AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT FEEDER AND DOCUMENT READING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic document feeder capable of achieving a mechanism which can effectively cushioning the impact when a frame falls down, with simple constitution. SOLUTION: An ADF 25 is provided with an ADF body part 16, a scanner frame, a gear part 17, a resistance gear 47, a torque limiter 18 and an outer cover 61. The scanner frame is supported to the ADF body part 16 rotatably from a usage position to an exposed position on an upper side so as to open a part of a document feeding path. The gear part 17 is arranged on a rotation axis line of the scanner frame so as to integrally rotate with the scanner frame. The torque limiter 18 applies a resistance to the resistance gear 47 engaged with the gear part 17 when the scanner frame rotates from the exposed position to the usage position on a lower side. The outer cover 61 is attached to the ADF body part 16 so as to cover a part of the gear part 17. Also, the outer cover 61 has a contacting part 62 regulating movements of the gear part 17 in a direction of moving away from the resistance gear 47. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT