Document pressing apparatus, image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus with document pressing apparatus

An image reading apparatus for reading a document image, comprising:

• an image reader including a contact glass on which a document is to be placed and a housing for holding the contact glass;
• and
• a document pressing apparatus for pressing a document placed on the contact glass, wherein the document pressing apparatus includes:
• a document pressing cover including a first lateral part and a second lateral part facing the first lateral part and openable and closable with respect to a housing fitted with a contact glass;
• a supporting member for supporting the document pressing cover rotatably with respect to the housing at the side of the first lateral part;
• a plate member connected with the document pressing cover for pressing a document against the contact glass, the plate member having first and second peripheral edges in proximity to the respective first and second lateral parts of the document pressing cover;
• first resilient members between the plate member and the document pressing cover for exerting a pressing force to the document, the first resilient members including at least one first resilient member at a side of the first lateral part and at least one first resilient member arranged at the side of the second lateral part;
• and
• a second resilient member provided at the side of the second lateral part between the plate member and the document pressing cover for exerting a pressing force smaller than that of each of the first resilient members to the document, the second resilient member being closer to the second peripheral edge of the plate member than the first resilient members.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an image reading apparatus for reading a document image;
• and
• an apparatus body including an image forming station for forming an image on a sheet based on data of a document image read by the image reader and adapted to support the image reading apparatus,
• wherein the image reading apparatus includes:
• an image reader including a contact glass on which a document is to be placed and a housing for holding the contact glass;
• and
• a document pressing apparatus for pressing a document placed on the contact glass, wherein the document pressing apparatus includes:
• a document pressing cover including a first lateral part and a second lateral part facing the first lateral part and openable and closable with respect to a housing fitted with a contact glass;
• a supporting member for supporting the document pressing cover rotatably with respect to the housing at the side of the first lateral part;
• a plate member connected with the document pressing cover for pressing a document against the contact glass, the plate member having first and second peripheral edges in proximity to the respective first and second lateral parts of the document pressing cover;
• first resilient members between the plate member and the document pressing cover for exerting a pressing force to the document, the first resilient members including at least one first resilient member at a side of the first lateral part and at least one first resilient member arranged at the side of the second lateral part;
• and
• a second resilient member provided at the side of the second lateral part between the plate member and the document pressing cover for exerting a pressing force smaller than that of each of the first resilient members to the document, the second resilient member being closer to the second peripheral edge of the plate member than the first resilient members.