A binding processing apparatus includes: a pressure-applying member pair that has multiple projections arranged side-by-side and applies pressure to a sheet stack by pressing the projections against the sheet stack; and an advancing-and-retracting part that causes at least one of the pressure-applying members in the pressure-applying member pair to move toward or away from the other pressure-applying member. A pitch of the projections in each pressure-applying member is from 1.2 mm to 1.5 mm, and a height of the projections is from 0.55 mm to 0.75 mm, and a load per unit area applied from each pressure-applying member to the sheet stack when the pressure-applying member applies pressure to the sheet stack is from 42 N/mm.sup.2 to 94 N/mm.sup.2.

A binding member is provided and includes: upper teeth having a tooth form configured to form a convex-concave portion on a recording material bundle; and lower teeth having a tooth form configured to form the convex-concave portion on the recording material bundle, and paired with the upper teeth. At least one of the upper teeth and the lower teeth includes: a first tooth row having a first tooth form having a first shape suitable for binding a first binding number of sheets; and a second tooth row having a second tooth form having a second shape suitable for binding a second binding number of sheets which is smaller than the first binding number of sheets.

A recording-medium binding device includes first and second tooth groups. The first tooth group includes first and second tooth rows. The second tooth group includes third and fourth tooth rows. The third tooth row to be engaged with the first tooth row forms, together with the first tooth row, a first tooth row pair. The fourth tooth row to be engaged with the second tooth row forms, together with the second tooth row, a second tooth row pair. A second engaging height in the second tooth row pair is smaller than a first engaging height in the first tooth row pair. A second effective tooth top width in the second tooth row pair is larger than a first effective tooth top width in the first tooth row pair.

A staple-less binding unit is provided with upper and lower die portions having pluralities of concave and convex teeth engaging with each other. A control portion causes the staple-less binding unit to carry out a binding process of binding a sheet bundle by biting the sheet bundle by the upper and lower die portions and to carry out a cleaning process of engaging the upper and lower die portions in a non-binding process in which no binding process is carried out.

An embossing group includes: a first embossing roller and at least one embossing unit associated with the first roller. The embossing unit includes a second embossing roller, a third embossing roller, and a sleeve surrounding the second roller and the third roller by coupling them. The sleeve faces the first roller and is configured to contact the first roller. The embossing unit and the first roller are configured to emboss at least one paper sheet wound between the first roller and the embossing unit.

The dispersible wet wipes of the current disclosure have sufficient strength to withstand packaging and consumer use. They also disperse sufficiently quickly to be flushable without creating potential problems for household and municipal sanitation systems. In certain instances the wipes have a first outer layer comprising a tissue web containing cellulose fibers and a plurality of embossments disposed thereon, and a second outer layer comprising a nonwoven web; a triggerable binder composition; and a wetting composition. The wipes may have a geometric mean tensile strength (GMT) greater than about 225 grams per linear inch (g/in) and a Slosh Time less than about 60 minutes.

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 binding apparatus includes a binding tool, a binding tool driver, a shaft, and control circuitry. The binding tool is configured to execute a first binding process at a first binding position on a sheet bundle and execute a second binding process at a second binding position different from the first binding position on the sheet bundle. The binding tool driver includes a driver and is configured to apply a driving force to move the binding tool and a driving force to execute the first binding process and the second binding process. The shaft is disposed between the binding tool and the binding tool driver to support a movement of the binding tool by application of the driving force to the first binding position and the second binding position.