A medium transport apparatus includes a main body that is switchable between a first posture and a second posture and a rotatable route-forming member that forms an exterior of a turning route. The route-forming member couples a first transport route to a second transport route when the main body has the first posture and couples the first transport route to a third transport route when the main body has the second posture. The medium transport apparatus further includes a transport route switching section having a switching member that engages with both the body support and the route-forming member. In response to switching between the first posture and the second posture of the main body, engagement of the switching member with the main-body support changes to rotate the route-forming member and to switch the medium transport route to which the first transport route is coupled.

When a device main body acquires detection information corresponding to a second original document from a rigidity detecting unit in a state where the device main body is in a first posture, a control unit of an image reading device performs a first step of stopping transporting an original document and a second step of controlling a driving source to switch the posture of the device main body from a first posture to a second posture in which a sloped angle of the device main body is smaller than that in the first posture.

An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a base, a holder and a connecting rod. The main body has a bottom surface, a top surface, a lower surface, a paper outlet and a paper inlet. The base has a bottom board being adjacent to the paper outlet, at least one vertical board being connected to the bottom board and being pivoted on the main body, and a first hinge being located at the bottom board. The holder has a beam, at least one support arm being connected to the beam, and a second hinge being located at the beam. The tip portion is higher than the vertical board. The connecting rod has opposite end portions being pivoted on the first hinge and the second hinge respectively. As described above, the occupying area is further reduced in an unused status.

In a scanner, a medium transport apparatus includes an apparatus main body including a medium transport path from a supply unit, which supplies a medium, to a discharge unit, which discharges the medium, a switcher that switches an attitude of the apparatus main body with respect to a mounting surface on which the apparatus main body is mounted, and a controller that, when the attitude of the apparatus main body with respect to the mounting surface is switched, performs control in accordance with the attitude after the switching.

An apparatus with an openable slot covering includes a housing having an openable covering that forms a part of an exterior covering and openably covers a portion of the housing, the portion having one or more slots into each of which an insertion object is insertable. The openable covering is provided as a single piece of covering that openably covers an area of the housing, the area extending from a first end of the housing to a second end of the housing and including a portion having no slots, the first end and the second end being opposite each other. The portion having no slots occupies 30% or more of the area to be covered by the openable covering.

An apparatus body of an image reading apparatus is turnably provided to a body supporting portion. The apparatus body is turned so as to be switchable between a first posture and a second posture that forms an angle between a reading transportation path and a mounting surface being smaller than the corresponding angle formed in the first posture. A transportation path switching unit couples the reading transportation path to a reverse transportation path when the apparatus body takes the first posture, and couples the reading transportation path to a non-reverse transportation path when the apparatus body takes the second posture.

A scanner includes an apparatus main body, a stand, and a switching mechanism. The apparatus main body includes a transport unit that transports a document along a transport path, and a reading unit that reads an image of the document. The stand supports the apparatus main body. The switching mechanism switches the posture of the apparatus main body with respect to the stand so that the transport path extends along an intersecting direction intersecting an installation surface. The switching mechanism includes a switching motor that imparts a driving force to the apparatus main body when switching the posture. The switching motor is located inside the apparatus main body on the lower side of the transport path in the vertical direction.

When a device main body acquires detection information corresponding to a second original document from a rigidity detecting unit in a state where the device main body is in a first posture, a control unit of an image reading device performs a first step of stopping transporting an original document and a second step of controlling a driving source to switch the posture of the device main body from a first posture to a second posture in which a sloped angle of the device main body is smaller than that in the first posture.

An image reading device includes a lens array including lenses arranged in a main scanning direction and forming an erect unmagnified optical system to converge light from a reading target, a holder holding the lens array, a light receiver to receive the light converged by the lenses, and slit units. Each slit unit includes three or more light shielding plates each separating an optical path of one lens from an optical path of another lens between the lens array and the light receiver, and side plates disposed on two sides of the light shielding plates in a direction intersecting the main scanning direction and connecting two adjacent light shielding plates. The slit units are arranged in the main scanning direction, and each two adjacent slit units are arranged with a space therebetween for one optical path of one lens.

A metal frame of an image forming apparatus includes a first support which includes a first metal plate and a second metal plate; a second support configured to support the image forming unit together with the first support; and a third support configured to connect the first support and the second support, wherein the first metal plate includes a corner portion provided between a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second metal plate includes a third portion, a fourth portion, and a fifth portion, wherein the fifth portion includes another corner portion located between a first stretched portion and a second stretched portion facing the corner portion of the first metal plate, and wherein a tip of the second stretched portion faces the fourth portion.