Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet post-processing apparatus includes a standby unit, a processing unit, and a discharge unit. The standby unit puts a sheet on standby. The processing unit is disposed below the standby unit. The processing unit includes a conveyance reference plane, a distance between which and a conveyance reference plane for the sheet in the standby unit changes to decrease from an upstream side toward a downstream side in a conveying direction of the sheet. The processing unit processes the sheet supplied from the standby unit. The discharge unit is disposed on the downstream side in the conveying direction of each of the standby unit and the processing unit. The discharge unit is provided with an opening section for causing the sheet discharged from the standby unit or the processing unit to pass.

Abstract: When it is determined by the post-process determination unit that a received top job requires a bookbinding process (post-process) and that a received subsequent job does not require a bookbinding process (post-process), the sheet setting determination unit determines whether or not there is a match between the sheet size (sheet setting) of the top job and the sheet size (sheet setting) of the subsequent job, and when it is determined by the sheet setting determination unit that there is a match between the sheet size (sheet setting) of the top job and the sheet size (sheet setting) of the subsequent job, the execution management unit causes the printing machine to perform the printing process on the basis of the subsequent job during the warm-up of the bookbinding device.

Abstract: An MFP that accepts instructions to execute jobs includes, and takes holding units that hold sheets that can be subjected to binding processing specified by a job, where the holding units are considered search targets in an automatic selection process. The MFP performs auto paper selection on the holding units as the search targets, and if there is a candidate holding unit, feeds sheets to be used for printing from the holding unit and performs printing.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus includes a transport unit and a holding unit. The transport unit transports a first sheet to a first position. The transport unit transports a second sheet, which is transported after the first sheet, to a second position displaced to the upstream side of a sheet transport direction relative to the first position. The transport unit transports a third sheet, which is transported after the second sheet, to a third position displaced to the downstream side of the sheet transport direction relative to the second position. In the case where the second sheet is transported to the second position, the holding unit holds the first sheet at the first position. In the case where the third sheet is transported to the third position, the holding unit holds the second sheet at the second position.

Abstract: A control portion of an image forming apparatus creates an image list for performing the perfect-binding imposition of the images of the pages on the sheets so that the scores formed on the sheets are on the external surface of the center-folded sheets, for the sheets each having a size twice the size specified as each of the sheets on which the images of the book body are to be formed, when a book-body stacking portion accommodates the sheets center-folded by a folding portion along scores formed for every sheet from a predetermined direction by a scoring portion for each of the sheets having the images formed thereon by the image forming portion, and a bookbinding portion uses a glue-on cover to perform case binding of a bundle of the sheets glued to the side of the spine.

Abstract: A paper sheet handling machine 100 comprises an upper unit 10 having a paper sheet take-in apparatus 120 adapted for taking therein paper sheets, one by one, from the exterior, an upper transport mechanism 201a adapted for transporting the paper sheets taken in by the paper sheet take-in apparatus 120, one by one, and a recognition unit 220 adapted for recognizing each paper sheet transported by the upper transport mechanism 201a; a lower unit 20 located below the upper unit 10 and having a lower transport mechanism 201b provided to receive the paper sheets transferred from the upper transport mechanism 201a, one by one, and then further transport the transferred paper sheets, and a plurality of stacking units 106, each adapted for stacking therein the paper sheets transported by the lower transport mechanism 201b and sorted based on results obtained by the recognition unit 220. In this case, at least a part of a bottom portion of the upper unit 10 is opened.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a binding unit including a first portion and a second portion and configured to nip a sheet bundle between the first portion and the second portion to deform the sheet bundle in a thickness direction to bind the sheet bundle, and a detachment unit configured to push the bound sheet bundle toward the second portion to detach the bound sheet bundle from the first portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing in which an image forming unit is to be mounted, a support that supports an image reading device in a state where the image reading device is separated from the housing, and a guiding portion in which a guide part, which is formed on a to-be-mounted surface of an add-on device in such a manner as to project, is to be inserted such that the guide part is guided by the guiding portion. Engagement holes with which engagement portions, which are formed on the to-be-mounted surface of the add-on device in such a manner as to project, are to be engaged such that the engagement portions are positioned by the engagement holes are formed in a mounting surface of the housing on which the add-on device is to be mounted.

Abstract: A control unit of a paper processing apparatus controls a driving unit such that pressing by a pressing member is released after an end portion of a paper bundle pressed by the pressing member is cut by a cutting blade, and controls, when determining that a front end portion of a removal member does not reach the pressing member at a position of the pressing member in a state in which the pressing by the pressing member has been released, the driving unit to move the pressing member to a position at which the front end portion of the removal member reaches the pressing member after the paper bundle is taken out.

Abstract: To provide a sheet storing apparatus or a sheet processing apparatus which is downsized and slimmed with a structure that a manual setting portion is arranged at an external casing of the sheet storing apparatus or the sheet processing apparatus. An apparatus includes a setting portion for a binding process to be performed on a sheet bundle inserted from the outside, a binding unit which performs the binding process on the sheet bundle inserted to the setting portion, a sheet conveying path which conveys a sheet, and a processing unit which performs a predetermined process on a sheet as being arranged at the sheet conveying path and being moved in a direction intersecting with a conveying direction of the sheet conveyed on the sheet conveying path, and a movement area of the processing unit in the intersecting direction and the setting portion are overlapped in the intersecting direction.

Abstract: A job processing apparatus that performs job processing by using power supplied from a first power supply and a second power supply includes a receiving unit that receives a job; a calculating unit that calculates an amount of power consumed to process the received job; a determining unit that determines whether the received job is executable with a first amount of power that can be supplied from the first power supply and the calculated amount of power; and a control unit that performs control so that the job is processed with the power supplied from the first power supply if the determining unit determines that the job is executable with the first amount of power and the job is processed with the power supplied from the second power supply if the determining unit determines that the job is not executable with the first amount of power.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a punch hole detection section, a position calculating section, an image adding section, and an image forming section. The punch hole detection section analyzes image data of a scan image obtained through scanning of an original document to detect two punch hole images. The position calculating section calculates a midpoint between the two punch hole images in the scan image when the two punch hole images are detected. The image adding section adds image data of a midpoint indicating image to the image data of the scan image so that the midpoint indicating image is added to the scan image at a position corresponding to the midpoint. The image forming section performs image formation on a sheet based on the image data of the scan image to which the image data of the midpoint indicating image has been added.

Abstract: A post-processing device for applying a post-process to one or more sheets outputted by a device of a preceding stage, a printer for example, is provided. The post-processing device includes: an alignment mechanism for applying an alignment process for arranging a current sheet bundle; an output mechanism for outputting the current sheet bundle; a prestacking mechanism; and a control unit. The control unit performs a control in such a manner that at least a part of operation of the alignment mechanism or of operation of the output mechanism is switched from a normal operation mode for operation at a normal operation speed to a high-speed operation mode for operation at an operation speed greater than the normal operation speed when a time to completely output the current sheet bundle is later than a time to completely perform prestacking the next sheet bundle.

Abstract: A media conveying system for aligning a media sheet in a media path of an image forming apparatus may include a first roll mounted across the media path, a second roll mounted relative to the first roll so as to define a first nip between the first roll and the second roll, and a reference edge positioned along a side of the media path. A drive mechanism is coupled to the second roll for translating the second roll in a first direction such that a media sheet positioned in the nip moves in the first direction towards the reference edge.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a loading tray on which a sheet is loaded; a pair of ejection rollers that eject the sheet to the loading tray and in which a pair or roller members are configured to be able to contact with and separate from each other; a pair of shift rollers that is provided upstream of the pair of ejection rollers in a sheet conveyance direction, are movable in a sheet width direction that is a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, convey the sheet towards the loading tray, and performs a shift operation of shifting the sheet to a different position in the sheet width direction; and a control unit that performs control to change, based on sheet information, a shift operation timing of the sheet by the pair of shift rollers and a contacting and separating timing of the pair of ejection rollers.

Abstract: Provided is a post-processing device including a transport path that includes a first transport path which is bent in one direction and a second transport path which is continuous from the first transport path and is bent in the other direction, and that is directed vertically downward while being bent, a first processing unit that is disposed in the first transport path, a second processing unit that is disposed in the second transport path, and a third transport path that is continuous from the second transport path and that is directed vertically upward.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus which is capable of shortening time wasted until actual start of punching and enhancing productivity. A drive unit causes a moving member which has a cam and reciprocates. A punching member is driven by a movement of the cam of the moving member and punches a sheet when the moving member moves forth and moves back. A determination unit determines a type of the sheet. A control unit controls, when a sheet to be punched is to be subjected to a punching process, the drive unit such that the moving member starts moving before conveyance of the sheet to be punched stops, and controls, when the sheet to be punched is to be subjected to the punching process, the drive unit such that timing with which the moving member starts moving is changed based on the determination by the determination unit.

Abstract: A mechanism capable of changing an upper limit number of sheets for a post-process is provided. To achieve this, a control method for controlling a sheet processing apparatus which performs the post-process for the sheets on which images are formed, comprising: storing, in a storage unit, the upper limit number of sheets to which the post-process can be performed; and changing the upper limit number of sheets stored in the storage unit is provided.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including a stacking tray that stacks sheets, a conveying member that conveys a sheet to the stacking tray and discharges the sheet bundle from the stacking tray, wherein the conveying member includes a conveying roller and a conveying belt stretched by a plurality of stretch rollers, and a sheet processor that performs predetermined processing to the sheet bundle. When the conveying member conveys the sheet to the stacking tray, a part of the conveying belt that is not wound on the stretch roller contacts the conveying roller by moving the conveying belt as such a nip for conveying the sheet is formed. When the conveying member discharges the sheet bundle from the stacking tray, a part of the conveying belt that is wound on the stretch roller contacts the conveying roller by moving the conveying belt so that a nip for conveying the sheet is formed.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus and a method of controlling the same align sheets stacked on a stacking unit, by causing a first alignment member and a second alignment member to come into contact with edges of a sheet stacked on the stacking unit in a sheet width direction. In a case that a second sheet that is different from a first sheet stacked on the stacking unit is to be stacked on the first sheet and aligned using the first alignment member and the second alignment member, control is performed to discharge a partition sheet onto the first sheet stacked on the stacking unit.

Abstract: In the invention, for a first sheet, regardless of the sheet size (width), a lateral registration detector is moved in a direction towards an edge face of the sheet from a home position to detect the edge face of the sheet. With lateral deviation in the sheet position corrected, punching is performed by a puncher. For the second and subsequent sheets, the lateral registration detector is moved in advance to near the edge face of the sheet with reference to the detected position of the sheet edge of the first sheet, and the edge face is detected at a given timing. With lateral deviation in the sheet position corrected, punching is performed by the puncher.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming system including: an image forming device to notify a downstream post-processing device of sheet information relating to a sheet on which an image is formed, before the sheet is discharged, and to notify the downstream post-processing device of set separation information indicating a final sheet of each set of document in synchronization with the sheet information relating to the final sheet of each set in case that a plurality of sets of document are printed, the image forming device being compliant with a first communication system; a post-processing device which is connected to a downstream of the image forming device and is compliant with a second communication system which is different from the first communication system; and the relay apparatus which is connected to the image forming device through the first communication system and is connected to the post-processing device through the second communication system.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a pair of squeezing members having a projection and a recess to engage each other, to squeeze a sheet bundle inserted therebetween in a direction of thickness of the sheet bundle, and a pressure applying unit to apply pressing force to the squeezing members to squeeze and bind the sheet bundle. The pressing force generated between the squeezing members by the pressure applying unit increases in strength as a relative distance between the squeezing members decreases.

Abstract: A sheet binding device includes: a pair of crimping members each including alternately-arranged multiple recesses and multiple protrusions to bind a sheaf of sheets by fitting the recesses and the protrusions with the sheet sheaf interposed therebetween. When the recesses and the protrusions of the pair of crimping members are fitted, slanted side faces of the protrusions of one of the pair of crimping members and that of the other one of the pair of crimping members are in contact with each other with a clearance left both between top portions of the protrusions of the one of the crimping members and bottom portions of the recesses of the other one of the crimping members and between top portions of the protrusions of the other one of the crimping members and bottom portions of the recesses of the one of the crimping members.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet post-processing apparatus includes a machine body, a first roller pair, a tray, a second roller pair, a driving unit, an inlet sensor, a receiving unit and a control unit. The inlet sensor is configured to detect presence or absence of the sheet in the first roller pair driven by the driving unit. The receiving unit is configured to receive, from an image forming apparatus, sheet length information in the sheet conveying direction of the sheet as a target to which the print job is applied. The control unit is configured to control the driving unit to rotate, if the sheet length information indicates special length and the inlet sensor detects a trailing end of the sheet, at least rollers of the second roller pair a predetermined number of times and stop the rollers, the second roller pair nipping the sheet.

Abstract: A printing control apparatus according to one aspect of this invention controls to print images on sheets based on image data of a plurality of pages, generate a bookbinding product by executing folding processing for the image-printed sheets, and output the bookbinding product. The printing control apparatus further accepts the position of an insertion sheet to be inserted into the sheets for which the folding processing is executed, and controls to output a plurality of bookbinding products by using, as a reference, the accepted position of the insertion sheet.

Abstract: A creasing device forms a crease in a to-be-folded portion of a sheet. The creasing device includes a sheet-information reading unit that reads any one of sheet information and binding information; a determining unit that determines a surface, on which the crease is to be formed, of the sheet according to the one of the sheet information and the binding information read by the sheet-information reading unit; and a creasing unit that forms the crease on the surface determined by the determining unit.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to receive sheet length data for two paper sheets of a same standard dimension passing consecutively through a printing device. The processor calculates a length difference between the two paper sheets, and when the length difference exceeds a two-sheet threshold, it initiates an alignment correction cycle in a paper finishing device.

Abstract: A sheet processing device includes a clamp configured to clamp an edge portion of a sheet, the edge portion being on a side of an edge parallel to a direction in which the sheet has been conveyed; a first processing unit configured to perform a first process on the sheet at the side of the edge, the first processing unit being disposed at a first position; a second processing unit configured to perform a second process on the sheet at the side of the edge, the second processing unit being disposed at a second position that is different from the first position in a vertical direction; and a moving unit configured to move the clamp from the first position to the second position or vice versa so that the clamp moves on a loop passing through the first position and the second position.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, there is provided a sheet processing apparatus includes a stacking unit that stacks a sheet conveyed thereto; a first alignment unit that aligns the sheet or a bundle of sheets stacked in the stacking unit in a sheet conveying direction; a second alignment unit that aligns the sheet or the bundle of sheets stacked in the stacking unit in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction; a pressing unit that presses the bundle of sheets at an end portion thereof on a predetermined one side; and a control unit that causes at least one of the first and second alignment units to execute an alignment operation during a press operation of the sheet or the bundle of sheets performed by the pressing unit.

Abstract: The post-processing device includes: a binding unit that forms a cut in a sheet stack and cuts a part of the sheet stack into a predetermined shape to form a tongue portion in the sheet stack, the tongue portion having a part where one end part of the tongue portion is not separated from the sheet stack, and binds the sheet stack by bending the tongue portion and inserting the other end part of the tongue portion into the cut; and a sheet stack transport unit that transports the sheet stack in an orientation such that the one end part of the tongue portion in the sheet stack bound by the binding unit is on a downstream side of the other end part of the tongue portion in the sheet stack transport direction.

Abstract: In a processing machine including a processor having a processing blade and a receiver having a reception member and in which a blade edge of the processing blade and a reception portion, of the reception member, engage with each other to process a paper sheet therebetween, the processing blade is one processing blade selected from a blade group and is attached to the processor so as to be changeable to another processing blade of the blade group, reception portions of kinds corresponding to a plurality of kinds of the processing blades of the blade group are formed on the reception member, and the processing blade attached to the processor is positioned so as to be in a position where the blade edge is engageable with the reception portion of the corresponding kind.

Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes a transport path, a loading part, a first folding member, a second folding member, a drive mechanism, a position detecting unit, a time information output part, a time monitoring part, and a rotational driving control part. The time monitoring part measures a moving time of the blade member from a first position between an initial position and a protrusion position to a second position, and determines whether the moving time has elapsed by a predetermined time. When the time monitoring part determines that the moving time has elapsed by the predetermined time, the rotational driving control part controls a rotary drive part so as to switch a rotational driving direction into a backward rotational direction.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus for performing post-processing on a sheet having an image formed thereon. A stapling section or a scoring section performs processing on a sheet and a sheet bundle. The upper limit value of a sheet count of sheets processable at a time by the post-processing unit is equal to N (N is an integer). A buffer path performs buffer processing for retaining a conveyed sheet, placing the retained sheet and a sheet following the retained sheet one on the other, and conveying the superimposed sheets as a sheet bundle. A CPU controls the buffer path the stapling section or the scoring section such that when the processing is being performed on the sheet or the sheet bundle, the buffer processing is performed on a following sheet, and that the processing is performed on each sheet bundle having been subjected to the buffer processing.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a stacking channel to stack multiple sheets into a sheet bundle, and a binding device to bind together the sheet bundle, the binding device including multiple clamping portions to clamp the sheet bundle to create multiple clamping marks on the sheet bundle. When the binding device binds a corner area of the sheet bundle, a longitudinal direction of each of the multiple clamping marks forms an angle within a range from 30 degrees to 60 degrees with a side of the corner area of the sheet bundle.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus move, when stacking a sheet on a stacking tray, a supporting tray disposed to freely appear above the stacking tray to a first position in which the supporting tray projects above the stacking tray and supports the sheet stacked on an intermediate stacking tray. When these apparatuses discharge a processed sheet bundle, these apparatuses move the supporting tray from the first position to a second position in which the supporting tray supports an edge of the discharged sheet in an upstream side in a discharging direction, and guides the moving sheet bundle to a stacking wall. Further, these apparatuses move the supporting tray from the second position to a third position at predetermined timing, so that the supporting tray stops supporting the sheet bundle and stacks the sheet bundle on the sheet bundle previously stacked on the stacking tray.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment comprises a processing tray configured to receive sheets to be processed, the processing tray having an ejecting side from which sheets are ejected, and a loading tray provided downstream from the processing tray in a sheet ejecting direction and configured to receive sheets ejected from the processing tray. The sheet processing apparatus further comprises a bending restrainer including a restraining member extending almost parallel to the processing tray and covering a portion of the ejecting side of the processing tray, the restraining member configured to restrain bending of sheets ejected from the processing tray to the loading tray.

Abstract: An image forming system includes: a ring bookbinding section which perform a ring bookbinding to a bundle of sheets by using a binder provided with a spine portion and a plurality of finger portions; and a judging section, wherein a last page is firstly fed immediately after job initiation and, subsequently after having fed the last page, image formation based on the image data is initiated, when the judging section judges that an image is not formed on the last page, and wherein all of the image data is firstly acquired completely after job initiation, subsequently the last page is fed and formed image thereon, and then image formation of remaining pages is carried out, when the judging section judges that image is formed on the last page.

Abstract: A recording material processing apparatus includes: a stacker stacking recording materials to form a bundle; a pressing member including blade sections arranged at intervals to press portions of the bundle, where folds are to be formed, to move the portions in a recording material transport direction; a pair of first fold-forming rolls, each of which includes plural rolls arranged at intervals to enter between the blade sections when the blade sections press the portions, the pair of first fold-forming rolls forming the folds at intervals by nipping the portions pressed by the blade sections; and a pair of second fold-forming rolls, each of which includes plural rolls arranged at intervals to correspond to the blade sections, the pair of second fold-forming rolls further forming the folds on the bundle by nipping portions of the bundle, which exist between the folds formed by the pair of first fold-forming rolls.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus capable of detecting a lateral position deviation amount of a sheet with high precision and at a high speed. A sheet sensing unit includes two or more sensors, each of which sensing a side edge of the sheet, disposed in a widthwise direction of the sheet. A position deviation amount of the sheet in the widthwise direction is detected based on a moving distance of the sheet sensing unit until at least one of the sensors senses the side edge of the sheet. The position deviation amount of the sheet is determined using a sensing result of the side edge of sheet after the sheet sensing unit moves by a predetermined distance, while invalidating a sensing result of the side edge of sheet sensing unit in the widthwise direction from when a driving unit starts driving until the sheet sensing unit moves by the predetermined distance.

Abstract: A post-processing device includes a sheet-bundle forming unit that stacks plural sheets and forms a sheet bundle; a binding unit that forms a cut in the sheet bundle, forms a tongue in the sheet bundle by cutting part of the sheet bundle into a predetermined shape so that a first end remains uncut and continues to the sheet bundle, and binds the sheet bundle by folding the tongue and inserting a second end of the tongue into the cut; a transport unit that transports the sheet bundle; a stack unit that stacks the sheet bundle; and a position change unit that changes a position of binding processing performed on the sheet bundle so that the tongue formed in the sheet bundle stacked on the stack unit does not contact another tongue formed in another sheet bundle stacked on the stack unit.

Abstract: A post-processing apparatus which enable reduction of shift alignment time and improvement of productivity. A shift unit performs a shifting operation for shifting a conveyed sheet, in a lateral direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction. An alignment unit aligns the sheet by a pair of alignment members thereof which are moved toward each other such side edges of the sheet in the lateral direction are held therebetween. A CPU of a finisher controller controls the alignment unit and the shift unit such that an operation for moving the alignment members from respective first standby positions in the lateral direction to respective second standby positions closer to the sheet than the corresponding first standby positions is executed in parallel with the shifting operation by the shift unit.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet regulating member that regulates the movement of a sheet in a space between a punch unit and a rear guide. The sheet regulating member may be set in an upper guide included in an upper part of the rear guide or may be set at a rear end in a sheet conveying direction of the punch unit. The sheet regulating member may be set between the punch unit and the rear guide and move following the movement of the punch unit.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which enables a sheet to be stopped at a target position with precision even when the sheet is stopped by moving a heavy unit such as a shift unit. A drive unit moves a moving unit so as to move a sheet, which is being conveyed, in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the sheet. An output unit detects movement of the moving unit and output a signal in synchronization with movement of the moving unit. A control unit issues a stop instruction to the drive unit based on a delay time from when a start instruction to the drive unit is issued until when the signal in synchronization with the movement of the drive unit is output, and a target moving amount required for the moving unit to move to a target position.

Abstract: A paper sheet processing apparatus includes a supporting unit which supports a bundle of stacked paper sheets, a binding processing unit which performs binding processing at least at two binding positions on the bundle of paper sheets, a pair of hold-down units which hold down the bundle of paper sheets, and a moving unit which moves at least one hold-down unit from among the pair so as to separate from the other hold-down unit in a direction in which the at least two binding positions are aligned in the bundle of paper sheets. In the paper sheet processing apparatus, the binding processing unit performs the binding processing between the pair of hold-down units on the bundle of the paper sheets following moving of at least one hold-down unit among the pair of hold-down units while the pair of hold-down units is holding down the bundle of the paper sheets.

Abstract: A binding apparatus performs a binding process by bonding the end side of the sheet bundle, and is provided with a notch cutter that forms a notch in the end side used in the sheet binding process in the middle of the sheet conveyance path of the binding apparatus. The notch-forming unit includes a pair of sheet conveyance guides for forming a part of the sheet conveyance path, a cutter provided in a rotatably supported bracket, and a biasing means for applying a force to the cutter to face the sheet conveyance path formed by a pair of the sheet conveyance guides at all times.

Abstract: A sheet processing device includes a supporting plate, a stapler, a casing, a protrusion structure, and a swinging arm. The casing is disposed over the supporting plate. A sheet conveying channel is formed between the supporting plate and the casing. The protrusion structure is disposed on a lower surface of the casing, located beside the stapler and accommodated within the sheet conveying channel. During the process of introducing a sheet into the supporting plate, the stapled side of the sheet is flattened by the protrusion structure, and thus the possibility of upturning the sheet is minimized. During the process of introducing the plural sheets to the stapler, the stapled sides of the plural sheets are flattened by the protrusion structure, and thus the formation of the folded corners of the sheets is avoided.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a feed-in path through which a sheet is fed, a first transport path through which a sheet fed from the feed-in path is transported, and a second transport path through which a sheet fed from the feed-in path is transported. The sheet processing apparatus also includes the following elements. A first processor sequentially stacks sheets output from the first transport path and performs first processing on a bundle of stacked sheets. A second processor sequentially stacks sheets output from the second transport path and performs second processing, which is different from the first processing, on a bundle of stacked sheets. A common retention path causes a sheet fed through the feed-in path to temporarily remain on the common retention path and causes the sheet temporarily remaining on the common retention path to be output to one of the first and second transport paths.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a first unit having a guide device for guiding a sheet, a second unit having a first post-processing device for performing post-processing on the sheet, and a third unit having a second post-processing device for loading sheets and performing post-processing on the sheets in bunch form placed on the processing tray. A first coupling device is provided for coupling the first unit and at least one of the second and third units. A second coupling device is provided for coupling the second unit and the third unit. The second unit and the third unit are capable of being pulled out in the sheet carrying-out direction with respect to the first unit by releasing the first coupling device. The entire or front side of the second unit is shiftable to the first unit side with respect to the third unit by releasing the second coupling device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a punching time measuring unit, a stapling time estimating unit, and a sheet-bundle interval time setting unit. The punching time measuring unit measures a punching processing time to perform punching processing. The stapling time estimating unit calculates an estimated stapling processing time to perform stapling processing by using the punching processing time measured by the punching time measuring unit. The sheet-bundle interval time setting unit sets a sheet-bundle interval time, which is a time from when the last sheet forming a sheet bundle subjected to the punching processing is fed until when the first sheet forming a subsequent sheet bundle subjected to the punching processing is fed.