In an image forming apparatus to which a finisher is connected, a power source control unit shifts the image forming apparatus to a power saving state. The image forming apparatus is inhibited from being shifted to the power saving state when it is detected that a sheet for which a binding process is to be performed is set in the finisher. The image forming apparatus may be permitted to be shifted to the power saving state when it is not detected that the sheet is set in the finisher.

In an image forming apparatus to which a finisher is connected, a power source control unit shifts the image forming apparatus to a power saving state. The image forming apparatus is inhibited from being shifted to the power saving state when it is detected that a sheet for which a binding process is to be performed is set in the finisher. The image forming apparatus may be permitted to be shifted to the power saving state when it is not detected that the sheet is set in the finisher.

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.

A folding machine folding a sheet P1 into a predetermined folding pattern to form a signature P3, a saddle stitching machine 3 arranged downstream of the folding machine to staple and fold the signature and a control unit 15 controlling the folding machine and saddle stitching machine are provided. The folding machine has parameters adjustable depending on a thickness of the sheet. The saddle stitching machine has parameters adjustable depending on a thickness of the signature P3, P4. The control unit sets the parameters of the folding machine based on the information about the thickness of the sheet and sets the parameters of the saddle stitching machine based on the information about the thickness of the signature calculated using the information about the thickness of the sheet and the information about the folding pattern of the folding machine.

A folding machine folding a sheet P1 into a predetermined folding pattern to form a signature P3, a saddle stitching machine 3 arranged downstream of the folding machine to staple and fold the signature and a control unit 15 controlling the folding machine and saddle stitching machine are provided. The folding machine has parameters adjustable depending on a thickness of the sheet. The saddle stitching machine has parameters adjustable depending on a thickness of the signature P3, P4. The control unit sets the parameters of the folding machine based on the information about the thickness of the sheet and sets the parameters of the saddle stitching machine based on the information about the thickness of the signature calculated using the information about the thickness of the sheet and the information about the folding pattern of the folding machine.

A paper sheet S is intermittently transported by a transport mechanism 6 and each processing unit 7, 8 operates while the transport mechanism pauses the transport operation. An information acquisition unit 9 obtains paper information from the paper sheet. A control unit 10 stores the paper information of the paper sheet to be processed for each processing unit, updates the data of the memory in a manner such that the paper information of the paper sheet associated with the previous processing unit is associated with the next processing unit every time the transport mechanism transports, and configures the settings of each processing unit for the next processing operation based on the paper information every time the processing operation of the processing unit is completed.

A paper sheet S is intermittently transported by a transport mechanism 6 and each processing unit 7, 8 operates while the transport mechanism pauses the transport operation. An information acquisition unit 9 obtains paper information from the paper sheet. A control unit 10 stores the paper information of the paper sheet to be processed for each processing unit, updates the data of the memory in a manner such that the paper information of the paper sheet associated with the previous processing unit is associated with the next processing unit every time the transport mechanism transports, and configures the settings of each processing unit for the next processing operation based on the paper information every time the processing operation of the processing unit is completed.

In a stapling device, a first guide member and a second guide member are disposed one by one on both sides of a binding portion of the recording medium on a side of a recording medium placing of a placement table such that each of the guide members is rotatable, and the first guide member and the second guide member are rotatable between a first posture along a first direction in which one abutting end side extends and a second posture inclined with respect to the first direction in line symmetry with respect to an imaginary line that passes through the binding portion along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

A sheet processing apparatus includes alignment plates, which are provided outside a main body housing of a sheet processing apparatus, shift in an alignment direction orthogonal to a transport direction of a sheet loaded on a load tray to load sheets discharged from a discharge opening, and align opposite sides of the sheet, and a sheet support surface provided in a different position adjacent to a processing tray in the alignment direction to support sheets inserted from a manual feed opening provided outside the main body housing. A binding apparatus shifts to the processing tray or the sheet support surface, and binds sheets placed on the processing tray or the sheet support surface. Neat alignment plates are positioned not to block the manual feed opening during the binding processing on manually fed sheets on the sheet support surface.

A sheet processing apparatus includes alignment plates, which are provided outside a main body housing of a sheet processing apparatus, shift in an alignment direction orthogonal to a transport direction of a sheet loaded on a load tray to load sheets discharged from a discharge opening, and align opposite sides of the sheet, and a sheet support surface provided in a different position adjacent to a processing tray in the alignment direction to support sheets inserted from a manual feed opening provided outside the main body housing. A binding apparatus shifts to the processing tray or the sheet support surface, and binds sheets placed on the processing tray or the sheet support surface. Neat alignment plates are positioned not to block the manual feed opening during the binding processing on manually fed sheets on the sheet support surface.