A sheet processing apparatus for processing a sheet includes a conveying path in which a sheet is conveyed; a setting portion including an opening formed in a cover, a setting face supporting a lower face of a sheet bundle inserted through the opening from an outside of the sheet processing apparatus, and a regulating face which regulates a position of the sheet bundle; a stack portion on which sheets are stacked; a binding unit which is configured to bind a sheet bundle set on a sheet setting area; and a punching unit being configured to be movable in the sheet width direction, the punching unit including a punching portion which forms a punch hole. In the sheet width direction, the sheet setting area is arranged as being overlapped with a moving area of an end of the one side of the punching unit in the sheet width direction.

A binding apparatus includes: a set of binding parts configured to press and bind a bundle of recording materials from one side and a remaining side in a thickness direction; a first support part configured to support the bundle of recording materials from the one side by performing rotation toward the bundle of recording materials around a predetermined fulcrum; and a second support part configured to support the bundle of recording materials from the remaining side so as to face the first support part when binding is performed by the set of binding parts.

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 processing device has a binding unit that applies water to a crimping range of sheets and then crimps the sheets. The sheet processing device includes a processing tray on which sheets are placed, a pair of pressure teeth (pressure teeth and receiving teeth) that crimps the sheets placed on the processing tray at a crimping position with the sheets interposed therebetween, and a water application member (cylinder and piston) that applies water to the crimping position before crimping by the pressure teeth. When the number of sheets placed on the processing tray is equal to or less than a predetermined number, the sheets are crimped by the pressure teeth without water application; while when the number of sheets placed on the processing tray exceeds the predetermined number, the sheets are crimped by the pressure teeth after water application.

A binding member includes: an upper tooth that has an upper tooth form for forming unevenness in a bundle of recording materials; and a lower tooth that has a lower tooth form for forming unevenness in the bundle of recording materials and that forms a pair with the upper tooth. At least one of the upper tooth form and the lower tooth form is formed such that, in a sectional shape, a groove is formed in a trough portion of a concave portion of a tooth form and a length of an inclined portion which comes into contact with the bundle of recording materials is made small compared to a case where the inclined portion of the tooth form has reached a bottom of the trough portion.

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.

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 sheet processing apparatus for processing a sheet includes a conveying path in which a sheet is conveyed; a setting portion including an opening formed in a cover, a setting face supporting a lower face of a sheet bundle inserted through the opening from an outside of the sheet processing apparatus, and a regulating face which regulates a position of the sheet bundle; a stack portion on which sheets are stacked; a binding unit which is configured to bind a sheet bundle set on a sheet setting area; and a punching unit being configured to be movable in the sheet width direction, the punching unit including a punching portion which forms a punch hole. In the sheet width direction, the sheet setting area is arranged as being overlapped with a moving area of an end of the one side of the punching unit in the sheet width direction.

There is provided a binding member. An upper toothed part having projections and recesses for forming irregularities in a bundle of recording materials. A lower toothed part having projections and recesses for forming irregularities in the bundle of recording materials and forming a pair with the upper toothed part. In at least one of the upper toothed part and the lower toothed part, in a cross section shape of the toothed part, the recesses of the toothed part have depressed areas depressed from virtual lines which are extensions of inclined surfaces of the toothed part.