Medium transport apparatus and image reading apparatus

A medium transport apparatus comprising:

• a main-body support mounted on an installation surface of the medium transport apparatus;
• and
• a main body supported by the main-body support, the main body including a first section, a second section and a third section, the second and third sections being rotatable relative to the first section and the third section being rotatable relative to second section,
• the main body including
• a first transport route along which a medium is to be transported,
• a second transport route that includes a turning route by which the medium being transported is to be turned upward and from which the medium that was turned by the turning route is to be ejected, the second transport route being disposed downstream of the first transport route, and
• a third transport route from which the medium being transported is to be ejected without being turned, the third transport route being disposed downstream of the first transport route, wherein
• the main body is rotatably attached to the main-body support and is switchable between a first posture and a second posture by being rotated,
• an angle between the first transport route and the installation surface when the main body is switched to the first posture is greater than the angle between the first transport route and the installation surface when the main body is switched to the second posture,
• a portion of the main-body support is a route-forming member that forms an exterior of the turning route,
• when the main body is switched to the first posture, the route-forming member couples the first transport route to the second transport route, and
• when the main body is switched to the second posture, the route-forming member couples the first transport route to the third transport route.

A medium transport apparatus comprising:

• a main body that is a base component of the medium transport apparatus, the main body including a first section, a second section and a third section, the second and third sections being rotatable relative to the first section and the third section being rotatable relative to second section;
• and
• an exposing/hiding unit that is opened to expose or is closed to hide a portion of the main body,
• the main body including
• a first transport route along which a medium is to be transported,
• a second transport route that includes a turning route by which the medium being transported is to be turned upward and from which the medium that was turned by the turning route is to be ejected, the second transport route being disposed downstream of the first transport route,
• a third transport route from which the medium being transported is to be ejected without being turned, the third transport route being disposed downstream of the first transport route, and
• a transport route switching section that switches a medium transport route to which the first transport route is coupled, between the second transport route and the third transport route, wherein
• the exposing/hiding unit exposes or hides an ejection port for the medium to be transported along the third transport route,
• a route-forming member is rotatable and forms an exterior of the turning route,
• when the exposing/hiding unit is closed, the route-forming member has a first transport route coupling posture by which the first transport route is coupled to the second transport route,
• when the exposing/hiding unit is opened, the route-forming member has a second transport route coupling posture by which the first transport route is coupled to the third transport route,
• the transport route switching section has a switching member that engages with both the exposing/hiding unit and the route-forming member, the switching member being a rotatable member, and
• in response to opening or closing of the exposing/hiding unit, engagement of the switching member with the exposing/hiding unit changes to rotate the route-forming member and to switch the medium transport route to which the first transport route is coupled.