Sheet feeding apparatus and image reading apparatus

A sheet feeding apparatus disposed on an image reading apparatus to open and close an upper surface of said image reading apparatus, comprising:

• a transport member for transporting a sheet to a first reading region on the image reading apparatus;
• a sheet pressing plate disposed adjacent to the first reading region to press a sheet on a second reading region on the image reading apparatus;
• a support frame made of a plastic for supporting the transport member and the sheet pressing plate;
• a motor mounting member for supporting a motor to drive the transport member;
• a first hinge member attached to the support frame at a transport member side so that said motor mounting member is attached to the support frame between the first hinge member and the transport member as a reinforcement
• a second hinge member attached to the support frame at a pressing plate side;
• an elastic member attached to the first hinge member and having an elastic force higher than that of an elastic member of the second hinge member;
• and
• a connecting member for connecting the first hinge member and the motor mounting member on the support frame.

A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising:

• a transport member for transporting a sheet to an image reading position;
• a support frame made of a plastic for supporting the transport member and including a sheet stacker to store sheets;
• hinge members attached to the support frame at a transport member side and a sheet stacker side to be spaced apart from each other to open and close the support frame relative to a main apparatus;
• a first motor between said hinge members at the transport member side and the sheet stacker side to drive the transport member for transporting the sheet to a predetermined position;
• a second motor for transporting the sheet from the predetermined position;
• and
• a motor mounting member for supporting the first motor and the second motor, said motor mounting member being attached to the frame as a reinforcement for the frame, said first and second motors being arranged on two sides of the hinge member at the transport member side.

An image reading apparatus, comprising:

• image reading means for reading images on a sheet;
• and
• a sheet feeding apparatus disposed to open and close an upper surface of the image reading apparatus, said sheet feeding apparatus including:
• a transport member for transporting the sheet to an image reading position of reading means;
• a support frame made of a plastic for supporting said transport member and including a sheet stack unit to store the sheets;
• a hinge member attached to said support frame for opening and closing the support frame relative to the sheet feeding apparatus;
• a motor mounting member for supporting a motor driving the transport member, said motor mounting member being attached to the support frame between the hinge member and the transport member as reinforcement;
• a first connecting member connected to the hinge member and the motor mounting member for connecting the same;
• and
• a second connecting member connected to the transport member and the motor mounting member for connecting the same.

A sheet feeding apparatus disposed on an image reading apparatus to open and close an upper surface of said image reading apparatus, comprising:

• a transport member for transporting a sheet to an image reading position;
• a support frame made of a plastic for supporting the transport member and including a sheet stack unit to store sheets;
• a hinge member attached to said support frame for opening and closing the support frame relative to the image reading apparatus;
• a motor mounting member for supporting a motor driving the transport member and a transport unit mounting member for supporting the transport member, said motor mounting member and said transport unit mounting member being joined together to form an angle member with a rectangular shape and attached to the support frame as a reinforcement of the support frame;
• and
• a connecting member connected to the hinge member and a middle portion of the angle member facing the hinge member for connecting the hinge member and the angle member.