Slit-exposure type illumination apparatus

In an illumination apparatus for successively scanning elongate portions of a document with light, comprising at least one elongate light source each disposed near the focal line of a respective curved reflector, a planar reflector disposed adjacent each said light source for directing the light therefrom towards the document, and means for sweeping the light reflected from each said planar reflector across the document synchronously, the improvement wherein two planar side reflectors are disposed on the respective ends of each said light source, and a pair of auxiliary reflectors extending along the direction of scanning of said document on opposite sides thereof and each auxiliary reflector being essentially in the shape of a chevron with the peak thereof being located generally at the center of scanning of the document.