in a first direction to guide the document to the scan unit in the simplex scanning operation; a duplex document feeding path to branch from the supply path in a second direction to guide the document to the scan unit to scan a first surface of the document in the duplex scanning operation; a duplex document circulating path with a first end to communicate with the duplex document feeding path to guide the document whose first surface has been scanned to the scan unit in the duplex scanning operation; a first path guide unit to close the duplex document feeding path and open a discharge path when the document having passed through the duplex document circulating path is fed toward the discharge path; and a second path guide unit to close the simplex document feeding path and open the duplex document circulating path when the document having passed through the duplex document feeding path is fed toward the duplex document circulating path, wherein the simplex document feeding path and the duplex document circulating path share an overlap region, and the overlap region is located linearly between the duplex document feeding path and the duplex document circulating path.