Image Reader

An image reader comprising:

• a platen glass having a placing surface on which an original on which an image is formed is placed;
• a close-contact-type image sensor including a plurality of reading elements for reading the image, the plurality of reading elements being disposed along a main scanning direction;
• a sensor support member disposed facing the platen glass on a side of the platen glass opposite to a side at which the original is placed, the sensor support member being configured to support the close-contact-type image sensor;
• a support member moving unit configured to move the sensor support member in a sub scanning direction, the sub scanning direction being parallel to the placing surface and perpendicular to the main scanning direction;
• and
• a distance adjusting unit including a slidable spacer and spacer contact members, the spacer being disposed between the platen glass and the close-contact-type image sensor, the spacer contact members being disposed parallel to the main-scanning direction to sandwich the close-contact-type image sensor therebetween, wherein the distance adjusting unit is configured to adjust a distance between the platen glass and the close-contact-type image sensor due to sliding of the spacer initiated by contacting of the spacer with the spacer contact members.

An image reading method using an image reader comprising the steps of:

• placing an original on which an image is formed on a platen glass;
• reading the image by moving a close-contact-type image sensor including a plurality of reading elements for reading an image being arranged along a main scanning direction in a sub scanning direction being perpendicular to the main scanning direction;
• and
• adjusting a distance between the platen glass and the close-contact-type image sensor by sliding a spacer which is interposed between the platen glass and the close-contact-type image sensor, wherein the sliding of the spacer is initiated by bringing the spacer into contact with spacer contact members which are disposed parallel to the main-scanning direction to sandwich the close-contact-type image sensor therebetween.