Document feeder

A document feeder provided on an image reader having a reading device that reads an image of a document of a plurality of documents at a reading position, the document being conveyed in a predetermined conveying direction, the document feeder comprising:

• a substantially U-shaped document transporting pathway, through which the document can pass from a feeding tray to a discharging tray, which is provided above the feeding tray, via the reading position, including:
• a first path, in which the document is conveyed from the feeding tray in a first transportation direction;
• and
• a second path, in which the document is conveyed toward the discharging tray in a second transportation direction that is opposite to the first transportation direction;
• a separating-transporting device that separates one of the plurality of documents stacked on the feeding tray and conveys the separated document in the first transportation direction, the separating-transporting device including a first rotation driving member and a first contacting member, which are capable of being contacted with each other with flexibility;
• a reverse transporting device that conveys the document, which is conveyed by the separating-transporting device, in the second transportation direction, the reverse transporting device including a second rotation driving member and a second contacting member, which are capable of being contacted with each other with flexibility;
• and
• an openable pathway cover that defines at least a part the second path, the pathway cover being capable of rotating about a rotational shaft that is provided closer to the discharging tray than the reverse transporting device and being capable of exposing at least the part of the second path, the pathway cover including at least the second contacting member among the first and second contacting members, wherein:
• when the pathway cover is closed, the first contacting member and the second contacting member are contacted with the first rotation driving member and the second rotation driving member, respectively, with flexibility,
• when the pathway cover is opened, at least a portion of the second contacting member is separated from the second rotation driving member,
• the reverse roller is arranged such that a portion of a peripheral surface of the reverse roller faces a reading surface of the reading device,
• the second contacting member includes a plurality of following rollers, the plurality of following rollers and the reverse roller are capable of being contacted with each other with flexibility,
• when the pathway cover is opened, at least one of the plurality of following rollers is separated from the peripheral surface of the reverse roller,
• the plurality of following rollers include an upstream roller and a downstream roller and are capable of contacting the reverse roller,
• the upstream roller and the downstream roller are disposed upstream and downstream, respectively, from the reading position with respect to the predetermined conveying direction,
• when the pathway cover is opened, the downstream roller of the plurality of following rollers is separated from the reverse roller, and
• the upstream roller of the plurality of following rollers is provided to a movable frame that is disposed on a body side of the document feeder, wherein the frame is urged by a spring member so that the upstream roller is pressed against the reverse roller.

A document feeder provided on an image reader having a reading device that reads an image of a document of a plurality of documents at a reading position, the document being conveyed in a predetermined conveying direction, the document feeder comprising:

• a substantially U-shaped document transporting pathway, through which the document can pass from a feeding tray to a discharging tray, which is provided above the feeding tray, via the reading position, including:
• a first path, in which the document is conveyed from the feeding tray in a first transportation direction;
• and
• a second path, in which the document is conveyed toward the discharging tray in a second transportation direction that is opposite to the first transportation direction;
• a separating-transporting device that separates one of the plurality of documents stacked on the feeding tray and conveys the separated document in the first transportation direction, the separating-transporting device including a first rotation driving member and a first contacting member, which are capable of being contacted with each other with flexibility;
• a reverse transporting device that conveys the document, which is conveyed by the separating-transporting device, in the second transportation direction, the reverse transporting device including a second rotation driving member and a second contacting member, which are capable of being contacted with each other with flexibility;
• and
• an openable pathway cover that defines at least a part the second path, the pathway cover being capable of rotating about a rotational shaft that is provided closer to the discharging tray than the reverse transporting device and being capable of exposing at least the part of the second path, the pathway cover including at least the second contacting member among the first and second contacting members, wherein:
• when the pathway cover is closed, the first contacting member and the second contacting member are contacted with the first rotation driving member and the second rotation driving member, respectively, with flexibility;
• and
• when the pathway cover is opened, at least a portion of the second contacting member is separated from the second rotation driving member,
• wherein the pathway cover includes:
• a drawing chute that draws the document from the feeding tray, and
• a discharging chute that is provided at a position that is higher than a position where the drawing chute is provided, and guides the document, which was conveyed by the reverse transporting device, to the discharging tray.