LIGHTING DEVICE, IMAGE READING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lighting device, an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus each of which includes a light source in which a plurality of light-emitting elements are lined and provides an excellent image by reliably reducing illuminance irregularities on the light irradiation surface of an original caused by the light-emitting elements while efficiently irradiating the light irradiation surface of the original with light from the light-emitting elements. SOLUTION: In the lighting device 210 having the light source 211 in which the plurality of light-emitting elements (212a), (212b) having strong directional characteristics in a prescribed direction and radiating an optical axis L toward a light irradiation area L' extending in a main-scanning direction X to the original document G are lined, the plurality of light-emitting elements (212a), (212b) are disposed in such a manner that optical axis distances Ha and Hb to the original G are different between the light-emitting elements 212a on one side and the light-emitting elements 212b on the other side opposing them and the optical axis distances Ha and Hb repeatedly become long and short alternately on both sides. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT