A tape sticking apparatus for sticking a masking tape for protecting a peripheral portion of a substrate, such as a wafer, is disclosed. The tape sticking apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to hold and rotate a substrate; and a tape sticking unit configured to stick a masking tape onto a peripheral portion of the substrate held on the substrate holder.

A component package tape is transported to a pitch feed mechanism section by a tape transport device and is held in a first tape holding section by a tape holding releasing device. Furthermore, a top tape adhered to a carrier tape that is transported to the pitch feed mechanism section is peeled from the carrier tape by a top tape peeling section while being clamped at a leading end section, is transferred to a top tape delivery mechanism section, and is held in a second tape holding section by the tape holding releasing device.

A component package tape is transported to a pitch feed mechanism section by a tape transport device and is held in a first tape holding section by a tape holding releasing device. Furthermore, a top tape adhered to a carrier tape that is transported to the pitch feed mechanism section is peeled from the carrier tape by a top tape peeling section while being clamped at a leading end section, is transferred to a top tape delivery mechanism section, and is held in a second tape holding section by the tape holding releasing device.

In a saddle-stitching apparatus, when a sheet is transported to a center-folding unit, a folding blade moves from a retrieved position to a nip position between a pair of folding rollers. A forward end of the folding blade comes into contact with a fold of the sheet, so that the sheet is folded along the fold. When the sheet is attached to the nip position between the folding rollers, the folding rollers start rotating and then, the folding blade inserts the center-folded sheet between the folding rollers. After the center-fold finishing is completed, the rotations of the folding rollers stop in timing at which the folding blade is pulled out of the nip position between the folding rollers. When pulling the folding blade out of the nip position between the folding rollers, the rotations of the folding rollers restart.

In a saddle-stitching apparatus, when a sheet is transported to a center-folding unit, a folding blade moves from a retrieved position to a nip position between a pair of folding rollers. A forward end of the folding blade comes into contact with a fold of the sheet, so that the sheet is folded along the fold. When the sheet is attached to the nip position between the folding rollers, the folding rollers start rotating and then, the folding blade inserts the center-folded sheet between the folding rollers. After the center-fold finishing is completed, the rotations of the folding rollers stop in timing at which the folding blade is pulled out of the nip position between the folding rollers. When pulling the folding blade out of the nip position between the folding rollers, the rotations of the folding rollers restart.

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.

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.

A pressure sensitive adhesive particle includes a styrene resin that contains, as polymerization components, styrene and a vinyl monomer other than styrene; and a (meth)acrylate resin that contains, as polymerization components, at least two (meth)acrylates that account for 90 mass % or more of all polymerization components of the (meth)acrylate resin, in which the pressure sensitive adhesive particle has a sea phase that contains the styrene resin, and island phases that are dispersed in the sea phase and contain the (meth)acrylate resin, the pressure sensitive adhesive particle has at least two glass transition temperatures, and a difference between the lowest glass transition temperature and the highest glass transition temperature is 30° C. or more, and in a cross section of the pressure sensitive adhesive particle, an area ratio of the island phases is 30% or more and 85% or less.

A pressure sensitive adhesive particle includes a styrene resin that contains, as polymerization components, styrene and a vinyl monomer other than styrene; and a (meth)acrylate resin that contains, as polymerization components, at least two (meth)acrylates that account for 90 mass % or more of all polymerization components of the (meth)acrylate resin, in which the pressure sensitive adhesive particle has a sea phase that contains the styrene resin, and island phases that are dispersed in the sea phase and contain the (meth)acrylate resin, the pressure sensitive adhesive particle has at least two glass transition temperatures, and a difference between the lowest glass transition temperature and the highest glass transition temperature is 30° C. or more, and in a cross section of the pressure sensitive adhesive particle, an area ratio of the island phases is 30% or more and 85% or less.

A sheet folding apparatus includes: a conveying roller conveying a sheet in a predetermined conveying direction; a folding roller pair disposed downstream of the conveying roller in the conveying direction and rotating while nipping a predetermined position of the sheet to form a fold; a conveying path for conveying the sheet in the conveying direction from the conveying roller to the folding roller pair; an abutting member moving downstream in the conveying direction and abutting against the predetermined position of the sheet to bend the sheet downstream; and a loop space where the sheet is bent between the conveying roller and folding roller pair in a direction crossing the conveying direction. The folding roller pair stops while nipping a front end of the sheet fed from to form a loop of the sheet in the loop space, and the abutting member moves to abut against the loop.