Original sheet reading apparatus

Abstract

An original sheet reading apparatus includes an original sheet reading station, a main roller, an original sheet feed guidewhich is located in an original sheet conveyance path in order to guide an original sheet to the reading station, a sub-roller which is located on the downstream side of the reading station in the original sheet conveyance direction and an original sheet discharge guide for guiding the original sheet discharged from the sub-roller toward the discharge side. The discharge guide is located on the downstream side of the reading station in the conveyance direction, in which the front edge of the original sheet contact portion is adapted so as to be positioned at a position being offset with respect to a straight line that links the reading position in the reading station and the original sheet contact position of the sub-roller.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An original sheet reading apparatus comprising: 
 an original sheet reading station for reading an original sheet;    a main roller located on an upstream side of the original sheet reading station along an original sheet conveyance direction in order to supply the original sheet to the original sheet reading station;    a sub-roller located on a downstream side of the original sheet reading station along the original sheet conveyance direction for conveying the original sheet which has passed through the original sheet reading station toward a sheet discharge side;    an original sheet feeding guide located in an original sheet conveyance path defined as a path formed at least between the main roller and the sub-roller for guiding the original sheet supplied by the main roller to the original sheet reading station; and    an original sheet discharge guide located on the downstream side of the original sheet reading station along the original sheet conveyance direction, for guiding the original sheet which has been discharged from the sub-roller, the original sheet discharge guide having an original sheet contact portion adapted so that a front end of the original sheet contact portion is set at a position where the front end is offset with respect to a straight line that links a reading position in the original sheet reading station and an original sheet contact position of the sub-roller.    
     
     
         2 . The original sheet reading apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the original sheet discharge guide is located on the downstream side of the sub-roller along the original sheet conveyance direction, extending toward a direction that intersects the sheet discharge direction at a right angle.  
     
     
         3 . The original sheet reading apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the original sheet discharge guide is located in either an upper side or lower side of the original sheet conveyance path.  
     
     
         4 . The original sheet reading apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the original sheet discharge guide is located in either an upper side or lower side of the original sheet conveyance path.  
     
     
         5 . The original sheet reading apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the original feed guide includes an upper guide plate which is located above the original sheet conveyance path, and a lower guide plate which is located under of the original sheet conveyance path.  
     
     
         6 . The original sheet reading apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein when the original sheet reading station is located under the original sheet conveyance path, the front end portion of the upper guide plate is located at a position adjacent to the original sheet reading position, and the front end portion of the lower guide plate is located on the upstream side of the original sheet reading position in the original sheet conveyance direction.  
     
     
         7 . The original sheet reading apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein when the original sheet reading station is located above the original sheet conveyance path, the front end portion of the upper guide plate is located on the upstream side of the original sheet reading position in the original sheet conveyance direction, and the front end portion of the lower guide plate is located at a position adjacent to the original sheet reading position.