Image reading device

An image reading device comprising:

• a lens array including lenses that are sandwiched between two fixing plates extending along a main scanning direction and are arranged in an array along the main scanning direction;
• a sensor element array including sensor elements to receive light converged by the lenses and being arranged in an array along the main scanning direction;
• and
• an overlap preventer to prevent overlap of images formed by the lenses and being disposed between the lens array and the sensor element array, wherein
• the overlap preventer is a slit section including two sidewall plates extending in the main scanning direction and facing each other in a sub-scanning direction intersecting the main scanning direction, and a plurality of slit plates arranged in the main scanning direction and extending in the sub-scanning direction to partition off a space,
• the slit plates are fixed to the fixing plates, and
• the slit section includes, on each of the slit plates, a specific-light blocking member protruding in the main scanning direction to block specific light incident at an angle smaller than or equal to an angular aperture of the lenses from entering the sensor elements and being a beam-like member that extends between the sidewall plates or that is disposed partially between the sidewall plates.

An image reading device comprising:

• a lens array including lenses that are sandwiched between two fixing plates extending along a main scanning direction and are arranged in an array along the main scanning direction;
• a sensor element array including sensor elements to receive light converged by the lenses and being arranged in an array along the main scanning direction;
• and
• an overlap preventer to prevent overlap of images formed by the lenses and being disposed between the lens array and the sensor element array, wherein
• the overlap preventer is a slit section including a plurality of slit plates arranged in the main scanning direction and extending in a sub-scanning direction intersecting the main scanning direction to partition off a space,
• the slit plates are fixed to the fixing plates, and
• the slit section includes, on each of the slit plates, a specific-light blocking member that protrudes in the main scanning direction to block specific light incident at an angle smaller than or equal to an angular aperture of the lenses from entering the sensor elements and that has a portion nearer the lenses protruding further than a portion nearer the sensor elements.