Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet of recording media, an image reading unit to read image data of an original document, disposed above the image forming unit, a sheet discharge space defined by the image reading unit and the image forming unit and disposed therebetween, a discharge port formed in a first inner side wall of a main body of the image forming apparatus, through which the sheet is discharged into the sheet discharge space, a positioning member to position and detachably mount a positioning member to position and detachably mount an auxiliary unit adjacent to the discharge port in the sheet discharge space.

Abstract: A bookbinding system to bind together a batch of sheets transported from an image forming apparatus. The bookbinding system includes a punch unit to form a predetermined number of ring holes in a predetermined portion along a side of the sheets to be bound one by one or in a batch, a ring-binding unit disposed downstream from the punch unit in a direction in which the sheet is transported to insert rings of a ring member into the ring holes formed on the batch of sheets by the punch unit, a ring detector disposed at a portion where the ring member is set to detect a type of the ring member, and a determination unit to determine whether or not an ring-binding operation is executable based on a type of the ring member and a size of the sheets to be bound together.

Abstract: A bookbinding system includes an image forming apparatus, a plurality of post-processing apparatuses, a controller, and an operation-and-display unit. The image forming apparatus forms images on recording media and outputs the recording media. The plurality of post-processing apparatuses is connected to the image forming apparatus and includes at least a folding apparatus and a ring-binding apparatus. The folding apparatus folds the recording media according to a plurality of folding types including at least Z-shape folding and double folding. The ring-binding apparatus binds the recording media with a ring. The controller is communicatively connected to the image forming apparatus and the plurality of post-processing apparatuses and prevents simultaneous selection of ring binding and a folding type incompatible with ring binding. The operation-and-display unit displays an indication that ring binding and the folding type incompatible with ring binding are not simultaneously selectable.

Abstract: A bookbinding device receives a sheet on which an image is formed from an image forming apparatus. In the bookbinding device, a punching unit performs a punching process on a sheet; an aligning unit aligns a plurality of sheets on which holes are punched; and a ring binding unit mounts, in the holes of the sheets aligned by the aligning unit, a ring-shaped binding tool to create a booklet. A prohibiting unit, if a sheet received from the image forming apparatus is a punched sheet having a hole thereon, causes the punching unit not to perform the punching process on the punched sheet.

Abstract: A sheet pre-processing device includes a space portion as a sheet receiving unit that receives a pre-processed sheet, a first sheet conveying path for discharging the sheet to the sheet receiving unit, and a second sheet conveying path for reversing the sheet. A sheet post-processing device is removably attached into the space portion. When the sheet post-processing device is attached into the space portion, a conveying path and a reversing path works are provided, which are switched over by a switching unit.

Abstract: An I/O processor determines whether or not the amount of dirty data on a cache memory exceeds a threshold value and, if the determination is that this threshold value has been exceeded, writes a portion of the dirty data of the cache memory to a storage device. If a power source monitoring and control unit detects a voltage abnormality of the supplied power, the power monitoring and control unit maintains supply of power using power from a battery, so that a processor receives supply of power from the battery and saves the dirty data stored on the cache memory to a non-volatile memory.

Abstract: Proposed is a highly reliable information detecting apparatus and method. In an information detecting apparatus and method for detecting transmission information a transmission signal in which a burst period of transmitting a burst signal and a space period as a no-signal period are repeated in a pattern according to the subject matter of the transmission information, whether the absolute value of a signal amplitude level of the transmission signal is not less than a first threshold is detected, whether the absolute value of a signal amplitude level of the transmission signal is not less than a second threshold is detected, and whether the amplitude level displacement of the transmission signal is based on noise or the reception of the transmission information is determined based on the detection results.

Abstract: A communication apparatus is connected to a terminal apparatus via a network. The communication apparatus includes a storage that stores a document file and an HTML file of a user setting page. A file manager stores a storage period for the document file, determines whether or not the document file has been stored in the storage for the storage period, and deletes the document file when the document file has been stored in the storage for the storage period. A web server transmits, to the terminal apparatus, the HTML file of the user setting page, the user setting page configured so that a user at the terminal apparatus can request a change of the storage period. The web server further instructs the file manager to change the storage period, when the user requests the change of the storage period.

Abstract: A punching processing unit punches holes in a paper bundle delivered from a preprocessing device. A bookbinding unit includes a cartridge for stocking a plurality of rings, and performs a ring binding by binding the paper bundle with the rings. A detecting unit detects an abnormality of a ring in the cartridge. A control unit exchanges a signal with the preprocessing unit each time when detection information obtained by the detecting unit changes. When any one of the rings is determined as abnormal and an execution of ring binding is set, the control unit inhibits the ring binding.

Abstract: A motor driving circuit includes at least one set of switching elements, each set of switching elements being two switching elements connected in series to each other, and a diode connected in parallel with one of the two switching elements connected on a power source side, a terminal of a motor to be driven being connected to a junction point between the two switching elements. A voltage transfer element is provided for transferring, from the junction point between the two switching elements, a voltage of a counter electromotive force generated at the motor, to an input end of the other of the two switching elements connected on a ground side.

Abstract: A recording media sheet processing system includes a folding device including a folding unit to fold a sheet and a squeezing unit to squeeze the folded sheet, an insertion device to insert in an envelope an enclosure, and a controller. The folding device. The controller includes an envelope selector, a selector for selecting whether to fold the sheet and a folding style of the sheet, a first storage unit for storing a folding-related equivalent quantity into which a quantity of each sheet is converted corresponding to the folding style and the number of times the sheet is squeezed, a second storage unit for storing a maximum quantity of sheets insertable, a calculator to calculate a total converted quantity of the enclosure, a determination unit to determine whether the selected envelope type accommodates the enclosure, and a squeezing setter to set the number of times of squeezing.

Abstract: An image forming system includes an SSP unit (sorting guide portion and envelope chuck portion) that functions as an enclosing unit or an enclosing device to enclose, in envelopes, paper on which an image is formed by a copy machine functioning as an image forming device, a weight measuring device that includes a load cell to measure the weight of the paper-enclosed envelopes, and a sorting device that sorts the paper-enclosed envelopes, on the basis of weight data of each of the paper-enclosed envelopes of which the weight is measured by the weight measuring device.

Abstract: An image forming system includes: an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet including a mail; a size recognizing unit that recognizes a size of the mail on which the image is formed by the image forming unit; and a postage calculating unit that calculates the postage of the mail, on the basis of a signal output from the size recognizing unit.

Abstract: An I/O processor determines whether or not the amount of dirty data on a cache memory exceeds a threshold value and, if the determination is that this threshold value has been exceeded, writes a portion of the dirty data of the cache memory to a storage device. If a power source monitoring and control unit detects a voltage abnormality of the supplied power, the power monitoring and control unit maintains supply of power using power from a battery, so that a processor receives supply of power from the battery and saves the dirty data stored on the cache memory to a non-volatile memory.

Abstract: An I/O processor determines whether or not the amount of dirty data on a cache memory exceeds a threshold value and, if the determination is that this threshold value has been exceeded, writes a portion of the dirty data of the cache memory to a storage device. If a power source monitoring and control unit detects a voltage abnormality of the supplied power, the power monitoring and control unit maintains supply of power using power from a battery, so that a processor receives supply of power from the battery and saves the dirty data stored on the cache memory to a non-volatile memory.

Abstract: Proposed are a highly reliable information detecting apparatus and an information detecting method.

Abstract: A booklet stacker to stack multiple booklets each bound with a ring member includes a stack tray on which multiple booklets are stacked, a shifter disposed upstream from the stack tray in a booklet conveyance direction in which a booklet is conveyed, the shifter to adjust a position of the booklet in a width direction perpendicular to the booklet conveyance direction by shifting the booklet a distance shorter than a ring pitch of the ring member in the width direction, and a booklet conveyer disposed upstream from the stack tray in the booklet conveyance direction, to convey the booklet positioned by the shifter to the stack tray.

Abstract: Proposed is a highly reliable information detecting apparatus and method. In an information detecting apparatus and method for detecting transmission information a transmission signal in which a burst period of transmitting a burst signal and a space period as a no-signal period are repeated in a pattern according to the subject matter of the transmission information, whether the absolute value of a signal amplitude level of the transmission signal is not less than a first threshold is detected, whether the absolute value of a signal amplitude level of the transmission signal is not less than a second threshold is detected, and whether the amplitude level displacement of the transmission signal is based on noise or the reception of the transmission information is determined based on the detection results.

Abstract: A sheet finisher for performing preselected processing with a sheet or a sheet stack conveyed thereto of the present invention includes a cutter unit configured to cut the sheet or the sheet stack in a direction perpendicular to a direction of sheet conveyance. A guide member is positioned upstream of the cutter unit in the direction of sheet conveyance for guiding the sheet or the sheet stack being conveyed. A moving device moves the guide member in a direction parallel to the direction of sheet conveyance.

Abstract: A bookbinding device includes a punch unit to punch a line of ring holes, an aligning unit disposed downstream from the punch unit in the sheet transport direction, including a pair of first aligning members to align a first sheet, each including a sheet loading surface and a side wall perpendicular to the sheet loading surface, and a pair of rotatable second aligning members, each including a lower surface facing the sheet loading surface of the first aligning member and a contact surface perpendicular to the lower surface to align a second sheet smaller than the first sheet, a swing shaft extending perpendicular to the sheet transport direction, rotatably supporting the second aligning members, a driving source to rotate the second aligning members away from and toward the sheet loading surfaces of the first aligning members, and a ring-binding unit.