Abstract: A binding apparatus includes: a first toothed part including teeth arranged in one direction; and a second toothed part that includes teeth arranged in the one direction and is configured to mesh with the first toothed part and to press a bundle of sheets, wherein at least one first groove is formed between adjacent teeth of the first toothed part, the first groove has cross-sectional areas at central and end portions in a direction orthogonal to the one direction and a direction in which the first and second toothed parts mesh with each other, the one direction and the orthogonal direction are normal to the cross-sectional areas, and the cross-sectional area at the end portion is larger than the cross-sectional area at the central portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a needleless binding device configured to form a recessed or raised impression as a needleless binding part by performing needleless binding on a bundle of sheets; an environment sensor; and a controller configured to perform, based on a value detected by the environment sensor, control to display a confirmation image requesting a user to make confirmation on the needleless binding prior to execution of the needleless binding.

Abstract: A binding apparatus includes: a set of binding parts configured to press and bind a bundle of recording materials from one side and a remaining side in a thickness direction; a first support part configured to support the bundle of recording materials from the one side by performing rotation toward the bundle of recording materials around a predetermined fulcrum; and a second support part configured to support the bundle of recording materials from the remaining side so as to face the first support part when binding is performed by the set of binding parts.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a needleless binding device configured to form a recessed or raised impression as a needleless binding part by performing needleless binding on a bundle of sheets; an environment sensor; and a controller configured to perform, based on a value detected by the environment sensor, control to display a confirmation image requesting a user to make confirmation on the needleless binding prior to execution of the needleless binding.

Abstract: A binding member includes: an upper tooth that has an upper tooth form for forming unevenness in a bundle of recording materials; and a lower tooth that has a lower tooth form for forming unevenness in the bundle of recording materials and that forms a pair with the upper tooth. At least one of the upper tooth form and the lower tooth form is formed such that, in a sectional shape, a groove is formed in a trough portion of a concave portion of a tooth form and a length of an inclined portion which comes into contact with the bundle of recording materials is made small compared to a case where the inclined portion of the tooth form has reached a bottom of the trough portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a needleless binding device configured to form a recessed or raised impression as a needleless binding part by performing needleless binding on a bundle of sheets; an environment sensor; and a controller configured to perform, based on a value detected by the environment sensor, control to display a confirmation image requesting a user to make confirmation on the needleless binding prior to execution of the needleless binding.

Abstract: A binding processing device includes a first pressing member including: a first convex portion; a first concave portion; and a first connection portion which is provided between the first convex portion and the first concave portion; and a second pressing member including: a second convex portion; a second concave portion; and a second connection portion which is provided between the second convex portion and the second concave portion. In a state in which the first convex portion of the first pressing member and the second concave portion of the second pressing member come in contact with each other at the first connection portion and the second connection portion, the first connection portion contacts with the second connection portion and a gap is formed between the first convex portion and the second concave portion along a pressing direction of the first and second pressing members.

Abstract: There is provided a binding member. An upper toothed part having projections and recesses for forming irregularities in a bundle of recording materials. A lower toothed part having projections and recesses for forming irregularities in the bundle of recording materials and forming a pair with the upper toothed part. In at least one of the upper toothed part and the lower toothed part, in a cross section shape of the toothed part, the recesses of the toothed part have depressed areas depressed from virtual lines which are extensions of inclined surfaces of the toothed part.

Abstract: A binding processing device includes: a needle binding unit that forms a needle binding portion that binds a paper bundle using a needle; a needleless binding unit that forms a needleless binding portion that binds the paper bundle without using a needle; and a plurality of exit rolls that exit the bound paper bundle. A distance between the needleless binding portion and a center of the plurality of exit rolls is equal to or longer than a distance between the needle binding portion and the center.

Abstract: A binding unit includes a pressing portion that binds a recording material bundle, which includes a first pressing portion pressing against the recording material bundle in order to bind the recording material bundle and a second pressing portion facing the first pressing portion, an extruding portion that is separately formed from the second pressing portion, and extrudes the second pressing portion toward the first pressing portion, and a driving source that drives the extruding portion, in which the extruding portion is connected to the pressing portion, the pressing portion retracts to a downstream side in a direction where a recording material enters when the recording material enters, and the driving source does not operate in conjunction with movement of the reaction of the pressing portion.

Abstract: A binding apparatus includes: a set of binding parts configured to press and bind a bundle of recording materials from one side and a remaining side in a thickness direction; a first support part configured to support the bundle of recording materials from the one side by performing rotation toward the bundle of recording materials around a predetermined fulcrum; and a second support part configured to support the bundle of recording materials from the remaining side so as to face the first support part when binding is performed by the set of binding parts.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a needleless binding device configured to form a recessed or raised impression as a needleless binding part by performing needleless binding on a bundle of sheets; an environment sensor; and a controller configured to perform, based on a value detected by the environment sensor, control to display a confirmation image requesting a user to make confirmation on the needleless binding prior to execution of the needleless binding.

Abstract: There is provided a binding member. The binding member includes: an upper toothed part having projections and recesses for forming irregularities in a bundle of recording materials; and a lower toothed part having projections and recesses for forming irregularities in the bundle of recording materials and forming a pair with the upper toothed part. In at least one of the upper toothed part and the lower toothed part, in side surfaces of the recesses of one toothed part, when the upper toothed part and the lower toothed part are engaged, surfaces wide in a direction parallel to the pressing direction of the toothed parts are formed so as to be provided gaps between the upper toothed part and the lower toothed part.

Abstract: A binding apparatus includes: a first toothed part including teeth arranged in one direction; and a second toothed part that includes teeth arranged in the one direction and is configured to mesh with the first toothed part and to press a bundle of sheets, wherein at least one first groove is formed between adjacent teeth of the first toothed part, the first groove has cross-sectional areas at central and end portions in a direction orthogonal to the one direction and a direction in which the first and second toothed parts mesh with each other, the one direction and the orthogonal direction are normal to the cross-sectional areas, and the cross-sectional area at the end portion is larger than the cross-sectional area at the central portion.

Abstract: In a cross section shape of the toothed part, in gaps formed between a recesses and a projections when a upper toothed part and a lower toothed part are engaged without a bundle of recording materials, when the distances between the recesses and the projections in a pressing direction of the toothed part at positions where the distances from a center lines of the projections in a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction of the toothed part to the surfaces of the projections in the direction perpendicular to the pressing direction of the toothed part are a distance L1 are H1, and the distances between the recesses and the projections at positions where the distances from the center lines to surfaces of the projections in the direction perpendicular to the pressing direction of the toothed part are H2, a combination of L1 and L2 satisfies H1 is smaller than H2.

Abstract: A binding apparatus includes a first pressing member including a base part and multiple projections projecting from the base part, the first pressing member presses a recording media stack from one side; and a second pressing member including a base part and multiple projections projecting from the base part, the second pressing member facing the first pressing member and pressing the recording media stack from the other side. At least one of the first and second pressing members has at least one lower projection whose apex in a projecting direction closer to the base part than the apexes of the other projections are, and the lower projection is provided in the first or second pressing member that has more projections than the other, or more lower projections are provided in the first or second pressing member that has more projections than the other.

Abstract: A fold-enhancing device includes a pressing member, at least one retaining member, and a moving mechanism. The pressing member presses against a fold line of a recording-medium bundle folded into a booklet shape. The recording-medium bundle is obtained by stacking multiple sheets of recording media. The retaining member retains the recording-medium bundle and is provided at a position located away from the fold line in a direction intersecting the fold line and not in contact with the pressing member. The moving mechanism moves the pressing member and the retaining member in a direction extending along the fold line.

Abstract: There is provided a binding member. The binding member includes an upper toothed part having projections and recesses for forming irregularities in a bundle of recording materials; and a lower toothed part having projections and recesses for forming irregularities in the bundle of recording materials and forming a pair with the upper toothed part. In at least one of the upper toothed part and the lower toothed part, in some of parts of inclined surfaces of the toothed part which form the recesses, second curved surfaces having the centers of curvature on the opposite sides of the inclined surfaces to the centers of curvature of first curved surfaces which form the recesses are formed.

Abstract: A binding member is provided and includes: upper teeth having a tooth form configured to form a convex-concave portion on a recording material bundle; and lower teeth having a tooth form configured to form the convex-concave portion on the recording material bundle, and paired with the upper teeth. At least one of the upper teeth and the lower teeth includes: a first tooth row having a first tooth form having a first shape suitable for binding a first binding number of sheets; and a second tooth row having a second tooth form having a second shape suitable for binding a second binding number of sheets which is smaller than the first binding number of sheets.

Abstract: A binding apparatus includes: a first pressing member that presses a recording-medium stack from one side of the recording-medium stack; a second pressing member that faces the first pressing member and presses the recording-medium stack from the other side of the recording-medium stack; and a suppressing part provided in at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member, the suppressing part suppressing damage to recording media that may be caused when a recording-medium stack including a smaller number of sheets than the maximum number of sheets that can be bound is bound with the first pressing member and the second pressing member.