The present disclosure relates to a cutting system for providing holes in a core material layer. The cutting system has a cutting tool having a cutting knife configured to cut through the core material layer, and an anvil having a rigid support surface for receiving the cutting knife of the cutting tool. The cutting system further has an elastic member that is positioned to absorb at least a part of a force applied when the cutting tool is pressed against said anvil.

A cutting unit for cutting preparation features in a web of sheetlike material is provided. The cutting unit has a first part with a rigid base portion, at least one first cutting tool configured to cut a first preparation feature in the web of sheetlike material, and at least one second cutting tool configured to cut a second preparation feature in the web of sheetlike material. The at least one first and second cutting tools are attached to the base portion and located at a distance from each other, wherein at least one of the at least one first or second cutting tools is supported by a flexible support that is located in the rigid base portion of the first part.

An accumulator for an automatic sheet media punching and collating system includes a proximal end, having a shoulder, a distal end, and a moveable collating belt, disposed below the shoulder, extending from the proximal end to the distal end. The collating belt has an upwardly extending lower stop with an accumulating position opposite the shoulder, defining a drop region. The lower stop is configured to contact a lower edge of sheets of media sequentially received at the proximal end, whereby the sheets stop and accumulate in the drop region in a lift in a book order. The collating belt is selectively moveable to discharge the lift as a unit toward the distal end.

An accumulator for an automatic sheet media punching and collating system includes a proximal end, having a shoulder, a distal end, and a moveable collating belt, disposed below the shoulder, extending from the proximal end to the distal end. The collating belt has an upwardly extending lower stop with an accumulating position opposite the shoulder, defining a drop region. The lower stop is configured to contact a lower edge of sheets of media sequentially received at the proximal end, whereby the sheets stop and accumulate in the drop region in a lift in a book order. The collating belt is selectively moveable to discharge the lift as a unit toward the distal end.

The present invention in one or more embodiments provides a method of forming an opening on a panel, the method including pressing in a first direction on the panel to form a protrusion with a tip portion, and cutting the protrusion with a force in a second direction to remove the tip portion to form the opening on the panel, the second direction being different from the first direction. The first direction may be a direction of gravity plus and minus up to 15 degrees. The second direction may be transverse to the first direction with an angle differential there-between of 75 to 105 degrees.

The present invention in one or more embodiments provides a method of forming an opening on a panel, the method including pressing in a first direction on the panel to form a protrusion with a tip portion, and cutting the protrusion with a force in a second direction to remove the tip portion to form the opening on the panel, the second direction being different from the first direction. The first direction may be a direction of gravity plus and minus up to 15 degrees. The second direction may be transverse to the first direction with an angle differential there-between of 75 to 105 degrees.

Provided is a sheet processing apparatus having a configuration that a processing mechanism to perform a process on a sheet, a first conveying path to guide a sheet to the processing mechanism, and a second conveying path to guide a sheet are configured to be integrally removable from another component.

Provided is a sheet processing apparatus having a configuration that a processing mechanism to perform a process on a sheet, a first conveying path to guide a sheet to the processing mechanism, and a second conveying path to guide a sheet are configured to be integrally removable from another component.

A machining apparatus includes a movement direction converting mechanism that converts lowering movement of a first punch into raising movement of a second punch and converts lowering movement of the second punch into raising movement of the first punch. The first punch and the second punch are raised and lowered in an alternating manner by this movement direction converting mechanism. Accordingly, machining by the first punch and machining by the second punch are performed individually.

An image forming apparatus including: a printer; a puncher configured to punch the sheet printed by the printer; a binder configured to perform a bookbinding process to form a bound product in which a binding member penetrates punch holes of sheets; a first detector configured to detect a first jam of a sheet in the binder; a second detector configured to detect a second jam of a sheet which occurs upstream of the binder; an annunciator configured to notify information; and a controller configured to cause the annunciator to notify first instruction information for instructing removal of a sheet and the binding member, when the first detector has detected the first jam; and cause the annunciator to notify second instruction information for instructing removal of the second jam when the second detector has detected the second jam and the first detector has not detected the first jam.