A recording material processing apparatus includes first teeth that are used for binding processing of a recording material bundle; second teeth that move along a linear route toward the first teeth and presses the recording material bundle located between the first teeth and the second teeth; and a guide portion that is disposed along the linear route and guides the second teeth moving toward the first teeth.

A binding apparatus includes a pair of pressing members to sandwich and press a sheet bundle to bind the sheet bundle, a rotator to rotate to periodically separate and contact the pressing members with each other, a detector to detect whether the rotator is between a first position at which the pressing members are separated from each other and a second position downstream from the first position in a forward rotation direction of the rotator, and control circuitry. The second position is upstream in the forward rotation direction from a peak position at which a pressing force between the pressing members is maximum. The control circuitry is configured to rotate the rotator in a reverse direction to the forward rotation direction to move the rotator to the first position when the detector detects that the rotator is between the first position and the second position in the forward rotation direction.

A sheet binding processing apparatus includes a transport section transporting a bunch of sheets in a transport direction, a sheet discharge outlet to discharge the bunch of sheets transported from the transport section, a placement section to place the bunch of sheets discharged from the discharge outlet, a manual set section enabling a bunch of sheets inserted in a direction different from the transport direction to be set, a press member pressing the bunch of sheets placed on the placement section or on the manual set section to bind, a drive section applying a pressing force to the press member, and a control section controlling the drive section to make the pressing force applied to a binding member higher in the case of binding the bunch of sheets placed on the placement section than in the case of binding the bunch of sheets set from the manual set section.

A sheet post-processing device includes: an alignment member which aligns a sheet bundle on a stacking tray; and a stapler which performs binding processing on a rear end of the sheet bundle. The stapler includes: a first stapler which moves along the rear end of a first sheet bundle and performs the binding processing on a plurality of positions at the rear end of the first sheet bundle; and a second stapler which performs, at one part of an end portion of the rear end on one side, binding processing different from the first stapler. The alignment member includes: a first alignment member and a second alignment member which align the sheet bundle in a first stacking position; and a third alignment member which is fixed to a position corresponding to the second stapler and which aligns the sheet bundle in a second stacking position with the first alignment member.

A recording material processing apparatus includes first teeth that are used for binding processing of a recording material bundle; second teeth that move along a linear route toward the first teeth and presses the recording material bundle located between the first teeth and the second teeth; and a guide portion that is disposed along the linear route and guides the second teeth moving toward the first teeth.

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 post-processing apparatus includes a binding tool configured to bind a sheet bundle, a binding tool driver, and control circuitry. The binding tool driver is configured to apply a driving force to move the binding tool to a first binding position at which the binding tool executes a first binding process on the sheet bundle and a second binding position different from the first binding position. At the second binding position, the binding tool executes a second binding process on the sheet bundle. The control circuitry is configured to cause the binding tool driver to move the binding tool to the first binding position at a first movement speed to execute the first binding process, and move the binding tool from the first binding position to the second binding position at a second movement speed slower than the first movement speed to execute the second binding process.

A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a first stapler and a second stapler having different thicknesses of sheets on which a binding process can be performed. A control unit can perform a manual staple mode. If the first stapler is selected as a stapler for performing the binding process in the manual staple mode, the control unit controls the alignment member moving mechanism to move alignment members to a position defining a first insertion position for guiding the sheets to a first placing position. If the second stapler is selected, the control unit controls the alignment member moving mechanism to move the alignment members to a position defining a second insertion position for guiding the sheets to a second placing position.

A sheet post-processing device includes: an alignment member which aligns a sheet bundle on a stacking tray; and a stapler which performs binding processing on a rear end of the sheet bundle. The stapler includes: a first stapler which moves along the rear end of a first sheet bundle and performs the binding processing on a plurality of positions at the rear end of the first sheet bundle; and a second stapler which performs, at one part of an end portion of the rear end on one side, binding processing different from the first stapler. The alignment member includes: a first alignment member and a second alignment member which align the sheet bundle in a first stacking position; and a third alignment member which is fixed to a position corresponding to the second stapler and which aligns the sheet bundle in a second stacking position with the first alignment member.

A binding apparatus includes a pair of pressing members to sandwich and press a sheet bundle to bind the sheet bundle, a rotator to rotate to periodically separate and contact the pressing members with each other, a detector to detect whether the rotator is between a first position at which the pressing members are separated from each other and a second position downstream from the first position in a forward rotation direction of the rotator, and control circuitry. The second position is upstream in the forward rotation direction from a peak position at which a pressing force between the pressing members is maximum. The control circuitry is configured to rotate the rotator in a reverse direction to the forward rotation direction to move the rotator to the first position when the detector detects that the rotator is between the first position and the second position in the forward rotation direction.